Crime and Punishment

Historic $3 million settlement in Emily Rice case; horror lingers

On Thursday, news broke that the City of Denver is poised to pay a record $3 million to settle the two-year old case involving Emily Rice, the 24-year old who suffered a lacerated liver and spleen and bled to death in the city jail.

The proposed settlement includes a laundry list of policy changes that must be installed at the jail, including sensitivity and other training, and establishes what is known as “Emily’s Rights” to dictate patient care at the jail.

Vail Daily shutters Vail’s first newspaper, the venerable Vail Trail

In yet another sign of just how tough things are in the newspaper industry these days, even community publications — once nearly unassailable in terms of financial viability — are getting the axe.

The midnight deregulation express

It’s something of a tradition — administrations using their final weeks in power to ram through a slew of federal regulations. With the election grabbing the headlines, outgoing federal bureaucrats quietly propose and finalize rules that can affect the health and safety of millions.

Rumors: Congress to investigate Bush in Obama Era?

Here’s something interesting from my favorite new Washington gossip blog, Unattributable:

According to one Democratic senator, the Senate Judiciary Committee has been discussing the possibility of holding major hearings to examine the activities of the Bush Administration.

The form and scope of such hearings have yet to be determined, but this senator, and member of the Senate Judicial Committee, is pressing for something along the lines of Church-Pike–a bicameral endeavor that would address the full range of executive misdeeds.

Denver man appeals Dick Cheney subpoena ruling in First Amendment lawsuit

Fresh off delivering what some pundits say was the kiss of death for John McCain by endorsing the senator just before the Nov. 4 election, lame-duck Vice President Dick Cheney may be a bit distracted from trying to cement the Bush legacy in the administration’s final 100 days.

Surge in Colorado deportations points to national increase in enforcement actions

Recent data shows that Colorado and Wyoming saw a 7 percent increase in deportations of undocumented immigrants in 2007, but the information should come as no surprise because the federal government has been dramatically stepping up enforcement actions, including worksite raids and criminal prosecutions.

Two more states go ‘green’ as Mass., Mich. ease marijuana laws

In results that underline a national trend, Massachusetts and Michigan voters approved easing marijuana laws on Tuesday.

Salazar brushes off speculation on Obama cabinet post

While Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar’s name has generated conjecture as a possible Interior Department secretary in a new Barack Obama administration, the first-term Democrat said Wednesday, “It’s highly doubtful that I would serve in the Cabinet.” Salazar said he likes his current job in a conference call with reporters.

Liveblog: Colorado election returns for president, Congress, state assembly

Throughout the evening, The Colorado Independent will be tracking election returns across the state for hotly contested races from the the presidency on down.

Liveblog: Early election night results

The polls are closing on the East Coast with results, prognostications and wild-ass guesses streaming in. Coloradans have two hours remaining to cast their ballots. Need help finding your polling place or figuring how to vote, check out our handy guide.