Podcasts about dafna michaelson jenet

The Women's Legislative Network of NCSL is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Every female state legislator in the 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia belong to the Women's Legislative Network. The network sponsors informational briefings, hosts skill building workshops for women and opportunities for female legislators to interact. Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Democrat of Colorado and the current president of the WLN, and Representative DeAnn Vaught, a Republican of Arkansas and the incoming president of the group, joined the podcast to discuss the anniversary and women in legislatures more generally.They discussed how they decided to run for the legislature, the obstacles they faced and the perspective female legislators bring to the job. They also shared their passion for encouraging other women to run for office.  ResourcesWomen's Legislative Network of NCSL 

Segment 1 with Dafna Michaelson Jenet starts at 0:00What if you traveled around the country to each state for a week all in one year and met people just like you and people that weren't at all like you.Dafna Michaelson Jenet did just that and was featured on "Sunday Morning" as a result.The question "What would you do if you won the lottery?" was the catalyst that caused Dafna to jump off her 15-year non-profit career track and travel the country seeking stories that empower all of us. Her goal was, and still is: "Changing the mirror we use that reflects who we are as a society". It's amazing what you can learn couch surfing America. Her book is called "It Takes a Little Crazy to Make a Difference."Segment 2 with Julie Bee starts at 17:35All small business owners get burned out. How do you come back from it?Julie Bee is a business strategist, burnout expert, assessment nerd, and author. She's been dubbed the “small business fixer" by her clients and peers. Her book is called "Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and FUEL Success”.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-small-business-radio-show--3306444/support.

A bonus episode within the multi-part series about Substance Use Disorders and People with Developmental Disabilities. This episode reviews Systemic Gaps and Policy Solutions with Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet. Treatment gaps for people with co-occurring disorders and disabilitiesHarm Reduction policy in ColoradoLived experiences and data needed to reduce stigma and improve policyPolicy change needed to address barriers and discrimination in treatment servicesReach out to your legislators to tell them the barriers you or someone you know is facing when it comes to substance use and having a disability.

Rundown -    Dafna Michaelson Jenet - 16:49   The Craig Silverman Show presents: Craig's Colorado Homefront – a special wartime spinoff series featuring influential people discussing the world's war about Jews and Israel. New realities are contemplated on college campuses, worldwide streets and in the legislatures of Colorado and the USA.   Representative Ken Buck's stepping down and host contemplates why and his possible replacements, including long lost pal George Brauchler. Many talk show hosts are contemplating the GOP run. Before we hear from CO State Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, host plays horrifying sound recounting Hamas attack on family of four, according to US SOS Tony Blinken.   Senator Michaelson Jenet was born in Tel Aviv, then raised in Cincinnati and has risen now to represent Senate District 21 (Adams and Arapahoe County) in the Colorado Statehouse. She's got skills organizing and working with all sorts of people. A proud Jew, she contemplates our altered planet now that Hamas has attacked Israel. And some in the world, such as Putin, support Hamas.   Hear the Senator's reaction to new US House Speaker Michael Johnson, an apparent supporter of Israel. Learn the behind the scenes way the Tim Hernandez controversy was handled by Senator Michaelson Jenet and why. She's outspoken and smart. We discuss what media should report. And not. Hard truths need to be told. https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/dafna-michaelson-jenet   The horrible response to Hamas by CU-Boulder's Ethnic Studies Department is reviewed. So is the old case of disgraced former CU Professor Ward Churchill who long ago twisted Israelis into so-called Nazis committing atrocities against children. The sad Jew-hating actions and rhetoric of Elon Musk gets harshly critiqued. X has gone to Hell.   We discuss Dafna Michaelson Jenet's controversial X post about personally fearing violence at the hands of Hamas. It's now a common fear for Jews and perhaps others. Hamas has a vicious Jew-hating mindset that can run wild. We talk about how best to stop it on Craig's Colorado Homefront. We also talk about the need for mental health and the ADL. Thanks for being part of our community.

Arizona GOP moving variety of conspiracy-fueled voter suppression bills | Bill authorizing universal youth mental health screenings at school is moving in Colorado legislature | New Colorado GOP chair is a fringe character, prominent conservatives announce they're leaving the Party | VP Harris announces Biden Administration disbursement of $200 million in wildfire preparedness and mitigation funds | Billy Idol in DenverSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR:Conspiracy theories still dominate Arizona Senate Elections CommitteeBY: JOE DUHOWNIK/COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 21, 2023 4:18 PMNearly a month after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released documents further disproving claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Senate Republicans continue to make the same claims in the election committee.The most recent tantrum came during testimony regarding HB2415, which would remove people from the active early voting mailing list if they go a full year without participating in an election. Republicans said it's a way to declutter the list.Opponents argued that the bill would only disenfranchise voters, as many only vote in presidential elections every four years, and could be removed from the mail ballot list without knowing it.“Conspiracy theories” also came up again later in the committee meeting, this time in regard to HB2591, which would prohibit voters from using ballot drop boxes outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and would require that drop boxes be inside or attached to county buildings and be under 24/7 video surveillance. Bill sponsor Gail Griffin, a Republican state representative from Tucson, said she's seen video of “people with boxes coming and dumping ballots,” though she maintained that “2,000 Mules” - a propaganda film about imagined “ballot mules” stuffing ballots in the 2020 election. The fantasy about ballot mules is a cornerstone of the bigger fantasy that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, even though he won by 3 full percentage points and 7 million votes.Democrats said restricting the times when voters can drop off ballots will make it harder for some to cast their vote. Republicans' only response was that those folks would need to use one of the less accessible options that remain if they want to vote. Cool. The Republican-dominated committee supported five more measures they say will increase election integrity. Republican state Representative Austin Smith sponsored HB2552 to preemptively prohibit ranked choice voting in Arizona. A companion bill already passed through the Senate in February.Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist representing the Arizona League of Women Voters, said more than 60% of Arizona voters support ranked choice voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska, and multiple cities like New York and San Francisco.“There should be no reason to preemptively silence the voice of your own constituents,” she told the committee.The committee ended with discussion on HB2613, which would require that all vote recording tabulation machines be 100% sourced from and built in the U.S. in response to fantasies about foreign tampering of voting machines in the 2020 election - where Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden by 3 full percentage points and 7 million legally cast votes. Jen Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, said the machines used now are already manufactured in the U.S., but some parts, like plastics and electronics, are sourced from other countries.The bill's GOP sponsor said he doesn't know that U.S. companies have the capacity to completely home-grow the voting machines, but “if there is a need, I do believe that the American engineering mindset would step up.”For my part - I'll just say his point makes absolutely no sense.This article was first published by Courthouse News Service and is republished under their terms of use.UCLA HEALTHSuicide rate highest among teens and young adultsMarch 15, 2022By Sandy CohenNote: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2023.Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Recent weeks have brought heartbreaking examples of this trend, including the March 1 death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, 22; and Ohio State football player Harry Miller's revelations that he attempted suicide, shared his struggles with his coach and got help. Miller announced his medical retirement from football on March 10 in a Twitter post that's been shared more than 10,000 times.“This is not an issue reserved for the far and away,” wrote Miller. “It is in our homes. It is in our conversations. It is in the people we love.”Carl Fleisher, MD, who specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry at Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles said “Teenagers and young adults have had rising rates of suicide compared to 10 or 15 years ago, Young people are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.”Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online. The prefrontal cortex — the brain's executive control center — doesn't fully develop until one's mid-20s.That makes young people more impulsive "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences in quite the same way older folks will.”Socially, teens and young adults don't have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone.The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more.So it's good to hear that a bill that would make it easier… Colorado Newsline article followsCOLORADO NEWSLINE:BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 20, 2023 2:54 PM…  for schools to provide mental health assessments, and connect students to therapy, passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday.House Bill 23-1003 would allow public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders and refer them to treatment if needed, primarily through the state's existing free youth therapy program, called I Matter.Bill sponsor Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat, said she was motivated to run the legislation after alarming statistics from the Colorado Healthy Kids Survey that showed nearly 40% of Colorado youth reported feeling depressed for at least two straight weeks.“That's a pretty significant indicator for severe depression,” she said. “I wanted to come up with a way for kids to learn about therapy and access to therapy through screenings in school. We have the I Matter program, so we have somewhere kids can go for help.”In a post-pandemic environment in which Children's Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health, Michaelson Jenet said screening can be a powerful preventative tool for students under profound pressures.Parents could opt their child out of the assessment, but students 12 years and older would be able to participate even if their parents don't want them to.Under the program, if the provider finds that a student could benefit from treatment, their parents will be notified and given information about the I Matter program, which has provided free therapy services to over 5,500 Colorado youth since it launched in October 2021.If the assessment provider finds that a student is in crisis — at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm or harming others, for example — the school would follow its crisis response protocol.The Colorado Health Institute endorsed the concept of universal mental health screenings in schools in a report published earlier this month.The report authors wrote “Schools are uniquely positioned to help address this (mental health) crisis by meeting youth where they already spend most of their day. Screening all students for social and emotional needs strengthens prevention, detection, and early intervention.”Organizations including the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Healthy Schools Campaign, Mental Health America also recommend screening all students.Republicans in the House opposed the bill on the grounds that a program where students could participate even if parents opt out violates parental rights. Most of the floor debate centered on whether 12 years old is too young for students to decide whether to undergo a mental health assessment. Existing Colorado law allows minors 12 years and older to seek therapy without their parent or guardian's consent.Democrats hold healthy majorities in both the House and Senate this session.The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton.COLORADO SUN: and on the other side of the aisle: The new chair of Colorado's GOP says people concerned he will end all hope of Republicans winning here, should “relax”.Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish3:20 AM MDT on Mar 16, 2023Dave Williams' election as Colorado GOP chair has prompted prominent Republicans to announce they are leaving the party and heightened the possibility that unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up nearly half of the state's electorate, could be shut out of the GOP's future primaries.Mandy Connell, a conservative talk radio host, tweeted her exit from the GOP on Saturday just after the election denier and former state representative was chosen to lead Republicans for the next two years.Connell told The Colorado Sun, “I hoped the Republican Party could move beyond Donald Trump and looking backwards at the 2020 election. With the election of Dave Williams for the Colorado chairmanship, it is apparent that they are not ready to do that. And I am.”The GOP has steadily lost registered voters in Colorado over the past two decades, a slide that accelerated after Trump took office. The share of registered Republicans declined to 24.2% in January from 31.1% in January 2016. There are no statewide elected Republicans, and the party is in a big minority in the legislature and in the congressional delegation following a disappointing 2022 election cycle that only saw the GOP lose more political power.Some in the party fear Williams, who beat six other chair candidates, may lead to further decline. Dick Wadhams, who was Colorado GOP chair from 2007 to 2011 and now works as a Republican political consultant, worries the “party will have no credibility” if Williams pursues the agenda he campaigned for chair on.Williams says his detractors should “relax.”“I can understand why some people are concerned, especially because of the fearmongering of Dick Wadhams,” Williams said. “But the truth is I'm only here to go attack Democrats, and if they can't get behind that then I'm not sure what else is going to unite us.”Williams, who vowed to be a “wartime” leader of the Colorado GOP, was a divisive figure during his time in the state legislature - and last year he lost a primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn by just shy of 20 points.Williams was elected chair by the Colorado GOP's state central committee, which is made up of about 400 people. During the event Saturday in Loveland, Williams focused his message on defending Donald Trump and preventing unaffiliated voters from participating in GOP primary elections, something Colorado voters approved in 2016. Ari Armstrong, a columnist for Complete Colorado, tweeted that he is leaving the party. “Colorado GOP leaders have made abundantly clear that theirs is the party of conspiracy mongering and petty bigotry,” he said. “The state party is not serious about winning elections or helping to guide policy. Enough.”Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer also hinted on Twitter at a switch: “I think I'll be doing the same (as) Mandy Connell. When I rejoined the party I had hoped it was changing. It is in other states but not here. The lunatic fringe is ascendant.” and speaking of the lunatic fringeCOLORADO NEWSLINE:Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfiresBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MARCH 21, 2023 4:30 AM     Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday that the Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer.The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed in 2021. Grants in the first year of the program would be available for more than 100 projects in 22 states, according to a White House fact sheet.The funding is meant to help communities prepare for wildfires, which Harris said was preferable to responding to fires already wreaking havoc.“The best time to fight a fire is before it starts,” she said on a Monday call with reporters.The funding announced Monday can be used to write or update wildfire preparedness plans or on other mitigation efforts, such as clearing highly flammable brush.Among the largest grants was a $9.9 million disbursement to the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in eastern Oregon to clear hazardous fuels from evacuation routes on county roads.The New Mexico nonprofit Cimarron Watershed Alliance also received $8 million to create defensible space around homes and fuel breaks designed to stop a fire's spread.Archuleta County, Colorado, will receive $1.1 million to remove hazardous fuels over 600 wooded acres.Gila County AZ will receive $341,000 for evacuation planning and clearing flammable brush around buildings Communities in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wiscons, North Carolina and Georgia will also receive grants.A full list of grants announced Monday is available here.The Vice President said the remaining roughly $800 million will be released over the next four years.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “This is an initial round of funding - a critical down payment.”The Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department, judged grant applications on three criteria: communities that have experienced a severe disaster, are at high risk of a wildfire and are low income. All grants announced Monday met at least two of the three criteria and most met all three, he said.Wildfires have become more destructive in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including hotter and drier weather because of climate change, as well as increased development in areas at high risk of fire.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: You might know him from the movie “Big” - it's Billy Idol! Mission Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday April 4th at 8pm - that's election night and that's also a kickass venue to see rock and roll giant like Billy. Information at billyidol.net - and don't use .com because there is no redirect.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Courthouse News Service, UCLA Health, Colorado Sun, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Arizona GOP moving variety of conspiracy-fueled voter suppression bills | Bill authorizing universal youth mental health screenings at school is moving in Colorado legislature | New Colorado GOP chair is a fringe character, prominent conservatives announce they're leaving the Party | VP Harris announces Biden Administration disbursement of $200 million in wildfire preparedness and mitigation funds | Billy Idol in DenverSong playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: ARIZONA MIRROR:Conspiracy theories still dominate Arizona Senate Elections CommitteeBY: JOE DUHOWNIK/COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 21, 2023 4:18 PMNearly a month after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released documents further disproving claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Senate Republicans continue to make the same claims in the election committee.The most recent tantrum came during testimony regarding HB2415, which would remove people from the active early voting mailing list if they go a full year without participating in an election. Republicans said it's a way to declutter the list.Opponents argued that the bill would only disenfranchise voters, as many only vote in presidential elections every four years, and could be removed from the mail ballot list without knowing it.