Former chair for Buerger
As former chair of the Garfield County Democrats, I am happy we have, with redistricting, new opportunities in Colorado House District 57. The geographic area seems a more natural “fit” compared to the old “57.”
For me it is also encouraging to have three good people running to represent us. That said, my choice for the office is Cole Buerger.
I only need to look at the almost daily literature, listen to presentations and view websites to know Cole is more than ready and able to do a terrific job.
He has 15 years of policy experience under his belt and deep roots in our valleys, meaning he will be ready to represent all of us “57” folks on Day 1.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to vote for Cole Buerger!
Bob Shivley
Silt
Celebrate Pride in Glenwood
Today is an important day in Glenwood Springs as we host our very first Pride Festival downtown. Through this event we can show up for one another and reaffirm our commitment to bettering inclusivity and opportunity for all. To our LGBTQIA+ neighbors, we support you and want you to know you belong.
We are grateful to be able to come together to celebrate our community with music, dance, resources, and rainbows. Please join us at the event in Bethel Plaza from 5:30-8 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
Jenn Ooton and Bryana Starbuck
City of Glenwood Springs
Physicians for Coram
In the 3rd Congressional District Republican primary, there is only one candidate with a comprehensive, smart strategy for reversing the dangerous deterioration of rural health conditions in Western Colorado: State Sen. Don Coram.
Our district is massive: 27 counties covering one-half of our state’s land mass, most defined as either “frontier” or “rural.” The challenge to restoring and assuring timely and continuous medical care is daunting.
We face staffing shortages that are severe at almost every level of care, and may soon be approaching collapse in some of these communities. Without help, sustaining some health care facilities and the health care teams who work there will not be possible. But when a hospital or rural clinic closes or limits capacity, the care that is subsequently diverted and delayed will end up miles, even counties away in another Emergency Department, almost always in worse condition. Some will not make it there.
Rural health is across the board worse than urban Colorado; higher rates of teen pregnancy, higher rates of drug dependence and alcoholism, higher rates of untreated or undertreated chronic diseases, higher rates of preventable illnesses and deaths. Many of our patients tend to be older, sicker and without everyday resources to get better.
Rural Colorado cannot survive, much less prosper, without reasonable support for their health care communities. Senator Coram’s health care plan will direct federal resources to workforce support, starting with loan forgiveness and other incentives to recruit physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to our underserved communities. His plan supports Medicare and Medicaid reforms that assure quality and continuity of care and economically viable, safe facilities, especially for our elderly and veteran populations.
As our Congressman, Don Coram will take his thoughtful, principled approach to problem solving from his tenure in the Colorado General Assembly to Washington, where they could benefit from a healthy dose of evidence-based, civil debate and professionalism.
We respectfully urge you to vote on or before June 28. And if health care matters to you, vote for the only choice that has a rational, workable plan: Don Coram.
Physicians For Coram
Adam Baker, MD, Facial Plastic Surgery, Grand Junction
Gayle A. Frazzetta, MD, Family Medicine, Montrose
Enno Heuscher, MD, Family Medicine, Cedaredge
Sarah Judkins, MD, General Surgery, Montrose
Timothy R. Judkins, MD, Orthopedic Surgery, Montrose
Albert Krueger, MD, Family Medicine, Meeker
Katie Mckee-Cole, MD, Otolaryngology, Grand Junction
Mindy Miller, MD, Family Medicine, Montrose
Jeffrey Oster, DPM, Alamosa
Ellen Price, DO, Rehabilitative Medicine, Fruita
Collin Sharp, MD, General Surgery, Montrose
Vineet Singh, MD, Orthopedic Surgery, Montrose
Robert Tonsing, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pueblo
Mary Vader, DO, Pediatrics, Montrose
William Weathers, MD, Radiology, Glenwood Springs
Gun laws response
I’d like to add a few pertinent facts to Ms. Bruell’s Friday (June 17) column. There are currently over 20,000 “commonsense” gun laws on the books in the U.S. Cities with the strictest laws like Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia have the most murders. Along with the other 13 cities that lead the nation in murders, they are all run by Democrats.
In Chicago alone last year there were 797 murders. But for those who obey the law, it’s almost impossible to own a handgun for defense there. Chicago had Obama for their senator, and then their president, and nothing was done to end the violence. Maybe those lives don’t matter?
I’ve been an NRA member since 1963. Like many of the other 5,000+ members, I have donated time and money to defend our rights. We expect that money to go toward lobbying for our rights. That’s the way it works in Washington.
A few facts for Ms. Bruell. In the last FBI stats more people were killed with blunt objects than with all rifles combined. More people were killed with knives. The leading weapons for murder were hands and feet. It’s not about the weapon, it’s about the perpetrator and the society that produces them.
Had that lunatic in Uvalde driven his car onto the playground and killed those children no one would be blaming the car. Had he locked that door and killed them with a machete, no one would be screaming to ban knives. No, the only time the object comes up is when a firearm is used.
If Democrats truly want to save lives, they only need to close the southern border. Last year 41,587 people in the US died from fentanyl, most of which came from Mexico. And add to that the MS13 and other gang members coming into our country.
Make no mistake Ms. Bruell, your party wants to eliminate our Second Amendment rights. I’ve been in this fight for almost 60 years, and I’ve seen it over and over. It has happened in other countries and left the people defenseless. We are citizens, not subjects. At least for now.
Don Cadden
Glenwood Springs
Republican choices
After many years as a Republican I changed to an unaffiliated registration. As an unaffiliated voter we can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. I challenge all voters to vote in this primary. Please do the research to decide which candidate meets your expectations, and who will best represent your views.
I urge all unaffiliated voters to vote in the Republican primary. The Democratic primary does not have any contested races for statewide offices. Representative Lauren Boebert has embarrassed this district by her actions and her claims. She does not have the influence in Congress we need. Last year she joked about one of her Muslim colleagues being a terrorist. Don Coram is a moderate who will not embarrass this district. I believe he will carry our concerns to Washington.
In the GOP primary for Secretary of State, Pam Anderson is an experienced elections official and the only candidate who has rejected conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Tina Peters, by contrast, was arrested for her role in trying to investigate “fraud” in Mesa County. Mike O’Donnell’s website nods to conspiracy theories also, just more politely.
Colorado can do better. We have a voice, use it.
Jim Relyea
Alamosa