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Devotional: Finding God’s design in the wonderment of Buc-ee’s
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Devotional: Finding God’s design in the wonderment of Buc-ee’s

By DRAKE HUNTER | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In the early 1990s, I was introduced to a fresh and exciting concept within the military: Total Quality Management (TQM). This wasn't just a new way to lead, but a completely different approach to organizing and managing life in the service. The principles of TQM, such as quality, care and vision, were not just applicable in the corporate world, but also had a profound spiritual significance. They helped me understand Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Fast forward to my retirement in 2005. Living in a small town brought simpler pleasures, but I hadn’t encountered that same buzz of excellence in a long time — until last week when I vis...
‘Lost Innocence’ tells story of accidental drug overdose by Sophia Larson, age 5
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‘Lost Innocence’ tells story of accidental drug overdose by Sophia Larson, age 5

By Taylor Cramer | Post-Independent The life of 5-year-old Sophia Larson was tragically cut short on a winter night in 2019, leaving a father shattered and a community grieving. Five years later, father Alec Larson is hoping that a documentary chronicling the death of his daughter and the aftermath will help prevent other children from facing similar tragedy. “It was the worst day of my life and news that no parent should ever have to receive,” Alec Larson said. “It’s so easily preventable and should have never happened, and I’ve had to live with the reality that it happened to my daughter.” A documentary titled “Lost Innocence: The Story of Sophia Larson” is set to release next week, shedding light on the heartbreaking 2019 death. The film aims to not only recount Sophia’s tragic...
Denver committee delays vote on rezoning for property near Ball Arena redevelopment
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Denver committee delays vote on rezoning for property near Ball Arena redevelopment

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette A Denver committee postponed advancing a rezoning for a property located inside of, but separate from, the proposed Kroenke redevelopment of the Ball Arena parking lot after a council member lambasted the applicant and property owner. The properties, located at 500, 501 and 551 Wewatta Street, are currently occupied by a two story office building though its current zoning allows a mixed use building of up to eight stories and has two soccer fields on site. It is surrounded by the massive, 70+ acre parking lot area of Ball Arena. The property owner, Landon Scott, said the properties have been owned by his family since the 1970s and said they do not have any development plans in place if the zone change were to be approved. Options ranging from ...
Chandler: Vote ‘no’ on Arapahoe County ballot issue 1A
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Chandler: Vote ‘no’ on Arapahoe County ballot issue 1A

By Kathleen Chandler | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Our Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) is under perpetual attack by a government that seeks to grow without the consent of the governed. A major tenant of TABOR is asking our permission to raise our taxes. That is all we ask. Government, make your case. Why do you need more tax revenue? Arapahoe County is deceitful in its de-TABORing measure. According to the law, the measure, when placed into legal publication, must be in ALL CAPS if the government asks to raise your taxes. That is true here. However, the first line states, “WITHOUT INCREASING THE TAX RATE AND WITHOUT ADOPTING ANY NEW TAX,” which is technically true and deceptive in its consequences.  This measure will raise your taxes. The county government is asking t...
Lakewood looking to expand co-responder teams to handle crisis situations in Colorado
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Lakewood looking to expand co-responder teams to handle crisis situations in Colorado

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado In Lakewood, there is a push to get more co-responders on the streets. They are trained mental health professionals who go with police officers to calls offering their expertise when someone in Colorado is in crisis. "Sometimes our patrol agents will call and ask for us," said Susie Newby, one of two co-responders dedicated to the Lakewood Police Department. And every response is different. "With juveniles, Ben has a lot of experience working with them so we prefer him to go on those calls. Susie is really good at de-escalating," her partner, a Lakewood agent, said. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
After parade of 43,000 illegals, Denver officials no longer track immigrant arrivals
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After parade of 43,000 illegals, Denver officials no longer track immigrant arrivals

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette With the last temporary shelter now closed, Denver officials are no longer tracking the daily number of immigrants arriving in the city, The Denver Gazette has learned. Over the past 22 months, nearly 43,000 immigrants have arrived in Denver. Most of the immigrants were from South and Central America who crossed America's southern border illegally. The last shelter was closed on Oct. 3, Jon Ewing, a Denver Human Services spokesperson, said. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Pinyon Avenue homicide victim identified
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Pinyon Avenue homicide victim identified

By Ryn Lewis | Westernslopenow.com The Mesa County Coroner’s Office has identified the human head and hands found in January by the new owner of a recently sold home at 2988 Pinyon Avenue. Officials have identified the victim of the Pinyon Avenue homicide case as Amanda Leariel Overstreet, a resident of both the Grand Junction and Harris County, Texas areas. Overstreet was the biological daughter of the previous homeowner and was believed to be about 16 years old at the time of her disappearance; she had not been seen or heard from since April 2005. Officials say there is no record that she was ever reported missing. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WESTERN SLOPE NOW
1 dead, 23 rescued at Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek after equipment malfunction
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1 dead, 23 rescued at Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek after equipment malfunction

By Shawn Fleetwood | The Gazette One person died, four were injured and 23 rescued after an equipment malfunction during a tour Thursday of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, according to the Teller County Sheriff's Office.  By 7:15 p.m., the 12 who had remained trapped for close to seven hours at the bottom of the tourist mine on the east side of town wrapped up their 1,000-foot ascent to the surface after workers fixed a broken elevator. Eleven others were rescued shortly after the issue happened at 500 feet.  The Sheriff’s Office received a report shortly after noon that an elevator transporting visitors at the mine had malfunctioned and stopped at the midway point, said Jason Mikesell, the Teller County sheriff. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE...
Adams County mourns loss of off-duty Colorado deputy struck and killed by car in Fort Lupton
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Adams County mourns loss of off-duty Colorado deputy struck and killed by car in Fort Lupton

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado A veteran Colorado deputy who appears to have been struck by a car when he was off-duty died after the collision. It happened late Tuesday night in Fort Lupton on Highway 52 near Purman Avenue. The victim was Deputy Joshua Tapia who worked for Adams County. He had also worked until recently as a firefighter in Fort Lupton. Fort Lupton police said the driver whose car apparently struck the deputy stopped, called 911 and tried to provide medical aid. But Tapia was pronounced dead after first responders took him to the hospital. According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, "Deputy Tapia was a cherished husband, father, friend, and dedicated deputy who devoted over 25 years of service to the Adams County Sheriff's Office." The office wrote that his "d...
Ochsner: No on Arapahoe County 1A; keep taxpayer protections in place
Approved, Commentary, completecolorado.com, Local

Ochsner: No on Arapahoe County 1A; keep taxpayer protections in place

By Brian Ochsner | Commentary, Complete Colorado As an Arapahoe County resident, I’ll  be voting no on Ballot Issue 1A, a measure to permanently remove taxpayer protections in place under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR. Let me explain. TABOR is a constitutional amendment that, among other things, limits the growth of local government spending to a reasonable annual rate based on inflation and local economic growth. Overcollected revenue must be returned to taxpayers unless voters give permission to exceed those limits. Issue 1A would allow the county government to keep and spend revenue that would otherwise be refunded in perpetuity.  County officials wont say it, but that amounts to a tax hike. It’s how big government advocates try to spin the abili...