Governor Jared Polis vetoed a bill for the second time that would have eliminated Colorado's unique requirement for unions to win a second election with 75% support before negotiating worker fees.

Governor Jared Polis vetoed four bills from the 2026 legislative session, including measures that would have cut funding for youth programs, imposed strict social media warrant deadlines, and taxed in-game purchases.

Extreme drought expanded across roughly a third of southeast Colorado and exceptional drought continued to grip the central mountains

Vice President JD Vance told 931 newly commissioned Air Force Academy officers in Colorado Springs that humans, not machines, must make decisions about life and death as artificial intelligence transforms warfare.

Colorado's lieutenant governor warns that federal Medicaid cuts will strip health coverage from 130,000 state residents and burden hospitals with billions in unpaid care costs.

Private equity consultant Evan Munsing drops out of Colorado's 8th District Democratic primary, leaving state Representative Manny Rutinel and former Representative Shannon Bird as the final two candidates.

Federal regulators pause the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, requesting more details about competitive impacts and public interest concerns by late July.

Medicaid cuts are forcing mental health facilities to close nationwide and threatening to leave more people with addiction and psychiatric crises without coverage or care options.

The Trump administration fired over 200 immigration judges without explanation while hiring new "deportation judges" to accelerate removal cases across the country.

The U.S. Postal Service proposes requiring states to submit voter lists before mailing ballots under Trump's executive order restricting mail voting.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration's nearly $1.8 billion fund created to compensate individuals who claim past administrations wronged them.

Two U.S. senators unveiled bipartisan legislation this week to establish national rules for compensating college athletes and reining in costs across college sports.

Senate Democrats ask the Congressional Budget Office to provide independent cost estimates for the Iran war to ensure accurate public accounting of military spending.

The American Federation of Teachers proposes limiting artificial intelligence and screen time in elementary schools to protect critical thinking skills and student well-being.

Tony Lee Stewart, a Cheyenne Wells native who became a skilled welder, stock dog trainer, and competitive dart player, died May 10 at age 71.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife opens Nee Noshe Reservoir near Eads to emergency fishing starting June 1 as drought threatens to dry out the fishery entirely.

Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries in Kiowa County.

Photo of the week from the May 29, 2026, edition of the Kiowa County Press in Eads, Colorado - Desert Cottontail rabbit. - Chris Sorensen.

CDOT and TLM Constructors begin highway and intersection improvements across five southeast Colorado counties on June 1, with work continuing through fall 2026.

Eads faces a warm, dry weekend with highs near 80 Friday and low 82s Saturday before a cold front briefly cools Sunday to around 68.

Nathan Edward Rose, a Kiowa County rancher who later lived independently in La Junta while pursuing music and art, died May 21 at age 70.

Life in Eads and Kiowa County, Colorado, as observed by Doris Lessenden.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife opens Nee Noshe Reservoir near Eads to emergency fishing starting June 1 as drought threatens to dry out the fishery entirely.

Cheyenne Wells enjoys sunny skies and mild temperatures through the weekend before a cold front drops Sunday's high to near 68.

Cheyenne Wells will warm into the low 90s this weekend under mostly sunny skies while nearby showers stay west and south of the county.

Events in southeast Colorado for June 2026.

This year, the Cheyenne County 4-H Council is excited to host the 10th annual Celebrity Pig Show at the Cheyenne County Tumbleweed Fair.

Cheyenne Wells will see a warm Memorial Day with a high near 87, followed by a windy Tuesday in which sustained south winds of 25 to 30 mph.

Lt. Governor Primavera has appointed Deni E. Eiring to the 16th Judicial District Court.

Listen to top audio articles and podcasts from the Kiowa County Press for the week ending May 23, 2026.

California is considering handing oil refineries and other major polluters billions of dollars in free emission allowances.

Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon this week.

A gallon of regular gasoline Monday cost an average of $4.52, according to AAA up from $4.14 a month ago and $3.14 a year ago.

North Dakota and other states are looking for solutions to keep grocery stores in business in rural areas.

Utah election officials removed 27 noncitizens from voter rolls after a yearlong review of more than 2 million registered voters, finding no widespread problem with ineligible voting.

The U.S. Postal Service proposes requiring states to submit voter lists before mailing ballots under Trump's executive order restricting mail voting.

Four Colorado gubernatorial candidates pitched their visions to business leaders in Glendale, with Democrats and Republicans alike emphasizing the need to keep companies from leaving the state.

A federal judge declined to immediately block Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting, saying it was premature to challenge the directive before implementation.

Extreme drought and high winds fueled the Marshall Fire on December 30, 2021, killing two people and destroying over 1,000 homes in Boulder County, making it Colorado's most destructive wildfire.

