Valerie Richardson

Fossil fuel divestment to fight climate change loses steam on college campuses

A much-touted campaign to get the nation's colleges and universities to sell their holdings in the fossil fuel industry as a way to fight climate change has mostly been drilling a dry hole since its launch three years ago.

November 18, 2014

Jay Nixon swears in Ferguson Commission ahead of jury verdict

Tensions remained high Tuesday in Missouri as police, protesters and policymakers prepared for unrest in anticipation of the grand jury's verdict in the August shooting death of teenager Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer.

November 18, 2014

Republicans counter Democrats’ ‘war on women’ with wave of female winners

Here's another reason the Democrats' "war on women" strategy imploded in this year's midterm elections: A wave of Republican women ran for office — and won.

November 17, 2014

Transparent Health Group aids uninsured under Obamacare

Even under the best-case scenarios, Obamacare still leaves tens of millions of people uninsured. That's where Betty Heiman comes in.

November 16, 2014

Anti-religion group gripes about lack of atheists buried at Normandy

There's just one problem with the revered Normandy military cemetery in France: Too many Christian and Jewish soldiers are buried there, and not enough atheists and agnostics.

November 14, 2014

Fracking fluid ingredient also found in toothpaste and ice cream, study shows

A major class of fracking fluid is no more toxic than chemicals found in a typical household, according to a newly released University of Colorado study.

November 13, 2014

TRAVEL CRUISE: ‘Love Boat’ crew launches new Princess Cruises ship

Before "The Love Boat" set sail on its 10-year TV voyage, taking a cruise vacation was a luxury reserved for the wealthy few. Even actor Gavin MacLeod admits he had never stayed aboard a cruise ship until he was cast as the captain in the hit ABC series.

November 12, 2014

Gunnison sage grouse listed as threatened species by wildlife officials

Based on the furor that resulted when the news came down, there was little doubt why the Obama administration waited until after the midterm election to grant endangered species protection to the Gunnison sage grouse.

November 12, 2014

Colorado Springs student sues high school for banning prayer group

A Colorado Springs student is suing his school district after he was ordered to stop gathering with friends informally during free time between classes to pray, sing and discuss religious topics.

November 11, 2014

Colorado Republicans claim biggest legislative win

The Colorado state Senate was one of 11 state legislative houses captured last week by Republicans, padding the GOP's advantage at the statehouse level and giving the party its largest number of legislative seats since 1920.

November 11, 2014

Go-to Democratic game plan failed badly in Colorado

The so-called "Bannock Street Project," the Democratic political blueprint for attracting young- single women and turning purple states blue, faces new questions after last week's stunning loss by incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in Colorado.

November 11, 2014

Republican Buck wins Colo. House seat after losing Senate race

Colorado Republican Ken Buck is going to Washington, D.C., after all, just not as a member of the Senate.

November 5, 2014

Ballot propositions score big as voters approve 70 percent of a smaller pool

It turns out 2014 was a good year to run a ballot proposition: More than two-thirds of the 146 state measures that went before voters Tuesday were approved, the best winning percentage of the 21st century.

November 5, 2014

John Hickenlooper wins re-election in Colorado over Bob Beauprez

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper was declared the winner early Wednesday in his bid for reelection, one of the few bright spots for Democrats in a political year marked by a powerful Republican wave.

November 5, 2014

Mia Love makes history by winning House seat in Utah

Utah's Mia Love made history Tuesday by becoming the first black Republican woman to win a seat in Congress, eking out a close victory over Democrat Doug Owens.

November 5, 2014

Cory Gardner defeats Mark Udall in Colorado as GOP moves closer to Senate control

Republican Rep. Cory Gardner won a decisive victory in the hard-fought Colorado Senate contest Tuesday, defeating Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in a stunning turnaround in the blue-trending state.

November 4, 2014

Judge tosses Colorado GOP lawsuit alleging sloppy, secretive vote-counting in Boulder

A Boulder County judge dismissed a complaint late Monday over vote-counting brought by Colorado Republicans, but they're still alarmed over what they see as the clerk's efforts to undermine election integrity in the Democratic stronghold.

November 4, 2014

Ballot initiatives run gamut from marijuana to minimum wage

This may come as a surprise if you live in a state with the minimum wage, marijuana, genetically modified food labeling or election-rules measures on the ballot, but 2014 is actually a down year for state-ballot initiatives.

November 3, 2014

Colorado Republicans hang on to 100,000-vote lead as Democrats make final push

Republicans maintained their 100,000-vote lead in Colorado over the weekend even as Democrats mobilize their ground troops for a strong last-minute surge.

November 3, 2014

Americans believe politicos play ‘race card’ to snag votes

Voters of all races say most politicians play the "race card" to win elections rather than address actual race-related issues, according to a poll released Monday.

November 3, 2014