Colorado

Federal judge rejects Colorado voter intimidation lawsuit midway through trial

Published

1 hour ago

July 18, 2024

Federal judge rejects Colorado voter intimidation lawsuit midway through trial

A federal judge in Denver ruled against the plaintiffs in a voter intimidation lawsuit Thursday, ending a trial early after finding the organizations behind the suit hadn’t presented sufficient evidence against a group of Donald Trump supporters.

U.S. District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney issued her ruling Thursday morning. The trial had started Monday, more than two years after the lawsuit was filed by a trio of voting and civil rights organizations, including the local chapters of the NAACP and the League of Women Voters, against the U.S. Election Integrity Plan.

That group, made up of supporters of the Republican former president and tied to prominent and discredited election conspiracy theorists, had been accused of questioning residents of high-density areas and places where ethnic and racial minorities live about their votes.

The lawsuit said the group, which has made false claims of mass voter fraud, also photographed voters’ homes as part of a pattern of “door-to-door voter intimidation.”

But Sweeney found that the evidence and testimony presented by the plaintiffs at trial to prove intimidation were insufficient, according to Colorado Newsline, which first reported the ruling Thursday morning. The defense had made a motion to end the trial early. Sweeney was appointed to the bench by Democratic President Joe Biden.

“We are disappointed in this ruling and are exploring all appeal options,” said Courtney Hostetler, one of the attorneys representing the civil and voting rights groups, in a statement.

Cameron Powell and Michael Wynne, attorneys for one of the three defendant members of the election group, praised the decision Thursday morning. They said the allegations against their client were related to speech, not any actual conduct.

Wynne said the three members of the group had been “dragged through the mud” by the lawsuit.

The case relied in part on a post-Civil War anti-Ku Klux Klan law that sought to protect Black voters who were being intimidated from using the ballot box by white Americans.

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Originally Published: July 18, 2024 at 11:47 a.m.

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Colorado

Colorado Springs firefighters start month-long training exercise off Austin Bluffs

Published

8 hours ago

July 18, 2024

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Colorado Springs firefighters start month-long training exercise off Austin Bluffs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Smoke, fire trucks, water hoses! A neighborhood just northeast of Palmer Park is going to be busy with fire activity for the next month, but don’t be alarmed — it’s all for show!

Springs firefighters kicked off a month-long training exercise Tuesday at Austin Bluffs and Goldenrod Drive.

“Fire apparatus will be in the area performing firefighting tasks, including ladder deployments, search, and hose evolutions. Theatrical smoke will be utilized and may be visible. Please do not call 911 for the fire training evolutions, as they are planned events,” CSFD said in a social media post.

Expect to see this activity Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Regular training helps keep firefighters in tiptop mental and physical shape when the real thing happens.

“We would like to thank our partners at Colorado Springs Utilitiesfor helping to make this training possible for our firefighters,” CSFD said.

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Colorado

#8 most wanted sex offender in Colorado remains on the run

Published

16 hours ago

July 17, 2024

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#8 most wanted sex offender in Colorado remains on the run

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Each month, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) updates its list of the “100 Most Wanted Sex Offenders.”

“The purpose of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Sex Offender Fugitive Unit is to provide analytical and/or investigative assistance to any local, state, or federal law enforcement agency regarding the identification, location, and apprehension of convicted sex offenders out of compliance with their registration requirements,” part of the CBI’s website reads.

A 24-hour tip line is available to report information and you can remain anonymous: 303-239-5732. Or you can email CDPS_CBI_FugitiveTips@state.co.us.

This week we featured number 8 on the list, Trevell Sanders. Sanders was convicted of multiple sex crimes involving children and is wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies in Colorado.

View the latest list below:

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Colorado

Colorado Option health insurance premiums to rise again, but less than in 2023

Published

23 hours ago

July 17, 2024

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Colorado Option health insurance premiums to rise again, but less than in 2023

Monthly premiums could increase 4% next year for Colorado Option health insurance plans and 6% for other types of plans sold on the individual marketplace, on average, according to new data from the state Division of Insurance.

The Colorado Option is a standardized health plan that covers more services without out-of-pocket costs than the average plan. The option plans were supposed to lower premiums by 10% this year, after accounting for inflation, but only about one-third succeeded. They were, however, some of the cheaper plans available to Coloradans, and about one-third of individual market customers bought one this year.

The average premium increase would be higher for small businesses, at about 8%, if the Division of Insurance approves. Companies selling on the marketplace in Colorado have to submit their proposed rates to the division, which determines if they are justified based on the cost of covering care. The final rates will become public in October.

Last year, insurers asked for about an 8% increase for Colorado Option plans and an 11% increase for non-Option plans. Most ultimately received smaller increases.

The division estimated premiums would have risen about 23% if the state didn’t have a reinsurance program in place. Reinsurance basically backstops insurance companies, so they don’t have to pay as much for the relatively small percentage of customers who require the most expensive care. Since federal law limits how much insurers can earn in profits, they have to pass at least some of those savings on to customers through lower premiums.

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Originally Published: July 17, 2024 at 2:22 p.m.

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