“Conspiracy theories” also came up again later in the committee meeting, this time in regard to HB2591, which would prohibit voters from using ballot drop boxes outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and would require that drop boxes be inside or attached to county buildings and be under 24/7 video surveillance. Bill sponsor Gail Griffin, a Republican state representative from Tucson, said she's seen video of “people with boxes coming and dumping ballots,” though she maintained that “2,000 Mules” - a propaganda film about imagined “ballot mules” stuffing ballots in the 2020 election. The fantasy about ballot mules is a cornerstone of the bigger fantasy that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, even though he won by 3 full percentage points and 7 million votes.Democrats said restricting the times when voters can drop off ballots will make it harder for some to cast their vote. Republicans' only response was that those folks would need to use one of the less accessible options that remain if they want to vote. Cool. The Republican-dominated committee supported five more measures they say will increase election integrity. Republican state Representative Austin Smith sponsored HB2552 to preemptively prohibit ranked choice voting in Arizona. A companion bill already passed through the Senate in February.Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist representing the Arizona League of Women Voters, said more than 60% of Arizona voters support ranked choice voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska, and multiple cities like New York and San Francisco.“There should be no reason to preemptively silence the voice of your own constituents,” she told the committee.The committee ended with discussion on HB2613, which would require that all vote recording tabulation machines be 100% sourced from and built in the U.S. in response to fantasies about foreign tampering of voting machines in the 2020 election - where Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden by 3 full percentage points and 7 million legally cast votes. Jen Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, said the machines used now are already manufactured in the U.S., but some parts, like plastics and electronics, are sourced from other countries.The bill's GOP sponsor said he doesn't know that U.S. companies have the capacity to completely home-grow the voting machines, but “if there is a need, I do believe that the American engineering mindset would step up.”For my part - I'll just say his point makes absolutely no sense.This article was first published by Courthouse News Service and is republished under their terms of use.UCLA HEALTHSuicide rate highest among teens and young adultsMarch 15, 2022By Sandy CohenNote: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2023.Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Recent weeks have brought heartbreaking examples of this trend, including the March 1 death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, 22; and Ohio State football player Harry Miller's revelations that he attempted suicide, shared his struggles with his coach and got help. Miller announced his medical retirement from football on March 10 in a Twitter post that's been shared more than 10,000 times.“This is not an issue reserved for the far and away,” wrote Miller. “It is in our homes. It is in our conversations. It is in the people we love.”Carl Fleisher, MD, who specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry at Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles said “Teenagers and young adults have had rising rates of suicide compared to 10 or 15 years ago, Young people are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.”Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online. The prefrontal cortex — the brain's executive control center — doesn't fully develop until one's mid-20s.That makes young people more impulsive "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences in quite the same way older folks will.”Socially, teens and young adults don't have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone.The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more.So it's good to hear that a bill that would make it easier… Colorado Newsline article followsCOLORADO NEWSLINE:BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 20, 2023 2:54 PM…  for schools to provide mental health assessments, and connect students to therapy, passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday.House Bill 23-1003 would allow public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders and refer them to treatment if needed, primarily through the state's existing free youth therapy program, called I Matter.Bill sponsor Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat, said she was motivated to run the legislation after alarming statistics from the Colorado Healthy Kids Survey that showed nearly 40% of Colorado youth reported feeling depressed for at least two straight weeks.“That's a pretty significant indicator for severe depression,” she said. “I wanted to come up with a way for kids to learn about therapy and access to therapy through screenings in school. We have the I Matter program, so we have somewhere kids can go for help.”In a post-pandemic environment in which Children's Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health, Michaelson Jenet said screening can be a powerful preventative tool for students under profound pressures.Parents could opt their child out of the assessment, but students 12 years and older would be able to participate even if their parents don't want them to.Under the program, if the provider finds that a student could benefit from treatment, their parents will be notified and given information about the I Matter program, which has provided free therapy services to over 5,500 Colorado youth since it launched in October 2021.If the assessment provider finds that a student is in crisis — at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm or harming others, for example — the school would follow its crisis response protocol.The Colorado Health Institute endorsed the concept of universal mental health screenings in schools in a report published earlier this month.The report authors wrote “Schools are uniquely positioned to help address this (mental health) crisis by meeting youth where they already spend most of their day. Screening all students for social and emotional needs strengthens prevention, detection, and early intervention.”Organizations including the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Healthy Schools Campaign, Mental Health America also recommend screening all students.Republicans in the House opposed the bill on the grounds that a program where students could participate even if parents opt out violates parental rights. Most of the floor debate centered on whether 12 years old is too young for students to decide whether to undergo a mental health assessment. Existing Colorado law allows minors 12 years and older to seek therapy without their parent or guardian's consent.Democrats hold healthy majorities in both the House and Senate this session.The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton.COLORADO SUN: and on the other side of the aisle: The new chair of Colorado's GOP says people concerned he will end all hope of Republicans winning here, should “relax”.Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish3:20 AM MDT on Mar 16, 2023Dave Williams' election as Colorado GOP chair has prompted prominent Republicans to announce they are leaving the party and heightened the possibility that unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up nearly half of the state's electorate, could be shut out of the GOP's future primaries.Mandy Connell, a conservative talk radio host, tweeted her exit from the GOP on Saturday just after the election denier and former state representative was chosen to lead Republicans for the next two years.Connell told The Colorado Sun, “I hoped the Republican Party could move beyond Donald Trump and looking backwards at the 2020 election. With the election of Dave Williams for the Colorado chairmanship, it is apparent that they are not ready to do that. And I am.”The GOP has steadily lost registered voters in Colorado over the past two decades, a slide that accelerated after Trump took office. The share of registered Republicans declined to 24.2% in January from 31.1% in January 2016. There are no statewide elected Republicans, and the party is in a big minority in the legislature and in the congressional delegation following a disappointing 2022 election cycle that only saw the GOP lose more political power.Some in the party fear Williams, who beat six other chair candidates, may lead to further decline. Dick Wadhams, who was Colorado GOP chair from 2007 to 2011 and now works as a Republican political consultant, worries the “party will have no credibility” if Williams pursues the agenda he campaigned for chair on.Williams says his detractors should “relax.”“I can understand why some people are concerned, especially because of the fearmongering of Dick Wadhams,” Williams said. “But the truth is I'm only here to go attack Democrats, and if they can't get behind that then I'm not sure what else is going to unite us.”Williams, who vowed to be a “wartime” leader of the Colorado GOP, was a divisive figure during his time in the state legislature - and last year he lost a primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn by just shy of 20 points.Williams was elected chair by the Colorado GOP's state central committee, which is made up of about 400 people. During the event Saturday in Loveland, Williams focused his message on defending Donald Trump and preventing unaffiliated voters from participating in GOP primary elections, something Colorado voters approved in 2016. Ari Armstrong, a columnist for Complete Colorado, tweeted that he is leaving the party. “Colorado GOP leaders have made abundantly clear that theirs is the party of conspiracy mongering and petty bigotry,” he said. “The state party is not serious about winning elections or helping to guide policy. Enough.”Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer also hinted on Twitter at a switch: “I think I'll be doing the same (as) Mandy Connell. When I rejoined the party I had hoped it was changing. It is in other states but not here. The lunatic fringe is ascendant.” and speaking of the lunatic fringeCOLORADO NEWSLINE:Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfiresBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MARCH 21, 2023 4:30 AM     Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday that the Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer.The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed in 2021. Grants in the first year of the program would be available for more than 100 projects in 22 states, according to a White House fact sheet.The funding is meant to help communities prepare for wildfires, which Harris said was preferable to responding to fires already wreaking havoc.