Diana DeGette and the Harvey Weinstein Effect on Colorado Politics

Representative Diana DeGette has revealed a past episode of sexual harassment against her, detailing an unwanted physical advance in an elevator by ex-San Diego Mayor Bob Filner when he was a Congressman. This disclosure, made in a November 20 interview on view below, makes DeGette the highest profile Colorado politician to go public with disgusting tales of unwanted contact and more since early October, when shocking tales about allegedly criminal behavior by disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein unleashed a slew of accusations against powerful men, including retired Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

4/20 Happens on April 20 Because of Us, Rally Injunction Request Will Claim

A request for a temporary injunction against the City of Denver for banning organizers of the Denver 420 Rally from staging the event for at least three years over alleged violations at the gathering earlier this year could be filed as early as today. The rally’s attorney, Rob Corry, says the document will make the argument that any marijuana-related event held on April 20 would violate the current crew’s trademark and intellectual property.

Triple Killer Kenneth Banks: Bitches, Crips and Death for Red Sneakers

On November 20, Kenneth Banks pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Fallon Graham, a mother of two shot down outside Aurora’s Montview Bar & Grill two years to the day earlier. He did the same late last month in regard to two Denver murders, including the slaying of D’Andre Mayfield in a drive-by shooting. All three crimes took place during the same three-day period in 2015, and each is said to have been gang-related. Indeed, the prosecutor who effectively handed Banks the third of three life sentences without the possibility of parole says he opened fire on Graham because her companion had chosen to wear the wrong color shoes.

Frontier Owner Says Passengers Are Like Spoiled Brats Despite Horror Stories

Bill Franke, the head of the investment firm that owns Denver-based Frontier Airlines, has compared the average passenger to a “teenage spoiled brat” despite the carrier’s recent history of terrible customer service rankings, a well-publicized public spat with 9News anchor Kyle Clark and an entire website devoted to Frontier horror stories.

Denver Bans Controversial Herbal Drug Kratom for Human Consumption

Denver Environmental Health has banned the sale of kratom for human consumption. The decision follows a public health advisory warning individuals not to consume kratom, a popular herbal substance of Southeast Asian origin that’s become more widely available in Colorado over the past few months, issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on November 14. Prior to this alert, reports circulated about more than a dozen deaths associated with, although perhaps not directly attributable to, use of the substance, which is known for its euphoric and pain-relieving effects.

Aurora’s Ethiopian Community May Be the Key to Mike Coffman’s Success

In today’s highly partisan political landscape, crossover votes are becoming less and less common. But one Colorado congressman has successfully navigated political polarization and redistricting to successive victories, despite representing a district that typically favors a party different from his own at the presidential level.

The One Thing Hyperloop Must Do to Avoid Becoming a Disaster

In September, Hyperloop One, whose high-tech tube transportation concept is central to a firm affiliated with billionaire Elon Musk, of Tesla Motors and SolarCity fame, identified a route largely based in Colorado as one of the ten strongest in the world and entered into a public-private partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation to launch a feasibility study here. An author who promoted a similar concept in a book published fourteen years ago, cheers this development, but he argues that if the system is built above ground, as opposed to employing tunnels, it won’t succeed and could turn into a disaster.

Top Tweets From People Ashamed to Be Broncos Fans After Bengals Disaster

The Denver Broncos’ 20-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday, November 19, represents the latest low point in a season full of them. On Twitter, fans who’ve previously called for the signing of controversial QB Colin Kaepernick or (God help us) Tim Tebow and the firing of first-year head coach Vance Joseph reacted emotionally, expressing humiliation over the squad’s sorry performance, as seen in our top tweets roundup below.

Reader: Are We Better Off With Legal Pot? Yes!

While the supporters of Amendment 64 have been celebrating the fifth anniversary of the 2012 vote that legalized recreational marijuana in Colorado, other groups are continuing to campaign against cannabis, including the Marijuana Accountability Coalition, which paid for an anti-pot billboard downtown this month that asked this question: Are you…

Op Ed: We Need to Shake Up the Two-Party System

On November 13, Todd Mitchem, a Libertarian candidate for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently occupied by Jared Polis, announced that he was dropping out of the race. In response, another candidate for that seat, Independent Nick Thomas, wrote this response.

Cost of Letting Hallucinating, Detoxing Inmate Zackary Moffitt Die: $3.5 Million

In 2013, Zackary Moffitt died of a heart attack in Summit County after three days during which authorities essentially ignored escalating medical symptoms associated with alcohol detoxing, including hallucinations and repeated vomiting of green bile. Now, more than four years later, Summit County has agreed to pay Moffitt’s still-young children $3.5 million to settle the case.