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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Colorado News

  • Colorado State Patrol seeking assistance in hit and run crash

    Colorado State Patrol seeking assistance in hit and run crash

    The Colorado State Patrol is currently investigating a two-vehicle hit and run crash that occurred today (August 11) on Highway 50 at Highway 96 just west of Avondale, CO near milepost 329. A black 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, driven by an unknown male, turned left from eastbound Highway 50 toward Highway 96 directly in the path of a 2008 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 motorcycle. The motorcycle was driven by 62-year-old Terry Jackson of Boone, CO. The motorcycle collided into the front right side of the Cobalt resulting in Jackson being ejected from the motorcycle and impacting the windshield of the Cobalt.  Jackson was flown to Parkview Medical Center with serious injuries. The driver of the Cobalt then moved it to Highway 96 before fleeing the scene on foot.

    Witnesses on scene described the driver as a late twenties or early thirties Hispanic male approximately 5’8” to 5’9” tall, medium build, black hair and unshaven. Witness stated he was wearing a black T-shirt. The driver may have gotten a ride from a small to medium sized white SUV.  If any person witnessed the crash or has information about the male driver that fled the scene please contact the Colorado State Patrol Communication Center at 719-544-2424.

    If you would like to remain anonymous, contact Pueblo Crime Stoppers @ 542-STOP (542-7867) or www.pueblocrimestoppers.com. If your information leads to a felony arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward. 

    ———-

    UPDATE:

    Pictures of the white SUV are attached.  Anyone with any information related to the white SUV and/or the unknown male driver of the Cobalt is encouraged to call the Colorado State Patrol at: 719-544-2424, reference case #2D201315.  The driver/owner of the white SUV is not considered a suspect but simply wanted for questioning related to the crash or unknown male driver.   

     

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  • Stocking greenback cutthroat trout into the Poudre River tributary system

    Stocking greenback cutthroat trout into the Poudre River tributary system

    LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. – A multi-agency effort to restore the federally threatened greenback cutthroat trout into its native river basin took a giant hike upwards last week when an army of Colorado Trout Unlimited volunteers led by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service staff stocked the Colorado state fish into a new body of water.

    Around 10 staffers and 40 volunteers from Colorado Trout Unlimited each hiked between 12-15 greenback cutthroat trout in backpacks into a Poudre River tributary stream. This introduction marks just the fifth body of water in the state the greenbacks now can call home, with four of those five within the South Platte River basin that the greenbacks are native to.

    “Today is one of those exciting instances of getting a new population established,” said Kyle Battige, Aquatic Biologist with CPW. “We are trying to replicate and perpetuate this resource across the landscape, by getting greenbacks into more water bodies within the South Platte River basin.”

    A total of 711 greenbacks were stocked on Tuesday, July 28. They came from the Mt. Shavano Hatchery out of Salida. It took the hatchery one year to take the fertilized eggs, hatch and raise the fish to five inches in length, primed for release into the wild.

    “Colorado Trout Unlimited is a proud partner in the campaign to protect and restore our native trout,” said Dan Omasta, Grassroots Coordinator for Colorado Trout Unlimited. “This stocking project is another great example of how anglers and local communities can work together to save a threatened species. We had over 40 volunteers that traveled from as far as Eagle, Colo., and Wyoming to carry fish over nine miles into the backcountry on a rainy afternoon. The passion and dedication of our community is what drives an optimistic future for the greenback cutthroat trout.”

    U.S. Forest Service personnel located the fishless stream in the Poudre River basin a couple years ago and the agencies did their due diligence to make Tuesday’s stocking become a reality. Aquatic biologists conducted stream sampling with backpack electrofishing units and took eDNA samples to confirm it was indeed a fishless location. Habitat suitability work also took place to ensure the fish would survive once stocked. Everything checked out and the greenbacks were stocked into a fifth body of water in Colorado.

