Silicon Valley Police Blotter

Investigators from the U. S. Department of Justice will be in Colorado next week conducting interviews as they probe the Douglas County School District’s response to discrimination, harassment and bullying of students based on their race, national origin, religion or disability. The investigation by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, which has been quietly underway for at least a year, is in direct response to a 2023 federal lawsuit filed by the families of four Douglas County students of color who alleged the school district and its leaders violated the children’s rights to an equal education by exhibiting “callous indifference” toward extensive racist bullying at school, their attorney, Iris Halpern, told The Denver Post. Representatives of the Douglas County School District and the Justice Department have not responded to messages left Thursday seeking comment. Lacey Ganzy, the mother of two of the students in the lawsuit, said she has been interviewed by the DOJ as part of their investigation a few times over the past year.

Sean Payton stood in the center of the locker room, making eye contact with the circle of players around him. It was quiet as he spoke, other than a few, “Yes sirs.” Just nods and focused eyes. Payton has made this speech hundreds of times, but this one carried special meaning.

The Broncos returned to the postseason and several players are reaping recognition in the process. Denver landed three players on the Associated Press’ first-team All-Pro list Friday and had a pair of second-teamers, too. Cornerback Pat Surtain II, right guard Quinn Meinerz and punt returner Marvin Mims Jr. all landed on the AP’s first team, while outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and defensive lineman Zach Allen are second-teamers. Surtain, of course, is one of the front-runners for the NFL’s defensive player of the year award.

President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction. A judge ended the case Friday with a sentence of an unconditional discharge, closing the case with no punishment. But unless the conviction for falsifying business records is someday overturned, Trump will have felonies on his criminal record, which will affect some of his rights. Here are some of the potential impacts and some things that won’t change: Can he still vote? Trump is registered to vote in Florida and he will be able to vote there. Florida does bars people convicted of felonies from voting, but restores their right to vote after they have completed their sentence.

Mega Millions jackpots and the odds of winning big will grow starting April 5, as the national lottery rolls out pricier tickets in Colorado and other participating states. Lottery players will soon pay $5 rather than $2 for a ticket — just the second price increase in the 22-year-old game’s history and the first since current rules were adopted in 2017, according to a news release from Colorado Lottery. Jackpots will start at $50 million, up from $20 million, and the odds of buying a winning ticket will increase from about one in 302 million to one in 290 million. “We are excited to bring even more chances to win to Coloradans in April,” Colorado Lottery senior director Tom Seaver said in the release.

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