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Police could see pay hikes as Denver cuts other city jobs
Fox31, Approved, Local

Police could see pay hikes as Denver cuts other city jobs

By Jared Dean | Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — About $200 million: That is how much money the city of Denver needed to make up for in the 2026 budget before widespread layoffs last month. “It already feels like the stuff that’s important isn’t getting funded. So, that makes me wonder, yeah, what stuff is getting shafted,” Denver resident Christian Greene said. An announcement last month came down from the mayor’s office that 928 would be eliminated. Of those, 171 came from layoffs, and the others were vacant positions. The city made about $100 million in cuts to its budget for next year. But a tentative deal between the city and leaders and the Denver Police Protective Association to increase police pay for the next three years is one step closer to being finalized. The cit...
Matt Turner launches 2026 campaign for Weld County sheriff
Greeley Tribune, Approved, Local

Matt Turner launches 2026 campaign for Weld County sheriff

By Trevor Reid | Greeley Tribune Turner, a captain at the agency, has been with the sheriff’s office since 2012 Since 1987, there have only been three Weld County sheriffs: Ed Jordan, John Cooke and Steve Reams. In November 2026, Matt Turner hopes to add his name to that list. “We have a rich history in Weld County of building our sheriffs in the office,” Turner said. “Not seeing that person freaks me out. So I don’t want to say I feel like I have to do this, but I don’t see anybody else. And I want to make sure the sheriff’s office is taken care of.” Turner lists five primary things he plans to focus on if he is elected as the 40th sheriff of Weld County. First, he wants to attack what he believes is at the root of just about every crime: drugs. “All crime has a ...
Douglas County sheriff defies Freedom From Religion Foundation after it targeted Grandparents4Kids story hour
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Douglas County sheriff defies Freedom From Religion Foundation after it targeted Grandparents4Kids story hour

By Steve McKenna, Grandparents4Kids Board Member | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A funny thing happened on my way to my 60s. Concepts of tolerance my parents, teachers, and others taught me as a child evolved. In the 1960s, tolerance meant accepting others, not persecuting them because they were different from you or your friends. Now, in my 60s, it seems more about persecuting those who fail to tolerate to the satisfaction of a bullying minority of ideologues. Case in point. To celebrate “See You at the Library” on July 16, Grandparents4Kids, a nonpolitical group I am fortunate to be a part of, planned to have Douglas County Deputy Sheriff read Kevin Sorbo’s book “The Test of Lionhood” at a story hour presented at, but not sponsored by, the Highlands Ranch library. The book...
Colorado Springs Teen Linked to Nearly 50 Crimes Faces Charges
Local, Approved, The Gazette

Colorado Springs Teen Linked to Nearly 50 Crimes Faces Charges

By Nick Smith | The Gazette A recently turned 18-year-old is facing charges for allegedly committing almost 50 crimes related to car theft, burglaries, assault and more across Colorado Springs, according to police. Over the past three months, investigators from the Colorado Springs Police Department have been looking into a "series" of felony and misdemeanor crimes and connected the suspect to all of them, according to a police blotter entry. The suspect's name is being withheld by authorities because most of the alleged offenses were committed when he was minor.  Of the crimes, the suspect has been tied to 13 counts of car theft, nine counts of first- and second-degree assault, eight counts of protection order violations, six counts of criminal mischief, two counts of theft ...
Mile High City food scene sees turnover with August openings and closings
Westword, Approved, Local

Mile High City food scene sees turnover with August openings and closings

By Patricia Calhoun | Westword Noble Riot, Pandemic Donuts and Milk T Boba House all closed on the last weekend of the month. After a summer of long-anticipated openings (Bear Leek, Pig and Tiger, Fortezza in the former home of Farow in Niwot) and much-publicized closings (the Hornet, Middleman), August ended with a surprise: Noble Riot, the spinoff from the owners of Nocturne that was named one of 2021's Best Bars in America by Esquire (and won top honors for Best Fried Chicken in the Best of Denver 2023), shuttered its brick-and-mortar location in RiNo on August 30, after six years. "This was an incredibly tough decision, and one I didn't make lightly," says Troy Bowen, co-founder and owner of Noble Riot. "I am immensely proud of what we built ...
Victims Urge Accountability as Weld County Ex-Coach Awaits Sentencing in Child Sex Abuse Case
Local, Approved, kdvr.com

