The Pueblo Chieftain
The Slab basketball courts recognized for creativity
The Colorado Lottery recognizes lottery-funded projects from across the state each year for their creativity, economic and social impact on the community, and broader impact on the Centennial State. Out of hundreds of projects statewide, 18 were...
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6,400 Aspen Acres Fire evacuees return home
More than 6,400 people have been able to return home after being evacuated due to the Aspen Acres Fire, but about 3,000 others continued to wait as of Wednesday. At a July 14 community meeting, Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero spoke about the...
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Aspen Acres Fire tops 99,000 acres
The Aspen Acres Fire topped 99,000 acres and remained 36% contained as of July 14. Oversight of firefighting operations is set to change hands on July 15, as Alaska Critical Incident Management Team 1, which has overseen the fight against Colorado’s...
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‘A new chapter for public safety’
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office completed the transfer of 393 inmates into the new Pueblo County Jail at 3830 Medal of Honor Blvd. in a “carefully orchestrated” five-hour operation Saturday, two months after the official ribbon-cutting. The...
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Fire crews talk about devastation in Beulah
In portions of Beulah, some houses have been reduced to piles of ash and rubble. Others stand perfectly intact, seemingly untouched by the Aspen Acres Fire. “Why a home lasted, why a home didn’t, a lot of it is pure luck,” said Capt. Tom Laca of the...
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Fire among the most damaging
The Aspen Acres Fire had scorched more than 97,000 acres and 276 homes in Pueblo and Custer counties as of July 10, making it one of the largest and most destructive wildfires in Colorado history. The fire that began June 29 near the Aspen Acres...
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Trump fires members of key election commission
President Donald Trump has terminated two of the federal Election Assistance Commission’s three members, eliminating the panel’s ability to help local election officials prepare for the 2026 midterms. The two commissioners selected by congressional...
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Aspen Acres Fire containment drops
Firefighters lost some small containment on the Aspen Acres Fire overnight Thursday, seeing it drop from 15% to 14%, but kept the fire’s spread to the lowest acreage so far in the ongoing firefight. The fire grew by just 91 acres between the most...
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SPORTS, 1B
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2026 | CHIEFTAIN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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SPORTS, 1B
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2026 | CHIEFTAIN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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Area blaze seventh largest in CO history
The Aspen Acres Fire made a significant run to the northwest Sunday evening due to gusty winds from passing thunderstorms, forcing evacuations for several areas in Fremont County. As of the Chieftain’s press deadline on July 6, the ongoing wildfire...
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Aspen Acres Fire 13% contained
The Aspen Acres Fire was 13% contained on July 5, according to the incident management team overseeing firefighting operations. The fire had burned just under 87,000 acres and destroyed at least 212 structures as of the most recent updates from fire...
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Historic building ‘completely destroyed’
The Horseshoe Lodge — a site on the National Register of Historic Places built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration — and the Historic Fire Tower at the Pueblo Mountain Park in Beulah have been destroyed by the Aspen Acres Fire. In a...
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Territories have voice in DC but no vote
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, millions of Americans who live outside the 50 states are excluded from full participation in its democracy. Roughly 3.6 million residents of U.S. territories – including Puerto Rico, Guam,...
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SPORTS, 2B
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2026 | CHIEFTAIN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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Aspen Acres Fire continues to rage
The Aspen Acres Fire continued to rage in Pueblo and Custer counties on July 1 after scorching upward of 35,000 acres and destroying more than 155 structures, including an unknown number of homes. No civilian injuries or deaths have been reported,...
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Aspen Acres Fire over 28,000 acres
Beulah and Rye remained under mandatory evacuation on June 30 as firefighters continued to battle the massive Aspen Acres Fire. As of 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, the fire had burned 28,314 acres and was still 0% contained, according to the Pueblo County...
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Wildfire forces Beulah to evacuate
The entire town of Beulah in Pueblo County was evacuated on June 29 due to a large wildfire. The mandatory evacuation order was put in place due to the Aspen Acres Fire, which sparked in Custer County on Monday morning. The fire was estimated at...
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Your complete guide to America’s 250th birthday
Whether at intimate backyard barbecues with family and friends, community gatherings at local parks, or largescale fireworks shows packed with thousands of people, Pueblo is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Home...
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Davis Mortuary owners charged with 150 felonies
More than 10 months after 24 bodies in various stages of decomposition were found inside a concealed room in the private funeral home of former Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter, he and his co-owner of Davis Mortuary have been arrested. Brian and...
