Valerie Richardson

Obama gets ditched by Colorado Democrats

Colorado Democrats ducking President Obama's speech here Wednesday morning are drawing hoots for their less-than-convincing excuses.

July 8, 2014

Colorado sues Boulder County clerk to stop her from issuing gay marriage licenses

The Boulder County Clerk's decision last week to start issuing licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of Colorado law has her in hot water with state officials.

July 3, 2014

California grants wind industry permit to kill eagles, ruffling more than feathers

In a bid to give alternative energy sources a boost, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has quietly granted a California wind energy farm a permit to kill a limited number of endangered bald and golden eagles that get sliced up in its giant turbines.

July 2, 2014

Poll: Colorado governor’s race locked in dead heat

Bad news for Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper: A poll released Tuesday shows him running neck and neck with newly nominated Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez.

July 1, 2014

Anti-fracking vote mixed blessing for Colo. governor

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper is a strong supporter of hydraulic fracturing, but last week's defeat of a high-profile local anti-fracking initiative wasn’t good news for him or state Democrats.

June 30, 2014

Tie-dyed no more: At Colorado summit, marijuana industry is serious business

Those expecting to find hippies in tie-dyed T-shirts at the inaugural National Cannabis Industry Association's Cannabis Business Summit last week were in for a rude awakening.

June 29, 2014

Colo. Dems’ push for Tancredo backfires; GOP nominates Beauprez for governor

Former Rep. Bob Beauprez won Tuesday the Colorado Republican gubernatorial nomination, overcoming Democratic efforts to promote his nearest rival, former Rep. Tom Tancredo.

June 25, 2014

Border children fuel debate in GOP race for Arizona governor

The crush of border-crossing children being dropped off by the Obama administration in Arizona has erupted as a campaign issue in the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican.

June 23, 2014

Role reversal: Col. Democrat hit as immigration hard-liner

Ordinarily it's the Republican candidate who gets hammered for being insufficiently supportive of illegal immigrants, but that's not how the dynamic is playing out in a pivotal House race here.

June 19, 2014

Life inside a children’s warehouse: Border agents watch over illegals in limbo over their futures

Imagine running a high-security day care at a Costco, and you have a pretty good idea of the scenario unfolding along the Arizona border.

June 18, 2014

Sen. Mark Udall embraces Obama, not pipeline

Other vulnerable Senate Democrats in tight re-election battles are embracing the Keystone XL pipeline and stiff-arming President Obama — but not Colorado's Mark Udall.

June 16, 2014

Bans on fracking in Colorado would hurt family farms, elderly

When foes of fracking complain about moneybags billionaires profiteering from "Big Oil," they're probably not thinking of people like Bob and Cristy Koeneke.

June 12, 2014

Colorado unveils Obamacare tax to boost struggling state exchange

Colorado will begin charging an Obamacare tax next month on all health insurance policies — even those obtained through private employers — to help prop up the state's struggling health care exchange.

June 10, 2014

Calif. judge rules teacher tenure policies unconstitutional

In a stunning defeat for teachers' unions, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge found Tuesday that job-security policies such as teacher tenure are unconstitutional because they cause disproportionate harm to poor and minority students.

June 10, 2014

Clinton defends Obama’s prisoner exchange

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton defended the Obama administration's hotly debated prisoner swap Sunday, saying the circumstances behind the American soldier's capture don't matter.

June 8, 2014

Gunmen kill 13 people at airport in Karachi, Pakistan

Heavily armed gunmen attacked Pakistan’s busiest airport late Sunday, killing 13 people and touching off a gunfight with police and military commandos.

June 8, 2014

Kerry says exchanged Taliban fighters could re-enter terror war — at ‘enormous risk’

Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged Sunday that the five Taliban prisoners recently released in a prisoner exchange may re-enter the battle, but warned that they face "enormous risk" if they do.

June 8, 2014

Koch brothers donate to college fund; Steyer’s money aimed at climate change

This year's best-known politically active billionaires — liberal Tom Steyer and the libertarian Koch brothers — drew headlines Friday for a pair of hefty charitable contributions, but that's where the similarities end.

June 8, 2014

Kochs give to United Negro College Fund while Steyer offers climate-change aid

This year's best-known politically active billionaires — liberal Tom Steyer and the libertarian Koch brothers — drew headlines Friday for a pair of hefty charitable contributions, but that's where the similarities end.

June 8, 2014

Dems try to manipulate Colorado GOP primary against Bob Beauprez with pro-Tancredo ads

Democrats really don't want former Rep. Bob Beauprez to win this month's Colorado GOP gubernatorial primary, so they're hitting the airwaves with television ads aimed at boosting his nearest rival, former Rep. Tom Tancredo.

June 7, 2014