Latest news with #WeldCounty
CBS News
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Home rule town hall leaves a Colorado community frustrated
Residents in Douglas County are learning more about what a home rule charter could mean for them. Back in March, Douglas County Board of County Commissioners took the first step to become a home rule charter. There are still a number of steps, including two elections. In June, voters will decide if they want home rule and would pick people for a charter commission. If that moves forward, voters will decide in November whether to approve the charter. If it's implemented, Douglas County would become the fifth home rule county in the state. Weld, Broomfield, Denver and Pitkin counties are also home rule. CBS Tuesday night, Douglas County held a town hall for the community to share more about the home rule charter process and answer questions. It was a long-awaited night, as many community members had questions about the process. But the short meeting ended with tension, and many residents left with more questions than answers. As county commissioners attempted to end the hour-long town hall, they were met with shouts of protest and boos. "Why the rush?" one community member called out. "You really like to hear yourself talk. What about the community?" another shouted to Commissioner George Teal. "Why don't you extend the meeting?" a resident asked. "We do expect order in this room. I will ask the sheriff's office to get involved," Commissioner Abe Laydon responded. "Take us to jail!" one woman shouted. The high tensions came after nearly 9,000 people tuned in online and in person to the town hall, expecting the opportunity to ask questions about home rule, but only about six questions were taken. "I'm disgusted, very disgusted. The lack of respect for the voters of Douglas County is just incredible," said state Congressman Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch). "The meeting was too short," said Mark Custer, a Highlands Ranch resident. "They only answered a few questions." County leaders broke down the nine-step process of developing a home rule charter, which they say would allow the county to write its own rules and free it from strict state laws governing immigration, taxes and collective bargaining. "I am in favor of home rule because I don't like what's happening at the statehouse in Denver. I feel like the Democrats are pushing whatever they want," said Janet Zoetewey, a Castle Rock resident. "Even though there's a majority of Republicans in Douglas County, I feel like our voice is being taken away more and more and more, and it doesn't matter. To me, home rule gives us a chance to have a little more of a voice, a little more autonomy in our county." But critics say that isn't a guarantee. "If they get in a fight with the state, they will lose," Marshall said. "But they intend to get into perpetual litigation with the state, and they're going to spend millions of dollars and lose all these. But they'll be able to take care of their special interest supporters. Home rule could be a good thing, could be a bad thing, but the way they're doing it is very, very bad. It's secretive." Less than a month ahead of the special election where voters will say yes or no to home rule, many are leaving the town hall with strong opinions on the county's future. "I like the idea of home rule 'cause I'm in favor of it because of the crazies in the legislature," Custer said. "We need to have more control. This will give us tools to fight against the crazies in the state." "I like what's happening in Douglas County and what's been here," Zoetewey said. "I don't want to see Denver chipping away by making us build high-rise apartments or low-income housing to get more people, probably more Democrats, into our county." "I'm the mom of nine kids. You know what I don't have time for? Fighting this nonsense," said Kelly Mayr, a Highlands Ranch resident. "Other elections, if we're not successful, two years later or four years later, we get another opportunity. We don't get another opportunity to do this. This is permanent. This could take decades to undo the harm that could be caused." Those who still have questions can find more information on the Douglas County Home Rule page. At the bottom, there is a form where residents can submit feedback on home rule. In the special election, voters will be asked if they support home rule. Then, they will be asked to vote for members of the 21-person charter commission who will draft the charter. Candidates for the charter commission: District 1: Matthew M. Lunn David Weaver Mary H. Lynch Emily Roth Suyat Jack Hilbert Jason Hamel Darren Weekly October Ann Levy Jack Gilmartin Toby Damisch Laura Hefta Irene Bonham Julie Gooden Bart Dorscheid District 2: Jennifer E. Green Kevin Leung Jae Mundt Charles O'Reilly Julien Bouquet Barrett Rothe Juli Watkins Max Brooks Tom J. Wiens Tim Dietz Douglas John Gilbert Dave Gill District 3: Robin Webb Lora Thomas Michael Lees Priscilla Rahn Bob Marshall Sudee Floyd Frank McNulty Alicia Jean Vagts Monica A. Wasden Matthew Burcham Ted Harvey Susan Meek Lee Hudson Frame Daniel Brown Gordon B. "Spud" Van De Water SuJeanne Foster At-large: Steve Johnson Kevin Van Winkle Abe Laydon Angela Thomas George Teal Mindy Bandimere-Jordan Steven Arthur Boand Ballots for the special election will be mailed in early June. The special election is June 24. If voters say yes, the commission will craft a charter, and that charter will be voted on by residents in the November general election. If successful, the charter will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Colorado tornado warning goes into effect in eastern Weld County
A tornado warning is in effect in Weld County, Colorado. It was issued just after 4:45 p.m. It was set to expire at 5:15 p.m. It was on the far eastern side of the county.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Bandimere eyes property in northeast Colorado for new speedway
A new era of racing cars at a speedway in Colorado may be just down the road. John Bandimere Jr. told CBS News Colorado last week, "We also promised you that when we had news, we would share it with you. Well, we have some news." Bandimere Speedway CBS Bandimere Jr. said that the organization, with partners, closed on the first parcel of land near Hudson in Weld County. He said this is the first piece of a "complex puzzle" that would also include acquiring property around it. Bandimere Jr. did not give the exact location of the property. "Zoning and annexation will now be taking place, with the exact timing not really sure, and we're not really clear as to how that will all work out," Bandimere Jr. said. "I know, most of you understand ... we've been working to continue the automobile legacy," John Bandimere Jr. said in a YouTube video. Bandimere Speedway stopped 65 years of drag racing on Hogback Mountain in October 2024. Bandimere Speedway regularly hosted nearly 130 events each year and had more than 1,700 registered races each season. Since leaving the location in Morrison next to C470, the family said it would continue to look for a new location. Bandimere said his parents started the car racing facility back in 1958.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Crash in Northern Colorado leads to closure of I-25 northbound
A crash has closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 25 in Northern Colorado. It is closed in southwestern Weld County near Mead at Highway 56. So far it's not clear if anyone was hurt in the crash. CDOT A camera from the Colorado Department of Transportation showed a long line of cars backed up in the northbound lanes near the Highway 34 exit.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants you to report sightings of this bird
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking for more of an endangered bird, known as the plains sharp-tailed grouse, and they want the public's help. These birds live in Alaska and east to Hudson Bay and south to Utah. CPW said they're also relatively common in Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and as far east as Michigan. The birds live in Colorado as well, but the population is very small in the state. Video: Man finds approx. 8-foot snake hiding in his Boulder office The small population in Colorado classified the birds as a state-endangered bird, and now, CPW is looking for more to help them collect data. One user on Reddit posted a photo of the CPW sign, which they said was hung up at Roxborough. The sign reads, 'Release Report Sightings of This Bird.' 'Hikers and other park users are often the best eyes and ears for species we want to track. We're asking anyone who spots this bird to please let us know as it helps us collect data on the Plains Sharp-Tailed Grouse,' said a CPW spokesperson. Call Your Mother bagel shop opening deli truck in Denver These birds are differentiated from chickens by their overall brown and white appearance, pointed tail and brown Vs on the breast, according to CPW. The males also have purple air sacs on their necks during the breeding season. The birds are found in Colorado's eastern grasslands, and CPW said they're known to be primarily in northern and central Weld County, with small numbers in northern Logan and Sedgwick counties. Right now, they're found almost exclusively in Colorado at the Conservation Reserve Program grasslands. The poster said pictures and videos would be helpful as well, and anyone who spots one can report it to a local CPW flyer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
