Colorado News & Current Events | Public News Service

Colorado is now the 10th least affordable state in the country for housing, slightly better than eighth in last year's

Report: Colorado workers must earn $36.79 per hour to afford housing

Minimum wage workers in Colorado have to work two full-time jobs, or 82 hours per week, to afford a one-bedroom apartment, according to a new report …

As of last week, more than 56,000 people have been detained, according to ICE data, and more than 70% have no criminal record. (Adobe Stock)

ICE plans to add six immigrant detention centers in Colorado

New documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit showed how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to expand immigrant …

Accurate climate and hydrologic data are essential to managing the Colorado River Basin and forecasting drought. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado officials urge congressional delegates to support public lands

On Tuesday, 20 Colorado officials sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation protesting six cuts to public lands management in the new tax …

168,000 Colorado residents, including older adults and children, are at risk of losing SNAP food assistance due to expanded work requirements under the GOP's new tax and spending law. (Adobe Stock)

298,000 Coloradans relying on food assistance could see benefit cuts

Nearly 300,000 Coloradans who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to meet their basic nutrition needs are expected to lose some or…

Just 30% of U.S. solar and 57% of wind projects are expected to survive under the new GOP tax and spending law signed by President Donald Trump. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Cuts to clean energy will cost Colorado $7.3 billion in GDP

More than $7 billion in Colorado's GDP and 9,600 jobs are projected to be lost under President Donald Trump's signature tax and spending bill which cu…

Colorado joins FutureReady States workforce training initiative

Colorado now has backup for its efforts to get more working age adults into high demand, good-paying jobs. FutureReady States, a new Lumina …

The shift to cage-free eggs has accelerated after 11 states, including Colorado, set regulations on so-called conventional eggs, and the recent bird flu crisis, which led to the loss of more than 125 million U.S. hens. (Adobe Stock)

'Compassion Calculator' helps CO meat eaters offset animal welfare effects

A new "Compassion Calculator" launched by the charity portal FarmKind aims to help Coloradans who eat meat improve their animal welfare footprints by …

As of 2022, the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos, New Mexico, has reached 100% daytime solar energy, something operators say would not have been possible under their contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Colorado electric co-op goes independent

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

Jeanette Vizguerra, currently being held in a Geo Group ICE detention facility in Aurora, was recently named a 2025 recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. (Galatas)

Poll: Most Americans say Trump has gone too far on immigration

Some 15 community and faith-based organizations gathered again this week outside the Geo Group ICE detention facility in Aurora where longtime Denver …

A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found among women graduating with a bachelor's degree, the average salary was $59,778; for men, the average was $72,190. (Jacob Lund/AdobeStock)

Report: Colorado women face significant pay gap

Women from Colorado and other states who earned bachelor's degrees within the past seven years get paid an average of 18% less than similarly-educated…

Colorado's 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan identifies 626

Coloradans urged to speak up about at-risk wildlife, habitats

Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from all Coloradans about their updated 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint for preserving at-risk …

Bike Durango won a $12,300 grant to create a bike lane that connects people with multiple municipal amenities, to promote a safer environment for walking and cycling, especially for older adults. (Adobe Stock)

AARP invests $75,000 in CO projects to make communities more livable

The nation's largest advocacy group for people age 50 and older is investing more than $4.2 million, including more than $75,000 in Colorado…

Scientists are in search of new microbes that can capture carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, as plants do, but at much higher rates. (Adobe Stock)

CSU wants Coloradans’ gunk and goo to help fight climate change

The slime, gunk, and goo in and around your home could help mitigate climate change. Researchers at Colorado State University are asking Coloradans …

Fire is a natural event on landscapes and indigenous people have used prescribed burns to keep forests and grasslands healthy for hundreds of years. (Adobe Stock)

CO aims to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks through prescribed burns

A new Colorado law aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by providing financial protection for trained and certified individuals to safely…

American Indian and Alaska Native Coloradans paid higher monthly and out of pocket health care costs, even with insurance, compared to their white peers, research shows. (Adobe Stock)

Health gaps persist for American Indian, Alaska Native Coloradans

American Indian and Alaska Native communities in Colorado continue to face significant gaps in health care access, quality and outcomes, according to …

In Colorado and across the United States, seniors wait almost three hours in the emergency room per visit, about 43% live alone, and a quarter of older homeowners spend more than 30% of their income on housing, according to a new Seniorly report. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado ranks 15th nationally for safely aging in place

A new report ranks Colorado as the 15th safest state in the nation for aging in place, tied with Michigan. A record 4.2 million Americans are …

Methane and other emissions at oil and gas operations, when combined with sunlight, can produce dangerous ground-level ozone pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Moves to delay methane polluter fee could impact Colorado air quality