    “We’re excited and proud to be partnering with CPW on this important effort reintroducing greenback cutthroat trout and restoring part of Colorado’s natural heritage,” said Christopher Carrol, Fisheries Biologist and Watershed Crew Lead with the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. “We especially want to thank Colorado Trout Unlimited and Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter of Trout Unlimited for organizing so many passionate volunteers and helping collect data that informed our decision for making the reintroduction. Shared stewardship and working together pays dividends for native species.

    An important characteristic when looking to identify a reintroduction site is that the stream must be fishless. It must also have protection from invasion of non-native trout that will outcompete and overrun the greenbacks.

    “This location is protected by a series of natural waterfall barriers, upwards of 20-feet, that ensures the reach we stocked will not be invaded by non-native fish downstream,” Battige said.

    The greenbacks have previously been stocked into Herman Gulch, Dry Gulch, and Zimmerman Lake – all within the South Platte River drainage. These rare fish, twice believed to be extinct, are descendants of the last wild population of native greenback cutthroat trout found in Bear Creek outside of Colorado Springs in 2012. Bear Creek is the fifth body of water in Colorado where the fish currently reside.

    “This project could not have been completed without the hard work and dedication of today’s volunteers. The hikes that they did range from four miles roundtrip up to nine miles and covered 1,200 to 2,400 vertical feet of elevation, so it was a pretty substantial undertaking,” Battige said.

    The fish were loaded onto the hatchery truck at 3:30 a.m. and driven roughly 240 miles to the trailhead where they got loaded into bags with 1-2 gallons of water and pumped full of oxygen. The fish were put in ice water before leaving the hatchery, so they can handle the conditions better during their long journey.

    “Lowering the temperature helps the fish travel well, ensures that their metabolism slows down and decreases the overall stress on the fish,” Battige said.

    The water temperature in the stream was 51 degrees, so before getting stocked the volunteers tempered their fish, meaning they took time to slowly acclimate the fish to the temperature in the creek over a 10-15 minute time period.

    Crews will stock additional greenbacks into the same location each summer for the next two years as they look to establish the population. They will follow up with surveys to see how the fish are doing and aquatic biologists will look for signs of natural reproduction and new greenbacks hatching in the stream in 3-4 years.

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  • Bennet Calls for Investigation into Federal Government’s Role in the Spread of COVID-19 in Meat Processing Facilities

    Bennet Calls for Investigation into Federal Government’s Role in the Spread of COVID-19 in Meat Processing Facilities

    Image provided by MGN on-line. please note this image was NOT taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Denver — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General Phyllis Fong and the United States Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Inspector General Larry Turner requesting an investigation into federal actions that may have contributed to the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in meat processing facilities and other agricultural processing facilities.

     Specifically, Bennet requested Fong and Turner review steps the federal government took to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in meat processing facilities and how President Donald Trump’s use of the Defense Production Act to keep these facilities open may have affected the health of workers.

     “Meat processing plants have had some of the highest rates of COVID-19 infections, harming a workforce predominately comprised of immigrants, refugees, and People of Color who are at a higher risk for COVID-19…While many industries suffered from COVID-19 outbreaks, the high incidence of outbreaks at these facilities, even very early in the pandemic, raises questions,” wrote Bennet. “In Weld County, Colorado, there were reports of increased doctors’ visits among meat processing plant employees throughout March, with dozens of confirmed cases, 14 hospitalizations, and at least two worker deaths by April 10…By May 5, hundreds of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) employees had been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19, and three individuals had died.”

     In the letter, Bennet specifically requested Fong and Turner review:

     

    • USDA and United States Department of Labor’s actions (or inaction) regarding meat processing plants and the related COVID-19 outbreaks
    • The use of voluntary health and safety standards at meat processing facilities
    • The federal government’s communication of authority, standards, and expectations with state, local, worker, and industry stakeholders
    • The movement of USDA inspectors between facilities amid outbreaks
    • The provision of personal protective equipment to USDA inspectors
    • Any federal actions following the Defense Protection Act order on April 28, 2020 that affected outbreaks at meat processing and other agricultural facilities.

