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Kwon Atlas joins race for Council District 9

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Kwon Atlas joins race for Council District 9


Atlas, a 5 Factors resident, faces Darrell Watson and present councilmember Candi CdeBaca for the East Denver district.

Courtesy of Kwon Atlas

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The Metropolis Council race for District 9, which encompasses East Denver, has a brand new opponent in 5 Factors resident Kwon Atlas.

Atlas is a constant face in Colorado politics having labored with State Senator James Coleman as a legislative aide, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet as a group liaison and most lately within the Denver mayor’s workplace.

He’s additionally an energetic member of the 5 Factors neighborhood and the Black group in Denver. He’s the founder and chief editor of the 5 Factors Atlas, a hyperlocal newspaper, and he helped create Metro DEEP, a nonprofit geared towards bettering the financial standing of Black Denverites.

Creating racial fairness within the metropolis is one among Atlas’ primary marketing campaign factors.

“We now have large racial fairness points in our metropolis,” Atlas mentioned. “We now have a big racial wealth hole. A big racial homeownership hole. Enterprise hole. We’re dropping legacy companies within the Black group notably on Welton Road. I’ve been preventing to get extra assist on Welton Road. We now have so many vacant storefronts and so many alternatives and I’ve gotten push again from of us saying effectively there’s no foot site visitors on Welton however there can be foot site visitors if there have been companies. … We’d like somebody who understands these points, has been creating options for these points and is dedicated to doing one thing about it.”

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Atlas mentioned creating racial fairness within the metropolis begins with selling financial fairness and mobility. A technique is to assist small companies, reminiscent of those he talked about on Welton Road. He mentioned town wants to have a look at small companies by way of a special lens contemplating most house owners don’t have the identical capital as greater companies or the capability to make frequent adjustments based mostly on zoning and allowing guidelines. In terms of Black and brown companies, Atlas mentioned these limitations are disproportionately larger. He pointed to Melody Market, a small grocer that took some years to open attributable to fixed backwards and forwards with town.

“If we worth small companies and worth companies ran by individuals of shade, we now have to maneuver in a different way,” Atlas mentioned. “We are able to’t deal with the big-box companies the identical means we deal with the small companies.”

At center, Denver City Council District 9 candidate Kwon Atlas
Courtesy of Kwon Atlas

One other pillar in Atlas’ marketing campaign is homelessness, which he mentioned ties into psychological well being and public security. Atlas mentioned the problem hits near residence as a result of his mom has skilled homelessness. He described her as being an energetic member of the group and a “arduous employee rising up as a single mom.” Atlas mentioned she struggles with psychological well being points which have pushed her out of housing.

“I perceive the challenges of what could make somebody homeless, and I actually wish to sort out these points,” Atlas mentioned. “Sadly, we’re persevering with to disregard the medical and psychological well being points that we should be extra outfitted to deal with in our metropolis.”

If elected in 2023, Atlas can be one of many youngest council members, on the age of 28. Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez was the youngest council member, additionally on the age of 28.

However age is nothing however a quantity to Atlas who mentioned many extra younger individuals can be operating for workplace seeking change. In addition to being a consultant of the Black group and 5 Factors as an entire, Atlas mentioned he additionally represents the various millennials dwelling and renting in 5 Factors. Atlas mentioned one extra factor he’d like to perform is incentivizing builders to transform rental models into a possibility for possession for renters.

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“5 Factors, for instance, has a big inhabitants of millennials and the typical individual is beneath 40 on this neighborhood,” Atlas mentioned. “These are of us who’re paying excessively excessive lease, who’ve excessively excessive pupil mortgage debt however haven’t been in a position to buy a house or begin a enterprise. I wish to create distinctive options to deal with that. …to create everlasting housing. If we don’t try this, though 5 Factors, a traditionally African American neighborhood, has already been gentrified, even the brand new younger people that dwell right here will get pushed out. If we don’t construct residence possession and stability we gained’t be capable of cease the housing disaster.”

