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Department of Homeland Security adds sniffing device to AI tools helping fight wildfires in Colorado
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Department of Homeland Security adds sniffing device to AI tools helping fight wildfires in Colorado

By Tracy Ross | The Colorado Sun New technology allowing firefighters to “smell” points of origin and locate hot spots or new fires even before smoke can be seen is among the next generation of safety measures the Department of Homeland Security says will help communities and first responders facing longer, more destructive fire seasons in Colorado.  Headlining an event this week at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center, the sensor can detect fire-born particulates, volatile organic compounds, chemicals and gases and then send the data to a cloud-based system that updates every 18 seconds and issues geographically targeted notifications to disaster management officials and first responders. Although the sweet spot for detection is a half-mile to a mile away, developer...
Mayor, supporters launch campaign for $100M sales tax hike for housing in Denver
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

Mayor, supporters launch campaign for $100M sales tax hike for housing in Denver

By The Denver Gazette (via coloradopolitics.com) Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and supporters on Wednesday launched the campaign to ask Denver voters this November to increase the city's sales tax and generate $100 million for housing.  “In every neighborhood in Denver, people are grappling with the fear of not making rent or covering their mortgage,” Johnston said in a news release. “Seniors worry they may have to leave the homes where they’ve built their lives. The hardworking people who keep our city thriving — from teachers and nurses to restaurant workers and firefighters — are being pushed out of the city they love." Referring to the ballot proposal, Johnston said Measure 2R will help "preserve our city's diversity and ensure that housing remains affordable, atta...
Coloradans to decide 14 statewide questions on jampacked November ballot
Approved, completecolorado.com, State

Coloradans to decide 14 statewide questions on jampacked November ballot

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado Colorado voters will see a much longer ballot than usual for this November’s election, with questions ranging from embedding abortion rights in the state Constitution to upending the primary elections system. In addition to hundreds of local measures, there are 14 statewide ballot measures his year, with an equal number split between constitutional amendments and propositions that are written into state statute. Some of the measures were put on the ballot via citizens’ initiative while others came referred by the legislature, with several highly controversial matters to be decided. READ THE FULL STORY AT COMPLETE COLORADO
Ballot-box biology is once again before Colorado voters in November with Prop. 127
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Ballot-box biology is once again before Colorado voters in November with Prop. 127

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Although Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) does not take a position on Proposition 127, all it takes is a cursory look at their website to see that Prop. 127 is in direct conflict with science based and biologists’ expertise in mountain lion and bobcat management efforts for a healthy and robust population in Colorado.  Prop. 127 is the result of an animal rights activist group, Cats aren’t Trophies (CATs) , a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, gathering enough signatures to place the issue on the November ballot. This is the same process that led to the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado. Scott Summers, owner of Canyon Rim Outfitters in western Colorado worries about how he is going to make a living for his family if Proposi...
Gov. Polis signs four gun-control bills destined for legal challenges by pro-gun advocates
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Gov. Polis signs four gun-control bills destined for legal challenges by pro-gun advocates

By CBS 11 News Colorado's governor signed four gun control bills Friday, following the lead of other states struggling to confront a nationwide surge in violent crime and mass shootings, despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded Second Amendment rights. Before the ink was even dry on Gov. Jared Polis' signature, gun rights groups sued to reverse two of the measures: raising the buying age for any gun from 18 to 21, and establishing a three-day waiting period between the purchase and receipt of a gun. The courts are already weighing lawsuits over such restrictions in other states. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS 11 NEWS
Garfield County sheriff’s deputies recovered 60 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills valued at $2.6M
Approved, Local, Post Independent

Garfield County sheriff’s deputies recovered 60 pounds of fentanyl-laced pills valued at $2.6M

By The Post Independent A Phoenix woman and two accomplices were arrested following a drug seizure on Interstate 70 near Parachute on Wednesday according to a Garfield County Sheriff’s Office news release. Garfield County Sheriff’s deputies and members of the Special Problem Enforcement and Response (SPEAR) Task Force stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the stop, deputies found nearly 60 pounds of suspected counterfeit OxyContin pills. The pills are believed to contain fentanyl and have an estimated street value of $2.6 million. Investigators said this adds up to around 222,360 pills. Leslie Lopez-Rojas, 20, of Phoenix, was arrested on multiple charges, including importing a schedule II controlled substance into Colorado, which is a class 1 drug felony. Two other ind...
100 license plate readers equals 100 arrests of suspects on varius charges, Denver police say
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

100 license plate readers equals 100 arrests of suspects on varius charges, Denver police say

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox 31 News License plate readers are continuing to be installed around Denver, and with almost 100 readers around the city, police have been able to arrest over 100 suspects on various criminal charges. The city’s plan to install over 100 license plate readers was announced in January as part of an initiative to crack down on auto theft. Since the installation, the Denver Police Department said there have already been success stories. Police released the Flock Safety Transparency Portal, which allows residents to see which law enforcement agencies have access to the data, prohibited uses of the information, what’s not detected and other information. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Frisch and Hurd, the leading candidates for Colorado’s 3rd District, talk border security
Approved, KKCO-TV Grand Junction, State

Frisch and Hurd, the leading candidates for Colorado’s 3rd District, talk border security

By Ivonne Olivas | CBS 11 News (KKCO) Democrat Adam Frisch and Republican Jeff Hurd agree on one issue. “We need to figure out a way to secure the border”, said Frisch. “We need to secure the border, first and foremost,” echoed Hurd. The candidates are running for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District and border security is a pressing topic as the November election nears. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS 11 NEWS (KKCO)
Secret Service boss says vital info not relayed over radio, delaying response to would-be rally assassin
Approved, Fox News, National

Secret Service boss says vital info not relayed over radio, delaying response to would-be rally assassin

By Michael Ruiz and David Spunt | Fox News U.S. Secret Service (USSS) leaders are holding a 1 p.m. update on the agency's internal investigation following the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Acting Director Ronald Rowe said the agency had confirmed "communication deficiencies" that slowed its response when the gunman climbed up on a rooftop just outside the secure perimeter. "For example, the Secret Service did not co-locate its security room with local law enforcement," he said. "There was an over-reliance on mobile devices, resulting in information being siloed." READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS
House votes to increase Secret Service protections for Presidential contenders Trump, Harris
Approved, National, Washington Examiner

House votes to increase Secret Service protections for Presidential contenders Trump, Harris

By Tracy Ross | Washington Examiner The House voted unanimously to increase Secret Service protections for presidential candidates, giving them the same level of security as sitting presidents while traveling on the campaign trail.  Lawmakers passed a resolution in a 405-0 vote on Friday that would enhance protections for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with rare, widespread bipartisan support. The legislation comes in response to the two assassination attempts against Trump during this cycle, which prompted condemnations from both sides of the aisle to crack down on political violence.  “This is not a partisan issue,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said this week. “We have a nominee for president that’s probably the most threatened...