Four people with possible connections to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua have been arrested near a beleaguered apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.

At least two apartment buildings in Aurora have been the source of intense media attention this past week after a surveillance video went viral showing heavily armed men kicking down an apartment door.

AFTER VIDEO OF ARMED VENEZUELAN GANG SHARED BY LOCAL OFFICIAL GOES VIRAL, COLORADO CITY TAKES ACTION

FOX 31 Denver confirmed Tuesday that the four were arrested at the Ivy Crossing Apartments in Aurora on “a variety of charges” including drugs and stolen vehicles, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. Six people were arrested in total.

The four were identified as possibly maintaining connections with the Tren de Aragua. Law enforcement from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security patrolled the area encompassing the Ivy Crossing Apartment buildings on August 21.

The Tren de Aragua is based mainly in Venezuela and has roughly 5,000 members between the South American country and the United States.

“We’re looking for any violation that we can stop and make contact with somebody and addressing the issues that they might have,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown told FOX 31 Denver.

FORMER COLORADO APARTMENT RESIDENT SAYS GOV. POLIS ‘WOULDN’T LAST FIVE MINUTES’ AGAINST ARMED GANGS

During their proactive patrol on August 21, officers from the different agencies seized a stolen vehicle, ketamine, and 750 counterfeit pills.

“There had been some conversation that there were some things going on in our jurisdiction and we developed a plan,” said Brown to FOX 31.

The apartment building has been completely overrun by the alleged gang members, including changing the locks, according to one resident. (Council member Danielle Jurinsky)

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office did not confirm exactly how the four were connected to Tren de Aragua, according to FOX 31.

All four individuals are currently in custody, but Fox News Digital has not been able to confirm exactly where.

The Aurora, Colorado Police Department announced a special task force appointed in August to help combat the presence of Tren de Aragua in August.

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The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Coloradans who receive food assistance now have another financial incentive to buy produce, but only if they shop at certain local businesses.

The state is one of three piloting new incentives, and will receive $7.9 million by the end of 2027 to offer matching funds for money spent on fruits and vegetables purchased with money from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The other states that will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to try out the Produce Bonus program are Washington and Louisiana.

Recipients can receive up to $20 in matching funds per transaction, for a maximum of $60 per month. The match is available for money spent on fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, provided they don’t contain added fat, salt or sugar. At farmers markets, recipients can also get matching funds for funds spent on dried beans, fruits and vegetables, provided they don’t have those three added ingredients.

Coloradans who receive food assistance already have some incentives to buy produce, such as Double Up Food Bucks, which are paper coupons they receive when buying fruits and vegetables.

Produce Bonus funds automatically appear on people’s earned benefit transfer cards, so they don’t have to remember paper coupons, said Abby McClelland, director of the food and energy assistance division at the Colorado Department of Human Services.

People can spend their Produce Bonus funds on any foods that SNAP covers, unlike the Double Up funds, which are only good for fruits and vegetables, she said.

Because the cards don’t differentiate funding for produce from other food, states aren’t able to limit how recipients can spend the bonus money, a USDA spokeswoman said.

So far, the only participating Denver location is a single farmers market, and the other locations are concentrated in the upper portion of the Interstate 25 corridor, between Loveland and Wellington. See cdhs.colorado.gov/snap-produce-bonus for a full list.

The department is working to get more retailers involved, though some may have to upgrade their software or card readers to process the rebate funds, McClelland said. They are focusing on locally owned businesses in areas with low access to food and low average incomes, with no immediate plans to bring in chain grocery stores, she said.

“We’re trying to be strategic,” she said.

While the USDA ultimately will decide if the program succeeded, McClelland said she hopes it can increase food assistance recipients’ produce consumption and overall purchasing power, while giving a boost to businesses in underserved areas.

“I think this is a step forward,” she said.

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Originally Published: September 3, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.

Cities and counties across the metro area are going to voters asking to remove revenue limits set by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

In Jefferson County there is now a push to save TABOR that is gaining momentum as well.

“I think these are like the third use of them,”  county resident Jessica Fenske said.

The yard signs she’s helping to paint this year are sending the same message they did in 2019 and again in 2022 — to protect tax caps put in place by TABOR.

“It’s the same fight every time; it’s not a left or right fight going on,” Fenske said. “It’s just the people trying to keep some of their money.”

Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners approved a November ballot question to let voters decide if the county can retain additional revenue to address budget shortfalls and a growing backlog in infrastructure needs.

It’s a decision the county says was made after extensive community outreach and research. County Commissioner Andy Kerr says it reflects the spirit of TABOR.

“TABOR demands and necessitates action for the people from the people, and the only way to meet those demands is by having this conversation that lets have the community decide,” Kerr said during the July hearing.

Natalie Menten organized the sign “remaking” party after voters twice said no to simialr measures 

She is a longstanding TABOR advocate

“They are very driven to do it. Why? I don’t know. Because tabor allows reasonable growth with governments. It allows the inflation rate plus local growth, “Menten said. “We don’t just have money growing in the backyard,” she said of the community.

Menten plans to lead once again the “No on 1A” fight that she sees gaining support.

“We had a big group in 2019 and 2022,” Menten said. “I think this is going to be even bigger this time. We have so much to lose.”

The research done to determine whether to go back to voters — Menten says and CBS Colorado has previously reported on — was done by a company hired by the county using taxpayer dollars.

Menten herself is now running for county commissioner.