The Pueblo Chieftain: House should follow Senate’s lead on roads
Democrats in the state House hold the key to whether the state’s rough roads get a one-time $495 million shot in the arm or a 20-year $5.25 billion funding plan that would help the state catch up on a backlog of maintenance and new construction.
We hope they’ll take some direction from their Democratic colleagues in the Senate who joined Republicans in a 35-0 vote on a transportation funding compromise that sets aside $250 million a year in general fund dollars for roads through 2039. The plan makes use of a $1.3 billion budget surplus by committing $495 million in general fund money this year to state highways.
James Boasberg orders Trump to return over 100 Venezuelans deported under Alien Enemies Act
Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner
emily.hallas.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 56 minutes ago
A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump must return more than 100 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act last spring. “The Court will now order the Government to facilitate the return from third countries of...
Senate Democrats weigh skipping Trump State of the Union address
David Sivak, Washington Examiner
david.sivak.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 1 hour ago
EXCLUSIVE — Senate Democrats are grappling with whether to leave their chairs empty later this month when President Donald Trump travels to the Capitol to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term. Senior Democrats have...
Second appeals judge voices concerns about new ‘reasonable doubt’ instruction
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 3 hours ago
Another member of Colorado’s second-highest court registered his concern on Thursday that a portion of the recently revised “reasonable doubt” definition improperly lowers the prosecution’s burden to prove a defendant guilty. Judge Daniel M. Taubman wrote that the current instruction...
Colorado lawmakers target ‘ghost networks’ to expand access to mental health care
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
State lawmakers are hoping to make it easier for Coloradans to access mental and behavioral health care providers within their insurance networks by cracking down on so-called “ghost networks” that have inundated provider directories. Under House Bill 1002, commercial insurance...
House passes voter ID bill with only one Democrat supporting GOP measure
Lauren Green, Washington Examiner
lauren.green.washington.examiner@gazetteedit.wpenginepowered.com
Updated 3 hours ago
By Lauren Green House Republicans passed a voter ID bill Wednesday, requiring proof of citizenship to vote with minimal Democratic support. Only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-TX, supported the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE...
Hickenlooper, Crow plan to donate campaign cash from Palantir execs to immigrant rights nonprofits
Ernest Luning
ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
Two Democratic members of Colorado’s congressional delegation said this week that they plan to donate more than $100,000 received in campaign contributions from current and former employees of Denver-based firm Palantir Technologies to local nonprofits that assist immigrants and support...
Colorado marijuana regulators consider major changes to how labs test for contaminants
Christopher Osher
chris.osher@gazette.com
Updated 4 hours ago
This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with The Gazette. Colorado marijuana manufacturers would no longer be allowed to choose which product samples they send for mandatory lab testing under a new regulatory proposal discussed at...
Resolution calling for increased road funding clears Colorado Senate committee
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
A Republican legislator said he was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday when the state Senate’s transportation panel advanced a resolution brought to him by county commissioners urging the Colorado Department of Transportation to invest more money to fix roads. Road maintenance...
Hail drives up to 54% of homeowners’ insurance premiums in parts of Colorado
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 20 hours ago
Hail is the largest cost driver of homeowners’ insurance spikes in many parts of the state, according to data collected by the Colorado Division of Insurance. The department requested data from 20 homeowners’ insurance carriers to calculate average premiums and...
Denver advances face covering ban for law enforcement
Deborah Grigsby
deborah.smith@denvergazette.com
Updated 20 hours ago
A Denver City Council committee on Wednesday advanced a proposed ordinance banning law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces during an arrest or detainment or inside a city facility. The proposed ordinance also establishes a minimum...
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The Pueblo Chieftain: A problem that's always with us
So much for easing into his new job slowly. Rookie Pueblo City Councilman Mark Aliff announced last week that he would like to take a leadership role in dealing with one of the community’s most challenging problems: What to do about the homeless. At last week’s council meeting, several residents made it clear that they […]
Neil Gorsuch casts the deciding vote for Supreme Court to side with immigrant facing deportation
The Supreme Court sided with an immigrant convicted of residential burglary and facing deportation and found the term “crime of violence” was unconstitutionally vague. The court ruled 5-4, with Justice Elena Kagan delivering the opinion. The justices affirmed a decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice Neil Gorsuch, nominated by President Trump […]