staging.rockymountainvoice.com

Local

Colorado Springs retail marijuana ban still failing, according to final unofficial election results
coloradopolitics.com, Local

Colorado Springs retail marijuana ban still failing, according to final unofficial election results

By Breeanna Jent | The Gazette, via Colorado Politics Colorado Springs residents appear to have rejected a ballot question that sought to more permanently ban recreational marijuana sales in the city, according to updated election results from the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Thursday night. Final unofficial results updated at 8:23 p.m. showed the City Council-backed Question 2D, which proposes amending the city charter to prohibit recreational marijuana establishments in Colorado Springs, was failing 49.4% to 50.6%. In total, 387,297 ballots have been counted for just under 78% voter turnout, according to clerk's data. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Englewood has a building vacancy problem some on City Council say is ‘tax haven’
Local, Westword

Englewood has a building vacancy problem some on City Council say is ‘tax haven’

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Englewood residents have noticed a trend of vacant commercial properties, leading to more emergency calls and fewer storefronts. But city leaders still aren’t sure how to tackle the problem after Englewood City Council came away lukewarm on a vacant-property registry. “One of the reasons why I wanted this brought forward is because over the years, I've heard that some people have chosen to use our city as a tax haven, where it is cheaper for them to leave the building unoccupied as a tax write-off than it is for them to actually profit from having the building occupied,” councilman Steven Ward said during a November 4 council study session on the topic. READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD
Adams 12 families wonder what’s next for teachers after mill levy fails
CBS Colorado, Local

Adams 12 families wonder what’s next for teachers after mill levy fails

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado It's been over a week since residents in Adams and Broomfield counties sealed the fate of two school measures that could have produced big changes for schools and staff across the Adams 12 Five Star School District. "First of all it was really strange that the bond passed but the mil levy didn't pass," said Heather Delair, a parent of two students in the Adams 12 school district. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Long-running Colorado animal sanctuary facing “a lot of hurdles” during critical fundraising period
CBS Colorado, Local

Long-running Colorado animal sanctuary facing “a lot of hurdles” during critical fundraising period

By Ashley Portillo | CBS Colorado The founder of an animal sanctuary in Adams County says because of a cellphone company cutting her phone line and that leading to her landline phone not working, she's down thousands of dollars. With winter coming, she's now worried about how she's going to keep nearly 200 animals fed. Maxine Mager is the owner and founder of Creative Acres, a nonprofit organization which provides no-kill and free-roam sheltering to animals like horses, pigs, and chickens among many others. She says because of the phone issue, she could not get the word out about her fundraising efforts. "They cut my line and apparently they cut it five times. I haven't had a phone for over a month," said Mager. "During that time, we couldn't do any fundraising through t...
Mountain lion shot and killed at elementary school in Colorado
Local, Out There Colorado

Mountain lion shot and killed at elementary school in Colorado

By Spencer McKee | Out There Colorado A scary situation unfolded at a Colorado school on the morning of November 8 that involved a police officer shooting and killing a mountain lion. According to a report on the situation, officers initially responded to a report of a mountain lion on the grounds of Greeley's Madison K8 school. Given that the predator was in close proximity of students and families, a 'Secure Perimeter' status was issued, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the building. While the Greeley Police Department was working closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to manage the incident, staff of the state agency were said to have an "extended arrival time." READ THE FULL STORY AT OUT THERE COLORADO
Littleton procession honors Golden police officer who died on duty
denvergazette.com, Local

Littleton procession honors Golden police officer who died on duty

By Sage Kelley | Denver Gazette Countless people stood under the November sun, silently looking onto a parade of hundreds of police cars moving through Littleton. The moment was a somber celebration of the life of a Golden Police Department officer who was killed while working just a week ago. A memorial service was held Wednesday for 33-year-old Evan Dunn, who was struck and killed during a crash on Highway 58 around 5 p.m. Nov. 6.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Four U.S. Postal Service mail carriers robbed in Denver and Aurora: “It’s shocking”
CBS Colorado, Local

Four U.S. Postal Service mail carriers robbed in Denver and Aurora: “It’s shocking”

By Tori Mason | CBS Colorado The United States Postal Inspection Service is looking for suspects in the recent armed robberies and attempted armed robbery of letter carriers in Denver and Aurora. Four incidents involving a postal carrier occurred between the end of September and end of October. On Sept. 25, a carrier was robbed at at1624 Chester Street in Aurora. The suspect is described as a black male wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt who showed a firearm. The suspect fled to a nearby blue four-door sedan. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s $1.76B budget is a 0.6% increase from prior year
coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s $1.76B budget is a 0.6% increase from prior year

By Alexander Edwards | The Gazette, via Colorado Politics The Denver City Council on Tuesday gave Mayor Mike Johnston’s proposed $1.76 billion spending plan for next year the final nod. The council approved the budget unanimously. The approval is more a formality, as the city’s charter says if a vote is not taken by a certain date, the budget, as amended, is approved. The 800-page  plus document did not change much despite several councilmembers' attempts to amend it last week. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado sheriff who froze to death in 1881 to be honored in national memorial for fallen officers
Local, The Colorado Sun

Colorado sheriff who froze to death in 1881 to be honored in national memorial for fallen officers

By Olivia Prentzel | The Colorado Sun Chaffee County’s first elected sheriff, who reportedly froze to death in 1881 after becoming stranded while trying to evict claim jumpers at a mine west of Buena Vista, will be honored next year when his name is added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Lucien Morgan was 45 when he died in the line of duty due to weather exposure on Jones Mountain, a 13,218-foot peak, according to archives of the Rocky Mountain News and The Mountain Mail, Salida’s newspaper. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Buena Vista middle schooler competes in first-ever National Civics Bee
denvergazette.com, Local

Buena Vista middle schooler competes in first-ever National Civics Bee

By Daniel Boniface | The Denver Gazette A Buena Vista middle school student on Tuesday represented Colorado in the first-ever National Civics Bee. Joseph Drexler, a student from Darren Patterson Christian Academy, competed in the first two rounds of the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C., answering multiple-choice questions on history and democracy against competitors from across the country. The top 10 competitors from the opening rounds advanced to the third round, during which the middle school students delivered civic-minded speeches. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE