Denver, CO
Denver Public School Board could limit SROs from ticketing or arresting undocumented students who break the law
Denver Public School Board President Xóchitl Gaytán has been working with immigration advocacy groups to create a set of policy changes that would add further protections for undocumented students. However, some community members believe the proposal goes too far.
For Gaytán, protecting undocumented students is personal.
“I am the only board member on the DPS board of education that has a lived experience as being someone who is undocumented for half of her life,” said Gaytán. Therefore, for me, this issue is something that I have deep ties with.”
Which is why she’s working with immigration groups to propose a new policy that would enhance protections such as establishing safe zones and would not allow any student to be questioned, detained or removed from ICE within those zones without a warrant.
“Our students, our families, are very scared, like I mentioned, their education is being interrupted and not showing up to school,” said Berenice Aguirre, the interim executive director for Movimiento Poder.
Movimiento Poder is one of the organizations that helped create the language in the proposal.
“I think there’s an urgency on all parts, and that’s why we want to work together, collaborate and ensure that there are stronger protections,” Aguirre added.
Gaytán recently tried to introduce the proposal for public comment, but the board decided they needed more time to look into it. Since then, concerns have been raised by community members over a portion that would prohibit a school resource officer from arresting or issuing a citation to a student that’s undocumented.
“I think that the district as a whole lacks adequate consequences and appropriate consequences for students’ behavior,” said Melissa Craven, Denver resident and former DPS employee and parent. “And so, if you now have a group of students that have no consequences, I’m concerned about the safety of everyone, including the staff in those buildings as well.”
Craven previously served as DPS Deputy Chief of the Department of Safety and Security.
“When you give a free pass for bad behavior, harmful behavior, risky behavior, kids are typically going to take it and run if they’re inclined to do so, and that puts everybody at risk,” said Craven, who supports the other proposed provisions.
Gaytán told CBS Colorado her hope is to bring the proposal forward again at another public comment session. Right now, the next one on the schedule is in March.
Denverites looking for a stellar cup of Joe don’t need to travel far to savor the flavor of excellent coffee.
That’s according to The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, a website that rates global hospitality establishments where coffee lovers can find better brew. The website recently announced its 2026 list of the best coffee shops in North America, Central America and the Caribbean and two local companies made the list.
Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters came in at No. 43, while Queen City Collective Coffee ranked No. 61. Not bad for a list that includes must-hit destinations in places like Guatemala and Costa Rica, which are known for their exports of coffee beans.
The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops decided the ranking through a mix of nominations and voting by both the public and experts. Places were evaluated based on the quality of coffee served, barista expertise, ambiance, sustainability practices, and innovation among other criteria, according to the website.
Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, which came on the scene in 2013, helped usher the so-called fourth wave of coffee locally, which focuses on honoring the beans’ agricultural roots and using techniques like pour-over to extract more flavor from each brew. The company started with a wholesale roastery and retail shop in Lakewood before expanding to Arvada through a merger with another company called Two Rivers, and later to Westminster. In 2022, Food and Wine magazine named Sweet Bloom’s Westminster locale the best coffee shop in Colorado.
Queen City Collective has certainly earned the popular vote among Mile High City coffee drinkers if the company’s expansion is an indication. Since opening its first retail location in 2018, in a spot shared with Novel Strand Brewing Co., Queen City has expanded to seven locations between Denver and surrounding suburbs, including Wheat Ridge and Aurora.
To see the full list of must-hit coffee shops across the globe, visit theworlds100bestcoffeeshops.com. For additional recommendations, check out our list of Colorado’s best coffee shops with picturesque patios and views.
Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.
DENVER (KDVR) — With the mild winter and warm start to spring, beekeepers are seeing swarms earlier in the year and expect the season to be longer than usual.
Gregg McMahan is a dispatcher for the Colorado Swarm Hotline. It’s usually his job to send a beekeeper to collect a swarm when someone calls, but on Sunday afternoon, he decided to handle one himself.
“Nice little swarm,” McMahan said. “It’s tricky, though, because it’s hanging on a fence.”
A warm winter and spring mean swarm season has begun four weeks early.
“Never seen it like this ever,” McMahan said.
This call is to a house on Denver’s east side. When McMahan arrived, he saw a swarm had taken up residence on the fence.
“Absolutely typical, it is on the small side,” McMahan said.
He got to work, first luring them into a box when he spotted a good sign.
“See all these girls, they got their butts up, they’re fanning their wings. That’s telling us the queens in here,” McMahan said.
With the queen in hand, the rest began to follow her into the box.
McMahan said two years ago, he had 400 calls like this. Last year, only 100, the Swarm Hotline was as unpredictable as the weather, which has caused bee activity earlier in the year than ever.
“It makes it hard on the bees, you know? Two days ago, I’m collecting swarms in the snow,” McMahan said.
Rescuing them is integral to Colorado’s ecosystem. McMahan hopes people give a beekeeper a call instead of spraying them or harming them in any other way.
“They do a phenomenal amount of pollination within this state. Not only our native flowers but all the other flowers that people bring in,” McMahan said.
Slowly but surely, the swarm left the fence and moved into the box. McMahan loaded them into his truck to deliver them to their new home.
“Westminster to the Stanley Lake Wildlife Refuge, so these girls will have lakefront property tonight,” he said.
As he wrapped up, McMahan’s phone was buzzing more than the bees. Just another call to start a swarm season, he thinks, could be a long one.
“This year I’m already 20 swarms deep, so I’m expecting way more than 100 this year,” McMahan said.
To have a bee swarm removed for free from your property anywhere statewide, the Swarm Hotline number is 1-844-SPY-BEES.
-
Washington11 seconds agoQ1 market trends in Northern VA and Washington DC | ARLnow.com
-
Wisconsin6 minutes agoDaniel Bice, veteran Wisconsin political reporter and columnist, dies at 62
-
West Virginia12 minutes agoFormer WVU QB Will Grier is Headed Back to Where His NFL Career Started
-
Wyoming18 minutes agoTwo men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel
-
Crypto24 minutes agoScattered Spider hacker pleads guilty to stealing $8 million in cryptocurrency – Help Net Security
-
Finance30 minutes agoReilly Barnes Returns to Little League® as Purchasing/Finance Assistant
-
Fitness36 minutes agoThese 20-Minute Burpee Workouts Replaced His Entire Gym Routine – and Transformed His Physique
-
Movie Reviews48 minutes agoSix 100-Word Movie Reviews