Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Rick Perry defends Colorado’s ‘right to be wrong’ on marijuana
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry may not agree with Colorado's decision to legalize recreational marijuana, but he said Saturday he will defend the state's right to make a hash of things. Published June 27, 2015
Carly Fiorina on Obamacare: Rich getting richer, while middle-class getting squeezed
Obamacare is fueling "crony capitalism" by driving out small providers and ensuring that only the largest insurance companies and hospitals can survive, says Republican presidential contender Carly Fiorina. Published June 27, 2015
Mike Huckabee: Conservatives can ignore gay marriage ruling like Lincoln ignored Dred Scott
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee suggested Saturday that conservatives treat the Supreme Court's gay marriage decision like Abraham Lincoln treated the high court's pro-slavery ruling in Dred Scott: Ignore it. Published June 27, 2015
Rick Santorum blasts Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling as ‘based on a lie’
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Friday that the Supreme Court's decision in favor of same-sex marriage is "based on a lie," namely that the only argument against such unions is a hatred of gays. Published June 27, 2015
Western Conservative Summit: ‘Not the Supreme Court appreciation party’
The Western Conservative Summit's kick-off Friday gave attendees a golden opportunity to vent their frustrations over this week's Supreme Court decisions in favor of Obamacare and gay marriage. Published June 26, 2015
Multibillionaire Bill Gates rejects calls to divest from fossil fuels
World's richest man Bill Gates may be a climate-change guy, but it turns out he's not a divestment guy. Published June 25, 2015
In a shift, fracking’s foes face a losing streak
After scoring a statewide ban last year on hydraulic fracturing in New York, anti-fracking activists talked excitedly about following up in a major fossil fuel-producing state — Colorado, maybe, or California. Published June 24, 2015
Judge postpones Obama administration’s fracking rule from taking effect
A federal judge agreed Tuesday to postpone the Obama administration's tough new hydraulic fracturing restrictions just hours before they were scheduled to take effect. Published June 23, 2015
Cal State Christian groups to allow non-believers to hold leadership posts
Two Christian groups booted last year from California State University for insisting that their student leaders must be Christian are scheduled to return in the fall after making what could be described as a leap of faith. Published June 23, 2015
Black gun rights advocate challenges Obama’s call after church shooting for fewer firearms
President Obama and other black leaders called for tighter access to firearms last week in reaction to the mass shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, but not Kenn Blanchard. Published June 21, 2015
Mike Huckabee defends South Carolina against racism charges over Confederate flag
The Charleston church massacre threw South Carolina's use of the Confederate flag back into play as a 2016 election issue, but Republicans presidential candidates insist the issue belongs to the state, not candidates for federal office. Published June 21, 2015
Rick Santorum say Charleston massacre shows ‘worst of America and best of America’
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Sunday that the massacre at a South Carolina church showed "the worst of America and the best of America." Published June 21, 2015
WildEarth Guardians loses support from breweries amid coal-town beer boycott
A slew of Colorado breweries has quit backing the WildEarth Guardians since liquor stores and bars in Colorado coal towns began boycotting labels that support the anti-coal environmental group. Published June 21, 2015
Emanuel AME Church horror would have been worse if victims were armed, Bob Shrum says
It's hard to imagine how the massacre at the Emanuel AME Church that left nine dead could have been worse, but a top Democratic strategist says the shooting would have been a "horror" if the black parishioners were armed. Published June 20, 2015
Charleston shooting prompts gun-rights supporters to call for more concealed-carry at churches
He was a young gunman bent on shooting as many worshippers as possible, but Matthew J. Murray never got as far as Dylann Roof, the suspect in Wednesday's South Carolina church massacre. Published June 18, 2015
South Carolina law banning guns in church fails to deter shooting suspect
The deadly South Carolina church led to calls Thursday for tougher gun-control laws, even though the shooting suspect was already breaking state law by bringing a firearm into a church without permission. Published June 18, 2015
George Clooney’s ‘Tomorrowland’ bombs at box office as Hollywood pushes climate fiction
Disney's "Tomorrowland" may be bombing at the box office, but on the plus side, it could win a Cliffie. The Cliffie awards go to films that exemplify "cli-fi," or climate fiction, an emerging genre heating up this year as climate change themes seep from documentaries into big-budget Hollywood features. Published June 17, 2015
Employers can fire workers for marijuana use, Colorado Supreme Court rules
Coloradans have a right to use medical marijuana with a doctor's approval, but that doesn't mean they can't be fired for it. Published June 15, 2015
Colorado coal town uses beer boycott to fight Colowyo Mine closure
Jana Venzke is fighting the war on coal here in northwest Colorado -- one bottle of craft beer at a time. Last week, she pulled every New Belgium and Breckenridge label from the shelves at her store, A1 Liquors, after finding their names on a list of businesses that contribute to WildEarth Guardians, the anti-coal group whose lawsuit threatens to shutter the local Colowyo Mine, taking 220 jobs with it. Published June 14, 2015
‘White Appreciation Day’ at Rubbin Buttz BBQ makes colorful statement
The only thing Steve Adams knew about the Rubbin Buttz BBQ is that its Hispanic owners were hosting "White Appreciation Day" on Thursday, but that was enough to persuade him to make the hourlong drive for lunch. Published June 11, 2015
