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Montezuma County judge faces potential removal after allegations of abuse of power
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Complete Colorado, Approved, Local

Montezuma County judge faces potential removal after allegations of abuse of power

By Savana Ksarck | Complete Colorado CORTEZ–The Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline (CCJD) has announced formal proceedings to potentially remove Montezuma County Court Judge Ian McLaren for multiple instances of judicial misconduct, including lying while under investigation by the commission. Montezuma County borders Utah, New Mexico and Arizona in the southwest corner of Colorado. The 22nd Judicial District judge came under fire during a case involving then Montezuma-Cortez School District Superintendent Tom Burris in August 2024. Burris had been accused of failing to report sexual abuse of a student by a teacher. After an investigation found no evidence of the alleged abuse, McLaren then scheduled a hearing where he berated Burris over the unsubsta...
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Garfield County uses $4.1 million in private activity bonds for affordable housing solutions
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Post Independent, Approved, Local

Garfield County uses $4.1 million in private activity bonds for affordable housing solutions

By Julianne O’Driscoll | Post Independent Garfield County commissioners voted unanimously Monday to allocate almost $4.1 million in private activity bonds to the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) to support local affordable housing projects. Private activity bonds are tax-exempt loans used to fund private development projects, according to the Colorado Division of Housing. Every year, the Internal Revenue Service assigns each state a private activity bond limit. Colorado then allocates the bonds to cities and counties based on area population. This year, Garfield County received a private activity bond cap of nearly $4.1 million based on a population count of 62,722.  Local governments decide how to use the bonds. Garfield County on Monday authorized the...
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Mayor’s $3.6 Billion Plan Pledges Fiscal Stability for Denver
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Local, Approved, kdvr.com

Mayor’s $3.6 Billion Plan Pledges Fiscal Stability for Denver

By Gabrielle Franklin | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is releasing his 2026 budget proposal. The mayor said the $1.66 billion plan should get the city back on good financial footing. The mayor said the way he has the numbers mapped out should mean no more cuts to personnel. He did have to make some cuts to programs and technology used by city workers. “Remember, we announced first the personnel savings. Today, we will announce $77 million in savings and services, supplies, contracts. I’ll walk you through and a couple of million dollars in revenue additions,” Johnston said during his press conference unveiling the plan Monday. Johnston said the 2026 budget proposal is the biggest economic adjustment in the city since 2011, outside of the COVID era when ...
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Religious Freedom and Property Rights Collide in Teller County over “Illegal” Greenhouse
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, Local

Religious Freedom and Property Rights Collide in Teller County over “Illegal” Greenhouse

By Jennifer Brown | The Colorado Sun A court battle over the greenhouse hinges on religious freedom, conflict of interest and the state Farm Stand Act. A battle between a Divide couple who built a greenhouse next to their home and Teller County commissioners who want them to tear it down has moved to the courthouse. Commissioners have sued Virginia and Zac Loop, seeking a judge’s order to force the couple to dismantle the 2,856-square-foot rectangular greenhouse where they had planned to harvest mangoes, avocados and other fruits and vegetables that don’t grow at 9,200 feet. The county is seeking $2,000 in initial fees plus $200 per day for every day the greenhouse has stayed up since the Teller County Community Development Department ordered the Loops to take it down. So fa...
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Tourists may soon pay double or triple in lodging taxes in 7 Colorado counties
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Tourists may soon pay double or triple in lodging taxes in 7 Colorado counties

By Jason Blevins | The Colorado Sun Chaffee, Custer, Eagle, Gilpin, Routt, Ouray and Park counties hope voters will approve increased lodging taxes — allowed under new legislation — to pay for budget shortfalls As revenue flowing into local governments ebbs, more communities are looking to visitors to pay bills.  At least seven counties will ask voters this November to double or triple the local lodging tax outside cities and towns to pay for roads, police, housing and early child care. These are the first counties to deploy a law passed this year — Senate Bill 1247 — that allows voters to raise county lodging taxes to 6%, up from 2%, to pay for infrastructure, conservation, emergency services and sustainable tourism policies.  Commissioners in Chaffee,...
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Colorado Springs to shut community center as $31 million gap widens
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The Gazette, Approved, Local

Colorado Springs to shut community center as $31 million gap widens

By Brennen Kauffman | The Gazette Colorado Springs will be closing Meadows Park Community Center in the next month and cutting 38 employees immediately in order to reduce the city's budget heading into 2026. Mayor Yemi Mobolade announced the series of cuts Friday afternoon to address what is projected to be a $31 million shortfall in the city's upcoming budget. "These measures will ensure we are delivering for residents while also committing ourselves to fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget. This city has been doing government efficiency for years, it's not new to us," Mobolade said. Meadows Park Community Center is one of four community centers run by the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department. Parks Director Britt Haley said in a statement the center was ...
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Eagle County Faces Allegations of Blocking Affordable Housing in Ski Country
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Local, Approved, The Gazette

Eagle County Faces Allegations of Blocking Affordable Housing in Ski Country

By: David O. Williams | The Gazette EDWARDS • According to its own housing assessment, Eagle County needs nearly 6,400 affordable rental and for-sale housing units over the next 10 years to address current shortages and future labor growth. Given what one developer describes as its current broken policies, the county will never get there, he said. The resort county of more than 54,000 that’s home to the Vail and Beaver Creek ski areas is made up of more than 80% federally owned public lands, meaning there’s fierce competition for a limited supply of highly desirable private land for both free-market and subsidized housing. Matt Larson of Denver-based Rediger Development has family ties to the Vail area and experience building both high-end homes and trying to build affordable hous...
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Extra $9 million in settlement funds aims to fight opioid crisis locally
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gazette.com, Approved, Local

Extra $9 million in settlement funds aims to fight opioid crisis locally

By Savannah Eller | The Gazette With the processing of new settlements, El Paso and Teller counties are expected to receive about $75 million to combat opioid addiction and deaths over the next 18 years — an increase to estimates when the counties created a joint council to disburse funds.  Last year, the Region 16 Opioid Abatement Council figures had the overall total closer to $66 million awarded by 2038. The funding boost is meant to sustain community programs addressing different facets of the opioid epidemic.  "The vast majority has either not been allocated or not been received," said Erik Stone, Teller County commissioner and council vice chair.  The estimate reflects updates in the nationwide legal process to hold major drug manufacturers financ...
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Denver explores plans for new Broncos stadium as city grows
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Fox31, Approved, Local

Denver explores plans for new Broncos stadium as city grows

By: Shaul Turner | FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — While the Broncos stadium proposal announced Tuesday will likely boost Denver’s chances of hosting a Super Bowl and other events, economic experts say the greater benefit will be a boost to Denver’s economy. Empower Field at Mile High stadium opened in 2001 at a cost of more than $400 million. The new multi-billion-dollar stadium will be located about a mile south of that location. Construction is expected to be completed by 2031. “It’s an area that was waiting to be redeveloped,” Dr. Andrew Goetz of the University of Denver told FOX31. The 58-acre abandoned railyard is slated to host a state-of-the-art football stadium with a retractable roof. The project is privately funded by the Walton-Penner ownership group. The city will create ...
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