• Snowmass in Colorado is nearing the completion of its $1 billion Base Village.
• Once its final complex opens in late 2027, there won't be land left in Base Village to develop.
• Wealthy Americans are buying the building's few remaining condos for millions of dollars.

Three decades ago, Snowmass Village was known mainly for its mountain. It was a quiet town where serious skiers searched for powder in the winter, and mountain bikers flew down trails in the summer.

Now, Snowmass has a different reputation. It's still luring skiers, mountain bikers, and nature lovers, but it's also attracting those with large pocketbooks.

That's because the town has added a $1 billion development at the bottom of its mountain called Snowmass Base Village.

It's home to luxury hotels, fine dining, shopping, and multimillion-dollar residential complexes.

As Base Village nears the finish line of construction, only a few luxury condominiums remain, and after those are sold, there won't be land left in Base Village to develop.

A $1 billion development nears completion

On and off for the past two decades, Snowmass has been developing and building its Snowmass Base Village.

The area sits down the road from Snowmass Mall, a two-story complex built in the 1960s. With a few restaurants, cafés, and stores, this was a limited area for tourists.

In an attempt to make Snowmass a popular destination, Aspen Skiing Company bought 11 acres down the road from the mall and planned to develop Snowmass Base Village. The hope was that the town would become a place where wealthy visitors could vacation, dine, shop, and explore Snowmass Mountain.

"To keep Snowmass relevant in the world of ski resorts, this was needed," Andy Gunion, a managing partner at the development firm East West Partners, told Business Insider.

Plans for Base Village were approved in 2004 after a contentious vote. Construction started and stalled during the recession. In late 2016, East West Partners acquired the base with KSL Capital Partners and Aspen Skiing Company.

Nearly a decade later, East West Partners is finishing its final residential structure: the Stratos, a two-building, 89-unit luxury complex.

Beyond this final project, Base Village includes nine other residential buildings with amenities like heated pools, fitness rooms, housekeeping, ski valets, and 24-hour concierge. The complexes also have ski-in, ski-out access — a prime perk in a ski town.

In addition to the residences, there's a community center, hotel, restaurants, an ice rink, a medical clinic, and a children's area.

Gunion said potential buyers were initially skeptical about whether Base Village would be successful after years of stalled construction. The first 14 condo units sold by East West Partners went for low prices.

"Our profit margins on these were not great because we just needed to start," Gunion said. "The people who bought early got great deals."

Gunion said interest picked up as time went on, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Selling units hasn't been a challenge in recent years.

For example, the Cirque Building, which was completed in 2024 and is part of the Viceroy Hotel, sold out of most of its privately owned units within the first two weeks of being released for $2,700 a square foot.

Meanwhile, the first Stratos building won't be finished until early 2027, and the second is set for late 2027. Though the opening is two years away, the buildings have nearly sold out. Sales launched at the end of January, and only 21 units of the 89-unit complex remain.

Originally, the Stratos units started at $2.85 million. The cheapest option is no longer available; today, units range from $2.95 million to $30 million.

There isn't a cookie-cutter buyer

Gunion told BI that buyers come from across the country and the world.

Florida is the No. 1 market, but Gunion said that's by a slim margin. Others come from Texas, California, Chicago, and New York. He added that international interest is also increasing, especially with Brazilian buyers.

Most of these people are second homeowners or are purchasing condos as investments. While they might vacation in Snowmass, few owners are full-time residents.

Gunion said that was the expectation when designing and building Base Village.

"Here's a neighborhood that's for second homeowners and resort guests, and that's what Base Village is always intended to be," he said.

Once Stratos is complete, Base Village will also be finished, which means there will be limited new construction in the area.

Wealthy buyers interested in Base Village will have to buy condos being relisted at a higher price or expand their search outside the ski hub.

Either way, luxury seems to be the theme when it comes to real estate in Snowmass.

"We've elevated the market with all these residences," Gunion said.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., launched a gubernatorial campaign on Friday, becoming the second Democrat to jump into the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis. 

Phil Weiser, Colorado's Democratic attorney general, has already announced a bid. Weiser has emerged as a high-profile opponent of President Donald Trump's administration, joining with other state attorneys general to file lawsuits over a series of policies and executive orders.

But Bennet, a former Denver Public Schools superintendent, immediately becomes the defacto front-runner in blue-leaning Colorado's gubernatorial contest.

"From expanding the Child Tax Credit to securing $7B for Colorado’s infrastructure, we’ve made real progress together," Bennet said on X. "Now, it’s time to keep building a future in Colorado that works for all of us."

DEM SENATOR SAYS PARTY BRAND IS ‘REALLY PROBLEMATIC’ AND LED TO THE LOSS OF TRUST OF WORKING-CLASS VOTERS

Bennet has served in the Senate more than 16 years. 

The senator won re-election in 2022, so if elected governor next year, he would vacate his Senate seat before the end of his current six-year term.

RFK JR'S CONFIRMATION HEARING GOES OFF RAILS AMID MULTIPLE CLASHES WITH DEM SENATORS: ‘REPEATEDLY DEBUNKED’

Colorado was once a key general election battleground state, but it hasn't elected a Republican as governor since 2002.

Bennet in 2019 launched a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He ran as a moderate candidate, and his campaign failed to catch fire. After failing to qualify for most of the primary debates, he dropped out of the race.

COLORADO DEMS RAM ABORTION, TRANSGENDER BILLS THROUGH ON LIMITED SUNDAY SESSION DEBATE: ‘UNPRECEDENTED’

His announcement on Friday makes Bennet the latest Senate Democrat planning to move on from Congress at the end of next year.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, and Tina Smith of Minnesota announced earlier this year that they wouldn't seek re-election in the 2026 midterms.

In a statement announcing his launch, Bennett emphasized that "the best solutions to our challenges will not come from Washington’s broken politics. They will come from us.

Bennet was endorsed by fellow Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, a former two-term governor.

"Michael will build on this work to shield Colorado from Trump’s corruption, create economic opportunity for every Coloradan and protect the environment," Sen. Hickenlooper said. "I think Michael has the potential to be a truly great governor- I wholeheartedly endorse his campaign."

Bennet served as Hickenlooper's chief of staff during Hickenlooper's tenure as Denver mayor.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Weiser released a statement following Bennet's news, highlighting his commitment to Colorado and emphasizing the need for keeping the state's experienced leaders in Washington.

"Two years ago, the voters sent Senator Bennet back to DC because we believed he would be there for us no matter what – especially in historically dangerous moments like the one we currently face. Now more than ever, we need experienced Democratic leaders in Washington," Weiser argued.

EXCLUSIVE: Freshman GOP Congressman Gabe Evans revealed during an interview with Fox News Digital how Republicans have fared, and what's next, after 90 days of the new session of Congress have now passed.

"Obviously, the Republican conference has come together three times to do things that all the pundits said weren't going to happen," Evans told Fox News Digital this week. 

"We had a speaker on the first ballot and people said we weren't gonna be able to do that. We passed the reconciliation resolution out of the House. Folks said that that was gonna be a long shot. And we kept the government funded by passing a clean CR. And so three different times we've seen the conference pull together to do things many folks were doubtful that we could get done."

Evans said he believes that success will continue to "breed success."

"I think that is going to lay just some absolutely fantastic foundational groundwork for being able to actually deliver the big things that we need to deliver, particularly around cost of living and affordability," Evans said. 

