Today is Aug. 7, 2024, and here’s what you need to know:

Colorado judge reverses temporary order, paves way for vote to remove Dave Williams as state GOP chair

A district court judge on Tuesday paved the way for a vote to remove Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams by lifting a temporary restraining order that blocked a group of Colorado Republicans from holding a meeting to consider whether to fire the party boss.

Following an hour-long virtual hearing held earlier the same day, Arapahoe County District Court Judge Thomas W. Henderson reversed an order he issued last month that prohibited Williams’ critics from convening a meeting, writing that the court lacked jurisdiction in the internal party dispute.

In response to Henderson’s new order, the Republicans who have been attempting to oust Williams all summer almost immediately scheduled a meeting on Aug. 24 at a church in Brighton.

Colorado Democrats cheer Harris' selection of 'straight-talking' Tim Walz as her running mate

Colorado Democrats hailed Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement Tuesday that she had picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, calling the home-spun military veteran and former social studies teacher an ideal addition to the Democratic ticket.

“With a proven governor on Kamala Harris’ ticket, the path to victory is now even brighter,” tweeted Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, whose name was among those mentioned as Harris’ potential vice presidential picks.

“My friend Tim Walz is a strong governor who has delivered results, fought to protect and expand our freedom, and has a shared vision to help build a better future,” added Polis, who punctuated his post with an American flag emoji.

Teachers union, special districts argue against potential compromise on property tax ballot measures

Critics of two ballot measures aimed at reducing Coloradans’ property obligations further than what lawmakers enacted this year have begun to pressure policymakers against negotiating with the initiatives’ proponents and reaching a compromise.

Colorado’s biggest teachers union and an association representing special taxing districts are pushing back against a potential special session that —assuming the parties successfully negotiate a compromise — would reduce homeowners and businesses’ property tax liabilities and halt two measures headed for the November ballot.

A few days after Colorado Counties, Inc. held a special meeting to discuss the potential compromise that would result in halting the two property tax initiatives, the teachers union and the special districts sought to kill the idea of a compromise, arguing there are no assurances that proponents of the ballot measures wouldn’t push for another set of tax cuts in the future — even if the parties came to an agreement now.

Colorado Supreme Court takes up cases on severity of vehicular homicide, disclosure of child abuse reports

The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday it will hear cases addressing the severity of sentences for vehicular homicide caused by intoxication and the level of information about child abuse reports that can be disclosed in open records requests.

At least three of the seven justices must agree to take up an appeal.

Federico Peña and the 'great city' he 'imagined' 40 years later | SONDERMANN

Those of more recent vintage in these parts may well know Federico Peña as the namesake of the often-congested boulevard they travel to and from Denver International Airport.

Though for those of us who have been around here a bit, we know Peña as the swashbuckling, young state legislator who took Denver by storm in 1983 to be elected mayor in perhaps the most dramatic changing of the guard City Hall has seen.

As mayor, Peña envisioned and put in motion a good number of the landmark projects that define Denver to this day. That list includes the airport out on what was then the distant plains.