Columnists - The Journal

Healthcare costs are rising: Where Coloradans can find affordable care

Since Congress let ACA premium subsidies lapse and the One Big Beautiful Bill took effect in July 2025, nearly 5 million people lost private coverage in 2026 alone – the steepest single-year...

DATE: Aug 16, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

When the smoke clears, Southwest Colorado’s wildfire work is just beginning

When a wildfire is finally declared contained, most people breathe a sigh of relief. Families return home. Businesses reopen. The smoke begins to lift from our mountains. But in Southwest Co...

DATE: Aug 14, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Southwest Colorado needs affordability, accountability and balance

For more than three decades, I have worked with families, farmers, ranchers, property owners, small businesses and local governments across Southwest Colorado. I have helped people navigate ...

DATE: Aug 2, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Big Ag wants to overrule your vote on animal welfare

At Podunk’s Ranch, in Southwest Colorado, family tradition and a sincere commitment to sustainability stand at the heart of everything we do. A woman-owned farm, we are dedicated and respons...

DATE: Jul 26, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Speed, bias and human judgment: Inside the League’s AI presentation

Recently the Montezuma County League of Women Voters hosted a presentation on Artificial Intelligence by Ben Burkett. Ben audits large corporate accounts and uses AI daily, both at work and ...

DATE: Jul 24, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Protecting Southwest Colorado: Wildfires, water and our way of life

After a record-breaking March that left much of our mountain snowpack depleted, forecasters predict June and July will be our hottest months of the year. With less snowpack comes less water ...

DATE: Jul 17, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

After fur debate, gratitude for Colorado wildlife professionals remains strong

The March meeting of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission centered on proposed changes involving the sale of furs from legally harvested wildlife. In the end, the commission voted 6-4 ...

DATE: Jul 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

After decades of permitting gridlock, Congress has a rare chance to act

America's energy permitting crisis has a number: 29 years. That's how long it takes, on average, to bring a mine online in the United States, longer than any country except Zambia, according...

DATE: Jul 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Honoring the fallen while preparing for the fire season still ahead

In Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, wildfire is a fact of life. Every summer, communities across Western and Southern Colorado prepare for the possibility that a single spark can threa...

DATE: Jul 10, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Don’t override voters’ will on funding Colorado’s roads and bridges

Drive almost any highway in Colorado, and you can feel the problem in your hands. The wheel chatters over ruts, you swerve to miss potholes and you grip a little tighter on narrow, crumbling...

DATE: Jul 5, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Understanding Initiative No. 195 and Colorado’s proposed graduated income tax

This November, Colorado voters will decide candidates and several statewide ballot measures. Colorado is one of 26 states with a referendum and initiative process. A referendum is a proposal...

DATE: Jul 3, 2026 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Colorado’s most important election may be the one you’re skipping

Every November, Colorado voters turn out in impressive numbers. Every June, a different story unfolds. Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who faithfully vote in general elections never cast...

DATE: Jun 26, 2026 | CATEGORY: Opinion