Headlines — November 14, 2022

November 14, 2022

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Colorado Wedding Website Designer Case Heads to Supreme Court 

The US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next month in a Colorado case involving a wedding website designer from Littleton and an argument that the First Amendment protects her refusal to provide services to same sex couples. 

Lorie Smith, the owner of 303 Creative, says Colorado’s anti-discrimination law violates her right to free expression. 

The conservative majority court will hear Smith’s case December 5th.
Proposition 122 Passed

Colorado became the second state in the U.S. to legalize the use of psilocybin, or magic mushrooms last week. Ballot Proposition 122 passed with a razor thing margin last week– with just 51 percent of the vote.

The Ballot measure allows adults 21 and older to grow and share psychedelic mushrooms. The Measure also allows the creation of state-regulated centers which gives patients the opportunity to make an appointment and consume psilocybin in a supervised setting.

Unlike cannabis in the state of Colorado, Proposition 122 does not offer the chance for retail sales of the drug. Psychedelic mushrooms are still classified federally as a schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act alongside drugs like heroin and LSD. 

Proponents say the hallucination-inducing substance will help those requiring an alternative way to heal from mental health problems and traumatic experiences.

“Colorado voters saw the benefit of regulated access to natural medicines, including psilocybin, so people with PTSD, terminal illness, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues can heal,” comments co-proponents Kevin Matthews and Veronica Lightening Horse Perez in an emailed statement.

Library District Lead Grows in Boulder

The vote in favor of creating a library district in Boulder is leading by around two thousand votes. Results for the measure were the tightest among all of the local ballot initiatives, with the no vote leading on election night. 

Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, Molly Fitzpatrick, says local election workers will return from the Veterans Day break today to continue processing the remaining 10 thousand ballots.

Denver Public Schools Free-Grocery Store 

Denver Public Schools will open a free grocery store at Place Bridge Academy in Cherry Creek to help families struggling with food insecurity.

About 33 percent of people living in Denver are food insecure according to a study conducted by Hunger Free Colorado. Denver public school’s new community hub and engagement department will run the store with funding from Amazon, Aetna and Goodr, an out of state non-profit organization. 

DPS teachers and staff can refer families to apply for access to the store. DPS will consider the referral before meeting with the family to complete an intake with basic questions. Following this, the family can shop at the store once a week as long as they can provide documentation that they are a Denver resident. 

This grocery store is one of six that will kick off the three-year pilot program. 

CD3 Election is Still Going 

The race for Colorado’s Third Congressional District is still too close to call. According to the Denver Post, election workers continue to count ballots in the race for US House representative between incumbent Republican Lauren Boebert and Democrat Adam Frisch.

As of Sunday night, Boebart leads ahead of Frisch with 1,122 votes. Boebert and 3,000 to 6,000 ballots left to be uncounted.

Measure 2F Repeal CU South 

According to the Boulder County Clerks office, the repeal of CU South development is losing by over 3,000 votes. The development of CU South will include a flood mitigation project, affordable housing and possibly a small scale stadium.

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