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09_25_2024HEADLINES Alexis Kenyon
Aurora City Council faces protests as activists demand justice for Kilyn Lewis during virtual meeting
Aurora City Council held a virtual meeting on Monday as activists protested for justice for Kilyn Lewis, an unarmed Black man shot by an Aurora SWAT officer in May.
The council moved to virtual meetings to avoid disruptions from previous protests and approved new rules requiring future public comments to be made in person.
The decision to mandate in-person comments followed an incident at the last meeting when a racist caller, identifying as a white supremacist, disrupted the session with slurs against Venezuelan migrants and offensive remarks about city officials, according to The Sentinel.
Activists criticized the new rule, stating it limits public access and engagement. Auon’tai Anderson, spokesperson for the Justice for Kilyn Action Team, vowed that protests will continue until the council addresses police accountability and justice for Lewis.
Meat processing plant JBS condemned for abusing immigrant workers in Greeley
UFCW Local 7 calls for an investigation into JBS USA over labor trafficking allegations.
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 is urging federal, state, and local authorities to investigate JBS USA Holdings, Inc. over potential human trafficking and labor violations at its Greeley, Colorado, plant.
UFCW Local 7 claims that hundreds of immigrant workers, including Haitians and French-speaking Africans, faced abusive practices such as inflated charges for squalid housing, transportation fees, and job application costs. The union also alleges workers endured intimidation, unsafe conditions, withheld wages, and coerced agreements waiving legal protections. Despite UFCW’s complaints, JBS allowed a key figure in the alleged misconduct to remain employed. The union is pressing for a thorough investigation into the company’s actions, which have affected as many as 500 workers and their families.
Boulder enacts building moratorium for large homes
Boulder County commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on the construction of larger homes in unincorporated areas of Boulder County last week.
According to county data, the median size of homes in unincorporated Boulder County was 4,589 square feet in 2023, up from 3,379 square feet in 2019. Homes exceeding this size threshold will face a temporary halt in site plan reviews for six months starting January 2025.
This pause will give county officials time to revise land use regulations to reduce environmental impacts and address housing affordability.
Some critics argue that the moratorium might lead to inequities by limiting larger homes in some neighborhoods while allowing them in wealthier areas. However, proponents believe it will help curb the growth of oversized homes, often referred to as “McMansions,” and reduce their environmental and economic impacts.
The moratorium is set to take effect on January 17, 2025.
Boulder needs 10,700 new housing units by 2032 to address affordability crisis, study says
A new study from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) shows Boulder will need 10,700 additional housing units by 2032 to address its severe housing shortage.
According to the Boulder Reporting Lab, the majority of these homes need to be affordable, especially for low-income residents.
Boulder’s challenges include zoning restrictions, protected open space, and height limits, which restrict development. Solutions under consideration include updating zoning laws, selling accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and expanding housing in areas like East Boulder and CU South. Local leaders emphasize the need for political will and creative strategies to meet these goals.
Kimbal Musk’s Broomfield nonprofit settles with workers fired after unionizing
Big Green, a Broomfield nonprofit that builds learning gardens in schools and was founded by Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk’s younger brother, will pay $449,999 to 10 workers who were fired after forming a union.
The settlement, reached with the National Labor Relations Board, includes back pay and compensation for lost wages. As part of the agreement, Big Green must also require managers to undergo employee-rights training.
The case marks a significant win for the workers and comes amid a wave of unionization efforts in Colorado. Kimbal Musk, known for his ventures in sustainable food such as The Kitchen and Square Roots, co-founded Big Green to promote food education and community gardening.
