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Gov. Jared Polis proposes full funding of education in budget — a first in 14 years — and more housing development

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

Gov. Jared Polis proposed fully funding Colorado’s public education system for the first time in 14 years Wednesday, even as he unveiled a budget plan that he said signaled a return to a normal — and tight — financial state of affairs.Beyond finally meeting the state’s constitutional education funding responsibility, Polis’ proposal also advocates for more than $136 million for his housing priorities, largely to advance his goal of building more across the state. The plan includes nearly $40 million for public safety; $75 million to address the state’s competency crisis, in which people waiting to be deemed competent to stand trial are backed up in state hospitals; and millions more in environmental, education and health care spending.It’s the first state budget proposal in several years that isn’t cushioned by significant COVID-19 pandemic aid from the federal government.Broadly, Polis said his budget prioritizes a handful of issues: ...

Colorado lawmakers seek ban on water-sucking, nonnative grass that’s planted only for aesthetics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

Coloradans might have to say goodbye to verdant green medians full of grass if state lawmakers succeed in a plan to save water by banning new nonnative ornamental turf.A bipartisan draft bill approved Tuesday by the Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee would prohibit state government, local governments and homeowners’ associations from planting new nonfunctional turf, artificial turf or invasive plants on any commercial, industrial or institutional property beginning at the start of 2025.The proposed ban would not apply to residential lawns.The goal behind the proposed legislation is to reduce water use in the often drought-ridden state as Colorado becomes warmer and more arid. Nearly half of water used in cities and towns goes to watering lawns — most of which are planted with nonnative turf, said Lindsay Rogers, a policy advisor with Western Resource Advocates who testified on the draft bill during Tuesday’s hearing.“Our new bill makes a simple change...

Connecticut chef debuting Japanese pub concept in LoHi this week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

Chef Bill Taibe could have easily opened a fifth restaurant in Connecticut after 11 years of success there, but as a recent empty-nester, he wanted to start a new chapter.On Thursday, he and his business partner Massimo Tullio are opening Kawa Ni, a Japanese pub, in a former fire station at 1900 W. 32nd Ave. in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood.“I’ve moved here part-time with my dogs already, and I don’t know how I’m even thinking about going back,” Taibe said.Taibe and Tullio started For the Food restaurant group in Westport, Connecticut, in 2012 with their first restaurant, The Whelk, an oyster bar. They’ve since opened Kawa Ni in 2014 and Don Memo, a Mexican cantina, in 2020. Taibe previously planned to open Don Memo in Denver, as well, but the Platt Park location he had in mind fell through, so he’s reset his focus to the Kawa Ni brand.Tullio’s stepson and daughter both live in Denver, and Taibe has grown familiar with Colorado through his ski trips over the years, so they decided to v...

Colorado’s electricity sector can cut greenhouse gasses by 98.5% by 2040, new analysis says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

Colorado’s power companies can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 98.5% by 2040 without new government policies or programs that would increase costs to consumers, according to a new modeling report from the state.“The finding that we can minimize costs to consumers by moving on a trajectory that will not only get us to near-zero emissions for greenhouse gases, but also other pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, over the next decade and a half, that’s very good news for Colorado utility customers,” said Will Toor, executive director of the Colorado Energy Office.The office commissioned Boulder-based Ascend Analytics to study various scenarios for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector. Already, state law requires Colorado’s eight power-generating companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030, based on 2005 levels. But it was unclear whether new policies were needed or whether the utility compani...

Former U.S. Attorney John Walsh enters 2024 Denver district attorney’s race

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

John Walsh, one of Colorado’s former top federal prosecutors, is running for Denver district attorney in 2024, jumping into a crowded field of Democratic candidates seeking to succeed Beth McCann.Walsh, 62, confirmed his plans to The Denver Post ahead of an announcement Thursday. He served as U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado for six years under President Barack Obama before stepping down in 2016 to return to private practice.While in that role, he helped lead a case against Citigroup Inc. that netted a $7 billion settlement in relation to the bank’s role in the 2008 mortgage crisis.Walsh dipped his toe in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate before John Hickenlooper entered that race and won the seat in 2020. He also worked as a partner in the Denver office of law firm WilmerHale.Now he wants to take over as the city’s top prosecutor at what he views as a pivotal time.“It’s hard to see a city I love so much struggling a bit right now with qu...

