fbpx

The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Author: I-70 Scout

  • Cherry Creek Reservoir sees historic water inflow levels

    East Lake View Road damaged by heavy rainfall
    DENVER, Colo. — Last week’s six-inches of rainfall over a three-day period caused Cherry Creek Reservoir to rise ten feet, the largest single-event increase in water levels since 1965.

    The only roadway bisecting the park, East Lake View Road, suffered the heaviest damage and washed out in two places. The road will remain closed indefinitely, as long-term repairs will be needed. Drivers can use East Cherry Creek Dam Road as an alternate route across the north side of the park.

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife is evaluating approximately 1,700 square feet of road and bank damage, ranging up to four feet deep. As high water flows continues and other draining culverts are inspected, more work may need to be completed in the impacted area.

    The high reservoir levels have submerged the east and west boat ramps. Only hand-launched vessels will be allowed until water levels recede. The swim beach is also underwater, as well as a few picnic areas on the east side of Cherry Creek State Park.

    Many hiking and biking trails are closed to users due to standing water. Park visitors using trails should avoid flooded areas and take extra precaution around storm drains.

    Park staff will not be able to assess the damage and safety of the affected areas until the standing water recedes. Closure updates and alerts will be communicated through the region twitter account and the park’s website.

    Drone footage taken Monday of the road damage can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/827056746?share=copy
     

    Cherry Creek State Park swim beach is underwater

    Right: Drone footage of the two washed out areas of East Lake View Road

  • State Patrol is Asking for Assistance in a Serious Injury Crash

  • Arapahoe County Administration Building: Closed Wednesday May 24

    ARAPAHOE COUNTY—May 24, 2023—Arapahoe County’s Administration Building at 5334 South Prince Street in Littleton will be closed Wednesday, May 24, due to a power outage. The building serves customers for the Assessor, Clerk and Recorder (Motor Vehicle, Marriage License, Passports and Public Records), Liquor Licensing and Treasurer. 
     
    All other County buildings remain open and are providing services. Many services provided at the Administration office can be accessed on the County’s website at www.arapahoegov.com. 

  • NRCS in Colorado Now Accepting Applications to Assist Producers Transitioning to Organic

    DENVER, CO, MAY 15, 2023 – Clint Evans, NRCS State Conservationist in Colorado announced today, funding availability for Colorado ag producers transitioning to organic operations. As part of the multi-agency Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will dedicate financial and technical assistance to a new organic management standard. NRCS is accepting applications until June 15, 2023.

    The NRCS will help producers adopt the new organic management standard, which allows flexibility for producers to get the assistance and education they need such as attending workshops or requesting help from experts or mentors. It supports conservation practices required for organic certification and may provide foregone income reimbursement for dips in production during the transition period.

    Higher payment rates and other options are available for underserved producers including socially disadvantaged, beginning, veteran, and limited resource farmers and ranchers.

    How to Apply

    To apply or for more information, interested producers should contact their local Colorado NRCS field office located in the USDA Service Center that services their County. Eligible producers include farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and other producers beginning or in the process of transitioning to organic certification. Applications are accepted at local NRCS field offices and must be received by 4:00p.m., June 15, 2023.

    About the Organic Transition Initiative

    These NRCS investments are part of the OTI, a multi-agency $300 million effort to support organic and transitioning producers. OTI also includes farmer-to-farmer mentoring, direct support for crop insurance, and market development projects.

    In addition to NRCS, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) are the primary agencies supporting OTI and are closely collaborating on implementation. As part of OTI’s cross-agency coordination, NRCS organic specialists will be closely connected with the AMS Transition to Organic Partnership Program regional partners, to align and share resources and best practices. NRCS and AMS’s National Organic Program also plan to coordinate data collection activities, to prevent transitioning farmers from having to submit duplicative information as much as possible. AMS will also soon announce a funding program to support the creation of new and improved markets for domestically produced organic products and provide critical companion resources to existing and transitioning organic producers.

