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Cherry Creek Schools Face Scrutiny After 14 Contracts Signed Improperly
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Cherry Creek Schools Face Scrutiny After 14 Contracts Signed Improperly

By Natalie Chuck | Denver7 Revelation comes just months after the former superintendent resigned and his wife, the head of human resources, was place on administrative leave amid an ongoing investigation. GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Denver7 Investigates has learned that 14 employment contracts, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, were signed improperly in the Cherry Creek School District. The revelation comes after one parent and district alum filed an open records request to see an interim superintendent's contract. "I wanted to see what the terms of his contract were," parent Molly Lamar told Denver7 Investigates. The contract for Toby Arritola, who was previously the district's executive director of strategic initiatives, was signed Feb. 2...
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Lawsuit Fallout Could Cost Turnberry Residents Millions In New Taxes
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Lawsuit Fallout Could Cost Turnberry Residents Millions In New Taxes

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette Homeowners of a small neighborhood in Commerce City remain confused and irate about the future of their property taxes in the aftermath of a lawsuit between the metropolitan district where they live and a bank. The conflict stems from a 2023 lawsuit in which UMB Bank in its capacity as trustee, alleged the BNC2 Metropolitan District No. 2 was improperly diverting property tax revenue for “administration and operations,” rather than paying back the bonds on which the property taxes were assessed. BNC2, a metro district of about 330 homes, oversees one-third of the Turnberry development. Other lawsuits between three metro districts alleged the administrator overseeing BNC2 at the time — and many other metro districts — took cont...
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Lakewood Voters To Decide Fate Of Controversial Zoning Changes
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Lakewood Voters To Decide Fate Of Controversial Zoning Changes

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Voters in one city near Denver can expect to start seeing ballots in the mail beginning Monday. On April 7, voters will decide whether to keep or repeal recent rezoning changes approved by the Lakewood City Council. A debate over those zoning changes has played out over several months and will now head to voters. Cathy Kentner, an organizer with Lakewood for All, said she initially doubted the petition effort would succeed. "I am very honest in saying, when I was asked my opinion, I said I didn't think it was possible," Kenter said. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO
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Drought Conditions Prompt Water Use Warnings Across Douglas County
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Drought Conditions Prompt Water Use Warnings Across Douglas County

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette Three Douglas County water providers are urging residents to conserve water as the region emerges from a warm, dry winter that has strained water resources. Castle Rock Water, Highlands Ranch Water and Parker Water & Sanitation asked customers to use water wisely and avoid unnecessary waste as irrigation season approaches, according to a joint news release issued Monday. “We want residents to be mindful of how and when they use water, especially outdoors,” Castle Rock Water Director Mark Marlowe said in the release. “Simple steps like checking your irrigation system for leaks or watering only when your landscapes need it can help prevent unnecessary waste.” As of March 17, more than 85% of Douglas County re...
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Former Jeffco Educator Claims District Made Her A Scapegoat After Ex-Boyfriend Scandal
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Former Jeffco Educator Claims District Made Her A Scapegoat After Ex-Boyfriend Scandal

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette Courtney Capek claims her career was completely altered by the actions of another. The Lakewood native returned to the school she graduated from, Green Mountain High School, in 2023 to begin her career teaching and establishing a new era for the school’s theater program. Her dream job didn’t last long, though, with the district not renewing her contract just a few weeks after her ex-boyfriend, James Michael Chevrier, was arrested by the Lakewood Police Department on charges of sexual assault on a child. “What was done to me is not OK. I’m tired of being quiet about it,” she told The Denver Gazette. “The district essentially used me as their scapegoat to say, ‘Hey, we did something’.” ‘Pure disgust’ Capek and Chev...
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After fire, a new rule: Why one Lakewood property can’t be rebuilt as before
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Lakewood Informer, Approved, Commentary, Local

After fire, a new rule: Why one Lakewood property can’t be rebuilt as before

By Lakewood Informer | Lakewood Informer Subtack When a Lakewood resident bought a burned-out single-family house to rehabilitate it, he had no idea Lakewood would say no. The house had been vacant and neglected, allowing homeless to move in and cause a fire. The result is an unusable, dangerous eyesore. But those considerations were not as important to Lakewood as changing the property to high-density. The new owner thought he would do the neighborhood a favor and fix it up. He had no desire to build high-density and no reason to think he could not replace one single-family home with another. Unfortunately for him, Lakewood has been eliminating single-family zoning for years. During the 2012 rezone, many properties were changed from single-family to multi-use without ...
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Denver $178M Homeless Initiative Faces Scrutiny Over Missing Funds
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Denver $178M Homeless Initiative Faces Scrutiny Over Missing Funds

By Tyler Melito | Denver7 In a report released Thursday, the City of Denver's auditor's office said the initiative by the mayor had underreported expenses and was "insufficiently planned." DENVER - The Denver mayor’s office and the city auditor’s office are in sharp disagreement over the findings of the latest audit on All In Mile High, the city’s homelessness initiative. Mayor Mike Johnston launched All In Mile High in 2024 with the ambitious goal of ending unsheltered homelessness in Denver by the end of 2026. The report released Thursday by City Auditor Timothy O'Brien's office credits the program with reducing unsheltered homelessness by 45% since 2023 — but that same report sharply criticizes the initiative’s financial transparency, planning and equi...
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Jeffco Schools Reject Federal Ruling On Transgender Sports Policies
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Axios Denver, Approved, Local

Jeffco Schools Reject Federal Ruling On Transgender Sports Policies

By John Frank | Axios Denver Jefferson County Schools is rebuking the Trump administration's claim that the district violated federal civil rights protections by allowing transgender students to compete in girls' sports and access their facilities. Why it matters: The clash between the Trump administration and Colorado's second-largest school district highlights the widening national debate over how federal civil rights law applies to transgender students. The dispute could also lead to a legal showdown over the interaction of federal policy, which defines sex based on biology, and state laws that protect gender identity and transgender students' rights. What they're saying: Jeffco officials said in a statement that the administration's legal arguments...
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Legal Battle Erupts Over NCAR Shutdown And Federal Authority
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Legal Battle Erupts Over NCAR Shutdown And Federal Authority

By Óscar Contreras | Denver7 Consortium alleges NCAR dismantling is "collateral damage" for Colorado’s refusal to bow down to the Trump administration and its demands to end mail-in voting and release Tina Peters from prison. DENVER — A consortium of more than 100 colleges and universities filed a lawsuit Monday against their federal partners, alleging the dismantling of Boulder’s National Center for Atmospheric Research by the Trump administration is illegal and part of a “campaign of retaliation” against the state of Colorado. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Colorado by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research against the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies and its leaders, alleges the dismantling of NCAR is motivated by t...
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JBS Labor Dispute in Greeley Could Complicate Beef Markets Beyond Colorado
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

JBS Labor Dispute in Greeley Could Complicate Beef Markets Beyond Colorado

By Jessica Porter | Denver7 The plant which processes up to 6,000 heads of cattle per day will impact the beef supply chain. GREELEY, Colo. — The impact of the JBS meatpacking plant strike on consumer beef prices is imperceptible in the short term, but the long-term impact is more complicated. About 3,800 workers at JBS Beef in Greeley walked off the job Monday as the union claimed the company retaliated against workers and committed unfair labor practices. The beef production facility processes between 5,000 and 6,000 head of cattle per day. “In the short term, the impact of the consumer level is probably pretty small, negligible, maybe not even present whatsoever, but if this continues, supply and demand will play out, and it's almost unavoi...
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