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• Lawmakers aim for tighter restrictions on oil and gas industry Play Video

  April 12, 2013 10:22 AM

  Some state lawmakers want tighter regulations on the oil and gas industry in Colorado. There are several bills being considered in the legislature. One of those proposals is to increase fine minimums from $1,000 to $15,000 for everyday a violation exists. The fines have been in place since the 1950's.... more »

• With more to spend, Colorado begins budget process

  March 26, 2013 3:51 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado public schools and colleges are set to get more money in next year's budget, and state employees will get their first pay raise in years, as lawmakers prepare to vote on the state's spending plan. The Senate kicks off debate on the budget Wednesday with more... more »

• Trading for marijuana: Is this legal? Play Video

  February 22, 2013 1:28 AM

  Marijuana users are getting creative when it comes to getting their hands on pot. They're using web sites like Craigslist to trade merchandise for marijuana. Plug in "marijuana" on Craigslist and a laundry list of postings will appear. People are looking to trade anything and everything from cell phones... more »

• Local job market still lags national trend

  January 4, 2013 7:22 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - Even with the national unemployment rate holding steady at 7.8 percent in December, those who are out of work in Southern Colorado face a more challenging job market. In November, the most recent month available, there were 25,765 people unemployed in El Paso County, or roughly... more »

• Fatal crash in Fremont County

  January 2, 2013 11:38 PM

  One person is dead and two others injured after their SUV rolled on Highway 50 west of Pueblo. Colorado State Patrol tells us the driver of the vehicle lost control of the car and rolled it into the median just after 6:30 this evening. The car flipped several times.... more »

• Rice withdraws as secretary of state candidate

  December 13, 2012 4:43 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from consideration to be the next secretary of state after the embattled U.N. ambassador ran into a standoff with Republicans over an attack on Americans in Libya. President Barack Obama, in a statement, said he accepted Rice's decision to remove her... more »

• Study considers longer school days for Colorado students Play Video

  December 3, 2012 8:24 PM

  When the school bell rings at Keller Elementary every afternoon, the Kiss-And-Go Lane becomes a very popular place. But should a new approach in teaching catch on locally, the afternoon pickup here might be postponed. A new grant funded initiative called Time for Innovation Matters in Education (TIME) aims... more »

• Mistrail declared in Fort Collins arson case

  September 12, 2012 7:21 PM

  FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a man accused of setting a fire in Fort Collins that caused an estimated $10 million in damage. The Coloradoan reports the judge declared the mistrial Wednesday after jurors split on all counts against Benjamin... more »

• Disaster ready child-care

  August 27, 2012 4:21 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado State University is leading a study on whether child-care centers in the state are prepared for disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday it is funding the two-year study with a $30,000 grant. FEMA says it's the first of its kind in the nation. Lori... more »

• State Patrol forced to address anti-gay culture after former patrol captain admits he's gay

  July 18, 2012 8:18 AM

  DENVER (AP) - The Colorado State Patrol has been ordered to change its policies after an administrative law judge found the patrol fostered an anti-gay culture. The changes were ordered after a former patrol captain admitted he was gay during a polygraph exam. The judge says the questioning was out... more »

• Governor lifts state wide burn ban

  July 9, 2012 4:11 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Gov. John Hickenlooper says cool, wet weather has allowed him to lift the statewide fire ban he ordered last month. The governor said Sunday that "Mother Nature is finally giving us some relief," and extreme fire conditions have abated in all of Colorado's 64 counties. Recent widespread... more »

• Prosecution wraps up after bringing 8 accusers to stand

  June 15, 2012 6:59 AM

  BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) - Jurors in Jerry Sandusky's case are getting a three-day weekend after being told the trial won't resume until next week. Prosecutors on Thursday finished calling to the stand eight young men who've claimed the former Penn State assistant coach sexually abused them in a variety of... more »

• FFA State Convention going on in Pueblo

  June 5, 2012 4:19 PM

  Over a thousand future farmers take over Pueblo! They come from all over the state, and they're in town for the Future Farmers of America State Convention where they compete in different competitions like public speaking. We caught up with them Tuesday during a volleyball tournament, and they all... more »

• CSU football player denying drug use and fighting

  April 30, 2012 6:55 AM

  FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - The lawyer for a CSU football player accused of attacking fellow students and using steroids and marijuana has denied the claims on behalf of his client. Attorney Erik Fischer says junior linebacker Mike Orakpo never threw a punch and was defending himself after being tackled... more »

