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Firefighters return home from deployment, battling wildfires in California
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Firefighters return home from deployment, battling wildfires in California

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado The Westminster Fire Department members deployed to fight massive wildfires in Los Angeles will be welcomed home on Sunday. Several large fires broke out in Los Angeles on Jan. 7, killing at least 28 people and destroying over 18,000 structures. Strong winds and dry conditions caused the flames to spread quickly. Cal Fire said as of Jan. 26 the Eaton and Palisades Fires have burned over 37,400 acres alone. In response to the emergency, firefighters from across Colorado, including Westminster Fire's Wildland Team, deployed to help bring the blazes under control. Although still burning, authorities said the Eaton fire is now 95% contained, and the Palisades Fire is reportedly 87% contained. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Trump suggests getting rid of FEMA. What might it mean for Colorado?
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Trump suggests getting rid of FEMA. What might it mean for Colorado?

By The Denver Gazette President Donald Trump on Friday said he is considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said while on a first trip in North Carolina, which is reeling from Hurricane Helene. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.” The agency helps respond to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts, such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Colorado Farm Show is Jan. 28-30 at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Colorado Farm Show is Jan. 28-30 at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice A winter rite of passage in agriculture returns this week, as the Colorado Farm Show takes place at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley. The three-day exhibition of farm and ranch equipment, vendors, exhibits, seminars and more takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, and Wednesday, Jan. 29, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30. Admission is free. A $5 fee for parking assists in funding of youth agricultural scholarships. Read the full schedule of events HERE. See the list of scholarship recipients HERE. See exhibitor maps HERE. See the Greeley Tribune's Farm Show Guide HERE.
City Council to vote on Aurora law changing how city handles unauthorized encampments
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

City Council to vote on Aurora law changing how city handles unauthorized encampments

By Michael Abeyta | CBS Colorado The Aurora City Council is set to vote on a proposal that would change the way the city handles unauthorized encampments. Currently, if the city wants to clear an unauthorized camp, they must give the people living there seventy-two hours of notice and have a bed at a shelter available for them. City officials discussed plans and concerns over the possible changes during a study session on Jan. 13. "We wanted our ordinance on camping to align with the latest Supreme Court ruling," said Council Member and Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Sundberg. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Adam Frisch may change direction after two failed bids at Congress, now seek DNC vice chair
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Adam Frisch may change direction after two failed bids at Congress, now seek DNC vice chair

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics After logging 77,000 miles on the odometer across two campaigns in one of the largest congressional districts in the country, Colorado Democrat Adam Frisch says he's learned a few things that can help his party return to what he calls a better version of itself — and in the process win back rural voters Democrats have been hemorrhaging for more than a generation. That's why Frisch has spent the last month or so running for one of three at-large vice chair positions on the Democratic National Committee, set to be decided at the party's winter meeting on Feb. 1 in National Harbor, Maryland, where the DNC will also elect a chair and other officers. Donald Trump anointed the Republican National Committee's leadership this week at an RNC meeting in ...
DEA operation in Adams Co. focusing on Tren de Aragua drug traffickers ends in arrests of nearly 50 illegals
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DEA operation in Adams Co. focusing on Tren de Aragua drug traffickers ends in arrests of nearly 50 illegals

By Danielle Wallace  | Fox News Federal agents took nearly 50 illegal immigrants into custody early Sunday during an operation targeting the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA)'s networks in Colorado. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Field Division said its agents, as well as partners at the Denver offices for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted an early morning operation targeting drug trafficking and TdA members in Adams County, Colorado.  The early morning raid targeted what federal authorities deemed a "makeshift nightclub" in Adams County that was "invite-only." The DEA said "dozens connected to the Tren de Aragua (TdA...
Denver faces sharp decline in restaurants, 82% of statewide loss in last year
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Denver faces sharp decline in restaurants, 82% of statewide loss in last year

By Jasmine Arenas | CBS Colorado It is no secret restaurants in Denver are struggling to keep up with rising product and labor costs. In the past three years, the number of licensed retail food, or restaurant, licenses issued in Denver has decreased by about 22%, according to the Department of Excise and Licenses in Denver. On the corner of East 20th Avenue and Logan Street in Denver sits Coperta, an Italian restaurant known for its rustic Southern Italian cuisine. The restaurant has kept its doors open for nine years, but it hasn't been easy. "Every year, as the minimum wage rises, we have to make adjustments. We can't absorb a minimum wage increase without raising menu prices or finding other sources of revenue," said Aileen V. Reilly, co-owner of Coperta. READ THE FULL STORY...
Passenger traffic at Colorado Springs Airport reaches 25-year-high
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Passenger traffic at Colorado Springs Airport reaches 25-year-high

By Breeanna Jent  | The Gazette The number of people traveling from Colorado Springs Airport reached sky-high levels in 2024 — the most in 25 years and eclipsing 2023 figures by 5%. "It's no secret that the airport had a strong year last year, and we continue to exceed our enplanement numbers," Greg Phillips said in a news release this week, the city's aviation director who on Thursday announced his impending retirement on Feb. 7. Data released by airport officials show Colorado Springs Airport experienced a 3.7% drop in enplanements — passengers who boarded flights to travel to other destinations — in December from a year before, but overall saw a 25-year high for boardings.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
Fort Carson troops will deploy to the southern border in support of executive order
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Fort Carson troops will deploy to the southern border in support of executive order

By Brett Forrest | Denver7, via NBC5 Fort Carson troops have been activated to the U.S. southern border to support the executive orders President Trump signed this week. U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) made the announcement Friday. USNORTHCOM, based at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, serves as the U.S. Department of Defense’s operational lead for forces carrying out Trump’s executive orders on the border. The initial deployment of about 1,500 active-duty Army and Marine personnel is expected to be on the ground by the end of the week. USNORTHCOM said they will help augment the approximately 2,500 service members already deployed to support Customs and Border Protection at the southern border. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER7
Commissioners from Douglas County return from visit to Washington, D.C.
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Commissioners from Douglas County return from visit to Washington, D.C.

By Olivia Young | CBS Colorado A few member of Douglas County Board of County Commissioners recently traveled from one "D.C." to another. Republican commissioners George Teal, Abe Laydon and Kevin Van Winkle were in Washington D.C. for President Donald Trump's inauguration. It comes after the board unanimously passed an immigration resolution in the county last week voicing support for Trump's policies and "legal" immigration while affirming Douglas County's status as a "non-sanctuary county." READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO