Mike Johnston Cutting Funding For Immigration Program
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced budget cuts for 2024 as part of a new immigration program the city is kicking off this week. A large part of these cuts were allocated toward the Denver Police Department, but the Mayor said they would not affect officers in the field or recruiting processes. Instead, these cuts would delay the acquisition of new police department buildings.
With these cuts comes the Denver Asylum Seeker Program. Mayor Johnston said the new program will help new immigrants apply for asylum, connect new immigrants to apartments where they can live and support themselves, connect them to food assistance, and connect them to a program the city is calling Work Ready Denver that will get new immigrants job training, industry certification, and skills.
Skier Passes After Trying to Jump Highway Near Berthoud
A 21-year-old skier died near the Berthoud Pass summit after he crashed onto Highway 40 on Tuesday afternoon. Around 3 p.m., a person called 911 to report a skiing accident on Highway 40 just west of the Berthoud Pass summit. The person said a 21-year-old skier was unconscious and not breathing.
Based on the preliminary investigation, the man was attempting a high-risk stunt that involved clearing Highway 40. Because of lack of speed, he crashed onto the pavement, the sheriff’s office said. The man has not yet been identified. We offer our condolences to anyone involved or related to the skier.
Boulder City Council Sets Housing Agenda
This week, The Boulder City Council set its two-year policy agenda, giving particular attention to increasing the city’s housing supply, making homes more wildfire-resistant and boosting economic development downtown, particularly in response to shifts in work patterns accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of their agenda, the council is looking to update the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, which is a long-term land-use planning document jointly used by the City of Boulder and Boulder County. It plays an influential role in determining what can be developed and where. Updates would include helping increase the city’s housing supply.
Councilmembers prioritized forming a working group to address council process changes and, separately, devising a long-term financial strategy for the city. This could include a review of fees the city charges. They want to improve the connection between the city’s downtown and University Hill, particularly the multi-use path running past the Andrews Arboretum near Boulder High.