Latest news with #MikeCoffman
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Aurora strikes agreement with FBI, U.S. military to address drones near Buckley Space Force Base
The Aurora City Council voted Monday to approve an agreement with the FBI and the U.S. military to address unmanned aircraft systems, including drones, illegally operating over Buckley Space Force Base. Mayor Mike Coffman has said in recent months that there has been a rise in incidents of people illegally operating drones around military installations across the country. However, military law enforcement has limited to no jurisdiction to detain operators located off the installation without the help of local law enforcement agencies. The memorandum states that the growing use of drones in restricted airspace poses a threat to the installation and DoD assets. "You can't fly within the controlled airspace around an airport without FAA authorization; over designated national security sensitive facilities; and certain military bases, infrastructure and national landmarks; or in airspace covered by Temporary Flight Restrictions, which the FAA typically implements at the request of law enforcement for safety or security reasons," the FAA said. According to the new agreement, Aurora police will respond to, detect, detain and investigate anyone flying a drone or unmanned aircraft system over the space force base. "This is one step forward in working with the DoD and the FBI to protect the goals and missions of Buckley Space Force Base, as well as our national security," said Coffman.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aurora considering agreement with FBI, Buckley Space Force Base for drone operations
DENVER (KDVR) — The Aurora City Council is set to discuss a measure at its Monday night meeting that would help address unmanned aircraft systems that could potentially be launched over restricted areas of the Buckley Space Force Base. According to Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, the council will be asked to ratify a memorandum of understanding between the city of Aurora, Buckley Space Force Base and the Denver Field Office of the FBI. The MOU will state that all three groups have agreed that Aurora will assist, respond, detect, detain and investigate unmanned aerial systems, aka drones. Aurora City Council may change public comment rules In December, Coloradans were reporting mysterious drones near their homes. FOX31's Ashley Michels looked into the matter and learned that similar drone sightings were reported in December 2019. One Aurora resident described seeing bright lights that were not in a plane formation, and an Elizabeth resident recorded drone lights above their home. Michels spoke to Chad Kendall, a professor of aviation at Metropolitan State University of Denver, who said it can be difficult to tell drones from airplanes, apart from how the machine is moving. Coffman wrote on Facebook on Monday that the drones subject to the MOU would be flown over 'restricted areas above Buckley since the drones would be launched from surrounding areas outside of the base by individuals working on behalf of foreign adversaries.' He said there has been an increase in reports of drones used to gather intelligence on U.S. military installations. 'Aurora must work with the Department of Defense and the FBI to do all we can to help protect the sensitive missions at the base that our critical to our national security,' Coffman wrote. Aurora City Council is scheduled to meet Monday, May 5, at 6:45 p.m. The resolution is first on the consent calendar for resolutions and ordinances. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Journals
21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
PMI's Colorado Zyn factory hiring, on track for 2026 production
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . Join the Denver Business Journal to unlock even more insights! The nicotine pouches proved popular after they debuted in 50 Colorado stores in 2014 before launching nationwide. Soon they'll be made in Aurora. Work on establishing a Zyn manufacturing plant that makes a popular nicotine pouch product in Aurora is well underway. The facility is expected to bring hundreds of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars to the state of Colorado. Tobacco giant Philip Morris International unveiled plans for the $600 million Zyn factory last year. 'The facility has gone vertical, meaning the walls are up,' Wendy Mitchell, the president and CEO of the Aurora Economic Development Council, said in an email. 'The construction project alone is expected to create nearly 5,000 jobs related to the building of the facility with nearly $1 billion in economic impact.' GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events PMI subsidiary Swedish Match makes the tobacco-free, small, white pouches with plant-based fibers that allow nicotine to be absorbed into the bloodstream. As new details emerge about the complex that PMI is building, Zyn's growing hold on the nicotine market is making Aurora leaders evermore confident that their economic development strategy is working. 'It made me feel a sense of pride when they chose Aurora, because it spoke to Aurora being competitive in terms of other cities,' Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said. 'The economic impact is going to be immense, given that it will potentially bring 500 jobs — 500 new jobs — into our city,' Coffman continued. Construction intel The Zyn facility is expected to begin preliminary operations by the end of 2025, with regular production starting in 2026, a July news release from PMI states. The plant, described as 'Project Waterfall' in planning documents, will be located on about 150 acres northeast of the future 48th Avenue and Harvest Road intersection in Adams County near E-470. The site is about 8 miles northeast of the Colorado Freedom Memorial, where the initial announcement about PMI's plan to build a factory was unveiled in July. Kairus Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philip Morris International, purchased the site for $61.5 million in September from Sun Empire Venture, records filed in Adams County show. Documents filed with Adams County in March show the facility will include four buildings with a total coverage of 839,500 square feet. Project information shared online by Kairus shows the light manufacturing facility — the production of small or finished goods that typically involves less capital, labor and industrial infrastructure — will be a minimum of 600,000 square feet. There will also be a two-story office building, ancillary support buildings, an associated parking area and landscaping. PMI did not respond to a request for more information, but the company has publicly shared that its plans to open the factory next year are on track. 'Our greenfield site in Colorado is due to come online in early 2026, and we believe we are well-positioned to capture Zyn's potential over the coming years,' PMI said in a recent earnings call. Manufacturing strategy The plant is expected to be significant to the city. Once it's operational, the factory is estimated to generate $550 million in annual economic impact. The plant fits into Aurora's strategy for economic development because manufacturers are a priority for the city, Mitchell said. That's because manufacturing companies are a primary employer, pay high wages and require a skilled workforce, she said. 'Manufacturers create wealth and job stability in the region by producing products that are exported out of Colorado,' Mitchell said. 