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CBS Colorado

It’s a revolving door at police chief’s office in Aurora, concerning some in community
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

It’s a revolving door at police chief’s office in Aurora, concerning some in community

By Tori Mason | CBS Colorado Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris recently said she will not apply for the permanent role of leading the Aurora Police Department. Morris is the department's third interim police chief since 2022. The revolving door of leadership has sparked questions and concerns within the community. When she was sworn in this year, Morris said the opportunity to have the permanent chief position would be an honor. She told CBS Colorado her priorities were reducing crime, building community relationships and strengthening the department. In a letter to APD employees, she wrote: "It has been a privilege to serve the men and women of the Aurora Police Department first as the Interim Deputy Chief and for the last 6 months as the Interim Chief of Police." REA...
Federal judge gives The Rock Church injunction against Town of Castle Rock to shelter homeless
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Federal judge gives The Rock Church injunction against Town of Castle Rock to shelter homeless

By Austen Erblat | CBS Colorado A Colorado church that sued the Town of Castle Rock over its ability to shelter homeless people on church grounds saw a win in court on Friday after a federal judge granted the church a preliminary injunction against the town. The Rock Church has sheltered homeless people in RVs on its property since 2019, calling it their religious duty to help those in need. But on at least three separate occasions, in 2021, 2022 and again in 2023, town officials blocked their efforts, saying they violated zoning laws. The church, in response, said this violated its 1st Amendment rights to religious freedom, as well as the Religious Land Use And Institutionalized Persons Act. In January, the church sued the town. "The Holy Bible specifically and repea...
Normal operation resumes at DIA following overnight grounding related to Microsoft outage
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Normal operation resumes at DIA following overnight grounding related to Microsoft outage

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado Flights are getting back to regular operations at Denver International Airport although there may still be lingering problems from an overnight global Microsoft outage. Some flights were grounded in the overnight hours and into the morning. American, Southwest and Frontier flights were operational by 7 a.m. and United and Delta flights were no longer grounded at 8 a.m. Companies that rely on Microsoft 365 apps reported widespread outages early Friday, and that includes airlines across the country and across the world. FAA and TSA operations at Denver International Airport were functioning normally. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
High school display case determined to be out of compliance with Colorado’s American Indian mascot law
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

High school display case determined to be out of compliance with Colorado’s American Indian mascot law

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado In Jefferson County, history is colliding with compliance. While Arvada High School changed its mascot long before a 2021 Colorado law banned the use of American Indian mascots, a state commission says the historical display inside the school now violates that law. The school and school district have until October to remove dozens of prohibited items, prompting concern from some alumni like Terri Binder about their own history with the school. Binder graduated from Arvada High School in 1964. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Wheat Ridge police partnering with dog walkers in effort to improve crime fighting
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Wheat Ridge police partnering with dog walkers in effort to improve crime fighting

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Wheat Ridge police want people out with their dogs to pull double duty. That means while walking your dog or exercising in the Colorado community, why not watch for crime as well? Sitting front row for a Wheat Ridge Police Department's dog walker watch class this month was Lin Browning, her dog Lucy with her, in a way. "She is seven," Browning said holding up a cellphone photo. Browning jumped at the opportunity to be in the training -- first as a dog lover and as a new member of the town located in Jefferson County on the western side of the Denver metro area. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Douglas Co. has invested $2.7 million in a helicopter, and says it is worth it
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Douglas Co. has invested $2.7 million in a helicopter, and says it is worth it

By Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Douglas County fire crews experienced a busy weekend as a heat wave warmed the Denver metro area. The agency's fire suppression helicopter responded to several calls, including a destructive brush fire in Byers Arapahoe County, a plane's emergency landing and three smoke checks. CBS Colorado learned more about the resource proving to be instrumental for communities around the metro area by watching the Helitack team demonstrate their approach, which is a combination of aerial and ground firefighting.When a wildfire sparks, every second counts. "We just arrived on scene. I got eyes on the fire. We're going to try to anchor in at the heel and go up the right flank. If you could just have the helicopter drop on the left flank," a firefighter radioed oth...
Gov. Jared Polis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Approved, CBS Colorado, National

Gov. Jared Polis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

By Kasey Richardson | CBS Colorado Colorado Gov. Jared Polis joined with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday as he addressed the National Governors Association in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Since the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 22, 2022, by Russian troops, Polis and his administration have made an effort to support the country while condemning Vladimir Putin's action.  "Colorado and the United States are proud partners in President Zelenskyy's fight to protect Ukraine and Europe from dictator Vladimir Putin. Putin's brutal and globally destabilizing war poses a grave threat to Ukraine, the global order, and the U.S. and its allies," said Polis. "I thanked President Zelenskyy for his and Ukraine's bravery in the face of Russian aggression."  READ THE FULL STORY AT...
Aurora may get tougher on penalties for motorists without license plates
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Aurora may get tougher on penalties for motorists without license plates

By Tori Mason | CBS Colorado It's not uncommon to see vehicles with expired tags or no plates at all in Aurora. The Aurora Police Department has already increased enforcement. Now a city council member wants to get even tougher on drivers who think they're above the law in Colorado. "There isn't a time that I go out on the street where I don't see at least three or four cars with no plates," said Robbie De Jong, who runs an online community group for stolen vehicles. "If I have to do it, so does everybody else." This month, Aurora City Council Member Stephanie Hancock will introduce a proposal to crack down on vehicles with expired registrations and with missing plates. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
The future is here: AI-powered cameras dispatched firefighters to wildfire
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

The future is here: AI-powered cameras dispatched firefighters to wildfire

By Spencer Wilson | CBS Colorado After a wildfire broke out at an unattended campsite just east of a popular Breckenridge neighborhood, local firefighters are praising a new tool for their quick reaction to get the flames put out before they became too much to handle.  Aside from growing in a place where wildfire mitigation had taken place only a year and a half ago, the Wellington wildfire was spotted by a Pano AI camera, financially supported by Xcel Energy. The camera sits on a cell tower with a 360-degree view and submits an alert to emergency crews if it notices smoke. While that has resulted in a few false alarms in Summit County, this was the first instance where a wildfire was caught early, and kept to only one-eighth of an acre, firefighters said, thanks to...
Members-only auto race track on course for rural Adams County
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Members-only auto race track on course for rural Adams County

By Gabriela Vidal, Jeff Gurney | CBS Colorado Look on Google Maps and you'll able to see a squiggly line on Colorado's plains just East of Denver International. Airport. It's the beginning of a members-only race track.    "It's a private racing facility," Nick Eagleson, Adams County senior strategic planner told CBS News Colorado.  "Adams County is growing -- obviously it is growing east. There's a lot of benefits because of the location and its proximity to DIA as well as downtown Denver," Eagleson said. Nine parcels of land purchased make up the 600-acre site. It will include a race track, go-cart facility and other venue facilities. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO