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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Colorado News

  • Colorado Air National Guard conducts night flying training

    BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard, will conduct night flying training from Buckley SFB, Aurora, Colorado, Jan. 17- Feb.2, 2023.

    The Wing will conduct nighttime flying missions and arrive back at Buckley SFB as late as 10 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The local community and adjacent communities can anticipate an increase in flight activity and noise level during this period from the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

    “The F-16 fighter mission will be conducting night flying operations to maintain and increase our warfighting skills,” said 140th Wing Commander Col. Christopher Southard. “We must train to defend our state and nation in all types of conditions so we’re ready to support our commander-in-chief when needed. While there is an increase of noise and activity during the evening hours, we will do everything possible to minimize the impact on our community, and we appreciate your support as we perform this valuable training.

    “As members of the community, we value your support and patience during the nighttime phase of our training in the area. The safety and security of our nation is our top priority and falls in line with our motto: ‘Always ready, Always There.’”

    The Wing’s real-world mission and emergency response capability will not be affected and will take priority over training actions.

  • Colorado’s assistant adjutant general for Air relinquishes command to successor

    BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Shawn Ryan, assistant adjutant general, Air and commander of the Colorado Air National Guard, will pass the colors to U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. D. Micah “Zeus” Fesler, during a change of command ceremony at Buckley Space Force Base, Jan. 8, 2023, at 2 p.m.

    The Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura L. Clellan, commander of the Colorado National Guard, will serve as the presiding officer for the ceremony.

    “Brigadier General Fesler has led Airmen in both combat and peacetime and brings a rich background of innovative tactical and strategic experience at multiple levels in both military and civilian sectors,” Clellan said. “He possesses incredible problem-solving skills and unbelievable compassion, combined with an unrelenting positive attitude and energy level that is extremely rare. I have no doubt Zeus will continue to lead our Airmen into the future with the same passion he brought to all of his previous leadership positions,” Clellan said.

    Fesler is currently chief of staff-Air and previously served as the 140th Wing Commander from August 2019 to August 2021.

    Fesler is a command pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours, primarily in the F-22A and F-15C, spanning 26 years of service. He commanded at both the squadron and wing level, flew combat missions over Syria and Iraq during overseas contingency operations, and participated in numerous joint and coalition exercises.

     

     

    “I want to congratulate Brigadier General Shawn Ryan on his more than 32 years of exemplary service to both state and nation culminating with his assignment as assistant adjutant general, Air, and commander of the Colorado Air National Guard,” Clellan said.

     

    “Shawn has served in this role since May 2021 during the most challenging time in our organization’s history,” Clellan said. “He ensured that the men and women under his command were trained and equipped to accomplish both their federal and domestic operations missions. He oversaw the Colorado Air National Guard’s response to COVID and ensured the readiness for the individual and collective deployments of the 140th Wing. Thank you, Shawn, for a job well done!”

    The ceremony will be held at Hangar 909 and is not open to the public.

  • Colorado Air National Guard colonel to promote to brigadier general

    BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – Chief of Staff-Air U.S. Air Force Col. Michael J. Bruno will be promoted to the rank of brigadier general during a ceremony to be held at Hangar 909, Buckley Space Force Base, Jan. 7, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

    Bruno also serves as the full-time deputy executive director for the Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs in his civilan capacity.

    “Ever since I started working with Col. Bruno when we were both group commanders, I’ve known him to have the unique capability to both be a mission-focused leader, and yet at the same time, someone who is intensely caring for those under his command. He’s a people first leader, and I’m excited to see him take this next step in his career,” 140th Wing Commander U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher “Wedge” Southard said.

    Bruno previously served as the chief of the joint staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Colorado, where he oversaw both special and personal staffs, including the judge advocate general, inspector general, human resources office, public affairs, commander’s action group, chaplains, executive officer, and administrative assistant.

