Arapahoe County

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Smoky's buffalo faces greener pastures

The design closely mirrors the Buffalo Sabres logo.

Education

Students returning to Smoky Hill High School next week will see a lot less of one familiar face.Zoom in: Smoky&#x27;s longtime red, white and green &quot;goathead&quot; logo faces long odds after the National Hockey League challenged a design that closely <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mirrors" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXAHVfNlPQT/" data-vars-content-id="7e52a751-d386-4f5d-88bc-985a61447306" data-vars-headline="Smoky&#x27;s buffalo faces greener pastures" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXAHVfNlPQT/" target="_blank">mirrors</a> the Buffalo Sabres&#x27; mark.

Aurora officer faces rare murder charge

A grand jury charged an Aurora officer after a man's death.

News

An Aurora police officer faces a rare murder prosecution after a 2025 traffic stop ended with a 37-year-old Black father dead — putting Colorado&#x27;s limits on police use of deadly force on trial.Zoom in: An Arapahoe County grand jury <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="this week indicted" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/arapahoe/2026/08/03/aurora-officer-indicted-murder-charges" data-vars-content-id="1b67b3b5-c80f-4b33-90d3-740e2e88c827" data-vars-headline="Aurora officer faces rare murder charge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/arapahoe/2026/08/03/aurora-officer-indicted-murder-charges" target="_self">this week indicted</a> officer Matthew Neely on charges of second-degree murder and reckless manslaughter in the Aug. 30, 2025, shooting death of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield.

Aurora mulls data center limits

Data centers have become a national flashpoint.

Climate

Aurora is poised for a wider debate over data center rules, as Councilmember Amy Wiles explores new regulations and residents question whether the city is ready for AI-fueled growth.The big picture: Aurora is the latest Colorado city grappling with data centers as communities statewide weigh the infrastructure needed to support cloud services, businesses and artificial intelligence.

Laubacher dominates Colorado's 4th Congressional District Democratic primary

The Democrat advances to face Lauren Boebert in November.

Politics

Democrat Eileen Laubacher defeated write-in candidate Jenna Preston on Tuesday, setting up a November showdown with Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado&#x27;s 4th Congressional District.The big picture: Laubacher handily won, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to the Colorado Secretary of State&#x27;s office" data-vars-click-url="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/126592/web.345435/#/summary" data-vars-content-id="47483943-7c3f-40d3-a782-4a0175d18f3a" data-vars-headline="Laubacher dominates Colorado&#x27;s 4th Congressional District Democratic primary" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/126592/web.345435/#/summary" target="_blank">according to the Colorado Secretary of State&#x27;s office</a>.

County Lines: Death's last witness

She's helped families find answers after death.

Election

Kelly Lear has spent her career speaking for the dead.The latest: The Arapahoe County coroner retires next month after a dozen years in the elected position.

Aurora's mayor sleeps Fridays at shelter

Coffman says the overnight stays help pressure test what works.

Health

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman has spent every Friday night since late February sleeping on a cot at the city&#x27;s regional homeless shelter.Why it matters: Coffman says the overnight stays test whether <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Aurora&#x27;s new" data-vars-click-url="https://engageaurora.org/navigationcampus" data-vars-content-id="af1fb34a-c287-4ee1-8b5e-5740fd11593c" data-vars-headline="Aurora&#x27;s mayor sleeps Fridays at shelter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://engageaurora.org/navigationcampus" target="_blank">Aurora&#x27;s new</a> incentive-based model is moving people toward treatment, work and housing.

Pressure builds on Gun Club Road

Officials hope road upgrades keep pace with rapid growth.