• Romney takes Puerto Rico

  March 19, 2012 12:12 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Mitt Romney has sailed to a win in Puerto Rico's GOP presidential primary over chief rival Rick Santorum. That's according to Enrique Melendez, the Republican representative on the Puerto Rican State Electoral Commission. He tells The Associated Press that Romney will top 50 percent and win all... more »

• Gov. Hickenlooper prefers state regulation of drilling over federal

  March 8, 2012 6:11 AM

  HOUSTON (AP) - Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper says that like most governors, he prefers state regulation of oil and gas drilling to federal regulation. At an energy industry conference Wednesday in Houston, Hickenlooper said states can create regulations that are less onerous but more effective than blanket regulations that come... more »

• Female senators are remembering first woman elected

  March 2, 2012 8:04 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Female lawmakers in Colorado are donning antique hats and giving out cupcakes to mark 100 years since the election of Colorado's first female state senator. Helen Ring Robinson was elected in 1912 as a Democrat from Denver. Ring was elected was 19 years after women earned the... more »

• Many state offices will be closed Monday

  February 16, 2012 1:27 PM

  Many state government offices will be closed Monday, in observance of Presidents Day. That includes driver's license offices, Parks and Wildlife Service Centers and state administrative offices. All Colorado State Parks will be open but visitor centers will be closed. State Troopers will also be on the job... more »

• Colo. draws 31,000 residents from other states

  January 15, 2012 6:22 PM

  DENVER (AP) - The Census Bureau says Colorado had a net gain of more than 31,000 people moving to the state from elsewhere in the U.S. last year, fifth-highest in the nation. The Denver Post reported Sunday that Colorado was the most popular state among 25- to 44-year-olds who moved.... more »

• State of State Address full text Play Video

  January 12, 2012 4:52 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Prepared text of Gov. John Hickenlooper's State of the State speech on Thursday: When people think of the West, it's easy to envision wagon trains, Buffalo Bill, the glory days of the Gold Rush. Cowboy hats come to mind . rocks . even beer . but let's... more »

• Hickenlooper to deliver state of State address today

  January 12, 2012 5:19 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado's split Legislature will hear from Gov. John Hickenlooper about his goals for the coming year and what he wants lawmakers to accomplish during the 2012 session. The Democrat delivers his annual State of the State address this morning. He has been calling for easing... more »

• State of Colorado moves to online pay stubs

  January 11, 2012 6:25 AM

  DENVER (AP) - The governor's office says Colorado will save an estimated $60,000 per year by having state employees access their pay stubs online instead of sending them pay stubs printed out on paper. The state started issuing paperless pay stubs to some employees in late November. The governor's office... more »

• State revenue forecast to be made today

  December 20, 2011 5:13 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado economists are presenting the state's latest revenue forecast as lawmakers prepare to start the 2012 session next month. Gov. John Hickenlooper's economic team and nonpartisan legislative economists will present their forecasts to the Joint Budget Committee this morning. The report to lawmakers plays a role... more »

• Former Penn State coach waives preliminary hearing

  December 13, 2011 8:51 AM

  BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) - Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has waived his preliminary hearing, a decision that moves him toward a trial on charges of child sex abuse. At least some of his 10 accusers had been expected to testify at the hearing. The move was... more »

• Pot, marriage could play roles in '12 Colo. races

  July 24, 2011 11:48 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado's position as a key battleground state in the 2012 presidential race comes with a wrinkle neither party seems to like: A freewheeling ballot initiative tradition that could put both legalizing marijuana and gay marriage before voters on Election Day next year. Marijuana activists have begun... more »

• CO financial computer system has risk of failure

  July 11, 2011 7:06 PM

  DENVER (AP) - State officials say the computer system that is the backbone of Colorado's financial workings is outdated and could trigger a failure that would prevent critical governmental transactions. A report released Monday says the failure of the Colorado Financial Reporting System would paralyze the state's ability to process... more »

• Durango donors give $200K to prevent school cuts

  May 29, 2011 2:59 PM

  DURANGO, Colo. (AP) - Colorado schools have been bracing for painful budget cuts next year because of declining state support. In Durango, local philanthropists are giving some $200,000 to make sure school cuts in their community don't go too deep. The Durango-based Marc and Jane Katz Family Fund is... more »

