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Center on Colfax: Funding for Denver Pride Parade down 62% amid DEI rollbacks

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Center on Colfax: Funding for Denver Pride Parade down 62% amid DEI rollbacks


DENVER — Funding for the 2025 Denver Pride Parade is down 62% from last year, according to the Center on Colfax, which produces the parade.

The center said sponsors are cutting back or dropping out altogether due to rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) budgets caused by national legislation.

Denver7 reached out to the center to talk about the drop-off in funding. No one was made available, but we did receive a statement that said in part, “When looking at organizations who sponsored Denver Pride in 2024 and returned at lower levels in 2025, on average their contributions have decreased by 62%.”

The center said it has brought on new sponsors to “help lessen the gap.”

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“While we are disappointed at the decrease of funding or full defunding of certain sponsorships, we don’t feel that calling these organizations out by name will be beneficial to our goal to call-in and educate people on the importance of our work here at The Center on Colfax. We also recognize that these decisions do not reflect the views and opinions of everyone within the organizations in question,” the statement continues.

In a statement, Natalie Zanonie, interim CEO of the Center on Colfax, said, “Denver Pride is unique from other pride events of our size in that it is both entirely free to attend and serves as the biggest annual fundraiser for our local LGBTQ+ community center, The Center on Colfax. Eighty-three percent of all contributions to The Center are directed back to our community through the vital programming we offer year-round to our LGBTQ+ community free-of-charge. The decrease in funding we are experiencing puts these critical services at risk, such as mental health support, programming for our trans and gender diverse community, youth, older adults, and more.”

The center concluded its statement by saying, “We are grateful for our partners who have returned and the members of the LGBTQ+ employee resource groups who have made significant efforts to continue funding us, as this allows us to keep Denver Pride an accessible, free event for our community.”

  • Full statement from the Center on Colfax

Denver Pride has experienced a decrease in funding when compared to previous years for our festival, parade, and 5K. Some organizations that have participated in years past have only been able to return at lower levels of sponsorship, and others have even been unable to return entirely due to rollbacks of DEI budgets caused by national legislation.

When looking at organizations who sponsored Denver Pride in 2024 and returned at lower levels in 2025, on average their contributions have decreased by 62%. Thanks to the work of our team, we have been able to bring on new sponsors to help lessen the gap. While we are disappointed at the decrease of funding or full defunding of certain sponsorships, we don’t feel that calling these organizations out by name will be beneficial to our goal to call-in and educate people on the importance of our work here at The Center on Colfax. We also recognize that these decisions do not reflect the views and opinions of everyone within the organizations in question.

“Denver Pride is unique from other pride events of our size in that it is both entirely free to attend and serves as the biggest annual fundraiser for our local LGBTQ+ community center, The Center on Colfax. Eighty-three percent of all contributions to The Center are directed back to our community through the vital programming we offer year-round to our LGBTQ+ community free-of-charge. The decrease in funding we are experiencing puts these critical services at risk, such as mental health support, programming for our trans and gender diverse community, youth, older adults, and more.” -Natalie Zanoni, Interim CEO.

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We are grateful for our partners who have returned and the members of the LGBTQ+ employee resource groups who have made significant efforts to continue funding us, as this allows us to keep Denver Pride an accessible, free event for our community.

Denver’s Pride parade is one of the country’s largest, drawing more than a half million people each year. This year’s parade is scheduled for June 29.

Denver7 has been and continues to be a proud sponsor of the Denver Pride parade.

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Proposed September 2026 Service Changes

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Proposed September 2026 Service Changes


RTD’s Proposed September Service Changes are designed to further enhance and strengthen RTD’s transit network by refining service, improving reliability, and better aligning resources with customer needs.

As part of the September 2026 Service Change, RTD is advancing a coordinated set of transit service enhancements designed to strengthen reliability, restore key frequencies, and improve access to major destinations across the system. These proposed changes reflect observed utilization trends, operational performance, and lessons learned during recent reconstruction activities, while maintaining flexibility for future evaluation and adjustment. Several of the recommended enhancements are supported by Clean Transit Enterprise (CTE) grant funding and are intended to restore and expand service consistent with the System Optimization Plan (SOP), noting that final CTE allocations are still in development. 

You can view all the proposed changes below and learn more by watching our presentation in English or Spanish.

Customer feedback on the Proposed September Service Changes will be collected through July 8. We invite you to virtually attend our public meetings and Ask a Service Planner sessions, or share your feedback through the online survey. Customer feedback is important to RTD, and we thank you for participating however you can!

