Colorado has unveiled an online database showing what reading programs schools use in kindergarten through third grade, part of a broader state effort to improve how schools teach reading. At a time when lawmakers in many states want teaching materials publicly posted in order to limit what schools teach about race, gender, and history, the […]
policy
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Gov. Jared Polis vetoes pair of bills dealing with license plates, regulating private investigators
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Saturday vetoed a pair of bills passed during the recent legislation session dealing with the issuance of license plates and regulations around private investigators. The Democrat rejected Senate Bill 51, the license plate measure, because of what he said was a problem with the legislation’s finances that allowed the Division […]
Posted inSun Investigation
Colorado’s 2015 law changing how officer-involved shootings are reviewed still lets police agencies investigate themselves
Five years ago, Colorado lawmakers passed a bill that banned police departments and sheriff’s officers from investigating themselves without any outside assistance after one of their officers or deputies shoots someone. But here’s the hitch: the legislation, Senate Bill 219, specifically states “shooting,” meaning it doesn’t apply if someone dies at the hands of law […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
The big tax change in Colorado’s school finance act, explained
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here: ckbe.at/newsletters To head off a deepening crisis and address longstanding problems in school funding, Colorado lawmakers are trying to find a way to reset school district property taxes around the state. This year’s Public School Finance […]
Posted inOpinion, Write On, Colorado
I learned about neighborly love from my grandmother. We’ll need it more than ever now.
My mom used to call me a social butterfly—I would come home from my first day of school with a dozen new “best friends,” or likely I was getting pulled out of the classroom for talking too much (sorry to all my former teachers). I always thought my social nature made me unique, that I […]
Posted inUncategorized
Colorado legislature delays its return date until late May to allow more time to balance budget
The Colorado legislature has pushed back the date it will resume lawmaking until late May. The General Assembly was set to resume the 2020 legislative session on May 18 after taking a months-long pause because of the new coronavirus. But on Saturday, Democratic leadership in the House and Senate announced that the reopening will now […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News
Trump administration’s effort to roll back NEPA environmental law draws ire at Denver hearing
By Jim Anderson, The Associated Press The Trump administration on Tuesday hosted the first of two hearings on its proposal to speed energy and other projects by rolling back a landmark environmental law. Opponents from Western states argued the long-term benefits of keeping the environmental reviews. Among other changes, President Donald Trump wants to limit […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Even if you make more than minimum wage, this updated Colorado rule could affect you
Ever since the state’s Labor Department decided to modernize how most Colorado workers should be paid, the public debate was voluminous and lengthy. After countless hours of community meetings and public hearings plus more than 1,300 public comments collected since March, the rules are now final. The state Department of Labor and Employment adopted the […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: How did gentrification become a crisis? Consider the homebuilding process
Housing in America is broken and has led to a gentrification/displacement crisis. How did this happen? We simply no longer build enough units to meet demand and keep prices affordable for most Americans. The house price to median household income ratio in this country was 2.2-to-1 before the 1970s. Over time the average rose to […]