• Congressman pitches feds on Fort Lyon

  May 22, 2011 11:37 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A Colorado congressman is pushing for the federal government to find a new purpose for a Bent County state prison due to be closed next year because of state budget cuts. Republican Rep. Cory Gardner has written a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs urging... more »

• State computer upgrade delayed until end of May

  May 15, 2011 3:03 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A major improvement to a state computer system used to process applications and renewals for food stamps, medical aid other state programs is set to be completed by the end of the month. The Denver Post reports the upgrade that had been promised for last spring... more »

• Hot in-state tuition debate gets a partial pass

  April 16, 2011 3:26 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Senate Democrats in Colorado have given preliminary approval to a bill allowing illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at Colorado colleges. Republicans opposed the bill before a voice vote yesterday, saying it would provide an incentive for immigrants to come to the country illegally. The Democratic... more »

• Bigger fights looming over state budget talks

  April 9, 2011 12:19 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado senators have given preliminary approval to a $7 billion budget plan, but not before Republicans presented amendments to forbid the state from contracting with abortion providers or from withholding funding from departments and universities. Those amendments failed yesterday. The Senate will take a final vote on... more »

• Two people seriously hurt in rollover north of Pueblo

  April 6, 2011 2:26 AM

  The Colorado State Patrol is investigating a serious single-car rollover at mile marker 105 on I-25, between the Pueblo West and Eagleridge exits. It happened shortly before 11 p.m. on Tuesday. State Trooper Mark Parsons says the car was traveling southbound when it rolled. A man and a woman... more »

• Crash on I-25 north of Pueblo

  April 6, 2011 1:50 AM

  The Colorado State Patrol is investigating a serious single-car rollover at mile marker 105 on I-25, between the Pueblo West and Eagleridge exits. It happened shortly before 11 p.m. on Tuesday. State Trooper Mark Parsons says the car was traveling southbound when it rolled. A man and a woman... more »

• Colorado bill seeks to limit solitary confinement

  March 13, 2011 3:55 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Two Colorado Democratic lawmakers want to limit the number of mentally ill inmates who are placed in solitary confinement. State Sen. Morgan Carroll and Rep. Claire Levy say their bill is needed to lower the recidivism rate for inmates with mental health problems who are placed... more »

• Hickenlooper works to combine two agencies

  March 10, 2011 7:32 PM

  Gov. John Hickenlooper continus his efforts to combine the state Parks Department with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. He met today with the parks board and the Wildlife Commission outlining how the agencies have many shared missions. "The Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks are well... more »

• Organ donation change appears unlikely in Colo.

  January 22, 2011 11:00 AM

  DENVER (AP) - An idea to boost organ donations in Colorado by classifying all applicants for driver's licenses as donors unless they opt out appears unlikely to become law this year. Democratic Sen. Lucia Guzman tells Denver's KUSA-TV that she's dropping her suggestion that Colorado change to a "presumed... more »

• Governor wraps up economic tour

  January 17, 2011 1:46 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is winding up his statewide tour to get help from local counties putting together an economic plan. Hickenlooper has meetings Monday in Limon and Loveland after stops on the Western Slope and southern Colorado. The new governor is meeting with business leaders,... more »

• State Senator: End easy changes to Colorado constitution

  January 8, 2011 5:32 PM

  DENVER (AP) - State Senate President Brandon Shaffer says he's tired of Colorado being a test lab for proposed constitutional amendments pushed by special interest groups around the country, and he wants to raise the bar. Colorado's constitution has been amended over 50 times in the last 30 years.... more »

• Marijuana patients challenge new regulations

  January 6, 2011 11:13 AM

  Some medical marijuana patients filed a petition yesterday to stop Colorado's looming regulations for how pot is sold. The group of marijuana patients have asked the state's Supreme Court to overturn large parts of two Colorado laws passed last year that will regulate the medical marijuana industry. The patients'... more »

• Colorado may close state parks, lease for drilling

  January 1, 2011 5:38 PM

  DENVER (AP) - State parks in Colorado may be closed, while others could be opened up for oil and gas drilling to raise money for the cash-strapped parks system. Deep budget cuts to the parks system have prompted a five-year plan to close several parks to save money. The... more »

• Wildlife commissioners to answer questions

  November 30, 2010 3:18 PM

  Colorado Wildlife Commissioners John Singletary and Tim Glenn will hold a question-and-answer session in Pueblo on December 8 at Lake Pueblo State Park. People will have a chance to meet their wildlife commissioners, allow the commissioners to hear concerns and suggestions from the public and answer questions about Colorado's... more »