'Furthermore, suppliers will want to locate near manufacturing facilities they supply, which creates additional job opportunities and an increased tax base.' Global companies, like PMI, also are a target for Aurora, according to Mitchell. In a July news release, the Aurora Economic Development Council stated it spent 11 months working to attract PMI to Adams County. The EDC team helped with site selection, entitlements, due diligence, utilities, taxes and workforce resources, which ultimately convinced PMI to select Aurora as its preferred location. Mitchell said PMI was drawn to the city because of its central location and diverse workforce. Aurora also offers development-ready Xcel Energy Certified Sites, locations that have been given the power company's stamp of approval for their availability of necessary utilities. The facility will be PMI's second one in the United States. Zyn's footprint Swedish Match began a pilot project in 2014, selling the pouches in 50 stores in Colorado before launching the product nationwide. PMI later acquired Swedish Match in November 2022. Zyn is now the leading nicotine pouch brand in the U.S. market, according to PMI's 2024 annual report. In 2023, PMI's smoke-free product shipments reached 522.5 million cans in the Americas, a number driven by Zyn nicotine pouches sold in the United States, PMI noted in its report. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products in January, marking the first time the agency permitted companies to market these types of products. 'The FDA's authorization marks an important step in the protection of public health by recognizing the role that ZYN can play in providing better alternatives to cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products for legal-age adults,' PMI's annual report stated. The market for smoke-free products has been robust, equating to 38.6 million users and business net revenues of around 39% of PMI's total net revenues, the report noted. The growing popularity of the product and the FDA authorization bode well for Aurora. "It speaks to really what the demand is going to be and that equates to how many jobs they are going to create, and so I think it clears the way for potentially having a strong demand for their further product and creating more jobs in Aurora accordingly," Coffman said. The company is currently hiring for a variety of jobs at the manufacturing facility that range from engineers, production staff, quality control and technicians. The anticipated average annual salary is around $90,000, Mitchell said. PMI officials previously said the nicotine-pouch producing facility will help the company work toward its goal to create a 'smoke-free future.' 'Projects like this facility in Aurora are pivotal to meeting the growing global demands for better nicotine options by innovating, investing, caring for our communities and neighbors,' Stacey Kennedy, PMI Americas president and U.S. CEO, said in July. 'We move closer every day to a future where cigarettes are a thing of the past.' Here are the largest manufacturers in the Denver area Local employment Rank Prior Rank Business name 1 1 Merritt Trailers 2 14 Alpen High Performance Products 3 3 Colorado Serum Company View this list
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dueling approaches: Aurora and Denver clash over homelessness strategy
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A new report is reigniting debate over how to best address homelessness across Colorado, highlighting vastly different strategies from the cities of Aurora and Denver. The Common Sense Institute, a conservative-leaning research organization, recently released findings that claim Denver's 'Housing First' initiative is spending roughly $69,000 per year per homeless individual, while the overall number of people experiencing homelessness continues to rise. Aurora: Twice as many encampments removed in first 3 months of 2025 than last year In response, Aurora leaders unveiled plans for a new facility grounded in a 'Work First' model. Their upcoming Regional Navigation Campus will include over 200 temporary housing units, available only to individuals who are working or actively pursuing employment. The city says the approach reflects a form of 'tough love,' aimed at long-term self-sufficiency. 'This is a very tough-love approach to helping people,' said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman. 'The evidence is that the housing-first model is just not working.' Coffman said he recently brought the city's plan to Washington, D.C., sharing the approach with members of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Denver leaders are pushing back, not only against Aurora's strategy but also the data used to support it. City officials questioned the accuracy of the CSI report and stood by their existing model, which prioritizes getting people housed first. 'There's never been a bad idea out of Washington, D.C.,' said a spokesperson for Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's office, responding to news of Coffman's visit. 'How are you going to stabilize your life if you don't have a place to sleep that night?' the spokesperson added. Aurora's mayor questions why Tren de Aragua impacts have been felt less in Denver Both cities agree that the homelessness crisis is worsening, but remain deeply divided on how best to solve it. While Aurora's new facility is slated to open in November, Denver officials say their focus remains on expanding supportive housing and regional coordination. FOX31 will continue to follow developments on both fronts as cities across the metro area seek solutions to one of Colorado's most urgent challenges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Japanese store Daiso opens in Aurora; more locations expected soon
DENVER (KDVR) — A popular store that sells Japanese-inspired home decor, stationary, food and more has made its way to Colorado with the grand opening of another location. Daiso describes itself as a 'one-stop-shop for all your household needs.' The family-owned company made a name for itself in Asia before expanding to the U.S. According to the company's website, Daiso operates 6,000 stores across the world. In 2005, the company expanded to the U.S. where it now operates more than 150 stores. According to Japanese Taste, Daiso is a Japanese retailer that became famous for its inexpensive 100-yen offerings. Converted to U.S. dollars, 100 yen is about 66 cents. Daiso has built a cult-like following and is most notably known for its household goods but sells other items like beauty products, stationery, personal care, toys, games, electronic accessories and more. Mellow Mushroom on 16th Street Mall closes The second Colorado Daiso location opened Saturday in Aurora at 2353 S. Havana St., near the Village on the Park shopping mall. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman stopped by the store during its grand opening weekend and noted in a Facebook post that the line was wrapped around the building. 'Welcome DAISO to Aurora. We are proud that you chose our diverse city to locate your newest store in the United States,' said Coffman on Facebook. Time magazine names Denver hotel as one of 'World's Greatest Places of 2025' This isn't the first Daiso to open in Colorado. According to a press release, the first Colorado location opened on March 15 in Fort Collins at 4300 S. College Ave., Suite 18. The company is expected to open two more stores by this spring — one in Centennial at Cherry Knolls and a second Aurora location at the Southlands Shopping Center. The Aurora Daiso is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