Atlas can be operating towards Darrell Watson and present councilmember Candi CdeBaca.



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Denver, CO

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos start ‘an important month of football’

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Bo Nix, Denver Broncos start ‘an important month of football’


For the 11th time in the NFL’s Super Bowl era on Sunday, a quarterback threw at least 25 passes and had no more than 60 passing yards in a game. But the Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix walked off the field with something none of the other quarterbacks in the group got – a victory.

The Broncos defeated the New York Jets 10-9 to even their record at 2-2 with the rookie under center.

The former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn QB also came away from the game with the first touchdown pass of his NFL career.

“It’ll be at the house,” Nix said of the ball from the milestone. “Hopefully, it’ll be up for a while. Until my wife gets tired of it, I guess.”

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Nix completed 13-of-25 passes for 60 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against the Jets on a rainy day in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“I think it was a lot to do with the weather,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said, “and I think it impacted both quarterbacks. I’m not making an excuse, but it was different, it was difficult.”

Nix said he thought the weather affected the game “probably a lot.”

“I think some of the call sheets are limited when you have weather like that,” Nix said, “and they can play a little bit more aggressively and things change. But I feel like we adapted well, especially in the second half, and we adjusted, and we found ways to score points when we needed to.”

Nix joined Denver from Oregon as the 12th choice in the NFL Draft on April 25. Through four games, Nix has completed 83-of-138 passes for 660 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions and run for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

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“He’s real sharp with his location,” Payton said of Nix, “and I would say that’s something that’s been pretty consistent long before he arrived here. He’s doing a good job getting through his progressions, where he’s going. I like what I’ve seen.”

But October will tell the tale on Nix and the Broncos for 2024, Payton said.

“There’s really not this plateau,” Payton said. “You’re getting better or you’re it’s the other, so this is an important month of football. …

“The execution, the details still have to get better with younger players, and that’s what we’re working on. I’ve said this before: If everyone else canpaint the right picture, then you truly get to evaluate and watch a real good quarterback. It’s that mix of running game, passing game, third down. It gets back to this month — ascending or going the other way. We’ve got to be stepping on the gas right now.”

The October schedule starts for Denver on Sunday, when the Las Vegas Raiders visit at 3:05 p.m. CDT for the Broncos’ first AFC West game of the season. Including two playoff games, Sunday’s contest will be Denver’s 130th against the Raiders.

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“I’ve been able to get a sense of it a little bit,” Nix said of the rivalry that started with the founding of the AFL in 1960, “but I don’t think you really truly understand it until you play in your first one. So I’m excited to play Sunday, and I know it’s important for this organization. I know it has been for a long time, and the players, we don’t take it lightly, so we’re going to go out there and compete at a high level, and I know they will, too, so it’s going to be a fun football game.”

The Broncos will wear throwback uniforms honoring the 1977 team when they play Las Vegas.

“I think they’re awesome,” Nix said. “I think anytime you can pay a little tribute to former teams that have come before you and have kind of laid the foundation for the opportunity that you have, I think that’s really important.

“And it’s fun to wear throwbacks. I think that’s always a neat thing that teams are able to do, and ours are pretty cool.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.





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Denver, CO

Biking dangers in Denver: Hear close call stories, share yours in this 'On Two Wheels' special video report

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Biking dangers in Denver: Hear close call stories, share yours in this 'On Two Wheels' special video report


What’s your experience biking in Denver?

For me, it can be difficult to find the right words to describe the joys of biking around the Mile High City and rolling onto an undiscovered trail in our beautiful Colorado.

It has reconnected me to a feeling of freedom from my childhood that has done wonders for my mental and physical health. While life On Two Wheels has changed my life for the better, it has also come with lots of challenges and opportunities to learn.

Several years ago, I gave up my car to see if I could become a daily bike commuter in Denver, racking up thousands of miles of lessons learned and joining the thousands of others who do the same.

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And from sailing through the city on the easy days to trudging through the crazy snow days – I still find myself doing silly things and feel a responsibility to grow as a rider and shine a light on the issues and dangers other folks on two wheels experience in Denver and across Colorado.

Denver7

Every single day when I roll into Denver7 News, I reflect on the close calls with drivers and other cyclists and wonder if other riders are experiencing the same.

News coverage needs more voices from people who experience Denver infrastructure on two wheels and that’s where you come in. As more and more people hop onto bikes – especially with the rise of e-bikes – Denver7 wants to hear your experiences rolling around our communities that were built for vehicles.

  • What are your pain points?
  • Where do you have the most close calls?
  • What issues do you see the most while riding in Denver?
  • In terms of trails, bike lanes and infrastructure: What is Denver getting right and wrong?
  • What can we do to make biking more inclusive?
  • Who in the biking community needs a shout out?
  • How has cycling changed your life?
  • For drivers: What interactions with cyclists stress you out?

I want to highlight your experiences biking in Denver and share the challenges when biking is not just for fun, but a primary form of transportation. There are two ways to share your story.
You can call Denver7’s On Two Wheels voicemail hotline at 303-832-0207 and tell me what’s grinding your gears or share a positive angle to biking.Please leave your name and contact info, along with your message.

You can also email us at on2wheels@denver7.com.

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On Two Wheels aims to dive deeper into the unique hazards when biking in Denver and across Colorado, but to also share the good things and lift up the amazing people who take up cycling to get stronger and feel better about their mental health.

I will also be up front about my own mistakes and attempts to try and keep calm on my own two wheels when things get a little crazy out there on the trails.

As we Denver7 launches On Two Wheels, I hope you check out this half-hour program below that introduces you to seasoned Denver riders who share their honest experiences on our trails and roads, so we can all get to where we’re going in one piece.

Watch the special report in the video player:

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Biking dangers in Denver: Close call stories ‘On Two Wheels’

Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos


Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.

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Denver, CO

Investigation into Denver Fire Department comp time practices

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Investigation into Denver Fire Department comp time practices


After more than five months, a city-commissioned investigation into the use of comp time by top Denver Fire Department commanders is “nearing its conclusion,” according to a spokesperson for Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.  

Denver Fire Department

RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images


The investigation began April 19, according to a city contract, and called for an outside investigator to review and report on the use of flex or comp time by DFD command staff. A CBS News Colorado investigation found Chief Desmond Fulton awarding himself hundreds of hours of comp time in the last three years for everything from attending firefighter funerals and retirement ceremonies to having dinner at fire houses and attending community events.

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A review of Fulton’s work records from 2021, 2022 and 2023 showed he repeatedly racked up comp time or flex time by attending events that others viewed as being part of his job. He could then use that comp time to cover his vacations, and cash in unused vacation days at the end of each year, which he did. Denver’s municipal code appears to explicitly forbid the fire department’s executive staff from accruing comp time. The city code reads, “Division chiefs, deputy chief and the chief of the fire department who work overtime after the end of a regular shift shall not be compensated.”

desmond-fulton.jpg
Denver Fire Chief Desmond Fulton 

Courtesy/Denver Fire Department


Fulton has maintained he did nothing wrong and simply followed longstanding department practices. He said he supported the outside investigation. Fulton declined to be interviewed by CBS News Colorado.

In May, a spokesperson for Denver’s Manager of Safety said, “We anticipate a quick and thorough investigation … it is likely that the investigation will be completed within a few months.”

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But after more than five months, the delay in releasing a report or findings has fueled social media speculation about what might be going on.

Kelly Jacobs, a spokesperson for Denver’s Manager of Safety, said Friday, “The investigation and report are not yet completed.”

She went on to say the “investigation is nearing its conclusion and will share more information as the investigation and report are finalized.”

Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson for Johnston, issued a similar statement expressing a desire “for this investigation to be thorough and complete. … It is my understanding,” said Fuja, “that the investigation and report are not yet complete, though it is nearing its conclusion, and we’ll be sure to share more once it’s finished.”

Neither Fuja nor Jacobs offered a timeline of when the investigation and report might be completed and released.

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