Latest news with #Coloradans
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Native fish repopulating Colorado River Connectivity Channel faster than anticipated: CPW
DENVER (KDVR) — Aquatic biologists with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Friday that they are continuing to observe a quicker-than-anticipated increase in native fish in the recently finished Colorado River Connectivity Channel project at Windy Gap Reservoir, near Granby. The aquatic biologists completed the first-ever raft electrofishing survey at the river connectivity channel in early May, according to CPW, which said the researchers estimated nearly 850 brown trout and about 221 rainbow trout more than six inches in length already live within a one-mile reach of the connectivity channel. Section of Loveland's Recreation Trail Loop under construction to reopen June 1 'It was very exciting to see a healthy number of adult trout occupying all of this new habitat,' said Jon Ewert, CPW Hot Sulphur Springs Area Aquatic Biologist, in a statement. 'Especially considering that we have not stocked a single fish into the channel.' The Colorado River Connectivity Project reconnected aquatic habitats that were fragmented by the construction of the Windy Gap Reservoir in 1985. The project was finished in the fall of 2023. CPW biologists also previously observed 'extensive' brown trout spawning activity in the river connectivity channel last fall, along with 'moderate' rainbow trout spawning activity this spring, the agency said. The agency also documented positive signs of native fish repopulating in the river connectivity channel earlier than anticipated last fall, with an aquatic research team finding evidence at that time of native sculpin returning to the upper Colorado River and the river connectivity channel after several decades of absence in nearly 30 miles of their former habitat. CPW said it may take years for the beneficial effects of the river connectivity channel to be 'fully realized,' but that their findings suggest the health of the river could be improving faster than expected. Orangutan escapes exhibit after a 'malfunction' at Denver Zoo 'Seeing such positive results with water flowing through this new river section for just over a year, we anticipate that this fish population will continue to grow,' Ewert said. The new river section is currently closed to public fishing access, according to CPW, which said it expects to open the area to the public after it has had sufficient time to 'fully revegetate,' via 'a couple more' growing seasons. Coloradans who would like to learn more about the Colorado River Connectivity Channel Project can find more information online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rent-setting software ban supporters blast Polis veto
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks during a news conference about a bipartisan property tax reduction bill on May 6, 2024, at the Colorado Capitol. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline) Colorado Democratic lawmakers criticized Gov. Jared Polis after he vetoed a bill on Thursday afternoon that would have banned the use of computer algorithms to set rent in the state, calling the decision a failure of the state's values. 'Gov. Polis had the opportunity to save Coloradans money, but he instead aligned himself with tech companies that are engaged in practices so questionable that they're currently facing litigation from the federal government,' Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat and bill sponsor, said during a virtual press conference on Friday morning. House Bill 25-1004 was written as a consumer protection bill to ban software that uses private market data to suggest profit-maximizing rents to landlords. The Biden administration released a report last year that found software from companies like RealPage cost Denver renters an extra $136 per month, one of the highest monthly cost increases in the country, and is used in over 45% of multifamily rental units in the city. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser last year also targeted the practice when he joined an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage. In his veto letter, Polis wrote that he prefers to allow 'current state and federal investigations to run their course — including those Colorado is a party to.' He wrote that he agrees with the intent of the bill, and that collusion to artificially constrain rental supply is already illegal, but he worried about its effect on the state's housing market. 'We should not inadvertently take a tool off the table that could identify vacancies and provide consumers with meaningful data to help efficiently manage residential real estate to ensure people can access housing,' he wrote. 'If signed today, this bill may have unintended consequences of creating a hostile environment for providers of rental housing and could result in further diminished supply of rental housing based on inadequate data.' A RealPage spokesperson lauded Polis' veto. 'This is the right outcome for all of us who desire a healthy housing ecosystem that benefits Colorado renters and housing providers alike,' Jennifer Bowcock of RealPage said in a statement. The bill was sponsored by Gonzales, Sen. Nick Hinrichsen of Pueblo, Rep. Steven Woodrow of Denver and Rep. Javier Mabrey of Denver, all Democrats. A similar bill died last year, but this year's version passed on party-line votes in both legislative chambers. 'During my time at the Legislature, we've been tasked by the governor to save people money,' Woodrow said. 'During special sessions, we've been called down to cut property taxes to save homeowners an average of $80. Why we couldn't find the means to save renters 200 times that with a stroke of a pen is simply beyond unfortunate. The governor has punted this to the courts.' Groups that supported the bill included the Community Economic Defense Project, The Bell Policy Center, the Colorado Fiscal Institute and United for a New Economy. Supporters hoped the Biden White House report and pending litigation would help usher it into law this year. 'Unfortunately, the veto sends this devastating message that corporate landlords can keep using secret price-fixing algorithms to take extra rent from the people who have the least,' CEDP co-founder Sam Gilman said. The veto is Polis' 11th this year. He has until June 6 to sign or veto bills passed during this year's legislative session, which concluded earlier this month. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dem Governor Vetoes Ban on Surprise Ambulance Bills in Shocking Move
