Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

May 7, 2026

Marya Washburn, CDOT Policy and Programs Communications Manager

720-378-4587 | marya.washburn@state.co.us

Kiernan Maletsky. RTD Director of Long-Range Planning

719-440-8370 | kiernan.maletsky@rtd-denver.com

CTE and RTD Announce Milestone $9.3 Million in Funding to Increase Frequency of Certain Bus Routes

Agreement marks first funding through SB24-230 transit formula grant program.

Statewide — The Colorado Clean Transit Enterprise and RTD announced a $9.3 million grant to increase frequency and launch new service on key bus routes as well as restore service on some routes, while providing extra capacity for high-volume events.

This funding, authorized under Senate Bill 24-230, marks the first award under the new formula grant program created by the legislature and signed by Gov. Jared Polis, representing the largest single investment CTE, a state-owned business housed within the Colorado Department of Transportation, will make for Fiscal Year 2026.

“I signed SB24-230 to protect our clean air and increase transportation options for Coloradans, and now Coloradans are seeing the benefits,” the governor said. “Coloradans want more transportation options that get us where we want to go, saving time and money, while reducing traffic and pollution. Thanks to this important law, Coloradans along busy bus routes will see increased service.”

The agreement signals an expanded partnership between the state and RTD. In a move to directly support RTD’s June 7, 2026, service changes, CTE and CDOT expedited the execution of this grant at RTD’s request. This rapid turnaround underscores a shared commitment to addressing RTD’s current fiscal challenges by providing immediate, tangible financial support to Colorado’s transportation system.

“Providing public transit services is more costly per revenue mile than it ever has been, and that fact is not unique to RTD,” said RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “The agency recognizes the limits that are inherent in its existing funding sources, and I am appreciative of the continued collaboration with the state that has brought us to this point. Collaborations like these will only be more important as RTD partners with the communities it serves to provide the services that customers need.”

CDOT Executive Director and CTE Board Member Shoshana Lew said the agreement was a testament to agencies cooperating across different levels of government.

“We know that frequency and reliability are critically important factors when people choose how to get to where they need to go,” Lew said. “Investing in transit running more often can help riders have more choices as they navigate their lives, and can make transit a viable option for more Coloradans.”

By law, the SB24-230 funding is dedicated to the expansion and restoration of transit services. RTD has identified several high-priority areas where these funds will be immediately applied to increase frequency, launch new routes, and restore services that have been dormant for several years. Key service improvements funded by this grant include:

• Frequency Increases and Pattern Revisions: Routes 1E/44 (ART Shuttle), 37, LD3/287, the 16th Street FreeRide, and 21E.
• Service Extensions: Expansion of Route 19 to serve more destinations.
• Reinstatement of Service: Bringing back Routes 53 and 80 to restore vital neighborhood connections.
• New Regional Connectivity: A brand-new route connecting Longmont directly to Denver International Airport.
• High Volume Event Support: Dedicated resources for high-volume events in order to help manage congestion during major stadium and city events.

The SB24-230 Formula Program is a centerpiece of Colorado’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program is funded by revenues generated by the state’s Oil and Gas Production Fee, specifically designed to reinvest in sustainable transportation and rail infrastructure. Allocations for transit agencies across the state are determined by a data-driven formula that considers factors such as service area population, ridership levels, transit service statistics, and other local zoning policies that support transit-oriented development. In record time, CTE and CDOT worked collaboratively with RTD and the broader Colorado transit community to establish the program’s framework, ensuring funds could be deployed effectively and efficiently to support increased service levels.

“This is a great example of how our state and regional partners are working together to deliver results for Coloradans,” said Craig Seacrest, director of the Clean Transit Enterprise. “By collaborating on important infrastructure and transit projects, CTE and RTD are helping to improve multimodal access, reduce traffic, and help meet our state’s climate goals.”

This collaboration between CTE and RTD serves as a concrete example of Colorado’s strategic investment in the future of public transit. By working in tandem, CTE and RTD are not only addressing immediate service needs but also laying the groundwork for a more robust transportation network. CTE and RTD are poised to help maximize the impact of state resources and create a more integrated and accessible transit network for all Colorado residents and visitors.

About CTE

The Clean Transit Enterprise was established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2021 as part of Senate Bill 21-260 and gained expanded resources and responsibilities through the passage of Senate Bill 24-230. Housed within CDOT’s Office of Innovative Mobility, the CTE is tasked with supporting the efforts of public transit agencies to replace existing gas and diesel vehicles with electric or other zero-emission options and to support increased transit and rail services throughout the state. Through grants, loans, and rebates, the enterprise funds zero-emission vehicle planning, vehicle acquisition, and the specialized infrastructure and facility modifications necessary to support a zero-emission fleet, and provides funding for increased transit services, creation or improvement of multimodal facilities, and development of passenger rail.

About RTD

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) was created in 1969 by the Colorado General Assembly to develop, operate, and maintain a mass transportation system that now benefits more than 3.1 million people in the Denver metro area. The transportation agency is governed by a 15-member publicly elected Board of Directors and has a service area of 2,345 square miles. RTD provides transit services via 126 local and regional bus routes, six light rail lines, four commuter rail lines, and paratransit and demand-response mobility options.

About CDOT

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s mission is to provide the best multi-modal transportation system that most effectively and safely moves people, goods, and information. CDOT maintains more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,400 bridges, and 35 mountain passes. Our team of employees works tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. CDOT leverages partnerships with a range of private and public organizations and operates Bustang, an interregional express bus service. Find more details at codot.gov.

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The post CTE and RTD Announce Milestone $9.3 Million in Funding To Increase Frequency of Certain Bus Routes appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Affordable housing is a glaring and urgent concern for metropolitan areas and their surrounding towns across America. In Denver, average home prices have almost doubled in the last decade. Boulder has seen a similarly steep trend in that time period while the average rent across Colorado is $2040 a month. Aside from inflation, these skyrocketing numbers have been attributed to the involvement of what are being widely being referred to as “corporate investors.” The logic behind the attribution is that these large investors are taking ownership of pre-existing residential units, namely single family homes (SFH) which lowers the available supply for purchase and drives up demand. The other branch of this argument is that those residential units are then turned around and rented out for prices so high that renters can’t save up to buy a home. 

