Colorado

In Colorado, open records aren’t always very open. Another reform attempt just fizzled.

Published

3 years ago

April 23, 2022

In Colorado, open records aren’t always very open. Another reform attempt just fizzled.

If somebody recordsdata an open information request and is quoted at $20,000, are the information they search actually publicly accessible? What if somebody from Durango recordsdata a request and is instructed they need to submit cost in particular person in Denver, or by fax machine?

Conditions like these make it troublesome for individuals to acquire paperwork and knowledge that, pursuant to the Colorado Open Information Act (CORA), are supposed to be out there to the general public. Excessive charges and outdated know-how generally act as boundaries, however so do lax legal guidelines that give sections of presidency the flexibleness to shortly delete sure content material, and broad discretion over redaction.

State lawmakers Democratic and Republican alike appear to usually agree that if the objective of CORA is to facilitate public entry to authorities, the regulation has failed. And for years they have threatened complete reform.

Officers promised they’d get to it in 2020, after a Denver Submit investigation discovered broad inconsistency amongst state departments’ e mail retention insurance policies. Then the pandemic set in and the difficulty was sidelined till 2021, when, once more, no invoice emerged.

They got here fairly shut this yr. Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat, has been working for months on a invoice he deliberate to sponsor with the Weld County Republican Sen. John Cooke. On Thursday, the a centesimal day of this 120-day legislative session, Hansen and his primary ally within the foyer, the Colorado Press Affiliation, stated the invoice had been nixed for now.

“I went into this course of figuring out particular points that we needed to resolve, however every time we dug into one drawback, you’d floor extra problems, and it actually meant there was an enormous quantity of backwards and forwards,” Hansen stated. “We’re looking for the correct stability, however while you transfer somewhat it may possibly have some actually huge ripple results.”

The invoice he and Cooke had been set to introduce had been whittled considerably from its unique kind, however nonetheless proposed a number of substantial modifications. It will have:

Required information custodians to offer itemized receipts — together with variety of hours spent on the request and an outline of the work course of — to individuals requesting information
Eradicated per-page charges for digital information
Required information to be returned in searchable, digital codecs when potential
Introduced the Colorado Felony Justice Information Act in line, on some fronts, with CORA; amongst different inconsistencies, CCJRA information custodians don’t want to offer a response to a request in any set period of time
Compelled the state to convene a piece group to set new guidelines for information retention, particularly regarding emails

That slate of modifications would have represented the most important open-records regulation change in years in Colorado, but it surely nonetheless wouldn’t have solved one of many greatest boundaries to accessing information: price.

Governments can cost a most of $33.58 per hour of labor addressing a information request. (This kicks in after the primary hour, which is free.) That’s a charge set to inflation, and it’s scheduled to extend once more in 2024. It signifies that even a minor request requiring just a few hours of labor will be prohibitively costly for anybody on a price range, and the general public has little perception into whether or not a information custodian actually wants as a lot time as they are saying they do. Had been the custodian motivated to discourage a request, they might declare {that a} mission is twice as time-consuming — and thus twice as costly — because it actually is.

“It could sound cynical, however it may possibly occur that method,” stated Jeff Roberts, government director of the Colorado Freedom of Data Coalition and an advocate for presidency transparency. “The issue is that we simply don’t know, from the requester’s viewpoint, if it actually takes that lengthy, if you happen to’re paying for an company’s disorganization. That’s the place an itemized receipt shall be useful, I believe.”

In pushing for the invoice, the Colorado Press Affiliation discovered that the itemized receipt requirement was a troublesome promote, stated CEO Tim Regan-Porter. He stated the requirement for a piece group to set new guidelines for uniform information retention was additionally a sticking level earlier than the invoice was shelved.

“We met some opposition,” he stated, “and so as to get the invoice to maneuver ahead, we might’ve needed to change the invoice in ways in which weren’t acceptable to us.”

He, like Hansen, is hopeful that this yr’s course of laid the groundwork for a profitable one subsequent yr. However lawmakers have stated that earlier than.

“The right coverage is all the time on the horizon,” stated state Sen. Paul Lundeen, a Monument Republican.

However that excellent coverage is tough to understand, he stated, due to how thorny open-records points turn out to be as soon as one digs past the floor. Lundeen stated the legislature should work to let the general public entry “as a lot of the individuals’s enterprise as is sensible.”

