Each week, we talk with our colleagues at The Colorado Sun about the stories they're following. This week, we talk about the loss of a huge figure in Colorado history—former U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder. We also discuss the recently published list of top consumer complaints in the state.
Former congresswoman Schroeder died Monday, March 13, at age 82 after a stroke and related complications.
Schroeder was elected to Congress in Colorado in 1972 and became one of Congress’s most influential Democrats. She won reelection 11 times and was a powerful voice in the women’s rights movement.
The Colorado Sun editor Larry Ryckman said despite being the first Colorado woman elected to Congress, Schroeder refused to be pushed around.
“She really elbowed her way into Congress and made it clear that women deserved a seat at the table and a voice in policymaking in Congress," said Ryckman. "(It) didn't win her many friends among her male colleagues, but she was so smart and tough and had many admirers around the country and was a strong champion for Colorado.”
In other news, a report came out recently about the top consumer complaints in Colorado. The No. 1 topic of complaint was retail sales. Robo call complaints were down despite being at the top of the list in previous years, on the other hand.
Ryckman said the decline in complaints about robo calls is likely a result of fewer spam calls getting through.
"Technology has gotten better at blocking robo calls," Ryckman told KUNC.
Contracting fraud was the second-ranked complaint type. Bad professional service, medical debt issues and complaints about government agencies were also on the list.
About 18,000 complaints were filed with the state last year. It's an increase of 28% from 2021.
