Today is July 17, 2024, and here’s what you need to know:

'Tough' or 'soft' on crime? That framing misses the point, experts say | COVER

Amid the often-polarizing debates over crime at the state Capitol, the officers and experts who actually deal with criminal cases on a daily basis argued that to judge Colorado based on whether it is “soft” or “hard” entirely misses the point.

The goal, they said, is to strike just the right balance.

Veer too far to the left — and it becomes a problem.

Veer too far to the right — and it becomes a problem.

Plaintiffs struggle to prove intimidation in second day of Colorado voting rights trial

The plaintiffs who are trying to prove an “election integrity” effort resulted in the illegal intimidation of Colorado voters ran into multiple stumbling blocks in federal court on Tuesday, including the aggressive questioning of the lone voter who claimed she was intimidated and the judge’s skepticism about an attempt to introduce new victims at the last minute.

Three civic groups — the Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, and Mi Familia Vota — sued the founders of U.S. Election Integrity Plan (USEIP), which was an organized effort following the 2020 election to visit voters at more than 9,400 homes to inquire about their registrations and past voting behavior.

The plaintiffs alleged such conduct by people who distrusted the results of the election amounted to prohibited voter intimidation under the Voting Rights Act and a conspiracy to intimidate voters under the Ku Klux Klan Act.

Colorado teacher faces backlash over post about Donald Trump assassination attempt

A Colorado teacher faced a backlash after expressing disappointment that former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday.

In a social media post, Jennifer Ripper, an elementary school teacher in Jefferson County, said: “Looks like he ALMOST got taken out.”

“My thoughts exactly,” she said in response to a post from someone who had commented, “Dammit !!! They missed !!”

“I’m a teacher. I think for myself and want others to do the same,” Ripper said. “No matter, now he’s a martyr.”

Colorado's Greg Lopez named to House Budget, Science committees

U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez has been appointed to the House Budget and Science, Space and Technology committees, the Colorado Republican announced Tuesday.

The newest member of the state’s congressional delegation, Lopez was sworn into office last week after winning a June special election to fill the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s term.

Lopez said he will take a conservative approach to federal spending on the budget panel while shining a light on his district’s “significant and robust” tech sector as a member of the science panel.

Zyn factory will bring $600M investment to Aurora, create 500 jobs

Colorado officials and Philip Morris International on Tuesday announced plans to build a nicotine pouch manufacturing facility in Aurora, which they said would bring $600 million in investment to the area.

The new facility is expected to create 500 direct jobs in coming years and produce an annual economic impact of $550 million for the area, according to a news release from the company.

The investment is part of PMI’s big bet on a product called Zyn, an oral pouch that contains nicotine powder and flavorings, such as mint, coffee and citrus. The pouches are the fastest-growing segment of the tobacco industry, which has struggled for decades to replace falling cigarette sales.

It doesn’t contain tobacco but U.S. regulators still treat it as a tobacco product, which PMI markets to adult users.

Federal regulators and experts have long warned that no tobacco product — including nicotine pouches or gels — is safe, and nicotine is highly addictive. The Federal Drug Administration has also acknowledged that the health risks for different products “exist on a spectrum.”