15 mins read

Colorado’s hidden human trafficking problem: It’s closer than you think

AURORA | Human trafficking in Colorado is not some shadowy crime confined to distant places, and it rarely looks like the dramatic abductions portrayed online. Instead, federal and local investigators say it often unfolds through manipulation, familiarity and unmet needs, frequently going unnoticed by the public, even when it is happening in plain sight. “It’s […]

19 mins read

Aurora cops say drones give crime-fighting a new advantage. Critics want regulation

AURORA | Last summer, Dr. P.J. Parmar and his friends noticed a drone frequently flying around Mango House in Aurora and the nearby Martin Luther King Library on East Colfax Avenue.  At first, they had no idea who was flying the drone and why, but they felt like they were being watched. One day, Parmar’s […]

7 mins read

Buckley Space Force Base still flying high in Aurora’s economic orbit

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story referred to National Guard personnel incorrectly. AURORA | Buckley Space Force Base officials say the economic impact of the Aurora base is linked to a sizable $2.4 billion in area economic activity, although it’s about $200 million less than last year. The economic impact update and a […]

3 mins read

Colorado River Basin water crisis deepens with record low summer inflow

This story was first published at KUNC News. DENVER | A federal hydrologist appeared to be momentarily at a loss for words Thursday as he described how dire the latest forecast has gotten for how much water will flow through the Colorado River Basin this summer. “Really no good news this winter,” Cody Moser with […]

9 mins read

Did the founders create a Christian nation? No, but religion did shape their thinking

When he talks about the role of religion in the founding of the United States, historian Gregg Frazer does not attract eager audiences. “Neither side really wants to hear what I say,” says Frazer, a professor of history and political studies at The Master’s University, a Christian school in Santa Clarita, California. The founders, Frazer […]

7 mins read

Older Americans say it’s a good time to find a job. Younger people aren’t buying it, new poll finds

For years, younger Americans have been more optimistic about the job market than older Americans, even through the depths of the Great Recession. But in an abrupt shift, a new poll released Monday finds young people’s confidence has plummeted over the past two years — while their elders remain more upbeat. The gap between young […]

7 mins read

Teachers grapple with AI homework as students turn to chatbots for help

BROOMFIELD | Stephen Kelly, an anatomy and physiology teacher at Broomfield High School, first noticed AI in his classroom last year. “Students were working on a research project dealing with the immune system. And the projects that I got were really, really good. A little too good,” said Kelly. “And the students could not explain […]

5 mins read

Colorado lawmakers kill bill to fund childcare for low-income families

This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at coloradosun.com. DENVER | More than 14,000 kids living in poverty across Colorado will continue waiting for a childcare slot after lawmakers this week sidelined a bill that would have created a state fund to help low-income families afford the rising […]

3 mins read

Democrats ask the Supreme Court to halt a Virginia ruling blocking new congressional districts

WASHINGTON | Democrats on Monday filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to halt a Virginia ruling invalidating a ballot measure that would have given their party an additional four winnable U.S. House seats. The move came after the Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly […]

7 mins read

Colorado’s proposed amendment sparks fears of renewed oil and gas battles

This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at coloradosun.com. DENVER | Colorado lawmakers say they are launching a last-minute legislative bid on Friday to counter a proposed ballot measure aiming to give consumers in the state a constitutional “right to natural gas.” The proposed amendment, known as Initiative […]