Deborah Grigsby

Verified

(She/Her)

Journalist, The Denver Gazette

Centennial, Denver

Crime and Justice, Military

As seen in: The Denver Gazette, KUSA-TV (Denver, CO), Pikes Peak Courier, The Gazette (Colorado Springs), American Military News, Colorado Politics, Castle Pines News-Press, Colorado Community Media, Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, Arvada Press, Castle Rock News-Press and

Covers: Denver City Hall, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, local government, housing, homelessness.

@DenverGazette journo. Attracted to loud noises and shiny things. 📸 DM news tips. Tweets are mine; often my cat's. #Okie, #iraqwarveteran #MPIOFEMA #winesnob

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Deborah Grigsby’s Biography

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Deborah Grigsby Smith is an award-winning Denver city government reporter for The Denver Gazette, bringing a unique perspective shaped by her distinguished military career. A veteran of both Iraq wars, she earned national recognition as the National Guard and U.S. Air Force Print Journalist of the Year for her groundbreaking work as editor of the coalition's first deployed newspaper during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her civilian achievements include the Army National Guard's Moss-Holland Civilian…

Deborah Grigsby’s Journalist Portfolio

Couple, dog ride out twister

Elbert County residents Mark and Debbie Studer had just finished their evening meal and were settling in to w…

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Some beefy competition

BEST BULLS, RIDERS MAKE FOR BEEFY COMPETITION Published June 2014 | Elbert County News A tough break for Tara…

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Bipartisan coalition supports looming special session on property tax reform

Bipartisan coalition raises concerns about impact of Initiatives 50 and 108 on Colorado's financial health. C…

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Articles

Municipal sentencing reform bill in Denver moves forward

Jun 22, 2026 |

By Deborah Grigsby

| The Denver Gazette

The Denver City Council introduced legislation Monday aimed at aligning municipal penalties with state law to “stop criminalizing poverty.” The bill, which was heavily revised and amended, was moved forward on a 10 to 2 vote, with Councilmembers Darrell Watson and Amanda Sawyer dissenting. Currently, people in Denver can face months in jail for relatively low-level municipal offenses. For example, stealing a loaf of bread has been punishable in municipal court by up to 300 days in jail.

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Denver considers best-value contracting

Jun 22, 2026 |

By Deborah Grigsby

| The Denver Gazette

As the city of Denver prepares to take on more projects and capital investment, sponsors of a proposed bill are seeking to increase transparency in how the city spends its money and chooses its contractors. Members of the Denver City Council’s Budget and Policy Committee received a briefing Monday on “best-value” contracting, legislation that would allow the city to evaluate bids on factors beyond price alone.

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Denver City Council considers criminal code update

Jun 19, 2026 |

By Deborah Grigsby

| The Denver Gazette

Returning to the Denver City Council chambers this week is an ordinance that would update the city’s criminal code to align local penalties with state laws and recent Colorado Supreme Court rulings. It primarily aims to reduce the maximum possible jail time and fines for lower-level, city-specific offenses. The code update was postponed during the June 1, 2026, regular council meeting.

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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

My first job as a journalist was in radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

They still make typewriters?

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

Kim Baker, from Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Although inspired by Kim Barker, I relate to Tina Fey's character in so many ways.