vic vela
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Jeffco contract with teachers wins OK amid recall aimed at board majority
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A short-term contract agreement between the Jefferson County school district and its teachers was met with mixed reviews last week, and it’s receiving plenty of attention amid a campaign to recall the school board majority. The board voted 5-0 to accept a 10-month deal with the Jefferson County Education Association on Thursday, a day after…
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Denver moves ahead with college affordability ballot measure
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Denver residents won’t even notice the pocketbook impact of a proposed tax hike to fund college scholarships, the city’s chief financial officer said this week. Even if voters approve a slight sales tax increase to create the College Affordability Fund this fall, the city’s tax rate will remain at a level residents are accustomed to…
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Low-income housing efforts get boost, but demand remains high
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More than $5 million in tax credits have been awarded in Colorado this year for the construction of special housing projects for the homeless and others in need. Those incentives were among a larger pool of allocated tax credits aimed at increasing low-income housing availability in the state. But officials tasked with creating more permanent…
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Environmental groups target Latinos over climate change, EPA plan
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Environmental groups are launching a pro-Clean Power Plan campaign aimed at Latinos, a group activists say are disproportionately affected by climate change. Conservation Colorado has created a Latino organizing program called “Protégete: Our Air, Our Health.” Protégete, which translates to “protect yourself,” encourages greater Latino involvement in Colorado’s role complying with the federal plan. The…
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Denver college assistance measure passes first hurdle
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The Denver City Council on Monday gave initial approval to a measure that would seek voter approval for a sales tax hike to support college scholarships for local students. But if concerns expressed by dissenting councilors are shared by their constituents, backers will have some convincing to do if the proposal makes the November ballot.…
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Candidates emerge in Jeffco school board recall
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Candidates are beginning to emerge in the effort to recall three Jefferson County school board members as the movement continues to clear hurdles to make the ballot. As of Thursday evening, two candidates had declared their intentions to run for the seat held by Board President Ken Witt. The other two board members facing recall…
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New veteran’s laws take effect
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Funding for a pilot program aimed at helping military veterans maintain employment will be awarded by the state this month. The program is one of three new laws recently put in place to provide support for veterans or active-duty military members. House Bill 1030 creates the Employment Services for Veterans Pilot Program. The program sets…
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Carroll comes out swinging in CD-6 kick off
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Morgan Carroll’s 6th Congressional District campaign kicked off this week and she came out swinging against incumbent Rep. Mike Coffman for his “failed leadership” in dealing with the problem-plagued VA hospital project in Aurora. But a Coffman surrogate dismissed Carroll’s “shrill” attack as ridiculous. And a political analyst questioned whether attacking Coffman — a war…
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Coloradans split over EPA’s Clean Power plan
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It is either the greatest thing since sliced bread or a drastic action that will lead to breadlines. The debate over President Obama’s Clean Power Plan left little room for middle ground this week, as environmentalists hailed the Environmental Protection Agency’s tough new climate rules, while others geared up for what could be a lengthy…
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Victims’ families laud felony DUI law
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After two years of failing to persuade state lawmakers to pass a felony drunken-driving bill, Deb Grenske wondered whether she could handle yet another disappointment as the legislation was being debated again earlier this year. “I told my husband I didn’t know how many times I could go to the Capitol and look at these…