“Then you definitely bump up towards problems with safety and privateness,” Lundeen stated.

He and lots of extra in authorities are involved in regards to the “weaponization” of open information legal guidelines by individuals fishing for data they’ll use in lawsuits or political campaigns. Final summer time, Lundeen spent elements of three days going over his personal calendar to fulfill a request he’s satisfied was nothing greater than a “political witch hunt.” Even the legislature’s most ardent supporters of CORA reform say they wish to be very cautious to not open the door to extra of that.

“It must be a software for presidency transparency, not a software to abuse or subvert a system for unfavorable causes,” stated state Sen. Kerry Donovan, a Vail Democrat.

Donovan plans to push for the legislature to convene an interim committee on CORA after this session ends in Might. She desires that committee to look at open information coverage and suggest modifications forward of the 2023 session.

It’s unclear, she stated, whether or not the legislature can work to make public information actually public with out inviting extra of the requests they’re making an attempt to restrict.

“I don’t know, however we’ve received to attempt,” Donovan stated. “As a result of I don’t suppose CORA is working proper now, and it must.”

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Colorado

Colorado star and Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter says he will enter the NFL Draft

Published

8 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Colorado star and Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter says he will enter the NFL Draft

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter said Thursday he plans to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.

“That’s definitely for sure,” Hunter, 21, told reporters when asked if he intended to declare.

A favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, Hunter plays both cornerback and receiver for the Buffaloes. He is projected by many to be selected first overall next April.

When asked about playing both offense and defense as a professional, Hunter acknowledged the rarity of doing both, saying, “It’s never been done.”

He added: “I understand that it will be a high risk, [teams] don’t want their top pick to go down too early and I know they’re going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far.”

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In 10 games for Colorado this season, Hunter has 74 receptions for 911 yards and nine touchdowns — all career bests. Defensively, Hunter has three interceptions, eight passes defended and 23 tackles.

Hunter was a highly recruited player coming out of high school. A consensus five-star prospect, he originally committed to Florida State before flipping his commitment to Jackson State — becoming the first five-star recruit to commit to an HBCU.

Hunter played for one season at Jackson State under head coach Deion Sanders, then transferred to Colorado before the 2023 season when Sanders took the head coaching job there.

Last season, Hunter averaged close to 115 plays per game, participating in offense, defense and special teams.

Sanders’s son Shedeur, who plays quarterback for Colorado, is projected to be among the first signal-callers selected in next year’s draft. Another player who could be a Heisman finalist, Sanders said Thursday that Hunter is the more deserving of the two to win the award.

“If it’s between me and him, I would want him to get it,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He does a lot of amazing things and things that haven’t been done before. I’m not a selfish guy. I know what he’s capable of, so I would rather him win.”

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Colorado

Seeking Revenge Against the Capitals | Colorado Avalanche

Published

16 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Seeking Revenge Against the Capitals | Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche (10-9-0) @ Washington Capitals (13-4-1)

5 p.m. MT | Capital One Arena | Watch: Altitude, 9News, My20, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

For the second time in six days the Colorado Avalanche will faceoff against the Washington Capitals. Colorado will battle to split the season series after a 5-2 loss at Ball Arena on November 15.

Soaring Past the Flyers

The Avalanche beat the Flyers 3-2 at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. Cale Makar posted his 10th-career multi-goal game and Casey Mittlestadt added a goal. Additionally, Mikko Rantanen recorded two assists and Justus Annunen made 24 saves. Following a scoreless first period, Makar opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the slot at 8:30 of the second period after receiving Nathan MacKinnon’s set-up feed. Makar thought he had his second of the game at 10:44 of the middle frame, but the goal was taken off the board due to a successful Flyers challenge for goaltender interference. However, Makar would eventually double Colorado’s lead on the power play with his eighth tally of the season at 15:08 of the middle frame with a shot from the point that deflected off a Flyers player on its way in. The Burgundy and Blue took a 3-0 lead at 8:34 of the third period when Mittelstadt dispatched the rebound created by Rantanen’s shot into the net for his seventh goal of the season. The Flyers answered with goals from Owen Tippett at 11:48 and Tyson Foerster at 13:32 to cut their deficit to one, but the Avs held on to secure their 10th victory of the season.

Leading the Way

MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (34) and assists (27).

