Author: Alayna Alvarez
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Denver mandates masks outside, restricts gathering sizes as COVID-19 infections spike
With cases of COVID-19 soaring over the past month, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced stricter mask-wearing and group-gathering rules on Friday with hopes of stemming the spread. Effective immediately, face coverings will be required in all outdoor settings with few exceptions, including being outside alone or with a household member, he said. Organized athletic programming…
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Four corners, two sides: A polarized electorate digs in their heels in rural, urban divide | Voices of the Voters
Editor’s Note: This story is part of an occasional series to capture views among Coloradans. In the deep southwest pocket of the state, where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together, voters are divided. With few bridges left connecting rural and urban life, the region’s two largest counties split along party…
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Denver’s outdoor patio expansion program here to stay for one more year
Denver’s outdoor patio expansion program, a lifeline for restaurant and bar owners throughout the pandemic, will be extended through October 2021, city leaders said Tuesday. The initiative launched May 18 to temporarily allow restaurants and bars to utilize adjacent outdoor space — including parking lots, streets and sidewalks — to resume sit-down service while maintaining…
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Independent monitor still gathering evidence for investigation into Denver police’s response to protests
The office of Denver’s independent monitor, the watchdog agency for the city’s police and sheriff departments, is still gathering evidence for one of the largest investigations in its history. Independent Monitor Nicholas Mitchell told Colorado Politics on Monday night that the investigation into the Denver Police Department’s response to racial justice protests that erupted in…
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Denver’s overdose deaths rage on, as Overdose Awareness Day approaches
Denver has seen a sharp spike in overdose deaths in the first six months of this year, particularly overdoses linked to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin, the city’s health department said. The announcement came ahead of of International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31, with…
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Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca brokers peace with activists and fellow councilmember
Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca has a well-earned reputation for rhetorical combat and tough causes, but she was blessed as the peacemaker this week when activists who share her vision went after Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval. The Afro Liberation Front was talking up a protest of Sandoval, planned for Friday evening over her remarks related to…
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Who’s a good boy? Denver voters to decide this November whether pit bulls fit the bill
The fate of pit bulls in Denver will be left to voters this November, when they will be asked to decide whether to lift the city’s breed ban after more than three decades. The bill was passed on unanimous consent by the Denver City Council on Monday night, although Councilwoman At Large Debbie Ortega had…
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Denver councilwoman rushed her failed attempt to replace Denver Police Department with ‘peace force’
Not one Denver council member on Monday night backed Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca’s proposal that would have abolished the police department with voters’ approval this November and replaced it with a “peace force.” The last-minute bill died overwhelmingly, and expectedly, in an 11-1 vote. It also alienated CdeBaca from the rest of her colleagues. The measure…
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Gov. Jared Polis and Mayors Suthers and Hancock stay healthy through pandemic
The offices of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers report the leaders remain healthy through the coronavirus pandemic. Other elected officials have not been so lucky: 59 state legislators across the country and 11 members of the U.S. Congress have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start…
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Denver’s deadly crime wave swells amid a ‘perfect storm of circumstances’
Denver has reached a boiling point. Gripped by a global pandemic, soaring unemployment, unrest from racial injustice and an unending homeless crisis, residents are scared. They’re angry. They’re stressed and uneasy. Increasingly, they are also dying, as the city faces yet another setback: a surge in shootings and killings. Meanwhile, an embattled police department is…