'FULL COURT PRESS': FRESHMAN GOP LAWMAKER REVEALS BLUEPRINT TO FLIP SCRIPT ON GREEN ENERGY MANDATES

Evans, a former captain in the National Guard and former police officer, was elected to Congress in November, defeating incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. 

Evans told Fox News Digital he has been very "excited" over the past three months to work on issues he campaigned on, including securing the border, ending the "scourge of fentanyl" and working to lower crime rates. 

"It's been really, really rewarding to be able to do things like pass the the Halt Fentanyl Act out of the U.S. House, introduce my bill, the Uplift Act, unhandcuffing police to locate and interdict foreign transgressors so that we can empower state and local law enforcements and sanctuary states like Colorado to work with their federal counterparts to get violent criminals and cartel members who are illegally present in the country and committing other crimes out of the community. For me that's been the flavor of the first three months."

TRUMP SAYS HE'LL 'TAKE A LOOK' AT EXEMPTING SOME LARGER US COMPANIES HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY TARIFFS

Evans, who has introduced six bills since becoming a member of Congress, said he is looking forward to continuing moving legislation forward, including the bipartisan Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act and the Uplift Act. 

Over the next few months, Evans told Fox News Digital that his constituents in Colorado want Congress to focus on issues like cost of living. 

"We actually just did a town hall earlier this week. We had over 8,500 people dial in and stay on the line for that town hall and we did some just unofficial polling with all of the people who were on the line and the number one issue, no surprise, that came up was cost of living," Evans said. "So being able to deliver relief in that cost of Living space by being able to work on cutting through just some of the absolute punitive red tape that's out there that particularly impacts my district around things like energy production, like agricultural production, like air quality permitting."

Evans told Fox News Digital that Republicans will also continue to address crime and illegal immigration, which he says the president has already made important strides on. 

"In the crime space, what we're really seeing now is a push-pull between the priorities of the new administration and Congress and blue sanctuary cities and states like Colorado and like Denver," Evans explained. "So here's the fact, Denver's homicide rate in 2024 was double San Francisco's homicide rates. Colorado is number one in the nation again, three of the last five years running, for our auto theft rate. We're number two in the nation for teenagers overdosing and dying on fentanyl. We're the third most dangerous state in the country and so that fixing that problem requires a partnership between the federal state and local government."

"Under the new administration in this Congress, the federal government has suddenly gotten back to business and is doing their part. The border is secured. Border crossings are at historic lows and we have federal law enforcement agencies. who are going out into communities like mine and getting violent criminals and gangs and drug traffickers out of the community."

Former U.S. gymnast and founder of the women's activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics Jennifer Sey participated in a debate with pro-transgender activist Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance, over the topic of trans athletes in women's sports on Wednesday. 

The debate was sponsored by the Steamboat Institute and took place at the University of Colorado, Boulder's Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization. 

Based on pre- and post-debate data collected from the audience, Sey's stance on opposing trans athletes in women's sports appeared to be the winning argument.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The pre-debate poll found that 85% of attendees disagreed with allowing trans athletes in women's sports, while 9% did agree with it, and 6% were undecided. In the post-debate poll, the percentage of those who disagreed with trans inclusion jumped to 90%, while those who agreed with it dropped to 6%, and the undecided dropped to 3%. 

Sey's case, which she repeated throughout the debate, was "based on reality." 

Early on, Sey insisted that she did not want to use the term "biological woman" in the debate.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

"I won't use biological woman because it insists there is another type of woman. There is not. There is just a woman," Sey said. "There's been bullying in the culture around the language we can not use… I try to use terms that reflect biological reality."

Sey also cited multiple statistics throughout the night, relating to natural physical qualities that often give males physical advantages over females, and a United Nations study finding that nearly 900 biological females have fallen short of victories because they have been defeated by transgender athletes.

The study, "Violence against women and girls in sports," found more than 600 athletes did not medal in more than 400 competitions in 29 different sports, totaling over 890 medals, according to information obtained up to March 30.

Sey's argument was also based on the belief that sports, especially at a high level, are not meant to be "inclusive" to any particular group, and that sports are fundamentally supposed to be "exclusive" for the sake of competitiveness. 

Meanwhile, Bolling's argument against Sey was based on the premise of advancing transgender rights as a whole. 

During the debate, Bolling admitted that supporting trans inclusion in women's sports, at the moment, was not a "popular" stance. He then compared the issue of trans inclusion to past civil rights movements, including women's right to vote, racial segregation and even "ending slavery," claiming that advocating for those issues was also not popular in the past. 

"Civil rights is not a popularity contest," Bolling said. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

A Republican lawmaker has warned that Democrats in Colorado’s state legislature could face the ire of the Trump administration if a series of controversial bills passed Sunday — including one labeling parental misgendering during custody battles as "coercive control" — are signed into law.

"It really does feel like we're poking the bear," state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

Colorado enacted legislation to expand health care access to illegal immigrants this year, "as well as housing and food and education for illegal immigrants, which is in direct violation of some of the orders that have come from President Trump," according to Caldwell.

"And then the transgender issue, we're pushing this further than we ever have before on children in the state of Colorado, and that directly goes in violation of what President Trump is looking at."

COLORADO DEMS RAM ABORTION, TRANSGENDER BILLS THROUGH ON LIMITED SUNDAY SESSION DEBATE: 'UNPRECEDENTED'

As such, Caldwell said "it's a very real possibility" that some of the state's programs could be at risk of losing federal funding, adding the Centennial State will "pay the consequences for it, and Democrats will be responsible."

"Health is a big one with Medicaid, a big portion of that is federal funds, and then education as well," Caldwell said. "And so we are passing bills, especially on the illegal immigrant issue, that directly involve these issues. And so I think that's going to be something that's on President Trump's radar."

The Colorado Democratic House majority barreled through four controversial gender and abortion bills on Sunday — which one Republican lawmaker described as a day for "family and prayer," curtailing floor debate in an "unprecedented" floor procedural tactic.

The bills that were passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services; HB25-1309, mandating insurers cover transgender procedures regardless of age; HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity or "deadnames" them; and SB25-129, which prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services.

TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT 'EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY': JUDGE

State House Majority Democratic Leader Monica Duran told Fox News Digital previously that the four bills were debated on the floor for more than 12 hours last week. Duran also invoked a procedural rule that limited debate to two hours last Friday.

But Caldwell said under 24 hours is nothing compared to the Democrat majority's 12 months they spent on several of the bills.

"They had an entire year to coordinate testimony, and we had less than 24 hours," Caldwell said. "And then when it went to the final vote, we're each supposed to get 10 minutes for debate, and they completely cut off any and all debate."

The Republican minority also failed to get any of their amendments passed. For HB 1309, which would mandate insurers cover the cost of transgender procedures regardless of age, Republicans introduced an amendment to exclude minors from it.

"Because some of the coverage is genital surgical procedures, it's hormone therapy, it's facial reconstruction, and then breast reductions and chest augmentation," Caldwell said. "And so now your health care plan, even if you disagree with this, you're going to be paying a higher premium most likely to cover the cost, in my opinion, to genitally mutilate children."

SB25-183 and SB25-129 are headed to the governor's desk for signature, while the other House bills now go to the Senate for consideration.

TRUMP DOJ, EDUCATION DEPT FORM TASK FORCE TO PROTECT FEMALE ATHLETES FROM 'GENDER IDEOLOGY' IN SCHOOLS, SPORTS

It's not unlikely that Trump could target Colorado Democrats. 

