Denver in 5 minutes: What you need to know today, August 1

Andrew Kenney

Aug. 01, 2016, 9:23 a.m.

Happy Colorado Day! The party gets started this morning at the Capitol, complete with burros, artillery and a ceremony at 11 a.m. (Not too different from the very first Colorado Day, as it turns out.)

We’ve also got an in-depth look at how party politics are shifting here in Colorado ahead of the presidential election. Don’t expect a third-party breakout, but both the Democrats and the GOP are still cleaning up from the conventions.

If you’re not ready to give up the weekend, check out our video about the local significance of dragon-boat racing, and some amazing images of bike racing in the Golden Triangle. Also, Westword has photos of ten new murals in Denver.

In Colorado Springs, officers chased a guy up a tree. He was arrested, because a tree is not a great escape route, but it took a few hours. (Gazette)

Sports-wise, we’ve got conflict among the Denver Broncos at practice and big money for a returning Denver Avalanche player.

More seriously, we’ll be hearing more details of two officer-involved shootings that happened over the weekend. Denver police shot a man in Park Hill during an “exchange of gunfire” following a traffic stop and chase. Police in Lakewood shot a man who had a gun and was chasing partygoers. Both men were hospitalized with injuries.

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The Local Butcher at Central Market. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)

Meat needs feet, say rancher-legislators behind a food-labeling bill

Republican legislators introduced a bill that would require protein that doesn't come from animals to have different labeling.

Jamie Giellis speaks at City Park Friends and Neighbors' second mayoral candidate forum at Messiah Lutheran Church, Dec. 4, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Jamie Giellis says her mayoral administration would build a bigger buffer between government and corporations

Responding to the Colorado Convention Center scandal, the candidate says big projects should be managed in-house, but there's a reason Denver outsources.

A woman crosses using Albrook Drive in Montbello using a pedestrian refuge. (David Sachs/Denverite)

If Denver’s traffic-death report card belonged to a student, that kid might get grounded

Safe streets advocates aren't thrilled with the city's pace on projects that are supposed to end traffic deaths and serious injuries under the banner of Vision Zero.

Early morning at Denver Elections' downtown headquarters on voting day, Nov. 6, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Denver Elections wants your help choosing voting sites for May

The city hosts its municipal election in May, with a possible run-off in June.

Diane Simpson, a volunteer with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., poses for a portriat while on the job. Volunteers of America hosts their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day dinner, Jan. 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Volunteers of America Colorado’s “Dinner for Those Who Hunger” honors Martin Luther King Jr.

Volunteers of America Colorado has been holding the dinner since 1985, the year Colorado made King’s January birthday a state holiday.

Denver Public Schools officials and Denver Classroom Teachers Association members meet during negotiating on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, at the Acoma Campus in Denver. (Esteban L. Hernandez/Denverite)

Young Denver teachers are getting ready to strike with a mixture of confidence and nervousness

With no agreement in sight for negotiations between the teacher's union and Denver Public Schools, a strike is likely coming.

Danny Katz, director of the CoPIRG Foundation, at a Jan. 18 news conference about food safety. (Donna Bryson/Denverite)

A Colorado consumer watchdog is turning its attention to food safety

CoPIRG says more than 5,000 Coloradans were sickened by contaminated food between 2013 and 2017.

A sneaker-blue electric vehicle charges downtown, Jan. 17, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Denver adds more charging stations for electric cars as the state works to get more on the road

Gov. Polis' first executive order is going to need support from local governments to really take off.

Denver teachers listen to an update on bargaining during the second to last day of negotiations before the ProComp contract expires. (Erica Meltzer/Chalkbeat)

Denver district, teachers union make some progress as contract deadline looms, but still far apart

Test Kitchen at Black Box, Feb. 8, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Things to do in Denver this weekend, Jan. 18-20

Snow day at the City and County Building, Dec. 21, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

How much Denver’s candidates for mayors have raised — and who’s giving them money

John Elway, yeah, but developers and other local businesses, too.

Mayor Michael Hancock greets state legislators. Governor Jared Polis gives his first State of the State address, Jan. 10, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Here’s what Mayor Hancock says he’ll do if you give him four more years in charge

In his campaign kickoff speech, he focused on coming up poor in the city, growth, and making Denver equitable.

Explosive growth in Five Points makes RiNo the richest business district in Denver. Here’s what it’s been up to.

RiNo Park is on the horizon.

Nick Mitchell, Denver's independent monitor, sits in front of Denver Department of Public Safety Executive Director Troy Riggs and Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen as Denver City Council's Safety, Housing, Education, & Homelessness Committee meets to discuss expanded powers for the Office of the Independent Monitor, Jan. 16, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

The watchdog that oversees Denver’s police and sheriff departments might get sharper teeth

"Denver police and sheriff are the only agencies in the city that are allowed to kill people in the course of their normal work."

Experimental musician Cecilia McKinnon, AKA Star Canyon, plays to a growing crowd under a plush set. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Let’s watch “Goodnight Brooklyn” and talk Denver DIY

The Loretto Heights campus on a snowy day, Jan. 12, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

With Loretto Heights redevelopment, southwest Denver residents may finally get a “gathering spot”

Maybe a historic theater will anchor the new district. The question is what type of housing, and how much, will rise on the hilltop campus. Not everyone agrees.

Newly inaugurated Governor Jared Polis speaks to the press in his office, Jan. 8, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Full-day kindergarten by fall 2019 gets $227 million in Polis budget proposal

The new governor shared an early look at his budget proposal, which includes funding totals for one of his signature goals.

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette meets with Araceli Velasquez, her family and supporters at Park Hill United Methodist Church and Temple Micah, where she's lived in sanctuary to avoid deportation for nearly 10 months. May 29, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Rep. DeGette plans on using new position to investigate the Trump administration’s family separation policy

The Denver congresswoman was named chair of a panel with investigative authority.

Two projections in the 2018 Side Stories exhibition. (Ashley Dean)

Denver’s getting 8 weird animated art walls again

Side Stories is bringing eight new artists and eight new film loops to light up the walls of the RiNo Art District.

Denver City Coincil District 11 candidate Christine Alonzo poses for a portrait during a League of Women Voters meeting on the 2020 census, Jan. 15, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Montbello resident Christine Alonzo wants to bring her labor organizing experience to the City Council

The former labor union director left her job to run for Denver City Council's District 11 seat.

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