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Denver councilman demands investigation into alleged political interference in police, fire hirings
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver councilman demands investigation into alleged political interference in police, fire hirings

By Alexander Edwards | Colorado Politics Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn has called for an investigation into the allegations that Mayor Mike Johnston pressured the Civil Service Commission to ignore “red flags” in applicants to Denver’s police and fire departments The Commission's five-member board said it made the decision to release Executive Director Niecy Murray on May 16 and had arranged a meeting to inform her of that decision. Murray, however, held a press conference Tuesday morning in which she made her allegations public.  Flynn said some of her claims are "lacking specificity," and cites that as his primary motivator in calling for an investigation. Murray should "name names, tell us when, what was done and who recommended lowering acceptable test scor...
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Lone Tree residents scrap Douglas County probation office location
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Lone Tree residents scrap Douglas County probation office location

By Rachel Saurer | Fox 31 Denver/KDVR People in Lone Tree came together on Thursday night to block a proposal to move the location of the new Douglas County Probation Office. It all started in 2018 when county commissioners discussed leaving the 18th Judicial District. “The 18th Judicial District was Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln,” said Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas. “We got a law passed in 2020 that will create this brand new district in 2025.” This new district would be the 23rd Judicial District, which would cater more specifically to the needs of people from Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 DENVER KDVR
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Can you spell pronouncer? Denver native is the nation’s top word nerd
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Can you spell pronouncer? Denver native is the nation’s top word nerd

By Carol McKinley | The Denver Gazette Jaques Bailly is a spell-ebrity. The former Denver Catholic school prodigy has been the face of the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a most patient pronouncer for 20 years — so beloved, young competitors recognize him with a "Howdy Dr. Bailly!" when they first step up to the microphone.  During Wednesday's fifth round, Bailly repeated the word “lenticillate” three times for Nyarah Garver, a nervous 7th-grader  from Wyndham, New York. She wrongly sounded out “L-E-N-T-I-C-E-L-L-E-T,” and exited the National Scripps Spelling Bee stage with a limp high-five for the next competitor. “It was that final ‘e,’” said pronouncer Bailly, who is in many ways the face of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and appears to feel every kid’s disapp...
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In Greeley, following heavy rain residents cautioned toward flooding safety
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Approved, Local, Out There Colorado

In Greeley, following heavy rain residents cautioned toward flooding safety

By Spencer McKee | Out There Colorado In case you missed it, parts of northern Colorado got hit with heavy rain and hail on Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with some parts of the region experiencing flooding that's still having an impact. The City of Greeley was one spot where the weather hit particularly hard, with the city starting to notify the public about safety issues related to flooding around midnight. According to CBS News, hail reached two inches in diameter – about the size of an egg – in some parts of the local area, with some places getting hit with up to 2 inches of rapidly falling rain. READ THE FULL STORY AT OUT THERE COLORADO
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YMCA camp’s policy to sort campers by gender identity stirs controversy
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

YMCA camp’s policy to sort campers by gender identity stirs controversy

By Debbie Kelley | Colorado Politics With school ending, summer camps are getting ready for weeks of raucous outdoor activities, campfire singalongs, new friendships and everyone having a blast. Along with the traditional fun and games, a developing trend is playing out at the YMCA's longstanding Camp Shady Brook near Deckers in Douglas County. The sold-out resident summer camp is one of the few in the region that places campers and staff members in cabin groups according to their gender identity. That means children, teens and employees at Camp Shady Brook can sleep in male- and female-divided cabins based on their gender identity and preference, according to the Colorado Springs-based YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, which owns and operates Camp Shady Brook. READ THE FULL ST...
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Remembering those ‘that gave all’: Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora honors fallen servicemen
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Remembering those ‘that gave all’: Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora honors fallen servicemen

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette A 1,000-pound bronze bell, forged in honor of Colorado's fallen, tolled several times during the Colorado Freedom Memorial on Saturday morning. The Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation, along with the City of Aurora, held its 11th annual Colorado Remembers ceremony on Saturday, celebrating Memorial Day and those who gave everything for the country.  Cannon fire from the Colorado Army National Guard followed the ringing bell, bringing about silence throughout the park as over 100 attendees honored the nation's fallen servicemen and servicewomen. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Lightning strike kills Northern Colorado rancher, 30 head of his cattle
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Approved, Local, The Colorado Sun

Lightning strike kills Northern Colorado rancher, 30 head of his cattle

By Jennifer Brown | Colorado Sun A lightning strike killed a Jackson County rancher and more than 30 of his cattle Saturday afternoon as the man tossed hay from the back of a trailer, the local coroner said Sunday.  Mike Morgan, 51, was feeding his herd as the strike hit, killing him and knocking the 100 or so cows and calves standing around the trailer off their feet, said George Crocket, coroner for the rural county in far northern Colorado.  “The 32 cattle did not get back up,” Crocket said.  “As best I can tell, it hit him on the trailer. The cattle were bunched up around the trailer and it hit them all.”  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal
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Approved, Local, Westword

Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Denver City Council members Amanda Sandoval and Amanda Sawyer have reintroduced the idea of decreasing city term limits from three to two terms, much to the surprise of many other members of council. The pair initiated the discussion in August 2023, saying many of their constituents had brought it up on the campaign trail. At that time, other members expressed concern with the idea and believed the topic to be closed. “Last August, I thought the conversation was complete,” Councilman Chris Hinds said during a May 20 Charter Review Committee meeting. “I haven't heard anything from constituents about council term limits.” READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD
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Two Arapahoe County cities contribute millions into Douglas County road project
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Two Arapahoe County cities contribute millions into Douglas County road project

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Two Arapahoe County cities are pouring millions of dollars into assisting Douglas County’s estimated $34.3 million County Line Road reconstruction project. The project, which is currently accepting bids from construction companies, plans for improvements along County Line Road from Broadway to University Boulevard. The road separates both Littleton and Centennial in Arapahoe County from Douglas County to the south. In 2018, both cities agreed with Douglas County to work together to receive enough local and federal funding to reconstruct County Line Road. The agreement is to fully widen, add safety and operational improvements to the roughly 1.5 miles of road. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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El Paso, Teller counties to get $66 million in grants to address opioid epidemic
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Approved, Colorado Springs Gazette, Local

El Paso, Teller counties to get $66 million in grants to address opioid epidemic

By Mary Shinn | Colorado Springs Gazette El Paso and Teller counties are expected to receive $66 million through 2038 to address the opioid epidemic, a scourge that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives nationally.  A regional council awarded the first round of that funding, about $3.8 million, in April. The council left about $1.1 million in reserve to fund additional youth prevention programs, said Amanda Grant, an El Paso County finance employee who works with the council. She said the region is currently expected to receive $66 million, although the number will fluctuate depending on settlement outcomes.  The board is composed of 15 officials from El Paso and Teller counties, including county commissioners, city and town council members and law enforcement repre...
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