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Judge overrules Elizabeth School District, forces return of books parents objected to
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Judge overrules Elizabeth School District, forces return of books parents objected to

By Michael Karlik | Denver Gazette An Elbert County school district confirmed on Friday to a federal judge that it has restored 19 restricted books to library shelves after she found the school board likely violated the First Amendment rights of students and authors by removing the titles for ideological reasons. Earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit declined to suspend, or stay, a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney. Previously, Sweeney ordered the Elizabeth School District to return the restricted books to libraries, and she set a specific date of April 5. The 10th Circuit put that order temporarily on hold while it took an initial look at the case, before ultimately deciding against intervention...
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Downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall still mostly empty despite taxpayer-funded revitalization
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall still mostly empty despite taxpayer-funded revitalization

By Carly Moore | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — According to a new annual report, the 16th Street Mall is still struggling to fill vacancies, and it’s also dealing with decreased foot traffic. This has been a spot that has struggled to keep businesses for several years, but as construction wraps up by the end of May, representatives at the Downtown Denver Partnership remain optimistic. The Downtown Denver Partnership said the retail vacancy rate is about 30%. Empty storefronts still line 16th Street Mall, and the vacancy rate is twice as much as the rest of downtown’s average of 15%. There are 45 spaces that are empty right now along the mall. “We’re working really closely with the City and County of Denver to provide incentives to provide things like facade and patio grant...
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Trump prioritizes Venezuelan gang crackdown, while Colorado and other sanctuary states resist
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local, National, State

Trump prioritizes Venezuelan gang crackdown, while Colorado and other sanctuary states resist

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette As millions of immigrants fleeing the economic and political chaos in Venezuela used social media to navigate the journey north, Tren de Aragua (TdA) operatives embedded in their ranks and exploited these same platforms — particularly WhatsApp — to coordinate extortion, smuggling and violence. Venezuela’s economic and political chaos made the rise of an enterprising criminal organization like TdA almost inevitable, according to Ronna Rísquez, a Venezuelan journalist who's been investigating the gang. “The heads of the Tren de Aragua identified the massive and forced Venezuelan migration as a goldmine of business opportunities,” Rísquez wrote in her book, “El Tren de Aragua: La banda que revolucionó el crimen organizado en América Latina” (The...
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Sanctuary showdown: Colorado Democrats pass bill while feds sue
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Approved, kdvr.com, National, State

Sanctuary showdown: Colorado Democrats pass bill while feds sue

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado’s Democratic lawmakers are pushing ahead on immigration bills despite the U.S. Department of Justice filing a lawsuit Friday to challenge those laws. One of those measures, SB25-276, “Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status,” that lawmakers are pushing forward on, focuses on protecting civil rights and immigrant communities in Colorado and was passed by the House on Saturday after amendments were made. The vote was made along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The proposed measure includes a slew of actions that are designed to protect the civil rights of immigrants, including: Repealing the requirement for an affidavit stating that an undocumented person has applied for lawful presen...
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Wilcox: You now need an ID to fly but not to vote
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Approved, Commentary, National, The Daily Caller

Wilcox: You now need an ID to fly but not to vote

By Melanie Wilcox | Daily Caller, Commentary The REAL ID Act will be enforced nationwide in all 50 states beginning Wednesday, May 7. Starting that day, every adult boarding a commercial domestic flight or entering certain secure federal facilities will need to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another form of accepted identification such as a U.S. passport. Passed in 2005 in response to the 9/11 attacks, the REAL ID Act aimed to tighten federal identification standards. But the rollout has been marked by state resistance, logistical challenges and privacy concerns. Some states — over a dozen at one point — flat-out refused to comply early on, citing high costs and civil liberties concerns. (RELATED: Trump’s Former Aides Lead DHS Review At Transportation Securit...
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Trump to tap new national security advisor in 6 months; calls Waltz move ‘upgrade’
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Approved, Fox News, National

Trump to tap new national security advisor in 6 months; calls Waltz move ‘upgrade’

By Greg Wehner | Fox News President Donald Trump said Sunday that he plans to appoint a new national security advisor in about six months, telling reporters the former advisor, Mike Waltz, did not resign, but was instead tapped for an upgraded position as the administration’s ambassador to the United Nations. Trump spoke with reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, where he was asked about several topics, including the trade deals, Mexican cartels and the national security advisor position. One reporter asked the president about Waltz’s exit as the national security advisor, which the president said he was being selected for what he called a "higher position," or an "upgrade." READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS
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Trump directs federal agencies to ‘rebuild and open Alcatraz’
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Approved, Breitbart, National

Trump directs federal agencies to ‘rebuild and open Alcatraz’

By Elizabeth Weibel | Breitbart President Donald Trump directed the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reopen and rebuild Alcatraz prison to house the “most ruthless and violent” criminals. In a post on Truth Social, Trump noted that when the United States was “a more serious Nation,” the government did not “hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals.” “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” Trump wrote. “For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous cr...
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Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice On May 11, 2024, at Nordstrom Rack in Lakewood, Colorado, Michelle Chandler caught a man filming her inside a women’s fitting room. She didn’t freeze or panic. Instead, she confronted him, pinned him to the ground and held him until help arrived – or so she thought.  What happened next wasn’t the swift arrival of justice. It was abandonment: by store employees, by security and later, by a system more concerned with procedure than protection. Chandler’s story quickly gained attention when she posted about it on Instagram. Social media influencers – including David Harris Jr. posted about the video. Local radio and National news outlets reached out to cover the story. And strangers from Canada to Europe responded, showing their support.&nb...
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Minary: Common principles of Conservatism and why they matter in Colorado
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Minary: Common principles of Conservatism and why they matter in Colorado

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The majority of Coloradans have become disengaged and disillusioned with Party politics and rhetoric, for good reasons. Both major parties, R and D, have lost their way. So, the largest bloc of voters in CO is now “Unaffiliated.” In political discussions, we often use ‘labels’ to describe ourselves and others. These labels include terms like Republican, Democrat, Moderate, Right, Left, Liberal and Conservative. Unfortunately, if you ask 10 people to define exactly what their own political label means, only one can do it with any clarity. That leads very quickly to stereotyping, misunderstandings and disagreement. Rather than listening, we talk over, rather than with, each other. For the record, I am a Constitutional Conservat...
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Cole: Illegal driving, rising costs, and scarce patrols—welcome to Denver’s roads
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Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Cole: Illegal driving, rising costs, and scarce patrols—welcome to Denver’s roads

By Shaina Cole | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Each afternoon, my three-mile commute home in Denver’s metro area is a nerve-wrecking ordeal. Drivers speed through stop signs, ignore red lights, or stop inexplicably at unmarked intersections. Cars swerve across lanes, straddle the center line, or disrupt four-way stops.  Vehicles without plates, with expired tags, or overdue permits are all too common.  As a single-income earner with only liability insurance, I dread a crash with an uninsured driver.  One accident could destroy my car—my lifeline to work and rent.  Since 2020, Denver’s roads have descended into chaos. I believe the combination of unenforced traffic laws, a 25% rise in undocumented immigration, and soaring cost of living fuels this...
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