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Yes, Colorado State Patrol really does give tickets based on aircraft speed monitoring
Approved, State, Westword

Yes, Colorado State Patrol really does give tickets based on aircraft speed monitoring

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Though most people have seen “speed monitored by aircraft” signs dotting highways across Colorado, few know that the Colorado State Patrol actually issues hundreds of tickets each year based on aircraft speed monitoring. The Colorado State Patrol Aircraft Unit uses four state-owned aircraft to monitor speeds from above, then works with officers on the ground to dole out tickets based on measurements from the sky. Any Colorado government agency can call upon the CSP aircraft at any time for “transportation for state business and traffic enforcement operations,” according to the CSP website. Services include transporting people and cargo and helping observe or take photos and video during law enforcement missions. READ THE FULL STORY AT WEST...
Colorado River management proposals receive mixed reactions, with hints of possible legal battle
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado River management proposals receive mixed reactions, with hints of possible legal battle

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The U.S. Department of the Interior's alternative proposals to guide the management of the Colorado River received mixed reactions from key negotiators and officials whose support is crucial in the river's successful operation in the years to come. Several reiterated they don't want litigation, which would tie up any plans in the court systems for years, but they also acknowledged — or at least hinted — that a legal battle is a plausible outcome. "We don't want a legal fight," said Tom Buschatzke, the Arizona Department of Water Resources director. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
CDOT to close stretch of recently completed Northern Colorado express lanes until 2028
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

CDOT to close stretch of recently completed Northern Colorado express lanes until 2028

By Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado A portion of recently opened express lanes in Northern Colorado will be closed until 2028. The Colorado Department of Transportation says the closure is necessary in order to safely continue their construction project linking Northern Colorado and the Denver metro area. Starting Friday night, CDOT will close the southbound express lane from CO 60 to CO 56 near Berthoud. That stretch was opened earlier this year to commuters after years of construction. Though more than 18 miles of express lanes in both directions will remain open between Johnstown and Fort Collins, around two miles will be closed until the project is completed around 2028. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Colorado county clerk spent $4,000 on get-out-the-vote billboard with her name, face on it
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado county clerk spent $4,000 on get-out-the-vote billboard with her name, face on it

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez’s office spent $7,200 on a get-out-the-vote campaign in the lead-up to the November election that included a billboard with an advertisement that prominently featured her picture and name. Gonzalez’s office said the campaign, launched in mid-October, also included social media posts, community events and flyer distribution. The billboard alone cost $4,000. The office said it found before launching the campaign that ads featuring Gonzalez, a Democrat, were high performing, citing a June report from the consulting firm Recap Communications. Gonzalez’s spokeswoman said those findings reinforced national guidance and research showing that local officials are the most trusted messengers for election information and...
Colorado regulators worried about imported dogs infected with disease they thought was eradicated
CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado regulators worried about imported dogs infected with disease they thought was eradicated

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado Three months after a pet rescue imported a puppy with rabies to Colorado, the state is taking action. That incident resulted in 54 people being treated for rabies and 12 dogs being euthanized. CBS Colorado has learned - from an open records request - it isn't an isolated case.  In 2020, another imported puppy exposed two dozen people to rabies, including Drew and Christine Frank, who were in some ways the canaries in the coal mine. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Boebert’s ZIP code bill boosting rural towns passes House Oversight Committee with unanimous support
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Boebert’s ZIP code bill boosting rural towns passes House Oversight Committee with unanimous support

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Rural America is home to nearly 60 million individuals. That's one out of every five Americans. Many argue that policymakers overlook rural America. Yet a simple bill led by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Silt) will have a big impact on small towns.  “I am thrilled to see my bipartisan Zip Code bill pass through the House Oversight Committee with unanimous bipartisan support," Boebert said this week in a statement. The introduction of ZIP codes in the 60s transformed mail delivery. They also became vital to economic growth, public safety and community identity. But many communities still face challenges without unique ZIP Codes, leading to misdirected tax revenue and delayed emergency responses. Congresswoman Boebert took action ...
‘Like Tiananmen square’: Denver mayor vows city police, population will forcibly resist Trump deportation measures
Approved, National, State, The Daily Caller

‘Like Tiananmen square’: Denver mayor vows city police, population will forcibly resist Trump deportation measures

By Christian Baldwin | The Daily Caller Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston vowed that his city’s police and population would resist President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation agenda in an interview Tuesday with the Denverite while comparing Trump and federal deportations to the Chinese Communist Party.  “Absolutely not,” Johnston said when asked about whether his office would allow the Denver Police Department (DPD) to cooperate with future Trump administration deportation measures. “We won’t do it.”   Johnston proposed that local law enforcement could be used to block any attempts by the incoming Trump administration to enforce U.S. immigration law. He also suggested that the city’s population would come out in force to interfere with federal immigration enforcement officer...
Childcare deserts in Colorado are keeping women from working
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Childcare deserts in Colorado are keeping women from working

By Carly Moore | Fox 31 News Finding available and affordable child care is a pressing concern for many Colorado families. Anecdotally, for a lot of new parents of kids younger than six, before they go to school, paying for childcare is like taking out a second mortgage. Many believe it’s the cost of childcare that causes the biggest problems, but the Common Sense Institute ran the numbers and found many counties in Colorado are in a childcare desert. The Common Sense Institute found that there are not enough spots for all the kids who need care. About 51% of the state is in a “childcare desert.” READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Colorado’s new 23rd Judicial District office to open in Douglas County following residential concerns
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado’s new 23rd Judicial District office to open in Douglas County following residential concerns

By Noah Festenstein | Colorado Politics Colorado’s newest judicial district in 60 years has found an office in northern Douglas County following years of planning and residents' pushback on some proposed sites. With a new judicial district comes the need for a new office. The office is intended to house the diversion unit from the Justice Center in Castle Rock. It will also offer pretrial and some probation services. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
A look at Colorado’s Red Flag law and how often it’s used
Approved, KOAA News, State

A look at Colorado’s Red Flag law and how often it’s used

By Alasyn Zimmerman | KOAA-TV NBC-5 Colorado first passed its "Red Flag Law" in 2019. It allows family members and household members as well as law enforcement agencies to petition a judge to have someone's guns removed from them if they are deemed a risk to themselves or others. The bill was first introduced in 2018, but it failed in a divided legislature where Democrats controlled the House and Republicans controlled the Senate. In 2019, numerous counties, including El Paso County, declared the counties to be "2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties" or in El Paso County's case a "2nd Amendment Preservation County" meaning it would not enforce the Red Flag law. READ THE FULL STORY AT KOAA-TV NBC-5