The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it processed more than 2 million disability benefits claims for Veterans in fiscal year 2025, faster than ever before.
VA achieved this milestone more than a month faster than the all-time record reached in FY 2024. At this pace, VA will surpass the previous record number of completed disability claims by more than 14% this year. VA has already awarded more than $120 billion in compensation and pension benefits to Veterans and survivors in FY 2025.
Since President Trump took office, VA has reduced the inventory of backlogged disability claims by more than 74,000. Veterans are also getting their claims processed more quickly — the average wait time for a Veteran’s claim to be processed fell from 141.5 days on January 20, 2025, to 131.8 days on June 21, 2025.
“VA has reduced the claims backlog and has processed these claims faster than ever for a simple reason: we’re focused on getting results for Veterans,” VA Secretary Doug Collins. “We are just getting started in our mission to help Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors get the care and benefits they’ve earned.”
VA encourages all Veterans to visit VA.gov to learn more and apply for the care and benefits they deserve.
Presidential message: On this 80th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, our Nation pays tribute to the fearless young warriors who endured unimaginable devastation—and we honor those who valiantly laid down their lives for the sacred causes of freedom, sovereignty, and human dignity.
Colorado Governor
Governor Polis is joining his fellow Western governors for the Western Governors’ Association summer meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico to discuss western policy issues and collaborate on solutions. “During this meeting we are discussing some of the issues that matter most to Coloradans, including housing, education, agriculture and wildfire mitigation – issues we are delivering on for Coloradans.” said Governor Jared Polis.
Denver Mayor
Mayor Johnston’s 2025 goals push to continue making progress on key initiatives like reducing homelessness, driving down housing costs and increasing public safety, while increasing focus on additional priorities like climate resiliency and making Denver the best place in America to raise a family. “Amidst the feeling of chaos and unpredictability in our federal government right now, our message to Denverites is clear: we’re focused on delivering the best services for our residents, and we’re not slowing down,” said Mayor Mike Johnston.”
Three police officers in Kenya are accused of murdering 31-year-old blogger Albert Ojwang. He died while in police custody earlier this month, leading to large protests in the country. Ojwang was originally detained because Kenya Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat accused him of defaming him on social media.
Fans die at Algeria soccer game
Algeria’s health ministry said three people were killed at a soccer game when they fell from the upper stand of a stadium. Others were injured when a security barrier collapsed. Local soccer team MC Alger won the league title at the game. Around 70 people were treated with injuries, and most of them have since been released from hospital care.
Asia
Cockfighters on the run
Officials in the Philippines are searching for 34 men who are accused of fixing cockfighting matches. Authorities are investigating a claim that the men were killed and dumped in a volcanic lake. They have been missing for three years, and six suspects have been charged for kidnapping. One of the suspects claimed the men were strangled to death.
Thai prime minister faces calls to resign
Officials in Thailand are calling for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to resign after a call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen about a border dispute leaked. In the call, Shinawatra calls Sen “uncle” and seemed to dismiss a Thai military commander. She apologized for the leak audio, and a key coalition partner of her party called for her to resign.
Europe
Bride killed at French wedding
Officials in France are investigating the death of a bride who was shot and killed at her wedding night by masked gunmen. One suspected attacker was also killed while the groom and a child were seriously wounded. Two people have been arrested in connection to the incident. It is unknown what the gunmen’s motive was, but reports suggest the incident may have been linked to a drug-related score-settling.
Russian air attack leaves nine dead in Ukraine
Ukraine’s interior minister said nine people were killed during an overnight Russian missile and drone attack in the Kyiv region. Among the buildings that were hit include hospitals, sports stadiums, and residential areas. Russia has recently intensified attacks on Ukraine cities with missiles, drones, and decoys.
Latin America
Brazil tourist remains missing
Officials in Indonesia are searching for 26-year-old Juliana Marins of Brazil. She fell while hiking near the crater of Mount Rinjani, an active volcano. Efforts to find Marins have been difficult because of extreme terrain and foggy weather. Drone footage showed that she appeared to be alive as of Saturday.
El Chapo’s lawyer elected as judge
Silvia Delgado, who served as drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s lawyer, has been elected as a judge in Mexico. The country recently hosted its first-ever judicial elections. Delgado’s election came with controversy as a transparency organization accused her of having links to organized crime. Delgado dismissed the claim, saying she was doing her job by defending El Chapo.
