Sean Pond does not advance to Republican primary in U.S. Senate race
Montrose County Commissioner Sean Pond did not earn enough delegation support to make the Republican primary ballot in his bid for U.S. Senate. In a lengthy post on social media following the vote, Pond blamed Republican establishment, calling out Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Senator Perry Will, and Representative Matt Soper by name, saying they quote "circled up and protected" fellow Republican Mark Baisley. Pond argued that backing establishment-approved candidates hurts the party's chances against incumbent Democrat John Hickenlooper in November. Despite the setback, Pond told supporters, "We're not done." Mark Baisley will now advance as the sole Republican Senate candidate heading into the June primary. He will take on the Democratic primary winner, either incumbent John Hickenlooper or rival Julie Gonzales.
Murder charges dropped in 1993 pipe bombing case
The murder charges of a Grand Junction man have been dropped after over three decades. James Genrich was convicted in a series of pipe bombings between 1989 and 1991. Two of those bombs killed a 12 year old girl and a 43 year old man. Genrich was granted a retrial after the court ruled faulty evidence was used in the conviction. But rather than re-trying the case, The Denver Post reports that District Attorney Dan Rubinstein filed a motion to dismiss on Friday, stating that “we can no longer meet the high ethical and legal burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Genrich has maintained his innocence since his arrest in 1992. The dismissal applies only to the murder charges. Genrich’s convictions for Use of an Explosive Device and Third-Degree Assault remain in effect, and he will continue to serve his 72-year sentence with the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Tony Bohling resigns from school board
In Delta, school board member Tony Bohling announced his resignation. The Delta County Independent reports that Bohling cited a need to focus on different priorities after a health scare. He stated that in early March, he experienced a mini stroke. He said he hopes to focus on improving his health and reducing stress, citing school board responsibilities as the biggest source of stress in his life. Bohling said, “I’d like to challenge people, and I need people, anybody who scrolls, including myself, put the phone down, get off the couch and get involved. Now, what I mean by that is a challenge, simply a challenge to contact board members. I guarantee you there’s not a person on this board that will not talk to anybody.” Per district policy, the board has 60 days to fill Bohling’s vacancy.
North Fork advocates visit Washington D.C.
Every year, a group from Colorado’s North Fork Valley on the Western Slope travel to Washington DC. Now in its fourteenth year, the visit brings the opportunity to meet with lawmakers and advocates to discuss how they can support local communities as they work to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Caroline Llanes has more on the most recent trip.
Matt Soper talks platform and priorities in Delta County Commissioner race
Term limited State Representative Matt Soper from Delta is running for the open District One Delta County Commissioner seat in November. For KVNF, Lisa Young spoke with the seasoned legislator on his bid to replace outgoing fellow Republican Mike Lane, who is also term limited.