“The best time to fight a fire is before it starts,” she said on a Monday call with reporters.The funding announced Monday can be used to write or update wildfire preparedness plans or on other mitigation efforts, such as clearing highly flammable brush.Among the largest grants was a $9.9 million disbursement to the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in eastern Oregon to clear hazardous fuels from evacuation routes on county roads.The New Mexico nonprofit Cimarron Watershed Alliance also received $8 million to create defensible space around homes and fuel breaks designed to stop a fire's spread.Archuleta County, Colorado, will receive $1.1 million to remove hazardous fuels over 600 wooded acres.Gila County AZ will receive $341,000 for evacuation planning and clearing flammable brush around buildings Communities in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wiscons, North Carolina and Georgia will also receive grants.A full list of grants announced Monday is available here.The Vice President said the remaining roughly $800 million will be released over the next four years.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “This is an initial round of funding - a critical down payment.”The Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department, judged grant applications on three criteria: communities that have experienced a severe disaster, are at high risk of a wildfire and are low income. All grants announced Monday met at least two of the three criteria and most met all three, he said.Wildfires have become more destructive in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including hotter and drier weather because of climate change, as well as increased development in areas at high risk of fire.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: You might know him from the movie “Big” - it's Billy Idol! Mission Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday April 4th at 8pm - that's election night and that's also a kickass venue to see rock and roll giant like Billy. Information at billyidol.net - and don't use .com because there is no redirect.Welp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Courthouse News Service, UCLA Health, Colorado Sun, and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Colorado Gov Jared Polis delivers State of the State address to legislators | First bills filed in Colorado General Assembly | Interview w Democratic State Rep Matt Martinez, sponsor of a bill that would reduce prison sentences for nonviolent inmates who earn accredited degrees while incarcerated | Free Universal Pre-K application opens in Colorado | Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs calls for $40 Million DREAMER scholarship fundWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: DENVER (AP) — In yesterday's state of the state speech to lawmakers, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis laid out his vision to tackle the state's sky-high housing prices - including proposals to roll back building regulations, open public land to affordable housing development, and support innovations such as pre-built units.Polis, a Democrat re-elected in November, also touched on efforts to combat climate change, lower the state income tax, measures to reduce crime, and expanded education funding.Polis, the first openly gay governor in the U.S., starts his second term after a shooting at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub in November left five dead and has renewed calls by Democrats to enact stricter gun regulations.Looking down from the gallery were Richard Fierro and Thomas James, two patrons who tackled the shooter inside the club, as Polis read the names of those killed, asked for a moment of silence and nodded towards concerns around “spiraling hate speech.”Polis addressed gun violence but largely skirted Democrat proposals that included raising the minimum age to buy guns and potentially banning assault weapons.Polis told reporters after his address. “We are happy to discuss other ideas about how we can improve gun safety in Colorado and honor our Second Amendment rights," Polis lauded government intervention on housing, citing a ballot measure that Coloradans passed in November that dedicates an estimated $300 million annually to affordable housing. Polis said he also plans to “aggressively” free up parcels of state-owned land for low-income units.Polis gave his speech — which referenced everything from electric vehicle tax credits to "The Lord of the Rings” character Gandalf the Grey — after securing almost 60% of the vote in a state where Independent voters are one-third of the electorate. Polis's appeal has stirred rumors of a future presidential run.“Our state might be shaped like a square but the political pundits can't put us in a box,” Polis said. “We are a state that just this year voted to once again cut income taxes, while legalizing magic mushrooms.”Jesse Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado legislature's first bills Soon after the Colorado General Assembly convened for the 2023 legislative session on Monday, members introduced the first bills of the year, offering a hint of Democratic priorities. Democrats enjoy large majorities in both legislative chambers.House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Democrat from Dillon, said “This session, we'll pass legislation to protect our water and air, invest in our schools, improve public safety, and make our state more affordable. Our first five bills are just the beginning, and we're excited to get to work building a Colorado where everyone can thrive,” In the House, the first five bills center on education investments, health care costs, mental health, language accessibility and water efficiency.House Bill 23-1001 would expand the eligibility for financial assistance and loan forgiveness for educators to address the state's teacher shortage. It is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Cathy Kipp of Fort Collins and Barbara McLachlan of Durango and Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada.House Bill 23-1002 would create an EpiPen affordability program for people who do not have health insurance. It would cap the cost of a two-pack of EpiPens, often used to treat severe allergic reactions, at $60. It is sponsored by Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, and Sen. Dylan Roberts, an Avon Democrat.House Bill 23-1003 would form a mental health assessment program for Colorado youth in order to identify student mental health concerns and direct them to resources. It would be available in public schools for students in sixth through 12th grades. It is sponsored by Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, an Aurora Democrat, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat.In the Senate, the first five bills introduced involve housing, health care costs, education and workforce development for mental health and forestry professionals. Three of them have bipartisan sponsorship.Senate Bill 23-1 would provide $13 million to the Public-Private Partnership Office to encourage affordable workforce housing on state-owned land. The bill is sponsored by Roberts, Zenzinger, Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat, and Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat.Senate Bill 23-2 would direct the state to seek federal authorization for Medicaid reimbursement for community health worker services. Community health care workers serve as a liaison between providers and community members and can often have a personal experience with a health condition and a cultural background they share with the community they serve. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by McCluskie, Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Federal Heights Democrat, Sen. Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican, and Rep. Mary Bradfield, a Colorado Springs Republican.Senate Bill 23-3 would create the Colorado Adult High School Program for adults to earn a high school diploma at no cost and enter the workforce. The program would include transportation support and child care. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Janet Buckner, an Aurora Democrat, Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, and Rep. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat.Two bills focus on the workforce shortage in our schools and in our forests. SB-4 would authorize schools to hire mental health professionals who are not licensed by the state Department of Education but hold a Colorado license for their profession. It is sponsored by Sen. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, and Michaelson Jenet.SB-5 involves wildfire mitigation and forestry professionals. It would direct the Colorado State Forest Service to create educational materials on the industry and create a new forestry program at Colorado Mountain College, among other provisions. REP MATT MARTINEZ INTERVIEWHB23-1037Department Of Corrections Earned Time For College Program CompletionConcerning awarding earned time to nonviolent offenders who complete an accredited higher education program.SESSION: 2023 Regular SessionSUBJECT: Crimes, Corrections, & EnforcementBILL SUMMARYUnder existing law, an inmate in the custody of the department of corrections (department) may have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for meeting certain statutory requirements. The bill permits an inmate sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense to have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for each accredited degree or other credential awarded by an accredited institution of higher education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated, in the following amounts:One year of earned time for receiving an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree; and6 months of earned time for receiving a certificate or other credential.The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate the savings incurred during the prior state fiscal year as a result of the release of inmates from correctional facilities because of earned time granted for completion of a higher education degree or credential, as follows:50% of the savings to the department of corrections to facilitate inmates enrolling in and completing accredited higher education programs; and50% of the savings to the department of higher education for allocation to institutions of higher education that offer accredited programs in correctional facilities.