North America
Lake Tahoe incident leaves six dead
At least six people were killed when a boat capsized Lake Tahoe. Officials are still searching for two other people. The incident occurred due to fierce winds, which caused tall waves to rise. Authorities have yet to identify any of the victims. Lake Tahoe is a popular tourist site on the border of California and Nevada.
ICE attempts to enter Dodger Stadium
The Los Angeles Dodgers shared last week that they blocked ICE agents from entering Dodger Stadium. ICE agents requested permission to enter Dodger Stadium’s parking lots, according to a statement from the team. Immigration agents have recently upped raids to find undocumented migrants, particularly in areas like Los Angeles. ICE denied trying to enter the stadium.
There is an old one-liner that goes something like this: What is the secret to a great joke? Timing!’ The punchline, of course, is ruined because there is no pause between the question and the answer. A good joke, in fact, almost everything, depends on timing. And the confluence of events across the country right now has created almost surreal.
On one side of the country, Los Angeles, ICE, the National Guard and the Marines are enforcing the President’s orders to round up anyone who might appear to be undocumented for questioning, detention or deportation. It appears to be an open-ended engagement.
In Washington, it was a full-scale parade featuring tanks, helicopters, flyovers, a full array of 21st century weaponry and more than 6,000 soldiers. It was all to honor the Army’s 250th anniversary, an anniversary that weirdly, coincidentally fell on the president’s 79th birthday.
Though a military parade has long been thought the propagandists’ tool—North Korea, Russia and China have them regularly—this time around, a near unanimous congressional Republican party has swooned over this celebration despite an estimated price tag of $43 million. But critics see things differently, labeling it a dangerous lean into authoritarianism.
It may be too soon to affix the authoritarianism label on the president’s wishes, said University of Denver political scientist, Phil Chen. But, he said, it is also difficult to absolutely rule it out. “When we think about authoritarianism, we think unchecked executive power.” The DU academic said that in some ways the inference could be made about this period in time. Not only is the parade a symbol of the drift, said Chen, but the move also is reflected by the administration’s continued efforts to ignore judicial rulings.
A week ago in Los Angeles, a several block section of the city was rocked by violence following a series of ICE raids on local businesses suspected of employing undocumented immigrants. Among targeted businesses were a garment factory and car wash.
While local authorities responded to the violence, levels of which have been handled before, the president, in a nearly unprecedented way, ordered both the National Guard and Marines to occupy the embattled area. While calling in the National Guard is ordinarily the province of the state governor in times of crisis, including natural disasters, Trump exercised a statute not used in sixty years to call in both the Guard and Marines. California Governor Gavin Newsome immediately filed a lawsuit against the president saying the action was “unlawful, unconstitutional and undemocratic.”
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, along with 19 state attorneys general, joined in the brief.
The president does have the authority to call in the National Guard and military, but only in a time of invasion to repel an adversarial force. “There is no invasion to repel, no rebellion to suppress” and state and local law enforcement is fully able to handle the situation, say the attorneys general.
Weiser, also now a Democratic candidate for Colorado governor, said Trump’s actions are illegal. The president, he said, “can’t just make up an emergency out of thin air.” Trump’s decision to mobilize the Guard and Marines, Weiser said, “violates our laws and Constitution and undermines the liberties we hold dear as Americans.”
While the situation in Los Angeles has seen sporadic outbursts of violence resulting in the arrest of protestors and a city mandated 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew, police, sheriffs and Highway Patrol personnel, without a need to call on federal troops, seemed to be in control. At the same time, ICE continued making arrests. In one television news video, ICE agents were seen chasing a single farmworker across a strawberry field.
While news video of clashes between protestors and authorities, arrests at garment factories and car washes—and, of course, the ICE farm field chase—played out, it was a news conference last Thursday that captured the news cycle.
California Senator Alex Padilla crashed Homeland Security Kristy Noem’s news conference to ask a question. Before he could ask, he was rushed by Noem’s security team and forcibly removed from the event. Once outside the doors, he was pushed to the floor and handcuffed.
While Noem defended the action, saying Padilla had “lunged” toward her and failed to identify himself, the video dispelled her characterization. Padilla, who is also the son of immigrants, did identify himself as a United States Senator.
The past weekend also reflected a very dark and erratic mood of the nation. In Minnesota, one state legislator—along with her husband—was fatally shot and another legislator was seriously wounded.
Meanwhile in Washington, the president finally got his long-desired wish for a parade, something he has wanted since viewing France’s Bastille Day parade during his first term. “We’re going to celebrate our country for a change,” Trump said.
