Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Local

Douglas County Cracks Down on Retail Theft With New Reporting Rules
No Comments
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Douglas County Cracks Down on Retail Theft With New Reporting Rules

By: Olivia Young | CBS Colorado Douglas County Sheriff's Office says shoplifting is up in the county, but now county leaders want to crack down on the crime by encouraging businesses to report it. Douglas County Board of County Commissioners, the sheriff and the district attorney gathered Tuesday to reaffirm their support for strict penalties for theft and announced a new ordinance proposal. The ordinance would fine local businesses for not reporting theft. Leaders in Douglas County say the goal is to get corporations to change policies that disincentivize theft reporting. Nancy Schuster has worked at The Colorado Store for more than 15 years. "It's a small family business, so everyone kind of knows everyone, and it's definitely close knit," Schuster said. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CB...
Read More
A Town on Edge: Inside the Erie Mail Threats That Resulted in No Charges
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

A Town on Edge: Inside the Erie Mail Threats That Resulted in No Charges

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice In early October, residents across Erie and in Virginia, began opening their mailboxes to find sympathy cards inside plain envelopes. The message referenced the assassination of Charlie Kirk, accompanied by an empty packet of Gushers candy taped to the card, glitter and a loose powdery substance that spilled when handled. Twenty residents in total received the cards. Many were former candidates, business owners, volunteers, and known conservatives within the community. One envelope opened in Virginia triggered a full hazmat activation. Loudoun County Fire & Rescue’s official report shows responders in Tychem suits isolating the scene, testing the substance, and alerting federal authorities. Their lab equip...
Read More
More Victims Coming Forward as Douglas County Tackles Growing Sex Crime Caseload
No Comments
DENVER7, Approved, Local

More Victims Coming Forward as Douglas County Tackles Growing Sex Crime Caseload

By Allie Jennerjahn | Denver7 Sex crimes can range from internet crimes against children, to adult sex assault, and George Brauchler said the county is working to find a solution. DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — District Attorney for the 23rd Judicial District George Brauchler is speaking out about a surge in sex crime cases and why he thinks there's an increase. Sex crimes can range from internet crimes against children, to adult sex assault and Brauchler said the county is working to find a solution. “It's unclear to me if we're seeing an incredible uptick in it, or if because this jurisdiction that has invested so heavily in public safety, including creating subject matter experts in rape cases … if that, in and of itself, hasn't caused an increase in the number of...
Read More
Colorado’s Appointment System Tested as Districts Lose Multiple Lawmakers
No Comments
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Colorado’s Appointment System Tested as Districts Lose Multiple Lawmakers

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette Two vacancy committees that will convene in the next month or so will have an interesting challenge: Picking a new state senator and state representative who will represent the same geographic area. The vacancy election for Senate District 25, represented by the late Sen. Faith Winter, D-Broomfield, will meet on Dec. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to pick a replacement. The meeting will be livestreamed. Winter died in a car crash a few weeks ago. Reps. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, and Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn, are planning to run for the Senate seat.  Lindstedt already filed the candidacy paperwork for the Senate District 25 seat for 2026, given that Winter was term-limited. He noted in an announcement Monday that Win...
Read More
Fort Collins Charter School Secures $1.8M Federal Grant for Expansion
No Comments
The Coloradoan, Approved, Local

Fort Collins Charter School Secures $1.8M Federal Grant for Expansion

By: Kelly Lyell | The Coloradoan Liberty Common School has been awarded a federal grant of nearly $1.8 million in support of the continued construction of its new junior high school campus, a school spokesperson said in a news release. Liberty Common opened the new junior high school for seventh and eighth graders this fall in one of two adjacent commercial buildings at 1825 Sharp Point Drive in east Fort Collins. The junior high school will expand into the second building and new facilities connecting the two for the 2026-27 school year, co-founder and Headmaster Bob Schaffer said in August while leading a Coloradoan reporter in a tour of the first of two phases of planned renovations. The second phase is underway and will include a gymnasium, locker rooms...
Read More
Robotaxis Coming to Denver as Colorado Opens Door to AV Innovation
No Comments
Axios Denver, Approved, Local

Robotaxis Coming to Denver as Colorado Opens Door to AV Innovation

By John Frank | Axios Denver In the near future, you can hop in a driverless car and cruise through Denver. Why it matters: The technology promises to reduce vehicle fatalities and crashes, and to increase mobility for people who are elderly, disabled or impaired. State of play: Waymo is preparing to deploy its robotaxis on Denver roads starting next year, a spokesperson confirmed this week. The company began testing in September to map streets and gather data on driving patterns. The next step is to test the vehicles in autonomous mode with a driver on board, though a date for those efforts is TBD. A date for the company to start offering driverless rides is not yet set. Between the lines: The company also is meeting with c...
Read More
Regulators Keep Pueblo Comanche Coal Unit Running While Xcel Repairs Newer Plant
No Comments
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Regulators Keep Pueblo Comanche Coal Unit Running While Xcel Repairs Newer Plant

By Alexander Edwards | The Denver Gazette The Comanche Power Plant in Pueblo will continue to operate a coal-powered electrical generating unit that was slated for retirement this month for one more year. The move comes after Xcel Energy, the state’s largest utility company, petitioned in November to keep one generator operating after an outage at the coal-fired power plant. Gov. Jared Polis backed the petition. On Wednesday, the Public Utilities Commission approved a variance submitted by the utility. This allows Comanche 2, which was slated to be retired on Dec. 31, to continue operating as Xcel fixes the Comanche 3. “The Commission found that the outage at Comanche 3 was the sole justification for the extension of Comanche 2,” a fact sheet released by th...
Read More
JeffCo SWAT Leader Resigns After Responding Drunk to Evergreen School Shooting
No Comments
9News, Approved, Local

JeffCo SWAT Leader Resigns After Responding Drunk to Evergreen School Shooting

By Jeremy Jojola | 9NEWS Internal Affairs documents obtained by 9NEWS describe Sgt. Anthony Hamilton smelling of alcohol while responding to the Evergreen shooting in September. JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A SWAT team leader for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was drunk while responding to the Evergreen High School shooting in September and has resigned amid an internal affairs investigation. Sgt. Anthony Hamilton was set to be fired for violating the department's alcohol policy. According to internal affairs documents, Hamilton admitted in an interview that he drank “the better part of a 12 pack” of beer starting around 6:30 a.m. Sept. 10, the day of the shooting.  Scores of law enforcement officers began responding to the campus after 1...
Read More
Colorado schools win landmark settlement protecting female athletes
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Colorado schools win landmark settlement protecting female athletes

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice In a move that reshapes how school athletics operate across the state, School District 49 and seven partner districts have secured a landmark settlement with the Colorado High School Activities Association. The agreement formally protects biological sex policies for sports, locker rooms and overnight travel, and it removes CHSAA from the center of Colorado’s most charged debate over fairness, privacy and Title IX. The December 4 settlement also allows the districts to continue full participation in sanctioned activities without penalty. District 49 described the outcome as a decisive step in restoring equal opportunity for girls and strengthening the role of local school boards in setting policy. “CHSAA deserves credit for doing t...
Read More