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Trump sees wins on immigration, guns
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump victories in two immigration cases June 25. In the divide between gun rights and gun violence, the justices struck down another state law, this one in Hawaii, aimed at curbing guns in public...
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Victims raise funds after 7 homes destroyed
Seven homes were destroyed and another four were damaged in the Applewood Fire in Colorado City on June 21, according to Rye Fire Protection District Chief Ross Gallegos. Rye Fire was originally dispatched just after 6:20 p.m. on Sunday on a report of...
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Cumberland Farms retiring the Loaf ‘N Jug name, logo
For more than 40 years, Loaf ‘N Jug convenience stores have been a southern Colorado staple, where generations of Puebloans have stopped to fill up their tanks, grab their morning coffee, snag a sweet treat or lottery ticket, and pick up a gallon of...
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REBUILDING LIVES
The Pueblo Shelter, formerly the Pueblo Rescue Mission, has recently seen tremendous success in securing housing placements for its residents under the leadership of SafeSide Recovery. During the May housing list application process, 11 of 12 shelter...
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Your guide to the Steel City Arkansas River Festival
Aunique festival celebrating Pueblo’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities in a day chock-full of family-friendly fun is set to return on Saturday, June 27. h The second annual Steel City Arkansas River Festival (SCARF) is taking place...
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Your guide to summer festivals in Pueblo
For Puebloans and tourists looking for live music, tasty food, and a festive atmosphere, Pueblo offers several can’tmiss opportunities to celebrate in the summer months. From a new taco festival launching this year and the NSRA Street Rod Nationals,...
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Art, pies, or potatoes, the Colorado State Fair wants to judge them all
Artists, artisans and crafters from across Colorado are invited to compete for “Best in Show” at the 2026 Colorado State Fair. The fair’s General Entry and Fine Arts competitions include a range of categories for both amateurs and professionals, fair...
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Next round of Iran peace talks on hold
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that was set to begin at 4 p.m. local time June 19 after escalating violence between Israel and Lebanon complicated President Donald Trump’s efforts to reach a final peace agreement with Iran. Still, the next...
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‘The difficult decision’
A Pueblo training center for aspiring U.S. Air Force pilots that was expected to partner with Pueblo Community College on a new degree program is set to permanently close in October. The closure of the CAE Pueblo Training Center will result in nearly...
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Affidavit: Fight over lost phone led to shooting
A confrontation between two men that escalated into a shotgun shooting and high-speed police chase began over a missing cellphone that the shooting suspect claimed was stolen from him by the victim, according to Pueblo police. Security footage,...
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SPORTS, 1B
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2026 | CHIEFTAIN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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Explore Colorado’s most treasured landscapes
From scenic trails to cultural preservation sites, the history behind these Colorado destinations can help you celebrate America’s 250th birthday. h A visit to these three spots will help you get a glimpse into the state’s past as you explore the...
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‘You’ll always see something different’
The Leonardo da Vinci Museum of North America & STEAM Center is officially open to the public after a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on June 12. The museum, dedicated to the life and works of Leonardo da Vinci, is located on the Pueblo Riverwalk at 310...
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SPORTS, 1B
SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026 | CHIEFTAIN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
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Views split on White House UFC event
It was 2001, and mixed martial arts fighting was on the ropes. Banned in 36 states, booted from cable operators, derided as “human cockfighting” – it was such an outcast sport that it traded hands for $2 million. A song. The new owners of Ultimate...
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Pueblo da Vinci Museum set for grand opening
The first and only Leonardo da Vinci Museum in all of North America is set to open its doors in Pueblo on June 12 in a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring a free outdoor festival. The Leonardo da Vinci Museum of North America & STEAM...
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Pueblo city councilors: Project Falcon ‘not dead’
A project seeking to bring a tissue manufacturing facility to Pueblo with the help of a $65 million incentive package was put on an indefinite hold last week, but some members of city council say the deal, in the words of City Council President Mark...
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Charting CSU Pueblo’s future
New Colorado State University Pueblo President Rhonda Epper seeks to strengthen the university’s economic partnerships, drive workforce and economic developments, and increase six-year graduation rates. h Epper has been president at CSU Pueblo for...
