Author: The Pueblo Chieftain Editorial Board

Among the many bills approved by the Colorado Legislature so far this year, a couple dealing with criminal justice have caught our eye. One would make police internal investigation records open to the public and the other would eliminate bail for low-level criminal offenses. We believe Gov. Jared Polis should sign both into law. It…

It’s a barbecue that should never have been necessary. Employees from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region gathered in the parking lot of the Pueblo animal shelter Tuesday to celebrate their return, at least temporarily, as the shelter’s operators. The Pueblo City Council and Pueblo County Commission both approved a 90-day contract with…

We are not Pollyannas when it comes to Pueblo and crime. Pueblo, like any city its size, has its share of criminal activity. But we also feel that the city’s issues with crime often are made out to be worse than they really are. Consider the statistics released last week by the District Attorney’s office…

There’s probably a temptation among some recently elected officials to go after the low-hanging fruit, to accomplish their easier goals first to show voters that they’re able to get results and build political capital needed to tackle more difficult issues in the future. Then there’s Gov. Jared Polis. With a little more than a month…

Before his retirement in 2017, Air Time was one of the most feared bulls on the Professional Bull Riders tour, so named because of his ability to send the sport’s best riders hurtling haplessly through space. Air Time, the bull, was rough on his two-legged adversaries. But air time, on television, is great for the…

Since he took office in January, Gov. Jared Polis has proven himself to be the man we thought he would be. He’s generally pursued the agenda he talked about on the campaign trail last year. And, much to our delight, he has so far kept his promise to pay attention to Pueblo and other parts…

It’s been a long legal battle and it isn’t over yet. However, a new agreement holds promise to dramatically cut or eliminate the backlog of cases the state hospital in Pueblo has had for criminal defendants with mental health issues. Disability Law Colorado, a Denver-based advocacy group, filed a lawsuit against the Colorado Department of…

As we noted in a previous editorial, the Colorado Legislature hasn’t exactly set the gold standard for bipartisanship during this year’s session. Republicans are upset because the Democrats, who control both houses as well as the governor’s office, have been pushing through an agenda that’s heavy on progressive programs and causes. Lacking the votes to…

It’s hard to say what’s more troubling about operations at the public animal shelter over the last three months – the things we know or the things we don’t. Here’s what we do know: The shelter’s staff veterinarian, Dr. Joel Brubaker, has left his job there and hasn’t been replaced. The shelter’s most experienced animal…

It might not be happening exactly the way local officials planned, but a bold experiment is about to begin at two Pueblo City Schools (D60). Last week, D60?s board of education selected Florida-based MGT Consulting, in partnership with the University of Virginia, to take over management of Heroes Middle School and Risley International Academy of…