Jared Polis

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old U.S. citizen jailed in Russia for more than four years on charges of fighting for Ukraine, has been released, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed during talks with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Hubbard, the last American formally designated wrongfully detained in Russia, was in poor health and expected to be flown to Texas for treatment. President Trump said he personally secured the release in a direct call with Putin, describing it as unconditional with no prisoner swap involved. The release came days after Trump eased sanctions on Russia, a move that drew bipartisan congressional backlash, with some states, including Colorado, publicly reaffirming solidarity with Ukraine.

Hubbard, a retired teacher and military veteran, was captured in Ukraine in 2022 and sentenced in 2024. His release follows those of Robert Gilman, Marc Fogel, Evan Gershkovich, and Paul Whelan. Roughly 10 Americans remain detained in Russia.

Colorado's Medicaid spending has jumped roughly 15%, more than $2 billion, from 2023 to 2025 even as enrollment fell by over half a million people, according to a Common Sense Institute analysis. The state Medicaid department's share of Colorado's operating budget has grown from 27% in 2013 to a projected 41% in 2027. The analysis attributes much of the increase to 182 health-care bills enacted since 2019, adding an estimated $858 million annually in costs, including expanded in-home care services, pharmacy copay coverage, and a health program for immigrants in the country illegally that has grown from 3,600 to 30,000 enrollees.

The spending growth follows separate scrutiny of Colorado's Medicaid oversight: a Gazette investigation uncovered alleged overbilling by homeless service providers in Aurora, prompting a state probe and the suspension of a home-health agency, while a federal HHS inspector general audit found Colorado failed to meet requirements for some personal care service payments, triggering an $8 million repayment demand.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has opened applications for a new "Governor for a Day" contest aimed at seventh and eighth graders across the state. The winning student will join Polis at the State Capitol to shadow the governor's daily responsibilities, including sitting in on meetings and observing how Colorado's government functions.

To enter, students must complete an application form and submit a video explaining why they want to serve as governor for a day. Applications open Aug. 31 and close Sept. 7, with the winner set to be announced by the Governor's Office on Sept. 14. Polis framed the initiative as a way to engage young Coloradans in civic life and give a student firsthand exposure to state leadership.