Podcast appearances and mentions of mandy connell

Renowned Denver talk radio host Mandy Connell joins us for a thought-provoking journey through the intricate world of political perceptions and familial stories. With Mandy's seasoned political insight, we dissect how figures like Donald Trump have molded public opinion and policy over the years. Amidst our serious discourse, we share personal anecdotes that lighten the mood, including the unforgettable saga of our childhood cat's infamous gerbil meal and the timeless wisdom of engaging with aging parents through the art of storytelling.   Our conversation takes a critical look at national security, intelligence reforms, and the essential need for government accountability. We tackle controversial proposals, such as overhauling the FBI's leadership and the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission aimed at addressing deep state misdeeds. By examining the challenges of misinformation during election cycles, we underscore the pressing demand for fiscal reform and transparency in governance, drawing inspiration from modern business icons like Elon Musk and Warren Buffett to visualize a future of transparent and responsible leadership.   Exploring the nuances of media manipulation and political accountability, we question the integrity of campaign advertising and the resilience of American democracy post-January 6th. We discuss shifts within the Democratic Party, the contentious topic of benefits for undocumented immigrants, and the ramifications of government leaks on public perception. Wrapping up with a candid look at media bias, we emphasize the vital need for inclusivity and honesty in journalism to mend the cultural and political divides that challenge our nation. Join us as we navigate these complex issues, with the hope of fostering a more transparent and equitable political landscape.   CHAPTERS    (00:00) - Trump's Plan to Dismantle Deep State (11:24) - Reforming National Security and Intelligence (18:09) - Media Manipulation and Political Accountability (21:45) - Government Spending and Debt Crisis (26:57) - Government Bureaucracy Reform and Accountability (38:05) - Urgent Need for Congressional Term Limits (47:13) - Media Bias and Hope for America (51:44) - Podcast Promotion and Call to Action  

This week Michelle shares her interview from earlier this month on the Mandy Connell Show! And it's all about strength training. Michelle has had the privilege of being on Mandy's show close to 50 times over the last five years, and this is her favorite conversation they've ever had. You can listen to Mandy's appearance on episode 31, Healthy Habits, from all the way back in April 2022 here.And, catch episode 53, From Insecure to Inspiring: Anthony Rodriguez and His Weight Loss Journey, with her incredible executive producer, AROD, here.Huge shout out to AROD and the team for facilitating this feed drop!Learn more about MAKE Wellness: makewellness.comRegister here to join my Virtual Peptide Party!https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAscuCqrjkpHNzkSBid0kGl3Rx2zkTEAxiTConnect with Mandy:koacolorado.iheart.com/featured/mandy-connell/about/FB: Mandy ConnellIG: @themandyconnellCatch Mandy Connell Show weekdays on KOA 850 AM, 94.1 FM in Denver and on iHeartRadioConnect with Michelle:betterbeings.netIG: @betterbeingsusYouTube: Michelle Zellner - Be A Better Being Podcast playlist

With Dan once again buried in depositions, Heidi Ganahl fills in along with Ryan to recap the second night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, with KOA's Mandy Connell joining with a live report from Chicago.

From halfway around the world, Dan takes a break from his 30th anniversary vacation in Switzerland and joins the show for a victory lap on his correct prediction (from over a year ago) that Joe Biden would not finish the 2024 race as the Democrat nominee for President.Also, introducing the debut of Heidi Ganahl as guest host - as well as a visit from another familiar voice, KOA's Mandy Connell. 

Tune in here to this Friday's segment of The Brett Winterble Show with Mandy Connell! We're joined by Mandy Connell from KOA to discuss the upcoming Cruise and Tour trip down the Danube! This Christmas trip is going to be a coalition of like minded listeners from KOA and WBT full of gourmet meals, spectacular places lit by Christmas lights, and great memories. Connell and Brett kick the segment off talking about how well the listeners of each respective station will gel together as they are all like minded people. Connell shares stories of previous trips where listeners who went say that they made life long friends on the trip.  They also discuss the Folds of Honor group that is going on the trip. Connell who is married to a veteran who suffered from significant battle injuries shares the joy she feels being on the trip alongside true American patriots. To reserve your spot on this all-inclusive trip down the Danube or for more information call (800)383-3131 Listen here for all you need to know about this cruise down the Danube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this Friday edition of the Brett Winterble Show!   Brett kicks off the program with Pete Kaliner for this week's Friday Hangover segment, they talk about today being Good Friday, and the politically correct way to refer to elderly people.  Brett shares a clip of Karine Jean-Pierre discussing the "surge" of crime under Trump's administration and how well the Biden administration has done cutting down on crime statistics. This may come as a surprise to anyone able to see but not to worry it's true, just ask KJP.  Bo Thompson from Good Morning BT is also here for this Friday's episode of Crossing the Streams. Brett and Bo talk about how fast the news cycle switches from topic to topic, rarely covering an event through to the end, and March Madness. Bo also shares what he and Beth have coming up on Good Morning BT next week!  We're also joined by Mandy Connell from KOA to discuss their upcoming Cruise and Tour down the Danube!  Listen here for all of this and more on The Brett Winterble Show!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The penultimate program - Peter Boyles joins us in studio to reflect and talk about the radio industry. Our friend Mandy Connell calls in. We wrap the hour with friend Frank DeAngelis, the former principal at Columbine. Thank you, friends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan and Ryan disagree on Nikki Haley's debate performance, but agree Dana Perino was a disaster along with the other Fox Business Network moderators in the 2nd GOP Presidential debate. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) appears on Mandy Connell's radio show over on sister station KOA, and reveals new insights on his views regarding the Biden impeachment inquiry.

