2022 Election

22-year-old Anderson Aldrich, accused of killing five people and wounding 17 others in a shooting last month at Club Q in Colorado Springs, was formally charged with 305 criminal counts, reports the Colorado Sun. Montrose City Council voted unanimously to place two historic structures on the city’s Register of Historic Places. Proposition 122 was one of the ballot measures approved by voters this year. It decriminalizes the psychedelic substance psilocybin for personal use and mental health treatment. But as KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods reports, Coloradans won’t see clinics offering psychedelics quite yet.

News broke on Friday afternoon, that Democratic challenger Adam Frisch conceded the race in Colorado’s Third Congressional District to incumbent Republican Lauren Boebert. The Denver Post is reporting on the rise of RSV, COVID and FLU hospitalizations in the state. According to a recent Denver Post Newsletter, Colorado is heading into a major holiday with the three viruses putting pressure on the state's hospitals. Inflation has already put a squeeze on grocery budgets. And now, the USDA says avian flu has claimed millions of turkeys this year – pushing turkey prices higher as Thanksgiving approaches. One Lake City man may be having fish for Thanksgiving….Matt Smiley nabbed a state record Brook trout while fishing the Waterdog Lake in the Uncompahgre National Forest last month.

State Representative Julie McCluskie from Dillon was selected by fellow Democrats on Friday to become the next Speaker of the House. Colorado House Republicans choose their top leaders on Thursday. Rep. Mike Lynch of Wellington, elected by the House GOP caucus, will serve as minority leader. Results for the tightly contested CD 3 race between incumbent Lauren Boebert and Democrat Adam Frisch are expected either Thursday or Friday. Prop 123 supporting funding for additional affordable housing in the state passed narrowly by four percentage points. Prop 122 legalizing psychedelic plants for adults age 21 and older passed six percentage points. The measure sets aside 0.1% of state income tax revenue for affordable housing programs, including aid to develop more housing and assistance for certain renters and home buyers.

Representative Matt Soper defeated Democrat AliceMarie Slaven-Edmond for House District 54. Soper gained nearly 74% of the vote in the district. In House District 58 incumbent Marc Catlin of Montrose defeated Democrat Kevin Kuns by 11 percentage points. Grand Junction Republican businessman Rick Taggart soundly defeated Democrat Damon Davis for House District 55 in Mesa County by 26 percentage points. Delta County voters approved Ballot Measure 5B with nearly 55% in favor. The measure extends a bond issue for Delta County Joint School District 50J. Eligible Montrose County voters approved the measure,while eligible voters in Gunnison County turned down the bond issue.

As of 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 9 the Colorado Secretary of State’s office reported the following initial election results with 61 of 64 counties completed and nearly 50% of Colorado voters voting in the mid-term election. United States Senator Michael Bennet retains his seat with a 12 point win over challenger Joe O’Dea. Governor Jared Polis will return to a second term defeating Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl by 17 points. Democrats will also retain the Secretary of State; Treasure and Attorney General offices as Jenna Griswold, Dave Young and Phil Weiser turn back their respective Republican challengers.

Today is the last day for most Colorado voters to cast their ballots in the 2022 midterm election, however, the Secretary of State’s office reminds voters that “Election night results are not final results in Colorado. Voters in Colorado who speak a language other than English have more options this election. The Delta County Independent reports that Delta Police K-9 Officer Kali Henderson and K-9 Raico were recognized by the National Police K-9 Association for recovering over 100 grams of methamphetamine in March. The last operating uranium mill in the U.S. is in White Mesa, Utah. It has been the target of ongoing protests and criticism from environmental activist groups and the Ute Mountain Ute tribe.

The city of Grand Junction is ramping up efforts to increase recycling, reports the Daily Sentinel. Last year the city purchased Curbside Recycling ahead of the changes. Abortions are up 33% in Colorado reports the Denver Post. A study from the Society of Family Planning shows that Colorado isn’t alone as abortion providers are helping more patients from states where abortion has been severely restricted or outlawed. The switch between daylight saving and standard time is jarring for humans and deadly for deer. Colorodoans concerned about climate change are pushing policy makers to end fracking permits. One local liquor store owner talks to KVNF about three Propositions on the November ballot.

Delta County Commissioners approved an estimated $1 million dollars to upgrade the county’s 9-1-1 communication system. A preliminary permit for Xcel Energy was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ahead of a feasibility study for a hydropower facility in Unaweep Canyon. The 2022 midterm elections are coming up on Tuesday, November 8th. A Native political organization is endorsing thirty one native candidates running for office. Despite the rise in health insurance costs, some Coloradans will still be able to get financial assistance to lower the price they pay. Some states in our region and around the U-S are restricting abortions. Now, efforts are underway to connect women with abortion medications – a dose of two pills that can be taken at home. A mobile clinic is operating along Colorado’s border, so women from out-of-state can pick up the pills

Delta-Montrose Electric Association and Elevate will provide free internet service to qualifying families in Montrose County School District, reports the Montrose Daily Press. The service is available to students who receive free and reduced lunch. Sales activity held steady for the town of Ouray during August. Sales tax revenue for August is up nearly 55% over August 2019. Two tax-related measures are on Colorado ballots this year.State ballot Proposition 121 asks voters if they would like to decrease the state income tax rate while, Prop GG would add a table to all income tax-related ballot measures in an effort to clarify how tax measures will affect different socioeconomic groups.

The US Senate race here in Colorado is getting a lot of attention from across the country. Incumbent Senator Michael Bennet is facing off against Republican Joe O’Dea. Bennet’s platform includes expanding tax benefits for parents, increasing transparency in healthcare and getting special interests out of American politics. Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Lucas Brady Woods speaks with Senator Bennet about the race.