Tina Peters doubles down on election fraud claims hours after release from prison
Within hours of her release from prison on Monday, Tina Peters appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast and proclaimed “I know Democrats are going to cheat.” Peters, a former Mesa County clerk, was convicted of orchestrating a security breach of her county’s election system in an effort to prove unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Peters served 19 months in state prison before her nine-year sentence was cut in half last month by Gov. Jared Polis in a controversial clemency decision. Peters also told Bannon on Monday, “I still have a fight to clear my name and bring out the truth of why they came after me the way they did.”
New report highlights Trump administration policies that may impact wildfire management
The Center for Western Priorities reports that recent policy decisions in Washington, D.C. are likely to have a significant impact on the 2026 wildfire year. In particular, massive staff layoffs, budget cuts, below-average levels of hazardous fuels reduction, and low morale are likely to constrain the capacity of federal agencies to manage heightened wildfire risks in the months ahead. Out of all 50 states, Colorado lost the highest percentage of federal land management agency staff, dropping 26% between 2024 and 2025. Additionally, prescribed burning, thinning, and other wildfire prevention work in federally-managed forests and grasslands fell 35% in the Trump administration’s first year in office.
Colorado kids can access free summer meals
The Colorado Department of Education today announced that more than 600 summer meal sites are open statewide to provide meals free of charge to all youth ages 18 and younger. The Summer Meals Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Colorado Department of Education’s School Nutrition Unit in partnership with community-based program sponsors. Last year, program sponsors provided approximately 2 million meals to Colorado youth. Parents, families, and community members can visit www.kidsfoodfinder.org to find a nearby meal site, including locations, dates and times.
Water levels in major reservoirs are even closer to “devastating consequences” than current data shows
A new report from Colorado River experts says another dry winter this year would bring major reservoirs to the brink.
Report author Anne Castle says the federal government will keep water high enough for major dams and hydropower equipment to work normally, and the amount that’s left for people to USE is lower than it looks.
MCSD Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stevenson placed on leave — and files a grievance against the board
The Montrose County School District Board of Education voted at a special meeting Tuesday night to place Superintendent Dr. Carrie Stephenson on paid, non-disciplinary leave.
The decision is tied to an ongoing third-party investigation into former Olathe Elementary School principal Jennifer Hesse. The specific allegations against Hesse have not been made public.
The board had previously considered placing Stephenson on leave. That motion failed. Tuesday's special meeting, publicly noticed just one day before, was called specifically to reconsider the question.
During the meeting, it emerged that several Olathe Elementary employees accused Stephenson of intimidating them at a recent meeting, alleging she made them feel they could not speak freely about the Hesse investigation. Stephenson pushed back firmly.
"Now tonight, the board is considering another serious employment action based on an allegation I deny without my having been asked for my account before this special meeting was called," she said.
Stephenson then turned the tables, announcing she was filing a formal grievance against the board itself. She alleged governance violations, problems with her superintendent evaluation process, and retaliation — and pointed specifically at board president Balleck.
"At the center of this grievance is a continuing pattern in which individual board members, particularly President Balleck, have acted outside the authority of the board as a body," Stephenson said.
Board member Tiffany Vincent spoke in favor of placing Stephenson on leave, framing it as a protective measure.
"This is just a way to keep everybody isolated so that there's not more being piled on," Vincent said.
The board discussed at length how district operations would continue during Stephenson's absence. The board ultimately voted to have Dr. Jessica Kalb, the district's Executive Director of Academic Services, take over Stephenson's responsibilities. Kalb said she would accept the role pending certain conditions.
The board's law firm, Miller Farmer Carlson Law, also came up. KVNF previously reported that firm founder Brad Miller told an education conference that conservative school boards should secure superintendents aligned with their agenda.
"They needed to make sure that they had engaged a superintendent that's aligned with them," Miller said at that conference.
Stephenson's paid leave begins June 3rd. The board may still contact her for certain tasks during that time.
KVNF will continue covering this story.
