Pueblo’s hidden bodies case is why we need to ditch elected coroners
Re: “24 bodies, ‘multiple containers’ of bones and tissue found at coroner’s mortuary,” Aug. 27 news story
The recent Pueblo case raises an old issue. Why is the technical job of determining cause of death relegated to individuals who can be elected with zero technical requirements? And isn’t it in a clear conflict of interest to permit a mortician to become a coroner? Colorado needs to get into the 21st century and establish a Medical Examiner System.
Patrick Ahlstrom, Arvada
Editor’s Note: Ahlstrom is a retired police chief from Broomfield and Arvada and was the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
Trump goes after Fed board member with a similar conviction to his
Re: ” Federal Reserve: Trump fires governor over fraud allegations,” Aug. 26 news story
Trump is trying to fire a Federal Reserve board member for alleged mortgage fraud? He was convicted himself and his businesses for multiple felony counts of falsifying business records! Typical Trump, rules and laws only apply to others.
Jim Aldridge, Golden
The One Big Beautiful Bill will help Coloradans
The One Big Beautiful Bill (H.R. 1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, delivers meaningful relief for families, workers, and retirees across Colorado. While debate over national politics often dominates the headlines, it’s worth looking closely at what this bill actually does.
First, the law makes permanent the 2017 individual tax rate reductions, sparing Colorado households from a steep tax hike that was set to arrive in 2026. It also expands the federal State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 per household, indexed to inflation. For many Colorado homeowners, that means thousands of dollars in additional deductions at tax time.
For workers, the bill creates new targeted relief. Tipped employees may deduct up to $25,000 in tip income through 2028, and hourly workers can claim a new deduction on overtime pay, up to $12,500 for individuals or $25,000 for couples. These changes put more money back in the pockets of service-sector employees and hardworking families.
Seniors also benefit. The bill provides a new temporary deduction of $6,000 for individuals and $12,000 for couples below certain income thresholds, helping many retirees shield Social Security and other income from taxation. Families will see the Child Tax Credit increased to $2,200 per child, with future adjustments tied to inflation.
In addition, the bill encourages savings through new “Trump Accounts” for children born between 2025–2028, seeding $1,000 at birth with the option for families and employers to contribute more.
Taken together, these provisions provide real, measurable benefits for Coloradans at every stage of life.
Kelly Hegarty, La Plata County, Durango
Bravo for standing up to RFK Jr.
Re: “RFK Jr. needs to know the cost of his lies and misinformation,” Aug. 24 commentary
The recent article on RFK Jr. by D. Scott Schmid was so intelligent and so well researched and written! This article should be sent to every member of Congress and especially to those who voted to confirm RFK Jr.
The amount of damage this man has caused will take decades to recover from!
Carol F. Berry, Aurora
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