Rocky Mountain Voice

Local

Colorado Hit With $50,000 Fine After Anti-LDS Chants
kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Colorado Hit With $50,000 Fine After Anti-LDS Chants

By Spencer Kristensen | KDVR Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — The University of Colorado Boulder was fined by the Big 12 Division on Tuesday after reports surfaced of inappropriate chants by CU students during the football game against BYU at Folsom Field on Saturday. CU faces a public reprimand and $50,000 fine. “In accordance with the Big 12 Conference Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship, the Conference has issued the University of Colorado a public reprimand and $50,000 fine for the inappropriate chants that occurred during Saturday’s football game against BYU.” Alongside the announcement of the fine, the Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark made a statement: “Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference. While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for th...
RTD requests additional $1.6 billion in funding for rail expansion project
Fox31, Approved, Local

RTD requests additional $1.6 billion in funding for rail expansion project

BY Jared Dean | FOX 31 NEWS DENVER (KDVR) — Over 20 years ago, voters approved RTD’s expansion program, the largest in the nation. 113 miles of both commuter and light rail systems, 78 rail transit stations, and 18 miles of rapid bus transit were set to hit the metro. “We have a lot of challenges in terms of completing the program in a shorter period of time. And I know everybody’s anxious about it, but we really do need other sources of revenue in order for us to kind of be able to complete it in a reasonable amount of time,” senior manager for transit-oriented communities for RTD Bill Sirois said. Major hits to the economy and a massive decline in ridership have made funding the project nearly impossible. RTD is now asking for $1.6 billion to get the project done by 20...
Castle tow truck driver receives 16 year prison sentence for auto theft scheme
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Castle tow truck driver receives 16 year prison sentence for auto theft scheme

By Sydney Isenberg | DENVER 7 The 23rd Judicial DA's Office confirmed to Denver7 that sexual exploitation of a child/possession of child sexual abuse material charges against Brian Chacon were dropped as part of a plea deal. DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — A Castle Rock tow truck driver was sentenced to 16 years in prison for orchestrating an auto theft scheme that spanned across the Denver metro area. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said its investigation began in December 2023 after a detective with the Auto Theft Unit was assigned a stolen vehicle case. The detective later learned that the case may be related to several incidents involving Eagle Wing Towing. According to the 23rd Judicial District Attorney's Office, between April 2023 and February 2024, Brian Chacon, 34, owner o...
Denver’s Spending Grew 60% in a Decade, But Revenues and Population Lagged Far Behind
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Denver’s Spending Grew 60% in a Decade, But Revenues and Population Lagged Far Behind

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Denver’s budget has grown sharply over the past ten years, far faster than its population and its ability to bring in tax dollars. A new analysis from the Common Sense Institute shows inflation-adjusted spending per resident rose about 60 percent since 2015. During that period, revenues grew more slowly, at about 40 percent, while the city’s population increased by less than 7 percent. The mismatch is why Denver now faces a projected $250 million gap over the next two years, even as officials push a $950 million bond proposal for housing, roads, and other projects. Spending Priorities Have Shifted Where the money goes has changed dramatically. Construction and infrastructure costs have ballooned, climbing more than elev...
Pueblo Voters to Decide Whether to End Strong Mayor System
Complete Colorado, Approved, Local

Pueblo Voters to Decide Whether to End Strong Mayor System

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado PUEBLO–The City of Pueblo’s November election ballot includes a major charter amendment asking voters to dismantle the city’s “strong mayor” form of government, reverting to the council/manager system the southern Colorado municipality of roughly 111,000 residents once had. Pueblo, along with Denver, Leadville and Colorado Springs are currently the only cities that operate under a council-mayor form of government, where an elected mayor with veto authority acts as the chief executive, preparing the budget, hiring and directing staff, and proposing ordinances. The city council acts as the mayor’s legislative counterpart, adopting the budget, and approving and acting on ordinances. Ballot Question 2C asks voters to change to a council-manager cit...
CU Boulder Condemns Anti-Mormon Chant at BYU Game
DENVER7, Approved, Local