    His initial assignment was as the executive officer for the 137th Space Warning Squadron, Greeley, Colorado.  He later transitioned to operations as a space and missile warning officer and the chief of operations training.

    In 2006, Bruno was assigned to Buckley Air Force Base as the commander of the 140th Mission Support Flight. His other previous commands include the 140th Logistics Readiness Squadron, the 140th Force Support Squadron, the 140th Mission Support Group, the 233d Space Group, and other notable positions in the 140th Wing and 233rd Space Group.

    The promotion ceremony is not open to the public.

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife: The human side of stewardship

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife: The human side of stewardship

     

    Carrie Besnette Hauser is the 2021-22 Chair of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. She lives in Glenwood Springs.
    by Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Chair Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser

    Previous columns in this space have highlighted stories about the 2.5 million acres of land managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). These include 43 state parks, 350 state wildlife areas and 240 state trust properties, home to the myriad species of wild animals and aquatic creatures.

    Often untold are accounts of the humans who protect, study, maintain and advocate for the places and critters so many Coloradans have come to appreciate, enjoy and expect to exist and thrive in perpetuity. This expectation isn’t met by accident nor is it a guarantee. It takes numerous CPW professionals and volunteers working every day to care for such a wide range of outdoor recreation assets, fragile wildlife habitats and animals large and small – all while also focusing on the health and safety of the public.

    One notable story centers around the many CPW team members who have contributed to the success of Colorado’s state fish – the greenback cutthroat trout. Approaching extinction, the species was confirmed this fall to be naturally reproducing in Herman Gulch, one of the first places the agency stocked the trout in its native South Platte River drainage.

    This accomplishment stemmed from a highly complex and coordinated effort that took place over a decade. In 2012, CPW confirmed that tiny Bear Creek, on the southwest edge of Colorado Springs in the Arkansas River drainage, was home to an unlikely population of wild greenback cutthroat trout. Outside their native range, the fish are believed to have been brought to Bear Creek from the South Platte Basin in the late 1800s for a tourist fishing enterprise. 

    The discovery activated the CPW’s Greenback Recovery Team to protect the 3 ½-mile stretch of water holding the only known population of naturally reproducing greenbacks. It has not been easy or smooth. Science is complicated and setbacks do occur. There have been flash floods and wildfires. Invasive and aggressive brook trout are a constant threat, moving upstream and out-competing the greenbacks. In one case, 5,000 1-inch greenbacks stocked in the northeast region did not survive.

    This natural reproduction of the greenbacks in Herman Gulch is the result of many individuals who never gave up. These people love wildlife and caring for Colorado’s natural resources. This multi-agency group includes state and federal aquatic researchers, biologists and hatchery managers such as Kevin Rogers, Harry Crockett, Josh Nehring, Cory Noble, Boyd Wright, Jeff Spohn, Boyd Wright, Matt Nicholl and Bryan Johnson. And this list doesn’t reflect all the wildlife officers who helped spawn and stock greenbacks as well as volunteers and partner agencies deeply involved in this effort.

    The other side of triumph is tragedy. When the absolute worst happens, selfless and dedicated CPW professionals respond. There have been 41 water-related fatalities this year on Colorado’s waters including seven in Lake Pueblo, Colorado’s busiest state park.

    Lake Pueblo Park Manager Joe Stadterman and his team responded to too many distress calls in 2022. Risking their own lives, they went out on patrol boats in dangerous winds and storms, and often in the dark, to pull people from pounding waves. They performed CPR on lifeless children and tended to victims with serious injuries.

    Time after time, these brave officers showed up for others. If not for their efforts and personal sacrifices, the number of fatalities would have been much higher.

    Notably, Stadterman and members of his team also serve on CPW’s Marine Evidence Recovery Team, which responds to drownings both on CPW-managed waters and across the state.  The team has faced an escalating death toll in recent years as outdoor recreation has exploded.