Earlier this year, Trump signed several executive orders aimed at eliminating "radical gender ideology," and he’s already moved to slash some federal funds in Maine after Gov. Janet Mills refused to enforce Trump's ban on biological males competing in women's sports. Mills lobbed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday over the frozen funds.

In January, Trump signed the "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" executive order, which defines two sexes: male and female. The order prohibits "chemical and surgical mutilation" of minors to include puberty blockers, hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and sex-change surgeries. It also bars institutions receiving federal grants from providing such services and allows healthcare providers to refuse services based on gender identity.

Trump also signed an executive order requiring military personnel to serve according to their biological sex.

The Colorado Democratic House majority pushed through a slate of controversial gender and abortion bills on Sunday, curtailing floor debate in what Republican lawmakers called an "unprecedented" tactic.

"It should alarm every American that Colorado's Majority used a Sunday — a day typically reserved for family and prayer — to force through four of the most extreme bills of the session," Republican House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese told Fox News Digital on Monday.

Pugliese said while "weekend work" is a "tactic the majority uses to punish the minority," it was especially "unprecedented" this time because of the highly controversial nature of the bills.

CONCERNED PARENTS OF TRANS KIDS COMPARED TO 'HATE GROUPS' BY COLORADO DEM: WOULDN'T 'ASK THE KKK' FOR OPINION

"There was no filibuster, no delay — just a determined effort to shut down discussion on legislation that directly affects parental rights, public safety, and the use of taxpayer dollars," she said.

The bills that were passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services; HB25-1309, mandating insurers cover transgender procedures regardless of age; HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity; and SB25-129, which prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services.

According to state House Majority Democrat Leader Monica Duran, the four bills were debated on the floor for more than 12 hours last week.

TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT 'EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY': JUDGE

"The minority offered dozens of amendments in that time," Duran told Fox News Digital. "Ultimately, Coloradans elected significant Democratic majorities with clear mandates, and with only 120 days in session, we will use every day we need to do the people's work."

"Yesterday that included passing legislation to implement voter-approved Amendment 79, which protects abortion rights and passed with nearly 62% of the vote last November."

Other Democrats in the legislature, who authored the passage of the bills, see them as a way to shield the Centennial State from the Trump administration's policies.

TRUMP DOJ, EDUCATION DEPT FORM TASK FORCE TO PROTECT FEMALE ATHLETES FROM 'GENDER IDEOLOGY' IN SCHOOLS, SPORTS

"It’s time to fight back against out-of-state interference and Trump administration threats to restrict abortion and health care for LGBTQ+ Coloradans," Democratic state Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB25-129, said in a statement.

Democrat Rep. Lorena Garcia, sponsor of SB5-183, also said, "Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle abortion access or restrict funding altogether, Coloradans believe it’s your constitutional right to access the reproductive health care you need."

"This bill will expand access to life-saving reproductive health care, including abortion," Garcia said in a statement.

The bills now head to the Democratic-dominated state Senate for consideration.

EXCLUSIVE: A House Resolution affirming the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to crack down on those suspected to be Tren de Aragua gang members will be introduced on Monday.

"Coloradoans already know the truth: Tren de Aragua (TdA) is a terrorist organization active in our communities right now," Rep. Jeff Crank, who’s introducing the resolution, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.

"I fully support President Trump’s executive order to designate them as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and to begin deporting these horrific terrorists. It is essential to our national security that known terrorists are quickly detained and deported out of our country by our law enforcement professionals," the Republican, who took office in January, continued.

AURORA AUTHORITIES ‘DECLINED’ TO HELP SEARCH FOR 2 ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO ESCAPED COLORADO DETENTION FACILITY: ICE

Specifically, the resolution says that the House of Representatives agrees with using the Alien Enemies Act to transport those who are part of a designated foreign terrorist organization. In addition, it "endorses the complete elimination of these organizations from the United States to protect the nation’s territory, safety, and security." The resolution is co-sponsored by Reps. Lauren Boebert, Sheri Biggs, Tom Tiffany and Michael Guest.

Tren de Aragua, as well as some cartel groups, were recently listed as a foreign terrorist organization by President Donald Trump, and some of the alleged members from MS-13 were brought to the Center for Terrorism Confinement in El Salvador. 

JUDGE BOASBERG SHOULD ‘RECUSE’ HIMSELF FROM TRUMP DEPORTATION CASE, GOP LAWMAKER ARGUES

Since then, court cases have continued to make waves including U.S. District Court for D.C. Judge James Boasberg’s legal tension with the administration over using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, as Boasberg brought forth a temporary restraining order on using the law to deport the alleged members. The act was signed into law by former President John Adams as a measure during times of war. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Colorado has been on the frontline of gang activity by the Venezuelan organization, including issues at apartments in Aurora. 

"Now, we are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado," Derek Maltz told Denver 7 last month, which was verified by DEA Rocky Mountain Division to Fox News at the time.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CHARGED IN NIKE SHOE HEIST AS CARTELS ROB US CARGO TRAINS

Other legislation introduced by Colorado lawmakers has taken aim at policies in Colorado that opponents argue serve as a sanctuary for criminals. Rep. Gabe Evans introduced the "Unhandcuffing Police to Locate and Interdict Foreign Transgressors (UPLIFT) Act" in late February, which would give more power to local authorities to work with the federal government on immigration enforcement.

"State laws have a national impact because if federal law enforcement uses information from a criminal justice database, and Colorado provided that information, the state and local cops in Colorado who provided that information can get in trouble," Evans told Fox News Digital at the time. "And so the feds don't want to get their state and local partners in trouble."

A Colorado Democrat likened parent groups to "the KKK" during an hours-long committee hearing for a controversial bill that could see parents accused of "coercive control" in custody fights for using a trans child's "deadname."

"I really am curious about how much stakeholdering went on both sides of the issue, and not just one side," Republican state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell said during the hearing, which began Monday night and ran into early Tuesday. "I'm curious with if the businesses in the community were included in these and if parent groups that are not part of the LGBT community if they were involved."

Later during the House Judiciary hearing, Democrat state Rep. Yara Zokaie said the committee that night had "heard a lot about stakeholding and who was left out of stakeholding" and that "this process is important for us to understand the implications of the bills that we are passing."

"But a well-stakeholdered bill does not need to be discussed with hate groups," Zokaie said. "And we don't ask someone passing civil rights legislation to go ask the KKK their opinion," she added as several in the committee room applauded.

HAWLEY OFFICIALLY A YES ON DR OZ AFTER SECURING COMMITMENTS ON TRANSGENDER, ABORTION ISSUES

The bill in question, HB25-1312, An Act Concerning Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals, requires courts to consider "deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services as types of coercive control" when making child custody decisions. It passed in a 7-4 vote out of the committee, clearing the first major hurdle to becoming law. It now goes to the Assembly for a second reading.

If the bill passes, it would make Colorado the first state to pass such legislation.

In California, similar legislation was passed in 2023 requiring courts to consider a parent's affirmation of a child's chosen gender identity in custody battles. However, liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill.

The Colorado bill, which would create the Kelly Loving Act, named after a transgender man who was killed in the 2022 Colorado nightclub shooting by a nonbinary gunman, also prohibits Colorado courts from enforcing laws from other states that remove children from parents who allow transgender treatments for minors. 

TRANS INMATE IN PRISON FOR KILLING BABY MUST GET GENDER SURGERY AT 'EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY': JUDGE

If a child in school wants to go by a different name other than their legal one, the bill says educators must be "inclusive of all reasons that a student might adopt a chosen name."

