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Boulder Co. Sheriff’s Office stops using CBI for forensic casework; moves to Jefferson Co. lab
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Boulder Co. Sheriff’s Office stops using CBI for forensic casework; moves to Jefferson Co. lab

By Heather Willard | Fox 31 News The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Sunday afternoon that it will not be using the Colorado Bureau of Investigation crime labs for forensic casework moving forward. Instead, the county agency will transition the casework to the Jefferson County Regional Crime Lab. “This change is driven by our commitment to delivering the highest level of service to those affected by crime in our community,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson told FOX31 on Sunday. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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Lawmakers introduce a bill to repeal Open Meetings Law shield for General Assembly
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Approved, Law Week Colorado, State

Lawmakers introduce a bill to repeal Open Meetings Law shield for General Assembly

By Law Week Colorado Last week, two Republican lawmakers in the Colorado House of Representatives introduced a bill aimed at government transparency laws. The measure would repeal a portion of Senate Bill 24-157, which was passed last year amid opposition from transparency advocates and organizations.  READ THE FULL STORY AT LAW WEEK COLORADO
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Colorado Springs police mourns the loss of K-9 Officer Hulk
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Approved, gazette.com, Local

Colorado Springs police mourns the loss of K-9 Officer Hulk

By O'Dell Isaac | The Gazette The Colorado Springs Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its four-footed family member, the law enforcement agency announced via Facebook on Saturday. Hulk, a retired K-9, passed away on Friday after a brief illness, according to the social media post. The Dutch Shepherd was 9 years old. “It is with heavy hearts that the CSPD K9 unit announces the passing of retired K9 Hulk,” the pose read, in part. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
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Hundreds rally in support of Ukraine outside of Colorado capitol
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Hundreds rally in support of Ukraine outside of Colorado capitol

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Hundreds gathered outside the Colorado state Capitol on Sunday in support of Ukraine and to mark three years since Russian forces started their invasion. “Today we came here just to raise our voices, to raise awareness that the war is still active. The war has not ended,” Marina Dubrova, president of the organizing nonprofit Ukrainians of Colorado, said outside the Capitol. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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The fight over fentanyl is back on tap in Colorado’s General Assembly
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

The fight over fentanyl is back on tap in Colorado’s General Assembly

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The fentanyl epidemic, which produced intense fights two years ago over how to confront the soaring deaths from the synthetic opioid, has returned to the Colorado state Capitol this year. In the past several weeks, lawmakers have already turned down one bill that would make possession of small amounts of fentanyl a felony. And efforts are afoot to put the subject on the ballot. Used legitimately as a medical anesthetic, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has become a dominant player in the illicit market and is increasingly being mixed into other substances. It's cheaper and produces a more potent, more fleeting "high," according to experts. But its potency in small quantities makes it unlike any other substance that preceded it. READ T...
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Pope Francis awake on 10th day of hospitalization as early kidney failure kicks in
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Approved, National, New York Post

Pope Francis awake on 10th day of hospitalization as early kidney failure kicks in

By The Associated Press Via The New York Post Pope Francis woke up and was continuing his therapies Monday after a quiet night, on the 10th day of his hospitalization for a complex lung infection that has provoked the early stages of kidney insufficiency, the Vatican said. “The night passed well, the pope slept and is resting,” it said. The 88-year-old pope is continuing to feed himself and is not receiving artificial or liquid nutrition, the Vatican said, adding that he was in good spirits. A medical bulletin was expected later in the day. READ THE FULL STORY ON THE NEW YORK POST
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Walcher: How many border guards do we need?
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Approved, Commentary, Greg Walcher, Rocky Mountain Voice

Walcher: How many border guards do we need?

By Greg Walcher | Guest Commentary, GregWalcher.com Police have an unflattering nickname, “Permit Patty,” for someone who calls police over frivolous complaints. It originated when a woman called the police on a little girl selling lemonade at a streetside stand – as generations of kids have done – without a permit. It illustrates a commonsense truth, namely that not everything in life should require a permit, and not every infraction is a matter for the police. Most of us instinctively understand that, but the federal government never has. Virtually all government agencies operate from a top-down, command-and-control model that emphasizes enforcement over incentives. And most of them have a law enforcement division to make sure everyone complies with their edicts and rules. The fede...
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SB 70, taking aim at online selling of stolen goods, advances to House
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

SB 70, taking aim at online selling of stolen goods, advances to House

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice An inconceivable quantity of goods are bought and sold daily by Coloradans online, and a measure passed out of the Colorado Senate on Monday aims to protect Coloradans from purchasing any goods which may be stolen. Senate Bill 25-070, by El Paso County Republican Sen. Larry Liston and Eagle County Democrat Sen. Dylan Roberts, cleared a 28-3 vote on final reading in the upper chamber. It would require the disclosure, to consumers, of product listings of a high-volume nature by sellers, and require development of a reporting mechanism to the online marketplace. It lost the support of at least one Republican lawmaker after that. "This is one of those bills where I wish I could split my vote," said Sen. Mark Baisley. "The first part, I like im...
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Lundberg: Challenging the open primary system in Colorado
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Lundberg: Challenging the open primary system in Colorado

By Kevin Lundberg | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice As chairman for the Colorado GOP lawsuit committee, following is an update on the progress of our case challenging the semi-open primary in federal court.  Our contention is that political parties, being a private organization, should not be required to allow non-party members to vote in that party’s elections, selecting their nominee for general elections. This legal standard was actually established by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Jones case in 2000. In 2021, the State Republican Central Committee unanimously approved a resolution calling for a legal challenge of Prop. 108. That ballot initiative was approved by a narrow majority vote in the 2016 general election and was first applied to primary elections in 2018. I...
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New effort to ban ‘junk fees’, HB 1090, shifts focus to different industry
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

New effort to ban ‘junk fees’, HB 1090, shifts focus to different industry

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado Democrats once again are seeking to ban “junk fees” that get added without option onto the advertised prices of goods and services, but their focus this year has shifted largely from hotels and ticket sellers to landlords. Following a four-hour hearing Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 1090, which seeks to define the kinds of fees that are deceptive pricing practices and offer protection to consumers through a new private right of action. HB 1090, sponsored by Democratic Reps. Emily Sirota of Denver and Naquetta Ricks of Aurora, passed on a party-line vote and may be debated by the full House as soon as next week. Ricks first brought the bill last year, saying she wanted to stop add-on bill charges l...
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