Jon Murray

WGN-TV producer detained during ICE enforcement action in Lincoln Square A WGN-TV video editor and producer was roughly detained by two Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during a highly visible rush hour enforcement action in Lincoln Square.

In Chicago: WGN-TV producer detained during ICE enforcement action in Lincoln Square www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/10/w...

“Journalists from The New York Times will not sign the Pentagon’s revised press pass policy, which threatens to punish them for ordinary news gathering protected by the First Amendment. Since the policy was first announced, we have expressed concerns that it constrains how journalists can report on the U.S. military, which is funded by nearly $1 trillion in taxpayer dollars annually. The public has a right to know how the government and military are operating. The Times is dedicated to pursuing the public interest through deep, fair reporting and an unwavering pursuit of the facts.” Richard Stevenson, Washington Bureau Chief, The New York Times

A statement from The New York Times on the Pentagon’s press pass policy:

Government shutdown leaves Colorado’s community health centers in financial limbo A long shutdown could also jeopardize other programs supporting health centers, such as loan repayment for doctors working in underserved areas.

Community health centers serving low-income Coloradans will face a reckoning if the government shutdown goes on too long.
The federal community health center fund, which pays about $111 million annually to Colorado clinics to cover care for uninsured people, lapsed at the end of September

Colorado's Federalist Society chapter is hosting John Eastman next week, who was the legal achitect of the plan to reject the 2020 election results and, so far as I know, isn't allowed to practice in Colorado's federal court (www.coloradopolitics.com/2024/04/29/f...). The event is closed to media.

Denver to Broadway: Ryan Fitzgerald’s corny journey to Tony-winning “Shucked” The Longmont native is touring with the acclaimed musical comedy, playing Oct. 7-19 at the Buell Theatre.

You don't tour Europe with "West Side Story" without learning a few things about theater. Now Denver native #RyanFitzgerald is back with his Buell Theatre debut as part of the Tony-winning "Shucked."

How'd he get there? More for @denverpost.com

Denver’s new chief librarian on free speech, the city’s budget crisis and how to make adolescence easier "It comes down to choice ... we should provide opportunities and offerings for everyone."

"There may be a book on the shelf that doesn't speak to you. You move on and find something else."

For Banned Books Week, I spoke with Denver's new city librarian. We discussed video games as literacy, DPL's hiring freeze, and a unionization effort:

Michael Bloomberg gives $1.5 million to help save Denver’s flavored tobacco ban in election During the last campaign finance reports in September, opponents of Denver’s ban had far outraised supporters. Bloomberg’s donation significantly shifts the dynamics of the ballot election.

New: Billionaire Michael Bloomberg gives $1.5 million to help save Denver's flavored tobacco ban in election www.denverpost.com/2025/10/08/m... via @elliottwenzler.bsky.social

Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches 8th day The risk of wider impacts to the U.S. aviation system “is growing by the day.”

Staffing shortages led to more flight delays at airports across the U.S. Tuesday as the federal government shutdown stretched into the 8th day, while union leaders for air traffic controllers and airport security warned the situation is likely to get worse

NEW: Colo. AG Phil Weiser (D) isn't optimistic that the Supreme Court will uphold Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors. It would be the third SCOTUS loss for Colo. on free speech/religious liberty grounds. I asked Weiser if Colo. is hostile to conservative Christians. #copolitics

Former clerk for small Colorado town accused of diverting $26k from water project to personal accounts The town of Aguilar has since set up a separate water account for the project designed to ensure long-term water access for the town of 450

realized something was up in Aguilar earlier this year when i sought 2024 open records requests from state agencies and a reporter was requesting lots of info she couldn't get from the city. #copolitics

CO Supreme Court: Aurora Sentinel is a ‘citizen’ entitled to attorney fees for winning an open meetings law case - Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition The Aurora Sentinel is a “citizen” entitled to recover attorney fees and court costs for prevailing in an open meetings lawsuit against the Aurora City Council, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled.

The Aurora Sentinel is a “citizen” entitled to recover attorney fees and court costs for prevailing in an open meetings lawsuit against the Aurora City Council, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Ethics board clears Denver airport CEO over flights costing as much as $19,000, but is ‘appalled’ by response Board members said they were “appalled” by the amount of funds he used for the aviation conference and by his “seemingly cavalier attitude in responding to this complaint.”

The Denver Board of Ethics cleared Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington of using his position for private gain when he and eight other executives flew to Madrid on a spring trip that cost about $18,000 per person.
@elliottwenzler.bsky.social has more: www.denverpost.com/2025/10/06/d...

Loveland mayor opens city hall to homeless, prompting backlash Video from inside showed the interior lobby and council chambers with several people lying on the floor or sitting in chairs, some covered with blankets or coats.