"If the individual provides a chosen name that is different from the individual's legal name, the chosen name must be used on all subsequent forms administered by the public entity," the bill text summary says.

After the hearing, Caldwell told Fox News Digital in a statement that Zokaie's reference to certain stakeholders was "deeply concerning" and "reckless."

"Particularly when it involves labeling parents – the people who care the most about the future of their children – as hate groups," he said. "Parents who stand up for their children's education and rights should be respected, not vilified."

SCOTUS RULINGS THIS TERM COULD STRENGTHEN RELIGIOUS RIGHTS PROTECTIONS, EXPERT SAYS

Zokaie also said during the hearing, "There was a lot of discussion of folks losing their children, and I just want us to note that these are parameters for a judge to consider."

"The word 'consider' is used repeatedly. There are no mandates in this bill," she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Zokaie for comment but did not receive a response by publication deadline.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis poked fun at President Donald Trump with an April Fools' Day post seemingly aimed at the commander-in-chief's anger regarding his official portrait at the state Capitol, which was eventually removed. 

"No one likes an unflattering photo or painting of themselves, which is why I went in a different direction for my official portrait," Polis said in a post on X that featured an animated image of himself as a character in "South Park" on his official portrait. 

Polis, a Democrat, said he supports Colorado art and that "this portrait was an exciting opportunity to do exactly that while embedding my image into the fabric of Colorado's history."

TRUMP PORTRAIT HE CLAIMED WAS ‘PURPOSEFULLY DISTORTED’ TO BE TAKEN DOWN FROM COLORADO CAPITOL

South Park, which revolves around four friends, is set in Colorado. 

Last month, Trump demanded that his portrait be taken down from the state Capitol in Denver after he harshly criticized the painting and its artist. 

"Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol put up by the Governor, along with all other Presidents, was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.

Last week, state House Democrat said the oil painting, painted by artist Sarah Boardman during Trump’s first term, would be taken down at the request of Republican leaders in the state Legislature.

Despite Trump's criticism of Polis, the Democratic governor wasn't in office when the portrait was commissioned in 2019. 

On March 16, Polis shared an image of himself in South Park, along with the comedy duo Terrance and Philip, who are also featured in the show, while touting Colorado's relationship with Canada. 

"Our relationship with Canada brings vast benefits to Coloradans—from good-paying jobs to robust trade partnerships, tourists, and even prominent fictional characters in Colorado’s famous show, @SouthPark," he wrote. "Ike Broflovski, Kyle Broflovski's adopted brother, is from Canada. Don’t forget the comedy duo Terrance and Philip, beloved by our favorite fourth graders, and don’t "blame Canada!"

• Pam Bondi announced charges against a man who is accused of throwing a firebomb at a Tesla dealership.
• The attorney general said the DOJ would seek 20 years in prison.
• She condemned what she called "the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties."

Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Department of Justice will seek a 20-year prison sentence for a man accused of throwing a firebomb at a Tesla dealership.

Bondi said Monday that Cooper Jo Frederick, who is accused of attacking a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, on March 7, would face federal charges.

"I've made it clear: if you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars," Bondi said in a video statement published on X.

Tesla facilities face attacks, vandalism, and protests in a backlash to CEO Elon Musk's political interventions, including championing Donald Trump's cost-cutting agenda with the Department of Government Efficiency.

In a statement on March 14, the Loveland Police Department said Frederick, a Fort Collins resident, was arrested after an "incendiary device was ignited and thrown" at the Tesla dealership, landing between two vehicles.

"Several people inside, who were cleaning the building, were put at risk; however, our responding officer quickly extinguished the fire, preventing further harm. The building and several vehicles were also damaged by rocks during this same time," the statement said.

He was booked on five state charges, including possession of explosives or an incendiary device, police said.

Bondi said Frederick was arrested in Plano, Texas, following "great investigative work by the FBI." She did not specify what federal charges he was facing, and the charging documents were not available to the public when this article was published.

Frederick isn't the only one facing charges relating to the Loveland dealership.

Lucy Grace Nelson, 40, was charged in February with criminal intent to commit a felony, criminal mischief, and using explosives or incendiary devices during a felony at the dealership, according to Colorado police records.

Last month, Bondi said the DOJ had charged multiple suspects accused of attacking Tesla property, including some with crimes that carry mandatory minimum sentences of five years.

Paul Hyon Kim, 36, is also facing state and federal charges, including arson, unlawful possession of incendiary devices and a firearm, property destruction, and discharging a firearm into a vehicle at a Tesla dealership in Las Vegas last week, per reports from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the DOJ.

Last month, Musk told Fox News he was shocked by the violence. He called it "insane and deeply wrong" on X writing, "Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks."

A fire at a Tesla dealership in Rome destroyed 17 cars on Monday. Local firefighters told BI the cause was under investigation. Musk posted to X it was "terrorism."

The speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives argued in a recent committee hearing on a new "pregnancy-related services" bill that "averted births" could lead to cost savings for the state and its Medicaid program.

Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, seated as a bill-sponsor witness during a Health and Human Services Committee hearing in Denver last week, was pressed on her argument that the bill would "decrease costs for our health care policy and financing department [and] Medicaid expenditures."

"[T]he savings from averted births outweigh the cost of covering reproductive health care for all Coloradans," McCluskie said, adding the bill will require abortions to be state-funded so as to avoid "potential interference" from the feds. 

McCluskie claimed the bill is a response to voters approving a 2024 ballot referendum that repealed a state constitutional amendment banning public funds for abortion procedures and instead recognized the operation as a right.

MORE NEWS FROM COLORADO

Rep. Brandi Bradley, R-Lone Tree, questioned McCluskie’s cost argument from a pro-life perspective, and lamented the fact Colorado allows abortion up until the day of delivery.

Bradley countered that McCluskie’s cost-centric position ignores the high price of third-trimester abortions, which she calculated to be as much as $25,000, and asked General Assembly nonpartisan fiscal analyst Bill Zepernick to weigh-in on official figures.

"So help me understand: From a fiscal point of view, you say there's a decrease of $1.7 million from federal funds — but if there are no federal funds, you would say there's no money coming from federal funds," Bradley asked McCluskie.

"Can you walk me through why it just says a decrease, and not that there's zero money coming from federal funds, because if there is, the Hyde Amendment covers that," she said, referring to the practice of adding such a rider to health care appropriations bills since the late Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., first did in 1976 to prohibit abortion funding via federal dollars.

DEM GOVS URGE TRUMP TO LET STATES PLAY ROLE IN IMMIGRATION DECISIONS

McCluskie responded that the savings she referenced comes from "averted births that will not occur because abortions happened instead."

"So, a birth is more expensive than an abortion," she said. "So, the savings comes in Medicaid births that will not occur — since both federal and state general funds are used through Medicaid for other health care services."

Meanwhile, Bradley pressed McCluskie on the mental health and substance abuse complications some women who undergo abortions may develop.

Bill co-sponsor Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Westminster, chimed in, calling Bradley’s concern one that "assumes misinformation" and instead claimed women denied abortions are at risk of suffering longer-term mental health complications.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Scott Bottoms, R-Cimarron Hills, rejected Garcia’s claim.

"You know that that definitely isn't misinformation," he said.

"CDC and NIH both — I stated these statistics three weeks ago, but they were ignored. Those statistics are wrong. Suicide goes up drastically, specifically second and third trimester. As I mentioned, if they have an abortion, as mental health issues goes up quite a bit."

