Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
California water crisis could leave Democrats high and dry in 2016
Wherever he goes, Tom Del Beccaro asks California voters which they would prefer: high-speed rail or more water. Invariably, the answer is the same. Published May 27, 2015
Terry McAuliffe ices talk of Virginia divestment from fossil fuels
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe wants to fight climate change but not by divesting. Published May 27, 2015
NRA: Gun rights advocates fight to change Colorado’s limits on ammunition magazines
There is nothing that infuriates Colorado firearms owners more than the 15-round ammunition magazine limit enacted two years ago by Democrats, but a proposal to raise the limit to 30 rounds has split the states gun rights movement. Published May 19, 2015
Freddie Gray Baltimore police death sparks outrage as black-on-black murders go unnoticed
Former Baltimore cop Peter Moskos understands the anger over Freddie Gray's death, but he wishes there were a little more outrage over the deaths of men like Kareen George, Andre Hunt and Tierell Wilder. Published May 10, 2015
Gary Hart apologizes to Cory Gardner for barbs during Colorado Senate campaign
Former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart publicly apologized Friday to newly elected Sen. Cory Gardner for making "disparaging comments" about him during last year's hard-fought Senate campaign. Published May 9, 2015
Rubbin’ Buttz BBQ, Hispanic-owned restaurant, hit with bomb scare over ‘White Appreciation Day’
The Hispanic restaurant owners who ignited an uproar over their plans to hold White Appreciation Day next month were forced to evacuate their barbecue joint late Friday after a bomb scare. Published May 9, 2015
Hispanic barbecue owners to host ‘White Appreciation Day’ at Colorado eatery
Black History Month is February. Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. And at one Colorado barbecue joint, June 11 is White Appreciation Day. Published May 8, 2015
Bowdoin, California students reject Israeli divestment as issue surges on campuses
Supporters of Israel at U.S. universities spend a lot of time playing defense against the boycott and divestment movement, but the result is that their skills may be improving. Published May 7, 2015
Sweet Cakes by Melissa, snubbed by Gofundme, gets new crowdfund campaign
A new crowdfunding campaign on behalf of Sweet Cakes by Melissa was launched Tuesday after a similar effort was removed last week by GoFundMe. Published May 5, 2015
Colorado Democrats defeat fetal homicide bill filed after grisly attack on pregnant woman
Colorado Democrats defeated Monday a fetal homicide bill introduced by Republicans in April after a horrific attack on a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy whose unborn baby was cut out of her womb. Published May 5, 2015
Pamela Geller takes heat over shooting at Muhammad drawing contest
Pamela Geller and other hosts of the "draw Muhammad" contest were lucky to emerge unscathed after two Muslim gunmen attacked the event Sunday, but they haven't escaped the wrath of critics who insist the organizers share the blame for what happened. Published May 4, 2015
Supreme Court weighs marijuana suit brought by Colorado’s neighbors
DENVER | Advocates on both sides of the pot debate were busily reading the tea leaves Monday after the Supreme Court asked the solicitor general to weigh in on the two-state lawsuit against Colorado's legalized marijuana market. Published May 4, 2015
Elton Simpson avoided no-fly list, received probation after judge threw out terrorism charge
Had federal prosecutors been able to make a 2011 terrorism charge against Elton Simpson stick, he could have been sentenced to as many as eight years in prison and still be behind bars alive rather than killed in an attack on a Texas Muhammad-cartoon contest. Published May 4, 2015
Swarthmore College rejects divesting from fossil fuel
Swarthmore College has dealt a blow to the climate-change movement by rejecting calls to divest from fossil fuels, an unexpected move given the college's status as a birthplace of the college divestment drive. Published May 3, 2015
GoFundMe drops campaign for Baltimore rioters after conservative complaints
GoFundMe removed a crowdfunding campaign on behalf of jailed Baltimore rioters Sunday, a day after conservatives began complaining about the effort. Published May 3, 2015
GoFundMe yanks crowdfunding campaign for Baltimore cops
A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign set up on behalf of Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray was quickly removed Friday by the company. Published May 2, 2015
New GoFundMe rule makes it easy to kill Christian campaigns
GoFundMe's old policy on crowdfunding may not have been enough to justify its decision last weekend to kill campaigns on behalf of a Christian-owned florist and bakery -- but its new policy is. Published April 30, 2015
Yong Soo Lee, Japan World War II ‘comfort woman,’ demands Shinzo Abe apology
When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes his historic address Wednesday before a joint session of Congress, most in the audience will be watching him. But some will focused on Yong Soo Lee. Published April 28, 2015
Fracking politics trump science as oil industry, environmental lobby push biased views
The old saw about statistics — that, given enough spin, they can be used to support anything — is being increasingly applied to science, especially, critics say, when it comes to the fight over hydraulic fracturing. Published April 28, 2015
Gay marriage advocates expect Supreme Court to rule in their favor
Advocates on both sides of the gay marriage issue prepared Sunday for High Noon — at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Published April 26, 2015
