Valerie Richardson

Houston backs off church sermon subpoenas in transgender ‘bathroom bill’ fight

After calling church sermons "fair game" for subpoena, Houston Mayor Annise Parker backed down Wednesday from the city's effort to force local pastors to turn over speeches and papers related to a hotly contested transgender rights ordinance. Published October 15, 2014

Udall drilled on fracking in new Colorado Senate ads

Democratic Sen. Mark Udall’s stance on hydraulic fracturing is coming under fire in the latest wave of ads hitting the razor-close Colorado Senate race. Published October 15, 2014

Houston subpoenas pastors’ sermons in fight over ‘bathroom bill’

Attorneys for several Houston pastors are challenging the city's attempts to subpoena their sermons as part of a lawsuit against the recently passed transgender-rights law, also known as the "bathroom bill." Published October 14, 2014

Obama postpones key decisions until postelection

The president has pushed back until after the election decisions on a host of high-profile issues related to Obamacare insurance premiums, immigration, the Keystone XL pipeline and his cabinet, prompting critics to accuse him of hiding his policies from the voters until it's too late. Published October 14, 2014

Obamacare website won’t reveal insurance costs for 2015 until after election

Those planning to purchase health insurance on the Obamacare exchange will soon find out how much rates have increased — after the Nov. 4 election. Published October 14, 2014

School shooter fooled psychologists as he plotted deadly rampage: Report

He called himself a "psychopath" in his secret diary and vowed revenge for slights dating back to elementary school before the Arapahoe High School shooter killed another student and himself last year, according to a sheriff's report released Friday. Published October 12, 2014

John Hickenlooper slams marijuana legalization, takes pot lobby’s campaign cash

He still thinks Colorado voters made a mistake when they legalized marijuana two years ago, but Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper is not above taking the pot industry's campaign money as he faces a tough re-election battle next month. Published October 9, 2014

CU Boulder becomes latest university to cut student work hours under Obamacare

College students overwhelmingly swung for President Obama in 2008 and 2012, but they're now finding their on-campus work hours cut back, thanks to Obamacare. Published October 9, 2014

Cory Gardner opens lead over Mark Udall in Colorado Senate race

A Fox News poll released Wednesday showed Republican Rep. Cory Gardner pulling away from Democratic Sen. Mark Udall, with a 6-point lead in the Colorado Senate race. Published October 8, 2014

Udall’s focus on abortion backfires at Colorado Senate debate

The Democratic Party's relentless "war on women" line of attack cut both ways at Tuesday's Colorado Senate debate. Published October 8, 2014

Wildlife agency takes aim at marijuana farms that poison species

Illegal marijuana growers in the Pacific Northwest may soon have to more to fear than federal drug agents. The bigger danger may come from wildlife biologists from the Fish and Wildlife Service. Published October 7, 2014

Scientists reject climate change link to Colorado floods

Climate change activists were quick to blame last year's unprecedented, devastating Colorado flooding on increased human-caused emissions in the atmosphere, but a study released this week says that's not the case. Published October 2, 2014

Justice Antonin Scalia defends keeping God, religion in public square

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Wednesday that secularists are wrong when they argue the Constitution requires religious references to be banished from the public square. Published October 1, 2014

Udall latest Democrat to be accused of downplaying Islamic State threat

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a television ad Tuesday accusing Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado of being soft on national security for saying during a debate that the Islamic State doesn't pose an "imminent threat." Published September 30, 2014

‘Not white’ Salt Lake officer ‘justified’ in shooting of unarmed youth

The Salt Lake County district attorney announced Tuesday that the minority police officer who fatally shot an unarmed white suspect was "legally justified," in a case that drew national attention in the aftermath of the racially charged police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. Published September 30, 2014

Mitt Romney proves to be a draw in Colorado races

Luckily for Colorado Democrats, it's too late for a recount of the 2012 presidential race here, since Republican challenger Mitt Romney is proving vastly more popular on the campaign trail than President Obama. Published September 29, 2014

Boehner wants to stop ‘butting heads’ with president

House Speaker John A. Boehner said Sunday he hopes to persuade President Obama after the November election to end the gridlock and tackle a host of contentious issues, including immigration reform and the Keystone XL pipeline. Published September 28, 2014

Obama says administration may have misjudged Islamic State

President Obama acknowledged Sunday that his administration misjudged the danger from the rising Islamic State, while House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said the result is that U.S. officials may have “no choice” but to send troops back to the Middle East. Published September 28, 2014

Wealthy single women choose conservative men over liberals

Successful women seeking a love connection prefer conservative men to their liberal counterparts, according to figures released last week by an online dating service. Published September 28, 2014

Suburbs clash over solutions as residents battle coyote infestation

When Charlene Warner walks her dog each morning in her neighborhood in upscale Seal Beach, California, she’s terrified she’ll be attacked — not by muggers or gangs, but by coyotes. Published September 28, 2014