     

    Bennet has continuously voiced his concern regarding the safety of workers at meat processing facilities and other agricultural processing facilities during the pandemic. In April, Bennet sent a letter urging Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump Administration to help ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply and to protect essential workers in the food supply chain during the pandemic. In May, Bennet sent a letter to Pence requesting an update on the delivery of promised testing and PPE to protect workers at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley. In the letter, he highlighted the importance of testing to protect the workers, their families, and the surrounding communities and safeguard our nation’s food supply. Later that same month, Bennet and his colleagues raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s Executive Order that pressured meat processing facilities to open without verifying the necessary safety measures to protect workers and the food supply. In June, Bennet joined UFCW Local 7 in Greeley to honor the hardworking UFCW Local 7 members who lost their lives while serving on the front lines of the pandemic.

     

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

     

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  • 2021 State Trails Program Non-Motorized Grant Cycle now open; applications accepted through Oct. 1, 2020

    2021 State Trails Program Non-Motorized Grant Cycle now open; applications accepted through Oct. 1, 2020

    DENVER. – The Colorado State Trails Program is pleased to announce the opening of the 2021 Non-Motorized Grant Cycle. The grant cycle is open now through Thursday, October 1, 2020. 

    To continue the goals of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the State Trails Program to improve trail recreation opportunities while protecting wildlife, habitat, and cultural resources, we are offering three categories for this year’s grant cycle: 

    Construction: Up to $250,000

    New Trail or Trailhead Construction – New trail or trailhead construction, including the installation or creation of new facilities where none currently exists.

    Maintenance: Up to $250,000

    Maintenance, Re-route or Reconstruction of Existing Trails – Enhancement or improvement of current trails to address resource damage or visitor safety concerns.

    Enhancements or Upgrades to Existing Trailheads – Improvement of current trailhead facilities.

    Planning/Support: Up to $45,000

    Planning – Trail layout, design, engineering, feasibility studies, inventory, use studies, analysis of existing and proposed trails and master plans.

    Support – Building and enhancement of volunteer organizations, increasing volunteer capacity, and implementing trail training and education.

    While funding is available for all three categories, the program is placing an emphasis on maintenance projects for this year’s cycle to address the increased need to repair and improve existing trails in the state. Applicants may submit two applications for a State Trails grant: one can be for Construction or Maintenance work and the other one must be for Planning/Support. 

    All applicants must contact a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Area Wildlife Manager by Tuesday, September 8, 2020 to discuss their project. Please email a basic project scope and site map to the appropriate Area Wildlife Manager and copy  by that date to be eligible for project review and scoring.

    Please visit our website for grant instructions and requirements: https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/TrailsGrantsNM.aspx. We will also be hosting two webinars in the coming weeks to go over our program policies, application requirements, and go over commonly asked questions. To register for a webinar, click on your preferred link below:

    Thursday, August 13, 10:00 a.m.

    Tuesday, August 17, 1:00 p.m.

    The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant cycle is now open as well. This is a separate grant application for trail construction projects, trail maintenance projects, and land acquisition for trails. The minimum request is $100,000 and the maximum is $750,000. LWCF requires 100% matching funds and these funds can only be awarded to local or state government agencies. Please visit our website to learn more about the LWCF program. You can find the application for this year’s cycle at cpw.state.co.us.

     

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  • Governor Polis Provides Update on Colorado’s Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

    Governor Polis Provides Update on Colorado’s Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

    DENVER – Gov. Polis today provided an update on Colorado’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    “Colorado is in a better place than some of our neighboring states but we can’t let up when it comes to social distancing, mask-wearing, and washing our hands to slow the spread of the virus,” said Governor Jared Polis. “It’s up to each and every one of us to make sure we are taking the steps to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community during this pandemic. While it is welcomed news that cases are not increasing,  we need to have the resolve to keep it up to have them start decreasing.”

