Valerie Richardson

Scientists reject climate change link to Colorado floods

Climate change activists were quick to blame last year's unprecedented, devastating Colorado flooding on increased human-caused emissions in the atmosphere, but a study released this week says that's not the case.

October 2, 2014

Justice Antonin Scalia defends keeping God, religion in public square

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Wednesday that secularists are wrong when they argue the Constitution requires religious references to be banished from the public square.

October 1, 2014

Udall latest Democrat to be accused of downplaying Islamic State threat

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a television ad Tuesday accusing Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado of being soft on national security for saying during a debate that the Islamic State doesn't pose an "imminent threat."

September 30, 2014

‘Not white’ Salt Lake officer ‘justified’ in shooting of unarmed youth

The Salt Lake County district attorney announced Tuesday that the minority police officer who fatally shot an unarmed white suspect was "legally justified," in a case that drew national attention in the aftermath of the racially charged police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri.

September 30, 2014

Mitt Romney proves to be a draw in Colorado races

Luckily for Colorado Democrats, it's too late for a recount of the 2012 presidential race here, since Republican challenger Mitt Romney is proving vastly more popular on the campaign trail than President Obama.

September 29, 2014

Boehner wants to stop ‘butting heads’ with president

House Speaker John A. Boehner said Sunday he hopes to persuade President Obama after the November election to end the gridlock and tackle a host of contentious issues, including immigration reform and the Keystone XL pipeline.

September 28, 2014

Obama says administration may have misjudged Islamic State

President Obama acknowledged Sunday that his administration misjudged the danger from the rising Islamic State, while House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said the result is that U.S. officials may have “no choice” but to send troops back to the Middle East.

September 28, 2014

Wealthy single women choose conservative men over liberals

Successful women seeking a love connection prefer conservative men to their liberal counterparts, according to figures released last week by an online dating service.

September 28, 2014

Suburbs clash over solutions as residents battle coyote infestation

When Charlene Warner walks her dog each morning in her neighborhood in upscale Seal Beach, California, she’s terrified she’ll be attacked — not by muggers or gangs, but by coyotes.

September 28, 2014

Republican Sullivan overtakes Sen. Begich in four latest Alaska Senate polls

Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan has pulled ahead of Democratic Sen. Mark Begich in four separate polls released in the last few days, lending more drama to a race that could decide control of the Senate.

September 27, 2014

GOP doubles down with ad slamming the Udall ‘Dynasty’

Having a famous family name is usually a plus in politics, but Republicans are going populist on what they call the “dynasty” candidacy of Colorado Sen. Mark Udall.

September 26, 2014

Climate changers criticized for taking fossil-fuel money while calling for divestment

Another climate-change group is being accused of hypocrisy for accepting fossil-fuel funding even as its leaders call for others to divest from coal, oil and natural gas.

September 25, 2014

Colorado marijuana VIPs raise green stuff for Sen. Mark Udall

Colorado marijuana bigwigs are holding a fundraiser Friday for Democratic Sen. Mark Udall, an indication that the growing industry is moving to exercise its clout in partisan politics.

September 25, 2014

Millennial group hits Senate Dems for supporting Internet sales tax

Two vulnerable Senate Democrats are depicted as being on the wrong side of the generation gap in a television ad released Wednesday by a millennial advocacy group.

September 24, 2014

Climate article points up tensions for newspaper

The Los Angeles Times won’t run letters from climate-change “deniers,” so readers may have been surprised to find an article in Monday’s edition on research concluding that natural changes in the wind — not fossil-fuel emissions — are driving West Coast land and sea warming.

September 24, 2014

Longshot Neel Kashkari challenges Jerry Brown for California governor

California Gov. Jerry Brown is running for re-election on his economic record, which means he's got at least one thing in common with his feisty Republican challenger.

September 22, 2014

Skeptics heated over climate conference

The environmental movement is turning up the heat as President Obama heads to New York for Tuesday's global climate gathering, but climate-change skeptics are calling for cooler heads to prevail.

September 22, 2014

Senators aim to tackle NFL’s ‘dramatic growth in violence’

Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned Sunday that members of the Senate may intervene in the NFL domestic violence scandal, saying the situation has gone on too long.

September 21, 2014

Senate may become involved in NFL domestic violence issue: Feinstein

Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned Sunday that members of the Senate may become involved in the NFL's domestic violence scandal, saying the situation has gone on "too long."

September 21, 2014

Obama needs no U.N. approval to order airstrikes in Syria, ambassador says

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday that the Obama administration has a legal basis to conduct airstrikes in Syria without U.N. approval, raising questions about the White House's ability to form an international front against the Islamic State.

September 21, 2014