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One Eastern Plains school district closes following severe Monday night storms with large hail, tornado warnings
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One Eastern Plains school district closes following severe Monday night storms with large hail, tornado warnings

By Alexander Kirk | Denver Gazette (via 9News) Yuma School District will be closed Tuesday after severe weather impacted the area Monday night, Denver Gazette media partner 9News reported on Tuesday. The northeast Colorado school district said all Yuma schools, as well as its district offices, would be closed Tuesday. "Due to the severe weather that came through town tonight, All Yuma Schools including the district offices will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. All activities will be cancelled," the district announced. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Ballot initiatives seek to ban biological boys in girls’ sports, require schools to notify parents over ‘gender incongruence’
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Ballot initiatives seek to ban biological boys in girls’ sports, require schools to notify parents over ‘gender incongruence’

By Marianne Goodland | Denver Gazette A parent who sued the Wellington School District over an LGBTQ middle-high school club is seeking to put a measure in front of voters in November that would require schools to notify parents when their child expresses "gender incongruence." Another ballot initiative would prohibit biological males from participating in girls' sports at the K-12 level. The group collecting petition signatures for the two measures is called "Protect Kids Colorado," which is led by former state Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Erin Lee, a Fort Collins parent who earlier said her 12-year-old daughter was invited by an art teacher to an after-school art club that was really about gender and sexuality. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado
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Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado

By Daniel Boniface | The Denver Gazette Cole Finegan on Wednesday announced he's stepping down as United States Attorney for the District of Colorado at the end of the month. Finegan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, took the oath of office on Dec. 1, 2021. His last day on the job will be May 31. During his time as U.S. Attorney, Finegan's office represented the U.S. in criminal and civil court matters in Colorado and the in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Auraria Campus officials decline to provide security details as protest encampment grows
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Auraria Campus officials decline to provide security details as protest encampment grows

By Nicole C. Brambila | The Denver Gazette The pro-Palestinian protests on the Auraria Campus have cost it nearly $300,000, campus officials reported Tuesday. “The protest has cost the campus an estimated $290K in damages, canceled community events, and other relevant costs to address the encampment,” Devra Ashby, a spokesperson for the Auraria Higher Education Center, said in an email to The Denver Gazette. “That cost will only increase over time.” Damages — Ashby said — have involved destroying the sod in the quad, graffiti tagging and vandalism, as well as the cost of cleaning up the quad, including a hazmat team handling a spill from an illegal toilet. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Colorado ranked as third most dangerous state in new U.S. crime study
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Colorado ranked as third most dangerous state in new U.S. crime study

By Daniel Boniface | Denver Gazette Colorado ranked as one of the "most dangerous" states in the U.S. in a new report and it's mostly because of a high rate of property crime. U.S. News and World Report last week released its 2024 Best States rankings and although Colorado finished in a respectable 16th place overall, it received poor marks for public safety, ranking No. 3 most dangerous. The rankings were determined by factoring both violent crime and property crime rates in each state using FBI data from 2022, the report said. "For its part, the FBI notes that numerous factors can affect the amount and type of crime in different areas, including population density, economic conditions, climate and family cohesiveness," the report said. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZ...
Denver teachers bear the brunt of layoffs amid declining enrollment
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Denver teachers bear the brunt of layoffs amid declining enrollment

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette Faced with declining enrollment and tight campus budgets, school leaders across Denver Public Schools have laid off more than 900 teachers since 2022, The Denver Gazette has learned. Over the same period, school leaders cut just 16 assistant principals, district data obtained under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) shows. Although teachers account for roughly 40% of district employees, they comprise — on average — 65% of the annual staff reductions. This suggests teachers are bearing the brunt of district layoffs. And parents have cried foul. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Here’s when Miller moths will start to swarm in Colorado this year
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Here’s when Miller moths will start to swarm in Colorado this year

By Spencer McKee | Denver Gazette This past weekend, I made the mistake of leaving the door open while I was heading in and out of my backyard with the pup – and sure enough, I noticed an intruder had snuck its way inside as I locked up for the night. Thankfully, it wasn't one of the neighborhood bears or a local bobcat – but an old familiar friend. High on my wall was a Miller moth. And just like that, I was reminded that the season when Colorado gets swarmed by hoards of the winged species is soon to be underway. According to Colorado State University, Miller moths tend to appear along the state's Front Range region sometime between mid-May and early June, hatching in the Eastern Plains and starting a migration to higher elevation parts of the state over the next two to three we...
Denver City Council delays spending $8 million on homeless hotel
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Denver City Council delays spending $8 million on homeless hotel

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette The Denver City Council has requested a delay in voting for funding for a shelter run by the Salvation Army. The Tamarac Family Shelter, located at 7525 E. Hampden Ave. in a repurposed Embassy Suites hotel building, was set to receive an $8 million contract with the city. That is almost three-fourths of the amount invoiced to the city by the Salvation Army last year. The $8 million contract is only good for one year and expires on Dec. 31, 2024. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Fossil of 65-million-year-old mammal discovered near Colorado Springs
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Fossil of 65-million-year-old mammal discovered near Colorado Springs

By Ajia Cuevas | Denver Gazette An exciting discovery of a new species of mammal was made on the edge of Colorado Springs, according to an announcement from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.  Denver museum scientists recently discovered a fossil in the Corral Bluffs area that belonged to a species of mammal that lived 65.6 million years ago, named the Militocodon lydae. Museum officials said that the newly discovered species was about the size of a chinchilla or large rat. The fossil skull and jaws of the mammal were uncovered from rocks that date back to just after the dinosaur extinction, the museum said.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Rockies tickets for 5 bucks? Tickets for Giants series at Coors Field are turning back the clock
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Rockies tickets for 5 bucks? Tickets for Giants series at Coors Field are turning back the clock

By Paul Klee | Denver Gazette Hey, it's not all bad news with the Rockies. Tickets are cheap. The local ballclub is last in the National League and first in your budget. The Rockies said Friday lower-level tickets for the San Francisco Giants series Tuesday-Thursday are good to go for as low as $5.05. It's the "Hot Rox" Cinco de Mayo special. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE