Secretary of State Scott Gessler is touring the state this week, soliciting feedback from voters on the election. But in the meantime, attorneys for Gessler, who is facing both criminal and ethics investigations into the alleged misuse of public funds, are asking for more time to respond to the complaint…
In “Bed Check,” this week’s feature, we take a close look at the challenges homeless women face when trying to find safe places to sleep in Denver. Incidentally, Denver’s Road Home, the agency that oversees homeless issues, has just released an assessment of the city’s shelter programs — a report…
Pre-election news coverage about Secretary of State Scott Gessler often focused on his efforts to weed out non-citizen voters and prevent fraud through an initiative some activists called a wild goose chase. But at an event in Arapahoe County, where Gessler invited public feedback, most took the opposite stance: Election…
In September, Erica Guzman, twenty, and Stefanie Cardwell, 23, spent nights sleeping in their car. The two women, who have been dating for four years, say they had nowhere else to go. The search for shelter is especially difficult for Guzman, an undocumented Canadian immigrant. We spoke to the couple…
As more cyclists ride on Denver’s roads alongside cars, the city’s planners are working to build out a network of safe paths for bikes. But when a car double parks in a bike lane, it can make these paths a lot harder to navigate — a fact that BikeDenver is…
Julie Hale, sitting in the St. Francis Center on a cold morning, perks up as she hears her name called. “Did he say Julie? Did you make it?” asks Christina Smith, a 46-year-old homeless woman. “I don’t know,” says the 48-year-old Hale as she brushes past Smith and runs up…
In this week’s feature, “Bed Check,” we take an in-depth look at the services available in Denver for homeless women, some of whom describe a daily struggle filled with high-stakes lotteries to find sanctuary. For the piece, we spent time with members of the Women’s Homeless Initiative, a coalition of…
Yesterday, the Boulder County Clerk’s office announced that its election results are finally certified. However, a spokesman for Secretary of State Scott Gessler says just the opposite — a final decision has not been made yet, although one could come soon. The conflicting statements have further irked those Boulder canvass…
In the wake of the Amendment 64’s passage, Democratic and Republican officials have proposed a bill that would exempt Colorado from federal laws prohibiting marijuana use. Now, a coalition of business organizations opposed to A64 are urging the feds to do the opposite: enforce federal law, even if it contradicts…
Last week, we reported on a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union against Colorado Springs, which is pushing forward with a controversial anti-panhandling law that critics see as violating free-speech rights. The city says it won’t start enforcement for a few weeks, but will begin education around the law…
We reported last week that the canvass board in Boulder County, responsible for certifying the results of the election, decided against it, arguing that there were serious flaws in the process. Hillary Hall, Boulder’s clerk and recorder, was not pleased. But when we asked Secretary of State Scott Gessler about…
Since Amendment 64 passed in Colorado, Republican officials have been tasked with responding to a policy that the party didn’t embrace but a majority of voters supported. With small amounts of recreational marijuana use to be okayed in the state constitution, GOP reps are supporting the state’s right to make…
Steve Hogan, mayor of Aurora, the city where Century 16 shooting suspect James Holmes allegedly killed twelve people and injured dozens more, is not joining a nationwide coalition of mayors that supports stricter gun laws. In response, the group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, argues that Hogan should join fellow city…
In what’s called an effort to support the economic vitality of downtown Colorado Springs and stop panhandling, the city passed an ordinance this week that bans solicitation. But the law is so broad that it violates the First Amendment. At least that’s the interpretation of the American Civil Liberties Union,…
The news that the Denver Police Department will now be enforcing state drunk cycling laws and giving out DUIs to intoxicated riders has sparked a lot of debate. But as word spread earlier this week, DPD officials said it was unclear how DUIs for cyclists would affect their driving licences…
Restrictions on campaign finance are ultimately violations of free speech rights and do little to foster fair elections. At least that’s the argument of Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler, who, in a speech yesterday, said he would like to see fewer limitations on campaign finance, arguing that reform efforts…
After several negative headlines around solar energy locally — including the bankruptcy of Abound Solar and news of major delays on a planned Aurora solar plant — Colorado has some good news to share about renewable energy. Denver officials announced yesterday that the city is the first to be recognized…
Yesterday, we reported that Denver Police are now enforcing state drunk-cycling laws — meaning intoxicated cyclists can be charged with DUIs just like inebriated drivers. Some cycling advocates question whether this is good public policy — and a look at parallel laws around the country shows that Denver’s approach is…
Election day may seem like a fading memory in Colorado. But the divisiveness of the race is alive in Boulder County, where members of the canvass board has refused to certify the results, arguing that there were many problems — including dozens of precincts where they say more votes were…
Cyclists in Denver will now be subject to a new Denver Police Department enforcement policy that says drunk bikers, like drunk drivers, can be charged with DUI. The change, announced internally last week, is designed to align with state laws, officials say, though some bike advocates worry this kind of…
Tensions between cyclists and motorists on the road seem to be at an all-time high in Colorado given several recent incidents where drivers and bikers have clashed dramatically. Now, three cyclists have taken one fight all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court to protest a controversial ban on biking…
Colorado’s Secretary of State Scott Gessler maintains that voter fraud is a serious problem — and after launching initiatives to prevent illegal ballots from being cast, his office says that exactly 518 voters were removed from the rolls due to non-citizenship — more than expected. Some may have taken themselves…