CU Boulder Condemns Anti-Mormon Chant at BYU Game

By Micah Smith | Denver7 According to community members who attended the Colorado vs. BYU football game, several students chanted “f*** the Mormons” BOULDER, Colo. – On Sunday, the University of Colorado Boulder chancellor and athletic director released a joint statement condemning a student chant that targeted Mormons during CU Boulder’s football game against Brigham Young University (BYU). According to community members who attended the game, several students chanted “F*** the Mormons” and said other hateful statements throughout the game. In their statement, Chancellor Justin Schwartz and Athletic Director Rick George said: The University of Colorado Boulder strongly condemns the use of expletives and religious slurs by individuals in the stands during the recent football...
Colorado teens hailed as heroes after Evergreen High School shooting
Axios Denver, Approved, Local

Colorado teens hailed as heroes after Evergreen High School shooting

By Alayna Alvarez | Axios Denver The two teenage boys wounded in the Sept. 10 Evergreen High School shooting were injured while trying to stop the alleged gunman and save other students' lives, according to new details from authorities. The big picture: The revelations highlight their bravery in the middle of a nine-minute attack that left two students hospitalized and the suspected shooter dead. The latest: Authorities on Thursday said the second victim was a 14-year-old boy, whose family has yet to release his name. The other victim, identified earlier this month, is 18-year-old Matthew Silverstone. Zoom in: The younger teen's family said he and a friend confronted the assailant face-to-face before the 14-year-old was shot at close...
Why the Douglas County School Board Election on November 4th  Matters More Than Ever
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Why the Douglas County School Board Election on November 4th  Matters More Than Ever

By Andy Jones | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As the leaves turn in Douglas County, so does the page to another pivotal moment in our community's story: the school board election on November 4, 2025. For parents juggling carpools, teachers fine-tuning lesson plans, and students eyeing college applications, this vote might feel like just another item on a crowded ballot. But in a district that has clawed its way back from the depths of COVID-19 disruptions to become a beacon of educational excellence, the stakes couldn't be higher.  The Douglas County School District (DCSD) led by a conservative majority, has engineered a remarkable turnaround since 2022, with soaring graduation rates, top-tier test scores, and innovative programs that are the envy of the state. Yet, thi...
VSSA teacher apologizes—debate persists over classroom remarks about Charlie Kirk and Trump
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

VSSA teacher apologizes—debate persists over classroom remarks about Charlie Kirk and Trump

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice A storm continues to brew at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy (VSSA) after a longtime teacher’s controversial remarks in class. The comments came shortly after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated, setting off heated debate in the community about free speech, professional boundaries, and accountability in schools. The issue dominated last Wednesday night’s school board meeting, where the teacher publicly apologized but many parents and students left split over whether she should keep her job. Public apology follows superintendent’s rebuke At the September 24 meeting, Superintendent Philip Qualman called the remarks “unacceptable, inappropriate, and unprofessional.” He told the audience the district had followe...
Lakewood Officials Push Back on “Single-Family” Claims Amid Zoning Overhaul
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Lakewood Officials Push Back on “Single-Family” Claims Amid Zoning Overhaul

By Sage Kelley | The Denver Gazette Changes being made to Lakewood’s zoning code have raised questions and ire throughout the community, especially when it comes to the city’s single-family residential districts. Residents have said they want to retain their single-family home neighborhoods. The city never had single-family only residential zoning, according to Mayor Wendi Strom. “The city’s current zone districts often associated mostly with single-family homes already allow several of the following uses: duplexes, group homes, accessory dwelling uses, animal care businesses, bed-and-breakfasts, etc. Lakewood doesn’t currently have a zone district where only single-family home use is allowed,” Strom said in a statement following the 9-2 approval of the zoning changes at a City...