    Finally, a group of human heroes who often go without fanfare is the 4,459 volunteers who donated 311,150 hours of their personal time last year – the equivalent of 150 full-time employees. CPW’s four regional volunteer coordinators deserve mention: Lori Morgan, Jeanette Lara, Trina Romero and Cathy Brons. These women are passionate, dedicated and work incredibly hard to support CPW’s mission through volunteer engagement.

    The CPW Volunteer Program provides recruitment, screening, training, retention, support and resources for state parks, wildlife areas, hatcheries, educational programs and administrative offices across the state. Volunteerism is a cost-effective way to help manage Colorado’s natural resources while cultivating stewardship and building stronger connections between CPW and local communities.

    As 2022 comes to a close, it is a perfect time to understand, recognize and appreciate the human side of public safety and stewardship – of our treasured state lands and waterways, habitats and wildlife.

    Carrie Besnette Hauser is the 2021-23 chair of the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission. She lives in Glenwood Springs.

  • Governor Polis Takes Action to Provide Temporary Regulatory Relief due to Suncor’s Temporary Shutdown

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis verbally authorized the activation of the State Emergency Operations Plan to ensure that the state utilizes all necessary tools to provide temporary regulatory relief to reduce any potential fuel supply chain risk in Colorado due to the temporary shutdown at the Suncor oil and gas refinery which is located in Commerce City.  Such regulatory relief includes but is not limited to trucking hours, truck weight limits, and streamlined pipeline transporting regulations. 

    This verbal declaration activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and directs the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to take necessary and appropriate State actions to assist the affected jurisdictions with their response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
  • Forecast: 1.93 Million Coloradans to Travel for Year-End Holidays

    Forecast: 1.93 Million Coloradans to Travel for Year-End Holidays

    DENVER (Dec. 20, 2022) – Coloradans are spending more on travel than at any other time in the past two years – but they’re not letting rising costs hold them back. AAA’s latest travel forecast finds that 1.93 million Coloradans will journey 50 miles or more away from home from December 23 through January 2, a number second only to the record set in 2019.

    “Spin the wheel and you could land on any number of reasons not to travel right now, from economic uncertainty to inflation to fears of a ‘tripledemic.’ Coloradans are nothing if not resilient, though, and they’ve decided to travel for the holidays in nearly record numbers,” said Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA.

    Nationwide, 112.7 million Americans will travel during the year-end holidays. That’s an increase of 3.6 million people over last year, and the third busiest on record – though it’s below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting Coloradans are more prone than the national average to get up and go right now.

    Planes, Trains and Automobiles

    Nationwide, 90% of holiday travelers will drive to their destinations. In Colorado, 1.72 million will hit the roads.

    Air travel is up 14% over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. Flights and airports will be packed this holiday season in a return to pre-pandemic fervor. Demand for flights has surged despite higher ticket prices, resulting in air travel figures just below 2019.

    Other modes of transportation are also rebounding in a big way. AAA estimates travel by bus, rail, and cruise ship will rise to 3.6 million Americans this holiday season, a 23% increase from last year and nearly 94% of 2019’s volume.

    Gas Prices: Falling Fast
    Road trippers will be rewarded with a little bit more to spend on yuletide cheer: Colorado gas prices have declined every day since October 11. They’ve fallen 53 cents since this time last month and more than a dime on the week.

    On Monday, the average price for gasoline in Colorado was $2.87 per gallon. That’s 47 cents cheaper per gallon than a year ago.

    “Since most Americans made their holiday travel plans long ago, plunging pump prices won’t necessarily lead to more auto travelers,” McKinley said. “What we often see is consumers reallocating those added savings, spending more on hotels, shopping, and dining out.”

    Hotel & Airfare Up; Car Rental Rates Down

    Airfares cost 6% more than last year, with the lowest round-trip coming in at $163 compared to $154 in 2021.

    Hotels cost more than 2021, with a mid-range AAA Three Diamond property ringing in at $167 per night compared to $160 last year.

    Car Rentals cost 19%, down to $105 per day from $130 last year.