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Public Meetings

Interpretation is available at no cost. Call 303.299.2051 or email [email protected] at least 5 business days before the meeting and tell us the meeting name, date, and the language(s) you need.

Ask a Service Planner 1: Monday, June 22 at noon

Public Meeting 1: Monday, June 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Ask a Service Planner 2: Tuesday, June 23 at noon

Public Meeting 2: Wednesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m.

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Proposed September 2026 Service Changes

In addition to the routes listed below, the following routes also have proposed changes:

23 – West 20th Avenue

Route Adjustment, Schedule Timing

Proposed Change

It is proposed to split the existing Route 20 into Route 20 and Route 23, with Route 23 serving the western portion of Route 20 along 20th Ave., terminating at Union Station on the eastern end.

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Reason

Maintains connectivity between Lakewood and Edgewater to downtown Denver.

Updated Map

Survey Link

AL – Denver International Airport to Longmont

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Service Increase

Proposed Change

New route would provide hourly service from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with service operating from 8th Ave. and Coffman St. to US 287 with a stop at Niwot Park-n-Ride and into Lafayette Park-n-Ride to E-470 to Denver International Airport (DEN).

Reason

Requested by policymakers, stakeholders and customers, service will provide connections from Longmont to Denver Airport via the Lafayette Park-n-Ride

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Updated Map

Survey Link

BMFX – Broomfield FlexRide

Service Increase

Proposed Change

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Extend weekday service to 9 p.m., with an extra vehicle added during a.m. and p.m. peaks. Add a second vehicle during Saturday peak hours; and implement Sunday service from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Reason

The City and County of Broomfield requested additional service, which can be supported through available grant funding.

Survey Link

WGFX – Wagon Road FlexRide

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Service Reduction

Proposed Change

Discontinue service.

Reason

Low utilization, with service averaging 1 boarding per hour at a cost of $158.33 per boarding.

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Survey Link

Dashboard: Routes and Lines

A

Union Station – Denver Airport

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Service Reduction

C

Littleton•Mineral – Union Station

  1. Service Increase

D

18th•California – Littleton•Mineral Station

  1. Service Reduction

L

30th•Downing – 16th•Stout

  1. Route Adjustment

T

Lincoln Station – I-25•Broadway Station

  1. Schedule Timing

W

Union Station – JeffCo Gov’t Center•Golden Station

  1. Schedule Timing

1

West 1st Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing

9

West 10th Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

10

East 12th Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

11

Mississippi Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

14

West Florida Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing

15

East Colfax Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

15L

East Colfax Limited

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

20

20th Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment
  3. Route Adjustment

24

University Blvd

  1. Seasonal Adjustment

32

West 32nd Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

35

Hampden Avenue

  1. Service Increase
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

37

Smith Road Industrial

  1. Schedule Timing

42

Montbello via Albrook / Green Valley Ranch

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

45

Montbello / Green Valley Ranch

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

51

Sheridan Blvd

  1. Service Increase
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

52

West 52nd Avenue / South Bannock

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

53

North Sheridan Blvd / Broomfield

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

59

West Bowles

  1. Route Adjustment

65

Monaco Parkway

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

72

72nd Avenue

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Service Increase
  3. Route Adjustment

73

Quebec Street

  1. Seasonal Adjustment
  2. Route Adjustment

83L

Cherry Creek / Parker Road Limited

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Route Adjustment

105

Havana Street

  1. Schedule Timing

153

Chambers Road

  1. Schedule Timing

204

Table Mesa / Moorhead / North 19th

  1. Schedule Timing

206

Conestoga / Arapahoe / Fairview High School

  1. Schedule Timing

225

Boulder / Lafayette via Baseline

  1. Seasonal Adjustment
  2. Route Adjustment

228

Lafayette / Louisville / Broomfield

  1. Service Reduction

323

Skyline Crosstown

  1. Schedule Timing

AB1

Airport to Boulder

  1. Schedule Timing

AB2

Airport to Boulder

  1. Schedule Timing

ART

Art District Connector

  1. Route Adjustment

DASH

Boulder / Lafayette via Louisville

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment
  3. Route Adjustment

FREERIDE

16th Street FreeRide

  1. Schedule Timing

JUMP

Boulder / Lafayette / Erie via Arapahoe

  1. Route Adjustment

LD

Longmont / Denver

  1. Schedule Timing

LX2

Longmont / Denver Express

  1. Schedule Timing

NB1

Boulder / Nederland / Eldora

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment
  3. Route Adjustment

NB2

Boulder / Nederland / Eldora

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment
  3. Route Adjustment

SKIP

Broadway (Boulder)

  1. Schedule Timing
  2. Seasonal Adjustment

ILFX

Interlocken / Westmoor FlexRide

  1. Service Increase



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Denver, CO

Fire destroys home under construction in northwest Denver

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Fire destroys home under construction in northwest Denver


DENVER (KDVR) — An early morning fire on Friday left a home completely ablaze in the Highlands neighborhood, just a week after another house under construction went up in flames in the same area.

