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05_28_25_Headlines Jackie Sedley
CU Student Death Ruled Suicide
The mother of a CU Boulder student who went missing, and whose body was later discovered along Boulder Canyon Road, is disputing the conclusion that her daughter’s death was a suicide.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office announced yesterday that eighteen-year-old Megan Trussell died as a result of the toxic effects of amphetamine, along with hypothermia. Officials added in a press release that they found no evidence of foul play, and that the county coroner has concluded Trussell committed suicide.
But Trussell’s mother, Vanessa Diaz, doesn’t believe it was a suicide, according to the Daily Camera, and wants a private autopsy performed. Diaz says the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has been dismissive and disrespectful in its handling of the case, and that her daughter was a happy child who was not suicidal. And in terms of the amphetamine, Diaz told the Camera that her daughter was prescribed those drugs to treat her ADHD.
Megan Trussell was last seen leaving her dorm on the CU campus the evening of February 9th. Her body was found on February 15th, in what was described as “hard-to-reach” terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive.
Investigators later tracked her phone to a resale kiosk, on March 2nd, after it was allegedly sold by an unhoused man, who said he got it from another unhoused man.
Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson acknowledged that the investigation took longer than many had hoped.
Polis Signs Three Bills, Vetoes One
Governor Jared Polis has signed three more bills into law, and vetoed a fourth.
On Friday, the governor signed House Bill 1320, which establishes a new education funding formula that goes into effect with the upcoming school year. The Colorado Sun says the new formula includes increased spending on schools serving kids from low-income families, and those learning English. Under the new measure, the state will spend more than $10 billion on K-12 public schools. Districts will receive the same or more money from the state than they got last year.
The governor also signed a bill that will require universal dyslexia screenings in Colorado schools, starting in the 2027-28 school year. Dyslexia is defined as a neuro-biological condition characterized by difficulties with word recognition. The bill’s supporters, according to Chalkbeat, say it will help identify dyslexic kids early, so they can get the help they need.
Also Friday, the governor okayed a recently-passed measure that ensures health insurance coverage for gender-affirming care. The new law prohibits insurance plans from limiting or denying gender-affirming care when doctors say it’s medically necessary, according to Colorado Newsline.
The governor says the new protections come, in his words, “as we face national efforts to erase access to gender-affirming care.”
At the same time Friday, the governor vetoed House Bill 1291, which sought to improve the regulation of ride sharing companies. Colorado Politics says it would have required companies like Uber and Lyft to increase criminal background checks on their drivers, and review drivers who have had complaints filed against them by riders.
EPA Waiver Overturned
Environmental advocates say Congress has killed Colorado’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate, and threatened billions meant to fund clean energy programs.
The claims come after congress members overturned an Environmental Protection Act, or EPA, waiver granted to California. That waiver allowed the state to ban fossil fuel vehicle sales by 2035. Colorado officials have joined advocates in saying this decision negates similar EV mandates passed locally, according to The Colorado Sun.
In Colorado a couple of years ago, air regulators voted to require that over three-fourths of new vehicles be EVs by 2032. They also approved a required study of how Colorado could match California’s fossil fuel car ban.
President of the CalStart clean transportation trade group John Boesel told The Colorado Sun that by overturning the EPA waiver, Congress has taken away states’ authority to establish standards for stricter-than-federal rules around clean air.
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project analyst Travis Madsen added that if the decision holds up in court, the EPA may not be able to issue a similar waiver again in the future. He called Congress’ overturning of the waiver, rather than leaving it up to an EPA administrator, is “unprecedented.”
Annual report finds 33 extremist groups in Colorado
The Southern Poverty Law Center has found thirty-three extremist and hate groups active in Colorado.
The human rights organization’s annual report says the far-right groups include anti-government organizations, anti-LGBTQ+ groups, and anti-immigrant groups.
The report, cited in The Denver Post, says extremist groups in Colorado include the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform in Longmont, the Family Policy Alliance in Colorado Springs, and Moms for Liberty, which has a chapter in Boulder.
The thirty-three groups named in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s new report is an increase from thirty groups identified last year.
Nationally, the SPLC found 1,371 extremist and hate groups active in 2024. They said that far-right groups are fully infiltrating American politics.
