Headlines – August 28, 2023

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CU Boulder Classes Start Today

Today is the first day of classes at the University of Colorado Boulder. Expect more traffic in The Hill area and around off-campus student housing as school is back in full swing and students that commute to classes get back to their routines.

Tim Hernández Becomes Youngest Member Of Colorado Legislature 

A teacher and community organizer known for inspiring student protests last year at North High will represent Denver’s Northside in the state legislature next session.  

A Democratic vacancy committee selected community educator Tim Hernández as House District 4 state representative Saturday. His appointment makes 26-year-old Hernández the first member of Gen Z to serve in the state legislature. Hernández’s appointment by a vacancy committee comes after former representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez left her position to serve in the Denver City Council. 

Hernández made news in 2022 when students at North High protested the school’s decision to not renew his teaching contract. He later accepted a teaching position in Aurora.

Hernández says his policy priorities include fighting gun violence, addressing housing issues, reducing incarceration rates, and improving education.

Aurora’s Strong Mayor Initiative Misses The 2023 Ballot

An initiative seeking a strong mayor government in Aurora announced it had missed a key deadline Friday. A “strong mayor” government removes the city manager, yielding powerful decisions such as vetoing city council ordinances and hiring and firing employees to the mayor.

The Term Limits & Empowering the Mayor for a Better Aurora campaign announced it had missed its petition deadline last week. The campaign needed 181 signatures to make the November ballot.

Protesters Stand In View Of Douglas County PrideFest Show

Dozens of protesters disrupted a Pridefest in Douglas County Saturday as they stood to block an audience from seeing the stage of a drag show.

According to 9News, the protesters stood silently for about 40 minutes, wearing identical t-shirts that read “Stand to Protect Children.” A witness who took photographs of the protest said the audience appeared intimidated, and some people left as a result. The protesters dispersed after security team members convinced them to stop obstructing audience views.

This is the latest incident of protestors targeting drag performances in Colorado amid a nationwide trend of book bans and legal restrictions on drag shows in a handful of southern states.

Slavery Abolition Groups Gather To Mark Amendment’s Passage 

A local and national human rights group celebrated the third anniversary of an amendment passed in Colorado that abolished slavery as punishment for a crime. Amendment A removed language from the state’s constitution that allowed forced prison labor.

The groups that advocated for the amendment gathered in Denver Saturday with organizers from 13 other states seeking similar initiatives. Several other states have removed slavery loopholes from their constitutions, including Utah, Nebraska, Tennessee, Vermont, Alabama and Oregon.

Brawl Erupts At Aurora High School Football Game

Dozens of police officers broke up a large brawl at a high school football game in Aurora Friday night.

According to Denver7, up to 70 officers were on the scene after multiple fights erupted at the Aurora Public Schools Stadium. 

Rangeview and Vista Prep high schools were competing. Lt. Matt Bukbacher of the Aurora Police Department said police were initially dispatched with reports of shots fired. While that report was unfounded, Bukbacher said the crowd was tense and called in more backup.

Two arrests were made, including a teenager who was allegedly armed with a gun. and an adult. It is not yet clear what sparked the unrest.

An Aurora Public School official released a statement thanking the police and announcing that APS game management protocols are now under review.

COVID-19 Call Center Closes in Boulder 

The Boulder County COVID-19 center closed Friday following the end of federal funding.

According to a public release by Boulder County, in 2021 the call center received close to 2,700 calls. In 2022 numbers fell to about half that. In 2023, the call center received fewer than 200 calls. These calls provided information about COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines.

Although, COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased throughout Colorado and the country, almost 100 people in Colorado were hospitalized with COVID last week alone.  Health experts say the rise in cases is not concerning compared with the start of the pandemic, and most people experience milder symptoms because of built-up immunity.

Fabiola Hernandez, a. Boulder County Public Health says they will remain vigilant in addressing community health concerns moving forward but the demand no longer requires a dedicated call center.

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