A pro-life obstetrician later told the committee it seemed proponents of the bill "are saying that if more babies die by abortion it will be cheaper for the state."

Fox News Digital reached out to McCluskie, Bradley and House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, for comment.

The full audio was posted in a legislative hearing depository.

Colorado District Attorney George Brauchler is speaking out against activist judges and sanctuary policies in his state that he says enabled abolish ICE activist and illegal immigrant Jeanette Vizguerra to evade capture for over a decade, "making a mockery of the rule of law."

Colorado law prohibits local and state law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities to remove illegals.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Brauchler, who is the district attorney for Colorado’s 23rd District, said the policies being pushed by Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and the Democratic-controlled legislature have made it so that the state has "embraced illegal immigrants over the laws of the country."

He said the policies have stunted local and state law enforcement’s ability to keep dangerous illegal criminals off the streets.

BLUE STATE LEADER SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT ‘PERFECT STORM’ OF DEM IMMIGRATION POLICIES DECIMATING PUBLIC SAFETY

"Local law enforcement all say the ‘right’ thing publicly, and that is, ‘Hey, we're not arms of the federal government. We don't work for ICE. That's not why we were hired.’ But they also say behind the scenes, ‘Dang, we have lost the ability to rid this community of the criminal element when we create these kinds of barriers with ICE.’"

In the case of Vizguerra, who just won a temporary ruling by a federal judge in Colorado guaranteeing ICE cannot deport her while her case is ongoing, Brauchler said that far-left sentiments in the state allowed U.S. immigration laws to be openly flouted.

"Let's be honest man, Colorado has shifted so far to the pro-illegal immigrant side of things, that it's created a very permissive environment where you can be here for a long time, be illegal, be even contacted by local law enforcement, and remain free out on the streets," he said. "So, it's not a shock to me that there's a person that is like this in the system."

He noted that he is sympathetic to Vizguerra having to leave after establishing a life and family in Colorado, but said, "We are either going to be a nation and a state that is governed by laws that we hold each other accountable for, or we're going to be guided by emotion and whatever the politics of the day are."

HOMAN BLASTS BLUE STATE AS REPORT SHOWS IT RELEASING ILLEGALS CHARGED WITH ‘HORRIFIC’ CRIMES ON LOW BAILS

"That doesn't seem to me to be the America that was ever intended and not the one I grew up in," he went on. "We have to admit that the first step for any person who claims to want to be an American cannot be to violate America's laws. And she fits that bill."

In addition to the Colorado judge’s ruling, Brauchler also questioned a growing string of other rulings by federal judges inhibiting the Trump administration’s immigration actions across the country.  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

He said the decision of "one single district court judge in a handpicked venue by the people that think they're going to get the outcome that they want, to issue a nationwide ban that freezes the federal government from border to border, coast to coast, seems to me to be abuse of judicial discretion."

He pointed to cases such as D.C. Circuit Court Judge James Boasberg, who recently issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport a group of suspected immigrant gang members. By issuing a temporary restraining order rather than a permanent or temporary injunction, Brauchler said that activist judges guarantee their rulings cannot be appealed, effectively freezing the administration from seeking a review by an appellate court.  

TRUMP CALLS FOR JUDGE IN DEPORTATION LEGAL BATTLE TO BE IMPEACHED

"What judges should do at the federal level is, if they think that something should be enjoined, they should limit that enjoinder to their own jurisdiction and let the rest of this play out across the country," he said.

Turning back to Colorado, Brauchler emphasized that the "bottom line" is "if we don't like our immigration laws, well by God change them, Congress, and fix them. … But the answer to ‘I disagree with our federal immigration laws’ cannot ever be — for a people that claim to adhere to the rule of law — it cannot ever be, ‘Well, let's just ignore them or find a way to thwart them by creating barriers between local law enforcement and the feds.’"

"Our extreme left-wing progressive legislature, dominated by the Democrat Party out here, has a bill they're waiting to drop that would prohibit every attorney in the criminal justice system, from the judge to the prosecutor, to the defense attorney, to interns in from law school, in my office — no joke — from sharing any information ever about any individual with ICE."

"That's where Colorado's going," he said. "They're not making us safer. They're not making us better. They're not making us more just. And they're making a mockery of the rule of law."

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on Tuesday urged House lawmakers to stop "making fun" of President Donald Trump's renaming of the Gulf of America, suggesting Washington, D.C., could face the same fate. 

Boebert made the remarks during a legislative hearing on the Gulf of America Act to support Trump’s executive order.

"I would caution my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to refrain from making fun of the Gulf of America because next up may end up being the District of America that we are working on," she said during a Water, Fisheries and Wildlife Subcommittee hearing.

GOOGLE MAPS UPDATE: GULF OF AMERICA, MOUNT MCKINLEY WILL BE IN AFTER TRUMP ORDERS NAME CHANGES

"So just, you know, keep the jokes at bay, and maybe we'll just stick with the Gulf of America for now," she added. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Boebert's office. 

Trump changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico days after taking office. He also reversed the name of Alaska’s Denali mountain back to Mount McKinley.

WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD LINKS DC MAYOR'S DECISION TO REMOVE BLM ART TO A ‘VICTORY FOR THE CITY’

Trump has often criticized D.C. leaders for their inability to rid the city of violent crime. 

"We’re cleaning up our city," Trump said during a speech at the Justice Department earlier this month. "We’re cleaning up this great capital, and we’re not going to have crime. And we’re not going to stand for crime. And we’re going to take the graffiti down. And we’re already taken to tents down there."

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered the removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza across the street from the White House after being pressured by Republicans. 

The large yellow letters spelling out "Black Lives Matter" were first painted in the summer of 2020 during Trump's first term after days of chaotic protests at that location after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and Breonna Taylor by Louisville Police officers. 

A portrait of President Donald Trump that he claimed was "purposefully distorted" will be taken down from the Colorado Capitol, officials said Monday. 

In a statement, House Democrats said the oil painting, painted by artist Sarah Boardman during Trump’s first term, would be taken down at the request of Republican leaders in the state Legislature in Denver, the Associated Press reported.

"If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that’s up to them," the Democrats said.

SENATOR REVEALS WHY EVERYONE 'LOVES' TRUMP AFTER ROARING NCAA STANDING OVATION

The portrait was unveiled in 2019. State Republicans raised more than $11,000 through a GoFundMe account to commission the painting.

Trump criticized the painting in a Truth Social post on Sunday. 

"Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol put up by the Governor, along with all other Presidents, was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before," he wrote. 

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING TRUMP'S NINTH WEEK IN OFFICE

"The artist also did President Obama, and he looks wonderful, but the one [of] me is truly the worst, Trump added. "She must have lost her talent as she got older."

Trump said he was requesting the portrait's removal on behalf of angry Coloradans who have complained about it.

"In any event, I would much prefer not having a picture than having this one, but many people from Colorado have called and written to complain," he wrote. "In fact, they are actually angry about it!"

Trump called on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to have the painting taken down. 

"Jared should be ashamed of himself!" he wrote. 

A Republican lawmaker from Colorado expressed shock at being told by Democratic colleagues that he had to remove a sticker supporting the Second Amendment from his laptop while in the state's House chamber.

"I had to cover up this, they couldn't stand my sticker," Colorado Republican state Rep. Ken DeGraaf said during remarks on the state's House floor, pointing to paper covering up a sticker in support of the Second Amendment on a laptop he carried with him to the chamber.

