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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…

In the last General Assembly session, AARP Colorado advocates tracked 119 bills, testified for 17 of the measures and sent more than 900 emails to legislators. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic-Related Rules Create Opening for Rural Voices in CO Legislature

With the new General Assembly session just around the corner, AARP Colorado is stepping up recruitment efforts for its legislative advocacy team…

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Methane Waste Rules Welcomed to Improve Public Health

Public-health advocates are welcoming a new proposal to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities. Sabrina …

Children living near refineries, highways and other sources of air pollution are disproportionately at risk of developing respiratory illness. (Adobe Stock)

Connecting CO Health Outcomes to Climate Solutions, Lower Utility Bills

A successful program that helps low-income households weatherize homes and lower energy bills is setting its sights on improving the health outcomes o…

Since 1999, the number of opiate-related deaths has increased every year, and overdoses have risen by 44% since the onset of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Moving Opioid Treatment into Primary Care to Expand Access

Each year some 68,000 people in Colorado and across the U.S. die from opiate overdoses, largely due to lack of treatment, and federally qualified …

Proposition FF includes grants school districts can use to purchase locally produced food, which proponents argued will help support local farmers and strengthen regional food systems. (Adobe Stock)

Proponents: Prop FF Key to Reducing Hunger in Colorado Springs

Proposition FF on Colorado's November ballot aims to ensure all students can access healthy, nutritious food at school, at no cost to families…

Colorado's income taxes fund two-thirds of the state's General Fund, the vast majority of which pays for public K-12 and higher education, health care, human services and the state's corrections system. (Adobe Stock)

Tax Cut on Ballot Would Cost Coloradans Earning Less Than $91,000

Proponents of an initiative on the November ballot to lower the state income tax rate by less than 1% say the measure will allow Coloradans to keep mo…

Approximately 74% of people who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado qualified for financial help to cover the cost of their plan. (Adobe Stock)

Health Insurance Tax Credits Extended During Open Enrollment

Some 155,000 Coloradans who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado were able to save 900 dollars per year on average throu…

About two-thirds of women age 50 and older say they will not make their decisions until weeks or just days before election day. (Adobe Stock)

Older Women Voters Projected to Decide Balance of Power

Women voters age 50 and older have not decided which candidates to support in November's midterm elections, and the direction they choose could …

Conservationists propose 12 initial wolf-reintroduction areas, based on large suitable habitat blocks, connectivity, and the presence of elk, deer and other prey. Proposed locations include Rocky Mountain National Park and the Maroon Bells-Snowmass and Hermosa Creek wilderness areas. (Adobe Stock)

CO Conservationists Offer Alternative Plan for Wolf Reintroduction

A coalition of 14 conservation groups has unveiled an alternative proposal to help guide wolf reintroduction and recovery ahead of a Colorado Parks an…

Energy Outreach Colorado has helped Coloradans pay overdue utility bills at an average cost of $591, where previous bills averaged between $400 to $500. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans Brace for Higher Energy Bills in Summer

Coloradans are not likely to see much relief in their utility bills any time soon, as a late May cold spell gives way to the full heat of summer…

Denver's Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods have just 5% tree canopy cover, when the ideal minimum canopy is 20%. (Adobe Stock)

Planting Trees on Earth Day for Climate Resiliency

Conservationists are planting trees on Earth Day to help mitigate the impacts of a warming planet. Urban areas along Colorado's Front Range become …

Pollsters at Colorado College saw a 22-point increase in the number of respondents who say climate change is a serious problem compared to a 2011 poll. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Youth Take Aim at Largest Corporate Polluters

Colorado students are expected to gather at the State Capitol today, joining a global climate youth strike. Students will also march to a Chase bank …

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering found that revenues from drug companies' top 20 medications pay for all their annual research and development, and still result in a profit of some $40 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Older Coloradans Press Congress to Lower Drug Prices

It's been two months since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, which includes reforms that aim to bring down …

MLK "Marade" Spotlights Drive to Protect Voting Rights

As Democrats in Congress struggle to get enough votes to pass new federal voter protections, Denver's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day "Marade" - a …

Colorado state demographers project that by 2050, one in three Colorado residents will be Latino. (Adobe Stock)

Latinos Win Seat at Voter Redistricting Table

DENVER - This year Colorado joined 13 other states trying to take politics out of the once-a-decade voter redistricting process, and Latino …

Working Americans pay a higher tax rate on their wages than people who are wealthy pay for passive income gained through investments in stocks and bonds. (Adobe Stock)

Wealthy Coloradans Urge Congress to Raise Their Taxes

DENVER - Some 200 wealthy taxpayers and business owners, including 14 in Colorado, are asking Congress to raise their taxes. An open letter …

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CO: Civic Engagement & Voting