Bente Birkeland
Bente Birkeland has covered Colorado politics and government since spring of 2006. She loves the variety and challenge of the state capitol beat and talking to people from all walks of life. Bente's work has aired on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered, American PublicMedia's Marketplace, and she was a contributor for WNYC's The Next Big Thing. She has won numerous local and national awards, including best beat reporting from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. Bente grew up in Minnesota and England, and loves skiing, hiking, and is an aspiring cello player. She lives in Lakewood with her husband.
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After 10 people were killed at a grocery store in Boulder, Colo., state Democrats say they're considering joining seven other states and D.C. by banning "assault-style" weapons.
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No governor expects they'll have to lead their state through a global pandemic when they take office, but the last year has thrust them all into the spotlight, including Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado.
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As the GOP split reverberates across the U.S., the head of one Colorado county Republican Party insinuates that COVID-19 is a hoax, calls on militia group for security and faces calls to resign.
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During the coronavirus pandemic, states have struggled with staggering revenue losses and budget shortfalls. Here's what is happening in Colorado.
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The coronavirus is forcing governors to ask how to balance public safety with the financial welfare of their states. We spent the day with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis as the pandemic tested his mettle.
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Governors are questioning how to balance public safety with states' financial welfare during the coronavirus outbreak. We spent the day with Gov. Jared Polis, Democrat from Colorado.
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Several state legislatures have called off their 2020 sessions due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving necessary lawmaking in question.
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The city of Pueblo, Colo. went for Donald Trump in 2016, but a diverse population and an activated base of working-class voters could flip it in 2020.
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Democratic Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the bill this week, allowing guns to be temporarily taken from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.
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This year, two legislative chambers across the country have a majority of women, but in Colorado that's been in the making long before 2018.