Victims Urge Accountability as Weld County Ex-Coach Awaits Sentencing in Child Sex Abuse Case

By Hanna Powers | KDVR Fox 31 WELD COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A former basketball coach in Weld County has been convicted of sexually abusing multiple players and is now awaiting sentencing. George “JR” Sagner was found guilty on multiple felony counts, including sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust. Prosecutors said Sagner used his role as a coach to groom and abuse players for years. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January and faces a minimum of 12 years and up to more than 100 years in prison. The case began with a Safe2Tell tip in 2022, but court records show allegations stretching back to 2012. During a trial that wrapped up last week, jurors heard weeks of testimony about a pattern of abuse that took place during practices, in cars and at Sagner’s home. ...
Teen arrested after violent attack leaves Aurora youth injured
Fox31, Approved, Local

Teen arrested after violent attack leaves Aurora youth injured

By Jacob Factor | Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — A 15-year-old who attends Lester Arnold High School was arrested after he allegedly “viciously and randomly” attacked an Adams City High School student, Commerce City police said. Police in a press release Monday morning said the “violent attack” happened off school grounds on Thursday. The alleged attacker followed the victim to the 7400 block of Quebec Street, a few blocks from both schools, where the assault happened. “The victim courageously fought off the attacker but sustained serious injuries in the process,” police said. The suspect then left the scene on foot. Adams County School District 14 provided video surveillance of the suspect approaching the victim and fleeing the scene, and school staff immediately recognized the sus...
Chief: Aurora suspect dropped weapon but advanced aggressively before fatal police shooting
kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Chief: Aurora suspect dropped weapon but advanced aggressively before fatal police shooting

By Vicente Arenas | Fox 31 AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) –  New photos of a deadly officer-involved shooting over the Labor Day weekend were released by the Aurora Police Department on Tuesday. The photos were taken by an officer’s body camera during the shooting that left a 37-year-old man dead around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said an officer who was running radar as part of a DUI enforcement program attempted to stop the driver. The suspect, according to the chief, did not immediately stop but instead kept going and crashed into two cars. The chief said the photos show the suspect exiting the vehicle.  “The individual in the yellow shirt, our suspect, has a gun down to his side, on his right side, with his right arm lowe...
HGTV Can’t Save Small Town America. Fort Morgan Proves it.
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

HGTV Can’t Save Small Town America. Fort Morgan Proves it.

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice When HGTV came to Fort Morgan in 2023, we were promised a makeover, a shot at national attention, fresh energy, and maybe even prosperity. The pitch was simple: if a camera crew and a few celebrity designers could just spruce up our Main Street, our town would suddenly be “revived.” For a few weeks, it felt real. The Queen Lounge looked sharp. The Rainbow Bridge sparkled with new signage. Crowds packed into Mosqueda Delicacies for ice cream. Fort Morgan was on national TV, and that was supposed to mean something. But now, two years later, the cameras are gone, and the reality is settling in. The revival was short-lived, and the disappointment is palpable. HGTV didn’t just renovate buildings; they curated a narrative, one that fit the...
Former sheriff: Aurora officers faced dangerous chaos over weekend
Fox31, Approved, Local

Former sheriff: Aurora officers faced dangerous chaos over weekend

By: Gabrielle Franklin | FOX31 Denver AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Video of an officer-involved shooting was taken by someone nearby a traffic stop at the intersection of Interstate 225 and 6th Street in Aurora, Saturday night.   Rajon Belt, 37, is seen interacting with a police officer after getting out of a car that he allegedly crashed into two other vehicles during a DUI enforcement stop. “I noticed that it was a lot of chaos there because there was a wrecked car and there was some carnage in the road, and I also noticed that this suspect was continuously aggressive,” former Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said. Police said there was a gun on the scene, and that Belt appeared to be walking toward it before turning to the officer. Police said Belt did not have ...

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