Headlines — March 8, 2023

March 8, 2023

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One of Six Bystanders Wounded In Denver Police Shooting Files Suit

A preschool teacher wounded in a police shooting in downtown Denver last summer has filed a civil lawsuit against one of the officers present that night. 

Angelica Rey was among six bystanders shot by police in Denver’s LoDo district as clubs and bars let out in the early hours of July 17th. 

Police say they were responding to what they thought was a gunman, but evidence thus far indicates Denver police officers were the only ones who fired weapons at the scene near 20th and Larimer streets. 

The teacher, Angelica Rey, told 9News she had been out that night to celebrate a recent promotion and that the gunshot wound she sustained caused a three-day hospitalization and months of missed work. 

The officer named in her civil suit, Brandon Ramos, is already facing 14 criminal charges related to the shooting incident.

Devan Schreiner Found Guilty

A Colorado woman accused of shooting her child’s father and ex-boyfriend was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Boulder County jury yesterday.

The jury received the case on Monday and deliberated for eight hours before reaching the guilty verdict. 

In Oct. of 2021, Devan Scheiner and codefendant Andrew Ritchie, her then-boyfriend, were accused of plotting to kill Jason Schaefer while he was working his job for the US Postal Service.

Schreiner shot and killed Schaefer next to his postal delivery van in southwest Longmont. Her charge means she will likely spend the rest of her life in prison. 

In April, her co-defendant will go to trial, facing charges of first-degree murder.

Denver Mayoral Candidates Compete With One Another For Fundraising

The wide field of Denver’s mayoral race means no one candidate has a majority of votes – but two candidates do clearly have a lead when it comes to fundraising. KGNU’s Jake Crowley reports. 

Denver mayoral candidates, Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston, are leading in total contributions for campaign fundraising of over $5.3 million dollars across 17 mayoral candidates. 

According to the Denverite, Kelly Brough, the former Denver metro Chamber of Commerce CEO, is the first mayoral candidate in the race to receive $1 million dollars in contributions.  

The Colorado Sun reports five of the 17 candidates have raised 73% of the total contributions. 

The remainder comes from Denver’s Fair Election Fund program. In 2018, Denver voters approved the creation of the Fair Elections Fund program to publicly finance campaigns and promote fairness and equity in municipal elections. According to the city of Denver, the program is financed by individual donors and was created to reduce the influence of large donors on election campaigns. 

Ballots will go out to Denver voters as soon as next week. Election day is April 4th. 

New Coalition For Colorado Tax Fund Changes

A Colorado coalition pursues tax code changes to fund child care, nursing and education. A group of nonprofits are joining forces to reform Colorado’s state tax code. 

Growing Our Future Coalition,  wants to use taxpayer dollars to fund K-12 education, nursing, support for people with disabilities, and hospice care. 

The coalition is targeting Colorado’s current flat income tax. They say a progressive income tax would fund necessary services. 

Melissa Mares, director of Early Childhood Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign told Chalkbeat that they hope to form  “a vision for a much, much broader coalition than has ever tried before on tax reform measures.” 

Leaders say they’re still deciding what tax code changes they’ll propose, but they hope to bring forth a statewide ballot initiative in 2024 or 2026.

Rep. Joe Neguse Bill Introduction

Congressman Joe Neguse introduced a  bill yesterday to expand healthcare access to individuals whose Medicaid coverage is set to expire at the end of the pandemic-related public health declaration in May. 

The so-called Save Children’s Coverage Act is the latest in a string of bills introduced by the congressman who represents Colorado’s second district. 

According to The Longmont Leader, Congressman Neguse has introduced 13 bills that became laws in the past two years–more than any other representative in the current congressional session and passed more bills with bipartisan support. 

Colorado Capitol Artifact On eBay

A Littleton seller on eBay listed an original bronze wall sconce from the Colorado State Capitol Building for sale for just under $8,000. The legislature’s Capitol Building Advisory Committee wants the sconce back. 

A nonpartisan staffer for the committee, Jeanette Chapman, said last week in a hearing the 125-year-old fixture “is clearly state property.”

The Longmont Leader said the committee’s ideas for the fixture’s retrieval include re-purchasing the sconce, sending Colorado State patrol to seize the item, or asking the seller to donate the relic as a hefty tax write-off. 

The panel has yet to determine if the procurement of the sconce was legal.

The listing on eBay prompted open committee debate regarding the pursuit of legislation to ease the process of historic item reclamation.

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