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Can you spell pronouncer? Denver native is the nation’s top word nerd
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Can you spell pronouncer? Denver native is the nation’s top word nerd

By Carol McKinley | The Denver Gazette Jaques Bailly is a spell-ebrity. The former Denver Catholic school prodigy has been the face of the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a most patient pronouncer for 20 years — so beloved, young competitors recognize him with a "Howdy Dr. Bailly!" when they first step up to the microphone.  During Wednesday's fifth round, Bailly repeated the word “lenticillate” three times for Nyarah Garver, a nervous 7th-grader  from Wyndham, New York. She wrongly sounded out “L-E-N-T-I-C-E-L-L-E-T,” and exited the National Scripps Spelling Bee stage with a limp high-five for the next competitor. “It was that final ‘e,’” said pronouncer Bailly, who is in many ways the face of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and appears to feel every kid’s disapp...
In Greeley, following heavy rain residents cautioned toward flooding safety
Approved, Local, Out There Colorado

In Greeley, following heavy rain residents cautioned toward flooding safety

By Spencer McKee | Out There Colorado In case you missed it, parts of northern Colorado got hit with heavy rain and hail on Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with some parts of the region experiencing flooding that's still having an impact. The City of Greeley was one spot where the weather hit particularly hard, with the city starting to notify the public about safety issues related to flooding around midnight. According to CBS News, hail reached two inches in diameter – about the size of an egg – in some parts of the local area, with some places getting hit with up to 2 inches of rapidly falling rain. READ THE FULL STORY AT OUT THERE COLORADO
YMCA camp’s policy to sort campers by gender identity stirs controversy
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

YMCA camp’s policy to sort campers by gender identity stirs controversy

By Debbie Kelley | Colorado Politics With school ending, summer camps are getting ready for weeks of raucous outdoor activities, campfire singalongs, new friendships and everyone having a blast. Along with the traditional fun and games, a developing trend is playing out at the YMCA's longstanding Camp Shady Brook near Deckers in Douglas County. The sold-out resident summer camp is one of the few in the region that places campers and staff members in cabin groups according to their gender identity. That means children, teens and employees at Camp Shady Brook can sleep in male- and female-divided cabins based on their gender identity and preference, according to the Colorado Springs-based YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, which owns and operates Camp Shady Brook. READ THE FULL ST...
Remembering those ‘that gave all’: Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora honors fallen servicemen
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Remembering those ‘that gave all’: Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora honors fallen servicemen

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette A 1,000-pound bronze bell, forged in honor of Colorado's fallen, tolled several times during the Colorado Freedom Memorial on Saturday morning. The Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation, along with the City of Aurora, held its 11th annual Colorado Remembers ceremony on Saturday, celebrating Memorial Day and those who gave everything for the country.  Cannon fire from the Colorado Army National Guard followed the ringing bell, bringing about silence throughout the park as over 100 attendees honored the nation's fallen servicemen and servicewomen. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Lightning strike kills Northern Colorado rancher, 30 head of his cattle
Approved, Local, The Colorado Sun

Lightning strike kills Northern Colorado rancher, 30 head of his cattle

By Jennifer Brown | Colorado Sun A lightning strike killed a Jackson County rancher and more than 30 of his cattle Saturday afternoon as the man tossed hay from the back of a trailer, the local coroner said Sunday.  Mike Morgan, 51, was feeding his herd as the strike hit, killing him and knocking the 100 or so cows and calves standing around the trailer off their feet, said George Crocket, coroner for the rural county in far northern Colorado.  “The 32 cattle did not get back up,” Crocket said.  “As best I can tell, it hit him on the trailer. The cattle were bunched up around the trailer and it hit them all.”  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal
Approved, Local, Westword

Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Denver City Council members Amanda Sandoval and Amanda Sawyer have reintroduced the idea of decreasing city term limits from three to two terms, much to the surprise of many other members of council. The pair initiated the discussion in August 2023, saying many of their constituents had brought it up on the campaign trail. At that time, other members expressed concern with the idea and believed the topic to be closed. “Last August, I thought the conversation was complete,” Councilman Chris Hinds said during a May 20 Charter Review Committee meeting. “I haven't heard anything from constituents about council term limits.” READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD
Two Arapahoe County cities contribute millions into Douglas County road project
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Two Arapahoe County cities contribute millions into Douglas County road project

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette Two Arapahoe County cities are pouring millions of dollars into assisting Douglas County’s estimated $34.3 million County Line Road reconstruction project. The project, which is currently accepting bids from construction companies, plans for improvements along County Line Road from Broadway to University Boulevard. The road separates both Littleton and Centennial in Arapahoe County from Douglas County to the south. In 2018, both cities agreed with Douglas County to work together to receive enough local and federal funding to reconstruct County Line Road. The agreement is to fully widen, add safety and operational improvements to the roughly 1.5 miles of road. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
El Paso, Teller counties to get $66 million in grants to address opioid epidemic
Approved, Colorado Springs Gazette, Local

El Paso, Teller counties to get $66 million in grants to address opioid epidemic

By Mary Shinn | Colorado Springs Gazette El Paso and Teller counties are expected to receive $66 million through 2038 to address the opioid epidemic, a scourge that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives nationally.  A regional council awarded the first round of that funding, about $3.8 million, in April. The council left about $1.1 million in reserve to fund additional youth prevention programs, said Amanda Grant, an El Paso County finance employee who works with the council. She said the region is currently expected to receive $66 million, although the number will fluctuate depending on settlement outcomes.  The board is composed of 15 officials from El Paso and Teller counties, including county commissioners, city and town council members and law enforcement repre...
Jefferson County is considering a new trailhead west of Arvada, to the chagrin of nearby residents
Approved, Local, Westword

Jefferson County is considering a new trailhead west of Arvada, to the chagrin of nearby residents

By Bennito L. Kelty | Westword After four decades of buying enormous tracts of land west of Arvada, Jefferson County is considering new hiking trails in an unblemished area less than thirty miles from downtown Denver. Property owners in the private community located right next to the proposed trailhead aren't keen on the idea, however. "I'm not afraid to say not in my backyard. They're talking about endangering myself and my family," says Steve Bisque, the president of the Blue Mountain Land & Homeowners Association and a member of the family that developed the neighborhood. At some point during the next four years, the county could install a trailhead and a parking lot at 9775 Blue Mountain Road, Arvada, which is just a stone's throw from the entrance to Blue Mountain Estates...
Colorado firefighters save cat after car fire damages 4 vehicles, 2 townhouse units
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Colorado firefighters save cat after car fire damages 4 vehicles, 2 townhouse units

By Austen Erblat | CBS Colorado Firefighters found and rescued a cat that went missing during a blaze that damaged several cars and townhouse units in a Denver suburb. The fire was first reported around 5:20 a.m. Saturday in the 1100 block of South Reed Street in Lakewood. West Metro Fire Rescue said it took crews less than five minutes to arrive at the scene and about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO