Denver's $1.49B Budget Unveiled + 82% Of CO ICU Beds Filled

Happy Thursday, Denver! Here's everything you need to know going on in town today, from the city's proposed budget to the latest in the Elijah McClain case.

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Denver? Our premium local sponsorships will keep you at the top of inboxes around town every morning. Contact us here for the lowdown.

First, today's weather:

Clear throughout the day. High: 93 Low: 56.

Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. Mayor Michael Hancock has unveiled a $1.49 billion general fund budget for Denver in 2022, which aims to "build a sustained and inclusive recovery," the mayor said. (Westword)
2. Colorado's attorney general said Wednesday that a civil rights investigation begun amid outrage over the death of Elijah McClain has found that the Aurora Police Department has a pattern of racially biased policing. (AP/Patch)
3. Civic Center Park closed Wednesday for a major cleanup, and organizers of the popular Denver Christkindl Market may have to find a new home. (CBS Denver)
4. Around 82 percent of ICU beds in Colorado were in use as of Wednesday as the delta variant continues to spread, state public health officials said. Out of the 898 people who were hospitalized on Wednesday, 745 were not fully vaccinated, said Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. (Patch)
5. More than 40 students from Denver are semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program. About 16,000 students from across the country are semifinalists and will go on to compete for some 7,500 scholarships that will be awarded in the spring. Here's a list of Denver winners! (Patch)
6. Pollution levels in the Front Range and Eastern Plains will improve slightly Thursday, according to the latest state air quality forecast. Fine particulate matter concentrations from wildfire smoke will be in the 'good' to 'moderate' categories Thursday throughout the region. (Patch)

Today's Denver Daily is brought to you by our friends at FTD, the most trusted name in flowers. FTD's network includes over 8,800 local florists in communities around the country. Send flowers to someone you care about today and get a 15% discount on your order. Click here to make someone feel awesome.

Today in metro Denver:

• Book Group: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. (9 a.m.)
• Construction Careers Hiring Event - The Denver Office of Economic Development. (11 a.m.)
• Denverites Invited to Face to Face with City's Emergency Management Team. (6 p.m.)
• 1340 Penn: Madness and Monsters - Historic Denver Inc. (7 p.m.)
• Rotating Tap Comedy show @ Epic Brewing. (8 p.m.)

Denver Patch Notebook

• Visit Denver: "National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place each year from September 15 to October 15. Here’s how to celebrate in Denver through exhibitions, theatre, comedy, music and more." (Facebook)
• City and County of Denver Government: "Mayor Michael B. Hancock and leaders from key city agencies announce the budget proposal for 2022. This is budget is a long-term financial plan to invest in and build a sustainable, equitable economy." (Facebook)
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts: "Looking for a great date night? Take your significant other to #VanGoghAliveDCPA!" (Facebook)
• Denver Broncos Community Development: "Alzheimer’s caregivers come in all shapes and sizes – family, professional, independent, private, informal and volunteer. #BroncosCountry Caregivers is a community of support for all those impacted by the disease." (Facebook)
• Denver Preschool Program: "A new year of learning has begun for children across the country, and after an unprecedented academic year, the first several weeks of school may be filled with many emotions about returning to the classroom." (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Add your business here

Events:

• Movies Around Town: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Sept. 18)
• Add your event

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update! If you're loving these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors into the fold. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Amber Fisher

About me: I'm a Patch editor covering news in Denver's metro area and Boulder. I've spent the past nine years working for various news outlets across North America, including Chicago Patch, Global News and WBEZ. I've covered high-profile court cases, civil rights abuses, mass shootings, natural disasters and major crimes — but also countless happy news stories about kindness, innovation and resilience. When I'm not writing articles, I can be found hiking, snowboarding, debating politics with my husband and attempting to be a sci-fi and astronomy geek.