Machete-wielding man shot, killed by police at popular Calabasas restaurant

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

A man who attacked someone with a machete was shot and killed by police officers at the popular Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas on Wednesday night, authorities said.The shooting happened shortly before 8 p.m. on the patio of the sprawling restaurant, bar and live music venue located at 23527 Calabasas Road in the historic Old Town area.Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department first responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon outside a McDonald's on Mulholland Drive and Avenue San Luis, a few blocks away.Witnesses said officers chased the suspect on foot to the Sagebrush where they swarmed the cantina while telling patrons to shelter in place. “I was in my truck and all of a sudden I see LAPD police cars come in and they said through their loudspeaker, ‘Everybody get inside, lock your doors!’,” said Larry Rifkin, an eyewitness.The suspect had apparently dropped the machete outside the McDonald’s but, according to police, was still carrying a knife in one hand and a ...

Man shot to death in pickup truck in University Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for the shooter or shooters who killed a man as he sat in a pickup truck in University Park Wednesday night.The shooting was reported at about 11:30 p.m. at West 23rd Street and Ellendale Place, according to reports on the Citizen app.The victim, a man whose identity has not been released, was found unresponsive inside of the truck and declared dead at the scene.Multiple bullet holes could be seen in the truck's windshield, and police found several shell casings in the street.A motive for the killing has not been established, and the investigation is ongoing.

Historic L.A. Jewish deli hit with antisemitic graffiti

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

L.A. police are investigating a possible hate crime after antisemitic graffiti was found in the parking lot of an iconic Jewish delicatessen in the Fairfax District Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed to KTLA.  Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the 400 block of Fairfax Avenue at around 10:40 a.m. on reports of the hateful messages sprayed across the building.  A photograph of the graffiti in the Canters Deli parking lot showed three different areas beneath a mural depicting Jewish history in L.A. defaced with phrases that read, “Israels only religion is capitalism,” “How many dead in the name of greed?” and “Free Gaza.”  Antisemitic graffiti seen on a wall at Canters Deli that depicts local Jewish history on Nov. 1, 2023. (@TheGussreport)Sandie Sampson-Stellavato and her husband Chris had come to Canters for some comfort and and were disturbed to learn that that landmark had been the victim of a possible hate crime. "There's s...

Oakland school board candidate gets union boost in race for critical swing seat

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

OAKLAND — The special election next week for a key Oakland school board seat features two candidates, but only one will get a flashy mailer delivered to voters’ mailboxes in the coming days — thanks to a hefty dose of labor spending.It’s a familiar late-game push in the final days before a Nov. 7 election that could shift the balance of power in the cash-strapped Oakland Unified School District to either its administrators or the teachers union.As is typical in local elections with weighty political consequences, the largest source of spending is not from the candidates or their donors but by independent committees that operate outside the campaigns and often far outspend them.Only one candidate in this race, Sasha Ritzie-Hernandez, has those committees on her side, and together they have given her nearly a $46,000 advantage over opponent Jorge Lerma, who has no independent backers.Ritzie-Hernandez’s campaign has also directly outraised Lerma’s el...

Warriors 3 Things: Is that the shot that gets Klay Thompson going?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:45:24 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — No Warrior has been more affected by the changes to the roster than Klay Thompson.Since returning from back-to-back season-ending leg injuries, there had been a reliable, steady input and output from the five-time All-Star.But, this season, with the addition of Chris Paul to the lineup and amid a deeper and better-built team, everything was in flux.It hasn’t always looked pretty for Klay.Don’t get me wrong: Thompson has been good. But his role is different, and there have been times when you can see it manifest in less-than-ideal ways.This new role isn’t as active. Thompson spends much of the game on offense stretching the floor, instead of being directly in the action. On defense, he’s asked to defend in the post instead of on the perimeter.Some of this is the Warriors conceding that Thompson isn’t the athlete he was before his injuries. Another part of it is the simple fact that Thompson is one of the tallest players on the team and th...