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‘The majority of Puebloans support the project’
A potential partnership between the Pueblo community and a confidential company seeking to open a new manufacturing plant in the St. Charles Industrial Park has been put on hold indefinitely due to “general divisiveness” surrounding the project. The...
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What we know of Project Falcon
Pueblo City Council and the Pueblo Mayor’s Office continue to clash over a confidential project that would bring an international tissue manufacturing company to Pueblo through a $65 million city investment that includes significant infrastructure...
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Setbacks keep piling up for Trump
WASHINGTON – The White House is all prepped for President Donald Trump’s big night, when 5,000 guests are set to attend a UFC cage fight in a makeshift arena that’s made the South Lawn to look like a theme park. But the president might have to ignore...
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Riverstone Academy closes permanently
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters A controversial “public Christian school” in southern Colorado has closed permanently after changes in Colorado law cut off state funding, its...
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Bryant is county’s first female undersheriff
While new Undersheriff Shelley Bryant is the first woman to serve as undersheriff for the Pueblo County Sheriff ’s Office, she told the Chieftain she does not want that achievement to overshadow the work she’s done climbing the PCSO ladder over the...
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17-year-old charged after 18-year-old killed
A 17-year-old has been arrested and charged by police with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in connection with a deadly shooting in east Pueblo on June 1. The suspect turned himself in to the Pueblo Police Department later that...
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Pueblo man gets 8 years
A Pueblo man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after he brandished a handgun during a confrontation with police and led officers on a freeway chase. Daniel Stouffer, 37, pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault...
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Nonprofits to restore City Park Bathhouse
Pueblo City Council passed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 26 between the city and the nonprofits Friends of City Park and Historic Pueblo Inc. to restore the City Park Bathhouse. Historic City Park Inc. is included in the project due to...
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Pueblo chef bringing soul food staples to new eatery
A new Pueblo restaurant will soon be serving up plates of fried chicken, cornbread, macaroni, and other delicious soul food on Union Avenue. “Soul food, its background came from families who could not afford very much,” said Anthony Palmer, the owner...
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Potential Iran deal puts Trump in a bind
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump finds himself in a bind as he seeks to end the war against Iran: He is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and get U.S. gasoline prices down but at the same time faces a potential backlash from Iran hawks...
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Pueblo commissioners signal support for new projects
The Pueblo Board of County Commissioners recently approved three letters of support for grants sought by PuebloPlex, the budding industrial and technology campus. Two of the letters were related to transportation infrastructure around the site 15...
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CO’s ‘first public Christian school’ drops its lawsuit
A southern Colorado elementary school that backers have called “Colorado’s first public Christian school” has dropped its religious discrimination lawsuit against the state less than four months after filing it. Riverstone Academy, along with its...
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Claim of unfair labor practice dismissed
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Division of Labor Standards and Statistics recently determined that Pueblo Sheriff David Lucero did not commit an unfair labor practice (ULP) in his office’s negotiations with the PCSO’s deputy...
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Attorney parts ways with school board
Just over two weeks after Pueblo County School District 70 parted ways with attorney Brad Miller’s law firm as its general legal counsel, the firm has cut ties with the district’s board of education. Pueblo D70 sent out a request for proposals for new...
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Woman sues over denied land purchase
Civil rights groups have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against a housing development, alleging the Arkansas-based organization denied a woman the chance to buy land because of her religion and her family’s racial background. The complaint,...
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Where to commemorate Memorial Day in Pueblo
For communities like Pueblo, where many people have a profound reverence for those who've served in the U.S. military, Memorial Day is much more than just a good excuse for a long weekend or an unofficial start to the summer. The southern Colorado...
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Universities still hold Native remains, artifacts
Many universities and museums in the United States have long held Native American burial artifacts, other sacred objects and even human remains. Most of these collections were acquired in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They came from grave...
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18 bodies ID’d in Davis Mortuary investigation
Eighteen of the 24 bodies found inside the private funeral home of former Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter in August 2025 have now been positively identified by the Fremont County Coroner’s Office in the ongoing Davis Mortuary investigation,...
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Pueblo man convicted of murder gets life in prison
A man convicted of first-degree murder by a Pueblo jury last week was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on May 19 in the 2025 killing of his roommate. Ryan Ramos, 43, was convicted May 14 of the April 15, 2025, killing of Rodney...
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Pueblo prioritizes smaller road projects
Several road projects are in various stages of planning and development in Pueblo, but with a smaller-than-usual 2026 budget for roadwork, the city is largely prioritizing smaller projects this summer. Pueblo has allocated about $2.5 million to road...
