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Critics of Colorado Amendment 80 warn the move would siphon taxpayer dollars away from already underfunded public schools into private religious schools. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

CO Amendment 80 could prompt private school voucher foothold

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Despite pledges from semiconductor companies in the 1990s to phase out dangerous chemicals, miscarriage and cancer rates remain high among the global workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CHIPS Act opportunity to set standard for good Colorado jobs

As the Biden-Harris Administration prepares to invest up to $175 billion in tax money into semiconductor manufacturing under the CHIPS Act, a new …

Colorado is investing in key infrastructure to power and maintain electric vehicles, including connecting new solar canopies to the electric grid, and adding more charging stations. (Adobe Stock)

Clean buses coming to Colorado transit systems

The Colorado Department of Transportation is investing nearly $32 million to help local governments and other stakeholders transition to electric vehi…

Exposure to smoke from wildfires has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and a decline in cognitive function. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for breathing easier during Colorado’s bad air quality days

Wildfires are becoming bigger and more frequent in Colorado and across the Mountain West, and health experts are offering tips to breathe easy even …

$Most methane pollution comes from the drilling and processing of fossil fuels, and has been on the rise since the introduction of hydraulic fracturing technology. (Adobe Stock)$

Colorado, nation face public health, climate risks as methane pollution soars

Methane pollution is increasing at the fastest rate in decades, according to a new report, and that's making it harder to turn the tide on climate …

Along with workshops and get-togethers, organizers are planning a

Rural businesses support each other through ‘Rural is Rad'

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

Si se implementa, el Proyecto 2025 legalizar�a la discriminaci�n basada en la orientaci�n sexual y la identidad de g�nero, y eliminar�a t�rminos que incluyen

Grupos de derechos civiles hacen sonar alarma sobre Proyecto 2025

Grupos de derechos civiles hacen sonar la alarma sobre las posibles amenazas a la democracia estadounidense que plantea el Proyecto 2025, una hoja de …

Colorado hospitals and clinics have reported sharply increased numbers of uninsured people seeking care. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado posted 2nd-highest loss of Medicaid coverage in nation in May

In May, Colorado ranked second in the nation for the percentage of residents dropped from Medicaid health insurance rolls - including 500,000 who …

Voting by people who are not U.S. citizens already is illegal in federal elections, and there is no indication it's happening anywhere in significant numbers. (Adobe Stock)

Groups debunk claims of 'skyrocketing' numbers of non-citizen voters

After a recent flurry of claims that Democrats are allowing immigrants into the country illegally in order to register them to vote in the upcoming U.…

Es ilegal para las personas que no son ciudadanas estadounidenses votar en elecciones federales, y no hay indicios de que est� sucediendo en ning�n lugar en cantidades significativas. (Adobe Stock)

Desacreditan afirmaciones de que votantes no ciudadanos están en 'aumento'

Después de una reciente avalancha de afirmaciones de que los demócratas están permitiendo la entrada ilegal de inmigrantes al país…

De m�s de 7.300 legisladores en todo el pa�s, s�lo 116, o el 1,6%, trabajaron actualmente o por �ltima vez en trabajos manuales, en la industria de servicios, administrativos o sindicalizados. (Adobe Stock)

Informe: Clase trabajadora sin representación en las legislaturas estatales

La mitad de los estadounidenses van a trabajar todos los días en la industria de servicios, haciendo trabajos administrativos o en la construcci&…

Of more than 7,300 lawmakers nationwide, just 116, or 1.6%, currently or last worked in manual labor, service industry, clerical or labor union jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Working class missing in state legislatures

Half of Americans go to work every day in the service industry, doing clerical work or in construction and other manual labor jobs but fewer than 2% …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

A 2022 survey found that six in ten LGBTQ youths in Colorado reported experiencing symptoms of depression, and 45% seriously considered suicide. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado first in nation to offer free mental health care to youths

Amanda Dodson first noticed signs for a pilot program called "I Matter" at her ten-year-old daughter Hailey's school. After looking into it, she was …

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

Decades of policies like redlining, that forced people of color into neighborhoods surrounded by industrial polluters, have led to a host of negative health outcomes, including cancers and premature death. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado lawmakers eye ways to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers took a first step toward addressing decades of toxic pollution disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods and …

Supporters of Colorado's House Bill 1379 said it will help protect Coloradans from flooding, help ensure safe and sufficient drinking water and help preserve fishing, boating, and other recreational opportunities across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring protections for Colorado endangered waters and wetlands

Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation to restore protections to key waters and wetlands struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year in a …

Colorado law aims to keep voter districts fair by taking the redistricting process, which occurs after each once-a-decade U.S. Census count, out of the hands of elected officials and into the hands of independent commissions. (Adobe Stock)

Weld County’s Latino community wins court case on gerrymandered maps

Weld County commissioners are headed back to the drawing board, after a county district court ruled that their voter district maps created after the 2…

La ley de Colorado tiene como objetivo mantener los distritos electorales justos al tomar el proceso de redistribuci�n de distritos, que ocurre despu�s de cada conteo del censo estadounidense una vez por d�cada, fuera de las manos de los funcionarios electos y en manos de comisiones independientes. (Adobe Stock)

Latinos del condado de Weld ganan caso judicial por mapas manipulados

os comisionados del condado de Weld regresan a la mesa de dibujo después de que un tribunal de distrito del condado dictaminó que sus mapas …

After lawmakers passed House Bill 1232 in 2021, standardized Colorado Option health insurance was developed with extensive input from consumers, insurers, health providers, rural communities and other stakeholders. (Adobe Stock)

Tracking effectiveness of Colorado’s Public Option health coverage

Colorado's standardized health-insurance plan, known as the Colorado Option, is changing how consumers interact with insurance, according to a new …

The Colorado Avalanche and Xcel Energy are helping fundraise for Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit that in 2023 helped more than 38,289 Colorado households through energy efficiency gains, connecting with community solar gardens and crisis-intervention services. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Avalanche scores an assist on energy bills

The Colorado Avalanche has teamed up with Xcel Energy to generate funds to help people struggling to pay their energy bills this winter. Every time …

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision held that the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations. (Adobe Stock)

Tracking foreign interests in Colorado political campaigns

Despite federal laws that prohibit campaign contributions by people who are not United States citizens, foreign-influenced corporations and their …

AARP Colorado works in collaboration with communities across the state, bringing people<br />together, and providing resources and expertise to help make Colorado's counties, towns and<br />cities great places to live for people of all ages. (Adobe Stock)

Money available to help improve communities

AARP Colorado is putting out the call for creative projects that help improve entire communities, especially those age 50 and older, for this year's …

AARP Colorado trabaja en colaboraci�n con las comunidades de todo el estado, uniendo a la gente y proporcionando recursos y experiencia para ayudar a que los condados, pueblos y ciudades de Colorado sean grandes lugares para vivir para personas de todas las edades. (Adobe Stock)

Dinero disponible para ayudar a mejorar las comunidades

A-A-R-P Colorado está convocando proyectos creativos que ayuden a mejorar comunidades enteras, especialmente aquellas de 50 años o más…

Colorado is the first state to rule former President Donald Trump is disqualified from appearing on a primary ballot for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and Capitol breach. (Adobe Stock)

Trump campaign promises to appeal CO Supreme Court primary ballot ban

The Trump campaign has accused the Colorado Supreme Court of interfering in the 2024 elections after Tuesday's ruling, which held the former …

As wolf population numbers in Colorado grow, some wolves are expected to migrate to establish new territories. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado begins program to reintroduce gray wolves in native range

It's been 50 years since Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, which is credited with helping wolves rebound from near-total extinction in …

Holding back feelings and not speaking up when someone makes an off-color comment can lead to depression and health problems including immune dysfunction, hypertension and even cancer. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for navigating difficult conversations this holiday season

In today's politically polarized world, holiday office parties and family gatherings can lead to increased tensions, arguments and even long term …

Around 11,900 acres of the historic Bohart Ranch east of Colorado Springs used by U.S. Air Force Academy cadets have been permanently protected. (Adobe Stock)

SOAR aims to conserve open space, military readiness

The skies above the historic 48,000 acre Bohart Ranch and a remote airfield on the property serve an important role for the United States Air Force Ac…

In 2021, clinicians at Community Health Centers in Colorado treated nearly 950,000 patients in 2.7 million visits for primary care as well as dental, vision, mental health and substance abuse concerns. (Adobe Stock)

Troubles in Congress could impact health-care access for Coloradans

Colorado's community health centers that serve all patients regardless of their ability to pay are already one month into their new fiscal year…

Food to Power, a group in Colorado Springs, has redistributed more than $6 million of healthy groceries to struggling families since 2013. (Adobe Stock)

