Steve Pearce appointed to the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management will have a new leader in Steve Pearce, a former congressman from New Mexico. Pearce's nomination was confirmed as part of a package of nearly 50 nominees for various positions across the federal government.
Before he was in Congress, Pearce owned an oilfield services company in New Mexico, and was a consistent advocate for the fossil fuels industry as a lawmaker. During his nomination hearing, Pearce was hesitant to walk back previous stances, advocating for the sale of public lands to reduce the federal deficit.
Conservation groups have decried the decision to have the nation's largest land management agency, overseeing over 250 million acres, be headed up by a politician with an anti-public lands track record.
Polis censured by Colorado Democratic Party after commuting Tina Peters' sentence
The Colorado Democratic Party has voted to censure Governor Jared Polis after his decision to commute the prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
Peters was sentenced to nearly nine years for tampering with election equipment while trying to prove false claims of voter fraud. Governor Polis cut that sentence in half, making Peters eligible for parole as early as June first.
Polis says the original punishment was too harsh compared to other public corruption cases, and says the sentence focused too heavily on Peters’ statements rather than her actions.
But Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubenstein disagrees, saying Peters could have faced up to twenty years in prison. He also noted that Polis’ own clemency board recommended against reducing the sentence.
Hundreds of Democrats petitioned the state party to formally censure the governor, arguing the decision conflicts with the party’s commitment to defending democracy.
The Democratic Party’s central committee voted Wednesday night, with nearly ninety percent approving the censure. The action temporarily bars Polis from speaking at or participating in party-sponsored events.
Polis says the effort against him is politically motivated and insists he made the decision based on fairness and input from Coloradans.
Overturned logging truck temporarily shuts down U.S. 50
In local news, a log truck overturned on U.S. 50 Wednesday, closing the road for an extended period between Montrose and Gunnison.
The Montrose Daily Press reports that according to preliminary information from the Colorado State Patrol, the truck was carrying a full load of logs, eastbound on U.S. 50, toward Gunnison, when its trailer experienced a mechanical issue and the load shifted. The extra weight blew out tires, and the vehicle tipped onto its left side, blocking both lanes of travel.
The driver reportedly sustained minor injuries and was cited for allegedly having a defective vehicle. No other vehicles were involved. The highway was closed during crash response, and the Colorado Department of Transportation recommended that motorists traveling between Montrose and Gunnison take Colorado Highway 92 as a detour, adding about two hours to the trip.
Recommendations released for veteran access to public lands
The federal government has released recommendations to improve military veterans' access to public lands and outdoor recreation. The Mountain West News Bureau's Rachel Cohen has more.
Some major education bills passed the state legislature this session, while others failed
Colorado’s legislative session wrapped up last week, with lawmakers advancing some major education bills while others didn't make it to the governor's desk.
For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KGNU’s Abby O’Brien spoke with education reporter Jason Gonzales from Chalkbeat Colorado about what passed, what failed, and what it could mean for schools across the state.