Business

Eastern Aurora is rapidly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="adding homes" data-vars-click-url="https://sentinelcolorado.com/orecent-headlines/developer-announces-plans-for-1700-new-homes-in-southeast-aurora/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" data-vars-content-id="b9eb9aec-f5b2-451a-8562-9b58ce627ea3" data-vars-headline="Pressure builds on Gun Club Road" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sentinelcolorado.com/orecent-headlines/developer-announces-plans-for-1700-new-homes-in-southeast-aurora/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">adding homes</a>, but residents still drive miles — and often pay tolls — to reach grocery stores, child care centers, restaurants and other basic services.The latest: Aurora City Council members Amy Wiles and Françoise Bergan are launching a working group next month aimed at advancing long-discussed improvements to Gun Club Road, a corridor they say is increasingly critical as growth spreads around E-470.

"Raw" emotions as Aurora revisits McClain accountability

Officials and residents said the court decision reignited long-running concerns.

Aurora City Council this week addressed a court order granting new trials for two paramedics convicted in Elijah McClain&#x27;s 2019 death.The big picture: Monday&#x27;s council meeting marked the first chance for Aurora&#x27;s elected leaders to respond collectively after a Colorado appeals court <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ordered new trials" data-vars-click-url="https://coloradosun.com/2026/06/04/colorado-appeal-court-reverses-convictions-aurora-paramedics-elijah-mcclain/" data-vars-content-id="3442c043-88de-472e-8fd2-1dd2b48e1fdc" data-vars-headline="&quot;Raw&quot; emotions as Aurora revisits McClain accountability" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://coloradosun.com/2026/06/04/colorado-appeal-court-reverses-convictions-aurora-paramedics-elijah-mcclain/" target="_blank">ordered new trials</a> for Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec.

County Lines: Aurora's fracking fight leader

Environment

Randy Willard dedicated three years to fighting a battle he suspected he would lose.Why it matters: The 63-year-old retired IT specialist became the unlikely leader of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Save the Aurora Reservoir (STAR)" data-vars-click-url="https://savetheaurorareservoir.org/" data-vars-content-id="3e35ef64-fbff-4ba7-b867-ca6986947503" data-vars-headline="County Lines: Aurora&#x27;s fracking fight leader" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://savetheaurorareservoir.org/" target="_blank">Save the Aurora Reservoir (STAR)</a>, a grassroots group that fought a residential fracking operation near a major drinking water source in southeast Aurora.

Tom Sullivan's never-ending gun fight

In the Aurora theater aftermath, the state senator keeps fighting.

Culture

Colorado lawmakers are ending the 2026 legislative session Wednesday with a slate of new gun restrictions — returning <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="state Sen. Tom Sullivan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/07/20/tom-sullivan-10-years-aurora-shooting" data-vars-content-id="0e370272-2e66-4cf8-b514-6b220c551bbe" data-vars-headline="Tom Sullivan&#x27;s never-ending gun fight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/07/20/tom-sullivan-10-years-aurora-shooting" target="_self">state Sen. Tom Sullivan</a> to a fight that began nearly 14 years ago.The big picture: Sullivan, the Centennial Democrat whose son, Alex, was murdered in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2012 Aurora theater shooting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/07/20/colorado-guns-10-years-aurora-theater-shooting" data-vars-content-id="0e370272-2e66-4cf8-b514-6b220c551bbe" data-vars-headline="Tom Sullivan&#x27;s never-ending gun fight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/07/20/colorado-guns-10-years-aurora-theater-shooting" target="_self">2012 Aurora theater shooting</a>, has become Colorado&#x27;s most relentless advocate for gun violence prevention — even as he tells Axios the political attacks and personal abuse &quot;never end.&quot;

Struggling East Colfax shops say help is urgently needed

Business owners say safety concerns are driving customers away and threatening their survival.

Aurora is setting up a new development authority to tackle safety and disinvestment concerns along East Colfax, and immigrant shop owners say help can&#x27;t come soon enough.Why it matters: East Colfax Avenue has long offered an affordable foothold for small businesses. But crime is eroding that access — and empty storefronts show the costs.

Politics 🇺🇸

Aurora sees one of nation’s steepest homicide drops

Colorado puts new limits on sports betting as wagers soar

Boebert's son faces child exploitation charges

Aurora council faces Belt-Stubblefield fallout

What we know and don't know about Victor Marx