The Colorado Department of Education has released its audit of the Cesar Chavez Schools Network (KKTV, KRDO, Chieftain), and the board reacts (Chieftain). Attorney General John Suthers is encouraging Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas to work out a water dispute (CSBJ).

Colorado’s medical marijuana dispensaries are one step closer to falling under state regulations. The full senate debated regulations yesterday and a final vote is expected this week. The measure has widespread support from members in both parties, but leaves some members feeling uneasy. The house already passed the bill.

The fate of a controversial teacher tenure bill now rests in the house’s hands. The measure has cleared the senate and gets its first hearing in the house education committee later today.

The state senate initially passed a bill yesterday that would give colleges and universities more flexibility to increase tuition. The measure has wide bi-partisan support with almost all of the senators on board. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

In Colorado Springs, a proposal to restructure city council has been filed at the city clerk’s office (Gazette). D-2 teachers confront the school board about evaluations (KRDO). Easements in Pueblo for the SDS Pipeline have run $1 million thus far (Chieftain). Regional third graders show a slip in reading scores (Gazette, KKTV, KXRM, Chieftain).

Among everything else they’re debating in the final days of the legislative session, Colorado lawmakers are considering banning the use of restraints on pregnant prison inmates. The measure has strong bi-partisan support but debate in the senate touched a nerve when it delved into the topic of abortion.

U.S. Forest officials say they may have to shut down some national forests in Colorado and Wyoming…and, Pueblo’s Urban Renewal Authority is expected to begin its search for a new Executive Director tomorrow.

High Frequency Poetry is a daily reading of a poem by a local author on Radio Colorado College throughout the month of April, National Poetry Month. The poems read here are all from the book Poetry While You Wait, a collection of poems selected by the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, Aaron Anstett.

In today’s news, a Ft. Carson soldier died in Iraq earlier this week, a wildfire continues to burn in Park County, and Colorado health officials confirm the first human cases of West Nile Virus in the state.

Hundreds of people filled the Paramount theatre in downtown Denver on Monday for a public hearing on new rules for energy development. The rules would require the state to more closely look at the health and environmental impacts associated with oil and gas drilling. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

Pro union groups and businesses are likely headed for a showdown this fall on Colorado’s election ballot. One business backed measure would make Colorado a right to work state, unions oppose it and have come up with their own proposals. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

A Democratic state representative is asking the U.S. army to explain why it didn’t react faster to a wild fire that erupted last week on the Piñon Canyon military training sight in southeast Colorado. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

The Governor’s transportation panel reconvened on Tuesday to come up with specific recommendations to fix the state’s ailing roads and bridges. The legislature failed to adopt the panel’s earlier recommendations but members hope next year will be different. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

Members of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission took a beating from lawmakers and the public in Grand Junction Tuesday. The COGCC is revising its regulations on oil and gas. Yesterday was the final public hearing that was NOT in Denver. Steve Zelaznik of KDNK has more.

Telluride hosted its 32nd annual Jazz Celebration this past weekend, which also kicked off the town’s summer festival season. Over twenty-five acts played on several stages over the course of four days, including the spectacularly set outdoor stage… with its panoramic views of the high mountain canyon.

According to a new report from the Colorado Children’s Campaign — the state has the highest increase in childhood poverty rates in the country. Top state officials reacted to the report on Tuesday. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.