How the death by suicide of a 9-year-old boy has changed a community in the wake of tragedy
"Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod, who had founded Caring 4 Denver right before Jamel took his life, took similarly swift action after his death. “When I started Caring 4 Denver, I wasn’t focused on suicide,” Herod tells Yahoo Lifestyle. But Jamel’s death changed that. Now, Caring 4 Denver will raise $45 million per year to fund mental health and addiction services for children and adults, a large amount of which will go to aiding youth, including for suicide preven
INSIGHTS | Colorado usually leads the pack
"State Rep. Leslie Herod, a Democrat from Denver, led the passage of a city sales tax for mental health and drug addiction services in November. She will carry a bill next session to allow Denver and others in Colorado that could quality to set up a pilot program, to see if the injection sites save lives and get more people into treatment." "Politics have to go to where the people are," she said, "and most people in Colorado aren't on the extreme right or left." Read full art
"He is unstoppable": Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse looks like the next generation of Democratic
"Joe has this uncanny ability to bring people together and to really help manage personality differences," said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. "People are attracted to him for it, and in that way he is unstoppable." "Herod, Neguse and incoming Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, all met at the University of Colorado at Boulder through their work in student government back in the early 2000s." "We were big student government nerds," Fenberg said. "We were young peop
Pot delivery one possibility as Colorado prepares for a year of change in marijuana industry
"Microbusinesses. California recently created a new option for entrepreneurs. The “microbusiness” model in that state allows businesses to grow, process and sell cannabis on one small site, kind of like a small beer brewery." "In Colorado, Singer and Rep. Leslie Herod are interested in a variant: They could allow small businesses to operate under the licensing umbrella of a bigger company." “What we’ve unfortunately found out is that it’s the people with access to capital who
How Denver Voters Decided to Help Address a Major Health Equity Gap
"One story that struck Herod on the campaign trail was at the Gilliam youth detention center in Denver’s Whittier neighborhood, where a staffer told her that “80 percent of the young people coming in have a mental health or substance abuse issue; and 100 percent leave with them.” "Herod and other supporters say the new funding is aimed at narrowing an enormous health equity gap in behavioral services." “Compared with the majority population, members of racial and ethnic minor
Feds issue scathing response to Denver's supervised injection ordinance
"Kilmer then said supervised injection sites can reduce the risk of fatal overdose, disease transmission and issues associated with unhygienic drug use practices but said it’s unclear “about the size of the population-level effects of SCSs.” "To implement the supervised use site pilot program in Denver, a bill will have to pass through the Colorado State Legislature in the 2019 session." "State Representative Leslie Herod (D-Denver) said she will be one of the sponsors for a
Feds question Denver's drug plan
"Those injecting methamphetamine, cocaine or other drugs for which there is no counteragent are also welcome to use the facility. The Denver facility likewise would welcome users of any drug, not just opioids." "The agencies said their statement should not be "read as casting aspersions on the laudable motives of those seeking to improve our communities and free Coloradans from the scourge of drug addiction." "That is, however, how it was received by those working to set up t
Colorado state House committee leaders announced
"Colorado state Speaker of the House-designee Rep. KC Becker of Boulder has made her choices for who will chair 11 House committees in the 2019 and 2020 sessions." "Becker also reorganized a few committees, eliminating the Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee in favor of a "Rural Affairs Committee." She also combined Transportation with Local Government." "In a Sunday statement Becker said the Rural Affairs Committee "will oversee issues of particular import
How well did Trump, Obama do on backing Colorado candidates?
"The rest of One Colorado’s endorsements included state Senate candidates Donovan, Danielson, Story and Pettersen, as well as Leroy Garcia, Pete Lee, Robert Rodriguez and Julie Gonzales." "Other House candidates endorsed by One Colorado were Bridges, Roberts, Michaelson-Jenet, Gray, McLachlan, Snyder, Caraveo, Mullica, Bird, Sullivan, Galindo, Susan Lontine, Alec Garnett, Chris Hansen, James Coleman, Leslie Herod, Edie Hooten, Jonathan Singer, KC Becker, Chris Kennedy, Tracy
Colorado state House committee chairs announced
"Colorado state Speaker of the House-designee Rep. KC Becker of Boulder has made her choices for who will chair 11 House committees in the 2019 and 2020 sessions." "Becker also reorganized a few committees, eliminating the Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee in favor of a "Rural Affairs Committee." She also combined Transportation with Local Government." "In a Sunday statement Becker said the Rural Affairs Committee "will oversee issues of particular import
