News
What's inside Colorado's $38.5B state budget plan
Colorado lawmakers put forward a $38.5 billion state budget package Monday that includes discretionary spending increases, tuition hikes and millions more for housing projects.
Why it matters: The annual spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 is based on a more rosy fiscal forecast from the governor's office but comes at a precarious economic moment.
Denver police shuffle tight resources to prep for return to schools
Denver police chief Ron Thomas and a parent speak outside East High School on March 22. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The Denver school board's reversal, putting police officers back on its campuses in the wake of last week's East High shooting, is sending Denver police scrambling to reallocate strapped resources.
Why it matters: Crime in Denver remains a challenge as the city's police department struggles to staff up. Moving officers from streets to schools could leave some areas more vulnerable and stretch the agency even thinner.
Early voting behind pace a week ahead of major Denver election
One week before Election Day, voter interest in Denver's election remains low.
By the numbers: Just 5.6% of city voters who received mail ballots had returned them as of Monday, slightly behind the pace of the previous two municipal elections, an Axios Denver analysis of election data shows.
Colorado recorded 5th-most COVID-19 deaths, which now top 15,000
Three years after the pandemic arrived in Colorado, the state reached a bleak milestone: 15,000 COVID-19 deaths.
What's happening: The state reported 15,007 deaths as of Wednesday, making it the most deadly event in Colorado in history, CPR reports. The first fatality was on March 13, 2020.
What we know — and don't — about DPS' safety plan after East High shooting
An unmarked police vehicle outside East High School in Denver on March 22, after a shooting at the school. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
Last week's shooting at East High School is putting the spotlight on a safety plan the district deploys for some students.
Driving the news: The student who is suspected of shooting two faculty members was under an agreement that required he be patted down each day before classes as part of a safety plan. East staff were aware he had a criminal background.
The first thing the next Denver mayor will do once elected
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Regardless of who wins, the next Denver mayor is expected to take action immediately.
Why it matters: What the candidates pick as their first act as mayor speaks volumes about their priorities and approach to the job.
Denver school board votes for police in high schools following East High shooting
From left: Superintendent Alex Marrero, school board vice president Auon'tai M. Anderson and school board president Xóchitl Gaytán during a press conference on March 23, 2023, in downtown Denver. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
Denver's school board on Thursday unanimously voted to suspend a policy banning school resource officers, just a day after two deans at East High were shot by a student.
Driving the news: The plan outlined in a memo directs Superintendent Alex Marrero to work with Mayor Michael Hancock to pay for two armed police officers at all high schools through the remainder of the academic year.
How Colorado's ticketing bill could change the industry
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Buying tickets to a concert or sporting event can be a headache, but a state lawmaker wants to make that process easier by banning speculative ticketing sales.
Driving the news: The sometimes deceptive practice allows sellers to list tickets despite not yet owning them.
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