Colorado
Democratic Colorado governor commends Trump for nominating RFK Jr. as HHS secretary
Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis praised President-elect Trump for nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
In a lengthy social media post on Thursday, Polis praised Kennedy for helping Colorado “defeat vaccine mandates” in 2019 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA,” he wrote.
“I hope he leans into personal choice on vaccines rather than bans (which I think are terrible, just like mandates) but what I’m most optimistic about is taking on big pharma and the corporate ag oligopoly to improve our health,” Polis said.
RFK JR. ASKS AMERICANS TO SUGGEST POLICIES FOR NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: ‘TRANSITION TEAM BELONGS TO YOU’
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Trump announced his nomination of RFK Jr. for HHS secretary Thursday afternoon, igniting a firestorm of praise and critique.
In his announcement, Trump promised that, with Kennedy leading the HHS, the agency would be restored as the “Gold Standard Scientific Research.”
“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump wrote. “Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Kennedy launched his presidential campaign as a Democrat and then eventually endorsed Trump.
Kennedy also spoke during Trump’s historic Madison Square Garden rally last month, where he unleashed on the current state of the Democratic Party.
“The Democratic Party is the party of war. It’s the party of the CIA. You had Kamala Harris giving a speech at the Democratic convention that was written by neocons. It was belligerent, pugnacious. It talked about domination of the world by the United States through our weapons of war. It’s the party today that wants to divide Americans. It’s a party that is dismantling women’s sports by letting men play women’s sports,” he said.
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“It’s the party of Wall Street. It’s the party of Bill Gates, who just gave $50 million to Harris. It’s the party, and the Harris campaign is very proud that it received the endorsement of 50 former CIA agents and officers and of John Bolton and of Dick Cheney.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced ‘No Spoiler’ pledge for the upcoming elections at a campaign stop. RFK Jr. announced that only he could defeat Donald Trump in the general election in November and demanded that President Joe Biden step aside. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
This isn’t the first time Kennedy was considered for a Cabinet position for a presidential administration. Back in 2008, then President-elect Obama reportedly strongly considered naming Kennedy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Politico reported at the time.
Polis has been critical of a Trump presidency. He recently joined forces with Illinois Gov. J.B Pritzker to co-chair a new coalition called Governors Safeguarding Democracy.
The website names “fast-moving disinformation campaigns” and “cyberthreats” as examples of “threats to our democracy.”
“Donald Trump is going to bring people into his administration who are absolute loyalists to his cult of personality and not necessarily to the law,” Pritzker said, according to the New York Times. “Last time, he didn’t really know where the levers of government were. I think he probably does now. And so I think that the threat remains great.”
Left: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks to members of the media in the spin room following the first vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024; Right: Ill. Gov. J. B. Pritzker attends the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 Annual Meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on Sept. 24, 2024 in New York City. (Left: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Right: John Nacion/Getty Images;)
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Polis said of Trump, “we’re gonna work with him and his administration however we can for our state.”
Polis echoed his sentiments, writing on X that he looks forward to “partnering with him to truly make America healthy again.”
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“He will face strong special interest opposition on these, but I look forward to partnering with him to truly make America healthy again,” Polis added.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Colorado
WATCH LIVE: Memorial service to honor firefighters killed on Colorado-Utah border – East Idaho News
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — Three firefighters who were killed battling flames on the Colorado-Utah border are being remembered as brave heroes who were trailblazers in their industries.
Wildfires have spread across the West fueled by months of dry weather and a record lack of snow, forcing residents from their homes as crews work to tamp down the flames.
Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson were killed Saturday, June 27, and two others sustained burn injuries when they were overcome by flames from fast-moving fires in Mesa County. They deployed emergency protective shelters, which are considered a “last resort” for firefighters when there is no other way out.
RELATED | 3 firefighters killed in blazes along Colorado-Utah border are identified
They were assigned to a Helitack crew that can be dropped into remote areas by helicopters and whose mission is to prevent new fires from growing into out-of-control blazes.
Their deaths came almost 13 years to the day since an elite crew of 19 wildland firefighters died when they were trapped in a steep canyon in Yarnell, Arizona.
A memorial service will be held for the three firefighters at 11 a.m. Sunday at Las Colonias Park Amphitheater in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Emily Barker
Barker, 38, had so much spirit, and the people around her always strived to be a better person by her presence, said Sarah Brubeck Schnurbusch, a friend and former roommate.
Barker was from Clinton, Michigan, and liked hiking, skiing, dirt biking and playing hockey. She loved firefighting.
“I’ve never seen someone so excited to go to work,” Brubeck Schnurbusch said. She added that her friend was an expert who helped pave the way for many women in the industry.
She said she is hopeful that Barker’s death opens people’s eyes to the hard work firefighters are putting in day in and day out.
“I just hope that Emily knows the impact that she left on everybody else, and how many people really truly love her,” she said.
RELATED | Firefighter killed battling wildfire previously worked in eastern Idaho and was featured in EastIdahoNews.com story
Nick Hutcherson
Hutcherson, 27, served in the U.S. Navy and had plans to become a physical therapy doctor, according to the Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona where he was assigned. He was also an active member of the Northern Arizona Deaf and American Sign Language community and was a dedicated Muay Thai practitioner who trained at Southside Combat Academy in Flagstaff.
Hutcherson was from Glendale, Arizona.
The Kaibab National Forest said it is heartbroken over his death. Hutcherson exemplified the agency’s commitment to serving the public and the courage wildland firefighters bring to the job, it said.
The combat academy described Hutcherson as a warrior and said it is forever grateful to have known him and to have fought alongside him.
“We lost a good one,” read a social media post. “If you met Nick, you loved Nick. He was such a gentle and genuine soul. We are still in disbelief.”
