ICE detention report alleges high commissary costs, inadequate food
A new community accountability report from immigrant rights groups raises concerns about conditions inside Colorado’s only ICE detention facility, in Aurora. The report alleges detainees are not getting adequate nutrition and are pushed toward pricey commissary items to supplement meals. It also claims some detainees feel pressure to join a voluntary work program that pays about one dollar a day. The GEO Group, which runs the facility under contract with ICE, disputes the report’s allegations.
Polis weighs clemency for Tina Peters; Democrats push back
Gov. Jared Polis said this week he is considering commuting the sentence of Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk convicted on multiple counts tied to efforts to undermine the 2020 election. Polis’ comments drew swift criticism from leading Colorado Democrats, including Attorney General Phil Weiser, who warned against reducing Peters’ sentence.
Montrose’s original post office added to historic register
The City of Montrose says the historic building at 25–27 North Cascade Avenue — home to an early Montrose post office beginning in the 1890s — has been added to the city’s historic register. The Mexican American Development Association is involved in plans to create a food hall in the preserved space.
Colorado’s first measles outbreak of 2026 grows
Colorado public health officials say a third student in the Broomfield area has been diagnosed with measles, triggering outbreak protocols. Unvaccinated students and staff connected to affected schools have been told to stay home for 21 days to limit further spread.
Utah delegation targets Grand Staircase-Escalante management plan
Utah’s congressional delegation is moving to overturn the Bureau of Land Management’s resource management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument using the Congressional Review Act. Supporters say the plan limits access and harms local economies, while opponents warn it could create uncertainty for cultural resources, grazing, and recreation.
Steve Pearce nomination to lead BLM advances
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted along party lines to advance former New Mexico congressman Steve Pearce as the next director of the Bureau of Land Management. Pearce’s nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration, with timing still to be announced.
Democrats effort to control pesticides that threaten pollinators dies at statehouse
A bill aimed at restricting certain pesticide-treated seeds linked to pollinator harm was defeated in a state Senate committee after pushback from many farmers and rural lawmakers. Colorado Public Radio’s Rae Solomon reports on the debate and the competing concerns around crop protection and pollinator health.