"It said ‘shall not be infringed’ and signed ‘2-A’ and that was considered offensive, which I understand would be offensive to this bill," he continued.

The remarks come as Colorado lawmakers debate a controversial gun control bill that would limit the sale of some semiautomatic firearms that rely on detachable magazines, such as the popular AR-15 platform.

NM LAWMAKERS WARN SWEEPING GUN CONTROL BILL PRIMED FOR PASSAGE SHOWS DEMS ‘ARE DEAD-SET ON DISARMING US’

The legislation, Colorado Senate Bill 25-003, would be one of the strictest gun control measures in the country, something the state's Democratic lawmakers argue is necessary to keep citizens safe.

"Preventing gun violence is one of the most effective ways that we can make our communities safer and save lives. Semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines are uniquely lethal and dangerous," state Rep. Meg Froelich, a Democatric sponsor of the bill, told KKTV. "This bill is a commonsense solution to ensure that people receive effective training and meet the requirements under state and federal firearm laws before purchasing the most lethal weapons on the market. From background checks and waiting periods to limits on high-capacity magazines, Colorado Democrats have enacted multiple laws to protect Coloradans from future gun violence."

GOV. DESANTIS MAKES PUSH TO REPEAL FLORIDA'S RED FLAG LAWS

The bill has passed the state's Senate and a second reading in the House, according to the KTTV report, which noted that lawmakers largely expect the legislation to be ready for a final vote in the coming week.

The bill has faced stiff resistance from Republicans such as DeGraaf, who argue the legislation would run afoul of the U.S. Constitution.

DeGraaf accused his Democratic colleagues of being offended by the Constitution during his remarks on the House floor, pointing to the forced removal as an example.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

As DeGraaf lamented the covering of the sticker, he was informed that the only reason for the request was because such displays are banned in the "well" of the chamber, which sits between the chamber's front desk and the first row of member seats.

"So OK, no displays of the Constitution in the well, got it," DeGraaf quipped back.

• Snowmass is a Colorado ski town that's undergone major development in the past decade.
• For years, Snowmass was often compared to its neighbor, Aspen.
• Now, it's creating its own reputation with fine dining, luxury real estate, and a family-friendly mountain.

If you spend enough time in Snowmass Village, Colorado, a family metaphor is bound to come up.

"Snowmass was just a sleepy second cousin to Aspen," Bo Bedford, a former Snowmass ski patroller, told Business Insider.

"Snowmass was Aspen's little sister, and now we're becoming our own," Sara Stookey Sanchez, the public relations manager for Snowmass Tourism, said.

For decades, the town of Snowmass was rarely mentioned without reference to its glitzy neighbor, Aspen. Now, with the help of a $1 billion development and new luxury experiences, Snowmass is ready to ditch its younger sibling title and take center stage.

A shiny new development

Tucked in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive west of Denver, is a ski town with a familiar name. Aspen has long drawn a wealthy set of visitors, with a neighborhood nicknamed Billionaire Mountain and waitresses eager to share the latest celebrity spotting.

Fifteen minutes away is Snowmass Village, which, for years, was a quiet town with two main areas. The Snowmass Mall was the heart of the ski destination, with a two-story complex home to cafés, restaurants, and a pathway to the slopes. Nearby, a center with a grocery store, post office, and business offices catered to residents.

There were few shops, fewer luxury hotels, and even fewer fine-dining options. Since there wasn't much of a resort, skiers didn't dine, sleep, or stay in town. Instead, Snowmass was mostly unknown.

"I remember going to Snowmass and thinking, 'What's that?'" Aspen Skiing Company CEO Geoff Buchheister, who grew up in Colorado, told BI.

That started to change in 1999 when the Aspen Skiing Company bought about 11 acres in Snowmass and proposed plans for Snowmass Base Village, a tourist-focused area of town with lodging, residences, and commercial space.

The project has been an uphill battle. While some locals supported the development, others opposed it and worried about its scale. Between 2004 — when the plans were approved — and 2016, the development changed hands, and construction stalled through a recession.

In December 2016, East West Partners, KSL Capital Partners, and Aspen Skiing Company set out to finally complete the $1 billion development.

Nearly a decade later, the end is in sight.

The Base Village has nine completed residential complexes, a Limelight Hotel, shops, restaurants, a community center, and a public plaza. The final piece is Stratos, a two-building, 89-unit residential complex set to finish in 2027.

The area feels modern, especially compared to Aspen's historic Victorian homes and mountain chalets.

"I've seen it go from a ski area to a resort," Susan Cross, who has lived in the area for three decades and manages Snowmass Mountain, told BI.

The development has completely transformed Snowmass, and with that growth, Snowmass has targeted a new visitor: wealthy travelers on the hunt for a luxury vacation.

Competing with Aspen's luxury reputation

Snowmass has long been positioned to welcome Aspen's overflow.

But now, Snowmass has the upper hand in real estate. Its developments are newer and have fresher amenities. And while they come at a high price point, they're still more affordable than Aspen. The average square foot in Snowmass costs $2,000 compared to Aspen's at $2,300.

Andy Gunion, a managing partner at East West Partners, said the demand is there.

When the Cirque Residences opened in Base Village in 2024, 91% of the residences sold out in the first two weeks at an average of $2,700 a square foot, with most buyers being second-home owners and investors, Gunion said.

Stratos, Snowmass Base's final condo complex, listed two-bedroom condos starting at $2.85 million. Its nicest offering, the sky chalet, costs $30 million and spans an entire floor. As of mid-March, about 75% of the property had sold out.

Beyond real estate, the development of Base Village has also included newer and nicer retail shopping and restaurants.

Kenichi, a longtime sushi staple in Aspen, opened a Snowmass location in 2021. At the Viceroy Hotel, Toro, a Latin-inspired restaurant, sits in the lobby. A dinner at Aurum Food and Wine features steak, lamb, fish, and a wine list with bottles reaching $1,800.

While Snowmass has upped its dining game, it's still not on par with Aspen, which has the Michelin-starred Bosq and about 130 other bars and restaurants.

"Snowmass always was the sleepy town," Cross said. "There's just not the number of restaurants Aspen has."

The same applies to shopping. Aspen has Prada, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino, while Snowmass has Gorsuch, which carries high-end ski gear.

But Gunion and others argue that the goal isn't to be Aspen.

"We don't have the scale. We'll never be able to compete with that, and we're not trying to," Gunion said. "We're trying to create this fun, family-friendly village that's more connected to the mountain."

Is the growth welcomed?

Bedford, who moved to Snowmass in 1968 at the age of 21, said it was all about "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll" in the area.

In 1971, the Eagles were performing in small Aspen clubs. The singer John Denver had moved to Aspen and became a family friend. Winters were filled with skiing powder days, and summers were spent playing softball.

Aspen was known, but that wasn't the case for Snowmass.

"God, Snowmass was so small," Bedford said. "Everyone was so tight."

For many locals, that unfamiliarity was a plus. It meant cheaper lift tickets, little traffic, and lower real-estate prices.

When Mel Blumenthal first visited Snowmass about 35 years ago, the area had "small-town charm." Now, he fears that charm is fading.

Blumenthal, who splits his time between Snowmass and Santa Monica, California, initially supported the plans for Base Village.

"At the beginning, I was convinced it was necessary in order to economically compete as a resort," he said, adding that he started to lose faith in the project as it changed developers.

Despite living across the street, he rarely visits the area and said that seems to be a trend among residents. He's also concerned about how Snowmass will balance serving visitors and its community as the development attracts more people from out of town.

