Listen:
-
play_arrow
02_26_25_headlines Gabrielle Mendoza
Denver SWAT team accused of trying to cover up a case
A Denver family is filing a lawsuit against 10 Denver police officers for allegedly raiding the wrong home nearly two years ago.
The suit says officers violated Kirsty Shelton and her family’s constitutional right to be free of unlawful searches and seizures, and that they were subjected to excessive force.
During the July 2023 raid, Denver police SWAT team officers held Shelton and members of her family at gunpoint, and locked them all in a police car for at least an hour. They meant to search Apartment 307 to arrest a violent crime suspect, but instead banged on the door of Apartment 306, where Shelton’s family lived. Even though Shelton’s mother told officers through the closed door that they were at the wrong unit, they demanded she open the door. Once they entered the apartment, the officers ordered the adults out at gunpoint and found two elementary-aged girls inside. The children begged the police not to hurt them. Officers eventually took the children, and all the family members, to their police vehicle. That’s all according to the lawsuit.
After the raid took place, police wrote it off as an “evacuation.” The officer writing the report said that the family was “contacted, advised of the situation and evacuated for their own safety.”
Shelton said the raid traumatized her family, and that they had to get extensive counseling. The two girls have nightmares and now sleep in Shelton’s bedroom, fearing that the SWAT team will come back.
The family filed the suit in state court under Colorado’s 2020 police reform law, which doesn’t allow officers to try to claim qualified immunity and block lawsuits as they can in federal court.
The Denver Police Department declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit. That’s all according to The Denver Post.
You can see screenshots of police body camera footage from the raid at denverpost.com.
Vail Resorts gives ski patrollers raise in hourly wages
Vail Resorts has reached another deal with its unionized workers.
Keystones Ski Patrol Union voted on Saturday to approve a new employment contract. Veteran patrollers will see a pay increase of over $8 an hour, and newer hires will get a $2 an hour raise.
This adds to benefits unionized employees will see thanks to the first contract agreement with Vail that was ratified over the weekend, after months of negotiations. Patrollers with emergency medical, nursing, and paramedic certifications will get extra pay, as well as those who speak other languages, and those who know how to evacuate a ski lift.
There are 81 members of the Keystones Ski Patrol Union.
Lawmakers seek to create Black history standards
Colorado lawmakers are working to ensure that Black history is taught in the state’s public schools.
House Bill 1149 comes amid the Trump administration’s escalating efforts to squash diversity and inclusion in America’s classrooms. If passed, the bill would require the State Board of Education to adopt academic standards related to Black historical and cultural studies.
The measure passed the House Education Committee last week in an 8-5 vote, with a Democratic majority. The bill now moves to the House Appropriations Committee.
Colorado’s social studies standards were last updated by the State Board of Education in 2022. Those require that lesson plans include the experiences and contributions of several groups, including African Americans, Indigenous people, Asian Americans, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, and more.
According to Chalkbeat Colorado, opponents of the bill say the state doesn’t need specific Black history standards because these current social studies standards already require it.
But both supporters and opponents of the bill acknowledge there is little oversight to ensure school districts follow these standards.
Brianna Titone to run for state treasurer
State Representative Brianna Titone will run to be Colorado’s next state treasurer.
The Arvada Democrat announced her campaign for the position early this morning. If elected, Titone would be the second transgender person ever elected to a statewide office in the U.S. The first is U.S. Democratic Representative Sarah McBride from Delaware, who was elected to Congress last year.
But there is a slight difference: Titone would be the nation’s first transgender person elected to a statewide executive office.
Titone was first elected to the legislature in 2018. She’s term-limited in the Colorado House, where she is currently the vice chair of the House Finance Committee and chair of the Joint Technology Committee.
New MSU institute to tackle affordable housing crisis
A new MSU Denver institute is teaching students how to tackle the affordable housing crisis.
The FHLBank Topeka Affordable Housing Institute offers courses in affordable housing finance, property management, and resident services.
Andy Proctor, the director of the institute, told 9News that he hopes students will be enabled to find careers that help connect people to housing.
The Institute currently functions as a certificate program. MSU also offers non-credit classes for students or community members interested in learning more about affordable housing.
Southwest Airlines to reduce number of flights out of DIA
Southwest Airlines is cutting flights out of Denver International Airport as a part of their national realignment. Southwest Airlines is the most popular airline to fly out of DIA with – they even set a passenger record at the airport last year.
The number of departures a month will decrease by about 400. Last year, Southwest carried a record 25.5 million passengers at DIA. While flights will be decreased, the airline will be deploying larger aircrafts to make sure passengers at DIA continue to increase overall.
Passengers flying Southwest this year are likely to be on a 175-person plane instead of a 143-person plane.
That’s all according to The Denver Post.
