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August 2, 2022

Millions of Americans Will Receive $1,500 Rebate Checks

Millions of taxpayers in Colorado will receive some of their hard-earned money back via rebate checks this year.

Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced that Colorado residents who filed their taxes before June 30 are set to receive $750 rebates, and joint filers will receive $1,500.

“We are providing real relief when Coloradans need it most,” Polis said.

“Everyone in our state is feeling the impact of rising costs, and I refuse to let the government sit on taxpayers’ money when it could be used to make life a little bit easier for the people of our state.”

The governor noted that the state’s “strong economy” enabled them to send “nearly double what we initially hoped” when he signed the Colorado Cashback tax rebate into law in April.

Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young echoed Polis’s sentiments: “We are getting money back to people as quickly as possible, providing much-needed relief to Coloradans and their families.”

By T. Thompson
December 25, 2021

Millions Outraged After Truck Driver Sentenced to 110 Years for Deadly Pile-up

A truck driver received a 110-year prison sentence for a 2019 pile-up crash that left four dead and others injured.

During the sentencing hearing, Colorado District Court Judge A. Bruce Jones said he was obligated to follow the state’s laws on a mandatory-minimum sentence.

According to investigators, Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos lost control of the semi-truck after its brakes failed on a highway near Denver. The truck was traveling at about 85 miles per hour before it slammed into dozens of other cars, causing an explosion.

Prosecutors argued that the defendant could have utilized several runaway truck ramps but instead made a “bunch of bad decisions.”

“I am not a criminal,” Aguilera-Mederos said at his sentencing through tears. “I am not a murderer. I am not a killer. When I look at my charges, we are talking about a murderer, which is not me. I have never thought about hurting anybody in my entire life.”

A petition on Change.org entitled “Offer commutation as time served, or grant clemency to Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23” has garnered more than 4,600,000 votes.

“Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23 has nothing on his driving record, or on his criminal history. He had complied with every single request by the Jefferson County courts, and investigators on the case. [He’s] passed all of the drug and alcohol tests that were given including a chemical test. This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the [driver’s] part,” the petition reads.

According to Fox News, truck drivers are protesting the decision by refusing to drive through Colorado.

A civil rights group, the League of United Latin American Citizens, sent a letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) requesting a pardon or reduced sentencing.

“He got 110 years in prison on his first offense when it was clearly an accident,” said Domingo Garcia, president of the organization. “It could happen to anybody. Your brakes go out. It was not intentional. It’s not something that he was trying to do.”

“It was an egregious miscarriage of justice,” Garcia said.

Source:

Trucker’s 110 year sentence for Colorado pile up sparks intense backlash: ‘Miscarriage of justice’

By T. Thompson
December 17, 2021

Sheriff’s Office Faces Outrage After Sharing Photo of Santa Getting Handgun Permit

Colorado’s El Paso County Sheriff’s Office faced outrage after tweeting a photo of a man dressed as Santa Claus applying for a concealed handgun permit.

“Guess who came in to receive his concealed handgun permit today?” the sheriff’s office tweeted alongside the photo and a Santa Claus emoji.

“Did you know the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has issued 49,750 concealed handgun permits with another 2,560 awaiting to be issued?” the tweet continued, concluding with a link to its website for more information on how to obtain a concealed handgun permit.

Many people took exception to the post, finding the timing insensitive given the recent shooting at a high school in Oxford, Michigan.

“I’m sitting here in downtown Oxford, MI, waiting for the candlelight vigil to start to pay tribute to four students who were murdered by a handgun smuggled into the school. But by all means, tell kids Santa carries a concealed weapon,” one person wrote.

“Respectfully, as an Australian, this sort of thing very neatly illustrates the US’s completely insane & deeply unhealthy relationship with firearms,” another wrote.

The sheriff’s office posted an explanation later that same day.

“EPSO intended to highlight our staff in the Concealed Handgun Permit Office, not to be insensitive. Santa correlates to the month of December and we thought he would help to recognize our hard working staff,” the tweet read.

Source:

Outcry after Colorado sheriff’s office tweets photo of Santa getting handgun permit

By T. Thompson
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