The Mountain Minute: 8/13/2025

🎧 Mountain Minute – August 13
From oil fields to city halls, the fights underway in Colorado are redefining the balance between property rights, local control, and state power. Here’s your unfiltered update from Rocky Mountain Voice.

Colorado News:
🔹 Bled Dry by the State – Part two of RMV’s exclusive Rule 211 investigation reveals how the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission’s relentless inspections, violation notices, and a $133 million financial assurance order pushed K.P. Kauffman toward collapse—despite millions invested in compliance. Critics warn this climate-driven precedent could shutter small energy producers statewide.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/08/bled-dry-by-the-state-one-oil-companys-fight-to-survive-ecmcs-war-of-attrition/

🔹 Six Cities Sue Over Zoning Mandates – Arvada, Aurora, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Lafayette, and Westminster are challenging new density and parking laws they say strip local control. So far, the state has stayed silent.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/six-cities-sue-colorado-over-zoning-and-parking-laws-as-state-stays-silent/

🔹 Ranked-Choice Voting Rejected – Denver’s push for ranked-choice municipal elections failed by one City Council vote.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/denver-city-council-rejects-ranked-choice-voting-in-narrow-vote/

🔹 Nuclear Study at DIA Paused – Plans for a small modular reactor at Denver International Airport are on hold pending community input.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/denver-airport-nuclear-plans-hit-pause-amid-local-concerns/

🔹 Medicaid Payment Protection – Colorado quietly filed a pre-Big Bill application to shield provider payments from federal cuts.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/colorado-filed-a-pre-big-bill-application-that-could-save-provider-payments/

🔹 Housing Market Shift – Denver sales slow as inventory hits its highest point since 2011.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/denver-housing-sales-tracking-at-slower-pace-as-inventory-hits-highest-since-2011/

🔹 Ranch Resilience – VanWinkle Ranch vows to rebuild after wildfire devastation.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/vanwinkle-ranch-vows-to-rebuild-and-stay-put-after-wildfire/

National News:
🔹 Teamsters Split Donations – For the first time in decades, the union is funding both Democrats and Republicans.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/labor-shift-teamsters-start-funding-republicans-alongside-democrats/

🔹 Schiff Leak Allegations – A whistle-blower claims Rep. Adam Schiff sanctioned classified leaks targeting Donald Trump.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/whistle-blower-claims-schiff-sanctioned-classified-leaks-against-trump/

🔹 Texas House Stalemate – Legislative business remains frozen for a second week over GOP redistricting push.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/12/texas-house-frozen-for-a-second-week-over-gop-map-push/

📲 Read the full stories at rockymountainvoice.com
📰 Subscribe to the Mountain Minute for news that’s unfiltered, uncensored, and unapologetically pro-Colorado.
Stay sharp, stay bold, and stay in the fight.