    Congestion, Congestion, Congestion

    Drivers should prepare for delays, particularly in and around major metro areas. Nationwide, drivers could see travel times increase by 25%, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation analytics and insights. The most congested days on the road are forecast to be Friday before Christmas, December 27 and 28, and on Monday, January 2. INRIX predicts the single busiest travel day will be Tuesday, December 27th. The best advice for avoiding congestion is to leave early in the morning or later in the evening.

    AAA Advice for Auto Travelers

    • Leave early so you’re not in a rush.
    • Watch the weather . Consider alternate routes or adjust your departure time to avoid driving through bad weather.
    • Never drive distracted. Pre-program your GPS and put the cellphone down while driving.
    • Wear your seatbelt and never drive impaired. 

    AAA to Rescue Nearly 900,000 Stranded Motorists

    Approximately 899,000 drivers will call for AAA roadside assistance during the 11-day holiday period.

    The most common calls will relate to dead batteries, flat tires, and lockouts. AAA encourages drivers to get a full vehicle inspection before they hit the road to check everything out from the tires up – including oil, the air filter, and wiper blades. We can help you find a mechanic you can trust at AAA.com/AutoRepair.

    Ensure your vehicle has an emergency kit . This should include jumper cables, a first-aid kit, car/portable phone chargers, a flashlight with extra batteries, and drinking water and snacks for everyone in the car. Don’t forget an extra set of warm clothes, gloves, hats and blankets. Click here to view a full list of items.

    “Move Over for Me”
    A mix of winter weather, an increase in impaired drivers, and the influx of auto travelers will make the holidays especially dangerous for those stuck at the roadside. AAA reminds motorists to slow down and move over for first responders and tow trucks, as is required by Colorado law. You should extend the same courtesy to folks with disabled vehicles.

    “Every traveler, tow truck driver, first responder, and road crew deserves to make it home for the holidays,” McKinley said. “Saving a life is as easy as slowing down and moving over whenever you see any flashing hazard lights at the roadside.”

    Learn more about AAA’s “Move Over for Me” campaign.

    Year-End Holiday Travel Period
    For purposes of this forecast, the year-end holiday travel period is defined as the 11-day period from Friday, December 23 to Monday, January 2. This period is the same length as the 2021/2022 year-end travel period.
    The year-end holiday travel period can range from 10 to 13 days, depending on which day of the week Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall. All the year-end holiday periods contain two weekends.

    Methodology
    In cooperation with AAA, S&P Global Market Intelligence developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes. The economic variables used to forecast travel for the current holiday are leveraged from S&P Global Market Intelligence’s proprietary databases. These data include macroeconomic drivers such as employment, output, household net worth, asset prices, including stock indices, interest rates, housing market indicators, and variables related to travel and tourism, including gasoline prices, airline travel, and hotel stays. AAA and S&P Global Market Intelligence have quantified holiday travel volumes going back to 2000.

    Historical travel volume estimates come from DK SHIFFLET’s TRAVEL PERFORMANCE/Monitor SM. The PERFORMANCE/Monitor SM is a comprehensive study measuring the travel behavior of U.S. residents. DK SHIFFLET contacts over 50,000 U.S. households each month to obtain detailed travel data, resulting in the unique ability to estimate visitor volume and spending, identify trends and forecast U.S. travel behavior-all after the trips have been taken.

    The travel forecast is reported in person-trips. In particular, AAA and S&P Global Market Intelligence forecast the total U.S. holiday travel volume and expected mode of transportation. The travel forecast presented in this report was prepared for the week of November 15, 2022.

  • Public Health Advisory for Adams and Arapahoe Counties

    Public Health Advisory for Adams and Arapahoe Counties

    Dangerously Cold Temperatures and Wind Chills Predicted for Adams and Arapahoe Counties

     

    Tri-County Health Department is issuing a public health advisory due to dangerously low temperatures and wind chills forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS) for this afternoon, Dec. 21 through Friday morning, Dec. 23. Temperatures will drop rapidly as we head into evening hours. Dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as five minutes.