    RMA reminds producers interested in the Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance Program, also part of OTI, to visit with their crop insurance agent for more information. Premium benefits for eligible policies will be automatically applied to the producer’s billing statement later this year.

    Other USDA Organic Assistance

    OTI complements existing assistance for organic producers, including FSA’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program which helps producers obtain or renew their organic certification.

    RMA also administers federal crop insurance options, including Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm, which may be good options for organic producers.

    The National Organic Program is a federal regulatory program, administered by AMS, that develops and enforces consistent national standards for organically produced agricultural products sold in the United States.

    More Information

    For more information, visit farmers.gov/organic.

  • Colorado Governor vetoes state legislation aimed to delay wolf reintroduction

    Wildlife advocates applaud act to uphold the will of Colorado voters


    DENVER – Today, Colorado Governor Jared Polis vetoed Senate Bill 23-256, a controversial piece of legislation which would have delayed gray wolf reintroduction in the state pending the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) finalizing a ‘10(j) rule’ to grant Colorado management authority over the federally endangered species. SB 256 failed to provide any certain date for completion of a 10(j) rule or wolf reintroduction, despite requests for such an amendment. If it became law, the legislation could have delayed wolf reintroduction past December 31, 2023, which is mandated by state law as the reintroduction deadline. 


    “We are grateful to Governor Polis for vetoing SB-256, and ensuring that wolves will be reintroduced to Colorado by the end of the year,” said Lindsay Larris, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. “For the past six weeks, the conservation community has been aggressively fighting this harmful legislation which would have thwarted the will of Colorado voters.”


    The conservation community’s opposition to the bill, even in its final form, was due to the harmful potential unintended consequences of legislation introduced at such a late stage in the federal planning process. The state has been working with the FWS for the past year to write a 10(j) management rule for gray wolves in Colorado which would allow significant management of the federally listed species by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The rule is scheduled to be finalized prior to wolf releases at the end of the year. A change in state law–such as enactment of SB-256–would have thrown an unnecessary wrench into the federal environmental review process, causing delays and potentially requiring additional funding from the state of Colorado. 


    “Coloradans who voted “Yes” on Proposition 114, believed that their vote to reintroduce wolves into the state by the end of 2023 would be respected by the state agencies and elected officials,” said Larris. “This legislation was a slap in the face to the voting public as well as those Coloradans who spent the past 2.5 years and hundreds of hours working on wolf planning and coordinating with federal officials. We are glad that the real work of planning for wolf reintroduction, conflict mitigation, and restoring this native species to its natural landscape can resume.”

  • Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke

    Issued for northeastern Colorado

    Issued at 6:00 AM MDT, Friday, May 19, 2023
    Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

    Affected Area: > Larimer, Weld, Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Washington, Yuma, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Lincoln, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne Counties. Locations include, but are not limited to, Fort Collins, Greeley, Fort Morgan, Sterling, Julesburg, Holyoke, Boulder, Broomfield, Central City, Golden, Denver, Brighton, Littleton, Akron, Wray, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, Kiowa, Hugo, Burlington, and Cheyenne Wells.

    Advisory in Effect: 6:00 AM MDT, Friday, May 19, 2023 to 4:00 PM MDT, Friday, May 19, 2023.
    Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.

    Outlook: Several large wildfires are burning in Canada, resulting in heavy smoke across several states including northeastern Colorado. Moderate to heavy smoke will be possible through at least Friday afternoon, mainly at elevations below 8000 feet.

    For the latest Smoke Outlook, visit:
    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/addendum.aspx#smoke

    For more information about smoke and your health, visit:
    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/wildfire.aspx
    For the latest Colorado statewide air quality conditions, forecasts, and advisories, visit:
    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

  • Arapahoe County commissioners to discuss county funding during telephone town hall

     

    Commissioners want to hear from residents about service priorities 
    ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO—May 18, 2023— Tonight, the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners will host a telephone town hall to address the needs and priorities of County residents and discuss the significant challenges faced in funding these priorities.  
     
