Today is Jan. 9, 2024, and here’s what you need to know:

Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas, who will be term-limited on the county commission at the end of the year, has filed to run for House District 43, which includes Highlands Ranch.

Thomas’ name had been mentioned as one of several Republicans interested in running for the 4th Congressional District seat held by the retiring U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Windsor.

No one else has filed to run for the HD43 seat, including the incumbent, Rep. Bob Marshall, who became the first Democrat to represent the northern Douglas County district when he won in 2022. The redistricting commission rated the district a plus 7.4% for Republicans in 2021.

A federal judge on Monday threw out an attempt by former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters to avoid standing trial for criminal charges related to election equipment tampering.

Grand jurors indicted Peters, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state in 2022, on multiple counts of attempting to influence a public servant, official misconduct and criminal impersonation. The charges relate to Peters’ alleged actions to grant an unauthorized person access to an upgrade of the county’s voting equipment, resulting in videos and confidential passwords later being posted online.

Late last year, Peters filed suit against District Attorney Daniel P. Rubinstein in federal court, claiming his prosecution was intended to “punish her” for exercising her constitutional right to inform “her fellow citizens” of alleged problems with voting equipment in Mesa County.

Requiring an Aurora couple to forfeit their home to the government after using it to illegally grow marijuana does not violate the constitutional prohibition against excessive fines, a federal judge ruled last month.

In 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice petitioned to take possession of a home in the 23000 block of East Wagontrail Avenue in Aurora. The previous year, law enforcement searched the home and discovered 828 marijuana plants being grown and electricity being illegally diverted.

Jia Bao Yao was responsible for the illegal grow operation and pleaded guilty in state court. His girlfriend, Amy Chen, also lived at the house with their children.

When the government initiated its civil forfeiture case for the couple’s home, Yao and Chen claimed a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on excessive fines. The couple argued the value of the home to the government, just under $500,000, was far above the maximum fine for the nature of the criminal conduct.

Coloradans can now more readily access state information about how to properly dispose of unused medication, such as opioids and other controlled drugs.

Officials said the Department of Public Health and Environment’s Medication Takeback program online – which can be accessed via myColorado, an app that allows people to engage with state government services – can help Coloradans to properly dispose of unused medication.

The health agency said proper disposal of medications prevents the potential for accidents and misuse, protecting children and teens from harm. Medications flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash can contaminate water systems and threaten wildlife, the agency noted.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for Coloradans to access the information they need to protect their families and their community,” said Jeff Lawrence, CDPHE’s Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability Director. “By increasing access to the Medication Takeback program on myColorado, we can raise awareness of the program, encourage more people to dispose of unused medication, and ultimately improve public health.”

As he begins his sixth year in office, Gov. Jared Polis said he plans to emphasize affordable housing, public safety and education, building, he added, on what his administration already accomplished over the years.

The governor also noted the immigration crisis that Denver faces and said he is working with the White House and other governors to find common-sense – and long overdue – solutions.