• Colorado State Fair turns higher profit

  November 29, 2010 7:12 PM

  More good news for the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. Recently released figures show the 11-day fair run this year turned a profit of roughly $980,000. That's up about $160,000 from the 2009 fair. General Manager Chris Wiseman says the fair saw higher food and carnival sales. However the rodeo... more »

• New committee formed to insure medical marijuana production safety

  November 26, 2010 3:43 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado has set up a committee under a new state law to come up with regulations for medical marijuana production. Colorado hopes to have in place by early next year some sort of labeling and inspection standard for marijuana sold commercially. Committee members say pot consumers deserve... more »

• Colorado makes really bad Top 10 list

  October 20, 2010 9:44 AM

  I popped open Yahoo first thing Tuesday morning to check my email and was greeted with a photo of Colorado's beautiful capitol building, positioned at number one in its news wheel. Beneath it was the headline: 11 State Pension Funds that May Run Out of Money. Bad day for... more »

• Attorneys General prepare foreclosure investigation

  October 13, 2010 7:47 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - As nearly all the state attorneys general prepare an investigation into the mortgage industry over the foreclosure-document mess, they're also discussing ways to settle the matter. If the states have their way, mortgage companies will have to revamp the way they handle foreclosures, pay penalties for... more »

• Giron, Ortegon face-off in Senate 3 debate

  October 7, 2010 12:57 AM

  Two women running for State Senate District 3 debated in Pueblo Wednesday night. The candidates are Angela Giron (D) and Vera Ortegon (R). More than a hundred people attended the debate which was held at Pueblo Community College. Giron was appointed to the position in August, when her predecessor Abel... more »

• Job of the Day: PCC Structural Trades

  October 6, 2010 11:05 AM

  Pueblo Community College has an opening for a structural trades worker. You must have experience with carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and locksmithing. Starting pay is $2,800 per month, with state benefits and PERA retirement. The deadline to apply is Monday, Oct. 11. Online information and application more »

• Colleges bracing for lower state funding

  September 30, 2010 8:20 AM

  Colorado colleges are bracing for lower state funding next year and some are drafting alternative plans to raise tuition by more than 9 percent. Rico Munn, director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, said Wednesday colleges may have their state funding cut from $705 million this year to... more »

• More Colorado school districts in financial trouble

  September 29, 2010 8:21 AM

  The number of Colorado school districts in financial difficulty is rising. State auditors told lawmakers on Tuesday that the number of districts receiving financial warnings from the state last year rose from 61 to 68. Warnings to fix fiscal problems are issued based on several factors, including whether... more »

• Judge rules Colorado pot laws don't protect from federal prosection

  September 22, 2010 7:46 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A pot grower won't be allowed to use Colorado's medical marijuana law to fend off federal drug charges. Wednesday's decision by U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer means that Christopher Bartkowicz faces a possible life sentence on federal marijuana cultivation charges. Brimmer said that suggestions by... more »

• Report: More than half Colorado roads in poor shape

  September 17, 2010 8:43 AM

  A new assessment of Colorado's road conditions says that 52 percent of the roads maintained by the state are in poor condition, the first time more than half the roads were found in that shape. The Colorado Department of Transportation has assessed the roads statewide for 10 years. The... more »

• Boulder wildfire expected to be Colorado's costliest

  September 17, 2010 8:25 AM

  Insurance industry officials believe the fire that scorched about 6,200 acres west of Boulder will be the costliest in Colorado's history, surpassing the 2002 Hayman fire that blackened 138,000 acres. Carole Walker of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association said Thursday that the wildfire will be the state's most... more »

• State parks board considers higher fees

  September 16, 2010 10:28 AM

  The Colorado State Parks Board is considering raising fees for entrance passes, some campgrounds and other facilities to make up for declining state funding. The board is meeting Thursday in Basalt. Members are looking at raising the daily entrance fee by $1 and camping fees at a dozen... more »

• Judge weighs lawsuit against Colorado State Patrol

  September 13, 2010 8:36 AM

  A judge is weighing a lawsuit against the Colorado State Patrol that alleges a trooper's high-speed pursuit of a suspect was the reason for a crash that killed a pregnant woman's unborn child. Mesa County Judge David Bottger will determine after a four-day hearing in April whether the lawsuit... more »