    The interactive town hall will share details of the County’s budget realities amid the backdrop of reduced revenues and increasing population growth. Residents can also ask questions during the live call.  
     
    Who:   Arapahoe County Commissioners 
     

    What:  Telephone Town Hall 

     

    When: Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. 
     
    Ways to Participate: 

    1.      Call: Dial 855-436-3656 and press *3 to ask a question during the event. 

    2.       This meeting will be livestreamed on the Arapahoe County Facebook page:    

    www.facebook.com/ArapahoeCounty. You do not need a Facebook account to go to the page and view the livestream. 

  • Bears are awake and looking for food; do your part to remain ‘bear aware’ in 2023

    Residual grease and fats from outdoor grilling can be an enticing smell to a bear. Be sure to clean your grill after each use to discourage bears from coming to your yard in search of food.

    DENVER – With spring upon us, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds citizens and visitors that bears have emerged from hibernation and are beginning their search for food.

    CPW has already received 173 reports of bear activity in 25 Colorado counties this year. Wildlife officials are urging residents to secure any and all attractants. Bears should NOT be eating from trash receptacles, bird feeders or other human-provided food sources around homes or businesses.

    “Every time a bear gets a treat, a bird feeder, a hummingbird feeder, or trash, it teaches the bear that people mean food,” said Matt Yamashita, CPW’s area wildlife manager for Area 8 covering Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Eagle and Pitkin counties “People who think that it’s one time, no big deal, are totally wrong. It is a big deal when you compound that ‘one time’ with how many ‘one timers’ they get from your neighbors, too. It adds up.”

    The first bears to emerge from their winter dens are typically males (boars) followed by females (sows) that did not give birth to cubs over winter. The last bears to emerge from winter dens are the females who gave birth to this year’s cubs, usually in late April. 

    “Over the past several years, Area 8 in particular has seen a high number of bears inhabiting municipalities across both valleys and a subsequently high number of human-black bear conflicts,” Yamashita said. “Even with a lack of natural food sources, bears continue to have large litter sizes of three to four cubs, indicating they are receiving supplemental food from humans.”

    Early season natural food sources for bears include grasses, aspen buds and other vegetative matter that is beginning to sprout. Those gentle food sources, which are the first crops available to them, help a bear’s digestive system and metabolism adjust back to normal after not consuming anything for months.

    “Their bodies are needing to adjust to the fact that they haven’t consumed anything for sometimes six months,” said Mark Vieira, Carnivore and Furbearer Program Manager for CPW. “So there is this phase that is referred to sometimes as walking hibernation, where they are out on the landscape moving slowly and eating what tends to be more vegetative material that starts to pass through their system to get their bodies ready for early summer food sources. That is when they will move back into the typical omnivore diet that we see bears eating the rest of the year.”

    Over 90 percent of a bear’s natural diet is grasses, berries, fruits, nuts and plants – native crops all dependent on moisture. Wildlife officials monitor weather patterns in the spring and summer to help determine what natural forage will be available in the summer and fall. 

    In years where there is good moisture and natural food sources are abundant, human-bear conflicts and interactions are down. 

    Though most human-bear interactions occur in the late summer and fall months, a late frost or prolonged dry weather could lead to localized natural food failures and a rise in conflicts. A lack of natural food availability pushes black bears to be more persistent in their search for human-food sources. Being bear aware not only protects your home and property, but it can save a bear’s life.

    Starting with proper bear aware practices in the spring may help prevent bears from discovering your home or neighborhood as a food source that it will return to throughout the year.

    Become Bear Aware
    Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers a reminder that by taking some simple precautions, you can avoid human/wildlife conflicts and help to keep bears wild. 

    Bear-proofing your home:

    • Keep garbage in a well-secured location. Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
    • Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
    • Keep garage doors closed. Do not leave pet food or stock feed outside.
    • Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
    • Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
    • Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, haze it by yelling at it, throwing things at it and making loud noises to scare it off.
    • Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
    • Clean the grill after each use, and clean up thoroughly after cookouts.
    • If you have fruit trees, don’t allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
    • Talk to your neighbors and kids about being Bear Aware.

    Cars, traveling and campsites:

    • Lock your doors when you’re away from home and at night.
    • Keep the bottom-floor windows of your house closed when you’re not at home.
    • Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.
    • When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.
    • Keep a clean camp, whether you’re in a campground or in the backcountry.
    • When camping in the backcountry, hang food 100 feet or more from the campsite; don’t bring any food into your tent.
    • Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.

    Protecting your chickens, bees, livestock:

    • Keep chickens, bees and livestock in a fully covered enclosure, especially at night.
    • Construct electric fencing when possible.
    • Don’t store livestock feed outside.
    • Keep enclosures clean to minimize animal odors.
    • Hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure as a scent deterrent.

     

  • 2023’s Best Cities for Book Lovers

    Where in America can you find a literary adventure?

    To book(mark) World Book Day on April 23, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Book Lovers.

    We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on five categories. We looked at access to bookstores, literary festivals, and Little Free Libraries, among 15 total metrics.

    See the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities for book lovers below, followed by key stats from our report.
     Best Cities for Book Lovers
    Rank City
    1 New York, NY
    2 San Francisco, CA
    3 Seattle, WA
    4 Washington, DC
    5 Miami, FL
    6 Chicago, IL
    7 Los Angeles, CA
    8 St. Paul, MN
    9 Baltimore, MD
    10 St. Louis, MO
    Worst Cities for Book Lovers
    Rank City
    1  Brownsville, TX
    2 West Valley City, UT
    3 Chesapeake, VA
    4 Port St. Lucie, FL
    5 Laredo, TX
    6 North Las Vegas, NV
    7 Aurora, CO
    8 Killeen, TX
    9 Amarillo, TX
    10 Pasadena, TX

    Key insights:

    • Bookworm empire: The City That Never Sleeps must stay up all night reading. With a 21-point lead ahead of the next city, New York turns the page as this year’s Best City for Book Lovers. NYC offers the most public libraries and antique and rare bookstores, giving residents access to all kinds of reading material. The Big Apple also boasts the most book clubs, book festivals, and literary landmarks.

    • Storied San Francisco: Home to the Beat Generation and the counterculture movement, San Francisco (No. 2) has long been a hub for intellectuals and creative types. The Golden City is full of reading nooks, with the most bookstores and independent bookstores per square mile. San Francisco also hosts the highest number of silent book clubs.

    • Studious Seattle: As one of only two UNESCO Cities of Literature in the U.S., Seattle (No. 3) is another haven for both writers and book lovers. Voracious readers in Seattle have access to the highest number of used bookstores and the third-highest number of independent bookstores, both per square mile. The Emerald City also hosted this year’s largest national book fair and gathering for the literati and has the second-highest number of silent book clubs.

    • Neighborhood novels: Little Free Libraries are popular in suburban areas like Rockford, Illinois (No. 75), which has the most Little Free Libraries per 100,000 residents, followed by California cities Orange (No. 41), Fullerton (No. 71), and Pomona (No. 66). The nonprofit’s headquarters is located in St. Paul, Minnesota (No. 8), which is No. 54 in Little Free Libraries per capita.

    • Capital chapters: Major cities in the Mid-Atlantic offer plenty of options for bibliophiles. Washington (No. 4) stacks up the second-highest number of independent bookstores and third-highest total number of bookstores, both per square mile. Washington also hosts the second-highest number of literary festivals. Baltimore (No. 9), has the eighth-highest number of public libraries, while Alexandria, Virginia (No. 18), has the most books “in the wild” per 100,000 residents.