At the same time, his ordering of the Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to quell protests and round up as many undocumented immigrants as possible, is in line with his campaign promise of ‘mass deportations.’
But in more than 2,000 cities and towns across the country, including Denver, it was a celebration of the First Amendment and free speech.
Photo courtesy: Geoff Lucas
“No Kings” rallies, celebrations of our constitutional right to protest and, at the same time, take dead aim at this president’s stated desire to scrub the country of the people who’ve come to this country to do the jobs Americans are unwilling to do.
The ‘summer of ’25,’ will be remembered in different ways by the left and right, said DU’s Chen. The right will celebrate with a parade, detentions and deportations. The left, said Chen, will focus their energy on November 2026.
“What it is left with are elections,” he said. If, as the left sees things, the first two years of the second Trump presidency have seen untenable drifts toward perceived autocracy, they can vote Republicans out. If successful, he said, they can work to bolster the courts to ensure or, at least, attempt to return their rightful authority.
For too many Pueblo youngsters, if there is a dinner bell, it’s ringing for someone else and somewhere else. Twenty-first century economics, in Pueblo and across the country, often mean that the signal for an early morning or noon time meal rings silent.
But this summer in Pueblo’s School District 60, there is the clang of a lunchtime bell for any young person who wants or needs breakfast or lunch. In fact, a year-round free breakfast or lunch has been available for Pueblo’s school kids for the past two decades.
The now established program in Pueblo aimed at feeding kids from low-income families—or anyone under 18 who wants a bite—began on June 11 and will continue through the end of July. The only rules for grabbing a bite, said D-60’s Dana Elkins Greene, are that the meal has to be consumed on site and that those stopping in for a meal must present a valid ID.
Times for breakfast at most sites are 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Lunches will be served from noon to 12:15 p.m. For exact times and locations visit the District 60 website at https://d60online.pueblod60.org/school-meals.
Locations for the morning and lunchtime meals are scattered across the city and set mostly in elementary schools but not exclusively. Pueblo East High School and three of the city’s Boys & Girls Clubs also have morning and noontime meals. The Patrick A. Lucero Library, a long-time eastside location for the program, is not included in this summer’s effort because of long scheduled renovations. Belmont’s Heaton Middle School will only be providing breakfast.
“Our goal,” said Elkins Greene, “is to feed kids.” While there are detractors to any program offering ‘free stuff,’ the nutrition expert scoffs at such an idea. “There is an actual need,” she said, punctuating her words with a firm timber. Any young person coming in for breakfast or lunch, she said, is fed. “We don’t ask, it doesn’t matter to us.” The nutrition specialist, who speaks fluent ‘no nonsense,’ says it may be the summer break, “but hunger doesn’t go on vacation…our goal is to feed kids, no matter what.” Social standing, she said, is not part of the criteria.
Breakfast, said Elkins Greene, is usually a whole grain muffin and a piece of fruit, an apple or orange. Lunches are a sandwich, vegetable and milk. Menus, which are posted on the district website, she said, conform to government nutrition guidelines.
Food for the long running program is as fresh as possible and paid for with district funds. None of the food, said Elkins Greene, is the near-expiring food often donated by grocery stores to food shelters.
Retired District Chief Judge Dennis Maes, now a member of the District 60 School Board, says the summer meal program is essential. “In order for children to learn and be in a good environment, it’s important for them to get a daily meal.” Maes also touts the city’s program for its efforts to procure food supplies locally. “Our food service groups,” he said, “do a great job all year round. They’ve been a blessing.”
The Denver Nuggets have decided to part ways with assistant manager Tommy Balcetis. Many thought Balcetis would be named interim GM when Calvin Booth was fired; however, Ben Tenzer was selected over Balcetis leading the Nuggets to not renew his contract.
Balcetis has been with the Nuggets since 2013, but it appears that the organization has decided to move on from the old front office and establishing a new managing foundation. Tenzer is expected to remain in the role of GM through next season but it’s unclear if the Nuggets will be filling the assistant GM spot.
Colorado Avalanche Cale Makar was named the winner of his second James Norris Trophy last week. Makar became the sixth player to win multiple Norris trophies before the age of 27.
Makar had a record-breaking season with 30 goals, 62 assists scoring 92 points for the season. Makar has been a finalist for the Norris trophy five of his six NHL seasons.
The Colorado Rockies won their 15th game on Monday beating the Washington Nationals 6-4 on the road wining their second straight game on the road after defeating the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Sunday in Atlanta. The Rockies previous win came last Thursday at home against the San Francisco Giants after losing games one and two to avoid the sweep.