In response to these affordable housing concerns, an executive order from the Trump Administration on January 20th called for greater restrictions on large investors’ purchases of SFH. “Neighborhoods and communities once controlled by middle-class American families are now run by faraway corporate interests,” Trump stated. “People live in homes, not corporations.”  An official stop on Wall Street involvement, from the president whose family legacy is built upon corporatization, makes sense from the lens of the “returning to traditional American values” messaging which has dominated the MAGA platform. 

“Buying and owning a home has long been considered the pinnacle of the American dream and a way for families to invest and build lifetime wealth,” Trump’s order reads. “But…that American dream has been increasingly out of reach for too many of our citizens, especially first-time homebuyers.”  

Colorado realtor Vivi Gloriod said that the January 20th executive order works in conjunction with an August 2025 order which, in part, allows individuals to withdraw from their 401k’s for the purpose of purchasing homes – with zero penalties and zero taxes. “A lot of people get matching [401k’s] with their employers but it was elusive money they couldn’t touch until they turned 65.” Gloriod added hopefully, “This could make a big difference in housing affordability for first time buyers.” 

Although the imbalance of Colorado’s housing supply and demand is apparent to realtors, renters, and aspirational homeowners alike, banning corporate investors from buying more property only fractionally addresses the affordable housing crisis. The housing issue spans multiple sectors, all engaging in a tug of war over supply, costs and risk. 

With the implementation of HB23-1253 in 2023, the Colorado legislature created a task force to study corporate home ownership. They published their findings in a June 2025 report. The report shows that in 2023 the share of corporate owned housing across all “owner occupiable” units in Colorado was 3%, which was less than the national average. One of the top three corporate investors, accounting for highest ownership of residential realty in the country, is Blackstone Inc. 

Gloriod said, “Blackstone has bought up a ton of houses in Colorado in the past, and this executive order really prevents that from happening again.” She was referring to a lot of 978 apartment units under Blackstone’s ownership, later sold to Equity Residential in 2024, as well as a 2007 purchase of  359 residential properties through “Tishman Speyer Real Estate Venture VII,” a partnership between two Blackstone subsidiaries. The mass of property acquired by corporate heavy hitters like Blackstone is nothing to snuff at but it cannot account for the entirety of the affordable housing crisis Coloradans find themselves in. 

Smaller LLC investors, known as “mom-and-pops,” have also played a role in lowering housing supply. According to Cotality’s 2024 data acquisition close to 1 in 5 SFH purchases made since the pandemic were done so by these so-called mom-and-pop landlords. Both Gloriod and Joe Seehusen of Compass Real Estate said that Colorado was a hot spot for small and large investors alike in the 2010s, but that has changed in recent years. Seehusen said “Ideally when you are a mom-and-pop investor, you want to buy low and rent high enough to net a profit. There were opportunities for people wanting a 10-20 house portfolio in Colorado, before prices started shooting up. So now they’re leaving town for cheaper places like St. Louis.” 

Despite federal claims that blocking large investors will increase homeowner accessibility, the trickle out of such investors from Colorado’s housing market witnessed by Gloriod and Seehusen has not significantly impacted Coloradans’ home ownership opportunities.  

Increasing the housing supply has been looked to as a possible solution for affordable housing in Colorado. In 2019, Colorado hit a historic peak – the shortfall between housing demand and supply was a gap of 140,000, meaning 140,000 residents who wanted or needed homes did not have them.  Since the HB23-1253 initiative, led by Governor Jared Polis, the State Demography Office (SDO), and Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), the shortfall lessened to 106,000 units but, the report acknowledges that the drop was largely due to slower population growth and increased housing production. “Between 2020 and 2023, Colorado built an average of 43,000 housing units each year, significantly higher than the pace of the previous decade.”

Seehusen, who has been a realtor to the West of I-25 for eleven years, said that continuing to increase the housing supply has become incredibly difficult. Building supplies, while increasingly plasticized, have been deteriorating in quality since the pandemic, and prices have spiked with the implementation of Trump’s tariffs. Seehusen said, “A lot of builders don’t want to build because the quality of the building can go downhill. If they put in windows that give out in five years, they can get sued…They just don’t build complexes how they used to.” 

Stricter zoning has also played into liability and costs, as in the case of the Boulder and Superior areas after the Marshall Fire. With over a thousand homes destroyed, Boulder implemented new fire-preventative requirements for new developments, but residents’ insurance coverage for losing their home could not afford a re-build under those requirements.  

Along with increased mortgage interest rates in the Denver area – from approximately 3% in 2020 to 6.5% in 2025 – insurance rates for both builders and homeowners have also gone up. “Colorado is in the top three for hail in the country. With high HOA rates, owners can’t afford to repair hail or other kinds of damage, and the damage gets worse because of that,” Seehusen said. While liability increases for builders using less sustainable materials, the use of cheaper materials does make housing more affordable. “People may not like it, but they have to do it that way.” Seehusen said as he referred to the war between affordability and liability. 

“For example, there is an initiative for ‘assumable loans,’ where somebody can sell their house with the same interest rate they bought it at. So if they’re paying a 2.8% interest from a house they bought in the pandemic, the next owner would assume that amount… but a deal like that in a market with a 6 or 7% average, would drive up the value anyway,” Seehusen weighed. 

It is possible that the White House block of Wall Street investors may work in conjunction with its’ executive order to make 401k’s more fluid for potential homeowners to result in more accessibility for first time homeowners, as Gloriod predicted. But in the grand scheme of Colorado’s housing, the restriction of corporate buyers will hardly move the needle. If the complex problem of affordable housing is to be even marginally solved, it will require a more holistic approach than an executive order can provide.

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The post Affordable Housing vs Housing People Can Afford appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Media contact: Andrew Brandt, press@electmorehackers.com

BOULDER, CO (February 6, 2026): Hackers on the Hill, an all-volunteer, nonpartisan advisory initiative that brings cybersecurity professionals into conversation with policymakers, will host its first event at a state capitol in Denver, Colorado, on February 10, 2026.

Hackers on the Hill – Colorado will bring together more than 40 cybersecurity experts from around the world, who will be meeting with legislators, policy staff, and aides in the Colorado legislature to help them better understand the complexities and nuances of issues intersecting with cybercrime, data privacy, and AI. These cybersecurity practitioners, none of whom work as lobbyists, adhere to a strict set of guidelines that disallow them from giving specific product advice or promoting their employers or businesses.

