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Denver kills camera contract over ICE fears, leaving crime-fighting tools off the table
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Denver kills camera contract over ICE fears, leaving crime-fighting tools off the table

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — On May 5, the Denver City Council failed to approve a contract extension with Flock, a tech surveillance company that has been contracted to provide over 100 license plate readers around the county. The city first contracted with Flock in March 2023, with the original agreement lasting through the end of this February. The amendment would have extended the contract by another two years for $666,000. The original contract cost the city $339,450, but the cost wasn’t the main reason why council members voted no. Instead, the members cited privacy concerns, questioning who has access to the data as Denver continues to remain in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration for so-called “sanctuary laws.” Members worried that ...
First American pope elected: Denver Catholics react with hope and caution
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First American pope elected: Denver Catholics react with hope and caution

By Hanna Powers | KDVR.COM DENVER (KDVR) — For the first time in history, the leader of the Catholic Church is from the United States. At Regis University, a Jesuit school in Denver, students and faculty reflected on the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago. “I’m truly surprised, I did not expect to have an American Pope in my lifetime,” said Kari Kloos, interim vice president for mission at Regis University. “I am very pleasantly surprised and also relieved,” said Alexandra Walker, a senior at Regis. Pope Leo XIV is being called a “pope for the modern world.” He speaks several languages and is known for emphasizing compassion and connection. “I found it really heartwarming and emotional that in his speech, he switched from Itali...
Boebert revives American Energy Act to push lower costs, energy independence
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Boebert revives American Energy Act to push lower costs, energy independence

By Abraham Jewett | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert introduced a new version of her American Energy Act bill this week. Boebert said the goal of the American Energy Act is to streamline permitting processes for oil and gas producers. The thrice-elected congresswoman said the bill will allow American energy companies to focus on creating jobs and lowering costs. “Our American oil & gas producers need to get back to what they do best: creating jobs, lowering energy costs for American families and small businesses, and producing the cleanest natural gas in the world,” Boebert said in a statement. The legislation would require the Department of Interior to continue processing applications for permits to drill under a valid existing lease, regardless of ...
Friday vigil and fundraiser planned as Weld County mourns teacher killed in tragic car crash
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Friday vigil and fundraiser planned as Weld County mourns teacher killed in tragic car crash

By Brooke Williams | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Community members are planning to gather for a vigil in honor of a beloved middle school teacher who was killed in a crash in Weld County. Christine Schwarz, a 57-year-old seventh-grade science teacher at La Salle North Valley Middle School, was one of three people who were killed in a crash on April 30. Colorado State Patrol previously said that the crash happened when a suspected stolen vehicle fled from deputies and crossed over into oncoming traffic on Highway 85 in Platteville. A spokesperson for the Weld County Sheriff’s Office told FOX31’s Vicente Arenas that they are not sure if a pursuit was happening at the time of the crash. Both agencies are investigating. When news broke of Schwarz’s death, classes at the school ...
ICE, FBI, DEA take down fentanyl ring in Colorado tied to Honduran nationals
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ICE, FBI, DEA take down fentanyl ring in Colorado tied to Honduran nationals

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Five people were indicted by a Colorado grand jury on charges of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The indictment for the case cites five incidents between June 24, 2024, and April 15, 2025, wherein officials alleged that the defendants had either 400 grams or 40 grams or more of fentanyl and were intending to sell it. The office identified the defendants and their charges in the case as: Exor Omar Villanueva Raudales, aka “Brian, 36 Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl Alex Yubini Can...
114 laid off from federal energy lab in Golden as Biden-era programs face scrutiny
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114 laid off from federal energy lab in Golden as Biden-era programs face scrutiny

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — On Monday, 114 employees of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory were “involuntarily separated” from the agency. The mass layoff was confirmed in an email from an NREL spokesperson, who said NREL is dealing with “a complex financial and operational landscape shaped by the issuance of stop work orders from federal agencies, new federal directives, and budgetary shifts.” “As a result, NREL has experienced workforce impacts affecting 114 employees across the laboratory, including staff from both research and operations, who were involuntarily separated today,” the statement read. “We appreciate their meaningful contributions to the laboratory. NREL’s mission continues to be critical to achieve an affordable and secure energy future. We a...
Downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall still mostly empty despite taxpayer-funded revitalization
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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...
Sanctuary showdown: Colorado Democrats pass bill while feds sue
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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...
DOJ sues Colorado and Denver over sanctuary policies ‘tying hands of law enforcement’
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DOJ sues Colorado and Denver over sanctuary policies ‘tying hands of law enforcement’

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Colorado and the city of Denver for laws and statutes the federal government says are “sanctuary laws.” The federal government alleges in its lawsuit, filed in Colorado District Court on Friday, that the laws are designed to “interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law.” The lawsuit specifically mentions the troubled Aurora apartment complexes that went viral after a video showing armed men in a stairwell was first reported on by FOX31’s Vicente Arenas. The men in the video were later connected to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that’s been publicized during recent immigration efforts under President Donald Trump. The laws...
Trump issues national flag-lowering order to honor fallen firefighters, Polis follows suit
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Trump issues national flag-lowering order to honor fallen firefighters, Polis follows suit

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Flags in Colorado will fly at half-staff on Sunday to honor firefighters who risked their lives to protect fellow citizens as part of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. The annual event is held in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and commemorates the lives of volunteer and professional firefighters who have died in the line of duty over the past year and beyond. “Across the country, brave men and women demonstrate heroism each day, willingly placing themselves in harm’s way for the benefit of others,” reads a proclamation made by President Donald Trump on May 1. “We are indebted to every American who chooses this noble profession — this solemn calling — in spite of the inherent risks.” The proclamation went on to note the heroic e...

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