💸 Why the mayor is slashing city budgets

⚰️ New Deets in Fraudulent Funeral Home Case

The Colorado funeral home owners accused of improperly storing nearly 200 bodies and distributing fake ashes to grieving families are now also being accused of spending customers’ cremation money on new cars, cryptocurrency, and fancy dinners. The couple faces over 250 criminal charges including corpse mishandling, theft, money laundering, and forgery. [AP va KRCC]

💸 Mayor Slashes City Budgets for Migrant Crisis

After the border security deal failed in the U.S. Senate last week, Mayor Mike Johnston has made true on his warning to cut city budgeting to reallocate money to the migrant crisis. The city’s DMVs and rec centers will reduce their hours and the parks department will slash programming in order to scrounge up an additional $5 million for migrant sheltering efforts. But more difficult cuts may be coming as city officials anticipate a $180 million budget shortfall. [Denver Post]

• Dive deeper: Hear more on Mayor Johnston’s decision, plus why one local newsroom thinks we should reframe the way we talk about the migrant crisis. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

❄️ City Tests New Warming Shelter Protocols

Cold temperatures over the weekend prompted Denver to test out new emergency warming shelter policies. City officials opened the Denver Coliseum to those without shelter on Friday, and will keep it open 24/7 until this Friday, Feb. 16. Typically, the city would wait to open a warming shelter until temps dropped to below 20 degrees. New legislation being considered by City Council would up that threshold to 32 degrees. [Denverite]

• Why change things? This doctor says opening warming shelters sooner could save lives — and money. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

Should We Be Saying 'New Immigrants' Over 'Migrants'?

After Congress failed to pass immigration reform last week, Mayor Johnston announced budget cuts to the Department of Parks and Recreation and the DMV. As tension in the city mounts over how to support the people in the midst of this growing crisis, one local newsroom made a major change in how they cover this humanitarian issue.