• Record freshman class at CSU

  September 10, 2010 8:56 AM

  A record-size freshman class has boosted Colorado State University's enrollment to the all-time high of 26,348. The enrollment is up 3.7 percent from last year. The number of freshman this fall is 4,472, which breaks the previous record of 4,404 in 2008. The incoming freshman class is 4.3 percent... more »

• Washinton executes man convicted of woman's murder

  September 10, 2010 8:39 AM

  Cal Coburn Brown was executed early Friday by lethal injection for the rape, torture and murder of a Seattle-area woman in 1991. It was Washington state's first execution since 2001 and the 78th in the state's history. Prison officials say Brown, 52, died after a four-member team injected him... more »

• Lawsuit challenges Tancredo's spot on ballot

  September 8, 2010 8:16 AM

  Two Colorado Republicans have filed a lawsuit to try to keep third-party gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo off the November ballot. The Denver Post reports that Marian Olson of Golden and Joseph Harrington of Highlands Ranch filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Denver District Court. They claim that Tancredo, a former... more »

• Wyoming football player killed in Colorado crash

  September 7, 2010 8:36 AM

  Authorities say a pickup drifted off a Colorado highway and crashed, killing a University of Wyoming football player and injuring three teammates. The Colorado State Patrol says Ruben Narcisse, 19, of Miami was killed in the crash early Monday. Trey Fox, 19, of Glenwood Springs, Christian Morgan,18, of Aurora,... more »

• Fair attendance on track to pass half million mark

  September 6, 2010 3:40 PM

  The 2010 Colorado State Fair ends today Sept. 6--and the latest figures show more people went to this year's fair. Overall attendance is up 26,561 visitors, with a total of 470,907 fair goers during the first ten days of the fair. Based on data from the past five years, Labor... more »

• Colorado State Fair finds missing beagle's owners

  September 2, 2010 8:04 PM

  A little beagle is becoming quite the spoiled pup at the Colorado State Fair. He was found lost last week and it turns out his master is a cowboy living hundreds of miles away. The beagle's name is Wiley and he's 9 months old. He's been getting the royal treatment... more »

• Colorado camp sites available for Labor Day Weekend

  August 31, 2010 10:45 AM

  Many of Colorado's state parks still have camp sites available for the Labor Day weekend. Arkansas Headwaters, Yampa River, Crawford, Eleven Mile and Mancos state parks are among the sites that still have spaces open all three days. But others are already full for the three-day weekend. They... more »

• Hickenlooper announces education policy for Colorado

  August 30, 2010 3:54 PM

  Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper is getting ready to unveil his education policy for Colorado. He'll be joined by his running mate, Colorado State University-Pueblo president Joe Garcia, at Monday's announcement at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton. Two years ago as mayor Hickenlooper started a preschool stipend program... more »

• Guided walk at state park Wednesday

  August 30, 2010 1:55 PM

  If you watch birds flying overhead, but have no idea what they are--here's your chance to learn about birds of the Pikes Peak region. Naturalists at Cheyenne Mountain State Park are leading a Guided Bird Walk Wednesday morning. You'll observe, identify, and record both resident and migratory bird species.... more »

• Hearing on Xcel energy plan

  August 30, 2010 9:39 AM

  State regulators are gathering comment on Xcel Energy's plan to use less coal to produce electricity. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will hold a hearing on the plan Monday in Grand Junction starting at 6 p.m. Xcel has proposed spending $1.3 billion to convert coal-fired power plants to... more »

• Monday at the Colorado State Fair

  August 30, 2010 8:28 AM

  The crowds will be smaller today, but the fun will be there for the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. Here's what's happening: Cowboys Kickin' Cancer Fundraiser/50th PRCA Dodge Rodeo 7:00 pm Rodeo from Rodeo Arena Stage - $10 regular rodeo ticket $50 ticket for special St. Mary Corwin... more »

• Cheyenne Mtn. State Park this weekend

  August 27, 2010 2:32 PM

  With the weekend here, it's time to get outside and remember why it's so wonderful to live in Colorado. You don't have to go far to immerse yourself in beauty--Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs has plenty for you to do--from hiking to special programs. Here's what's... more »

• This weekend at the Colorado State Fair

  August 27, 2010 2:21 PM

  The Colorado State Fair is in full swing in Pueblo, including a Pancake Breakfast at the Gold Dust Saloon Saturday morning, followed by the State Fair Parade through downtown beginning at 10 am. Here's what's on the schedule this weekend-- Friday, August 27 Home Brew Competition... more »