fbpx

The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Month: January 2022

  • Bennett Arts Council seeks qualification to get grants

    BENNETT — The Bennett Arts Council will soon meet to clarify its goals, assess community needs, receive a public art update, and develop a strategic, collaborative plan towards its five-year goal of achieving grant-funding status.
    The gathering will start at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 9, on WebEx or in person at the Morgan Community College office, 100 I-70 Frontage Road, Bennett.
    For more information and participation options, visit the current edition at www.i-70scout.com.
     
    More ways to join:

  • TCHD looking at light at the end of the tunnel

    Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) will be extending its public health order requiring face masks in schools and childcare facilities through Feb. 4 to give its Board of Health time to consider when to end the mask requirement for schools, childcare facilities and for indoor public spaces. While such a step would not mean that our schools and communities should stop practicing effective COVID-19 prevention measures including masking, it does mean that depending on the Board’s decision, the public health mask requirement for schools, childcares and public indoor spaces could end as soon as Feb. 4.  Such a timeline would give schools, students and parents, as well as our cities, counties, businesses and other partners time to prepare for this transition.

     
    TCHD’s Board of Health will hold a Special Meeting Monday, Jan. 31, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss ending the masking public health orders. The meeting will be held virtually and information can be found at www.tchd.org.
     
    Cases of omicron COVID-19 cases rose rapidly over the past month, and the more recent decline in cases among all age groups has been just as dramatic. Recently released estimates from the State’s modeling team indicate that over 40% of Colorado residents have been infected by omicron and that 80% of the state’s population will be immune to omicron by mid-February, with cases and hospitalizations predicted to continue to decline.  Given these trends and the growing availability to an array of prevention tools, particularly more effective medical grade masks and rapid tests, in addition to access to free vaccines, TCHD believes it is an appropriate time to consider ending the mask orders.
     
    “While COVID-19 is likely to be with us for years to come and challenging new variants are likely to emerge, said John M. Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department, “we are increasingly confident that we have sufficient tools at the present time —high levels of immunity through vaccination and recent infection,  an increasing array of better treatments, and solid prevention measures through masking, testing, and improved ventilation–to allow schools, businesses and other members of the community to implement the protections they feel are most appropriate for their situation.”
     
    Vaccinations are still the best protection against COVID-19 so it is important to stay up to date on your vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine is available for children 5 to 17 and all persons 12 and up should receive a Pfizer booster five months after completing their primary series. Adults 18 and older can chose from Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines. While vaccine protection is not 100 percent in preventing infection, it is highly effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death, particularly if kept up to date with recommended boosters. Parents of vaccine-eligible children are encouraged to contact their healthcare providers or visit the TCHD website if you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and where to get it.
     
    “The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Colorado almost two years ago, and from the beginning, TCHD and its Board of Health have tried to use the evolving science and data to inform our decisions as to how best to protect our communities,” Douglas said. “We intend to continue monitoring emerging data making relevant prevention recommendations, and working with our communities to help carry out our collaborative prevention efforts most effectively.  We don’t know how long the tunnel will be, but we are increasingly seeing light as to how we can all live with COVID-19 in the months and years to come as normally and safely as possible.”
     
    Tri-County Health Department serves over 1.6 million people in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. It provides over 60 programs and services including birth certificates, immunizations, WIC, restaurant inspections, family planning, STI/HIV Testing, and infectious disease investigations. For more information, visit www.tchd.org, Twitter @TCHDHealth, or Facebook @cotchd.

  • February 1st is National Unclaimed Property Day

    WHO: Colorado Treasurer Dave Young
    Director of Unclaimed Property Bianca Gardelli 
    WHAT: A and B roll opportunities for National Unclaimed Property Day. This includes interviews with State Treasurer Young and Director Gardelli, as well as opening the vault for unique, tangible properties that need to be reunited with their rightful owners. The tangible properties include gold and silver coins, baseball cards, jewelry, firearms, deeds from the 1800’s, silver bars, and bottles of champagne.
    WHEN: Monday, January 31st 2:00PM – 4:00PM MT. By appointment only. 
    WHERE: Colorado State Capitol Building, Treasury Department, Room 140

    There’s a chance – at least 1 in 10 – that there’s unclaimed property, like gift certificates, unpaid wages, or uncashed checks, with your name on it. And the Great Colorado Payback wants to make sure that you’re reunited with your money. 

    Last fiscal year, The Great Colorado Payback returned almost $43 million to 23,462 claimants through our Unclaimed Property Division, and instituted new rules to simplify the claims process, including launching a pilot program which proactively returns funds.  

    February 1st is National Unclaimed Property Day, so why not celebrate by visiting https://colorado.findyourunclaimedproperty.com/to find out if you have unclaimed property? See if the odds are in your favor.

  • MLK Marade Spotlights Drive to Protect Voting Rights

    MLK Marade Spotlights Drive to Protect Voting Rights

    As Democrats in Congress struggle to get enough votes to pass new federal voter protections, Denver’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day “Marade” – a hybrid march and parade – saw strong turnout yesterday.

    The pandemic forced last year’s event to go virtual. Denver resident Darrel White said it’s time for Congress to push back against what he sees as moves by Republican state legislatures to restrict voter access.