As Congress debates the GOP's sweeping budget reconciliation bill, some lawmakers are working to include a provision which would delay a methane …

Colorado's workforce development efforts are in sync with the Lumina Foundation's new goal for 75% of America's labor force to have a college degree or professional credential. (Adobe Stock)

Gov. Polis raises bar for Colorado agencies on education

Colorado, already considered a national leader in workforce development, is aiming to raise the bar even higher. Gov. Jared Polis recently issued an …

Colorado has started licensing psychedelic therapy healing centers, which are expected to open as early as this summer. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado spotlights role of psychedelics in addressing overdose crisis

Some 7,000 people are expected to attend this week's Psychedelic Science conference in Denver and public health activists are spotlighting the potenti…

If children have trouble falling asleep and are just laying awake for 40 minutes or more, sleep experts recommend getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity in a dimly lit area, ideally outside the bedroom. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for maintaining kids’ healthy sleep habits in summer

With school out for summer vacation, maintaining healthy sleep habits can be a challenge for parents and children. Longer daylight hours and …

Colorado communities to join national 'No Kings' protests Saturday

As President Donald Trump celebrates his birthday on Saturday with a $45 million military parade in the nation's capital, organizers are expecting a …

If the House budget reconciliation bill becomes law, annual cuts to Medicaid would average more than $70 billion in coming years, the same amount people earning $1 million or more per year would gain in tax cuts each year. (Adobe Stock)

'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' could close Colorado hospitals

As Congress considers cuts to safety net programs in what Republicans are calling the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a new analysis from the nonpartisa…

Sixty-four percent of Colorado's fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and nearly 70% of eighth graders are not proficient in math. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado jumps up five spots to 12th nationally for child wellness

Colorado has moved up five spots to 12th among the states in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which …

There are currently some 15,000 producing oil and gas wells in Weld County, not counting shut-in wells and temporarily plugged and abandoned wells. (Adobe Stock)

New alert system brings oil and gas spill data directly to Colorado residents

Over the past 12 months, 884 oil and gas spills were reported near homes in Greeley, Fort Lupton, Kersey, La Salle and Platteville, according to …

Among those surveyed, 85% of Americans believe CEOs have a responsibility to speak up about things that matter to their consumers and shareholders, according to GLAAD. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans support companies selling LGBTQ+ Pride products

In 2023, Bud Light faced backlash after transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney promoted the beer and Target has experienced backlash for selling LGBTQ+…

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which allocated $57 million for electric vehicle charging stations in Colorado, aims to build out stations every 50 miles on major corridors across all 50 states. (Adobe Stock)

Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' sets sights on clean energy in Colorado

As the U.S. Senate considers President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" recently passed by the House, clean energy advocates are sounding the …

While the pandemic amplified alcohol misuse among women, a trend of increased misuse dates back to at least 2019, when 32% of high school girls reported drinking, compared with 26% of boys. (Adobe Stock)

Officials encourage Colorado women to rethink relationship with alcohol

Women in Colorado and across the U.S. face greater health risks from drinking than men and health officials are urging people to rethink their …

Communication, like exercise, takes effort, and Colorado State University researchers said talking to people more often can help stretch and strengthen the socializing muscle. (Adobe Stock)

CSU study: Romantic partners, friends both important for happiness

Human beings are hardwired to pair-bond and most people have experienced some of the social pressures to find a life partner and start a family but a …

A 2022 Colorado law bans the use of PFAS, or forever chemicals, but a new report has raised concerns about their continued use at oil and gas wells. (Adobe Stock)

Oil and gas companies fail to disclose toxic chemicals at Colorado well sites

In 2022, Colorado passed a law requiring oil and gas operators to let the public know what chemicals were being used underground. Chemicals are …

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. <br />(Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock)

Nurse offers tips for Coloradans who suffer from strokes

May is American Stroke Month and the American Heart Association wants Coloradans to know the signs of a stroke so they can take action if needed…

Some 92% of people younger than 65 who are covered by Medicaid are either employed or unable to work because of disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities or school obligations, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

108,000 Coloradans would lose Medicaid coverage under work requirements

The current Republican reconciliation bill in Congress would require able-bodied adults covered by Medicaid to prove they work, go to school or do …

Colorado's Bent and Crowley counties are among 20 counties nationwide where approximately half of women of childbearing age are covered by Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Medicaid critical for maternal and infant health in rural Colorado

Medicaid coverage is essential for the health of women and babies and efforts in Congress to curtail the program could disproportionately affect peopl…

In 2022, U.S. subsidies for fossil-fuel companies totaled $757 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund. The figure included uncompensated costs of negative health effects and environmental degradation. (Adobe Stock)

