Headlines — March 15, 2023

March 15, 2023

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Colorado “Equal Pay Day”

State Lawmakers passed a resolution officially designating March 14  “Equal Pay Day” in Colorado yesterday.

State representatives Jennifer Bacon and Serena-Gonzales Gutierrez said it was an effort that dates back nearly four decades. 

The House joint resolution aims to acknowledge wage disparities. 

The text of the resolution cites a study by the Women’s Foundation of Colorado and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research which found women in Colorado earn 83 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. 

That disparity runs even deeper when comparing the pay rates of men and women who are parents.

In 2021 Colorado lawmakers enacted the Equal Pay for Equal Work act to support women in the workplace by increasing back pay eligibility, administration transparency requirements, and allowing the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to investigate and enforce the law.

The joint resolution passed 47-15. 

Denver Protest Settlements 

The city of Denver will pay $1.6 million to settle lawsuits brought by seven people injured in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

The city council approved the payments at a city council meeting on Monday. 

A Denver police officer shot the protestors with flash-bang devices, pepper spray, and rubber bullets despite the protest remaining peaceful.

A settlement of almost $600,000 went to Gabriel Schlough. A Denver police officer, according to the lawsuit, shot Schlough in the face with a rubber bullet that severed off a portion of the man’s chin.

Denver has already paid out over $2 million this year to protestors injured by police and will pay $14 million to 12 protestors who took their lawsuit to trial last year.

Second Annual Boulder Strong Day of Remembrance 

On March 22, the city of Boulder and several local partners will hold a remembrance event to mark two years since the Table Mesa King Soopers shooting that killed 10 community members. 

In a press release, City of Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett said, “The Day of Remembrance is a way for us to honor the victims, acknowledge the collective trauma our community has experienced, and bring community members together with art and music.”

The event will occur in the evening at eTown Hall on Spruce St.

The City of Boulder urges community members who are experiencing trauma or need support related to the tragic event to visit the Boulder Strong Resource Center.

Victim’s Son Files Lawsuit Against King Soopers Gun Manufacturer 

The company who made the firearm used in the Table Mesa King Soopers shooting is facing legal charges.

Nate Getz, the son of a shooting victim, alleges the Connecticut-based gun manufacturer of the AR-556 firearm employed deceptive marketing practices and violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices. 

The lawsuit alleges the Sturm, Ruger & Company manufactures and markets the firearm as a pistol but with small adjustments, it operates as an automatic rifle.

The attorney for Mr. Getz, Phil Harding  said, “They use the same bullets, they fire the same amount, they’re just as deadly, “But in many states it’s easier to get a pistol than to get a rifle.” 

Families of the Boulder grocery store shooting victims have until March 22 to be part of this lawsuit. 

It has been nearly two years since the deadly shooting at King Soopers on Table Mesa in which a shooter entered the supermarket with an AR-556 and killed 10 people.  The accused is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, 47 counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, 10 counts of felony possession of a prohibited large capacity magazine. He has failed mental competency assessments to stand trial and was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia.

His next scheduled hearing is April 28. 

Glenwood Canyon Closures

The Colorado Department of Transportation reports that 22 percent of I-70 closures in Glenwood Canyon over the past two years have involved commercial vehicles. And they say these vehicles tend to be responsible for the longest closures. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, Caroline Llanes reports local officials want to see more done at the state level to prevent these accidents.

Casa Bonita Fountain Filled

Colorado’s iconic Casa Bonita restaurant plans to reopen in May of this year, and extensive renovations are underway, including filling the restaurant’s iconic fountain, which was full as of yesterday. 

The creators of “South Park”, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, purchased the restaurant for $3.1 million in September two years ago. 

9News obtained documents from the City of Lakewood noted the provisional costs for the renovations are just over $12 million.

Parker and Stone plan to keep the restaurants’ famous waterfall, and Executive Chef Dana Rodriguez will take care of the food. 

The restaurant, as of January, posted over 550 jobs and is currently taking booking requests for events in July.

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