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)Read LessCHALKBEAT COLORADO:Colorado's free preschool application is open. Here's what you need to know.The parent application for Colorado's new free preschool program opened yesterday— a major milestone in the march toward the program's launch next summer. The program, funded in part by a voter-approved nicotine tax, will offer 10 to 15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool to 4-year-olds statewide, with some eligible for 30 hours a week. In addition, some 3-year-olds will be eligible for 10 hours a week early childhood education.Families who fill out the application by Feb. 14, will find out what preschool their child matched with on March 10.State officials expect about 30,000 children to opt into the universal preschool program in its first year. That's about half the number that will be eligible. SO: Who gets free preschool and what age do they have to be?Three groups of children qualify: all 4-year-olds, some 3-year-olds who need extra help, and a small number of 5-year-olds who are too young for kindergarten. The goal is for kids to be more prepared for kindergarten.Some 4-year-olds will get 30 hours of free preschool a week, including those from lower-income families, kids who speak a language besides English at home, are homeless, in foster care, or have disabilities. The new preschool program will also cover 10 hours a week of preschool for 3-year-olds in these same groups. What's involved in the application? Are there income requirements?Many families will need about 15 minutes and not much else. The application is offered in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and parents should be able to complete the application on a cell phone or computer. Families that earn up to 270% of the federal poverty limit — about $81,000 a year for a family of four —will need to upload documents that prove their income.Can I pick my child's preschool?Yes. Families will be asked to pick up to five preschools they'd like their child to attend and will be able to rank their choices. Options include school-based preschools, church-based preschools, preschool programs inside child care centers, and state-licensed home-based preschools. Children will be prioritized for a spot in a preschool if they're already enrolled there, if a sibling is enrolled there, or if a parent works there. When does free preschool start in Colorado?August or September of this fall, depending on the specific preschool. For more information check out upk.colorado.gov or you can also contact the state's help desk at 303-866-5223 Do you have a question you don't see answered here or can't find the answer to elsewhere? Let us know at co.tips@chalkbeat.org and we'll do our best to find an answer. Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.ARIZONA MIRROR: Governor Hobbs wants a scholarship for DREAMERS.More than 3,000 undocumented students in Arizona could see their dreams of a college degree come true under a new scholarship proposed by Gov. Katie Hobbs. Dubbed the Promise for Dreamers Scholarship Program, the $40 million dollar investment is  aimed at supporting undocumented students who've attended an Arizona high school for at least two years. Scholarships from the program help fund four years at one of the state's three public universitiesThe new scholarship program debuted in Hobbs' State of the State speech last week, where she billed it as an extension of Proposition 308 which allows DREAMERS to pay in-state tuition and access state-funded financial help. Reyna Montoya, who was part of the effort to pass Prop. 308 said that even though it improves access to higher education, but it doesn't resolve the inequality undocumented students face at the federal level. To fill out the FAFSA, which determines a student's eligibility for low-income loans and scholarships like the Pell Grant, citizenship is a requirement.If you're a low-income student, typically you have other supports, like the Pell Grant,” Montoya said. If you're a Dreamer, and you're getting ready to graduate from high school, you're not eligible. Even paying in-state tuition is going to be a steep challenge if you're trying to pay for school completely out of your own pocket.“Seeing the same heartache time after time — I get the chills to think that we can have different conversations with our students looking ahead. We don't have to tell them, ‘You're limited to these extremelydifficult pathways if you want to obtain an education,'” she said. Montoya is also hopeful that the scholarship will benefit the state's future by creating a more educated workforce and helping to mitigate labor shortages. Arizona is currently grappling with teacher vacancies and faces a projected nursing shortage by 2030. “This would really help us close a lot of the workforce gaps that we have in the state,” she said, adding: “It's in our benefit to see education as an investment rather than an expense.” Potential future benefits are a significant argument in favor of the scholarship, said Tyler Montague, chairman of the Yes on 308 campaign. “It's a big payback. Everybody that we get through college — as compared to just high school — makes $650,000 to $1 million more over their lifetime, and they're putting that money back into the economy. And they pay, on average, $380,000 more over their lifetime in taxes, which is a massive financial return,” he said, citing national studies.Also important to consider are the social returns that college grads provide, Montague added.  People who earn a college degree are less likely to incur social costs, and are more involved in their communities. Montague hopes that the Republican-majority legislature gives the scholarship fund a fair shot, and keeps in mind the support that voters gave Prop. 308 as an indicator for the consensus around aiding undocumented youth in the state. “I would hope that the legislature takes their cue from (308) and acts accordingly,” he said. The proposition passed with a narrow 51% majority, but the approval across party lines was widespread, with as many as 27% of Republicans and 54% of Independents voting yes. Still, while Arizona voters agreed to level the playing field in university tuition rates, some Republican leaders in the legislature are balking at opening up access to state-funded scholarships. “Gov. KATIE HOBBS in her State of State stated that she would like to invest $40 million to help pay for illegal immigrants to attend college in Arizona,” tweeted House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci. “What about LEGAL citizens of Arizona or any other state?” Hobbs' budget proposal also includes an equivalent $40 million increase to the state's existing Arizona Promise Program, which she estimated on Monday could benefit as many as 10,000 more students. Last year, 4,000 students benefited. While the underlying legislation of Prop. 308 found bipartisan support, and was proposed by a Republican state senator, Hobbs' initiative may face an uphill battle in a statehouse with a more conservative bent to it. Enacting it through legislative channels isn't her only option; she could resort to issuing an executive order or negotiate with the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's universities. It's unclear, however, what path the governor's office will take; they did not respond to questions about what strategies it might consider to create the new scholarship fund.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:Billy Strings has 3 sold out shows February 2, 3, and 4 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield.  At just 30 years old, Billy Strings is one of the most celebrated bluegrass musicians in America. He is known as an electric performer, keeping the improvisational tradition of bluegrass alive while incorporating a diverse variety of other genres into his music as well. Tickets and tour info at BillyStrings.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Chalkbeat Colorado, Indian Country Times and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Colorado Gov Jared Polis delivers State of the State address to legislators | First bills filed in Colorado General Assembly | Interview w Democratic State Rep Matt Martinez, sponsor of a bill that would reduce prison sentences for nonviolent inmates who earn accredited degrees while incarcerated | Free Universal Pre-K application opens in Colorado | Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs calls for $40 Million DREAMER scholarship fundWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: DENVER (AP) — In yesterday's state of the state speech to lawmakers, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis laid out his vision to tackle the state's sky-high housing prices - including proposals to roll back building regulations, open public land to affordable housing development, and support innovations such as pre-built units.Polis, a Democrat re-elected in November, also touched on efforts to combat climate change, lower the state income tax, measures to reduce crime, and expanded education funding.Polis, the first openly gay governor in the U.S., starts his second term after a shooting at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub in November left five dead and has renewed calls by Democrats to enact stricter gun regulations.Looking down from the gallery were Richard Fierro and Thomas James, two patrons who tackled the shooter inside the club, as Polis read the names of those killed, asked for a moment of silence and nodded towards concerns around “spiraling hate speech.”Polis addressed gun violence but largely skirted Democrat proposals that included raising the minimum age to buy guns and potentially banning assault weapons.Polis told reporters after his address. “We are happy to discuss other ideas about how we can improve gun safety in Colorado and honor our Second Amendment rights," Polis lauded government intervention on housing, citing a ballot measure that Coloradans passed in November that dedicates an estimated $300 million annually to affordable housing. Polis said he also plans to “aggressively” free up parcels of state-owned land for low-income units.Polis gave his speech — which referenced everything from electric vehicle tax credits to "The Lord of the Rings” character Gandalf the Grey — after securing almost 60% of the vote in a state where Independent voters are one-third of the electorate. Polis's appeal has stirred rumors of a future presidential run.