     

    Take precautions to protect yourself from the cold:

    • Avoid outside activities if possible. If you have to be outdoors, dress in layers of warm clothing, including a hat, scarf, gloves, and socks.
    • Do not stay outdoors for extended periods.
    • Check on and help family members, friends and neighbors with limited mobility and limited access to heat, such as seniors or those who are ill. Check on them frequently.
    • If you have pets, bring them indoors and do not leave them outside overnight.

     

    Take shelter during peak cold times:

    • A Wind Chill Warning is in effect from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, through 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23.
    • A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Metro Denver area from the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 21, until 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22.

     

    Health and safety risks and warning signs

     

    Hypothermia: People exposed to cold weather for prolonged periods can lose body heat and develop hypothermia. Symptoms vary depending on how long you are exposed to cold temperatures.

     

    Early signs of hypothermia include:

    • shivering
    • fatigue
    • loss of coordination
    • confusion and disorientation

     

    Late signs of hypothermia include:

    • no shivering
    • blue skin
    • dilated pupils
    • slowed pulse and breathing
    • loss of consciousness

     

    Frostbite: Even short exposure to these temperatures can create a risk of frostbite. Frostbite is a bodily injury caused by freezing that results in loss of feeling and color in affected areas. The most common areas affected are the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes. Gently warm the person and seek immediate medical care if you believe someone is showing signs of hypothermia or frostbite.

     

    Carbon monoxide poisoning: Take these actions to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning when heating your home:

    • Only use approved heaters, such as electric or natural gas heaters and fireplaces.
    • Never use stoves, barbecues or ovens to heat your room or home, as these appliances can produce a deadly gas known as carbon monoxide that can collect inside your home.
    • Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home to reduce the risk of poisoning.
  • Adams County Mobilizes Severe Weather Activation Program

    Adams County Mobilizes Severe Weather Activation Program

    Emergency Housing Available; 1,000+ Adams County Children Currently in Need 
     
    On Tuesday, Dec. 20, the Adams County Severe Weather Activation Program (SWAP) was activated and will be extended through Jan. 3. SWAP is activated when weather conditions become lower than 33°F and wet (rain or snow) or 21°F and dry. This is a program that provides life-saving measures and emergency housing for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The assessment process may include referral to shelter, a hotel/motel stay, or severe weather supplies.  
     
    There are more than 4,400 people experiencing homelessness in Adams County with nearly half being households withyouth and children.  
     
    “We must show compassion for our unhoused neighbors and provide them with dignified options,” said County Commissioner Chair Lynn Baca. “Innovative indoor solutions like the Adams County Severe Weather Activation Program provides shelter and support for our residents during life-threatening winter storms like Elliot.” 
     
    Each year, SWAP participation has nearly doubled. In 2019, Adams County issued 88 SWAP vouchers for the whole season, and in 2022, the county issued up to 316 vouchers per day – a 289% increase. 
     
    One of the reasons for the increase in demand is the Severe Weather Shelter Network is no longer providing hotel vouchers in Jefferson County and Aurora. SWAP has inadvertently made up some of the difference. In addition, this fall has been particularly cold which has increased the demand for hotel vouchers compared to last season. 
     
    “We have a responsibility for the well-being of the community, especially our most vulnerable residents,” said Community Safety & Well-Being Director Matt Rivera. “SWAP is a powerful example of living up to that promise.” 
     
    Hotel partnerships have also tripled. This expansion has enabled the county to serve everyone who qualifies thus far. This season, Adams County predicts SWAP will shelter more than 1,000 unique individuals—averting almost 10,000 nights of unsheltered homelessness. 
     
    Limited vouchers will be available at the SWAP intake headquarters, Crossroads Community Center, but vouchers will also be distributed by outreach workers in the community. If you are an individual experiencing homelessness and connected with an outreach worker, please stay in communication with them for a higher likelihood of receiving a voucher.  
     