Sydney Watson
Watson, 27, was from Warrior, Alabama, and graduated from the University of Tennessee Southern, according to the university.
A former pitcher on the softball team and “a quiet, composed leader,” Watson was assigned to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Rifle Helitack crew, the university said in a statement.
In 2023, Watson participated in a program in North Carolina organized by the Women-in-Fire Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges, the collaborative group wrote in a statement.
In her application for the program, she said she wanted to see more women on the fire line and to work with and learn from other women in the fire industry, the statement said.
“It’s hard for people outside of the firefighting world to understand why we do what we do. We do it because we love it. Sydney loved it,” the group wrote.
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RYE, Colo. (KOAA) — Bishop Castle faces an uncertain, but hopeful, future as the Aspen Acres wildfire burns nearby and its caretaker recovers in the hospital following a fall.
Daniel Bishop, who cares for Bishop Castle — the landmark his father built brick by brick — was admitted to the hospital more than a week ago after a fall. Soon after, evacuation orders came, putting the beloved structure in the Aspen Acres wildfire red zone.
“The whole backdrop of my life just changing from one drastic nightmare to the next,” Daniel said.
His wife, Sage Bishop, described the toll the back-to-back crises have taken on the family.
“We’re used to being in the mountains and working with our hands and doing things and our lives have been turned upside down,” Sage said.
And while recovering, Bishop says he didn’t know what would come of the iconic Colorado landmark.
“By the time the whole scene was printed, it was a nightmare,” Daniel said.
Many people online have been asking whether Bishop Castle survived the fire. The Bishop Castle Facebook page posted that, according to the incident management team, Bishop Castle is still standing.
For Daniel, that news brings only partial relief.
“I generally don’t celebrate until I really know it’s time to celebrate. Until I lay my eyes on the property and know exactly what’s happened,” Daniel said.
He also said fires can be unpredictable, so getting excited about the condition of the castle feels too soon.
“The truth is the fire is still burning, and fires are very predictable, and it could turn around and come back from the other direction,” said Daniel.
But he did say there is some reassuring news on the ground.
“There are actual fire crews there doing their job to protect the castle, there are actually people in there. Boots on the ground and helping out,” Daniel said.
He said he still worries for the many people whose homes are nearby. People who continue to support the family.
“God bless the first responders for every piece of structure, everybody’s property that they managed to save, because we are the fortunate ones in all of this right now. There are so many that have lost everything they had,” Daniel said.
Even with the uncertainty, the family is definitely certain about one thing… Sage said the outpouring of concern from the public has meant a great deal to the family.
“The support from people that care about us is amazing,” Sage said.
The family says Daniel is progressing very well and appreciates the support and kind words from the community. He said he couldn’t get through this without those at Encompass Health Rehabilitation.
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47,000 Acres, 0% Containment, and New Evacuations
The Aspen Acres Fire continues to rage out of control, growing to over 47,000 acres with zero containment. New mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Red Creek area as the fire threatens thousands of structures across multiple counties.
47,000 Acres, 0% Containment, and New Evacuations
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The Colorado Buffaloes are on the road for four of their first seven games in 2026, including two of their three non-conference games.
With so much time on the road, especially early in the season, it is important for fans to know which games are worth traveling to. Here’s a look at Colorado’s most to least expensive road games to attend for the 2026 season and the reasoning behind the prices (all prices according to VividSeats).
1. Week 3 at Northwestern Wildcats
- Lowest ticket price: $562
Colorado’s matchup against the Northwestern Wildcats is far and away the most expensive game to attend. The price may appear confusing given the relatively low expectations both teams have coming into the 2026 season, but it is simply a matter of the venue the game will take place in.
Northwestern’s matchup against Colorado will be the final game it hosts in Martin Stadium, its soccer arena, before the construction of New Ryan Field is complete. The stadium has a capacity of just 12,023, which has inflated the price of admission as a result.
2. Week 8 at Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Lowest ticket price: $129
As for Colorado’s most expensive Big 12 road contest, it has nothing to do with the stadium and everything to do with excitement. After a combined 4-20 record over the last two seasons, Oklahoma State Cowboy fans are finally seeing a glimmer of hope.
Former North Texas coach Eric Morris took over the role at OSU during the offseason and brought his best players with him. The hype surrounding the team has created a marquee matchup and driven prices as a result.
3. Week 1 at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Lowest ticket price: $106
Speaking of marquee matchups, there are potentially none more qualified to be such than the Buffs’ season opener. It is an opportunity for revenge against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets following the Buffs’ loss to them at home to start the 2025 season. That game was down to the wire, and with this matchup appearing to be similar on paper, tickets are in very high demand.
4. Week 4 at Baylor Bears
However, prices take a dip with the Buffs’ Big 12 opener. Their matchup against the Baylor Bears may be the best deal of the season, as it will feature two explosive offenses in what is sure to be a Texas shootout. If it resembles Colorado’s most recent matchup against the Bears at all, that entertainment will be worth the price of admission and then some.
5. Week 10 at Arizona State Sun Devils
Another significant drop-off occurs in the Buffs’ matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils. This game is missing the glaring storylines that Colorado’s other matchups have, as both teams have much to prove. However, it will be Colorado’s opportunity for revenge against former star receiver Omarion Miller, who left the Buffs for the Sun Devils during the offseason.
6. Week 12 at Cincinnati Bearcats
But the cheapest game to travel to for Buffs fans contains even fewer storylines than the previous spot on this list. Cincinnati was eaten alive by the transfer portal during the offseason, as it has a roster of youth looking to prove itself. If either team’s season is going better than expected by that point, the game’s affordability may not remain for long.
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