IRA cuts would remove $1.58 billion from two Republican-led CO districts

Congress is set to claw back $6.5 billion in climate-related Inflation Reduction Act investments to help pay for the Trump administration's priorities…

Incentive programs such as Double Up food bucks, which allow SNAP participants to purchase more fresh produce and other healthy foods at farmers' markets, have improved family diets. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado seeks SNAP waiver to restrict purchase of soda, not food

As Colorado moves to bar Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants from using benefits to buy soda and other sugar sweetened beverages…

Among species protected under the Endangered Species Act, 99% have been saved from extinction, including the bald eagle. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado celebrates Endangered Species Day

Today is Endangered Species Day and people in Colorado and across the nation are celebrating successful efforts to save bald eagles, brown pelicans…

Alfalfa farms consumed a third of Colorado's entire Colorado River allocation in 2024, enough to supply the city of Denver for 38 years. (Adobe Stock)

More than 2 trillion gallons of Colorado River water tapped by alfalfa farms in 2024

As Colorado and other Basin states relying on the shrinking Colorado River work to reduce water use, new data showed just how much water is helping …

Housing First programs provide rapid access to housing and care teams connect people to employment opportunities, medical and mental health care, and substance-use treatment but the services are not required or used as a punitive tool. (Adobe Stock)

Homeless advocates say Common Sense Institute report misses the mark

A new report on homelessness in Colorado released by the Common Sense Institute has come under fire for muddying the waters for lawmakers and other st…

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis recently said he will veto a measure passed to remove barriers set up 80 years ago that make it harder for workers to join a union, which have historically advocated for worker safety over profits. (Adobe Stock)

5,283 workers nationwide, including 83 in Colorado, killed on the job

In Colorado, 83 workers were killed on the job in 2023, according to the AFL-CIO's latest "Death on the Job" report. The report comes after the …

A global survey of 130,000 people across 125 countries found that 89% say their government should do more to fight climate change. (Adobe Stock)

9 in 10 surveyed in CO, across globe back climate action

Nine in ten people in Colorado and across the globe are worried about climate change and want governments to do something about it, according to a …

Under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, people who earned more than $400,000 a year paid a top tax rate of 92%. Today's top rate is 37%. (Adobe Stock)

Taxing the rich to pay for Trump priorities wouldn't slow economic growth

Reports of the Trump administration considering taxing wealthy Americans to pay for mass deportations and other priorities come on the heels of a new …

Some 1.2 million Coloradans rely on Medicaid, including pregnant mothers, people with disabilities, working families and nearly 60% of people in nursing care facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Medicaid cuts could impact 1 in 4 CO child care workers

CORRECTION: The name of the spokesperson from the Center for Law and Social Policy is Suzanne Wikle. She had been incorrectly identified as Suzanne …

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed to hold corporations and trade associations accountable for climate damages, including a case in Colorado against ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy. (Adobe Stock)

Study lays out scientific path to recoup climate costs

As Boulder and local governments across the U.S. turn to courts to pay for rebuilding after wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events linked …

Families in Colorado and across the nation spend up to 60% of their income on child care, the equivalent of a second mortgage or rent payment. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of affordable child care costs Colorado $2.7 billion annually

The lack of quality child care for infants and toddlers costs Colorado nearly $3 billion each year in lost earnings, productivity and revenue but an …

Healthy School Meals for All serves up more than 600,000 meals every school day in Colorado, regardless of a student's ability to pay. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado voters could decide fate of Healthy School Meals for All

As Colorado lawmakers grapple with $1.2 billion in budget cuts, child nutrition advocates are turning to voters to protect funding for the state's …

Unlike the for-profit carriers such as FedEx and UPS, the U.S. Postal Service has a universal service obligation, which means it has to provide affordable deliveries to all Americans, regardless of where they live or work. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Privatizing USPS would hit Colorado rural residents hardest

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have proposed privatizing the United States Postal Service by selling it off to a corporation such as FedEx or UP…

Nine in 10 of the 137 people now confined in El Salvador prisons had no criminal record and at least one was removed due to administrative error. (Adobe Stock)

Trump's deportation program gets temporary halt in Colorado

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the arrival of immigrants an invasion and has invoked the Alien Enemies Act to expedite their removal…

Every dollar invested in SNAP generates between $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity. There are currently 3,100 authorized SNAP retailers in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Coloradans' hand-written letters on SNAP cuts heading to nation's capital

Two leading Colorado nonprofits working to end hunger are collecting hand-written letters from a wide range of people who would be directly impacted i…

Colorado's I Matter program can connect students with a therapist for up to six free counseling sessions, which are completely confidential. (Adobe Stock)

Report card: Colorado making improvements in student mental health

Colorado has made significant improvements in connecting young people with the mental health care they need, according to the mental health advocacy …

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