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.

Callers were apparently just getting started on Tuesday reacting to Mandy Connell's departure from the Republican party in Colorado, as more react on Wednesday in both support and opposition to her decision. What is the path forward to victory in Colorado and nationwide in the GOP?

Citing a recent KDVR Fox 31 story which revealed a study showing Denver ranking as the worst city to raise a family, Dan ponders whether he and his wife Aimee would leave Colorado if their kids were toddlers instead of in their twenties. Mandy Connell, 850 KOA host, joins Dan to detail why she defected from the Republican party after Dave Williams won election as the state's GOP chair.

Michael Harrison interviews KOA, Denver talk show host Mandy Connell about women in radio as well as techno/social change.

Mandy Connell is currently living the dream as the Noon to 3pm host on KOA radio and the owner of the Ladies Chit Chat Club Show podcast. She is a native Floridian who got to Colorado just as fast as she could after radio gigs in Orlando, Gainesville, and Fort Myers/Naples, Florida with a three year stop in Louisville, Kentucky. She is currently #46 on the Talkers Magazine Heavy Hundred Talk Show Hosts and lives with her husband, daughter and Saint Bernard while keeping tabs on her two grown sons and two grandchildren. She has been an avid follower of politics until the 2016 election broke her. Now she follows it begrudgingly.Connect with Mandy:Websites: www.ladieschitchatclub.com; www.koanewsradio.comFacebook: @themandyconnellInstagram: @themandyconnellTwitter: @mandyconnell

The Voices of iHeart Denver is a special holiday edition of the TIFG podcast. You'll hear from the likes of Dave Logan, Big Al, Ross Kaminsky, Mandy Connell, Leland Conway, Ryan Edwards, Benjamin Allbright, Michael Brown, and many more on what brings them joy and happiness in their life. They'll also share some keys to being grateful around the holiday season, and some family traditions that they love.

This week, Michelle sits down with talk radio host and long-time friend, Mandy Connell. They discuss Mandy's health journey, the importance of making healthy habits, and why how you feel and how you move could be more important than how you look.Connect with Mandy:koacolorado.iheart.com/featured/mandy-connell/about/FB: Mandy ConnellIG: @themandyconnellConnect with us:betterbeings.netIG: @be.a.better.beingMichelle: @betterbeingsusSasha: @sasha.patriciaYouTube: Michelle Zellner - Be A Better Being Podcast playlist

After nearly 5 decades in Denver radio where he created amazing impact and enduring a recent "health scare". Peter Boyles, after finishing nearly 9 years at 710 KNUS, as he said, "When it's time, you'll know - and it's time", hosts his final show in the morning drive slot. A real who's who of Denver broadcasting and long time friends and show guest join Peter today to reminisce and celebrate this occasion.   Phil Boyce, Dan Hopkins, David Smith, Mark Pearson, Rick Lewis, Mandy Connell, Dick Wadhams, Ted Trimpa, Lee Larsen, Patty Calhoun, Mike Rosen, Dan Caplis, Joe Williams, Kris Olinger, Don Wrege, Tom Martino, Mike Roberts, Jeff Shrader, Steve Reams, Dave Logan, Darrel Luebbe, Tom Tancredo, Frank DeAngelis, Ken Hamblin, and his producers Casey Bloyer and Bill Thorpe create a 5-hour long celebration of a true nationally renowned broadcast legend. Best wishes and thanks for the memories, Peter! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandy Connell speaks with Cole Lyle, the Executive Director of Mission Roll Call, a veteran focused non-profit that works on suicide prevention while also advocating for policy issues that are important to veterans.

