The presidential contest grabbed most of the attention, but voters in Northeast Denver and Northwest Aurora also were faced with a host of local measures and candidates on the November 5 ballot.
The hallways of the performing arts department at Northfield High School are almost always teeming with activity. Every day you can see students marching by with guitars and saxophones or sitting in a circle to devise a piece of theater. The school is home to 2,300 students, and around 50% of them participate in the performing arts in some capacity.
There are numerous voter guides designed to help people be better informed when casting a ballot this year. But until now, there hasn’t been a guide focused on the intersection of mental health and the election.
On Friday, the day ballots began going out to voters, the two presidential campaigns spent time in Aurora. Colorado Democratic leaders were at Cheluna Brewing inside Stanley Marketplace in northwest Aurora, about 12 miles away from the site of an afternoon rally at the Gaylord Rockies Resort for former President Donald Trump, who has called Aurora a “war zone” overrun by gangs.
One year into his administration, Mayor Mike Johnston says he is proud of the work that has been accomplished, but he admits he’s only just getting started. “Our work is not done, but our progress is dramatic,” he told a crowd of several hundred people during his first “State of the City” speech in late July.
Energy was the focus of several bills in the 2024 Colorado legislative session, including one that set new emissions standards and industry regulation practices and another that assessed a fee on oil and gas production. Other legislation sought to bring relief from high property taxes and increased support for education. In all, 525 bills were passed during the very busy session.
On the first day of February and the start of Black History Month, dozens of Black Coloradans went to the state capitol building to describe how racism and discrimination had impacted their lives.
It’s been a challenging first six months in office for Mayor Mike Johnston as he launched an ambitious plan to end homelessness, dealt with 40,000 migrants arriving in Denver, tackled rising crime rates, and struggled to find enough money in the budget to pay for it all.
This month: 1) Take an Immersive Space Walk at Stanley Marketplace; 2) Check to See If You Have Unclaimed Property; 3) Proposed Changes to Sidewalk Repair Ordinance; 4) Ashley Elementary First Graders Get Bicycles; School Doubles in Size; and 5) Mayor’s Plan to Combat Auto Theft.
When Colorado legislators return to the Capitol on Jan. 10 for the 2024 regular session, they’ll probably be thinking, “We’ve been here before.”
Disputes over funding levels between Mayor Mike Johnston and the City Council were resolved in November with a compromise for rental assistance and increased funding for transportation improvements.
This month: 1) Pearl Wine and Market Breaks Ground; 2) Mayor’s Homelessness Plan Update; 3) McAuliffe’s Innovation Status; 4) Second Place for Northfield High School and East High School Boys Soccer; and 5) Drybar Coming to Central Park.