Hackers on the Hill began in 2017 as a project of I Am The Cavalry, an organization dedicated to finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical technology. In addition to an annual event in Washington, D.C., there are now sister events at the Canadian and UK parliaments. This event is being organized by Elect More Hackers, a Boulder, Colorado-based initiative with the mission of helping raise the level of technical knowledge among policymakers and those who work with them. A Boulder-based community group of cybersecurity practitioners called BoulderSec will shepherd the delegations.

The event schedule is as follows:

• 9:00 – 10:30 am – Plenary session, State Services Building (SSB), 1525 Sherman Ave.: The plenary session will be open to the public and is aimed at giving the participants, many of whom have limited or no experience speaking to policymakers or staff, guidance about how best to help and what bills may come up for discussion, in consideration during the current legislative session.
• 11:00 – 11:30 am – The group will receive a floor acknowledgment from the House of Representatives
• 11:30 am – 1:00 pm – Groups will break out to join their legislative contacts for meetings
• 3:00 – 4:00 pm – Tour of the Capitol / additional meetings
• 5:00 – 8:00 pm – “Hacker happy hour” social, Pints Pub, 221 W 13th Ave., Denver: A no-host event to gather and reflect on the day. Anyone is welcome to meet at the pub, including press, legislative staffers, and people who work in public policy.

– 30 –

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The post Hackers on the Hill – Colorado announces schedule for 2026 event appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Denver, CO — A major step toward addressing Colorado’s housing crisis passed through the legislature this week as the House Committee on Transportation, Housing & Local Government voted 9–4 to advance the HOME Act (HB26-1001).

The bill slashes through long-standing red tape that has kept centrally located land—owned by schools, universities, transit agencies, housing authorities, and proven nonprofit developers—sitting empty while housing costs skyrocket across the state.

By streamlining approval processes for trusted public and nonprofit partners, the HOME Act allows housing to be built near jobs, schools, and transit, reducing costs, limiting sprawl, and accelerating timelines. Projects covered by the bill move through review 28% faster on average, helping homes get built when they’re needed most.

“This bill is about building housing in the heart of our communities,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker. “When we put underused land to work, we lower costs, strengthen neighborhoods, and help Coloradans stay rooted where they belong.”

Colorado’s housing shortage has driven families farther from opportunity, strained school districts, and made it harder for workers to stay in the communities they serve. Supporters say the HOME Act offers a practical, statewide fix by empowering institutions already embedded in their communities to help meet housing demand.

“Local zoning processes are slow, costly, and unresponsive to the scale of the crisis,” said Aaron Miripol, President and CEO of the Urban Land Conservancy. “HB26-1001 gives nonprofit affordable housing developers the ability to respond with the urgency this moment demands.”

For local leaders, the bill connects housing affordability directly to education, enrollment, and community stability.

“As a city councilor and a teacher, I see the housing crisis from every angle,” said Fort Collins City Councilor Chris Conway. “Declining enrollment has forced difficult decisions in our school system. Schools and nonprofits should be allowed to be part of the housing solution—and this bill makes that possible.”

Building homes closer to where people already live and work also carries climate and infrastructure benefits.

“This approach keeps neighborhoods strong, schools open, and cuts pollution at the same time,” Conway added.

Housing advocates say the committee vote sends a strong signal that lawmakers are ready to move beyond incremental fixes.

“Making it easier to build affordable housing is essential to lowering costs for working families,” said Laura “Pinky” Reinsch, Executive Director of Centennial State Prosperity. “The HOME Act removes unnecessary barriers that have blocked housing in the very places people need it most.”

Centennial State Prosperity recently released new data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources showing how severely Colorado’s housing supply has fallen behind demand. Read the full report HERE.

Laura “Pinky” Reinsch

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Executive Director | Centennial State Prosperity

(Contract provided by Siegel Long Public Affairs)

719-510-5254

pinky@centennialstateprosperity.org

www.centennialstateprosperity.org

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The post Colorado Lawmakers Advance Bill to Turn Underused Land Into Homes: Faster, Cheaper, and Closer to Where People Live appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Earlier this month, we reported on The debate surrounding House Bill 1208, legislation affecting tipped minimum wage in Colorado. Since publication, Rep. Steve Woodrow, a Colorado state representative and one of the bill’s sponsors, criticized our reporting. In the interest of transparency and accountability, we are publishing his full response and explaining where we believe his critique falls short.

Rep. Woodrow wrote:

“Respectfully, this is very strange ‘reporting.’ HB25-1208 was passed back in April. The version that passed doesn’t lower anyone’s wage. It DOES allow local governments to adjust their tip credit to ensure that mandatory local minimum wage increases don’t force restaurants to keep raising menu prices, furlough workers, cut shifts, eliminate benefits, and close entirely. Why the author didn’t reach out to me or the other sponsors to discuss this, and why this is being published with grossly inaccurate information months after the bill was already passed into law, is bizarre to say the least.”

First, our reporting is consistent with coverage from peer outlets including the Colorado Sun and Boulder Reporting Lab, both of which are cited in the article. While each outlet emphasized different aspects of the bill, our framing was well within the mainstream of how this legislation has been covered. The suggestion that our reporting was unusually inaccurate or outside the norm is not supported by the broader media record.

Rep. Woodrow also takes issue with the timing of the article. While HB 1208 passed earlier this year, our article clearly notes that the bill was introduced in early 2025. Our reporting focused on the ongoing divide between labor organizations, restaurant owners, and policymakers, not simply the legislative vote. We published less than two weeks after a protest planned around a Nov. 20 public hearing involving labor groups. Passage of a bill does not end its public impact. The conflict, organizing, and community response around this legislation have continued, and that discourse warranted coverage. Our newsroom does not aim to be a breaking news outlet. We prioritize follow-up reporting that examines consequences and unresolved tensions after a bill becomes law.

