Author: LANCE BENZEL
-
At Pikes Peak Summit House dedication, Ute leader urges officials to ‘ask, not take’
—
by
On a summit held sacred by his people, Southern Ute Indian Tribe Vice Chairman Bruce Valdez offered traditional blessings to Gov. Jared Polis and regional leaders – while calling on them to always “ask, not take.” Delivered during a prayer at this month’s dedication of the reimagined Pikes Peak Summit House, his words were a reminder…
-
RTD suspends buses, trains due to winter storm
—
by
The Regional Transportation District has suspended all bus and rail service in Denver and surrounding communities beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, citing safety concerns amid a powerful snowstorm. “RTD will monitor the situation and determine when to resume service based on conditions and safety,” the agency said in a statement. “The agency will communicate this…
-
Attorneys, court workers struggle to find vaccines as trials resume in El Paso County
—
by
Jury trials in the El Paso County Combined Courts resumed last week after a more than three-month pause – only to hit an early hiccup in which a prosecutor tested positive for COVID-19 one day after completing a trial. A defense attorney, a judicial worker and at least one other District Attorney’s office employee are now…
-
Dave Young, ‘scandal-plagued’ former DA, joins El Paso County office
—
by
Dave Young, a former Colorado district attorney whose tenure was marred by personal scandal and wide-ranging criticism over the police-involved death of Elijah McClain, is among the latest hires at the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office. A spokesman for 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen confirmed Thursday that Young was hired Jan. 14. Allen did…
-
COVID-19 deaths among Colorado prisoners more than double in December
—
by
Inmate deaths associated with COVID-19 more than doubled in Colorado prisons this month, underscoring continuing scrutiny over whether enough has been done to help slow the virus’s spread behind bars. A total of 24 prisoners have died after showing symptoms of the disease or testing positive, up from 11 as of Dec. 1, according to…
-
ACLU files lawsuit against El Paso County sheriff over record COVID-19 outbreak at jail
—
by
As the coronavirus swept through Colorado’s penal institutions, El Paso County jail inmates went months without access to masks, even facing threats of discipline if they tried to use bed sheets or underwear as face coverings, the ACLU of Colorado said Sunday in a class-action lawsuit alleging widespread failures at the jail. A 36-page complaint…
-
Feds rule out death penalty for Planned Parenthood shooter Dear
—
by
Federal prosecutors will not pursue the death penalty against admitted Planned Parenthood shooter Robert Lewis Dear Jr., the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday. The decision – relayed without explanation in a one-sentence legal filing – comes days after the five-year anniversary of the Nov. 27, 2015, rampage at Colorado Springs’ lone Planned Parenthood clinic, which…
-
Coronavirus reported among inmates at federal prison campus in Florence
—
by
Colorado state health officials say that two inmates transferred to a federal prison in Florence arrived with active COVID-19 infections. The new cases – along with a staff member who recently tested positive – were reported at Federal Correctional Institute Florence, which houses roughly 900 inmates under one roof and 300 more in an adjoining, minimum-security prison…
-
New jury trial ban imposed amid COVID-19 threat, chief judge says
—
by
El Paso County’s chief judge has reimposed a jury trial ban in Colorado Springs and pared down court business to “limited emergency services” amid signs of a potential COVID-19 outbreak at the downtown combined courts building. The reduced operations go into effect Monday and will last at least two weeks, a state court spokesman said…
-
Coronavirus outbreak hits Colorado State Penitentiary near Cañon City
—
by
COVID-19 has sickened at least 24 inmates at Colorado State Penitentiary near Cañon City, in the latest outbreak to hit the state prison system. Testing of inmates and staff members is underway and expected to continue for several weeks to determine how widely the coronavirus has spread through the facility, Colorado Department of Corrections spokeswoman…