The Denver Fire Department shared photos of the incident, as crews were called to 3643 Mariposa, where images show a fully consumed home under construction.

“I think they [firefighters] kicked in the neighbor’s door just to make sure nobody was at home,” neighbors Lucy and Kyle said. “Some of the other houses, their windows got blown out from the heat!”

Just 11 days earlier, on June 8, a home under construction caught fire in the same neighborhood near West 33rd and Navajo. Nobody was hurt in either fire.

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And just about two years earlier, in July, another fire in the same area ignited around West 36th and Osage. All of the properties are/were under development by the same group.

“I wasn’t present for any of the fires,” Ryan Yoffe, a member of the developer group, said.

Yoffe does say he thinks he knows how the last two fires had been set, saying it’s the City of Denver that needs to do better with surveillance.

“It’s likely related to the amount of homelessness in the area, looking for properties under construction to live in or burn down,” Yoffe said. “The City and the Police Department need to do a better job patrolling to limit the number of homeless people camping in the neighborhood.”

Denver Fire Department officials say the most recent incidents are under investigation, but that nobody was hurt in either.

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Denver, CO

Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates

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Rockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates


The night belonged to Kyle Freeland, who joined the 1,000 K Club. The moment belonged to Braxton Fulford. The ninth inning — and a big sigh of relief — belonged to closer Antonio Senzatela.

Fulford hit a two-run, two-out, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning off Mason Montgomery to lead the Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Pirates at Coors Field in front of a Friday night crowd of 33,596.

Fulford drove in Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg, who scratched out back-to-back two-out singles off Montgomery.

“I had been warming up in the cage for that at-bat for a couple of innings, so I felt pretty prepared,” Fulford said. “I got an advantage count (3-1) and I knew he was going to come with the heater and I was all over it.”

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Fulford caught Montgomery for three seasons at Texas Tech, so he knew the left-hander’s tendencies.

“It’s kind of unfortunate for pitchers that you catch, because you kind of get to see their stuff,” Fulford said. “You kind of understand more of who they are. So I do feel like I had the advantage there.”

In the ninth, the Pirates loaded the bases against Senzatela with no outs on a single by Marcell Ozuna and an error on a groundball by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. But Senzatela struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Callihan and induced Jared Triolo to ground to Tovar, who started the game-ending double play.

“It was kind of a crazy ending to the game — bases loaded and no outs,” Freeland said. ” ‘Senza’ got a big punchout in that situation, picks up Tovar. Then Tovar gets another opportunity to turn a double play, and he gets it done.”

Before all of the late-game drama, Freeland pitched his best game of the season: 7 1/3 innings, two runs allowed on four hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. It marked the fourth time in his career that he pitched 7 1/3 or more innings.

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“Tonight, I thought he was absolutely exceptional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I thought his body language was impressive. He attacked the strike zone — relentlessly. His heater had good ‘vert’ tonight. The breaker was good. It seemed like he was in control all night.”

“Gritty” is the word often used to describe Freeland. Dominant was a more apt description on Friday night. History-making works, too. Freeland’s eight Ks gave him 1,001 for his career, joining right-hander German Marquez (1,069) as the only two pitchers in franchise history to eclipse 1,000. Freeland struck out Marcell Ozuna in the seventh for No. 1,000, and then promptly fanned Brandon Lowe for 1,001.

The hard-core Rockies fans behind the dugout gave Freeland a standing ovation.

“I’m very grateful for the fans always supporting me, and for making it this long in my career to reach some of these milestones, especially with one ballclub,”  said Freeland, who struck out eight and walked none for the second time in his career. “I definitely hear those fans when I pop out of the dugout after every inning.”

The 33-year-old Denver native blanked the Pirates for the first seven innings, giving up just two hits. Pittsburgh finally got to Freeland in the eighth, putting up back-to-back doubles by Esmerlyn Valdez and Triolo to cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1. Up to that point, it looked as if Freeland had the juice to throw a complete game, especially since he threw just 81 pitches.

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