“Our state might be shaped like a square but the political pundits can't put us in a box,” Polis said. “We are a state that just this year voted to once again cut income taxes, while legalizing magic mushrooms.”Jesse Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado legislature's first bills Soon after the Colorado General Assembly convened for the 2023 legislative session on Monday, members introduced the first bills of the year, offering a hint of Democratic priorities. Democrats enjoy large majorities in both legislative chambers.House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Democrat from Dillon, said “This session, we'll pass legislation to protect our water and air, invest in our schools, improve public safety, and make our state more affordable. Our first five bills are just the beginning, and we're excited to get to work building a Colorado where everyone can thrive,” In the House, the first five bills center on education investments, health care costs, mental health, language accessibility and water efficiency.House Bill 23-1001 would expand the eligibility for financial assistance and loan forgiveness for educators to address the state's teacher shortage. It is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Cathy Kipp of Fort Collins and Barbara McLachlan of Durango and Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada.House Bill 23-1002 would create an EpiPen affordability program for people who do not have health insurance. It would cap the cost of a two-pack of EpiPens, often used to treat severe allergic reactions, at $60. It is sponsored by Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, and Sen. Dylan Roberts, an Avon Democrat.House Bill 23-1003 would form a mental health assessment program for Colorado youth in order to identify student mental health concerns and direct them to resources. It would be available in public schools for students in sixth through 12th grades. It is sponsored by Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, an Aurora Democrat, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat.In the Senate, the first five bills introduced involve housing, health care costs, education and workforce development for mental health and forestry professionals. Three of them have bipartisan sponsorship.Senate Bill 23-1 would provide $13 million to the Public-Private Partnership Office to encourage affordable workforce housing on state-owned land. The bill is sponsored by Roberts, Zenzinger, Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat, and Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat.Senate Bill 23-2 would direct the state to seek federal authorization for Medicaid reimbursement for community health worker services. Community health care workers serve as a liaison between providers and community members and can often have a personal experience with a health condition and a cultural background they share with the community they serve. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by McCluskie, Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Federal Heights Democrat, Sen. Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican, and Rep. Mary Bradfield, a Colorado Springs Republican.Senate Bill 23-3 would create the Colorado Adult High School Program for adults to earn a high school diploma at no cost and enter the workforce. The program would include transportation support and child care. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Janet Buckner, an Aurora Democrat, Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, and Rep. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat.Two bills focus on the workforce shortage in our schools and in our forests. SB-4 would authorize schools to hire mental health professionals who are not licensed by the state Department of Education but hold a Colorado license for their profession. It is sponsored by Sen. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, and Michaelson Jenet.SB-5 involves wildfire mitigation and forestry professionals. It would direct the Colorado State Forest Service to create educational materials on the industry and create a new forestry program at Colorado Mountain College, among other provisions. REP MATT MARTINEZ INTERVIEWHB23-1037Department Of Corrections Earned Time For College Program CompletionConcerning awarding earned time to nonviolent offenders who complete an accredited higher education program.SESSION: 2023 Regular SessionSUBJECT: Crimes, Corrections, & EnforcementBILL SUMMARYUnder existing law, an inmate in the custody of the department of corrections (department) may have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for meeting certain statutory requirements. The bill permits an inmate sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense to have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for each accredited degree or other credential awarded by an accredited institution of higher education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated, in the following amounts:One year of earned time for receiving an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree; and6 months of earned time for receiving a certificate or other credential.The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate the savings incurred during the prior state fiscal year as a result of the release of inmates from correctional facilities because of earned time granted for completion of a higher education degree or credential, as follows:50% of the savings to the department of corrections to facilitate inmates enrolling in and completing accredited higher education programs; and50% of the savings to the department of higher education for allocation to institutions of higher education that offer accredited programs in correctional facilities.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)Read LessCHALKBEAT COLORADO:Colorado's free preschool application is open. Here's what you need to know.The parent application for Colorado's new free preschool program opened yesterday— a major milestone in the march toward the program's launch next summer. The program, funded in part by a voter-approved nicotine tax, will offer 10 to 15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool to 4-year-olds statewide, with some eligible for 30 hours a week. In addition, some 3-year-olds will be eligible for 10 hours a week early childhood education.Families who fill out the application by Feb. 14, will find out what preschool their child matched with on March 10.State officials expect about 30,000 children to opt into the universal preschool program in its first year. That's about half the number that will be eligible. SO: Who gets free preschool and what age do they have to be?Three groups of children qualify: all 4-year-olds, some 3-year-olds who need extra help, and a small number of 5-year-olds who are too young for kindergarten. The goal is for kids to be more prepared for kindergarten.Some 4-year-olds will get 30 hours of free preschool a week, including those from lower-income families, kids who speak a language besides English at home, are homeless, in foster care, or have disabilities. The new preschool program will also cover 10 hours a week of preschool for 3-year-olds in these same groups. What's involved in the application? Are there income requirements?Many families will need about 15 minutes and not much else. The application is offered in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and parents should be able to complete the application on a cell phone or computer. Families that earn up to 270% of the federal poverty limit — about $81,000 a year for a family of four —will need to upload documents that prove their income.Can I pick my child's preschool?Yes. Families will be asked to pick up to five preschools they'd like their child to attend and will be able to rank their choices. Options include school-based preschools, church-based preschools, preschool programs inside child care centers, and state-licensed home-based preschools. Children will be prioritized for a spot in a preschool if they're already enrolled there, if a sibling is enrolled there, or if a parent works there. When does free preschool start in Colorado?August or September of this fall, depending on the specific preschool. For more information check out upk.colorado.gov or you can also contact the state's help desk at 303-866-5223 Do you have a question you don't see answered here or can't find the answer to elsewhere? Let us know at co.tips@chalkbeat.org and we'll do our best to find an answer. Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.ARIZONA MIRROR: Governor Hobbs wants a scholarship for DREAMERS.More than 3,000 undocumented students in Arizona could see their dreams of a college degree come true under a new scholarship proposed by Gov. Katie Hobbs. Dubbed the Promise for Dreamers Scholarship Program, the $40 million dollar investment is  aimed at supporting undocumented students who've attended an Arizona high school for at least two years. Scholarships from the program help fund four years at one of the state's three public universitiesThe new scholarship program debuted in Hobbs' State of the State speech last week, where she billed it as an extension of Proposition 308 which allows DREAMERS to pay in-state tuition and access state-funded financial help. Reyna Montoya, who was part of the effort to pass Prop. 308 said that even though it improves access to higher education, but it doesn't resolve the inequality undocumented students face at the federal level. To fill out the FAFSA, which determines a student's eligibility for low-income loans and scholarships like the Pell Grant, citizenship is a requirement.If you're a low-income student, typically you have other supports, like the Pell Grant,” Montoya said. If you're a Dreamer, and you're getting ready to graduate from high school, you're not eligible. Even paying in-state tuition is going to be a steep challenge if you're trying to pay for school completely out of your own pocket.