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Colorado Springs man gets 23-year sentence on meth and fentanyl trafficking
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Colorado Springs man gets 23-year sentence on meth and fentanyl trafficking

By The Gazette A traffic stop led to a major drug bust, and now a 23-year prison sentence for Colorado Springs resident Michael Hemersbach, 36.  Hemersbach pleaded guilty Nov. 7 in a Douglas County courtroom to possession with intent to manufacture or distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to manufacture or distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture or distribute cocaine and driving while impaired, according to a news release Monday from the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.  Hemersback was pulled over by a Colorado State Patrol trooper, who noted his Chrysler 300 was repeatedly weaving while driving southbound on Interstate 25, near the Happy Canyon Road exit north of Castle Rock on July 13, 2023.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETT...
Judge sides with resident over developers in fire evacuation lawsuit, fight with El Paso County simmers on
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Judge sides with resident over developers in fire evacuation lawsuit, fight with El Paso County simmers on

By Mary Shinn | The Gazette A 4th Judicial District judge recently sided with a resident asking El Paso County to uphold its own fire-safety standards along dead-end roads.  Hay Creek Valley resident Mike Cloutier sued the El Paso County commissioners earlier this year because they approved a proposal making way for 20 more high-end homes that take access off a dead-end road. Hay Creek Road, north of the Air Force Academy, already serves 80 existing residences hidden among the foothills. The county limits the number of homes along a dead-end road to 25 for safety in a fire evacuation.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
CDOT expands lane-weaving detection for express lanes
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CDOT expands lane-weaving detection for express lanes

By The Gazette "Cross the line, pay the fine" is the warning from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The technology to detect when drivers weave in and out of express lanes is coming to the central Interstate 70, I-25 South Gap and U.S. 36 corridors beginning Dec. 1, according to a recent news release. CDOT said its common to see drivers cross over the solid white lines into the express lanes when traffic slows or when trying to get around another vehicle already in the express lane. Vehicles may only enter or exit express lanes at points clearly designated with signs and dashed lines, said department officials. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
Duffy: Denver’s mayor frets over the wrong Exodus
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Duffy: Denver’s mayor frets over the wrong Exodus

By Sean Duffy | Commentary, The Gazette Mayor Mike Johnston is confused. Denver’s mayor wants to stand athwart the city’s boundaries to stop people from leaving. His problem is he’s focused on the wrong people. Apparently seeking to bolster his progressive bona-fides, Mayor Mike recently staged a public hissy fit about the incoming Trump administration’s plan to deport illegal immigrants. In a bizarre rant he had to walk back, he said he would deploy the already understaffed Denver Police Department to stop federal immigration agents. If his goal was to get national attention as a pro-illegal immigrant warrior, it worked. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE GAZETTE Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflec...
El Paso commissioners give 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen $50k pay raise
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El Paso commissioners give 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen $50k pay raise

By Savannah Eller | The Gazette Last week the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners approved a requested $50,000 raise for newly reelected Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen.  Allen is the only county elected official whose salary is set by commissioners and not state statute. The raise came recommended by the county budget office, which presented commissioners with a high and low end of cost-of-living increases based on a consumer price index and market data. Allen's salary will factor into the District Attorney's Office's 2025 budget and cannot be changed for the rest of his four-year term.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
API’s Lynn Granger named as new president and CEO of Colorado Oil and Gas Association
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API’s Lynn Granger named as new president and CEO of Colorado Oil and Gas Association

By Scott Weiser | Denver Gazette Lynn Granger, the Colorado regional director of the American Petroleum Institute, will become President and CEO of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association. Granger will officially start in January and replace departing President and CEO Dan Haley. Granger spent more than two decades working in energy policy and strategic communications leadership, including five years in the U.S. Army. Granger served as the press officer for the United States Army Europe commanding general and was the spokesperson for United States Army Europe. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
Bzdek: What Trump’s Cabinet picks say about his coming presidency
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Bzdek: What Trump’s Cabinet picks say about his coming presidency

By Vince Bzdek | The Gazette There is a book I read to my kids when they were about 4 years old called “The Mixed Up Chameleon.” One day the chameleon discovers it can change not only its color but its shape and size, too. When it sees different animals in the zoo, it immediately wants to be like them. And it ends up being “a little of this, a little of that,” part polar bear, part flamingo, fox, fish, deer, giraffe, turtle, elephant and seal. President-elect Trump’s choices for his Cabinet so far reminded me of that book, and created a similar mashup in my mind. Call it his Frankestaff, a Cabinet sewn together from ill-matched bits. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily re...
Grandson of fallen World War II hero makes case for public memorial in Colorado Springs
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Grandson of fallen World War II hero makes case for public memorial in Colorado Springs

By O'Dell Isaac | The Gazette An official proclamation declaring Dec. 7 as Pearl Harbor Day has been a longstanding tradition for the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. But Tuesday’s ceremonial reading, held during a board meeting at Centennial Hall, was a little different. Dave Griffin, the grandson of fallen World War II hero Daniel T. Griffin, flew in from his Washington home to hear the proclamation and to speak with the county commissioners about his yearslong passion project. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
Fort Carson unveils largest, first-of-its-kind chemical battery installed on a DOD site
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Fort Carson unveils largest, first-of-its-kind chemical battery installed on a DOD site

By Mary Shinn | The Gazette A large new chemical battery at Fort Carson will help ensure the base can keep functioning during power outages and provide electricity when demand for energy is highest to save money.  "Diversification of our power distribution protects our community against power outages and any adversarial efforts," said Maj. Gen. David Doyle, who leads Fort Carson, during a ceremony on Wednesday. While the energy priorities of President-elect President Donald Trump, may be different than the current administration, Rachel Jacobson, assistant secretary of the Army Installations, Energy and Environment, said she expected energy resiliency for the Army would continue to be a priority and other installations would install similar systems.  READ THE FULL STORY AT...