The Mountain Minute: 8/14/2025

🎧 Mountain Minute – August 14
From the Governor’s office to the smallest towns, the choices made now could reshape Colorado’s future for decades. Here’s your sharp, unfiltered roundup from Team RMV.

Colorado News:
🔹 Polis vs. Kauffman – Part three of our RMV investigation dives into the personal war between Gov. Jared Polis and K.P. Kauffman owner Kevin Kauffman. In 2015, Polis told Kauffman he wanted his industry “out of business”—“starting with you.” After years of inspections, fines, and legal battles, the state is moving to shut KPK down. Read the full three-part series at rockymountainvoice.com.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/08/the-man-polis-vowed-to-destroy-kevin-kauffmans-final-fight-for-truth-and-legacy/

🔹 Add-back tax under fire – Cory Gaines warns Colorado’s “add-back” tax acts as a backdoor hit on overtime pay and deductions, burdening workers and small businesses.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/gaines-colorados-add-back-taxes-are-a-backdoor-tax-on-overtime/

🔹 “Legal tyranny” call-out – Commissioner Sean Pond says the state’s expanding regulatory reach on land use, energy, and speech tramples constitutional limits — and outlines how to reclaim that power.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/pond-colorados-legal-tyranny-how-it-happened-and-how-we-take-it-back/

🔹 Broken competency laws – Families say Colorado’s mental health competency system fails to restore dangerous offenders to trial, leaving them free in communities.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/families-declare-colorado-court-competency-laws-broken/

🔹 Shoshone water rights backed – Voters overwhelmingly support the state’s purchase to safeguard Colorado River flows from overuse and out-of-state grabs.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/coloradans-overwhelmingly-support-shoshone-water-rights-purchase/

🔹 “Big Beautiful Bill” backlash – Sweeping growth and infrastructure plan sparks heated debate over vision vs. top-down overreach.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/big-beautiful-bill-sparks-heated-debate-among-colorado-lawmakers/

🔹 ICE facility proposal – A 1,250-bed detention center in rural Colorado could bring jobs — and controversy.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/ice-could-open-1250-bed-detention-center-in-rural-colorado-in-2025/

🔹 Denver’s changing face – Critics warn historic character is disappearing as chain stores and high-rises replace local landmarks.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/denver-is-losing-everything-that-gave-it-character/

🔹 Race-based admissions end at AFA – Settlement halts racial preferences at the Air Force Academy, igniting debate over fairness and diversity.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/air-force-academy-ends-race-based-admissions-after-legal-settlement/

National News:
🔹 Visa bond reform – Dr. Brian Joondeph proposes “refundable visa bonds” to reward lawful immigration compliance and deter overstays.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/13/joondeph-america-first-immigration-reform-via-refundable-visa-bonds-that-reward-compliance/

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