Harvest Celebration Marks Decades-Long Quest to Address Food Insecurity

This year's Food to Power Harvest Festival marks 10 years since Colorado Springs residents launched a food rescue project to get fruits and vegetables…

A CBS Poll from August finds more than half of those surveyed feel former President Donald Trump attempted to remain in office through

Lawsuit Seeks Removal of Donald Trump from CO Primary Ballot

A Colorado lawsuit getting lots of national attention aims to remove former President Donald Trump from the state's presidential primary ballot…

Una encuesta de CBS de agosto revela que m�s de la mitad de los encuestados sienten que el expresidente Donald Trump intent� permanecer en el cargo por

Demanda busca eliminar a Donald Trump de elecciones primarias de CO

Una demanda en Colorado que está recibiendo mucha atención nacional ya tiene como objetivo eliminar al expresidente Donald Trump de las elec…

A new senior center in Highlands Ranch will offer a ten-week evidence-based

First Highlands Ranch Senior Center on Track to Open in 2024

Residents age 55 and older can now sign up for inaugural memberships with the first-ever senior center to open in Highlands Ranch, just south of …

BLM investments will be used to restore 323,000 acres of public lands in the San Luis Valley and 170,000 acres in North Park, home to important big-game migration corridors. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Makes Big Investment in Colorado Public Lands

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $161 million to restore public lands in Colorado and 10 other western states. Liz Rose, Colorado …

It costs single parents in Colorado $16,333 per year for center-based child care, which is 41% of the state's median income. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Colorado Ranks 15th for Child Well-Being

Colorado moved up one spot overall, from 16 to 15, in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states …

Parcels of land downstream of Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch have been subdivided into 35- to 50-acre large-lot tracts. (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust)

Preserving Cultural, Environmental Legacy in Southern Colorado

Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch sits in a dramatic canyon in the foothills of southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, right next to the Rio Grande National …

Building Solutions for 'Range Anxiety' Can Boost Electric Vehicle Transition

By Whitney Bauck for Reasons to be Cheerful and Nexus Media News.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solu…

A new training program developed by the High Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council is helping community members intervene and prevent suicides in rural areas across Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's Rural Communities Mobilizing to Prevent Suicide

Community advisory committees across rural Colorado are working to better understand the mental-health needs for community members including farmers…

The scholarship initiative was created with the Colorado Department of Higher Education to increase the attainment of postsecondary credentials and degrees for underserved students in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

CO Scholarship Initiative Invests in Students Experiencing Homelessness

More than 15,000 students in Colorado have experienced homelessness, and a new grant from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative will help …

A recent survey found that 65% of parents think their school has done an

New Survey Spotlights Parents’ Mindsets in 2022-2023 School Year

More than half of parents in Colorado and across the nation continue to be concerned about children's mental health, according to the latest survey …

It costs taxpayers $13,400 to provide supportive housing per person each year, compared with between $21,000 and $40,000 for medical care, incarceration, detox treatment and shelter services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness are pushing back against proposals by several Denver mayoral candidates who are including forced mental…

In Colorado, outdoor recreation is considered to be a legally beneficial use of Colorado water. (Adobe Stock)

Revised Colorado Water Plan Prioritizes Conservation

A coalition of conservation groups is giving Colorado's revised state water plan a thumbs-up for its increased focus on protecting Colorado's rivers…

While mortality rates for pregnant women have decreased globally, they continue to rise in the United States, with Black women three times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women. (Inez/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Women’s Rights a Canary in Coal Mine for Democracy

By Jennifer Weiss-Wolf for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

Stigma continues to be one of the biggest barriers for addressing mental health, and telehealth provides a confidential option. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic Telehealth Visits Remain High for Mental Health

The use of telehealth has dropped since its peak during the height of the COVID-19 public health emergency, but more Coloradans continue to opt for …

Shop For Care helps consumers make informed decisions on where to access services such as x-rays, MRIs, CT scans and other major services and procedures such as cataract surgeries, deliveries and knee replacements. (Adobe Stock)

Removing Healthcare Language Barriers for Spanish-Speaking Coloradans

Colorado's Spanish-speaking communities can now access comprehensive pricing information for health-care services through a new Spanish portal in the …

Colorado's median rent is expected to reach $2,700 a month by 2032, which is only affordable for people with an annual income above $106,000. (Adobe Stock)

CO Lawmakers to Decide How to Invest $300 Million in Affordable Housing

In November, Colorado voters approved the largest source of dedicated funding to address affordable housing and homelessness in the state's history…

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CO: Civic Engagement & Voting