    “I think they’re trying to stop Black people from voting,” said White. “The little towns, they can’t vote because they can’t even get to where the vote is. This is America, and we all should be able to vote.”

    Fueled by President Donald Trump’s disproven claims that the 2020 elections were stolen, more than 30 laws recently passed by Republican-led legislatures in at least 17 states are set to take effect before this year’s midterm elections.

    Republicans maintain that limiting vote by mail and ballot dropoff locations, allowing state legislators to oversee results and other measures, are necessary to prevent fraud in future elections.

    Michael Himelstein is a digital marketer who attended the Marade. He said he believes state-level voting measures that restrict access should be trumped by federal legislation that makes it easier for all Americans to vote, including making elections a federal holiday.

    He said he also does not agree with claims of widespread voting fraud in 2020.

    “They should show the data that proves that there is fraud going on,” said Himelstein. “Right now, there is no proof of any fraud. And for the very small cases of fraud, it’s nowhere near enough to swing an election.”

    On Monday, President Joe Biden urged Congress to pass two measures aiming to increase access to the ballot box and protect election officials from undue partisan influence. Octavia Franklin, a Denver mother of four, said restricting voter access will make it harder to address ongoing challenges facing communities of color.

    “There’s systemic problems, racism, within every aspect of our lives,” said Franklin. “Within businesses, there’s still a little bit of redlining here in the state of Colorado.”

  • Colorado State Patrol Investigating Aurora Police Involved Pedestrian Versus Vehicle Fatal Crash

    AURORA – The Colorado State Patrol has been asked to investigate a fatal crash involving an on-duty Aurora Police Department vehicle versus a pedestrian that resulted in one death.  At approximately 11:25 PM on January 17, a 37 year old male officer with the Aurora Police Department (APD) was traveling eastbound on E. Quincy Ave in a fully marked 2018 Ford Police SUV; he was not responding to a call for service at the time.  The officer advised he had hit a pedestrian and requested medical assistance to the location.  However, the 37 year old male pedestrian from Salt Lake City, Utah was declared deceased on scene. 

    On scene investigation determined the pedestrian was dressed in dark clothes and laying in the eastbound lanes of E. Quincy Ave prior to being run over by the police SUV.  The pedestrian had been earlier observed to be highly intoxicated in a nearby store prior to the crash.

    The name of the deceased is being withheld while next of kin are being identified and notified.  For information related to the officer, please contact the Aurora Police Department.  The APD vehicle has been taken for inspection and the case remains under investigation.  No charges have been filed.

    Interview video here. 

     

  • Public Works and Development temporarily closing its Lima Office

    Due to increasing cases of COVID-19, Arapahoe County Public Works and Development is closing its Lima Office (6924 S. Lima St., Centennial) to the public at 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10. The closure will remain in effect through Friday, Jan. 14. The office will reopen to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 18. If you have questions, please visit www.arapahoegov.com/publicworks for contact numbers.

  • Public Comment: Proposed Precinct Maps

    Every 10 years, the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is legally responsible for updating precinct boundaries and numbers to reflect new United States Congressional and Colorado legislative districts redrawn based on U.S. Census Bureau data.

    This process is nonpartisan, with mapping and elections professionals incorporating the new district lines and calculating active voter counts. The new precinct map must be approved by the Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners before January 31, 2022.

    Arapahoe County is proposing to increase the number of precincts from 399 to 409. Most precincts within the County will not have new boundaries, but almost all precincts will have modified 10-digit identification numbers. This webpage on ArapahoeVotes.comhas information on all proposed changes to precinct numbers and boundaries, interactive maps to compare old and new boundaries, and a comment form to submit your feedback.

    If you wish to add your comment on any proposed redrawing of precinct boundaries, please complete the comment form on the webpage.

    Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday Jan. 11, 2022.

  • Alpacas featured in National Western Stock Show Kick-off Parade

    Denver, CO – It’s that time of year again! Livestock will walk through the streets of Denver, kicking off the National Western Stock Show. A crowd favorite, alpacas, are returning to this year’s parade.

     

    Beginning at noon on Thursday, January 6, Alpacas and members of Alpaca Breeders of the Rockies, as well as a truck and trailer will make their way from Union Station twelve blocks down 17th Street to Glenarm place.

     

    Joining this year’s festivities is Executive Director of the national Alpaca Owners Association (AOA) Robin Gifford. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, AOA is the world’s largest alpaca association.

     

    The alpaca show will take place on January 8, beginning with an opportunity for the public to come into the arena and talk to the exhibitors and experience the softness of alpaca fleece first-hand. Immediately after, the alpaca halter show will begin, judged by AOA certified judges Kevin O’Leary and Diana Timmerman.

     

    Don’t miss the alpacas at this year’s National Western Stock Show January 8 – 23, 2022.

     

    About Alpaca Breeders of the Rockies

    The Alpaca Breeders of the Rockies is an organization of volunteers capable of leading and influencing the future of the alpaca industry by supporting its members through education, marketing, events, and public awareness. ABR is dedicated to promoting ethical conduct in the alpaca industry, to enhancing the public’s perception of the industry, to the health and welfare of the alpacas, to the long-term well-being of the market, and to being an active voice for its members throughout the industry, all for the purpose of helping our members succeed.

     

    For more information visit http://www.alpacabreeders.org/.