- Gov. Jared Polis has done the impossible. He united all of Colorado – rural, urban, suburban, Democrats, Republicans and independents. When his $28 million legacy bridge proposal faced massive public criticism, he put it to a public vote, and a staggering 94% of voters were against it.
- On the campaign trail and once in office, Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans has used what he said was his grandfather’s lawful entry in the United States as justification for deporting those here illegally. Chase Woodruff at Colorado Newsline dug into the paperwork, though, and discovered Evans’ story is not true – records show his grandfather entered the country illegally at age 5 and was arrested for burglary at age 16.
- The 76 Group‘s Jeff Small is wracking up a string of embarrassing media coverage for his firm ranging from trying to convince county clerks to do the same thing that got Tina Peters nine years in jail (none agreed) to conducting a “shakedown” of county commissioners trying to get off President Donald Trump‘s “sanctuary jurisdictions” list.
- Speaking of President Donald Trump, he reverting to his habit of elevating cultural issues when he is threatened by challenges such as his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and is now threatening to sabotage a stadium deal for the NFL‘s Washington Commanders if they do not restore the team’s old name, the Redskins.
- Former Colorado state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis is facing felony charges for allegedly forging letters of support that were submitted to investigators looking into allegations she mistreated legislative aides.
- Employees at The Dallas Morning News are anxiously awaiting to see if Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund owners who are destroying The Denver Post, will acquire the paper.
- Eleven of King Charles‘ 12 gardeners at his Highgrove estate quit over because of what they say is a toxic workplace environment. I bet King Henry VIII never had that problem.
- A Little Leaguer who was suspended from the New Jersey state final after a bat-flip celebration that an umpire thought was excessive won a court order allowing him to play. Who says youth sports don’t teach kids life skills?
- If you have a Gen-Xer in your life, give them a hug. It was a tough week for celebrities who arguably peaked in the 1980s:
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for playing the lovable and charismatic son Theo on “The Cosby Show,” drowned while on vacation in Costa Rica at the age of 54.
- Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal singer who fronted Black Sabbath before making it on his own, and who became a mainstream sensation with his reality television show “The Osbournes,” passed away at the age of 76.
- “Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling,” died at the age of 71.
- And I’ll add Chuck Mangione to the list because while his musical career peaked in the 1970s, his cultural relevance may have peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s with his cameos on “King of the Hill” as the trumpeter whose every song – “Taps,” “Star-Spangled Banner,” etc. – transitions slowly into his 1977 hit, “Feels So Good.” He passed away at the age of 84.
- A photograph of a police officer escorting a handcuffed Chuck E. Cheese mascot out of a Tallahassee, Fla., location while stunned children watched went viral. He was still wearing his costume head when police arrested him for credit card fraud.
Who won the week?
- The Colorado Rockies drafted Ethan Holliday, the son of Rockies legend Matt Holliday, with the fourth overall pick in the MLB amateur draft. Holliday received a $9 million signing bonus, a record for a player drafted out of high school.
- Denver‘s homicide rate has dropped to a 10-year low, and credit is being given to better staffing, smarter enforcement strategies, strategic community partnerships and tougher gun laws.
- A one-of-a-kind Caitlin Clark rookie card sold for $600,000, setting an all-time record for the most expensive women’s sports card.
Denver Public Relations Blog 