Fire contained near Loveland; Dozens of bills pending as legislative session ends; Denver Police watchdog sounds alarm over new taser policy

Headlines Tuesday, May 12, 2026

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    Fire contained near Loveland; Dozens of bills pending as legislative session ends; Denver Police watchdog sounds alarm over new taser policy KGNU News

Fire contained near Loveland

Yesterday afternoon, a fire burning west of Loveland in the Sedona Hills area near Carter Lake prompted mandatory evacuation orders. The Sedona Hills Fire was 100% contained by 7pm, according to officials.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued around 3:20 p.m. and lifted by 7 p.m., with crews remaining in the area overnight. Officials say smoke could still be visible in the area.

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Dozens of bills pending as legislative session ends

Dozens of bills are pending as Colorado lawmakers work to wind down the legislative session tomorrow.

State lawmakers spent the last four months debating and passing hundreds of bills on topics as wide-ranging as transit to schools to workers rights and elections. 

Governor Jared Polis recently signed the state budget, which made spending cuts to Medicaid to help balance a 1.5 billion dollar shortfall. Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn at midnight Wednesday.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capital News Alliance.

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Denver Police watchdog sounds alarm over new taser policy

Denver’s police oversight agency is criticizing a new department policy that lowers the threshold for when officers can use tasers. The Office of the Independent Monitor calls the change “surprising and concerning,” warning it could lead to unnecessary deployments and increased danger to the public.

The policy shift allows officers to use tasers against defensive resistance rather than requiring the higher standard of active aggression or a direct threat of assault. While Denver Police argue the change coincides with the rollout of a new, lower-voltage taser model, the watchdog group notes the policy was briefly implemented in April without the legally required opportunity for oversight review.

The department has since rescinded the updated policy, claiming it was published in error, and says it is now reviewing the recommendations. Community advocates remain wary, noting that the stricter standards being replaced were the result of nearly a year of public input and stakeholder collaboration.

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Investigation into Aurora lawmaker mismanaging funds continues

A Colorado House ethics committee found probable cause yesterday to continue investigating state Representative Mandy Lindsay.

The bipartisan group says the Aurora lawmaker may have misused caucus funds when serving as co-chair of the House Democratic caucus.

Allegations include writing herself a 25-hundred-dollar check, charging a hotel stay to a caucus debit card and pocketing thousands in reimbursements. But lawmakers stopped short of accusing Lindsay of criminal misconduct. 

The case now moves to an evidentiary hearing, where Lindsay will have a chance to defend herself. She says the payments were bookkeeping mistakes.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capital News Alliance.

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Boulder County seeks input on alternating trail use project

Boulder County is looking into a community-informed pilot program that would test alternating usage on select trails in the hopes of enhancing user experience. 

The pilot would temporarily assign specific days for different users, like hikers, bikers, and equestrians, instead of having all activities allowed at the same time.

This short-term test will help identify what works and what does not before any long-term changes are considered.

No decisions have been made regarding which trails would be impacted. Trails under consideration are existing multi-use trails where multiple activities happen at the same time. Boulder County says community feedback will help determine which locations move forward.

Residents of Boulder County can make their opinion on the matter heard by taking the survey on the Boulder County Parks & Open Space website, which closes May 19. There is also an open house tomorrow from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Boulder County Courthouse. Registration is not required.

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You can hear daily headlines on the Morning Magazine, KGNU’s weekday morning show, with coverage of local and regional public affairs and news with headlines and commentary. Click here to listen to full episodes of the Morning Magazine.

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