- Everyone at the state capitol seems to agree that the budget will dominate the next legislative session. But some Republican lawmakers are starting to work on a slate of bills that could be even more contentious — they want to make some big changes to how the state handles illegal immigration.
- Friday night thousands will crowd downtown Denver for one of the city’s oldest celebrations — the Grand Illumination of the city and county building. And the display’s history is almost as colorful as its lights.
- The Douglas County school board is considering whether to hand over some of its money to help students go to private schools. The program would be the first of its kind in the state. Colorado Public Radio’s Megan Verlee reports the idea is already sparking strong reactions.
- Governor Bill Ritter presented his final budget proposal Wednesday to the incoming members of the legislature’s budget committee. His plan may change in coming months, but one thing probably won’t — the state has a giant fiscal hole to fill next year.
- Colorado is 49th in the nation for public funding of higher education. But the solution may be a tough sell. A committee appointed by Governor Bill Ritter wants to ask the public to pay more for colleges and universities.
- Denver voters who make it all the way through their ballots may get a surprise this year. They’re being asked to vote on something no American city has done before. You could say, it’s out of this world.
- The small town of Trinidad, Colorado has long had the nickname “Sex Change Capitol of the World.” That reputation started because of a local doctor who taught himself the procedure at the request of a male patient who wanted to become a woman. The late Dr. Stanley Biber retired in 2003 and Dr.
- Colorado holds the dubious title of being one of the top states for outside campaign spending this election season. One report estimates three-quarters of a million dollars is spent here every day. Last year’s Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate and labor spending unleashed this flood of funds, and Colorado Public Radio’s Megan Verlee looks
- On election night two years ago, Colorado’s 4th Congressional District went blue for the first time in decades. This year Democrat Betsy Markey is fighting hard to hold onto her seat in the face a strong Republican challenger and a lot of national interest.
- CPR’s coverage of the state’s most contested Congressional districts continues with a visit to one that wasn’t supposed to be up for grabs. Until late this summer, most analysts expected that Democrat Ed Perlmutter would easily win reelection in the 7th Congressional District.
- Democratsdominate Colorado’s Congressional delegation right now. ButRepublicans have high hopes for changing that come November. One of theseats they’re eyeing is Colorado’s 3rd, which John Salazar has represented for the past three terms. But he’s fighting hard to make it back to Washington for a fourth.
- Opponents of three tax-cutting, government restricting ballot measures aren’t just battling in the court of public opinion, but in the actual courts as well. They’re pursuing a campaign finance complaint over who really got the initiatives on the ballot, and where the money came from. The case has already gone on nine months, and doesn’t
- Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Dan Maes may be starring in one of Colorado’s strangest Gubernatorial races ever. But politics took a back seat to the issues when they met for a major Western Slope debate this weekend. Outside the meeting, ACP candidate Tom Tancredo protested his exclusion.
- Washington connections, failed policies, and both the Bush and Obama administrations all added fuel to a fiery debate between Colorado’s Senate candidates this weekend. Democratic senator Michael Bennet, and his Republican challenger Ken Buck shared the stage for the first time in Grand Junction.
- Emergency crews working on the Fourmile Canyon Fire made more progress Thursday, bringing it to at least 40 percent containment and not losing any more structures.
- The Fourmile Canyon fire burning outside Boulder has now destroyed more than 130 homes and scorched thousands of acres. Cloudy weather gave firefighters some reprieve yesterday, but temperatures and winds are both supposed to pick up today. Officials say full containment could be more than a week away.
