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‘Devastated’: Colorado officials react to deadly Las Vegas Strip shooting
DENVER – Elected officials from Colorado are reacting to the shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that has left at least 58 people dead and 515 injured. Continue reading
Hickenlooper, GOP leadership continue fiery battle over pot tax mistake on eve of special session
DENVER – On the eve of next week’s special session to address a marijuana tax mistake made in this year’s legislative session, Gov. John Hickenlooper blasted state Republicans for playing political games with taxpayer money and said the bipartisan gains made in the Legislature this year had been lost in the “political circus” surrounding the session.
But the same Republicans who he took to task returned the favor, saying Hickenlooper is disregarding state law about raising taxpayer revenues. Continue reading
Denver auditor, police department disagree over whether officers working to end racial profiling
DENVER – Denver’s auditor and the Denver Police Department are in the midst of a major disagreement over why the police department has yet to implement the auditor’s recommendations aimed at avoiding racial bias while officers are on patrol duties.
“There is no way to tell if officers are stopping people without bias regarding race, gender or age if officers choose not to document demographic data,” Denver Auditor Timothy O’Brien said Thursday. Continue reading
ICE arrests 63 in Denver during operation targeting ‘sanctuary cities,’ but city pushes back
DENVER – Immigration agents arrested 63 people in Denver as part of a four-day operation that netted nearly 500 arrests in cities federal officials say are “sanctuary” cities, despite Denver’s claim it isn’t a sanctuary city.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the operation, dubbed Operation “Safe City,” “focused on cities and regions where ICE deportation officers are denied access to jails and prisons to interview suspected immigration violators or jurisdictions where ICE detainers are not honored.” The four-day operation wrapped up Wednesday. Continue reading
Menacing suspect arrested near Mt Herman area where cyclist was shot; link to Indiana murders probed
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. – A man arrested Monday on a weapons charge, who is suspected of menacing people in the Mt. Herman and Monument areas where a well-known cyclist was recently found dead, is also under investigation by authorities in Indiana in possible connection to the murder of two teens earlier this year.
Daniel Nations, 32, was arrested Monday by Woodland Park police on a charge of possession of a weapon by a previous offender after an officer pulled him and his wife, Katelyn, over because their vehicle had a broken taillight. Continue reading
Man who gave Colorado’s Jack Splitt cannabis oil charged with manufacturing
DENVER – The man who’d been making cannabis oil for Jack Splitt, whose use of the oil to treat his debilitating medical conditions led to the creation of a state law in 2015 to allow the use of certain medical marijuana products in Colorado schools, now faces felony charges for alleged drug manufacturing.
Mark Pedersen, 60, had been providing oil to Jack before his sudden death on Aug. 25, 2016. The boy, who was 15 when he died, had severe cerebral palsy and dystonia. Continue reading
EPA chief Scott Pruitt chartered private plane between Denver and Durango for Gold King Mine tour
DENVER – EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt opted to charter a private plane from Denver to Durango and turned down an offer from Gov. John Hickenlooper to ride on his state plane for the trip to the Gold King Mine in early August.
The governor’s office confirmed to Denver7 Wednesday that Pruitt had declined Hickenlooper’s invitation, but did not offer further comment. CBS News first reported Tuesday that Pruitt had used a private plane.
The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but told CBS News that Pruitt’s flight to Durango had been “significantly delayed” and that Pruitt didn’t want to miss the meeting outside of Durango. Continue reading
Colorado’s officials ponder next moves on health care after failure of Graham-Cassidy
DENVER – After the latest Senate Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act died before being brought to the floor Tuesday, Colorado’s senators and governor were quickly back to offering more solutions to fix some of the issues with the federal health care law.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced at a weekly lunch with Republican leadership that he wouldn’t bring the Graham-Cassidy measure to the floor for a vote because his party was short. Continue reading
Sen. Cory Gardner still uncommitted on Graham-Cassidy health care bill as it nears death
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., remained noncommittal Monday as to whether or not he supports the latest Senate Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act as it was dealt another blow that could prove fatal.
The Senate Finance Committee held an hours-long committee hearing on the Graham-Cassidy bill Monday morning, as Democrats continued to bash the bill and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana defended it. Continue reading
Walker Stapleton announces run for Colorado governor in 2018
DENVER – Colorado Treasurer Walker Stapleton officially announced over the weekend that he’s joining the crowded Republican field vying for Colorado’s governorship in 2018.
Stapleton is in his second term as state treasurer after being elected in 2010, and is currently the only two-term Republican serving in a Colorado state office. Continue reading