The Colorado Rockies are now 15-57, 28.5 games behind the division leading L.A. Dodgers and 7 games behind the second to last place Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Denver Broncos are just a little over a month before they return to Dove Valley for training camp.
The Colorado Rapids will face the L.A. Galaxy next Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30 in L.A.
The City and County of Denver announced it has joined other cities in suing the Trump Administration over the freezing of federal funds intended to protect cities from large-scale security threats like nuclear or terrorist attacks.
In Denver, this funding has previously been used to conduct security sweeps and monitor critical infrastructure for everything from President Biden’s visit to Denver in Nov. 2023 to a rally held by President Trump in Aurora in Oct. 2024 to concerts at Red Rocks, sports games, and parades.
Equipment funded through the program, Securing the Cities, is used in routine daily operations by Denver Police, Denver Fire, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, and Colorado State Patrol. The Trump Administration has not provided reasoning for why the funding was paused.
“National security is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American one, and losing this funding makes America less safe,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “You wouldn’t think we would need to go to federal court to explain why it’s important to protect citizens from terrorism, but here we are.”
Denver has paused all new expenditures except paying staff since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the freeze on May 14. This means the city has been forced to cancel critical training for operational partners and that it cannot repair broken equipment used to detect nuclear or radiological materials. It also means a mobile-security unit designed to monitor events for risks to public safety is sitting in storage instead of being used in the field.
Securing the Cities was first established in 2007 in response to the terror attacks of 9/11. The latest expansion of the program, of which Denver was a part, was passed into law by Congress and signed by President Trump himself in 2018.
Denver is one of thirteen cities and counties that Homeland Security deems to be at an elevated risk of sustaining terror attacks. This designation is because Denver is home to a high volume of special events which draw large crowds, a concentration of federal and military facilities, and because it is a major transportation hub with several interstates. Additionally, Denver International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, adds to the region’s exposure due to its heavy air traffic and passenger volume.
Denver and other cities are suing the Trump Administration on the grounds that the President is again overstepping his authority in freezing funds appropriated by Congress. This is Denver’s third lawsuit against the Trump Administration. Recently, the city was granted a perliminary injunction in a case involving threats to revoke hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation funding if Denver did not comply with the administration’s stance on DEI and immigration enforcement.
Mazda has been quietly perfecting their luxurious high-performance SUV that offers a 3.3-liter turbo-charged inline-six, eight speed automatic with 340 horsepower and 369 pounds of torque. This vehicle accelerates with ease and has no trouble moving through traffic in the passing lane.
The interior comes with leather-trimmed seats with suede inlays in the doors and dash. The interior also includes heated front seats and 2nd-row heating. The second row includes window shades as well as a panoramic sunroof.
The interior entertainment system offers a 12.3” color center display powering a Bose AM/FM/HD radio with 12 speakers offering great sound throughout the vehicle.
While the price may seem a little steep at $58,000 for the top trim, but it remains more affordable than its competitors, the Acura MDX and the Lexus RX 350.
The Mazda CX-90 S Premium Plus is the perfect vehicle for Colorado families who are looking for a high-performance luxury SUV without having to pay the luxury price.
David Conde, Senior Consultant for International Programs
There appears to be a lot of consternation about the Jewish treatment by some in America given the Hamas episode and the ongoing Israeli sweep in Gaza. Some of the reaction against Jews is being amplified by the Trump administration and some is very genuine and speaks to the safety of that community especially on college campuses.
Harvard University in particular has been punished by President Trump for what the administration call antisemitism on campus. As a consequence, billions of federal dollars have been taken away from its research agenda.
I have my doubts about the Trump administration’s Jewish partisanship on the matter since the President went on record during his first term in some way defending the Neo-Nazi, Neo-Fascists, Klansman, Neo-Confederates and far-right militias that attacked Jews in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 11-12, 2017.
It seems that the reason for the government leaders defending Jews this time has more to do with the fact that the demonstrations have more of a pro-Palestinian slant.
It is true that the Palestinians have lived 78 years of bitter discontent and failure. Their stateless condition makes them the intruders and villains in the Holy Land as well as the wards of their brethren that are the Arab communities and nations nearby.
My question is can Israel and the Jewish community be both perpetrators and victims at the same time? The question comes because there are elements in Israel’s behavior that tends toward committing violence and dispossessing others in the same way that it was done to them.
