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School Funding Concerns Grow As Douglas County Faces $22 Million Deficit
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

School Funding Concerns Grow As Douglas County Faces $22 Million Deficit

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette The Douglas County School Board on Tuesday previewed its proposed 2026–27 budget amid declining enrollment and a projected $22 million deficit. District officials said the shortfall will be partially covered by a one-time drawdown of the district’s general fund, bringing the balance in line with pre-COVID levels. However, leaders warned the approach is temporary and will require more permanent solutions in the following year. “Without a structural change to how we fund schools in this state, there is at least a substantial risk that next year’s budget would not just be lower but substantially so,” board member Brad Geiger said. “Any substantial decrease in our budget means decreasing employees.” The proposed $901 ...
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Health Officials Confirm Hantavirus Death In Douglas County
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Health Officials Confirm Hantavirus Death In Douglas County

By Robert Garrison | Denver7 DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — A Douglas County adult resident has died from hantavirus, state and county health officials reported on Saturday. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said it’s investigating the incident and said the Douglas County case is not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak. Early findings suggest the person was exposed to the virus locally through contact with rodents, which is the most common source of hantavirus in Colorado, according to CDPHE. The agency did not identify the Douglas County resident nor provide a date as to when the person died. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT DENVER7
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DataRepublican never spoke in a meeting. A million people are listening now.
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

DataRepublican never spoke in a meeting. A million people are listening now.

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Jennica Pounds was in the corner, as usual. It was a meeting at Snap, and the way it worked was simple: her communication partner, Brent Mills, typed notes to her on a laptop. She typed back. Mills translated her shorthand for the room. Most meetings, nobody looked at her screen. That was fine. It had worked for years. Then Evan Spiegel stopped mid-sentence. “Wait,” the CEO said. “I want to know what Jennica is saying.” Forty years. That was the first time anyone in a meeting had done that. Jennica Pounds—known online as DataRepublican, small r—is deaf and nonspeaking. She spent more than fifteen years inside some of the biggest technology companies in the world: Amazon, eBay, Snap, Upstart, where she was a senior distinguished m...
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Douglas County Schools Reject Costly Metal Detector Expansion
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Douglas County Schools Reject Costly Metal Detector Expansion

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette The Douglas County School District board rejected a cost sharing program proposed by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners that would have installed metal detectors at up to 10 district schools. Board members cited high and recurring costs, staffing concerns and a lack of conclusive research showing the systems reduce school violence at their April board meeting. “I appreciate the commissioners want to help us, but this is unsustainable for our district,” Director Kyrzia Parker said.  Deputy Superintendent Danelle Hiatt presented an overview of the county’s proposal, which included installing Evolv metal detection systems and backpack search stations and funding for two school resource officers at rural e...
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Lone Tree Pushes Back Against State Control Over Local Zoning
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Lone Tree Pushes Back Against State Control Over Local Zoning

By Tyler Melito | Denver7 The City of Lone Tree is prepared to use its Home Rule Charter to overrule state laws that limit local control over zoning, occupancy limits, and land use. LONE TREE, Colo. — The City of Lone Tree is calling out the state legislature for passing laws that narrow local control, specifically in areas pertaining to zoning, occupancy limits, and land use. In a recent post on the city's website, officials stated the state is passing laws in "areas traditionally governed at the local level." Lone Tree Mayor Marissa Harmon telling Denver7's Tyler Melito recent state laws are eroding the city's Home Rule Charter. The charter, passed by residents in 1998, acts as the city's constitution and gives the city the power to manage its own affairs. ...
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Douglas County Launches Red Tape Reduction Task Force To Speed Commercial Development
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Douglas County Launches Red Tape Reduction Task Force To Speed Commercial Development

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette Douglas County kicked off its first Red Tape Reduction Task Force Thursday aimed at speeding up commercial and industrial development timelines in the county, a move leaders said is necessary to keep the county competitive with other regions nationwide. The task force will review the county’s development and regulatory processes to identify permitting “hurdles” in an effort to attract and retain businesses. Douglas County Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said delays can stem from a range of issues, including complex regulatory requirements or delays with referral agencies. “Sometimes it might be securing power or water for a project and what that looks like. Other times, it could just be administrative hurdles that are unne...
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Former Colorado Teacher Of The Year Finalist Sentenced To 14 Years In Student Abuse Case
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Former Colorado Teacher Of The Year Finalist Sentenced To 14 Years In Student Abuse Case

By Logan Smith | CBS Colorado A finalist for 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year violated the terms of her probation and continued to contact one of her former students after she'd been criminally charged for having a relationship with the student and fired from her teaching position, according to a court document. Tera Johnson-Swartz was sentenced on March 19 to 14 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Two cases were filed against her - the first following a grand jury investigation into the relationship, the second after detectives learned that Johnson-Swartz was trying to maintain contact with the student. The student confirmed those attempts, according to the arrest affidavit in the second case. In an interview, the student said his former teacher walked u...
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Drought Conditions Prompt Water Use Warnings Across Douglas County
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Drought Conditions Prompt Water Use Warnings Across Douglas County

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette Three Douglas County water providers are urging residents to conserve water as the region emerges from a warm, dry winter that has strained water resources. Castle Rock Water, Highlands Ranch Water and Parker Water & Sanitation asked customers to use water wisely and avoid unnecessary waste as irrigation season approaches, according to a joint news release issued Monday. “We want residents to be mindful of how and when they use water, especially outdoors,” Castle Rock Water Director Mark Marlowe said in the release. “Simple steps like checking your irrigation system for leaks or watering only when your landscapes need it can help prevent unnecessary waste.” As of March 17, more than 85% of Douglas County re...
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Castle Rock Woman Sentenced To Three Years For Casting Fraudulent Ballots
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Castle Rock Woman Sentenced To Three Years For Casting Fraudulent Ballots

By Robert Garrison | Denver7 CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A Douglas County judge gave a 62-year-old woman convicted of voter fraud the maximum sentence allowed under Colorado law, the 23rd Judicial District announced Monday. Elizabeth Ann Davis was sentenced to three years in prison after a jury last year convicted her of submitting fraudulent ballots in the 2022 General Election. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT DENVER7
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Democrat Backed Redistricting Plan Could Flip Three Colorado GOP House Seats
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Uncategorized, Approved, Colorado Politics, State

Democrat Backed Redistricting Plan Could Flip Three Colorado GOP House Seats

By Michael Braithwaite | Colorado Politics A Democrat-backed proposal to redraw Colorado’s congressional map for the 2028 election could flip three Republican districts. The proposal, introduced by a group called Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, is yet another development in a national redistricting debate after President Donald Trump called to redraw U.S. House districts. An analysis of the proposal in Colorado shows that the redrawn map could lead to flipping three Republican house seats to the Democrats’ column in the 2028 election, including in District 5, which has never voted for a Democratic representative in its long history, according to composite election data. Colorado’s 2021 congressional district map (left) compared to Coloradans for a Leve...
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