“Seeing the same heartache time after time — I get the chills to think that we can have different conversations with our students looking ahead. We don't have to tell them, ‘You're limited to these extremelydifficult pathways if you want to obtain an education,'” she said. Montoya is also hopeful that the scholarship will benefit the state's future by creating a more educated workforce and helping to mitigate labor shortages. Arizona is currently grappling with teacher vacancies and faces a projected nursing shortage by 2030. “This would really help us close a lot of the workforce gaps that we have in the state,” she said, adding: “It's in our benefit to see education as an investment rather than an expense.” Potential future benefits are a significant argument in favor of the scholarship, said Tyler Montague, chairman of the Yes on 308 campaign. “It's a big payback. Everybody that we get through college — as compared to just high school — makes $650,000 to $1 million more over their lifetime, and they're putting that money back into the economy. And they pay, on average, $380,000 more over their lifetime in taxes, which is a massive financial return,” he said, citing national studies.Also important to consider are the social returns that college grads provide, Montague added.  People who earn a college degree are less likely to incur social costs, and are more involved in their communities. Montague hopes that the Republican-majority legislature gives the scholarship fund a fair shot, and keeps in mind the support that voters gave Prop. 308 as an indicator for the consensus around aiding undocumented youth in the state. “I would hope that the legislature takes their cue from (308) and acts accordingly,” he said. The proposition passed with a narrow 51% majority, but the approval across party lines was widespread, with as many as 27% of Republicans and 54% of Independents voting yes. Still, while Arizona voters agreed to level the playing field in university tuition rates, some Republican leaders in the legislature are balking at opening up access to state-funded scholarships. “Gov. KATIE HOBBS in her State of State stated that she would like to invest $40 million to help pay for illegal immigrants to attend college in Arizona,” tweeted House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci. “What about LEGAL citizens of Arizona or any other state?” Hobbs' budget proposal also includes an equivalent $40 million increase to the state's existing Arizona Promise Program, which she estimated on Monday could benefit as many as 10,000 more students. Last year, 4,000 students benefited. While the underlying legislation of Prop. 308 found bipartisan support, and was proposed by a Republican state senator, Hobbs' initiative may face an uphill battle in a statehouse with a more conservative bent to it. Enacting it through legislative channels isn't her only option; she could resort to issuing an executive order or negotiate with the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's universities. It's unclear, however, what path the governor's office will take; they did not respond to questions about what strategies it might consider to create the new scholarship fund.CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:Billy Strings has 3 sold out shows February 2, 3, and 4 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield.  At just 30 years old, Billy Strings is one of the most celebrated bluegrass musicians in America. He is known as an electric performer, keeping the improvisational tradition of bluegrass alive while incorporating a diverse variety of other genres into his music as well. Tickets and tour info at BillyStrings.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from the Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Chalkbeat Colorado, Indian Country Times and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Yehiel Kalish is a former Illinois House of Representatives member and currently serves as the CEO of Hatzalah, the largest volunteer ambulance service in the United States. Kalish is the only rabbi to serve in the Illinois state legislature. He is a chazzan at Shaarei Tzedek Mishkan Yair in Chicago, and the brother of Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a member of the Colorado House of Representatives. A member of Agudas Yisroel of America's board of trustees, he established an Aguda office in the Chicago area and served as the AIOI Midwest Regional Director before ultimately becoming the organization's vice president for development and state relations. He was also the CEO of S4 Group, a lobbying and business consulting firm.  Yechiel's ongoing involvement in communal affairs has earned him the admiration of the broader Jewish community. _______________________________________________________ This episode is brought to you by Touro University! To learn more about how you can excel at Touro University, Visit Touro.edu/more _______________________________________________________ This episode is also brought to you by Bridge Credit Solutions! If you're looking for a reputable credit repair company that can clean your credit within 6-60 days or your money back, Bridge Credit Solutions is your choice.  Serious Inquiries Only https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=12126602991&text=Hi,%20Im%20interested%20in%20more%20information.%20Saw%20on%20MM%20 _______________________________________________________ Take advantage of the FREE trial with Chayenu by heading to Chayenu.org/trial _______________________________________________________ Subscribe to our Podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2WALuE2 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/MPPGooglePodcasts Or wherever Podcasts are available! Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/meaningfulpeoplepodcast Like us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MPPonFB Follow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/MeaningfuPplPod Editor: Sruly Saftlas Podcast created by: Meaningful Minute For more info and upcoming news check out: https://MeaningfulPeoplePodcast.com #jew #jewish #podcast #frum #rabbi #frumpodcast #meaningfulpeople #torah #mitzvah #hashem #jewishmusic #jewishpodcast #israel #kumzitz #nachigordon #jewishpod

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up. It’s Thursday April 8th, and even though there’s a lot of turmoil right now we’re feeling lucky to start the day with you.   Today - Coloradans 16 or older are now eligible to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. So, what’s the best way to get an appointment?   But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:   Today, we take you back to April 8th, 1852 - the birthdate of Charles Boettcher. Boettcher was born in Germany and came to the U.S. 17 years later. He and his brother eventually opened a hardware store in Greeley, and soon expanded, opening more stores around the state. Then, with the silver boom he began investing in mines, banking and other industries. Eventually, he even helped found the Great Western Sugar Company and managed the Denver Tramway Company. Today the name endures through the Boettcher MAnsion in Jefferson County and the Boettcher Concert Hall.   Now, our feature story.   Every person in Colorado who is age 16 or older is now eligible to get vaccinated against coronavirus. But looking for an appointment can be chaotic and overwhelming. Reporter John Ingold shares with Lucy Haggard some tips on how people can find a time to get a shot.   To read more about coronavirus vaccinations and get resources on how to find an appointment, go to coloradosun.com.    And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:   A new bill in the statehouse aims to give every Coloradan age 18 and younger a free mental health screening and up to three free visits with a therapist. House Bill 1258 would put $9 million toward the services, and to develop an online portal for scheduling them. The proposal combines ideas from Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Gov. Jared Polis’ office in an effort to help youth process the chaos of the past year.   When the coronavirus pandemic hit Colorado, mountain towns braced for the worst. But a new survey of sales tax reports from 20 resort communities found spending was down just three percent from 2019 to 2020. Some places saw worse outcomes than others, but none were as dire as projections from April 2020. Early reports from the current ski season indicate spending has tracked with pre-COVID seasons, despite capacity limits and a lack of events.   Colorado’s unemployment rate is back down to 6.6%, from its peak of 12.1% in April 2020. Yet as hundreds of thousands still look for work, many are struggling with the state-run job board. Connecting Colorado is run by the department of labor as part of a federal requirement to support people on unemployment. The board had more than 70,000 positions listed on Wednesday. But many workers find the board often duplicates positions, or doesn’t include high-profile hiring sprees from companies like Amazon. The board’s jobs are vetted through DirectEmployers Association, a nonprofit that manually posts each position.   For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow for a special holiday episode. Now, a quick message from our editor.   The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.   Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dafna Michaelson Jenet is a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives. She represents House District 30, which covers a portion of Adams County, including parts of Commerce City, Aurora, Brighton, Henderson, Bennett, Keensburg, Strasburg, and Thornton. She was elected to her seat in 2016, unseating Republican incumbent JoAnn Windholz. She published her first book, It Took a Little Crazy to Make a Difference, in 2015. She published her second book, Peanut's Legacy, in 2017. What is Dafna's goal in life? (3:08) Dafna believes that no matter what you look like, sound like, or how much money or education you have, you have the power to solve problems within your community and that ultimately the best problem solvers are your fellow community members.  Dafna struggled with writing her book called It Takes A Little Crazy To Make A Difference. She had many health concerns during that time, so it took her about four years to finish the book. The title came to her suddenly when she was driving to a speaking engagement.  It takes a little crazy to make a difference was something she had said in a Sunday morning CBS interview, and she thinks the book had to happen as naturally as the title had, and that is why it took so long.  The book covers Dafna's journey through all 50 states over 52 weeks of a year. This journey happened because Dafna felt she needed to interview every governor and ask them what they are doing to engage their citizens in solving community problems.  