On accuracy, our reporting is careful because the policy itself is nuanced. We explicitly state that the bill does not reduce the total wages tipped workers are legally entitled to earn. We also report that it allows cities to lower the guaranteed hourly base pay for tipped workers, increasing reliance on tips and exposing workers to greater income instability. That characterization is accurate. Rep. Woodrow’s own explanation reflects this reality. When he argues the bill prevents restaurants from raising menu prices or cutting costs elsewhere, he is acknowledging that the policy reduces labor expenses. That reduction comes through changes to wage structure.

Rep. Woodrow also criticizes our sourcing. While we did not directly interview him or every single sponsor of the bill, we extensively quoted Sen. Judy Amabile of Boulder, a bill sponsor, whose comments are among the most frequently cited in the article. We included her arguments that the bill could prevent restaurant closures, rising prices, and job losses. We also included responses from labor advocates and studies that challenge those claims. Presenting competing evidence and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions is the purpose of this reporting.

We have published positive coverage of Sen. Amabile in the past, and even endorsed her. Rep. Woodrow’s response reads this article as partisan rather than analytical. Our intent was not to take a side, but to document an ongoing conflict tied to a broader national debate between restaurant owners and labor advocates. Rep. Woodrow may disagree with our framing, but we reject the characterization of our reporting as strange or misleading.

The ones who dared to fight City Hall.

 When Boulder denied public access to police body-cam footage, we took it to court. Our fight for transparency is now before the Colorado Supreme Court — because accountability doesn’t stop at the city line.

Through December 31, every gift to Yellow Scene will be matched — dollar for dollar — through the Colorado Media Project’s Matching Grant. Give & Get Democracy this Holiday Season. Your $8 recurring monthly support not only gets you YS delivered to your house, but it’s matched for the entire year, bringing that $8/month to $192.

Because Independent journalism isn’t just about telling stories. It’s about protecting your right to know, holding power accountable, and keeping democracy in the light. This is #newsCOneeds Becoming a sustaining supporter today for $8 a month!

The post Editor’s Note: Why We Stand by Our Boulder Tipped Wage Reporting appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

On Tuesday evening, Colorado State Senate District 25 convened a virtual vacancy committee meeting to nominate and select a successor to the late Senator Faith Winter.

Committee Chair Rosanna Reyes accepted two nominations for the open seat: Tom Klenow and William Lindstedt, both of whom had submitted letters of intent ahead of the meeting. The committee allotted five minutes total for intention statements from nominators, seconders, and the candidates themselves.

Klenow spoke first as a self-nominator, outlining his reasons for seeking the position. He emphasized the rapid growth of the district and the pressures facing residents.

“District 25 is changing, and our leadership needs to keep pace,” Klenow said. “People here are doing their best, but too many are being squeezed by rising housing costs, long commutes, healthcare expenses, and a transportation system that has not kept pace with growth.”

Lindstedt followed with remarks alongside statements from his nominator, Congressman Joe Neguse, and his seconder, Representative Jenny Willford. Lindstedt focused on fiscal constraints at the state level.

William Lindstedt speaks at a campaign event. Image courtesy of Lindstedt’s campaign website.

“Colorado is facing real challenges,” Lindstedt said. “We are operating under impossible physical constraints created by TABOR, even as the demand for public services continues to grow.”

Klenow has worked at the University of Colorado Boulder since 2014 and became the law school’s IT director in December 2024. Lindstedt currently serves as a state representative, chairs the House Finance Committee, and sits on the Business Affairs and Labor Committee.

Of the district’s 72 vacancy committee members, 56 were present for the meeting. A majority vote selected Lindstedt to fill the Senate seat.

The vacancy followed the death of Senator Faith Winter, who was killed in a crash on Interstate 25 on Nov. 26 after rear-ending a truck near Dry Creek Road. The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office determined that Winter died of blunt force injuries and that her blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.

Winter had stepped away from legislative work earlier in 2024 to seek treatment for alcoholism. She was serving her 12th term, which was scheduled to conclude in early 2027.

“I know this was really difficult for all of us,” Lindstedt said after the vote. “I sincerely appreciate all of the faith you’ve put in me to step into the legislature under these circumstances.”

Lindstedt will serve the remainder of Winter’s term.

“These are not the circumstances I anticipated when pursuing a seat in the state senate,” he added. “This loss has been devastating for our community and for many of us personally. At the same time, with the legislative session rapidly approaching, the work of serving our community has to continue.”

The ones who dared to fight City Hall.

 When Boulder denied public access to police body-cam footage, we took it to court. Our fight for transparency is now before the Colorado Supreme Court — because accountability doesn’t stop at the city line.

Through December 31, every gift to Yellow Scene will be matched — dollar for dollar — through the Colorado Media Project’s Matching Grant. Give & Get Democracy this Holiday Season. Your $8 recurring monthly support not only gets you YS delivered to your house, but it’s matched for the entire year, bringing that $8/month to $192.

Because Independent journalism isn’t just about telling stories. It’s about protecting your right to know, holding power accountable, and keeping democracy in the light. This is #newsCOneeds Becoming a sustaining supporter today for $8 a month!

The post William Lindstedt Elected to Fill State Senate District 25 Vacancy appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Colorado state senator Judy Amabile is leading the effort to pass a bill that would shift the authority over minimum wage regulation to the state. The proposal is dividing local Democrats, restaurant owners, and labor advocates.

House Bill 1208, introduced in early 2025, would lower the minimum wage for tipped workers in any city that has adopted a higher local rate than the state’s, including Denver and Boulder County. The bill would affect more than 21,000 tipped workers and reduce their wages by an average of $2.50 an hour (or roughly $5,000 a year), according to the Colorado Sun. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Steven Woodrow of Denver, Senator Judy Amabile of Boulder, and Senator Lindsey Daugherty of Jefferson County.

What would the bill do?

In short, the bill would lower the base pay for tipped workers in cities with minimum wages above the state rate, while still requiring total earnings, including tips, to meet the local minimum. Supporters say this will help struggling restaurants manage labor costs. Opponents argue that the change will harm workers.

Under current Colorado law, businesses can pay tipped workers $3.02 less per hour than the standard minimum wage, based on the assumption that tips will fill the gap. This difference is known as the tip credit. If tips fall short, employers must make up the difference. Because Boulder and Boulder County have higher minimum wages, their tipped minimums are also higher. Colorado’s tipped minimum wage is about $11.79, while Boulder County’s is $12.55. The bill would bring Boulder’s tipped minimum down to the state’s rate of $11.79. Workers would still be legally entitled to earn the full local minimum wage once tips are factored in. House Bill 1208 would separate the tipped wage from the minimum wage so that cities could raise wages for non-tipped workers without automatically raising wages for tipped workers. Local governments could begin lowering their tipped wage on January 1, 2026, if the bill becomes law.

