No witticisms today, just news. We've got an interesting development regarding the governor's political future, terrible news out of southeast Denver, a New York Times feature about a bus and an update on the Nederland bomb plot.
Also, I'm curious about who's reading this feature and why. Please drop me a line and let me know if you find it useful, or not, and why.
Is Hickenlooper in play for Secretary of the Interior?
Environmentalists seem to think the governor could be appointed by Hillary Clinton to head the Department of the Interior. Environmentalists are not happy about this. (Denverite)
Southeast Denver lost a role model.
Deonta McDonald, 19, tried to lead his peers away from violence. He was shot dead in what his family believes to be a random act. (DP)
Being unaffiliated is cool.
Just about half of Colorado's voters under the age of 40 are registered as unaffiliated. I'm very curious to see what voter turnout looks like for this group. (KUNC)
"This is true drama."
Julie Turkewitz of The New York Times has a feature on the makeshift Denver bus stop where immigrants arrive, and depart, in Denver. (NYT)
The Nederland bomb plot may have an angry-hippie backstory.
CBS4 reports from anonymous sources that David Michael Ansberry, 64, a suspect in the failed bombing, was part of a "radical, counterculture group" known as the STP Family, "reportedly once based in the mountains outside of Boulder and known to be violent." VICE has a profile on the group. (CBS4, VICE)
The U.S. Senate race is in its final stretch.
A forum last night provided one of our best looks yet at the differences between Darryl Glenn and Michael Bennet, even though they didn't directly debate. Erica Meltzer has you covered. Read it. (Denverite)
Downtown... Aurora?
A consultant hired by the city says the public perception is that "it is not safe," and that there isn't really a distinct downtown. I wouldn't expect much to change anytime soon. Even the plan that's under discussion now ("Aurora Places") won't be drafted until the end of 2017. (Aurora Sentinel.)
Colorado's graduation rate lags the nation.
The on-time graduation rate is about 77 percent, compared to 83 percent for the national average. One plan to address this: Unifying graduation requirements between districts. (Chalkbeat)
Latest in line to learn about weed: New Jersey.
Ayyyyy. My homeland has high hopes of legalizing marijuana after Gov. Chris Christie leaves office in 2018. In the meantime, N.J. Senate president Stephen Sweeney and his colleagues came to tour Denver dispensaries, including Euflora, which they found to be "discreet," "spotless," and "secure." One guy got stuck outside because he forgot his license. Ayyyy! (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Winter Park could get its first pot shop, against the town's wishes.
Technically, the downtown business would be outside the town's borders. That hasn't stopped locals from complaining a whole lot. "Friendships have ended." (DP)