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Judge tosses evidence in Luigi Mangione case
A New York judge has partially granted a request to toss crucial evidence obtained after law enforcement located Luigi Mangione in the wake of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione, 28, was found at a McDonald’s in Altoona,...
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Pueblo coroner IDs 19-year-old suspect
A man who was shot and killed by a Pueblo police officer on May 14 after he allegedly brandished a handgun during a confrontation with police has been identified as a 19-year-old Pueblo man. Tayshawn Redford was killed in the shooting that occurred...
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Pueblo police shoot and kill suspect
A suspect who allegedly brandished a handgun during a confrontation with Pueblo police was shot and killed by a police officer in the early morning hours of May 14. Police were called to Drew Dix Park on Massari Road around 12:18 a.m. on a report of a...
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Trump leaves Beijing with few wins
BEIJING – President Donald Trump left China on May 15 with no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help from Beijing to end the Iran war, despite two days spent heaping praise on his host, Xi Jinping. Trump’s visit to America’s main strategic and...
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‘Our zoo, their future’
A boisterous baby bison and a plucky little penguin are among the new animal additions capturing Puebloans' hearts at the Pueblo Zoo. The female bison calf was born on May 1 and hit "all its important first-day milestones," according to zoo...
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‘Balanced but competitive’
Pueblo’s residential real estate market saw “strong activity” in April, with a notable increase in home sales compared to April 2025. David Ramirez, a local real estate agent and spokesperson for the Pueblo Association of Realtors, said the market saw...
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New Pueblo D60 middle school on track
A $7 million project to renovate a former school building on Pueblo’s west side is underway as Pueblo School District 60 prepares to welcome students to a new middle school this fall. The new Hyde Park Precollegiate Middle School is moving into the...
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Pueblo eyes growth
A new affordable housing complex is coming to Pueblo in 2027. Compass Pointe Apartments is coming to the Eastwood Heights neighborhood, commonly referred to by residents as Dog Patch, at the corner of Beaumont Street and Oakshire Lane. The project...
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‘Finally parked’
Mother Smothers, owned by Deena and Juan Montoya, has “finally found its place to park” at its new brick-andmortar at 332 S. McCollough Boulevard in Pueblo West. Mother Smothers was a food truck for four seasons, serving up sloppers, tacos, hot dogs,...
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County cuts the ribbon on new detention center
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office cut the ribbon at its new detention center on May 7, marking a major milestone for the PCSO and the Pueblo community’s public safety. The new $150 million facility, located at 3830 Medal of Honor Blvd., has 672 beds,...
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Why many feel bad about the economy
As the impacts from the Iran war spilled over into everyday life, more Americans have said they are worse off today than at most any point in the last 25 years. h More than half – 55% – say their financial situation is deteriorating, according to a new...
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‘There’s still some loose ends’
Pueblo County School District 70’s administration has agreed to part ways with attorney Brad Miller’s firm in favor of the Boulder-based firm Caplan and Earnest. The decision comes less than two months after the district sent out a request for...
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County executive resigns 3 months after appointment
Pueblo County Interim Chief Administrative Officer Brandon Mathews has resigned roughly three months after his appointment. Commissioner Miles Lucero mentioned Mathews’ departure during a May 5 Pueblo Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) work session,...
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Wintry mix, possible snow in local forecast
Pueblo County has a 100% chance of getting some much-needed precipitation on May 6, and may even see some rare early-May snow. The National Weather Service’s Pueblo office is currently forecasting wintry conditions, with a high temperature of 41...
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Zoo pushes tax measure
The Pueblo Zoo is launching a campaign to put a 0.167% retail sales tax question on the fall ballot to support zoo operations. If the effort is unsuccessful and other funding isn’t secured, the zoo could be forced to close in the next two to three...
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‘We must also stand on principle’
Colorado State Rep. Matthew Martinez is working with Pueblo group El Movimiento Sigue to find a new name for Cesar Chávez Boulevard. The stretch of Colorado State Highway 47 was named to honor once-revered labor and civil rights activist Cesar Chávez...
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States fighting DOJ over voter data access
Anthony Nel was surprised when his voter registration was revoked in Texas after he cast an early ballot for the November 2025 election. The Denton County resident was born in South Africa in 1996 and became a U.S. citizen in 2013 when his parents...
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