Colorado police oversight bill advances, propelled by whistleblowers

Former Edgewater police officer McKinzie Rees hopes to serve and protect again, but first she must get her name removed from a so-called “bad cops list” maintained by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. It landed there, she said, as retaliation after she reported sexual assaults by a supervising sergeant. That sergeant went on to work … Read more

East Colfax communities in Denver and Aurora seek help staying in area

Photographs line the walls, plants sit on windowsills and a Buddhist altar is arranged atop a dresser. Nearly every surface of the living room is covered by an item or memento collected by Thin Soe, Ye Ye Thin and their five children over the years in their three-bedroom apartment in Denver’s East Colfax neighborhood. Since … Read more

Colorado assault weapon ban faces tight vote in Senate committee

The proposed ban on the sale, transfer and manufacturing of many high-powered, semi-automatic guns in Colorado will face an uphill fight in the state Senate after clearing the House for the first time. The measure, House Bill 1292, would ban guns referred to as “assault” weapons by its Democratic sponsors. It now heads to a … Read more

First Lady Jill Biden to speak at Aurora event on women’s health

First lady Jill Biden plans to stop in Aurora this weekend to promote the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. First lady Jill Biden speaks next to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis at the Colorado Capitol on April 3, 2023, in Denver during a stop to highlight workforce training investments. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver … Read more

Aurora homeless campus sparks concerns for residents in metro Denver

A plan to convert a Crowne Plaza Hotel into a facility to temporarily house and serve individuals who are homeless has spurred concerns from residents of Aurora and Denver about safety in the area and the effectiveness of the center in addressing homelessness in the region. The Aurora City Council approved the purchase of the … Read more

Colorado lawmakers aim to protect gender identity in hate crimes law

Transgender and nonbinary people would receive more explicit protections in Colorado’s anti-bias and harassment law if a newly introduced bill becomes law. Advocates characterize the bill as a simple legislative fix to ensure gender identity and expression are protected across state law, while also sending a message about Colorado’s values. “(The bill) ensures nonbinary and … Read more

Colorado assault weapons bill heads to House floor after committee vote

After a marathon committee hearing, Colorado Democrats’ bill to ban the sale of semi-automatic rifles and other so-called assault weapons cleared its first hurdle early Wednesday morning and now is poised to pass the full House. The measure, House Bill 1292, passed the House Judiciary Committee on a 7-3 party-line vote. The wide margin came … Read more

Colorado lawmakers’ push for more high-density housing irks cities

Colorado cities are ready for a legal fight if necessary to stop a state push to overhaul local housing density rules and allow more tightly packed development along train and bus routes. While many local governments support the goal of concentrating people in apartments around transit hubs so they drive less, mayors have objected to … Read more

Nikki Haley rallies hundreds at Colorado stop to vote in GOP primary

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley told Colorado voters at a rally Tuesday that this year’s presidential election is about getting the country “back on track” — from securing the border and focusing on the basics in education to preventing wars. The Republican hopeful characterized herself as the best chance to do that during her … Read more

Aurora City Council passes resolution demanding a stop to busing migrants to “non-sanctuary city”

Aurora’s city government wants to make clear that it has no plans to take in or provide services for an influx of migrants coming into the city from other municipalities, according to a resolution that the City Council passed on Monday night. The resolution, which also included people who are homeless getting transported to Aurora … Read more