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Why Coloradans should care about Senate Bill 200
In January, Gov. Jared Polis set forth a climate roadmap for Colorado. Now, he is threatening to veto the very legislation required to meet his goals. This should raise the eyebrows of every Coloradan — particularly those who voted for him. The backstory: In 2019, fresh off a wave of new elections, Democrats introduced House […]
Anti-vaxxers and the never-ending pandemic
In 2020, American taxpayers poured over $700 billion into the Department of Defense. At the same time, nearly 600,000 Americans died of a virus within our borders. It’s a telling equation of American priorities and the perception of freedom. This imbalance has been the mantra of a selfish minority of so-called patriots for the entire […]
University of Colorado should mandate COVID-19 vaccines
Editor’s note: The University of Colorado system announced on the afternoon of April 28, 2021 — hours after this commentary published — that it would require all students, faculty and staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccination before the 2021 fall semester, as columnist Trish Zornio called for in the below commentary. CU was joined by […]
A just verdict is not justice, it’s accountability — and we need more
It took about 10 hours for a jury to convict former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd, but we should not conflate the win with justice — this was accountability, and we need more of it. A stark reminder of the work yet to be done came when moments after the jury […]
No, the pandemic is not over yet
On Tuesday, Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon made a statement so irrational it would make pi jealous: “This pandemic is over,” he exclaimed. As Laydon spoke, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment tallied yet another increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, a reflection of the state’s growing fourth wave. None of this data […]
Not all opinions deserve to be published
Yes, it’s ironic to opine on opinions. For months, I’ve become increasingly salty as more and more patently false information gets published under the guise of “opinion” in otherwise credible news sources. I’m not talking about Fox News — that’s propaganda. I’m talking about reputable local and national news sources. It’s a disturbing trend, and […]
Q&A: What to expect and how to get a vaccine in Colorado
This is no April Fools. As of today, all Coloradans ages 16 and up qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine. The following is a guide on what to expect, how to sign up and why you should. What’s it like to get the vaccine? In my experience, the hardest part was getting an appointment (see below). […]
Gun nuts are loving the Second Amendment to death
This week’s piece started out about Colorado’s response to the pandemic. It was quickly upended on Monday afternoon when less than 15 minutes from my house a massacre unfolded at the local King Soopers. By 2 a.m., 10 of our neighbors were confirmed dead. It was the same store where my roommate had bought groceries […]
Want women in political office? Support them now.
It’s easy to chafe, but the only thing more tiresome than identity politics is being underrepresented for centuries due to identity politics. To be clear, it’s true that not all women lead equally — one need look no further than Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District for proof. But after multiple election cycles of exceptionally qualified and […]
New variant in Colorado means it’s definitely not time to reopen
This mutant is anything but a teenage ninja turtle. It was only a matter of time. Efforts to thwart the state’s recovery have existed since the start of the pandemic. From anti-maskers to anti-vaxxers, some Coloradans seem determined to prolong the virus’ impact. Sadly, their petulance is everyone’s loss. Enter B.1.351 — the South African […]
Polar vortex highlights the need for grid innovation amid climate change
As a deep freeze clamped down across North America, millions of homes in Texas lost power and experienced rolling blackouts. In Colorado, at least two energy companies requested residents reduce consumption to avoid a similar fate. On cue, politics quickly got in the way of facts. Baseless attacks on renewable energy as the primary cause […]
Loosening restrictions too early increases risk of vaccine-escaping mutants
We all want to reopen. With cases dropping, is it finally time? For Gov. Jared Polis, the answer is a partial yes. As of last Friday, the governor oversaw yet another revamp of the state’s pandemic dial, moving the goalpost to allow many counties to enjoy looser COVID-19 restrictions. Still, many experts remain hesitant. This […]