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CBS Colorado

Elbert County Pushes Back as Xcel Tries to Force Power Line Route Through Private Land
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Elbert County Pushes Back as Xcel Tries to Force Power Line Route Through Private Land

By: Tori Mason, Jaimie Dodge | CBS Colorado Elbert County neighbors have spent years fighting Xcel Energy, and it's not even their utility. Residents say they're exhausted, scared, and furious as Xcel works to push ahead with a transmission project that would cut directly through their land. Residents along the proposed Power Pathway route are still battling the utility over a segment of the 550-mile transmission line that would cross Elbert County. More than 50 people spoke against the project at a public hearing on Tuesday in Kiowa. Commissioners denied Xcel's local permit in June, but the company is now appealing to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which will make the final decision. That ruling isn't expected until April 2026. READ...
Colorado Gives Day Sets New Record as Residents Donate $56.5 Million to Local Nonprofits
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Colorado Gives Day Sets New Record as Residents Donate $56.5 Million to Local Nonprofits

By Jennifer McRae | CBS Colorado Colorado Gives Day received a record-setting $56.5 million in donations, with more people donating this year than last year. More than 102,835 people donated, which is 8,100 more than last year. On Wednesday, thousands of Colorado nonprofits were celebrating the outpouring of generosity. "Colorado Gives Day makes it so easy for people to support the causes they care about," said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO of Colorado Gives Foundation, in a statement. "The event is truly a statewide movement and donors rallied together with a record-setting year when our communities needed it most." READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO
Lawsuit Claims Jefferson County Jail Failed to Act as Inmate Suffered Fatal Reaction
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Lawsuit Claims Jefferson County Jail Failed to Act as Inmate Suffered Fatal Reaction

By: Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado The family of a former inmate in Colorado is filing a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the Jefferson County Jail. The lawsuit claims jail staff caused the in-custody death of Ashley Raisbeck in December 2023. It says the jail gave Raisbeck an antibiotic that she was allergic to and then failed to call 911 for an hour after she showed signs of a medical emergency. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO
Douglas County Cracks Down on Retail Theft With New Reporting Rules
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Douglas County Cracks Down on Retail Theft With New Reporting Rules

By: Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Douglas County Sheriff's Office says shoplifting is up in the county, but now county leaders want to crack down on the crime by encouraging businesses to report it. Douglas County Board of County Commissioners, the sheriff and the district attorney gathered Tuesday to reaffirm their support for strict penalties for theft and announced a new ordinance proposal. The ordinance would fine local businesses for not reporting theft. Leaders in Douglas County say the goal is to get corporations to change policies that disincentivize theft reporting. Nancy Schuster has worked at The Colorado Store for more than 15 years. "It's a small family business, so everyone kind of knows everyone, and it's definitely close knit," Schuster said. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CB...
Colorado Federal IT Worker Stole $1 Million From Federal Agency Through Fake Invoices
CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado Federal IT Worker Stole $1 Million From Federal Agency Through Fake Invoices

By Logan Smith | CBS Colorado A 55-year-old Colorado man who worked for the federal government was sentenced to prison this week for fraudulently diverting approximately $1 million from his employer for personal use. James Montoya, of Lakewood, was sentenced Tuesday to 41 months behind bars. He was also ordered to repay $1,122,009.47. Montoya was employed as an information technology specialist for the United States Geological Survey, which has offices in Lakewood. He was hired by the agency in 1996 and started working in an IT position in 2002.  A year later, Montoya began falsifying expense reports in order to shift money to personal PayPal accounts, per case documents. The activity wasn't noticed until 15 years later. Then, in 2023, an examination of employe...
Valor Christian Mourns Beloved Coach Who Passed Just After State Title Win
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Valor Christian Mourns Beloved Coach Who Passed Just After State Title Win

By: Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado A Colorado community is mourning the loss of a legendary Colorado athlete and coach. Jayne Gibson-McHugh died over the weekend from cancer. She was the volleyball coach at Valor Christian High School. McHugh's death came soon after the Eagles won their fourth straight 5A state title. They are the first girls' volleyball team from the 5A classification to win four straight state championships. The Colorado High School Activities Association shared a photo online showing McHugh's hand holding the game ball from Saturday night's championship game not long before she died. The school told families she watched the game from her hospital bed and players on the team brought the ball to her afterwards. McHugh was unable to coach for the last 7 ...
Brighton Memorial Honoring Veterans Vandalized for Tenth Time
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Brighton Memorial Honoring Veterans Vandalized for Tenth Time

By: Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado A local veterans' memorial in Colorado was vandalized with graffiti just one day after Veterans Day, and repairs could cost up to $3,000. County officials say the site has been vandalized 10 times in the last two years. It happened at the Adams County Veterans Memorial in Brighton on Wednesday, park officials and law enforcement say. "This is actually a replica of the USS Colorado battleship from World War II," said Byron Fanning, parks director for Adams County. Fanning said the memorial is meant to honor those who gave their lives in service of the country. "This is such a great place for people to come and reflect and really get deep into thought," he said. But only a day after residents adorned the memorial with flowers in h...
Lone Tree Tenants Demand Answers After Murder Sparks Safety Concerns
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Lone Tree Tenants Demand Answers After Murder Sparks Safety Concerns

By: Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Updated on: November 13, 2025 / 10:22 PM MST / CBS Colorado On Sept. 4, the body of Kathleen Mayo was found inside her first floor unit at the Aspect apartment complex in Lone Tree. Police in the Colorado city, located in the southern part of the Denver metro area, say she was murdered. Residents who still live in the building and asked not to be identified say that crime scene extended into the hallways.  "There was what looked like a smiley face, and little smears they only stuck with sticky tape. You think it's blood, you think it's something awful, and that really shook us up," one said. The resident is one of several who reached out to CBS Colorado with concerns about when police and apartment management informed them of t...
CPW Responds to Claims It Violated Federal Guidelines in Wolf Transfer From Canada
CBS Colorado, Approved, State

CPW Responds to Claims It Violated Federal Guidelines in Wolf Transfer From Canada

By: Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Updated on: November 13, 2025 / 9:24 PM MST / CBS Colorado Colorado Parks and Wildlife is moving forward with their wolf reintroduction plan even as they face additional challenges around where the wolves will come from. This comes after a former U.S. representative for Colorado who, along with other stakeholders, raised concerns that CPW may have violated state law by importing wolves from Canada. "I would say that no one has the authority to violate the Endangered Species Act. Section 9 clearly states that it is a violation of the Act to import wolves into the United States," said Lopez in a statement to CBS Colorado. "Section 10 requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue an exemption to Section 9 by publishing that exempti...
Charter Renewals, Transgender Athlete Rules Dominate Douglas County Board Debate
CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Charter Renewals, Transgender Athlete Rules Dominate Douglas County Board Debate

By: Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Updated on: November 11, 2025 / 10:24 PM MST / CBS Colorado As of 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Douglas County School Board had not yet voted on a controversial resolution regarding charter schools in the Colorado county. Douglas County residents packed the final school board meeting under the current board. Last week, voters chose a progressive slate of school board candidates who ran on a campaign of data over politics, teacher retention and equal opportunities for students, flipping the board. Clark Callahan, Kyrzia Parker, Tony Ryan and Kelly Denzler are expected to be sworn in in early December, joining like-minded current members Brad Geiger, Susan Meek and Valerie Thompson. The outgoing board members are Kim Moore, Becky Meyers,...