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Tag: Douglas County

Kevin Van Winkle, set to leave Senate in a month, appointed by Gov. Polis as Douglas Co. commissioner
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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Kevin Van Winkle, set to leave Senate in a month, appointed by Gov. Polis as Douglas Co. commissioner

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday appointed state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle of Highlands Ranch to the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners. Van Winkle replaced Lora Thomas, who resigned on Dec. 6. Van Winkle was elected to the commission on Nov. 5, succeeding Thomas, who was term-limited. Initially, he submitted a letter of resignation to the state Senate on Nov. 22, effective on Jan. 9, the day before the start of the 2025 legislative session. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Kevin Van Winkle to make early arrival as Douglas County commissioner
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denvergazette.com, Local

Kevin Van Winkle to make early arrival as Douglas County commissioner

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Following the recent turn of events in Douglas County, Kevin Van Winkle, a state senator, joined his soon-to-be colleagues on Thursday night to host the annual state of the county report. It was Van Winkle's first public appearance with commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal since former Commissioner Lora Thomas unexpectedly resigned from her seat.  “I'm looking forward to a new era of peace and prosperity for Douglas County,” Van Winkle told a dinner crowd of business leaders and Douglas County residents. Van Winkle is expected to resign his legislative seat on Dec. 16.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Colorado deputy ‘rescues’ Captain America during Douglas County traffic stop
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CBS Colorado, Local

Colorado deputy ‘rescues’ Captain America during Douglas County traffic stop

By Michael Abeyta | CBS Colorado One Colorado deputy became a hero's hero when he rescued Captain America on the side of the road last week. Deputy Zach Zepeski with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was driving on C-470 when he noticed Captain America was having motorcycle trouble on the side of the road. He decided to stop. "I couldn't have Captain America stranded," said Zepeski. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Douglas Co. Commissioner Lora Thomas says she was ‘evicted from my office’ amid political conflict
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Douglas Co. Commissioner Lora Thomas says she was ‘evicted from my office’ amid political conflict

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Lora Thomas has resigned from her position as Douglas County commissioner, a term which was to end in five weeks. According to a Denver 7 report, Thomas cites years of harassment by fellow commissioners George Teal and Abe Layden as the reason for her decision. In a press release and conference, Thomas reflected on her public service and the personal toll of the ongoing conflict. Thomas' resignation ends a career in public service which lasted decades. Before serving as a county commissioner, she broke barriers. She was the first woman captain and major in the Colorado State Patrol. She also served as Douglas County coroner, reducing office costs by 33% and rooting out internal corruption. Thomas noted her commitmen...
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Douglas County School District considers consolidating elementary schools
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kdvr.com, Local

Douglas County School District considers consolidating elementary schools

By Greg Perez | Fox 31 News The Douglas County School District will hold a community meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday to discuss a possible school closure plan. According to a letter that was sent to families, district leaders want to consolidate up to six elementary schools in Highlands Ranch by August 2026. They said enrollment numbers have been dropping in the area and the figures are not expected to improve anytime soon. “DCSD is taking a proactive approach to address the challenges of growth and decline in the North Planning area. Since last school year, DCSD committees made up of leaders and community members have discussed the best ways to manage decline to benefit our students and families. We have not only learned from other districts in the same position but al...
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Perry Park neighbors concerned over high radium levels in their drinking water in Colorado
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CBS Colorado, Local

Perry Park neighbors concerned over high radium levels in their drinking water in Colorado

By Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Neighbors in a Douglas County community are worried about the safety of their drinking water. It's happening in Perry Park, an unincorporated community west of Larkspur, which is home to natural red rock formations. The area's geology is naturally rich in minerals, including radium. Radium is a radioactive metal and has been linked to cancer. However, it is naturally occurring and the EPA allows small levels in drinking water. But a sample taken from Perry Park's water back in August was more than twice that limit. Perry Park neighbors are thirsty for answers, after receiving a notice in early October from the Perry Park Water and Sanitation District, stating that radium levels in their water are three to four times higher than normal. R...
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You can watch Douglas County ballot boxes on a 24/7 livestream
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kdvr.com, Local

You can watch Douglas County ballot boxes on a 24/7 livestream

By Morgan Whitley | Fox 31 News As a mail ballot state, Colorado has been using drop boxes for the return of ballots for years, and one county is allowing residents to watch activity around the boxes whenever they please. According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, state law requires drop boxes to be kept under 24-hour video surveillance, and Douglas County has decided to add another layer of transparency during the 2024 election. Douglas County has made the surveillance video available for public viewing in a 24/7 livestream. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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Colorado’s mountain lion hunting ban ballot measure faces Douglas County opposition
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denvergazette.com, Local

Colorado’s mountain lion hunting ban ballot measure faces Douglas County opposition

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette A large Colorado county scattered with open space has voiced opposition to a state ballot measure proposed to outright ban the hunting of large mammal cat species. As the November election nears, Douglas County Commissioners on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning a state ballot measure prohibiting the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, or lynx. If the Proposition 127 measure is approved by Colorado voters in November, then hunting those species of animals would become a criminal offense — misdemeanor. The proposal also helps eliminate large cat hunting “big game” damage claims made with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. The proposition mentions trophy hunting, but that is already prohibited for these species. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENV...
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‘Not the gold standard, a bit of fool’s gold’: Ganahl finds areas of election concern which must be addressed before Nov. 5
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State

‘Not the gold standard, a bit of fool’s gold’: Ganahl finds areas of election concern which must be addressed before Nov. 5

https://youtu.be/RgG-ysUlvq4 Ganahl talks about her concerns with Colorado's elections during a press conference outside the Capitol on Thursday afternoon. Lengthy analysis and research into one county’s 2022 election results has brought up some significant concerns, Heidi Ganahl, the Republican candidate for governor in 2022, announced Thursday in a press conference. “I’m concerned that Colorado’s elections are not the gold standard as proclaimed," Ganahl said, “but a bit of fool’s gold.” She is the founder and president of Rocky Mountain Voice, and a noted advocate for free and fair elections. “Verifying the integrity of election systems is not the exclusive role of law enforcement, but the right and duty of the citizens, and the delegated responsibility of...
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‘Handouts don’t help’: How a Colorado county reduced homelessness by 86% in 2 years
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denvergazette.com, Local

‘Handouts don’t help’: How a Colorado county reduced homelessness by 86% in 2 years

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Amid a homeless crisis plaguing Colorado’s most populated city, a county just south of Denver claims to have found an effective solution to curbing homelessness in its communities. In a campaign to mitigate homelessness, Douglas County officials emphasized one simple message: “Handouts don’t help.” They urged residents, for example, against giving money to homeless people on roadways or sidewalks. From 2022 to 2024, Douglas County witnessed a steep drop in homeless people living on the streets, from 43 to six, according to a recent point-in-time count report conducted by several local third party nonprofits. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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