    An in-person assessment is required. When SWAP is activated, people seeking services should visit Crossroads Community Center, 10451 Huron St., Northglenn from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., visit almosthomeonline.org/swap, contact Kristina Owen at , or call 720.409.8988. 
     
    SWAP is one of many services offered to Adams County’s unsheltered population, which includes men, women, and children. To learn more about services available, visit adcogov.org/humanservices. 

  • Justices spar in latest clash of religion and gay rights

    By JESSICA GRESKO and MARK SHERMAN
    Associated Press

    WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Supreme Court ‘s conservative majority sounded sympathetic Monday to a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, a dispute that’s the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court.

    The designer and her supporters say that ruling against her would force artists _ from painters and photographers to writers and musicians _ to do work that is against their beliefs. Her opponents, meanwhile, say that if she wins, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate, refusing to serve Black customers, Jewish or Muslim people, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants, among others.

    Over more than two hours of spirited arguments, the justices repeatedly tested out what ruling for the designer could mean, using detailed and sometimes colorful hypothetical scenarios. Those included a Black Santa asked to take a picture with a child dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit, a photographer asked to take pictures for the Jewish dating website JDate and also the marital infidelity website Ashley Madison, and a food business called “Grandma Helen’s Protestant Provisions.”

    Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of three high court appointees of former President Donald Trump, described Lorie Smith, the website designer in the case, as “an individual who says she will sell and does sell to everyone, all manner of websites, (but) that she won’t sell a website that requires her to express a view about marriage that she finds offensive.”

    Where to draw the line for what a business might do without violating state anti-discrimination laws was a big question in Monday’s arguments at the high court.

    Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked whether a photography store in a shopping mall could refuse to take pictures of Black people on Santa’s lap.

    “Their policy is that only white children can be photographed with Santa in this way, because that’s how they view the scenes with Santa that they’re trying to depict,” Jackson said.

    Justice Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly pressed Kristen Waggoner, the lawyer for Smith, over other categories. “How about people who don’t believe in interracial marriage? Or about people who don’t believe that disabled people should get married? Where’s the line?” Sotomayor asked.

    But Justice Samuel Alito, who seemed to favor Smith, asked whether it’s “fair to equate opposition to same-sex marriage to opposition to interracial marriage?”

    The case comes at a time when the court is dominated 6-3 by conservatives and follows a series of cases in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Across the street from the court, lawmakers at the Capitol are finalizing what would be a landmark bill protecting same-sex marriage.

    The proposed law, which also would protect interracial marriage, has gained momentum following the high court’s decision earlier this year to end constitutional protections for abortion. That decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling prompted questions about whether the court _ now that it is more conservative _ might also overturn its 2015 decision declaring a nationwide right to same-sex marriage. Justice Clarence Thomas explicitly said that decision should be reconsidered.

    The case being argued before the high court Monday involves Smith, a graphic artist and website designer in Colorado who wants to begin offering wedding websites. Smith says her Christian faith prevents her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages.

    “Ms. Smith believes opposite-sex marriage honors scripture and same-sex marriage contradicts it,” Waggoner told the justices.

    But offering wedding websites to same-sex couples and refusing to design them for opposite sex couples could get Smith in trouble with state law. Colorado, like most other states, has what’s called a public accommodation law that says if Smith offers wedding websites to the public, she must provide them to all customers. Businesses that violate the law can be fined, among other things.

    Five years ago, the Supreme Court heard a different challenge involving Colorado’s law and a baker, Jack Phillips, who objected to designing a wedding cake for a gay couple. That case ended with a limited decision and set up a return of the issue to the high court. Waggoner, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, also represented Phillips.

    Like Phillips, Smith says her objection is not to working with gay people. She has had gay clients, her lawyer said. But she objects to creating messages supporting same-sex marriage, just as she wouldn’t create a website for a couple who met while they both were married to other people and then divorced.

