? A bill designed to help an Arkansas Valley hemp farmer in a water dispute with the federal government landed state Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, in some hot water with at least one constituent. Coram sponsored Senate Bill 117, which recognizes industrial hemp as an approved agricultural product so it can use federal water. It was approved by the Legislature and signed into law in Cortez. According to a letter addressed to Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman and submitted anonymously to The Durango Herald, Coram is affiliated with an industrial hemp production and processing company and could gain from the legislation. Coram denies the claim and, since the bill does not single out his company, his position appears to be backed up by a state statute and legislative rules that exempt legislation affecting an entire “class” – in this case industrial hemp growers – from being considered an ethical conflict.

? Democrats in heavily Republican El Paso County are alarmed at plans by a board of five GOP county commissioners to redraw their own district lines. The Colorado Independent reported the county, which includes Colorado Springs, redraws its commissioner district lines about every two years due to the area’s booming population growth. The story quotes a county clerk and recorder’s office spokesperson as confirming that three maps were developed without public comments. State law states the primary goal in redistricting county commissioner lines is to support a generally equal population distribution.

? Denver school board member Rosemary Rodriguez told Chalkbeat.org that she will not run for re-election, putting her southwest Denver seat up for grabs in what could be a contentious school board campaign this fall. Rodriguez told Chalkbeat she is retiring from her job as senior advisor to Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and plans to sell her home and buy a smaller one that is not in her school board district. All but the at-large Denver school board members must live in the districts they represent.

? Aurora could be next in line for a new cultural and performing arts center, Mayor Steve Hogan hinted in his annual State of the City speech May 18, according to the Aurora Sentinel. Hogan said he is in talks with a “private sector good corporate citizen” about building a performing arts center in the city, possibly similar to existing facilities in Parker, Lone Tree and Lakewood.

? A 72-bed residential treatment center for people with eating disorders is coming to Lowry. BusinessDen.com reported Westside Investment Partners plans a $27 million, three-story, 62,000-square-foot building on the northwest corner of East First Avenue and Uinta Way for Eating Recovery Center, the Denver-based operator of clinics to treat eating disorders.

? A collective-action federal lawsuit alleges DaVita Inc., a Denver-based kidney treatment company, failed to pay overtime wages to employees working before and after their shifts ended. The Denver Business Journal reported the lawsuit alleges some DaVita workers were required to work before and after shifts and had to come back early from lunch breaks to tend to patients or take part in training and webinars. DaVita executives noted the case has been pending for more than a year and added, “We continue to defend against plaintiffs’ claims and believe the facts will prevail,” in a statement.

? Whoever said real estate is a solid investment was absolutely right, at least for the previous owners of a half-acre site that includes El Duranguense Grocery at East 47th Avenue and Brighton Boulevard. The City and County of Denver purchased the parcel for $1.76 million from Elyria Investments, LLC, reported BusinesDen.com. It’s on the eastern edge of the National Western campus. Elyria bought the land in 2009 for $300,000 – a six-fold return over eight years.

– mike@coloradostatesman.com