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Arapahoe County weighing cuts in face of budget shortfall, absent of new funding
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Approved, Centennial Citizen-Independent, Local

Arapahoe County weighing cuts in face of budget shortfall, absent of new funding

By Isabel Guzman | Centennial Citizen-Independent Arapahoe County’s annual State of the County address had two elements. On one hand, leaders celebrated the various services the county government provides to residents. On the other hand, leaders said some of those services are imperiled. The reason: a budget shortfall, worsened, in part, by the drying-up American Rescue Plan Act funds that were issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Arapahoe County is seeking residents’ input on reducing or eliminating some services. Budgets across the country could be affected, including public works, the sheriff’s office, public health and affordable housing. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTENNIAL CITIZEN-INDEPENDENT
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‘It works’: Colorado’s wolf conflict coordinator, ranchers find common ground
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Approved, DENVER7, Local

‘It works’: Colorado’s wolf conflict coordinator, ranchers find common ground

By Stephanie Butzer | Denver 7 News Growing up on a ranch in northern Colorado, hard work was quickly rooted in Philip Anderson's life. It's a habit that he has carried ever since, and even more so now, as he operates a ranch and grapples with raising livestock while gray wolves roam the landscape. That has been an ongoing adjustment for years in Colorado's Jackson County and North Park area after wolves trekked south from Wyoming. This came well before the controversial, but voter-mandated December 2023 reintroduction of 10 wolves in Grand and Summit counties. The addition of more wolves has raised concerns for ranchers in north-central Colorado and beyond. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER 7 NEWS
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Superior passes first-of-it-kind resolution condemning anti-Israeli protesters
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Superior passes first-of-it-kind resolution condemning anti-Israeli protesters

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado An anti-Israeli protest outside a private residence has prompted the town of Superior to take unprecedented action. Town trustees -- including one who is married to a Palestinian -- unanimously passed a resolution condemning protesters for "hate speech, antisemitism, and racism" against Jewish people. While other places have seen far bigger protests, Superior is the first municipality in the state -- and possibly the nation -- to take a stand. Trustees say protesters have the right to hateful, even racist speech, but they -- as town leaders -- have the right and responsibility to condemn it. "We typically don't wade into these types of political issues in a small, little municipality," said Mayor Mark Lacis. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS C...
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Two Democrats vying for nomination to unseat Douglas County Republican commissioner
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Approved, Douglas County News-Press, Local

Two Democrats vying for nomination to unseat Douglas County Republican commissioner

By Ellis Arnold | Douglas County News-Press Incumbent Douglas County Commissioner George Teal, a Republican, is running unopposed in the upcoming June 25 primary. That places him automatically on the ballot for November, where he will face a Democratic challenger. The question for Democratic voters in the county is: Which one? Angela Thomas and Julien Bouquet are on the party’s primary ballot. Both Democrats are positioning themselves as an alternative to the status quo — to the all-GOP board of county commissioners, which they consider politically extreme. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY NEWS-PRESS
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Castle Rock Republican sets the record straight on ad’s claims toward his military service
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Approved, Castle Rock News-Press, Local

Castle Rock Republican sets the record straight on ad’s claims toward his military service

By McKenna Harford | Castle Rock News-Press A Republican candidate running to represent Castle Rock at the state capitol is clarifying his background after an independent political committee attempting to boost his candidacy sent voters an ad in the mail with wrong information.  Max Brooks, who is running for Colorado House District 45, said the advertisement from a group unaffiliated with his campaign wrongly calls him an Army veteran and a native of Castle Rock, where he serves on the town’s council.  Brooks said he went to a military boarding school, but never served in the military. Brooks added that he was born in Oklahoma, grew up in Lakewood and moved to Castle Rock in 2006. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CASTLE ROCK NEWS-PRESS
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Recall effort of coroner by citizen-led group in Southeast Colorado falls short
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Approved, Local, World Journal

Recall effort of coroner by citizen-led group in Southeast Colorado falls short

By World Journal Staff A recall election to oust Las Animas County Coroner Dominic “Junie” Verquer will not be held, at least in the immediate future, after the registered citizens committee leading the effort failed to secure enough verified signatures, according to numbers obtained by the World Journal this week. Citizens for Coroner Accountability’s (CCA) signature campaign fell 346 verified signatures short of forcing a recall election, according to a tally obtained from the Las Animas County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. The citizen issue committee needed to obtain 1,253 signatures to spark a recall election and submitted 1,345 signatures, according to the paperwork. The county clerk office accepted – or verified – 907 signatures, rejecting 435. READ THE FULL STORY AT ...
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Denver nonprofit at risk of shutting down its free vet clinic if it can’t find new location
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Approved, DENVER7, Local

Denver nonprofit at risk of shutting down its free vet clinic if it can’t find new location

By Amy Wadas | Denver 7 News The Denver nonprofit Peace, Love and Paws is at risk of shutting down its free vet clinic if it can’t find a new location. The group provides free veterinary services for the people experiencing homelessness and living below the poverty line. Sherry Fidler brought her 5-year-old dog Cota to the clinic located inside St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Denver on June 6 to get checked out for an injury. The clinic is held the first Thursday of every month.  “She was limping on her leg, and I brought her in,” Fidler said.  Fidler found out Cota, her energetic dog, tore her ACL and will need surgery. This marked Fidler’s third time coming to the Peace, Love and Paws free vet clinic. She said she can't afford a veterinarian right now. READ THE ...
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A call to ban the sale of high-potency THC products in Boulder, amid rising teen mental health concerns
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Approved, Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

A call to ban the sale of high-potency THC products in Boulder, amid rising teen mental health concerns

By Tim Drugan | Boulder Reporting Lab Avani Dilger, a licensed counselor specializing in addiction, has worked with young people in Boulder County for decades. She runs a private practice and Natural Highs, a nonprofit she founded to help teens choose alternatives to drugs and alcohol. Recently, she noticed a change in how local young people are affected by THC products as the potency of those products has risen.    Dilger has observed more Boulder teens developing dependencies on THC products, complete with withdrawal symptoms that manifest as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. “We have never seen anything like this with people who use marijuana,” Dilger said. “I have worked for over 20 years with people who have used marijuana and who have g...
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Fort Collins to start 2-year, $42M infrastructure project in Old Town to address 150-year-old issues
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Fort Collins to start 2-year, $42M infrastructure project in Old Town to address 150-year-old issues

By Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado The City of Fort Collins is moving forward with one of its largest infrastructure projects ever as the city prepares to address more than a century of flooding concerns. The project will install a new drainage system through Old Town, largely along Oak Street, west of College Avenue. The project, which is expected to take two years to complete, was first reported by the Coloradoan. Larimer County and Fort Collins have a history of flooding, with some floods in recent decades resulting in fatalities. However, project manager Heather McDowell said the issues with flooding around Old Town have been an issue since the heart of the city was developed in the 1800s. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Loveland wants to create street outreach program with opioid settlement funds
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Approved, DENVER7, Local

Loveland wants to create street outreach program with opioid settlement funds

By Veronica Acosta | Denver 7 News To date, Colorado is on track to receive more than $750 million in opioid settlement funds from different pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors. The City of Loveland will receive $1.8 million after it opted into the settlement funds in 2021. The city hopes to create a street outreach program with part of the $340,000 it's already received. "It's really not enough money to be able to do something like build housing for people to go to recover, but it is enough money to start a street outreach program," said Alison Hade, the Community Partnership Office manager for the City of Loveland. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER 7 NEWS
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