Julia Theisen, Snowmass' tourism director, told BI that's her main focus. She's not just looking at growth — but sustainable growth.

"Where is there room to grow? And in what ways do we want to grow? Not just more for the sake of more," she said, noting that offseason tourism, sustainability, and diversity are all priorities.

Today, Snowmass is home to about 3,000 year-round residents. That number balloons each winter, and attracting more tourists and part-time residents presents challenges.

"Traffic, congestion and parking, housing, and childcare are all things that follow ski towns around," Buchheister said.

Standing alone as Snowmass

Beyond luring in wealthy travelers with fine dining and luxury hotels, Snowmass targets a set of travelers that Aspen can't: families.

Of the the nearby ski mountains, Snowmass is the largest, with an abundance of ski-in, ski-out accommodations. The resort has 20 lifts, 98 trails, and 3,342 acres of skiing. Aspen Mountain, in comparison, has 8 lifts, 104 trails, and 828 acres for intermediate and expert skiers.

Snowmass caters to beginners with green runs and bunny hills. It has a tubing area and an alpine coaster. In town, there's an ice skating rink and childcare facility.

This, plus lodges that cater to families — the Viceroy, for instance, is ski-in, ski-out with condo amenities like kitchens, multiple bedrooms, and living rooms — has earned Snowmass recognition as a family-friendly ski resort.

Stookey Sanchez said the town also has a relaxed atmosphere with high-end amenities.

Aprés might feature sipping margaritas at Venga Venga or drinking a beer at Elk Camp versus Champagne showers at Aspen's
Eleven212 or Cloud Nine. Dinner might involve fur coats and designer dresses, but visitors won't be turned away if they arrive at Kenichi in sweatpants and Crocs.

"I think that's what brings our high-net-worth clientele because they want to be part of that," Stookey Sanchez said. "They want to be with the locals and do what they do. They want a $12 sandwich, and it doesn't have to be high-class, fancy meals all the time."

While Snowmass has amped up its luxury offerings, most people agreed Aspen will remain a household name. They just hope Snowmass becomes one, too.

"The two places need each other," Gunion said. "I don't think Aspen would be as successful in the winter without Snowmass. You need a mountain like this."

"It's been a long trajectory, but it's definitely happening where Snowmass is standing on its own," Theisen said.

A federal judge in Colorado issued an order Friday blocking immigration officials from deporting "abolish ICE" activist and illegal immigrant Jeanette Vizguerra before a hearing scheduled for next week.

The order places a temporary injunction on local ICE officials Johnny Choate and Ernesto Santacruz, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi from ordering Vizguerra’s removal while her case is being considered by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Vizguerra, 53, is a Mexican national illegally present in the country for years. After a deportation order was issued against her, Vizguerra voluntarily left the country in 2012, only to illegally return a year later.

While in the U.S., Vizguerra has become an outspoken advocate for abolishing ICE and reforming immigration laws to be more permissive.

DEMOCRAT MAYOR BLASTED FOR VOWING TO MAKE MAJOR CITY ‘SAFE HAVEN’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

She was arrested by ICE in Aurora, Colorado, Monday, a move that created national controversy with many Democrats and media outlets rushing to her defense.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was among those who denounced Vizguerra’s arrest, saying, "This is not immigration enforcement. This is Soviet-style political persecution of political dissidents under the guise of immigration enforcement."

BUCKING BIG-CITY TREND: MAJOR TEXAS CITIES NOW ALERTING ICE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS

Friday’s order, issued by U.S. District Judge Nina Wang, said, "In light of these unusual circumstances, this Court respectfully concludes that an injunction is necessary to preserve the status quo and permit this Court the opportunity to thoughtfully consider the issues raised by both sides."

The order states that government officials "shall not remove" Vizguerra until the court or the 10th Circuit vacates the order.

Though the order claims Vizguerra’s case "raises complex issues," Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and policy expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital the case is simple.

"This is a woman who unlawfully entered the United States twice. … She is subject to removal from the United States, and she is removable," said Arthur. "Simply because she has spoken out against the immigration policies in the United States doesn't render her immune from removal.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

"It's almost like a person who robbed the bank, goes to jail, robs another bank and then complains about the penal system in the United States," he said. "Simply because you have thoughts about incarceration rates in this country doesn't mean that you're not still going to be subject to some sort of response because of your subsequent unlawful activity."

Matt O’Brien, director of investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a watchdog group opposed to abuses against immigration law, told Fox News Digital that, despite the uproar, he believes Vizguerra’s arrest is "100% justified."

BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS 'CONTROL' CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF

He said "the only reason" Vizguerra evaded arrest for so long was "because the State of Colorado and the Biden administration were complicit in helping her to remain in the United States through their application of misguided policies that encouraged more lawless behavior and left Americans less safe and secure."

Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., a freshman congressman whose district includes portions of north Denver, also commented on Vizguerra’s case, telling Fox News Digital it proves Colorado Democrats are not sincere about wanting to help deport criminal aliens.

Evans said Colorado Democrats "always say they want to work with the federal government to remove criminal illegal immigrants and that they’ll honor court orders signed by federal judges. Jeanette Vizguerra qualifies for both these categories, and yet Democrats are still opposed to her arrest, proving that Colorado is run by sanctuary state apologists who can’t even follow their own statements." 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., faces potentially losing the confidence of his caucus after a controversial decision to advance the Republicans' stopgap spending bill earlier this month and avoid a government shutdown. 

"Let me just say it's important for people to know when it's time to go," Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., reportedly told constituents during a town hall on Wednesday. "We're going to have conversations, I'm sure, in the foreseeable future, about all the Democratic leadership."

The senator had been asked if he would call for Schumer to step aside, which he did not commit to. 

SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS GOP LOOKING AT 'ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS' TO ADDRESS 'ACTIVIST JUDGES' OPPOSING TRUMP

"I do think on the leadership question, it's always better to examine whether folks are in the right place, and we're certainly going to have that conversation," he explained, per NPR. 

The comments come after Schumer faced swift backlash for his shutdown vote, during which he was in the minority of his caucus, most of whom opposed moving the stopgap spending measure forward. 

Despite claiming his caucus was unified just one day prior, Schumer revealed his decision to vote to advance the bill, to the dismay of many of his colleagues. "I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option," he explained at the time. 

DEM SENATOR REFUSES TO ADDRESS RELATIONSHIP WITH FOUNDER OF SOROS-FUNDED 'PROPAGANDA' NEWS NETWORK

House Democrats, nearly all of whom voted against the measure, slammed the move. Dozens of the lower chamber Democrats even signed last-minute letters to Schumer to urge him not to go forward with his vote, to no avail. 

In a striking statement, House Democratic leaders came out against Schumer's decision, without mentioning him by name. During a press conference, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., refused to answer a question about whether he was confident in his New York colleague. "Next question," he responded. 

WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP'S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also released a statement during the controversy, urging the Senate to listen to the female appropriators. The prominent Democrats appearing at odds with Schumer publicly only further intensified the scrutiny he faced afterward. 

Jeffries later clarified his feelings on Schumer, however. "Yes, I do," he said when asked if he was confident in Schumer during a different press conference. 

According to the House Democratic leader, "we are all aligned on the fights that are in front of us." Jeffries and Schumer had a "good conversation about the path forward, particularly as it relates to making sure we all speak with one voice," he added. 

