FEATURE: The City of Montrose has passed a controversial camping ban ordinance and the Town of Ouray was named an official Colorado Main Street Community last year, and is reaping the benefits.
TOP STORIES: Delta County School District’s policy committee worked on the details of gender identity name change and parental notification recently. According to the Delta County Independent, 17 members of the policy committee met to deliberate on the matter to bring the district into compliance with a House Bill passed last legislative session.
The bill sponsored by over 40 Democrats ‘requires public schools in Colorado to address students by their chosen name, which is any name a student requests to be known as that differs from their legal name to reflect their gender identity. Local education providers must implement a written policy outlining how they will honor a student's request in compliance with federal privacy laws.
The issue for the district’s policy committee came down to parental consent. Policy committee members appeared unanimous in their decision that parents on file with the district should be notified, but only one parent should have to sign consent. However, any student above 18 would be exempt. The policy committee is scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 12 with final recommendations to be sent to the school board for a second reading.
As he prepares to take office, President-elect Donald Trump recently tapped Colorado fossil fuel executive Chris Wright for Energy Secretary. Wright is the CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy and a vocal advocate for oil and gas development including fracking, a key part of Trump’s goals toward US energy dominance. Wright is an outspoken critic of efforts to address climate change. He has never served in government. Like other cabinet picks, Wright will have to be confirmed by the Senate before taking office.
The Mountain West News Bureau’s Hanna Merzbach reports, that majority of Democrats say tackling climate change should be a top priority…though only about one in ten Republicans feel the same way. But one conservative activist is trying to make a difference.