Makar leads NHL blueliners in goals (8), assists (19), and points (27). He’s tied for seventh among NHL skaters in points and tied for fifth in assists.

Rantanen is tied for sixth in the league in goals (12) and tied for seventh in points (27).

History

The Avalanche are 18-20-4 in 42 previous regular-season games against the Capitals. Colorado is 4-1-0 in its last five matchups against Washington dating back to the 2022-23 season.

Winning Out West

The Capitals beat the Utah Hockey Club 6-2 at the Delta Center on Monday. Alex Ovechkin scored twice, and Charlie Lindgren made 24 saves. Utah opened the scoring with a goal by Jack McBain at 3:05 of the first period but the Capitals responded with tallies from Dylan Strome at 7:46, Nic Dowd at 7:56, and Ovechkin at 11:05. Ovechkin extended Washington’s lead to three with a goal at 5:38 of the second period before Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah at 11:44 to make it 4-2 in favor of Washington entering the third period. Ovechkin did leave the game midway through the third period with a lower-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve and ruled week-to-week. The Caps added two more goals in the third period from Brandon Duhaime at 7:30 and Aliaksei Protas at 9:56 to win 6-2.

Putting Up Numbers on the Potomac

MacKinnon has posted 28 points (11g/17a) in 20-career matchups against the Capitals including 11 points (5g/6a) in 10 road matchups against them.

In eight previous meetings with Washington, Makar has recorded six points (2g/4a).

Rantanen has registered 19 points (8g/11a) in 14 previous games against Washington including eight points (4g/4a) on the road.

Capitals’ Contributors

Strome leads the Capitals in points (28) and assists (22).

Connor McMichael is second on the team in goals (12) and third in points (19).

Aliaksei Protas is fourth on the team in points (18), third in goals (7), and tied for third in assists (11).

A Numbers Game

10

Makar became the first defenseman in franchise history to record 10 multi-goal games.

3

The Avalanche have three players (MacKinnon, Makar, and Rantanen) in the top 10 in points. No other team has more than one.

165

The Avs have registered 165 high-danger shots on goal, which ranks sixth in the NHL.

Quote That Left a Mark

“Juice is great. I think he’s been great all year. [He made] some big saves, especially at the beginning there…So [it was a] heck of a job from Juice for sure.”

— Casey Mittelstadt on Justus Annunen’s performance on Monday

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Colorado

Residents rally to save Colorado Springs library on brink of closure

Published

24 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Residents rally to save Colorado Springs library on brink of closure

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Hundreds of Colorado Springs residents showed up at the Pikes Peak Library District Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday night in a last-ditch effort to save the Rockrimmon Library.

The library is set to close December 1. This comes after the board voted to not renew the library’s lease due to financial issues.

In a statement posted on their website on November 8, the board called the decision to close Rockrimmon a difficult one.

“A library provides access to resources and materials to everyone in the community, so considering a closure goes against the grain of our hopes for PPLD. However, our District provides access to nearly 700,000 people across El Paso County. We must make decisions that sustain the entire District.”

More than 250 community members showed up to Wednesday’s board meeting to show their support for keeping the Rockrimmon location open with another 119 tuning in virtually.

Former Rockrimmon Library manager Steve Abbott said he was glad to see the turnout.

“It shows that the community will not give up and they are going to fight to keep this library open,” he said.

For most of the almost five-hour meeting, 43 speakers took turns pleading with board members to postpone the library’s closure, extend the lease another year, and reconsider their decision to close the library in the first place.

One of those who spoke before the board, Abbott said closing the library will leave a massive gap for the 30,000 people who live in the area.

“It leaves a big library desert in the Rockrimmon area,” he said. “For a child to use a library now, they’ll have to go over I-25, under I-25, over Academy, under Academy to get to a library, and it’s six miles away from where Rockrimmon was.”

Speaker and Rockrimmon resident Jennifer Walker said closing the library would also deprive the area of a much-needed community center.

“There is no YMCA, there’s nothing else,” she said. “This is where we meet other moms when we’re desperate to talk to another human being that’s not a toddler, this is where we go to work when we need a quiet space, this is where the elderly come to use the computer or to check out books.”

The fate of the Rockrimmon Library was not on the board’s agenda and those who left the meeting tell 11 News the meeting ended with no resolution.

Walker said residents are still exploring their legal options.

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