WEEK OF MAY 23, 2024
VOLUME 37 | ISSUE 25
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Rock Church Meet the Democrats running takes fight over for Congress in Colorado’s District 4 race homeless shelter to federal court
BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the country’s largest federation of unions, in Washington, D.C., when her mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She moved home to provide end-of-life care when her dad also got sick and later died. Running for office became a gift to herself and her parents, who were the first to endorse her candidacy. Calvarese’s top priorities are health care, including defending seniors and restoring reproductive rights and expanding access to education, job training programs, and infrastructure like broadband internet in rural communities. She’s also focused on democracy in American leadership, both domestically and globally, in areas like technology and national security.
The Rock Church is taking its lawsuit to allow the church to provide temporary housing for homeless people in Castle Rock to federal court. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Colorado, argues the Town of Castle Rock is violating the church’s religion freedom by prohibiting it from offering short-term shelter to people in need. The church has used an RV and a trailer on its property to temporarily house people who otherwise would have nowhere to sleep and shelter from the weather. Last year, town determined the arrangement was not permitted by the church’s zoning. The church hasn’t provided shelter since. In addition to prohibiting shelter in the RV and trailer on the property, the lawsuit also alleges Castle Rock prevented its efforts to provide emergency shelter through partnerships with the Red Cross and Douglas County’s Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team. Jeremy Dys, an attorney for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit Christian conservative legal organization based in Texas that is representing The Rock, said the church considers providing shelter to be a core part of its religious mission.
SEE CANDIDATES, P4
SEE SHELTER, P2
It’s not just Republicans, including Lauren Boebert, who are facing a primary in June for the Congressional District 4 race. Three DemoIMAGES PERMISSION CANDIDATES’ crats – from left, Ike McCorkle, Trisha Calvarese and John Padora – are also vying to be on the fall ballot. BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
A Democrat hasn’t won the U.S. House seat in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District since Betsy Markey in 2008. Two years later, Republican Cory Gardner pushed her out and held the seat until he successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Then came Ken Buck, a Republican from Weld County, who had a lock on the seat for more than nine years until his shocking retirement earlier this year. And, Republicans vying to replace Buck have grabbed almost all the headlines, especially Lauren Boebert, the Western Slope congresswoman who wants to switch to the 4th District. But Democrats Trisha Calvarese, Isaac “Ike” McCorkle and John Pa-
dora seek to offer an alternative to the status quo. They face an uphill battle. In the past two presidential elections, District 4 voters have favored Republicans at a rate of 13 percentage points higher than the national average, leading many people to believe whichever Republican wins the primary election in June will have a lock on winning the seat in November. Yet, the three Democrats say not so fast. With 46.4% of the district’s voters registered as uwnaffiliated and 16.7% Democrat, each believes Democrats have a chance at winning the district. Here’s why. About the Democratic Candidates
Trisha Calvarese is a native of Highlands Ranch and the only Democratic candidate born and raised in the 4th District. She was working for the
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