    • Lit adventures: After New York, New Orleans (No. 26) has the second-highest number of literary landmarks, followed by Philadelphia (No. 13), Washington (No. 4), and Chicago (No. 6). New Orleans is home to historic sites like Hotel Monteleone, where famous authors like Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, and Anne Rice were known to drink, write, and slumber.

    Helpful links:

    Please email with any questions you have about our study or if you would like to interview one of Lawn Love’s editors.

    Share your love of reading with your community by setting up a Little Free Library in your front yard. Hire a local Lawn Love pro to improve your yard’s curb appeal and attract more bibliophiles.

  • Study: 48.4% of Colorado adults display high financial literacy

    To achieve success and stability upon entering the workforce, having a basic understanding of the financial system is crucial. However, many Americans are not receiving the fundamentals of financial education, and a surprising number of young adults already have debt in collections. Moreover, the economic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic quickly revealed that many Americans do not have the ability to withstand long-term economic hardships.

    Some states, including Nebraska, Ohio, and Rhode Island have recently begun to require financial literacy courses for high school students, and more states plan to implement requirements like this in the coming years—an important step in ensuring access to financial education for all Americans. Furthermore, an additional 34 states have addressed financial literacy education in 2021–22 legislative sessions, with 20 of those states focusing on the high school level. In time, perhaps these measures will assist in reversing America’s fading financial literacy.


    According to data collected by the FINRA Foundation, the number of U.S. adults who possess basic financial knowledge has been steadily declining, despite increased access to financial information online. In 2009, 79% of U.S. adults had basic interest rate knowledge, while 12 years later in 2021, that percentage had declined to slightly above 70%. Furthermore, over half of U.S. adults had basic investment risk knowledge in 2009. But in 2021, just 42.1% of adults possessed this knowledge. And though the ability to purchase stock holdings and access investing information has become increasingly available, the percentage of U.S. households who own stock holdings has remained around 50% since 2010.


    A key issue is that a large majority of Americans are not being taught basic financial literacy. Over 61% of U.S. adults were never offered financial education, while just over 9% were offered an opportunity for financial education but did not participate. Combined, this means that about 70% of U.S. adults haven’t received any financial education.

    Of those who did receive financial education, most reported receiving at least a portion of this information in high school (58%) or college (54%). These institutions are important sources of financial education for many Americans, and potentially required financial literacy curricula provides information to those who may not readily seek out information on their own.


    Despite a lack of formal financial instruction, financial literacy does increase with age and educational attainment. While just 27% of 18- to 24-year-olds have high financial literacy—defined as adults who scored better than the national median on a multiple choice financial literacy exam—over 63% of adults age 65 and older demonstrated the same level of knowledge. Additionally, while less than 29% of Americans who only completed high school have high financial literacy, these numbers jump to 63% for adults with a bachelor’s degree.

    While age and education are highly correlated with financial literacy, geography also appears to play a major role. States in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest have the largest shares of adults with high financial literacy, with nine out of the top 15 states located in those regions.

    To determine the most financially savvy states, researchers at Smartest Dollar analyzed data from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. States were ranked based on the share of adults with high financial literacy—defined as those who scored higher than the national median score of 42.9% on FINRA’s Financial Literacy Quiz.

    Here is a summary of the data for Colorado:

    • Share of adults with high financial literacy: 48.4%
    • Share of adults with basic interest rate knowledge: 70.1%
    • Share of adults with basic inflation knowledge: 57.3%
    • Share of adults with basic investment risk knowledge: 48.5%

    For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

    • Share of adults with high financial literacy: N/A
    • Share of adults with basic interest rate knowledge: 70.4%
    • Share of adults with basic inflation knowledge: 54.0%
    • Share of adults with basic investment risk knowledge: 42.1%

    For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on Smartest Dollar’s website: https://smartestdollar.com/research/most-financially-savvy-states-2023