Mayor Jacki Marsh opened Loveland’s city hall Sunday night to let up to 15 unhoused residents sleep inside as it rained, a move that sparked sharp criticism from fellow council members and may have violated city procedures

Could Denver harness AI to renew trust in government? Mayor Mike Johnston thinks so, but others are skeptical. Mayor Mike Johnston and his chief AI and information officer, Suma Nallapati — whose role was just expanded to include an AI focus — are planning to make it a major part of how Denver o…

Interesting read by @elliottwenzler.bsky.social: Could Denver harness AI to renew trust in government? Mayor Mike Johnston thinks so, but others are skeptical. www.denverpost.com/2025/10/06/d... via @denverpost.com

Amid conflict, Denver American Indian Commission co-chairs step away from Indigenous Peoples Day event “What we are experiencing is not simple conflict — it is manipulation, defiance and harmful behavior that has created an unsafe and unsustainable environment,” the letter says.

Amid conflict, Denver American Indian Commission co-chairs step away from Indigenous Peoples Day event
www.denverpost.com/2025/10/02/d...

Trump eliminates $550 million in Colorado clean energy projects as administration targets blue states Most of the projects being terminated were budgeted for states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris last year.

Trump eliminates $550 million in Colorado clean energy projects as administration targets blue states www.denverpost.com/2025/10/02/t... via @thenoellephillips.bsky.social

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will close its Denver location The USPTO, which assisted innovators with obtaining and challenging patents, said that the cost of keeping an office with fewer than 10 employees were too high. But backers said the assistance it p…

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will close its Denver location www.denverpost.com/2025/10/01/p... via @denverpost.com

Denver had 4th-highest number of immigrant arrivals per capita during border influx Miami led all U.S. metropolitan areas per capita with 2,191 immigrant arrivals for every 100,000 residents, followed by Fort Meyers, Florida; Salt Lake City, Denver and New York City.

Denver had 4th-highest number of immigrant arrivals per capita during border influx trib.al/D4k11aV

Rocky Mountain National Park remains open despite government shutdown Colorado’s most-visited national park remains open despite the federal government shutdown, but details about how the shutdown will impact services and operations remain unclear.

Rocky Mountain National Park remains open despite government shutdown trib.al/hLuK5mF

Many of Colorado’s 54,000 federal civilian workers in limbo amid shutdown, but public lands are open Not all federal workers are furloughed, with significant exemptions in some agencies. Excepted employees, or those whose work includes protecting life and property, are expected to continue working…

Latest update: The majority of staff at NOAA in Boulder are out of work due to the shutdown, according to U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse’s office, with some from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Weather Service working without pay.

Rocky Mountain National Park remains open despite government shutdown Colorado’s most-visited national park remains open despite the federal government shutdown, but details about how the shutdown will impact services and operations remain unclear.

Latest on RMNP: www.denverpost.com/2025/10/01/r...

Trump hasn’t targeted Denver with troops, but officials weigh plans in case of ‘federal overreach’ Both Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston have said they would oppose a deployment of troops to the city, with Johnston promising a legal fight on “day one.”

"We have looked at options for what a potential deployment would look like," @colorado.gov says. Denver is planning a "tabletop" exercise in coming days. Though it hasn't been targeted, @sethklamann.bsky.social looks at early contingency planning: www.denverpost.com/2025/09/30/d... @denverpost.com

Again, this shutdown fight is not about health care for undocumented people — they are not eligble for the ACA tax credit or federal medicaid. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u...

Firefighter arrested at Bear Gulch blaze released from ICE detention The firefighter had spent nearly four weeks detained by immigration officials. His attorneys argue that was he wrongfully arrested and his constitutional rights were violated.

NEW from @isabellabreda.bsky.social - Four weeks after ICE arrested him while he worked the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula, immigration officials released firefighter Rigoberto Hernandez from the detention center in Tacoma.

www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

With Michelin star, Sushi Den’s Toshi Kizaki reaches his apex Kizaki aimed high when he opened his omakase counter in April. He’s surprised it came so quickly.

“When I opened [Kizaki], I had James Beard and a Michelin in my mind.”

The Michelin star is a late-career peak for Chef Toshi Kizaki, who said he is six months shy of turning 70.

NEW: Fmr Colorado Gov Bill Owens (R) endorses State Sen Barb Kirkmeyer for Governor. Kirkmeyer owns the establishment lane in the 2026 GOP primary. Owens is Colorado's only R Gov in the last 50 years. #copolitics

The Marshall fire mega-trial is apparently off, Noelle scoops:

6" of fresh snow at Winter Park...not bad for September!

#COwx

Colorado families caring for disabled adults to see cut in Medicaid pay For years, family caregivers received a higher reimbursement from Medicaid than “host homes” where a handful of people with disabilities live with one or more people in charge of their …

Colorado families paid by Medicaid to provide around-the-clock care for adults with disabilities will do so with 8% less funding under one of the cuts meant to close the state’s budget hole. “To me, it’s so unfair that the most vulnerable people are the ones they’re choosing to cut,” a parent says

Our story: usa.streetsblog.org/2025/09/22/h...