    As a result of the mask-wearing order and the decision to close bars, Colorado is seeing COVID-19 cases plateau, but the Governor cautioned Coloradans that the state is in a precarious position and everyone must remain vigilant and continue following social distancing requirements, wearing masks, and washing hands. 

    Last week, the Attorney General’s office issued a cease-and-desist letter to Live Entertainment, the company responsible for these large-scale events in Weld County. The Attorney General’s office has proactively sent cease and desist orders to the organizers and promoters, Adixion Music, as well as the venue, Imperial Horse Racing Facility in Pierce, to stop these illegal events. The Governor discouraged Coloradans from purchasing tickets or attending these types of events because it is better for the community and noted that ticket holders may end up being scammed out of their money when these events are shut down.

    The Governor announced that starting Thursday, August 6, the Colorado COVID Relief Fund will begin accepting applications for the sixth round of funding. Organizations must apply by Aug. 20 at 7:00 p.m. Eligible community-based organizations across Colorado may apply for a general operating grant of up to $25,000. New to this deadline, the Fund will also accept applications from collaborative efforts that include three or more organizations to encourage community and regional coordination. All information will be updated on www.helpcoloradonow.org on Wednesday, August 5, and Coloradans can also email .  To date, the fund has raised more than $22 million and distributed $16.4 million to more than 750 organizations serving Coloradans in all 64 counties. 

    Governor Polis was excited to announce that after speaking with Vice President Pence over the weekend, the National Guard’s deployment has been extended until the end of the year. The Governor thanked the National Guard men and women for all their hard work to help Colorado respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, the Colorado National Guard reached a testing milestone in support of the State’s ongoing COVID-19 testing across Colorado, testing 20,000 Coloradans at 122 testing sites in 28 counties and 34 cities.

    Governor Polis also extended an Executive Order today declaring a state of disaster emergency and providing additional funds for the pandemic response. 

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  • Governor Polis Announces Mask Distribution to  Catholic, Private & Charter Schools

    Governor Polis Announces Mask Distribution to  Catholic, Private & Charter Schools

    DENVER – Governor Jared Polis announced today that in addition to providing medical-grade masks to public school teachers this Fall, the State will also provide masks for private school teachers across the state. The State announced a specific partnership with the Colorado Archdioceses of Denver to provide 2,000 masks per week to their 48 schools. Private schools and charter schools will be asked to pick up their supply of masks in the district headquarters or designated depot in which they are located.

    “Keeping teachers, students, and school staff as safe as possible as kids head back to school is our top priority. We are thrilled to be working to distribute medical-grade masks to educators across our state in private and public schools alike. We know this school year is not going to look like one we’ve ever seen before, and I applaud the incredible work of our teachers, administrators, and parents for their dedication to ensuring Colorado students receive the education they deserve,” said Governor Polis. 

    “The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Denver are grateful to Governor Polis for his promise to provide every public and non-public school teacher in a Colorado a medical-grade mask every week. It is a commendable demonstration of solidarity and support for our Catholic schools and especially our Catholic school teachers and staff during this unprecedented time in our history. Every school, teacher, student, and family in every corner of Colorado has been impacted by this pandemic. This partnership will go a long way to support our robust safety plans for our schools that will give parents the option of in-school or online learning for their children.  We are truly all in this together,” said Elias Moo, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Denver.

    Earlier this month, Gov. Polis announced that the state would be distributing  KN95 masks to teachers each week in public schools across the state for at least 8-10 weeks, regardless of whether the school is starting in-person, in a hybrid manner, or remotely. The State Emergency Operations Center is currently working on a plan to begin distributing the masks for educators at public schools, private schools, charters, BOCES, districts and facility schools beginning Aug. 17.