What was already considered an identity crisis for Democrats following the 2024 election has appeared to evolve into a crisis of leadership, with senators, such as Bennet, entertaining the idea of discussions about the caucus and its direction. 

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO PAY ‘UNLAWFULLY’ RESTRICTED USAID FUNDS

"I think that Leader Schumer has been very effective in a lot of battles, but we also need to— these are new times, and we need to all come together," Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told reporters directly after the shutdown votes. "And so, you know, second-guessing Leader Schumer out here isn't going to accomplish the kind of unity that we're going to need to be able to stand up to the president. So we'll have that conversation inside caucus."

Lax immigration policies in deep blue Colorado are helping Tren de Aragua, one of the most vicious migrant gangs in America, to use the state as a "command and control" center, according to the acting head of the DEA.

A representative for the DEA Rocky Mountain Division confirmed with Fox News statements by DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz on local outlet Denver 7, in which Maltz said Colorado is "ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America," including Tren de Aragua’s leadership.

Tren de Aragua — also known by its acronym "TdA" — is a violent Venezuelan criminal group that has been linked to some of the most egregious crimes in America in recent years, including the murder of nursing student Laken Riley and the capturing of an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.  

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to designate TdA a "foreign terrorist organization."

'ON NOTICE': EX-VENEZUELAN MILITARY OFFICIAL APPLAUDS TRUMP'S 'FIRST GOOD STEP' TARGETING BLOODTHIRSTY GANG

"Now, we are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado," Maltz told the outlet.

He said this information was based on new intelligence from the "men and women on the front lines and what we’re seeing."

Maltz said the laws of Democratic-run Colorado have allowed TdA and other criminals to "take advantage of vulnerabilities and weaknesses" to perpetuate their crimes.

"Anybody that thinks it’s a good idea to open up the border to adversaries around the world and then not even know who they are coming into our communities, it makes no sense," he said, adding, "People in this state have allowed illegal violent criminals in here at record levels."  

‘BRING IT ON’: SHERIFF PUSHES BACK AFTER BLUE STATE LEADERS SUE TO STOP IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

Maltz called on state leaders to stop playing politics and instead help take violent criminal immigrants off the streets.

"The politics have to stop. This is not a red or blue issue, this is a red, white and blue issue," he said. "We have to start thinking about our citizens first."

Maltz also had some very pointed words for those criticizing or attempting to stand in the way of the federal government’s immigration crackdown.

"Why don’t you thank law enforcement instead of being ‘Monday morning quarterbacks’ sitting at home and being critics?" he asked. "Why don’t you ask the politicians in the state of Colorado why they are not uniting, why they are fighting the force of good that’s going after evil?"

‘CLOSING TIME’: WHITE HOUSE, BORDER PATROL TROLL WITH DEPORTATION MEME VIDEO

"Wake up, pay attention," he went on. "Talk to the citizens that can’t go out of their house at night when gunshots are going off, talk to people that are being extorted, talk to people that are being kidnapped and raped, talk to people that are being impacted every day."  

Despite the criticism, Maltz said the federal government is "connecting the dots" and taking a "whole of government" approach to finally crack down on TdA and other migrant criminals, regardless of Colorado’s laws.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

"I'm proud to report that right now, the cartels, the MS-13, the violent gangs like Tren de Aragua, they're going to be held accountable, and they're already being held accountable," he said.

‘SAFER WITHOUT HIM’: COLUMBIA STUDENT CLAIMS CLASSMATE ARRESTED BY ICE 'HATES AMERICA’

"I’ve got a warning for the TdA members," he added, "start running now."

"The team of the DEA, working with their partners from FBI, ATF, HSI, ICE ERO and our state and local counterparts, it’s a team that takes public safety and national security serious and they’ve already proven what they can do," he said. "So they better go and find another state because they are not welcome here in Colorado." 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Colorado's two Democratic senators, Michael Bennett and John Hickenlooper, did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment by the time of publication. 

MEXICAN IMMIGRATION ACTIVIST WHO HID IN COLORADO CHURCH FOR YEARS TO AVOID DEPORTATION ARRESTED BY ICE

Eric Maruyama, a representative for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, responded to Maltz's statements by telling Fox News Digital that the state "works with the DEA all the time on criminal investigations and to apprehend violent offenders and fugitives whether they are here legally or illegally." 

Maruyama instead placed the blame for the crisis on the federal government, saying, "The reality is that Congress and the federal government for years have failed to fix our broken immigration system, secure our border, and create pathways to citizenship for people." 

"Gov. Polis is focused on improving public safety and has signed comprehensive laws to crack down on illegal gun crimes, get fentanyl off the streets, and recruit and retain more law enforcement," he claimed. "When it comes to criminal investigations or prosecutions, Colorado works closely with all federal partners, in accordance with state and federal law, to fight crime and enhance public safety." 

A well-known immigration activist who hid in a Colorado church for years to avoid deportation has been arrested, a move Denver Mayor Mike Johnston called "Soviet-style persecution" of political dissidents.

Jeanette Vizguerra, a mother, Target employee and immigration reform advocate, was taken into custody in Aurora on Monday. Vizguerra was the subject of a deportation order and had multiple stays preventing her removal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said. 

Despite having a final order of deportation stretching back to the Obama administration, some Democrats have claimed that Vizguerra has not had due process. 

WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP'S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?

Johnston addressed the arrests on Tuesday. 

"This is not immigration enforcement. This is Soviet-style political persecution of political dissidents under the guise of immigration enforcement," he said. "This is not someone with a criminal record. This is the mom of American citizens who works and Target."

"This is not something that makes our community safer in my mind," he added. "I think it makes our community lawless."

Johnston was one of four sanctuary mayors grilled earlier this month by Congressional lawmakers about their respective city’s sanctuary policies at the fiery hearing.

John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE field office director, said he was prohibited from deporting Vizguerra during the Biden administration. 

"The Biden administration kept me from deporting Jeanette Vizguerra 4 years ago," he wrote on X. "She should have been deported in 2009 as well. She hid in a church the first time Trump was President. She is a criminal, hates Trump, and is an open-borders, abolish-ICE advocate. Bye!!!!"

Images posted on Vizguerra's Facebook account depict protests against ICE and calls to abolish the agency. One image posted on Oct. 14, 2019 depicts a Native American scalping President Donald Trump, who is shown on his knees with two arrows piercing his torso. 

"This is how you can make America great again," the caption states. 

TRUMP POLICY ON BORDER JUMPERS EMPOWERS USE OF ‘MAXIMUM CONSEQUENCES,’ BORDER AGENT TELLS FOX

Vizguerra has a long history with immigration authorities. In 2009, she was the subject of an ICE detainer in Denver. That same year, she was convicted of second-degree forged instrument possession and sentenced to 23 days in jail. 

In March 2009, after being released by ICE, she was convicted of failure to display proof of insurance, driving without a license and ordered to pay fines.

In 2011, a federal immigration judge denied Vizguerra's application for relief from immigration proceedings, but granted her a voluntary departure. She failed to depart the U.S. per the terms of the order within the 60-day window and instead filed an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals. 

In September 2012, she voluntarily returned to her native Mexico. She was arrested in 2013 by ICE in El Paso, Texas and ordered to be deported. 

She was eventually released because she didn't meet the agency's priorities for removal under policies at the time. 

In 2019, Vizguerra skipped an appointment with an immigration official and sought sanctuary at the First Unitarian Society Church in Denver. 

She later clandestinely moved to the First Baptist Church a short distance away, where she became a leader in the sanctuary movement.