Author Archive
Sophie Quinton
Management
To Control Forest Fires, Western States Light More of Their Own
Prescribed fires were burned on over 3 million acres in Western states in 2017.
Management
Denver Homeless Camping Ballot Initiative Fails
Voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot initiative that sought to give homeless people the right to camp in public places.
Management
This City Might Give Homeless People the Right to Camp Anywhere
The Denver initiative is the latest front in a campaign advocates for homeless people have been waging at the state level for years.
Health & Human Services
This ‘Innovative’ Housing Program Serves Just 3 Households
Denver has struggled to get a housing voucher program off the ground, so far enticing only one local employer to join the program to help subsidize rent for workers.
Management
As Farmers Retire, Their Families Face Difficult Choices
Colorado over seven years lost nearly 7 percent of its farms and ranches and about 187,000 agricultural acres to other uses, according to federal estimates.
Health & Human Services
No One’s Really Sure How to Regulate This Hemp Food Craze
CBD food and drink is big business. But is it legal?
Management
'Free College' Is Increasingly Popular—and Complicated for States
At least 15 states now cover two-year or four-year college tuition for some students.
Health & Human Services
Fed Up With High Health Care Costs, A Community Asks for A Better Deal
A Colorado county where residents are dealing with hospital and medical costs much higher than in other parts of the state is now turning to a new model to negotiate on behalf of some of the largest employers in the region.
Management
Logging, Money Battles Delay Wildfire Prevention Work
While the U.S. Forest Service is trying to work with states on projects to lower fire damage, more money is needed to comply with President Trump's "active management" mandate for public lands.
Management
Wary of Teacher Walkouts, States Aim to Boost School Spending
Lots of new governors campaigned on raising teacher pay and boost education spending. Will state legislatures act on these pledges to come up with more school funding?
Management
As Wildfire Risk Increases, Home Insurance Is Harder to Find
This is particularly a problem in California, where catastrophic wildfires in 2018 caused more than $9 billion in losses to insured property.
Finance
The Little Town That Pot Built
Garden City, Colorado, has fewer than 300 residents, but has spent $3 million on downtown infrastructure upgrades since retail marijuana was legalized.
Public Safety
‘Marsy’s Law’ Protections for Crime Victims OK’d in 6 States
The ballot measures give crime victims new rights during legal proceedings.
Management
Thinning Forests Helps Reduce Wildfires, But There Isn't Always a Market
The Trump administration, states and local leaders—including many environmentalists—agree that more must be done to avert catastrophic wildfire, including thinning trees.
Public Safety
‘Marsy’s Law’ Protections for Crime Victims Sound Great, but Could Cause Problems
Six states have approved the victims' rights constitutional amendments, with voters in six more soon expected to consider similar measures.
Public Safety
Hemp, on the Brink of Being Legal, Still Faces Challenges
Nineteen of the states that allow hemp cultivation reported a crop last year.
Management
Towns Pick Up the Tab for U.S. Forest Service Staff
Some town governments in Colorado's mountains are setting aside money to pay for U.S. Forest Service employees, hoping the extra staff can better maintain national forests that are crowded with tourists each summer.
Finance
As Students Head to Campus, Colleges Fear International Student Decline
Regional colleges and universities may be harder hit financially by an enrollment decline, because they don’t have other sources of revenue—such as multibillion-dollar endowments—to cushion the blow.
Management
Feds Say Marketplace Will Expose Bad Colleges, But States Find It’s Not So Easy
Many states have come up with tools to help college students find out information about future earnings and debt, but they often rely on partial data that can limit their usefulness.
Management