Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Congress members back U.S. flag against school’s ban
Twenty members of Congress lent their support Tuesday to a lawsuit filed on behalf of three California students who were forbidden from wearing American flag T-shirts at their high school during a Cinco de Mayo celebration, a decision an appeals court upheld last month. Published March 25, 2014
Fracking initiatives in Colorado are ground zero for national debate
A gusher of proposed ballot initiatives on hydraulic fracturing is poised to flood the November ballot as Colorado digs in for a gritty election battle between the oil and gas industry and environmentalists. Published March 24, 2014
Romney: ‘Our esteem … has fallen’ under Obama
Mitt Romney said Sunday that the United States’ international esteem has declined during President Obama’s five years in the White House. Published March 23, 2014
Gingrich: Obamacare will cost Democrats the Senate this fall
Lawmakers and pundits marked the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act on Sunday, with Republicans predicting the troubled centerpiece of the Obama presidency will hurt the entire Democratic Party this fall. Published March 23, 2014
Students fill out ‘March Madness’ brackets ranking Obama scandals
President Obama famously fills out an NCAA March Madness basketball bracket ever year, but it's nothing like the one recently circulated by campus conservative activist Caleb Bonham. Published March 23, 2014
Climate change talk brings chills to Alaska Democrat; GOP exploits issue in oil-rich states
The Senate Democrats' decision to issue a national wake-up call on climate change didn't exactly come at a great time for Democrats like Sen. Mark Begich. Published March 17, 2014
Report: EPA accused of overkill in ‘raid’ on Alaska gold-mine
Last year's Environmental Protection Agency raid on the small gold-mining town of Chicken, Alaska, constituted a clear case of overkill by federal authorities seeking violations of environmental regulations, according to an official review of the controversial incident released Thursday. Published March 13, 2014
Christ in the City puts Pope Francis’ vision at work on Denver streets
Four months into his papacy, Pope Francis made an unscheduled stop during his trip to Brazil for World Youth Day. At the Cathedral of Rio, a large audience of young people waited expectantly in the July rain. Published March 13, 2014
Six Senate seats could hinge on Keystone pipeline
After five years of stalling on the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama suddenly has a half-dozen compelling reasons to make up his mind, and all of them are running to retain their Senate seats. Published March 9, 2014
Stars not aligned with polls on Keystone
It looks like actor and new Oscar laureate Jared Leto isn't quite on the same page with the bulk of his audience when it comes to the Keystone XL pipeline. Published March 7, 2014
Former Greenpeace insider Patrick Moore who questions climate change says he can stand the heat
As a former Greenpeace insider, Patrick Moore wasn't surprised by the heated reaction from the left on his explosive testimony about climate change last week before a Senate committee. Published March 4, 2014
Pot shot: GOP candidates see hit to Colorado’s image from legal weed
Colorado may be the first state with a retail marijuana market, but that doesn't mean the next governor has to like it. Published March 3, 2014
Arizona veto likely to chill other religious freedom bills
The uproar over the religious freedom bill vetoed Wednesday by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is expected to have a chilling effect on the handful of similar bills making their way through other state legislatures. Published February 27, 2014
Alaska marijuana-legalization initiative clears signature hurdle to qualify for ballot
An Alaska initiative to legalize recreational marijuana qualified Wednesday for the August primary ballot after gathering more than 36,000 valid signatures. Published February 27, 2014
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoes controversial religious freedom bill
The Republican governor's decision came amid a national outcry against Senate Bill 1062, led by gay-rights leaders who said the bill essentially legalized discrimination against homosexuals. Published February 26, 2014
Colorado GOP switches candidates in effort to oust Sen. Udall
Rep. Cory Gardner will run for the Republican Senate nomination instead of seeking reelection, according to Republicans. At the same time, Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said he will drop out of the Senate race and instead pursue the GOP nod for Mr. Gardner's House seat. Published February 26, 2014
Health links hyped to drive fear of fracking despite studies that fail to back up claims
Environmentalists are still waiting for proof that hydraulic fracturing makes people sick, but that's not stopping them from whipping up anxiety over public health. Published February 25, 2014
Gov. Jan Brewer feeling heat over Arizona religious freedom bill
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is feeling the heat after returning Tuesday to Phoenix from the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C., and it's not just the change in the climate. Published February 25, 2014
Proposal to split California into 6 states launches signature drive
The Silicon Valley venture capitalist behind the "six Californias" proposal announced Monday that his campaign has launched its petition drive to place the measure on the November ballot. Published February 24, 2014
U.S. warns Russia to keep its military out of Ukraine
The Obama administration warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday not to react too aggressively to the fast-moving developments in Ukraine, where pro-Western demonstrators forced the nation's Moscow-backed president from power over the weekend. Published February 23, 2014