Dafna states that she writes because it is how she copes, and she shares because other people suffer too. Soon after finishing her trip through all the states, Dafna's doctor found a lump in her breast, and she underwent bilateral mastectomies at 37 years old; and was engaged and stressed about how her soon to be husband would react to her not having breasts.  She decided to write a book about that journey as well, and people would make contact with Dafna and tell their own stories to her, and together, they formed an informal healing community just by sharing. After facing more and more hardship, Dafna decided to keep writing and sharing her experiences with others who might also need the advice or feeling of not being alone in their situation.  What made Dafna decide to move into the public space in the form of running for State Representative? (10:45) When Dafna was 14, she had promised herself that she would never complain about a problem unless she were willing to work on the solution. For most of her life, that has meant that she worked in the non-profit area, and she enjoyed it immensely.  She has spent more than 20 years in the non-profit arena, and she has three beautiful children. Her one child Aaton struggled a lot throughout his life. He struggled because he did not fit in school, and Dafna had fought for a long time to get him an appropriate individualized education plan. She had failed. No matter how many meetings she had and had the privilege and access, she could not get the right appointment with the right people even though she knew the right people. Dafna considered suing the school district because he could not go to public school, so legally, she could have a lawsuit that would have them pay for his school.  She could not stomach it because she knew how many schools were already struggling, especially in Colorado. They have trouble funding their schools because they have old tax laws, and so she realized the way to solve this problem was by being on the other side of the table and being the decision-maker.  She figured as the decision-maker, she could save others from going through what her son went through and create laws that put into place the necessary frameworks so that people would not get lost in the cracks like her son did.  What trend does Dafna see in their future cast of politics? (17:05) Dafna says that Washington state style politics did not trickle down to the Colorado state legislature. Dafna has a lot of bills that she co-sponsored with the republican parties. Dafna is primarily a democrat but cosponsors with republicans.  She has a lot of legislature, and she works explicitly towards figuring out how they can create shared values. Dafna's values come from her Jewish upbringing, where they have a saying that says these things are essential; their work, their service to the community, and their acts of kindness. Dafna's whole law-making platform revolves around these three things from her religious upbringing; she figured if she learned with people who practice differently from herself, maybe she could learn some of the values from other sides.  During her first day of the legislature, Jim Wilson invited everyone to Tuesday bible study, and Dafna figured since it was open to her that they would be studying the old testament. They were examining Timothy at the bible study, and it was something Dafna had not learned before.  She thought it was a good exercise as theft was debating values, and they would talk about different values from different segments. So Dafna believes that political views are becoming more open-minded as people become more willing to experience everyone's culture and religions.  The Journey Institute The mission of the Journey Institute is to lift the voices of those who might otherwise not be heard. To tell the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help their community. Dafna's Books It Takes a Little Crazy to Make a Difference Peanut's Legacy: A Story of Joy, Heartbreak and Healing Resources Connect with Dafna: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram Website: dafnaforcolorado.com The Journey Institute: Website Bill Ellis bill@brandingpillars.com bill@brandingforresults.com +1 314-807-0923 www.brandingpillars.com www.brandingforresults.com Connect with Bill on LinkedIn Connect with Bill on Facebook Bill's Instagram: @wcellis See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet represents the area where Elijah McClain died in police custody. She's received more than 83,000 emails about the case from around the world. Then, 9News reporter Jeremy Jojola wins an award for his series on hate groups. And, a Colorado family with six children who have schizophrenia is the subject of a new book.

State Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet represents the area where Elijah McClain died in police custody. She’s received more than 83,000 emails about the case from around the world. Then, 9News reporter Jeremy Jojola wins an award for his series on hate groups. And, a Colorado family with six children who have schizophrenia is the subject of a new book.

In this episode we talk with Colorado House of Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet about being driven to solve problems and finding meaning in working for a cause.

Author and Colorado State Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet on learning how to accept and grow from the grief of miscarriage. Her book, "Peanut's Legacy," releases this week. This interview was recorded live at Setting the Stage, a women's concert and networking event in Denver. Coach Christy Belz follows with strategies for recovering from grief and loss and reclaiming creativity and purpose. Julie Geller's song, "Here I Am," which is excerpted in this episode, was filmed at a concert at Swallow Hill in Denver. Click here to see The Julie Geller Band in performance. 

This episode is the audio version of our video-based show. You can find the full video episode on YouTube. In this episode:Leslie NanceCreator of go2kitchens.comhttp://www.go2kitchens.com/Leslie Nance is the creator of go2kitchens.com, a resource offering recipes and support for people who want to live the anti-cancer lifestyle.Dafna Michaelson JenetColorado State Representativehttp://dafnaforcolorado.com/Dafna Michaelson Jenet, is a State Representative for the Colorado House of Representatives and she’s here to share a little motivation to inspire you to find and use your voice to make an impact. Shari MittecoThe Diet Terminatorhttp://www.dietterminator.comShari Mitteco, aka the Diet Terminator, is here to talk with us about the psychology of overeating and how we can change our patterns to have the body and life we want. www.thewomenofdenver.com

In episode #122 of You Leading You, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, founder, president and journeywoman for the 50 in 52 Journey, where she met and interviewed changemakers from all 50 states discusses personal leadership and community values. A great discussion on how we handle leadership and accountability with a dynamic woman who believes to make a difference you need […] The post YLY 122: Bringing The Distress Table Into The Light With Dafna Michaelson Jenet appeared first on You Leading You .

Dafna Michaelson Jenet speaks with us about the importance of community, the value of being yourself in this world, and the relevance of focusing on solutions vs. problems. Dafna shares what she learned in her journey to visit 50 states in 52 weeks and how she, as a single mom, battled her own inner critic and the aggression of strangers and the loss of close friends while pursuing her dreams.   Dafna interviewed over 500 people across the US and discovered first hand why it really does take a little crazy to make a difference! Making decisions, looking at problems, and creating community requires us to do something outside of the norm – often in spite of what others say. Ready to step into your own business or take yours to the next level? Learn how to grow by understanding ‘What’s in it for me’ and taking it to ‘What’s in it for we’. Finally, Dafna shares the important role Jerry Springer (yes, you read that right) played in her life from a young age. Show Notes:1:30 – It takes a little crazy to make a difference4:32 – 50 states in 52 days journey6:05 – Don’t complain about a problem unless working on a solution7:45 – Doing something out of the norm to make change in this world10:20 – Unexpected aggressive backlash and how she handled it and why losing friends along the way happens15:09 – Creating a healthy community as an entrepreneur at home. Finding. Identifying and Creating your community18:45 – How do you want people to talk about you? Finding, identifying and creating your community20:20 – What’s in it for me and What’s in it for we. Turning what’s in it for me to a business25:15 – The surprising role Jerry Springer played in Dafna’s life About Dafna Michaelson JenetFounder and Journeywoman behind the 50 in 52 Journey in which she traveled to all 50 United States and Washington D.C within the 52 weeks of one year to find, highlight, and elevate ordinary people doing extraordinary things, solving problems and building community.As an Author, Speaker, TEDx speaker and TEDxCrestmoorpark Curator, Dafna continues the work she began with the 50in52 Journey to inspire others to action. She does not simply speak to her audiences, she elevates, empowers, and engages them through storytelling, motivational recounting of her nationwide journey, and inspires them to action so that they too can be empowered to make changes in their communities, their workplaces, their families, and their lives.Dafna has been interviewed by the late Maya Angelou and has been featured by CBS Sunday Morning, the Denver Post, NPR and CNN.com.  Her book “It takes a little crazy to make a difference” won the 2015 International Book Award in the Social Change category. She has traveled around the world to empower people of all ages into action.www.JourneyInstitute.org Visit www.FreshTrackswithKellyRobbins.com and download Our 3-Part Video Series Tracks to Cash and receive more information like this!

Do you need to feel good about people and life again?  If so, this episode is for you!  I interviewed Dafna Michaelson Jenet co-founder, president and JourneyWoman for the 50 in 52 Journey.  The purpose of her Journey was simple: visit all 50 states in the USA in a year and interview the heroes that […] Related posts: Podcast Episode 7 – Changing the World One Meal at a Time with Jayne McAllister Podcast Episode 20 – Running a Business that Reaches the World While Being a Stay-At-Home-Mom with Sarah Spear NTW 26 – Turning Your Passions Into a Business