Colorado's Democratic governor, Jared Polis, has vetoed a bill that would ban surprise billing by ambulance companies, over the unanimous objections of both chambers of the state legislature. Why would Polis veto a bill that's popular with everyone, even Colorado Republicans? The governor wrote in his veto statement that drafting errors in the bill made it 'unimplementable,' and estimated that it would make insurance premiums go up by as much as $0.73 to $2.15 per person. 'I am committed to working with proponents and sponsors to protect Coloradans from surprise bills, but I encourage all parties to work towards a more reasonable reimbursement rate that mitigates premium impacts and nets a better deal for Colorado families,' Polis wrote. In Colorado, if legislators in both chambers repass the bill with a two-thirds majority, they can override the governor's veto, especially considering that the bill passed with the support of every single legislator. But the legislature adjourned on May 7, meaning that the bill has to be passed again when the legislature reconvenes in January. For some reason, ending surprise ambulance billing nationally is not the slam-dunk issue it should be. Congress ended most surprise medical bills in 2020, but exempted ground ambulances from the bill. Was Polis's veto due to badly drafted language and a (seemingly modest) price hike in insurance premiums as he said, or was it for a different, more nefarious reason? We might not know unless and until the bill is reintroduced next year.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Evans, Boebert tout ‘Big, Beautiful, Bill' amid boos from Coloradans
DENVER (KDVR) — Members of Congress are back home this week. Many are checking in with their constituents across the Centennial State. Coloradans weigh in on what police should do about street racing Two Republican members of the congressional delegation stopped by the state capitol to discuss the 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act' making its way through Congress with members of the press. The visit did not go exactly as planned. Congressman Gabe Evans and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert came to the state capitol to answer questions about the president's so-called big beautiful bill. A handful of others showed up with concerns of their own. 'The plan is just to observe, we're not here to disrupt. We're just here to observe and to listen. We want to hold them accountable for the lies they are gonna tell today,' said Wynn Howell, Colorado director of the Working Families Party. 'This bill passed out of the House last week and it is a win for Coloradans and we're gonna talk about why it is a win for people in Colorado,' said Evans amid a swarm of boos from disgruntled Coloradans. There were disruptions during Evans and Boebert's stop at the state Capitol. Angry Colorado residents came out to voice their frustrations with the representatives who voted to pass the measure. Both representatives maintain the bill will only cut off benefits for people who should not be in the system. 'The president himself has said no cuts to lawful beneficiaries of Medicaid. That is absolutely correct under this bill. Again, we just ran through the categories of people that will be impacted by these reforms. It's people that are ineligible, it's illegal immigrants, and it's able-bodied working-aged adults who, with no dependents who choose not to work, volunteer or go to school part-time. That is their choice,' the congressman said as the crowd chanted about democracy. 'Waste, fraud and abuse, improper payments, that is what we are eliminating. We are not eliminating lawful use of Medicaid. This is was never supposed to be something that American citizens lived on for their lives,' Boebert said. Democrats at the state capitol fear the bill will have unintended consequences for other Coloradans, increasing premiums for people outside of Medicaid and disenrolling hundreds of thousands of people already in the system. 'People will get dropped in that process, but they aren't necessarily people who shouldn't be on there. They are people who are disabled, who are working at the margin, who are barely hanging in there and they are the ones who have trouble complying with these regulations,' said state Senator and Joint Budget Committee member Judy Amabile. 'Having a robust, strong Medicaid system that is ensuring that providers are reimbursed, at least in some way, Medicaid doesn't reimburse the costs- it reimburses the under costs. Ensuring that medical providers have some kind of reimbursement for this lowers costs for healthcare across the board. We've had a laser focus in the state on reducing premiums for Coloradans. This bill will increase premiums,' said state Senator and Joint Budget Committee Chair Jeff Bridges. Measles case confirmed in vaccinated Coloradan who flew into DIA State lawmakers said they still have not decided if they will come back in for a special session if the bill passes as it stands, but they are projecting the state will feel some major fiscal impacts from the legislation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
GOP lawmakers defending Trump bill shouted down by protesters
Over shouting and chants, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans stood in front of the state Capitol on Thursday and defended his support for President Trump's spending bill, touting efforts to extend tax breaks and purge waste from safety-net programs like Medicaid. Why it matters: The first-term GOP congressman is looking to shift the conversation about Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" ahead of the 2026 election, where he will need to defend one of his party's most vulnerable districts in the northern Denver suburbs. Driving the news: With U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Windsor) and other local Republicans at his side, Evans spent 50 minutes trying to recast the bill as "a win for Coloradans" and pushed back against TV ads and protests targeting him for his vote. Evans repeatedly emphasized the need for work requirements for able-bodied adults to receive Medicaid health insurance and SNAP nutritional benefits and the removal of people living in the country illegally. Other parts of the bill he celebrated included the extension of Trump's tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year, a greater child tax credit, a $4,000 deduction for Social Security recipients and $46 billion for border security. What they're saying: "We are being open and honest about what is in the bill," he told Axios Denver at the event. "You don't have to agree or like what I say. Nevertheless, we are here to lay out the facts." Reality check: The Polis administration and Democratic legislative leaders anticipate an estimated 140,000 to 230,000 residents will lose Medicaid insurance as a result of the bill and that it will drive up uncompensated care at hospitals and increase health care premiums. Other provisions, such as eligibility checks every six months, will cost the state millions, lawmakers say. Also, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal Medicaid benefits but may receive them from the state. The other side: In the crowd, Harlen Ainscough, 77, held hand-painted protest signs and joined dozens of demonstrators who booed, chanted and shouted at Evans as he spoke. "We wanted just to let him know we are here ... and holding him accountable for voting for the 'big beautiful bill,'" the Thornton resident said.