The Jewish community in the United States has been portrayed as victims of discrimination because they are Jews. This historical fact is also supported by documentation regarding other parts of the world including the rise to genocidal inhumanity under the Nazi regime in Germany.
Jewish victimization continued after its independence as the Palestinians and surrounding Arab states tried several times to eliminate it from the map.
With the help, especially of the United States and other European States, Israel has won every one of those confrontations. Peace through strength has worked and will continue to be the case as long as Israel is recognized by its neighbors as an important Middle Eastern power.
However, the 21st Century has seen Israel move to take Palestinian territory for its own. It has incrementally built Jewish settlements in West bank lands belonging to others and enforced the takeover through violence.
Also, while the Gazans deserve to reap destruction for following Hamas, there is something more sinister that appears to be going on. Instead of just taking the strip, occupying it and establishing law and order, the Israelis seem content to use Gaza as a shooting gallery.
This is exactly what happened to the Jewish Warsaw Ghetto toward the end of World War II. Thinking the Russians were coming and freedom was at hand, the Jewish ghetto militants rose up in arms and began to fight.
Although the Russian Army was nearby, their political leadership decided not to send in the troops. It was convenient for them to have the Germans destroy the Ghetto for a variety of reason.
Like Gaza today, it was a carnival of death that reduced a community to a pile of bodies. That is what I am beginning to see.
So, the question is, if the State of Israel is a perpetrator, can the Jews elsewhere claim victimhood? Is there a difference between Israel and the Jewish homeland and its people around the world?
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
Workforce-focused English instruction is now available at no cost to both Colorado employers and job seekers.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) announced today the renewal of the Virtual Career-Aligned English as a Second Language (VCESL) program, a statewide initiative that connects Colorado businesses and job seekers with career-focused, virtual English instruction for employers and job seekers. VCESL’s goal is to upskill workers and build new talent pipelines for Colorado employers. The initiative helps English learners thrive in the workforce while supporting employers in hiring and retaining a more diverse, multilingual team.
VCESL initially launched in Colorado during the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year within CDLE’s Office of New Americans (ONA). The renewal of the VCESL program will be a collaborative effort between CDLE’s Employment & Training division, the Colorado Workforce Development Council and EnGen. EnGen’s platform provides on-demand, workforce-aligned English language instruction. Delivered virtually, the program reaches Coloradans statewide, removing barriers to language learning and career growth. The program is available to employers in order to offer English courses to their staff, as well as to job seekers who can enroll in courses through their local workforce center.
The VCESL program provides:
No-cost access to EnGen’s English, on-demand, virtual upskilling platform with comprehensive enrollment support.
Access to more than 170 career-aligned English courses.
1:1 support from multilingual coaches and live online classes and workshops.
Virtual, career-focused English classes tailored to in-demand industries and occupations.
“CDLE’s VCESL program directly invests in the workforce by providing English language learners with career-aligned language proficiency,” said Stephanie Mufic, Associate Director of Strategic Engagement at CDLE. “This initiative isn’t just about language; it’s about unlocking untapped potential, boosting productivity, improving retention and strengthening the state’s competitive edge in today’s evolving economy. This program offers a proven solution to upskill teams and build a more robust, integrated workforce.”
In Colorado, one in eight workers is an immigrant or refugee, of which 42% are English language learners (ELL). Nearly 25,000 of these workers hold in-demand degrees and credentials but face unemployment and underemployment due to language barriers, exacerbating staffing shortages in essential sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, green energy and more.
ONA saw great success when it facilitated the VCESL program during the 2023-2024 fiscal year. During that time, ONA connected more than 4,000 Coloradans with career-aligned English courses. A survey of 250 of those Coloradans showed the following results:
95% reported improved confidence in speaking and writing English on the job and beyond.
86% achieved a real-world goal, like a pay raise or promotion after completing their VCESL training.
88% reported improvements in their digital literacy, a skill required for more than nine in 10 jobs in the U.S.
“The program helped me polish my English vocabulary in the field of medicine, which gave me the confidence to interview for a new job as a medical assistant,” said Genesis, a physician from Venezuela who took VCESL courses through EnGen to restart her medical career in Colorado. “I’m now back to work in the healthcare field, which is an important first step in my career journey here.”
“English learners are a very important part of the overall operations of our business. We wanted to provide a way to increase English comprehension in a user-friendly format that fits into the busy schedules of our team,” said Alison Torres, the HR Business Partner of Leiters Health. “Thanks to the VCESL program, many of our employees have increased their English comprehension in a matter of months. Communication has greatly improved across our organization.”