    Smith says Colorado’s law violates her free speech rights. Her opponents, including the Biden administration, the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, disagree.

    Twenty mostly liberal states, including California and New York, are supporting Colorado, while 20 other, mostly Republican,states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee, are supporting Smith.

    The case is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, 21-476.

  • Polis Administration Secures Asteroid Mining Company for Denver Expansion

    DENVER – The Polis Administration and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that space resources startup Karman+ has selected Denver for relocation from the Netherlands. The Karman+ team is working to enable the mining of near-earth asteroids for mineral resources that are carbon neutral and sustainable. 


    “As Colorado’s technology and aerospace industries continue to boom, we are thrilled to welcome innovative companies like Karman+ to Denver, one mile closer to space. This exciting move will bring 150 new good-paying jobs to Colorado as we continue to work to change the future of space exploration and sustainable energy,” said Governor Polis. “I believe Colorado is the best place to live, work and do business and this is clear as more companies choose to move or grow here.”


    The company’s mission is to mine near-Earth asteroids to provide abundant, sustainable energy and resources for the space economy. The first stage of development is focused on the process of mining for water. The tailings from mining will form the basis for the building of space-based solar power systems that will allow them to deliver electrical power in space and on Earth as non-intermittent sustainable electricity. In selecting Colorado, Karman+ sought a state and national regulatory environment more conducive to advancing the development of space resources. The company is also excited about the potential for critical collaboration with higher education institutions, as well as the quality of life Denver will offer Karman+ employees.


    “Our goals are daring, and we like that. Colorado shares our spirit of adventure and clearly supports space exploration through resources like the Space Symposium. The State, the Metro Denver Economic Development Commission and the City of Denver have been very inviting, and we look forward to forming new partnerships that will propel us toward success,” said Daynan Crull, Co-Founder of Karman+.


    The company has chosen Denver for its headquarters and expects current employees to begin moving to Denver in late 2022. Karman+ is actively hiring. 


    “OEDIT and the state of Colorado are committed to maintaining a business-friendly climate and a Colorado economy that works for everyone. Cutting-edge businesses like Karman+ are part of that ecosystem, advancing future technologies and the state’s economy,” said Pat Meyers, OEDIT executive director. 


    “The addition of companies like Karman+ continues to position Colorado as a leader in aerospace,” said Raymond H. Gonzales, President of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Executive Vice President of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. “The company has all the ingredients they need for growth and success here: outstanding access to talent, customers and a collaborative aerospace community that’s second to none.”  


    “When my administration created our Global Business Development Team six years ago, helping to bring good-paying jobs and innovative companies like Karman+ to our community is what we had in mind,” Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “Denver and our region are fertile ground for these future-looking industries, and we’re proud to welcome Karman+ to the Mile High City.”


    Karman+ expects to create 150 new jobs at an average annual wage of $110,620, which is 147% percent of the average annual wage in Denver County. The jobs will include data engineers, marketing roles, and market analysts. The company currently has eight employees, none of whom are based in Colorado yet.


    Colorado competed with the United Kingdom and Luxembourg as the new location. The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $1,287,128 in performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credits over an eight-year period to Karman+, originally referred to as Project Cobalt during the OEDIT review process.



    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works with partners to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. Under the leadership of Governor Jared Polis, we strive to advance the State’s economy through financial and technical assistance that fosters local and regional economic development activities throughout Colorado. OEDIT offers a host of programs and services tailored to support business development at every level including business retention services, business relocation services, and business funding and incentives. Our office includes the Global Business Development division; Colorado Tourism Office; Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office; Colorado Creative Industries; Business Financing & Incentives division; the Colorado Small Business Development Network; Cannabis Business Office; Colorado Office of Film, TV & Media; the Minority Business Office; Employee Ownership Office; and Rural Opportunity Office. Learn more at oedit.colorado.gov.