Colorado's 2020 wildfire season shattered records as the East Troublesome Fire and others burned unprecedented acreage across the state, driven by historic drought and warming temperatures.

Medicaid cuts are forcing mental health facilities to close nationwide and threatening to leave more people with addiction and psychiatric crises without coverage or care options.

Utah became the first state to legalize plug-in solar panels that renters and homeowners can install without expensive rooftop systems, sparking similar legislation across the nation.

Mental-health experts say North Dakota farmers need permanent support systems to address depression, anxiety, and suicide rates driven by financial strain, weather, and isolation.

Extreme drought expanded across roughly a third of southeast Colorado and exceptional drought continued to grip the central mountains

Vermont becomes the first state to ban paraquat, a toxic herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease, after Governor Phil Scott signed the legislation this week.

Nebraska farmers are testing sorghum as a drought-resistant alternative to corn as severe dry conditions persist across the state.

Staff Sergeant Benjamin Pennington, 26, of Fort Carson died in Operation Epic Fury, one of 13 American deaths in Trump's Iran war that has devastated Colorado Springs.

Governor Jared Polis vetoed four bills from the 2026 legislative session, including measures that would have cut funding for youth programs, imposed strict social media warrant deadlines, and taxed in-game purchases.

Utah became the first state to legalize plug-in solar panels that renters and homeowners can install without expensive rooftop systems, sparking similar legislation across the nation.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration's nearly $1.8 billion fund created to compensate individuals who claim past administrations wronged them.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers joins Republican counterparts in suing to block the Trump administration's reclassification of marijuana to a less restricted federal category.

The U.S. Supreme Court approved a settlement ending a 13-year water dispute between Texas, New Mexico and the federal government over Rio Grande irrigation rights.

Utah election officials removed 27 noncitizens from voter rolls after a yearlong review of more than 2 million registered voters, finding no widespread problem with ineligible voting.

The Trump administration fired over 200 immigration judges without explanation while hiring new "deportation judges" to accelerate removal cases across the country.

Solar-powered trains run on the Sun’s energy to operate, via solar panels placed on train stations, on the roofs of trains, or most commonly, from the rail tracks.

Arizona meteorologists warn of record-breaking heat, flooding and wildfires this summer as a powerful El Niño pattern forms in the Pacific Ocean.

Lamar faces near-90 degree temperatures and dry conditions early next week after a brief cool-down Sunday.

Cheyenne Wells enjoys sunny skies and mild temperatures through the weekend before a cold front drops Sunday's high to near 68.

Kansas lost 10,300 low-income children from its food assistance program after federal legislation tightened work requirements and shifted costs to the state.

New Mexico is tripling its loan repayment program for physicians to up to $300,000 to combat a shortage of more than 5,000 health care professionals statewide.

Oklahoma higher education officials approved new policies Friday allowing universities to propose three-year bachelor's degree programs with as few as 90 credit hours for state review.

Federal regulators pause the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, requesting more details about competitive impacts and public interest concerns by late July.

New Mexico is tripling its loan repayment program for physicians to up to $300,000 to combat a shortage of more than 5,000 health care professionals statewide.

Oregon kindergarteners entered school this year at record low vaccination rates, with only 85.6% up to date on required shots as nonmedical exemptions climb steeply.

Governor Spencer Cox issued an executive order Friday requiring state agencies to prioritize protecting the Great Salt Lake and water quality when evaluating data center projects, responding to public opposition to a massive proposed facility in northern Utah.

Oklahoma higher education officials approved new policies Friday allowing universities to propose three-year bachelor's degree programs with as few as 90 credit hours for state review.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife opens Nee Noshe Reservoir near Eads to emergency fishing starting June 1 as drought threatens to dry out the fishery entirely.

The U.S. Forest Service and South Dakota signed a five-year agreement to jointly manage national forest lands through timber harvesting, prescribed burning, thinning, and habitat restoration.

The Trump administration is streamlining environmental reviews for oil projects on Alaska's North Slope federal lands, a move industry says will speed development but environmentalists warn could rubber-stamp drilling without adequate protection of Arctic ecosystems.

Yosemite National Park struggles with overcrowded trails, long lines, and parking chaos after the Park Service eliminated its reservation system.

Those big orange balls don’t help with electricity flow or improve the efficiency of the power lines, but they do have a very important job.

Memorial Day is an apt time to reflect on the long-term consequences of war. Among them are substance use, mental health problems, homelessness and jail time for those who served in the military.

Starting November 4, 2026, all retailers accepting SNAP benefits must stock a wider variety of foods including fresh produce and perishables, a change that could force small stores to close rather than comply.

T. rex was a successful carnivorous species that existed for over a million years.