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Colorado Ballot Plan to Toughen Fentanyl Penalties Moves Forward
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Colorado Ballot Plan to Toughen Fentanyl Penalties Moves Forward

By Marissa Ventrelli | The Denver Gazette A proposed measure that would increase penalties for fentanyl manufacturing, distribution, and possession has collected enough signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot, following several failed attempts by the state legislature to pass similar legislation. Backed by Advance Colorado, the ballot initiative would make the sale of any amount of fentanyl a Class 1 felony, punishable by up to 32 years in prison. It would also mandate court-ordered substance use treatment for individuals convicted of possession of up to one gram of fentanyl. On Thursday, family members who lost loved ones to fentanyl overdoses joined legislators and law enforcement officers at Denver’s Ralph Carr Courthouse to announce that the initiative had gathered...
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Colorado’s “Reform Paradox”: Falling Recidivism, Rising Violence, and the Real-World Cost of Dangerous Releases
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s “Reform Paradox”: Falling Recidivism, Rising Violence, and the Real-World Cost of Dangerous Releases

By Shaina Cole | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The Common Sense Institute’s October report shows Colorado’s three-year recidivism rate falling from about 52 percent in 2019 to near 31 percent in 2022. On paper that looks like improvement. In practice, the number tells only a small piece of the story.  CSI makes it clear that the number drops mostly because fewer people are going to prison at all. The state’s incarcerated population has shrunk, felony filings are down, and more defendants are getting funneled into diversion programs or handed PR bonds under Colorado’s evolving bail practices. When the state isn’t locking people up, fewer people return to prison later. That’s not a public-safety miracle. It’s just the math. Ask people who actually live here whether things...
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Colorado Drug Bust Exposes Cartel Ties After 1,000 Pounds of Meth Seized
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Just The News, Approved, State

Colorado Drug Bust Exposes Cartel Ties After 1,000 Pounds of Meth Seized

By Natalia Mittelstadt | Just the News Of those indicted, 11 have been arrested, while four others remain at large. Fifteen people have been indicted in Colorado after roughly 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine was seized following a two-year investigation into a drug trafficking organization from Mexico operating in the state, according to federal officials. Of those indicted, 11 have been arrested, but four others, including the organization’s alleged leader, are still free and believed to be in Mexico, according to the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Associated Press reported. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in charge Dave Olesky said in a Wednesday news conference that the investigation revealed ties “to elements in Mexico involving the Sinaloa and Ja...
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Colorado State Patrol Vehicle Hit During Chase as Suspect Flees in Stolen Shuttle Bus
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kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Colorado State Patrol Vehicle Hit During Chase as Suspect Flees in Stolen Shuttle Bus

By: Parker Gordon, Brooke Williams | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — New video has been released showing two suspects inside a stolen shuttle bus that allegedly hit an Idaho Springs police vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office. FOX31 reported on the incident on Oct. 10 and on Tuesday, the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office released new video and photos of the alleged driver behind the wheel of the stolen Clear Creek County Roundabout shuttle bus. Authorities are now asking the public for help identifying the driver, who the sheriff’s office said struck a patrol vehicle on Interstate 70, and later drove through the scene of a different crash. Video shows the moment the shuttle bus narrowly missed first responders on the scene from the driver’s point-of-view....
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DEA Seizure of 1.7 Million Fentanyl Pills Shocks Highlands Ranch Community
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kdvr.com, Approved, Local

DEA Seizure of 1.7 Million Fentanyl Pills Shocks Highlands Ranch Community

By Heather Willard | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — A Highlands Ranch storage unit that was purchased during an auction turned into law enforcement’s largest seizure of fentanyl in Colorado history. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said that on Nov. 11, someone legally purchased a storage unit and when they opened it, found multiple items that appeared to be illegal. The purchaser contacted the sheriff’s office, and deputies and narcotics detectives quickly identified what the sheriff’s office described as a “massive quantity” of kilogram-sized packages and M-30 pills, which are counterfeit pills sold on the street containing fentanyl. After testing the pills, investigators confirmed they had seized: 198 kg of counterfeit fentanyl pills, which is about 1.7 million pills 1...
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Brighton Memorial Honoring Veterans Vandalized for Tenth Time
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Brighton Memorial Honoring Veterans Vandalized for Tenth Time

By: Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado A local veterans' memorial in Colorado was vandalized with graffiti just one day after Veterans Day, and repairs could cost up to $3,000. County officials say the site has been vandalized 10 times in the last two years. It happened at the Adams County Veterans Memorial in Brighton on Wednesday, park officials and law enforcement say. "This is actually a replica of the USS Colorado battleship from World War II," said Byron Fanning, parks director for Adams County. Fanning said the memorial is meant to honor those who gave their lives in service of the country. "This is such a great place for people to come and reflect and really get deep into thought," he said. But only a day after residents adorned the memorial with flowers in h...
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Salida Police Hunt Suspects Tied to Violent Home Invasion and Venezuelan Gang Activity
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Salida Police Hunt Suspects Tied to Violent Home Invasion and Venezuelan Gang Activity

By: Jeff Anastasio | Denver7 Salida police investigating a home invasion by suspects with alleged ties to a Venezuelan gang have connected the incident to an earlier assault in Buena Vista. Three suspects remain at large. SALIDA, Colo. – Police in Salida investigating a home invasion in which the victims were held at gunpoint against their will by suspects with alleged ties to a Venezuelan gang have connected the incident to an earlier assault in Buena Vista. According to the Salida Police Department, in the early morning hours of November 2, “multiple armed individuals” assaulted the two victims for around 20 minutes after forcing their way into the house before fleeing to the Denver Metro area. During the initial investigation, Salida police connected the home invasion susp...
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Lone Tree Tenants Demand Answers After Murder Sparks Safety Concerns
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Lone Tree Tenants Demand Answers After Murder Sparks Safety Concerns

By: Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Updated on: November 13, 2025 / 10:22 PM MST / CBS Colorado On Sept. 4, the body of Kathleen Mayo was found inside her first floor unit at the Aspect apartment complex in Lone Tree. Police in the Colorado city, located in the southern part of the Denver metro area, say she was murdered. Residents who still live in the building and asked not to be identified say that crime scene extended into the hallways.  "There was what looked like a smiley face, and little smears they only stuck with sticky tape. You think it's blood, you think it's something awful, and that really shook us up," one said. The resident is one of several who reached out to CBS Colorado with concerns about when police and apartment management informed them of t...
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Caven’s report exposes how failed policies fueled Colorado crime and created a safety crisis
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Caven’s report exposes how failed policies fueled Colorado crime and created a safety crisis

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Elizabeth Caven's Crisis of Safety report merits serious attention. It is grounded in empirical data and addresses one of the most urgent public policy failures facing Colorado: the collapse of public‑safety outcomes amid rising crime, diminished law‑enforcement presence, and liberal reform policies that weaken accountability. According to Advance Colorado’s public‑safety section, the state is “in the midst of a crime tsunami,” with property theft and violent crime at 25‑year highs. 1. Data‑Driven Approach The report builds on strong factual foundations: credible crime‑rate increases (for both property and violent crime), sharp rises in auto theft, and clear indicators of diminished police per capita. For example, the Common ...
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Suspect Arrested After Alleged Threat Forces Closure Of Two Colorado Schools
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kdvr.com, Approved, State

Suspect Arrested After Alleged Threat Forces Closure Of Two Colorado Schools

By Jacob Factor | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — The Costilla County Sheriff’s Office said a suspect is in custody for allegedly making a threat that closed two school districts in the county, one of which has closed for the whole week. The Sierra Grande School District in Blanca and the Centennial School District in San Luis Monday night both reported a “potential threat” that closed their schools Tuesday. Sierra Grande has about 300 students, and Centennial has about 180 students, according to the Colorado Department of Education, and Costilla County in southern Colorado along the New Mexico border has about 3,500 residents. Costilla County Sheriff Danny Sanchez on Wednesday told FOX31 that the threat came from a man, later identified as suspect David Lee Land...
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