Supporters argue that the bill is necessary to help restaurants keep their doors open. According to Boulder Reporting Lab, groups such as the Boulder Chamber, Downtown Boulder Partnership, and Visit Boulder back the bill, saying Boulder’s minimum wage puts strain on restaurants during a periods of financial vulnerability.

Senator Amabile said restaurant owners hope to redirect the savings from reduced tipped wages toward higher rent, food costs, and overall labor expenses, which they see as essential to staying in business.

“Some are characterizing this bill as anti-labor. That is wrong and misleading,” Amabile said in the Daily Camera.

“The bill is a pragmatic, reasonable attempt to rebalance the tip credit for the benefit of all workers and the small, mom-and-pop businesses that are key to thriving communities.”

The sponsors frame the bill as an effort to stabilize restaurants by addressing the widening gap between tipped and non-tipped wages. They want to give employers more room to pay untipped workers. Under federal law, the minimum wage for most workers is $7.25 an hour, and in 14 states this also applies to tipped workers. Federal rules set a floor, not a ceiling, so each state decides its own rates. The result is a patchwork of standards that vary based on location and whether a worker is tipped.

“Many of these workers can earn up to $40 or more with tips, on good days. But these rates are often unpredictable; as a result, workers often turn towards second jobs or social assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid,” Alejandra Beatty said in an interview with Yellow Scene.

Beatty is a longtime labor advocate and a retired member of the Alphabet Workers Union Local 2009. She helped launch the union and served on its executive council. Over the past year, she has led the campaign to raise the minimum wage in Boulder County.

Supporters of the bill argue that raising menu prices to cover higher wages can drive customers away, creating more harm than a reduction in tipped minimums. However, research shows that restaurants often absorb higher labor costs through reduced turnover, modest price increases, or increased productivity. Between 2011 and 2014, states such as Washington and California, which require employers to pay tipped workers the full minimum wage, saw a 6 percent increase in the number of restaurants. States with tipped minimums saw a 4.1 percent increase.

Progressive labor advocates oppose the bill because it would allow cities to lower the tipped minimum but not raise it unless they also raise the standard minimum wage. Other critics want to eliminate the tipped minimum entirely so that all workers earn the full wage before tips. States like Washington, California, and Minnesota do not have a tipped credit. Workers receive the full minimum wage, and tips are additional income.

Critics say the tipped minimum system is difficult to comply with because tracking tips can be burdensome. A report from the National Employment Law Project found that more than one in ten workers in tipped occupations report hourly wages below the federal minimum wage even after tips are included.

A significant share of tipped workers also fall into roles where tips are inconsistent or not customary, yet they earn enough in tips during some parts of the month to be classified as tipped employees. Their incomes fluctuate with weather, the economy, and day-to-day customer patterns. Many rely on public assistance to bridge the gap.

Efforts to raise the tipped minimum wage have often met resistance from restaurant industry groups, which argue that higher wages would cause more economic harm than good. But many economists say that industry growth is not meaningfully hindered by higher wages. The success of states with a single minimum wage supports this point.

Research suggests that higher wages reduce employee turnover, lowering recruitment and training expenses. Workers who are more financially secure are often more productive and provide better customer service. For the industry to thrive, labor advocates argue, tips cannot serve as a substitute for a stable wage.

“I think all of us need to wake up to the fact that good wages drive a good economy,” Beatty said in her interview with Yellow Scene. “If people are making good wages, they go spend those wages in their local economies, and those businesses thrive.”

In a statement, the Governor’s office expressed support for the bill and urged local governments to follow through by lowering their tipped minimums. “The Governor supports efforts geared towards keeping restaurants that make our communities unique and open while ensuring that workers receive fair wages,” spokesperson Eric Maruyama said.

If signed into law, the bill could next affect Denver, which has one of the highest tipped minimum wages in Colorado and the country. Edgewater, Boulder County, and the city of Boulder, all of which have raised their local minimum wages above the state rate, would also be affected.

The ones who dared to fight City Hall.

 When Boulder denied public access to police body-cam footage, we took it to court. Our fight for transparency is now before the Colorado Supreme Court — because accountability doesn’t stop at the city line.

 Through December 31, every gift to Yellow Scene will be matched — dollar for dollar — through the Colorado Media Project’s Matching Grant.Give & Get Democracy this Holiday Season. Your $8 recurring monthly support not only gets you YS delivered to your house, but it’s matched for the entire year, bringing that $8/month to $192. 

Because Independent journalism isn’t just about telling stories. It’s about protecting your right to know, holding power accountable, and keeping democracy in the light. This is #newsCOneeds Becoming a sustaining supporter today for $8 a month!

The post Colorado’s Tipped Wage Battle Pits Workers Against Restaurants appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2025

Democrats championed a host of legislation during the 2025 legislative session to support military-connected Coloradans

DENVER, CO – Three laws spearheaded by Colorado Democrats to support Colorado’s veterans and their families will go into effect August 6, 2025.

HB25-1132, sponsored by Senators Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, and Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, and Representatives Sean Camacho, D-Denver, and Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood, allows funding allocated through Proposition KK, approved by voters last November, to fund eligible non-profit organizations that offer community-based mental health services to veterans and their families. To be eligible, organizations must offer evidence-based practices, provide proper competency training to staff and have established verifiable community partnerships. The bill also expands veterans’ access to complementary services, such as acupuncture and massage therapy, by directing available funds to providers.

“Since my time in the Army, I’ve become intimately familiar with the critical need for community-focused mental health services for veterans,” Hinrichsen said. “Our veterans and their families gave everything they had to protect and serve our country, and they deserve all the life-saving support we can give in return.”

“As a member of the Air Force, I have seen firsthand how military veterans and their families can struggle to access proper health care for their behavioral health issues,” said Camacho. “Voters approved Prop KK to boost funding for crime victim programs, public safety grants, and behavioral health crisis services just like the one this law funds. Military members and veterans need quality health care, and this law will boost lifesaving behavioral health support for Colorado heroes and their loved ones by implementing the will of the voters.”

