Author: Marissa Ventrelli
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Colorado Republican leader criticizes Democrats’ comments about Charlie Kirk
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The new Republican leader of the Colorado House sharply criticized Democrats over recent comments about conversative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month during an event at a university in Utah. In a letter to the House speaker and the majority leader, Jarvis Caldwell, R-Colorado Springs, asked that the chamber reaffirm its commitment…
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Joint Budget Committee greenlights $2.8M for Colorado prisons amid overcrowding crisis
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The General Assembly’s Joint Budget Committee has approved nearly $3 million in supplemental funding for the Colorado Department of Corrections to cover the cost of additional prison beds amid an ongoing crisis of prison overcrowding. Last month, DOC facilities reached a vacancy level of 3% for 30 consecutive days, prompting the governor to implement the…
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Colorado’s prison population management plan activated due to overcrowding
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Ongoing issues within the Colorado Department of Corrections have prompted the state to trigger its Prison Population Management Measures — a policy framework established in 2018 to address overcrowding. It marks the first time the measures have been put into effect. Under the law, the governor must implement the management measures if the state’s prison…
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Congressional Republicans call for special session to take action on Colorado’s ‘crime crisis’
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Colorado’s Republican U.S. Representatives are asking Gov. Jared Polis to call a second special session this year to address what they call a “crime crisis.” In a joint letter sent to Polis on Tuesday, U.S. Reps. Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, and Jeff Crank referenced a recent incident in Weld County in which a man who…
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Colorado’s affordable housing efforts gain momentum despite market challenges
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Colorado’s housing shortage is improving after reaching its worst point in 2019, but affordability remains a significant barrier to homeownership, according to a new analysis from the state’s Demography Office. “The State Demography Office’s analysis compares existing housing shortage estimates and offers an estimate with a transparent methodology,” said Kate Watkins, Colorado State Demographer. “By providing objective,…
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Land use reform gains traction as housing solution for older adults
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Land use reform is emerging as a popular solution to the nation’s housing crisis, especially among older adults, according to a recent study by AARP and Pew. More than 70% of respondents aged 50 and over said they want to stay in their communities as they age, commonly referred to as aging in place. The…
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Weld County Sheriff condemns law that led to release of violent suspect
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Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams says a 2024 law required him to release a man who had been charged with attempted murder stemming from an incident in Greeley earlier this year. According to Reams, 21-year-old Debisa Ephraim was arrested in April and charged with second-degree attempted murder following an altercation between him and another man…
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Evergreen shooting catapults a familiar debate back to the forefront
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When a 16-year-old student began firing at his schoolmates at a popular Mountain town in Colorado and critically injured two students, it catapulted to the fore an emotionally-wrought and familiar debate at the state Capitol — how to stop a school mass shooting from happening again and again. In Colorado, students, teachers and parents have…
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Survey: Coloradans skeptical of party politics, economic outlook remains grim
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Nearly 50% of voters in Colorado are unaffiliated with a political party, according to the latest data from the Secretary of State’s Office. A recent survey from the conservative-leaning polling group Magellan Strategies appears to confirm Coloradans’ overall distrust of both major political parties, with over 60% of respondents expressing an unfavorable opinion of both…
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Other Hats Q&A | Rep. Carlos Barron balance the family business in oil and gas and the state legislature
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Welcome to the latest installment of our new series, “Other Hats,” where we explore what Colorado’s state lawmakers do for a living when the legislature is not in session. Rep. Carlos Barron, R-Fort Lupton, is the general manager for his father’s business, which contracts with oil and gas operators and transportation companies. Barron’s family also…
