Aurora officer avoids charges in fatal shooting, religious preschools banned from reserving seats for congregants

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    Aurora officer avoids charges in fatal shooting, religious preschools banned from reserving seats for congregants Jackie Sedley

Aurora Officer Avoids Charges in Fatal Shooting of Kilyn Lewis After Grand Jury Decision

A District attorney announced on Friday that Aurora Police Officer Michael Dieck will not face criminal charges for shooting and killing Kilyn Lewis – and unarmed Black man in Aurora in May. The decision followed an investigation and a grand jury’s refusal to indict the officer.

Dieck shot Lewis while Lewis’s hands were raised over his head after only 8 seconds of approaching him. Body cam footage shows Lewis fall to the ground outside his car at an Aurora apartment complex while pleading with officer Dieck that he is unarmed.

The shooting has drawn significant criticism from Lewis’s family, who argue it was an unjustified use of deadly force against an unarmed Black man. The family has protested at multiple city council meetings since June, demanding justice and more transparency from the police.

According to District Attorney John Kellner, Dieck believed Lewis was armed based on his movements and his quote “past violent history,” which led the officer to fire in what he deemed a life-threatening situation.

Despite the grand jury’s decision, the family remains outraged and plans further action, calling the lack of charges a “grave injustice.”

The Aurora Police Department continues an administrative review of the incident, and Dieck remains on restricted duty.

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Trump Rallies in Aurora, Attacks Democrats and Inflates Gang Threat- Meanwhile, residents show unity

Meanwhile Donald Trump rallied in A, on Friday, attacking Democrats over immigration and calling for the death penalty for unauthorized immigrants who kill U.S. citizens. During the speech, Trump repeated false  claims of Venezuelan gangs taking over the city, despite local police confirming the problem is limited to a few apartment complexes.

U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert, who also spoke at the rally, echoed Trump’s message, joked about the crime situation claiming  that “Venezuelan gangs are extorting and harassing people.”

At the rally, Trump introduced “Operation Aurora,” a plan to deport gang members and imprison those who return illegally for 10 years. He also blamed Gov. Jared Polis for attempts to block him from the Colorado ballot.

Aurora’s Republican Mayor Mike Coffman pushed back against Trump’s remarks, telling the Colorado Sun, “The concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city — and our state — have been grossly exaggerated and have unfairly hurt the city’s identity and sense of safety.”

Despite Coffman’s invitation to show Trump around the city after the rally– Trump did not take Coffman up on his offer.

Coffman told the Colorado Sun, he was quote “ disappointed that the former president did not get to experience more of our city for himself.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of town,  residents at The Edge at Lowry apartments, where many Venezuelan immigrants live, held a rally to protest Trump’s rhetoric, followed by, what they called,  a fiesta at the Barrio according to the Aurora Sentinel. 

At the rally, they rejected Trump’s portrayal of Venezuelan immigrants  saying they are hard-working people and families, not criminals.

Local leaders, including Aurora City Councilmember Crystal Murillo and state Reps. Tim Hernandez and Mandy Lindsay, joined the protest. Murillo criticized property owners for neglecting immigrant families and blamed unsafe conditions on landlord negligence.

V Reeves, a spokesperson for Housekeys Action Network Denver, said Trump’s rhetoric had already caused job losses and harassment for many Venezuelan residents.

Following the protest, residents gathered in the parking lot of The Edge at Lowry apartments for a street party with music, dancing, and food.

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Colorado Panel Bans Religious Preschools from Reserving Seats for Congregants After Thursday Ruling

A Colorado state advisory panel on Thursday approved a rule change that will block religious preschools from reserving seats for congregation members in the state’s universal preschool program.

The decision follows a June federal court ruling that flagged the state’s “congregation preference” as potentially discriminatory and in violation of Colorado’s non-discrimination laws.

The new rule, which takes effect in January 2025, is the latest development in a legal battle involving two Catholic schools that sued the state after being denied exemptions from anti-discrimination rules, particularly around LGBTQ+ rights.

While the state originally offered the congregation preference to encourage religious schools to join, the Catholic schools wanted broader exemptions that would let them exclude LGBTQ+ children, which the state rejected.

In June, the federal judge ruled that if the Catholic preschools wanted to participate in the program, they couldn’t turn away LGBTQ+ students. He also criticized the congregation preference because it allowed religious schools to prioritize their own members, which could limit access for other families. In response, the state decided to eliminate the congregation preference entirely.

The Catholic schools are appealing the case, arguing that the state is unfairly targeting religious schools. Legal experts believe the case may eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Boulder Moves Forward with Wonderland Lake Encroachment Crackdown After Thursday Vote

Boulder officials are moving ahead with efforts to address property encroachments in the Wonderland Lake neighborhood after the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted on Thursday to approve a plan.

This comes following a year of complaints and investigations into homeowners unknowingly expanding their personal property into public open space, including landscaping, retaining walls, and personal items spilling over into the 34-acre park.

Since early 2023, more than 50 homeowners have been notified by the city about these violations. Some homeowners argue that these encroachments have existed for decades without any previous enforcement, and many were unaware that they had crossed onto public land.

The city’s new plan aims to resolve the issue by offering options such as revocable licenses or easement agreements that would allow some encroachments to remain temporarily, while others may need to be removed immediately.

The goal is to protect and preserve public lands, though officials acknowledge the frustration from affected homeowners.

City staff stressed that the strategy is tailored to long-standing issues and will not apply to new encroachments going forward. The plan now moves to the City Council for final approval in November.

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Highliners Cross Boulder’s Flatirons After Years of Planning

A group of 11 highliners finally realized their dream of walking a slackline between Boulder’s First and Third Flatirons on Saturday,  after years of planning and working to get city approval.

Highliners, who walk on narrow slacklines at extreme heights, balanced 450 feet above the ground, with six successfully completing the 1,100-foot-long line.

The event was delayed for years due to concerns from Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department over safety and trail disruption. However, after highliner Logan Henning presented a detailed safety plan, the city granted the group a permit in August.

Eli Ellis, a Boulder native and one of the highliners, called it a childhood dream come true, managing to walk part of the line the day before his wedding.

Three highliners completed the crossing without falling, including Henning, who was the first to “send” the line, meaning he made it across without a slip.

The group named the line “Thirst,” a combination of First and Third Flatirons. The event was not just a personal accomplishment for the highliners but also a way to connect with nature and spirituality at breathtaking heights.

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    Aurora officer avoids charges in fatal shooting, religious preschools banned from reserving seats for congregants Jackie Sedley

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    Aurora officer avoids charges in fatal shooting, religious preschools banned from reserving seats for congregants Jackie Sedley

 

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