“Too many of our state’s veterans struggle with PTSD, anxiety, and other life-altering mental health conditions without access to proper treatment,” Bridges said. “Voters approved Prop KK, which boosts funding for crime victim programs, public safety grants, and behavioral health services like the ones supported by this bill. This legislation provides crucial support for our service members while implementing the will of the voters.”

“Far too many military members and veterans suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and other behavioral health struggles that impact their day-to-day life without the proper treatment,” said Stewart. “With this law going into effect, we can fund community behavioral health programs and other beneficial services, improving access to the behavioral health care that veterans and their families deserve.”

HB25-1132 follows a law passed by Colorado Democrats referring a ballot measure to voters in the November 2024 election to create a new excise tax on the sale of firearms sold by gun dealers, gun manufacturers, and ammunition vendors to fund the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund, Behavioral Health Administration, and school safety efforts. Nearly 54.5 percent of Colorado voters approved Prop KK to bolster crime victim support and behavioral health programs.

SB25-073, sponsored by Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, clarifies that Colorado students with disabilities who are children of active duty military members are entitled to the same rights to open enrollment and guaranteed matriculation as any student who lives in the public school district. It also requires school districts and charter schools to ensure those students receive the appropriate services.

“Changing schools and hopping from one military base to the next is difficult enough, and a lack of timely access to disability services exacerbates those difficulties tenfold,” said Marchman. “No child should be deprived of access to the educational pathways they need because of their background or ability. This law gives them the support they need to seize every opportunity available to them and ensure every student has the potential to succeed.”

“As a veteran and an educator, I’m excited that our new law is going into effect to break down barriers to education for students in military families,” said Martinez. “It’s very common for military families to move around every few years, and students suffer when unnecessary administrative delays prevent them from accessing the programs they need to succeed. I’m proud to have sponsored this bipartisan law that will streamline the process for military-connected children with disabilities to transition into Colorado schools to better support students and their families.”

SB25-282, sponsored by Senator Matt Ball, D-Denver, and Representative Lisa Feret, D-Arvada, protects veterans from unaccredited consultants, often called “claim sharks,” who charge money to help navigate the application process to receive benefits from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA).

The law mirrors regulations the federal government uses to regulate Social Security benefits from the Social Security Administration. It requires that businesses must unambiguously notify veterans that they can receive the same services for free from the DMVA, clearly state that they are not affiliated with the DMVA, and limit the amount of money consultants can receive from veterans’ back pay.

“Too often, those who have bravely served our country are misled into paying thousands of dollars in fees and even going into debt for services they receive for free from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,” Ball said. “Without preventing honest consultants in the industry from doing business, this law will address the backlog in claims from the DMVA while cracking down on bad actors who mislead and defraud our nation’s veterans.”

“My fellow veterans deserve fair and safe access to services that help them get benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice for our country,” said Feret. “‘Claim sharks’ rake in millions of dollars each year from excessive fees on service members’ disability claims, sometimes when they don’t even win. Our law helps create guidelines in this unregulated space to protect disabled veterans while allowing companies to address the backlog of disability claims. I will not back down as dark money groups try to scam veterans who put their lives on the line for our country.”

The post Trio of Bills to Support Veterans and Their Families Go Into Effect appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2025

DENVER, CO – Colorado Democrats passed legislation this year to ensure the state’s science-backed vaccine recommendations are protected in the event that federal guidance is undermined or overhauled.

“As a health care professional, following the science is non-negotiable. Science-based decision making should never be political, but unfortunately in this day and age we’re seeing misinformation and debunked studies weaponized in order to advance a dangerous public health agenda,” said Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton. “That’s why this year we worked proactively to ensure that here in Colorado, we’re using well-informed recommendations about immunizations that keep our kids and communities protected. With this bill, we’re expanding CDPHE’s ability to incorporate recommendations from a broad group of trusted organizations that rely on science, not whoever happens to be in office.”

“Secretary Kennedy’s circulation of medical misinformation and the promotion of false information about vaccines has left many physicians and health care experts concerned about the long-term safety of our communities,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “For years, I worked in the public health space, and I can say with confidence that vaccines are one of the best tools we have to fight disease and save lives. In the shadow of federal uncertainty, we stepped up to protect the health of our kids and community members, and under our law, Colorado can utilize vaccine recommendations from trusted organizations that follow the science.”

“For months, physicians have been fearful about what vaccine recommendations will come down from the federal government,” said Senator Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Secretary Kennedy has been a longtime skeptic of vaccines and consistently chooses misinformation over science. Given his influence and the uncertainty in DC, we knew that we needed to take action to put science first and protect Colorado’s best interests. This legislation ensures that whatever happens federally, Colorado will continue to rely on scientific data that protects Colorado kids and builds healthier communities for us all.”

“Choosing science-based information to keep our kids safe shouldn’t be controversial, yet the Trump administration continues to unravel foundational health care tools trusted by doctors and public health experts,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “To protect the health and safety of Coloradans, our immunization policy must be driven by science, not misinformation. Under our law, Coloradans can rest assured knowing that their vaccine recommendations are coming from organizations that rely on fact-driven, scientific information to make their decisions.”

HB25-1027, sponsored by Senators Mullica and Daugherty, and Representatives Brown and Gilchrist, updates disease control statutes to direct the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to consider recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians, in addition to federal guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Prior to this legislation, CDPHE only considered recommendations from the ACIP.

Earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired every member of the ACIP, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the safety, efficacy and clinical needs of vaccines. The newly-appointed ACIP is currently meeting to discuss the efficacy of several vaccines including: COVID-19, RSV, and Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (MMRV). The advisory committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow on new recommendations regarding influenza and RSV vaccines. Secretary Kennedy has repeatedly spread widely-debunked misinformation linking vaccines with autism.

HB25-1027 also aims to improve health care outcomes by expanding patient access to testing for hepatitis C, which is currently difficult for many patients to obtain. Hepatitis C cases are on the rise nationally and in Colorado.

Democrats also passed SB25-196 to protect insurance coverage for preventive health care should the existing federal protections be repealed, dismantled, or disempowered. The new law gives state insurance agencies the authority to reinstate guidelines on preventive care from federal agencies that existed in January 2025, including from the ACIP.

