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Plan to redevelop Evans School property approved by Denver City Council
denvergazette.com, Local

Plan to redevelop Evans School property approved by Denver City Council

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette The Denver City Council on Monday approved an urban redevelopment taxing plan to give a face lift to one of Denver’s historic landmarks in the Golden Triangle neighborhood. The council voted 10-1 to approve the Evans School Urban Redevelopment Plan, which focuses on redeveloping the interior of Evans School, a 120-year-old building that was built as an elementary school. Since 1974, the building has sat dormant at 11th Avenue and Acoma Street. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Federal judge gives The Rock Church injunction against Town of Castle Rock to shelter homeless
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...
In Mesa County, deputy recovers 48 pounds (220k pills) of fentanyl  following vehicle pursuit
Local, Out There Colorado

In Mesa County, deputy recovers 48 pounds (220k pills) of fentanyl following vehicle pursuit

By Piper Russell | Out There Colorado Law enforcement recovered 220,000 pills after a vehicle pursuit along Interstate 70, according to a press release from the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. A deputy with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling eastbound on I-70 near Fruita on Friday morning. The vehicle took off when the deputy exited his car. The deputy pursued the vehicle as it continued eastbound, taking Exit 26 and then getting back on I-70 going westbound. The deputy ended the pursuit for safety reasons. A Colorado State Patrol trooper put stop sticks on the road, but the vehicle continued down I-70 before exiting into Fruita. The vehicle continued into town but stopped near the intersection of West Pabor Avenue. READ THE FULL STOR...
Annexation of 3,200 acres into Colorado Springs could be decided  Tuesday
coloradopolitics.com, Local

Annexation of 3,200 acres into Colorado Springs could be decided Tuesday

By Breeanna Jent | Colorado Politics (via Gazette.com) Years after it was first presented to Colorado Springs, the City Council on Tuesday is expected to vote on a massive annexation request that envisions growing city boundaries by 3,200 acres. La Plata Communities, one of the Pikes Peak region’s largest real estate development companies, will ask the council to annex the land southeast of Colorado Springs and approve plans to build up to 9,500 single- and multi-family homes in a proposed master-planned community called Amara. Development plans also call for building 2 million square feet of commercial space, schools, public safety facilities, parks and open space. The land is currently located in unincorporated El Paso County, surrounded on three sides by the neighboring city of...
In advance of election, Boulder City Council to weigh long-term plan for closing municipal airport by 2041
Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

In advance of election, Boulder City Council to weigh long-term plan for closing municipal airport by 2041

By Boulder Reporting Lab City of Boulder officials are asking councilmembers to decide next week whether the city should begin the process of closing the Boulder Municipal Airport by 2041. According to a city staff memo published this week, 2041 is the date when the city estimates it will no longer be obligated to keep the airport operating under Federal Aviation Administration regulations. The decision will be part of a special meeting on July 25, when councilmembers return from their summer break. The discussion comes after a group of residents gathered enough signatures to place two measures on the November ballot dealing with the airport. One measure would close the airport “as soon as reasonably feasible,” while the other would repurpose the land to create a neighbo...
Hancey: An open letter to Ms. Reed, asking for your resignation
Commentary, Local

Hancey: An open letter to Ms. Reed, asking for your resignation

By Aaron Hancey | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice I respectfully ask for your immediate resignation! You have had the privilege of being a leader to your community on at least two different occasions: 1. As a teacher and survivor of the shooting at Columbine High School and 2. As a currently elected non-partisan official on the Jefferson County School Board.  I can relate.  I am also a non-partisan elected official. I currently am the mayor pro-tem for the City of Fruita on the Western Slope of Colorado. I, too, am a survivor of the shooting at Columbine High School and was 17 years old when I helped to lead a classroom that was full of scared students and teachers while I administered first aid to Mr. Sanders. He had been shot multiple times and I spent three-and-a-...
High school display case determined to be out of compliance with Colorado’s American Indian mascot law
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
Teacher’s alleged Trump post does not speak for district, Jeffco schools say
kdvr.com, Local

Teacher’s alleged Trump post does not speak for district, Jeffco schools say

By Morgan Whitley | Fox 31 News Jefferson County Public Schools sent a statement to FOX31 after screenshots were shared across the internet allegedly showing one of the district’s teachers discussing how former President Donald Trump “was almost taken out” at his rally on Saturday. A Facebook post allegedly made by an elementary school teacher is making its rounds online. Screenshots of the post appear to show the teacher talking about Trump’s attempted assassination and allegedly agreeing with a commenter who was upset “they missed.” “Please know that Jeffco Public Schools does not endorse violence of any kind. The district has social media guidance that encourages our employees to conduct themselves in a professional manner and refrain from posting inappropriate conten...
Wheat Ridge police partnering with dog walkers in effort to improve crime fighting
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
Jeffco will pilot new programs, including a welcome center bus, to better serve immigrant students
Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

Jeffco will pilot new programs, including a welcome center bus, to better serve immigrant students

By Yesenia Robles | Chalkbeat Colorado An influx of immigrant students last year left the Jeffco school district scrambling to meet their needs. So this fall, officials are piloting new programs and support to help students. The school district is piloting a series of changes, including new staff, resources, and curriculum materials, as well as a new welcome center bus, after hundreds of immigrant students arrived throughout the past school year. The district is planning for the surge to continue into next school year. “Our schools have been incredibly autonomous in how they meet the needs of our special populations and especially our multilingual language learners,” Jeffco Superintendent Tracy Dorland told the district’s school board this spring. “Our student achievement data tel...