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Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado
denvergazette.com, State

Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado

By Daniel Boniface | The Denver Gazette Cole Finegan on Wednesday announced he's stepping down as United States Attorney for the District of Colorado at the end of the month. Finegan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, took the oath of office on Dec. 1, 2021. His last day on the job will be May 31. During his time as U.S. Attorney, Finegan's office represented the U.S. in criminal and civil court matters in Colorado and the in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Broncos ’24 schedule includes prime-time matchups against Browns, Saints
DenverBroncos.com, State

Broncos ’24 schedule includes prime-time matchups against Browns, Saints

By Aric DiLalla | DenverBroncos.com For the second time in three years, the Broncos will open their season visiting a former division rival. In a slate that features two prime-time games and begins with three of four games on the road, the Broncos will kick off their 2024 season with a Week 1 matchup in Seattle against the Seahawks (Sunday, Sept. 8, 1:05 p.m. PT). Denver also opened the 2022 season in Seattle, and this year's Week 1 matchup marks the third time in the last four years the Broncos have opened on the road. The Broncos hold a 10-13 record on the road in Week 1 games and have earned the most Week 1 wins of any team since 1960. The Broncos will also play early season road games in Week 3 and Week 4, as Denver is set to travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday,...
New rules to address bad child protection actors who may go undetected from county to county
State, The Colorado Sun

New rules to address bad child protection actors who may go undetected from county to county

By Jennifer Brown | The Colorado Sun A child protection caseworker in Colorado who gets caught falsifying records or lying about checking on children in one county can get a job in another county. And then another. Under state regulations, if there is no criminal case, no one has to know about the past behavior — not the caseworker’s potential new employer or even the children and parents whose records were falsified. It’s a gap in the system that has concerned child and family advocates for years. After a string of high-profile cases of child protection workers fabricating reports, state officials are now working to strengthen the law.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Dead wolf in Colorado likely killed by mountain lion, officials say
coloradopolitics.com, State

Dead wolf in Colorado likely killed by mountain lion, officials say

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A dead gray wolf found in Larimer County last month was most likely killed by a mountain lion, according to information from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "The initial necropsy report conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the deceased gray wolf found in Larimer County on April 18, 2024 finds that the cause of death is trauma, consistent with predation. Although not definitive, the puncture wounds in the skull are consistent with those typically inflicted by a mountain lion," the agency said. Meanwhile, another yearling at the ranch of Conway Farrell in Grand County has been killed by a wolf, according to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife wolf depredation report. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado ranked as third most dangerous state in new U.S. crime study
denvergazette.com, State

Colorado ranked as third most dangerous state in new U.S. crime study

By Daniel Boniface | Denver Gazette Colorado ranked as one of the "most dangerous" states in the U.S. in a new report and it's mostly because of a high rate of property crime. U.S. News and World Report last week released its 2024 Best States rankings and although Colorado finished in a respectable 16th place overall, it received poor marks for public safety, ranking No. 3 most dangerous. The rankings were determined by factoring both violent crime and property crime rates in each state using FBI data from 2022, the report said. "For its part, the FBI notes that numerous factors can affect the amount and type of crime in different areas, including population density, economic conditions, climate and family cohesiveness," the report said. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZ...
Rep. Lauren Boebert backs GOP Chairman Dave Williams in 5th District’s primary
coloradopolitics.com, State

Rep. Lauren Boebert backs GOP Chairman Dave Williams in 5th District’s primary

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert waded into the Republican primary for the Colorado congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn on Monday with a social media post supporting candidate Dave Williams. "We’ve got enough cranks in Congress already," Boebert posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "The PEOPLE want Dave Williams!" Williams, the chairman of the Colorado GOP and a former state lawmaker from Colorado Springs, is running against Americans for Prosperity executive and former talk radio host Jeff Crank in the 5th Congressional District, which covers most of El Paso County. Primary ballots go in the mail to voters during the first week of June, and they're due back to county clerks by June 25. READ THE FULL ST...
Eight measures expected to make November ballot, dozens more possible
State, Westword

Eight measures expected to make November ballot, dozens more possible

By Hannah Metzger | Westword The list of ballot measures awaiting Colorado voters in November is growing. State lawmakers voted to send five measures to the ballot before the Colorado Legislature adjourned on May 8, adding to two citizen-initiated measures that had already officially qualified for the ballot: an effort to include economic impact statements before the questions on ballot measures, and another to cap property tax revenue increases at 4 percent each year. The five legislative ballot proposals would let the state keep all sports betting tax revenue to fund water projects; create an excise tax for gun and ammo purchases to fund victim services; remove the ban on same-sex marriage from Colorado's constitution...
Wolverine reintroduction legislation is ‘completely opposite’ of Colorado’s ballot–driven wolf plan
State, The Colorado Sun

Wolverine reintroduction legislation is ‘completely opposite’ of Colorado’s ballot–driven wolf plan

By Jason Blevins | Colorado Sun A new predator could be coming to Colorado’s high country but supporters are promising this reintroduction will be different.  Colorado lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved the return of wolverines to Colorado’s alpine landscape, with a plan “that is completely opposite from the wolf reintroduction process,” said Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Democrat from Avon who co-sponsored the legislation with Sen. Perry Will, a Republican from New Castle.  Roberts said the pair’s Senate Bill 171 marks “a responsible way to do wildlife reintroduction.” The bill is heading to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for final approval. If signed, the effort will mark the first-ever attempt to restore wolverines to a native range.   READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN...
Colorado Republicans celebrate policy wins in 2024 legislative session
coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado Republicans celebrate policy wins in 2024 legislative session

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics House and Senate Republicans celebrated big policy wins during the 2024 legislative session, in particular focusing on property taxes and an income tax rate reduction. "I'm very happy at what our caucus was able to do," said House Minority Leader Rep. Rose Pugliese of Colorado Springs, who added that Republicans accomplished much in the 2024 session. Pugliese cited housing measures with Republican sponsorship, including include House Bill 1152, the accessory dwelling unit bill, and House Bill 1308, which would push the state's Division of Housing to move a little faster in releasing resources for affordable housing development. Pugliese also pointed to the income tax rate reduction in Senate Bill 228, which will lower the rate from 4.4% ...
Numerous citizen-led initiatives working for a spot on Colorado’s November ballot
completecolorado.com, State

Numerous citizen-led initiatives working for a spot on Colorado’s November ballot

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado  Colorado is one of just 21 states that allow citizens’ ballot initiatives to change state statute or amend the state Constitution, and one of just 14 states that allow for direct initiatives, meaning the state’s legislature does not have to confirm the statute. Nearly every election year there are a handful of measures for voters to decide, while other efforts never make it to the ballot. This year is no exception, with a huge number of initiatives at various stages of the process, including many being challenged to the Colorado Supreme Court. There are measures to guarantee abortion rights in the state’s Constitution (while another, that did not gather enough signatures would have banned abortion entirely). Other measures would reduce property...