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Untitled Alexis Kenyon
Trump and Boebert call out Aurora’s Venezuelan gang presence, but local officials push back
During last night’s presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump highlighted Aurora, Colorado’s alleged gang problem, a claim echoed by Republicans, including Representative Lauren Boebert. They assert that Venezuelan gangs are taking over American cities.
However, according to The Denver Post, Aurora residents living at the apartment complex where the rumors originated say the stories about Venezuelan gangs controlling the area are false. Residents explain that the real issue is criminally negligent property management, not gang activity. Their primary concern is a two-story pile of trash accumulating against the building, which has led to infestations of bed bugs and rats.
Research shows no clear link between immigration and rising crime. According to studies cited by The Colorado Sun, Trump’s statements about immigration and crime have been widely debunked, including a false claim that immigrants were eating pets. Kamala Harris defended her record on immigration during the debate and criticized Trump for blocking bipartisan solutions.
BLM prepares for fifth wild horse roundup despite governor’s objections
According to The Denver Gazette, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin its fifth helicopter roundup of wild horses in Colorado on Wednesday, removing about 100 horses from Little Book Cliffs near Palisade. This adds to over 2,100 horses captured since 2021. Governor Jared Polis had called for a delay, suggesting a slower method and fertility control, but the BLM refused.
Nationwide, over 17,000 horses are being removed this year. Advocates, as reported by The Colorado Sun, argue that wild horses play a crucial role in managing ecosystems by grazing on dry grasses that can fuel wildfires. Critics also note the risks of roundups, with about 70 horses estimated to have died this year alone.
EPA eases transparency rules on Colorado’s air pollution data, drawing criticism from environmentalists
As reported by The Colorado Sun, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scaled back its efforts to increase public access to Colorado’s air pollution records after facing resistance from state officials. Initially, the EPA proposed stricter rules to make corporate pollution data more accessible to the public. While environmental groups supported the initial push, they are now frustrated by the rollback.
Critics argue that without improved access, it will be difficult for the public to monitor pollution and hold companies accountable. Colorado officials defended their system, claiming it meets federal standards, according to The Denver Gazette, which led to the EPA’s concession.
Environmental advocates, according to The Colorado Sun, are now considering legal action to reinstate tougher transparency rules.
Colorado ranchers urge federal oversight of state wolf reintroduction program amid livestock attacks
According to The Colorado Sun, ranchers in Colorado are calling on the federal government to take control of the state’s wolf reintroduction program, citing numerous livestock losses due to wolf attacks. Ranchers Don Gittleson and Conway Farrell wrote to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, accusing Governor Jared Polis and First Gentleman Marlon Reis of making key decisions instead of wildlife officials.
The ranchers argue that wolves brought from Oregon have histories of attacking livestock, and many incidents go unverified because wildlife staff are unable to reach the site in time, The Denver Gazette reports. Although the federal government oversees the program, Colorado is managing it under an agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
