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Here’s why Jeffco schools didn’t ask for a tax increase from voters this year
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Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

Here’s why Jeffco schools didn’t ask for a tax increase from voters this year

By Yesenia Robles | Chalkbeat Colorado The Jeffco school district is one of only a few large Colorado districts that isn’t asking residents to vote for additional local revenue this election. The district is under financial strain and in the spring considered asking voters to approve a mill levy override this year, but consultants recommended putting it off. They pointed out the district has faced challenges when trying to pass tax requests, and homeowners are already struggling with a rise in property taxes. “There are many factors that would support an MLO, including a strong desire for higher teacher pay, but those supportive indicators are simply no match for voters’ current feelings against higher property tax rates,” consultants wrote in a presentation to the board. ...
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Data breach on Custer County computers alleged, which could include Dominion voting machines
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Approved, Local, Sangre de Cristo Sentinel

Data breach on Custer County computers alleged, which could include Dominion voting machines

By George Gramlich | Sangre de Cristo Sentinel Editor's Note: The following story was shared with the Rocky Mountain Voice by the Sangre de Cristo Sentinel. This article is being reprinted with their permission. In an unbelievable turn of events. It has been alleged by multiple sources, that a county employee, allegedly repeatedly hacked into a multitude of county computers, installed sophisticated “mirroring” software on them, and accessed via the spyware and possibly other methods (including flash drives) unknown amounts of confidential and extremely sensitive Custer County data (including emails). It is alleged that this has been going on for years! It is also reported that this employee allegedly accessed our supposedly protected Dominion voting machine! The employee has been ...
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Durango band teacher indicted on charges of sexual predator acts
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Durango band teacher indicted on charges of sexual predator acts

By Jen Schumann, Rocky Mountain Voice On July 23, 2024, a Durango teenager told police that an adult male approached them online. He offered to engage in sexual acts with the 16-year-old.  The Durango Police Department quickly identified the suspect as 28-year-old local Benjamin Smith using information from the minor. After a swift investigation, detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at Smith's home this morning, resulting in his arrest and booking for Sexual Exploitation of a Child on July 25. The Durango Police Department recently posted a press release on the indictment of Escalante Middle School band teacher Benjamin Smith. They also requested public assistance on the ongoing sexual predator investigation. Smith, once a teacher in a position of trust to D...
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Aurora Councilmembers Bergan, Jurinsky spar over vote to repeal employee tax
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

Aurora Councilmembers Bergan, Jurinsky spar over vote to repeal employee tax

By Kyla Pearce | Colorado Politics Aurora City Council on Monday postponed a decision on whether to keep a tax on businesses after a loud dust-up between councilmembers.  The occupational privilege tax collects $4 monthly from companies for each employee. Employers and employees split the dues, paying $2 respectively. The tax began in 1986 to support street maintenance, police and fire services. In a study session earlier in October, Councilmember Francoise Bergan proposed keeping the occupational privilege tax to fund fire stations in the Blackstone and Southshore areas. READ MORE AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Ballot measure 2C in Wheat Ridge would lower building height limits at old Colorado hospital
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Ballot measure 2C in Wheat Ridge would lower building height limits at old Colorado hospital

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado The old 100 acre campus of a hospital in the Colorado city of Wheat Ridge is empty and on the verge of development. But before that happens, voters are deciding in the general election next week whether or not to change the city's height requirements for that area. Ballot measure 2C asks Wheat Ridge voters to consider making changes to the city's current height requirements at the old Lutheran Hospital campus. "It actually asks two specific things," Community Development Director Lauren Mikulak said. "We're asking to lower the height further on the perimeter, so from 35 feet to 30 where we have new development potentially adjacent to existing neighborhoods. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Gilpin County election watcher dismissed while observing signature verification
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Gilpin County election watcher dismissed while observing signature verification

By Rachel Saurer | Fox 31 News The Gilpin County Clerk dismissed an election watcher on Tuesday who was watching the signature verification process after a disagreement on how close the watcher could be to the poll worker’s station. An election watcher is a fairly new addition to the ballot counting process, born from former President Donald Trump’s proven-to-be-false claims of election fraud in 2020. According to the Secretary of State’s office, an election watcher is “an eligible voter who has been appointed by an authorized appointing entity to witness and verify the conduct of an election.” Election watchers also must complete a 10-minute training course. They are essentially another layer of security and transparency in the ballot-counting process. READ THE FULL STORY AT F...
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Browning: Why voting the down-ballot is critical in 2024
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Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Browning: Why voting the down-ballot is critical in 2024

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice It’s election season 2024. No one in America is unaware of that fact.  Election news is wall to wall on every TV station, every newspaper, podcast and social media platform. The tribalism is exhausting and it’s very real. People have pretty much made up their minds about the top of the ticket, Team Red for Donald Trump, and Team Blue for Kamala Harris. Yet, all the discussions, energy and money are focused on that top-of-the-ticket race, even though most people have already made up their mind. If only people, including the media, put as much passion and energy into the down-ballot races, people might see a federal, state and local government that is more representative of their values. The American people...
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Palisade ballot issue 2A asks voters whether to double their sales tax
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Uncategorized, Approved, KKCO-TV Grand Junction, Local

Palisade ballot issue 2A asks voters whether to double their sales tax

By Ja'Ronn Alex | KKCO-TV Grand Junction Palisade voters can raise sales tax from 2% to 4%. The exact language of Ballot Issue 2A can be found here. Mike Simmons, a Palisade resident, is not in favor of the ballot issue, “The sales tax at 2% is rather low, but I really do not want to see it increase.” “I am in support. I mean, there are some things we need to spend money on,” said Marc Authier, another Palisade resident. READ THE FULL STORY AT KKCO-TV GRAND JUNCTION
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Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero gets a $17,000 bonus with his third performance evaluation
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Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, Local

Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero gets a $17,000 bonus with his third performance evaluation

By Melanie Asmar | Chalkbeat Colorado Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero will earn a $17,326 bonus for meeting 85% of his goals last school year, according to his yearly evaluation approved by the school board Monday. The board voted unanimously to approve Marrero’s evaluation and performance pay with little discussion. Board President Carrie Olson briefly ticked off a list of the superintendent’s accomplishments, including his response to serving an influx of thousands of migrant students, the creation of six “community hubs,” and the district’s focus on environmental sustainability. “We’re really grateful for all you’ve done for Denver Public Schools and we’re excited to see what you’ll do over the next year,” Olson said. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORAD...
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Inmates cast in-person ballots during Northern Colorado jail voting event
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Inmates cast in-person ballots during Northern Colorado jail voting event

By Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado Inmates being held in the Larimer County Jail in Northern Colorado showed up in record numbers this year for voting after a new Colorado law went into effect. In 2024 Colorado became the first state in the United States to require counties offer in-person voting to inmates who are legally qualified to vote. "Everybody here is innocent until proven guilty. Just because you are in our building doesn't mean you should lose your right to vote," said Steven LaChance, program specialist at the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. Inmates who have not lost their right to vote due to felony conviction have always been allowed to vote. However, in previous years, the inmates were typically left to vote via mail-in ballot. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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