The Martin Drake Power Plant in downtown Colorado Springs is burning its last load of coal. Demolition work will begin in the coming weeks as the utility switches to more renewable sources of electricity.
A long-time Colorado Springs group focused on neighborhood issues recently hired a new executive director after facing some turnover in leadership, public criticism and misunderstanding of its mission.
The Council of Neighborhoods and Organizations, a 43-year-old group, used to advocate on behalf of neighborhoods directly, but transitioned away from that model a few years ago, said Rick Hoover, board president.
Newly hired Executive Director Sara Vaas now expects the organization to hone in on the group s mission to educate residents about city issues and how to advocate for themselves. CONO cannot be all things to all neighborhoods. . What we can do is raise up leaders within their own neighborhoods, she said.
Note: This article has been updated to include a quote from Sal Pace, vice chairman of the state passenger rail commission.
El Paso County commissioners on Tuesday said they opposed bipartisan legislation that would draw a new special Front Range Passenger Rail District, arguing a rail system would be inefficient and costly and that the proposed sales tax that would fund its creation would be better spent on fixing local roads.
Last month Colorado lawmakers introduced a bill that would create, manage and maintain a passenger rail line district centered on Interstate 25 that would run from the New Mexico to Wyoming borders. To fund the rail line, the bill would create a special taxation district along the I-25 corridor overseen by a 14-member board.
Dave Donelson, elected in District 1.
Randy Helms, elected in District 2.
Springs Opportunity Fund, a so-called 527 committee, named for the IRS code under which such groups are organized, spent $128,000 promoting candidacies of Dave Donelson in District 1, Randy Helms in District 2 and Mary Elizabeth Fabian in District 5. Itâs called a âdark moneyâ group because the rules allow them to shield the source of campaign money from the public.
All three candidates supported by Springs Opportunity Fund are registered Republicans. Though Council races are nonpartisan, it appears the outside committee carried out a GOP mission, given who was pulling the strings. More on that later.
Itâs a tough time to be a trans person in this country. As of April 13, there are 90 pieces of anti-trans legislation introduced in 33 states. These bills would do everything from restricting trans peopleâs ability to update identification documents to criminalizing gender-affirming health care for minors and â in some states âpeople under 21. It is an all-out assault waged on trans people by Republican-led state legislatures and conservative policy groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Heritage Foundation.
Thankfully Colorado, which has some of the most robust LGBTQ protections in the country, is not one of the states considering such legislation. That wasnât always the case. Just 30 years ago Colorado was known as the âhate stateâ and discrimination against gays and lesbians â to say nothing of trans people â was not just commonplace, it was enshrined in law. Amendment 2, or âColorado No Protected Status for Sexual Ori