Mandy Connell speaks with Kristen Chenoweth, who is an award winning Broadway, movie and television star. She's starring in the new film National Champions in theaters now. Mandy fangirls all over her, it's embarrassing really.

Mandy Connell is the host of The Mandy Connell Show on iHeartRadio and 850 AM KOA, and she has scratched and clawed her way to get there. Through hard work and making the most of the opportunities presented to her, Mandy has created one of the most popular talk radio shows in the country. While she loves her work, over the years, Mandy has found that what is most important to her is the relationships in her life, and seeing those she cares about succeed and find happiness. To learn more about Mandy, check her out on Instagram and Twitter or go to koacolorado.iheart.com/featured/mandy-connell!

The Official Physicist of the Mandy Connell Show is back! Hakeem Olyuseyi is on to talk about his memoir A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from The Street to the Stars about how he came from a tough background where he moved to a new city every year to a PhD in Physics after graduating from Stanford. They talk about reading, what motivated him to go to college after the Navy and his new math curriculum for kids.

Terry speaks with former radio host Mandy Connell as part of the WHAS 100 series.

Terry speaks with former radio host Mandy Connell as part of the WHAS 100 series.

Mandy talks to John Lott about defensive gun use and why it's underreported. Lott is the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center and the author most recently of “Gun Control Myths.”

Mandy Connell talks to Stacey Swanson, owner of Wealth and Women. Stacey helps women who are not confident in handling their finances get control of their financial life. This isn't about investing or the market, it's about knowing what you have, what to do with it, and how to take control of YOUR money. She's got a great seminar coming up September 11th to help women begin to build wealth and feel confident about their financial power.

Michael Harrison chats with radio broadcasters Mandy Connell of KOA, Denver and Vince Benedetto of Bold Gold Media Group about America's birthday.

Audio excerpt of a radio interview conducted by Mandy Connell on Veteran's Day 2020.   Highlights include a discussion between Jimmy and Mandy with regards to why ‘We the People Must Stand United' and various attacks on the foundation of our country. Take a moment to listen to their conversation and dig deep within yourself to determine … What Do You Stand For ? What is Your Hill to Take ? Do I Care Enough to Take a Stand Now ?   https://koanewsradio.iheart.com/featured/mandy-connell/ https://standinthegapinitiative.com https://protectorculture.com https://ableshepherd.com

Mandy Connell - Owner of Ladies Chit Chat ClubThe Ladies Chit Chat Club is a podcast about the way women see the world.  Mandy Connell and an array of friends like Mouth-ful's Lori Lynn Barker, Susan Witkin, The Dirty Boot Diva's Dahlia Weinstein, The Wine Yogi's Kristal Alfonso, and Someone's Gotta's Aime Karam break down life, pop culture, food, aging, being pretty and more each week.  It's like if you were eavesdropping on your mom and her friends at happy hour!  Visit her website and social media accounts:Websites: https://ladieschitchatclub.com/; https://koanewsradio.iheart.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themandyconnellInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themandyconnell/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/MandyConnell 

Manday Connell - Owner of Ladies Chit Chat ClubThe Ladies Chit Chat Club is a podcast about the way women see the world.  Mandy Connell and an array of friends like Mouth-ful's Lori Lynn Barker, Susan Witkin, The Dirty Boot Diva's Dahlia Weinstein, The Wine Yogi's Kristal Alfonso, and Someone's Gotta's Aime Karam break down life, pop culture, food, aging, being pretty and more each week.  It's like if you were eavesdropping on your mom and her friends at happy hour!  Visit her website and social media accounts:Websites: https://ladieschitchatclub.com/; https://koanewsradio.iheart.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themandyconnellInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themandyconnell/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/MandyConnell

Michael recounts to Ryan his misadventures in pursuing retina surgery, and the COVID-19 that awaits him as an obstacle to that important procedure. Also, an unprecedented merging of shows - Mandy Connell of 850 KOA brings Michael on live, during his show and hers, to bid farewell to his former producer (Angie) who will soon be deploying to the Middle East on a military assignment.

On the first hour of Broncos Country Tonight with Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright, the guys kicked off the show to a real weird start thanks to a question from fellow KOA host Mandy Connell to Ryan. The guys discussed the latest in the MLB saga. Broncos DT McTelvin Agim joined Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright on Broncos Country Tonight to discuss how the virtual OTAs went for him, what position he thinks he’ll fit in this season, if he enjoys playing multiple positions, differences in jumping to the NFL, what has changed for him since draft night, what skillset he brings to the Broncos & more.