The post Colorado Democrats Protect Public Health, Safeguard Vaccine Recommendations Backed by Science appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

DENVER, CO – Colorado General Assembly Democratic Leadership today released statements following the assassination and targeted attack on Minnesota elected officials and their families.

“Melissa was a cherished colleague and words cannot express how deeply saddened I am,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “She was a brilliant public servant, a champion for her state, and simply a wonderful person. My heart is with her family, her caucus and the state of Minnesota who I know are grieving alongside an entire nation that is in shock, and I am praying for the recovery of Senator Hoffman and his wife. Our democracy is based on the idea that we resolve our differences through peaceful debate and in courts, elected bodies, state legislatures and the halls of Congress. There is no place in our country, ever, for the targeting of elected officials and political violence, and those responsible must be brought to justice.”

“Under no circumstances is political violence acceptable in America. There is room for healthy disagreement and debate, but we must never turn to violence against our political opponents,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “The targeted attacks in Minnesota are a dark example of how violent rhetoric can devolve into violent actions. I share in the grief of losing Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and I am praying for a full and speedy recovery for Senator John Hoffman and his wife.”

“These acts of targeted violence in Minnesota have shaken us all to the core and are a direct attack on the democratic values we hold dear,” said House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “I never thought I’d see the day when a state legislator would be assassinated in their home. No one who runs for office signs up to lose their life in their service to their community and standing up for what they believe in. We must all speak up and say unambiguously that violence is not the answer and work toward a future where something like this is never possible. The entire Colorado legislature is praying for the speedy recovery of Senator Hoffman and his wife, and our hearts are with the families of Speaker Emeritus Hortman and her husband.”

“Retaliation and violence against public servants must never be tolerated,” said Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “Americans across the country sacrifice their time and energy to run for office and serve their communities – they should never fear that in doing so they sacrifice their safety as well. We all must unequivocally condemn this horrific act of violence and commit to respectful and peaceful means of settling our political differences. My thoughts are with the families of Speaker Emerita Hartman and her husband, and I am hopeful for complete recovery for Senator Hoffman and his wife.”

The post Democratic Leadership Release Statements on Assassination and Targeted Attack on Minnesota Elected Officials appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

(Via AP Storyshare)

While lawmakers were working at the State Capitol this spring, Coloradans were seeing a splashy TV commercial paid for by the American Petroleum Institute, the largest fossil fuel industry advocacy group in the country.

“Here in Colorado, our economy, good schools and state parks are all powered by oil and natural gas,” the ad said over ominous music. “But right now, a handful of politicians in Denver are pushing the most extreme anti-energy bills in state history.”

The commercial blasted lawmakers for introducing several bills that would have implemented aggressive new oil and gas regulations at a time when Colorado communities are plagued by poor air quality, especially along the northern Front Range where there is significant fossil fuel production. The fossil fuel industry also filed several ballot measures that would have directly contradicted the Democratic majority’s environmental policies.

“That’s a really scary proposition, which puts you in the place where you have to make a deal, or else,” Democratic Rep. Jenny Willford, a sponsor of the proposed regulations, said.

In the end, Willford and her fellow lawmakers withdrew their bills and the fossil fuel industry agreed to hold off on the ballot measures. Under the deal — which was signed into law earlier this summer — oil and gas producers won’t be subject to any additional regulations until 2028.

“The fact that they can do that and use it as a way to force legislation or force compromises,” Willford said. “I get that it’s part of the process, but it also feels really icky.”

This year’s fight over oil and gas regulations is just one example of how industries and wealthy interest groups are increasingly using ballot measures to influence Colorado’s lawmaking process. Lawmakers are concerned it’s undermining democracy.

Only Colorado and 25 other states have a process for citizen-initiated ballot measures, or initiatives brought to the ballot by private interests that are able to gather a required number of signatures from supporters. Almost every state allows for measures referred to the ballot by their legislatures.

Historically in Colorado, ballot initiatives have led to major policy shifts, like cannabis decriminalization in 2012 and the creation of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, or TABOR, in 1992. This year, ballot questions also focus on hot-button issues including abortion, same-sex marriage, housing rules, and parental rights. Another contentious measure would make big changes to property tax policy.

Rep. Chris DeGruy-Kennedy was part of this year’s long-awaited bipartisan compromise to avert a sharp, exponential spike in property taxes that threatened to overwhelm many taxpayers.

Despite significant negotiations between lawmakers and other interest groups, the compromise didn’t leave everyone happy. One of the groups opposed to it, conservative political group Advance Colorado, is running two ballot measures, Initiatives 50 and 108, that would directly contradict the legislation.

The legislature’s property tax bill doesn’t technically cut current taxes. Instead, it keeps tax assessment rates the same for the first year and then reduces annual increases in those rates so taxes don’t climb too quickly. A core part of the legislation is also making sure schools and other local services that are funded by property taxes don’t lose too much money.

Advance Colorado’s measures would cap tax rates at much lower levels and require the legislature to make up for lost revenue.

“There’s some indication that they’re still trying to prompt action,” DeGruy-Kennedy said. “They’re trying to put on the strongest possible front to try to coerce the governor into calling a special session to cut taxes even deeper.”

Ballot initiatives are also one of the only ways conservative interests can counter the strong Democratic majority in the legislature, and DeGruy-Kennedy said the group is circumventing the transparency and public engagement that comes with representative democracy by running ballot initiatives.

“When these wealthy interests are able to do whatever the heck they want without having to engage in the process that the legislature engages in, it ends up just being all about their own self interest,” DeGruy-Kennedy said.

Advance Colorado’s president Michael Fields pushed back on the assertion that the group is trying to force lawmakers to do anything. He sees ballot measures as an important counterbalance to the legislature.

“It’s not an empty threat, it’s not ‘we’ll do this measure to get them to do something’,” Fields said. “It’s kind of an outlet to have a conversation with voters if legislators won’t act on an issue that we think is important and that voters think is important.”

Another issue with ballot measures is implementation. Senate President Steve Fenberg said that’s in part because legislation requires input from diverse interests, whereas ballot initiatives don’t.

“That’s how you get better policy with more people weighing in on it, more people discussing it,” Fenberg said. “Kind of like kicking the tires and figuring out what the unintended consequences could be.”

Fenberg referred to one ballot measure that he said would be particularly challenging, if not impossible, to implement if it passes. The measure, Initiative 310, would overhaul Colorado’s election system by implementing open primaries that include all candidates regardless of party and ranked-choice voting for general elections. It would also directly conflict with election legislation Fenberg sponsored this spring that created procedural hurdles to implementing the measure’s election changes.

At the end of the day, though, Fenberg said ballot measures play an important role in Colorado.

“It’s not to say that voters shouldn’t have direct democracy,” Fenberg said. “[Ballot initiatives] should be used as a way to force an issue, rather than set prescriptive policy in stone.”

So far, two measures have been cleared to appear on the November ballot here in Colorado. More than thirty others are still pending, though it’s unlikely all of them will be approved. The Secretary of State’s office will confirm the finalized ballot questions in early September.

Lucas Brady Woods, KUNC

The post Private interests are using ballot measures to influence state laws. It’s worrying lawmakers. appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Boulder, CO — May 14, 2024 — It’s time for our annual Boulder Progressives candidate forum!

This year our event will feature a Meet-and-Greet with candidates from each of the following races: CU Board of Regents, Colorado State Board of Education, Colorado Senate District 18, Colorado House District 10, Colorado House District 49, Boulder County Commissioners, and Boulder County District Attorney.

The first hour of our event will feature candidates from up and down the ballot talking with the community, shaking hands, sharing their priorities, and learning about their constituents’ needs and hopes.

In the second hour we will move to highlighting the Colorado Legislature candidates. All six local CoLeg candidates (Judy Amabile, Jovita Schiffer, Junie Joseph, Tina Mueh, Lesley Smith, and Max Woodfin) will take turns answering audience questions and presenting their visions for the future of Colorado.

This event will be taped and shared on our website, but it will not be live-streamed. Members of the press wishing to hear the candidates answers and catch up with guests, participants, and other elected officials are invited to join us in-person on event day.

This event will take place on Saturday, June 1st, 2-4PM at the Sanitas Brewing Company (3550 Frontier Ave, Suite A, in Boulder).

Tickets are limited to the first 100 participants, so please RSVP as soon as possible at:

https://actionnetwork.org/events/boulder-progressives-primary-candidate-meet-and-greet

We also invite you to learn more about all 13 local candidates by visiting the Boulder Progressives Primary Voter Guide. This Voter Guide includes a question & answer section with each candidate, personal statements, a look at key endorsements, and links to their websites.

We look forward to seeing you on June 1st, and please get in touch with any questions!

MEDIA CONTACTS

Lisa Sweeney-Miran (she/her) | Boulder Progressives Executive Team

boulderprogressives@gmail.com

The post Boulder Progressives to Host Primary Candidate Meet-and-Greet and Audience Q&A appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The 2019 session of the Colorado legislature is a wrap. Democrats passed an incredible amount of bills that will affect Boulder County, including full kindergarten for all, oil and gas regulations, and the  Extreme Risk Protection Order bill (AKA red flag law). Governor Polis also signed eight education related bills into law. USNews ranks CO as 30th overall in education * There was an armed bank robbery in Superior. Two armed, athletic White men made off with an undisclosed amount of money. One had bandannas tied to his jeans, so we assume he was a knockoff member of a 90s boy band. Call Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sears at 303-441-1713 with info. * File your appeals. BOCO property owners who disagree with the latest values the Assessor’s Office has assigned to their properties have until midnight June 3 to file appeals. The office sent out 161,000 notices of value. * The Boulder County Commissioners have designated May “Older Americans Month,” in a proclamation signed Thursday, May 2. Boulder County is home to more than 65,000 older adults (60 and over). * The Boulder Police Oversight Board has been formed. Unfortunately, one of the main criteria, that at least one member be unhoused or have experienced houselessness, was not met. Sammie Lawrence IV was recommended for inclusion, but five council members followed councilwoman Mary Young’s lead and dissented. * College Degrees not required. In an effort to invest in equity and inclusion, Boulder County has removed the college degree requirement from 82 positions after reviewing every position to determine if a degree was necessary to fulfill the requirements and duties of each position. * Leave it to beavers. Boulder County and the City of Boulder have been analyzing which streams in the area are best to reintroduce beaver families “for beaver restoration and ecological restoration using beaver”. * Escalation of petty. After being sued, Boulder County, claiming a zoned-land exemption should excuse Denver Water from having to submit to the land use review process for the Gross Reservoir expansion, “notified Denver Water it will not process the utility’s land use review application for a Gross Reservoir expansion at the same time it is defending itself” against that lawsuit. Krithik Ramesh, 16, of Greenwood Village, CO, was awarded the first $75,000 Gordon E. Moore Award for developing a machine learning technology for orthopedic surgeons, winning the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Congrats!

Small Talk

“We want them to be aggressive so they can learn from their aggressive mistakes rather than being tentative.”

– Nolan Arenado, third baseman for the Colorado Rockies

“Clinical trials are currently underway evaluating the effects of psilocybin for psychiatric conditions including addiction (alcohol use disorder, cocaine use disorder, opioid use disorder and nicotine use disorder), depression and headache.”

– Dr. Michael Bogenschutz, a New York University School of Medicine psychiatry professor studying the effects of psilocybin (magic mushrooms)

“Colorado takes the No. 1 spot in the economy ranking, with an impressive performance in measures of growth and entrepreneurship.”

– Deidre McPhillips, Senior data editor at U.S. News & World Report

“Given the priority we saw voters make of energy and the environment this past fall they were a really… an important part of this past legislative session.”

– Kelly Nordini, executive director of Conservation Colorado, an environmental nonprofit

“We believe there are better ways to achieve electrification than a cumbersome regulatory mandate”

– Scott Spendlove, Global Automakers, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing international automakers

By the Numbers

4.85%+ number of new Zero Emissions Vehicle sales needed to meet state rules

3rd Where Weld County placed for job growth nationally

59M Skier visits to U.S. over the 2018/19 season, a nearly 11 percent increase

9,297 felons that could win the right to vote in time for the 2019 elections under House Bill 1266

The post Month in Review: May 2019 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.