     

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  • Statewide seat belt enforcement cites 1,695 drivers for not buckling up 70 drivers cited for unrestrained children

    Statewide seat belt enforcement cites 1,695 drivers for not buckling up 70 drivers cited for unrestrained children

    STATEWIDE — With Coloradans starting to travel more, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and 59 law enforcement agencies across Colorado teamed up for a statewide Click It or Ticket enforcement from July 12-19. A total of 1,695 drivers were cited during the enforcement for either the driver or passengers not wearing a seat belt. This includes 70 drivers who had an improperly restrained child under the age of 15 in their vehicle.

     The Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement is a critical component of CDOT’s Whole System — Whole Safety initiative and the agency’s vision to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on Colorado roadways.

     Among the agencies with the highest number of citations statewide was the Loveland Police Department with 173 citations, Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office with 158 citations, and Greeley Police Department with 129 citations. In addition, Colorado State Patrol cited 153 drivers.  Results for all counties can be found at https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal

    Fines for not buckling up start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child can receive a minimum fine of $82.

     “Using a seat belt is your best defense in a crash. It’s an easy choice to protect yourself and those in your vehicle,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Statistics show there’s a 1 in 33 chance you’ll be in a car crash in a given year and wearing a seat belt is the best way to prevent injury or death.”

     In 2019, 196 unbuckled drivers and passengers were killed in crashes in the state, accounting for more than half of Colorado’s 377 total passenger vehicle deaths. 

     “So many lives could be saved if every person buckled up,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the CSP. “This summer and beyond, we hope Coloradans think about the risk of not wearing a seat belt. I assure you, it’s not worth the gamble. It only takes a second to buckle up, but the impact is immeasurable when considering lives are at stake.”

    CDOT’s latest seat belt safety campaign, Common Bond, features a variety of contrasting images to underscore that, even though Coloradans may listen to different music, drive different cars, or root for different teams, a vast majority do wear their seat belts.

     As a state, Colorado’s seat belt use rate currently sits at 88% — slightly below the national average of 90%. The Common Bond campaign highlights that while Coloradans hold passionate opinions and may not agree on everything, we can all get behind seat belts.

    CDOT’s Common Bond campaign is featured on billboards, posters, bus tails, social media, and radio PSAs into August. To view campaign materials, visit: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c1bu6ktdw79jkoa/AADcw32hHrh1OHNV26mCSWKga?dl=0

     Colorado’s Seat Belt Laws

    Adults — Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers. Drivers can be ticketed for violating the seat belt law if they are stopped for another traffic violation.

    Teens — Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of their age, to wear seat belts. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.

    Children — Colorado’s Child Passenger Safety law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under age 16 in the vehicle.

    Learn more about Click It or Ticket enforcement and Colorado’s seat belt laws at codot.gov/safety/seatbelts. For Spanish campaign information, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/seatbelts/cinturones-de-seguridad/

    ABOUT CLICK IT OR TICKET

    Click It or Ticket is a nationwide campaign from NHTSA. Since Click It or Ticket was introduced in Colorado in 2002, statewide seat belt use has increased from 72% to 88%. 

     

    COVID-19

    Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for all of us, particularly for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, CDOT maintenance and construction crews follow social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing and wearing face masks. As traffic returns to normal levels, motorists must drive cautiously and heed the speed limit so all of us can return home safely. 

     

    WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.

    To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization’s operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

     

    ABOUT CDOT

    CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located at its Denver headquarters and in regional offices throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Governor Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.

     

     

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  • State Provides Support to Elephant Butte Fire in Evergreen, CO

    State Provides Support to Elephant Butte Fire in Evergreen, CO

    July 23, 2020- The Elephant Butte Fire, located in Jefferson County qualified for State Responsibility and received verbal approval for an Executive Order by means of the Colorado Disaster Emergency Fund (DEF).

    The Elephant Butte Fire started July 14 two miles west of Evergreen, Colorado. Evergreen Fire/Rescue firefighters continue to monitor the 52-acre burn, which was declared contained on Sunday July 26. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.  

     The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) wildland fire mission is to provide support, service, and assistance to local fire agencies and counties, in addition to filling resource and incident management gaps where they occur.  DFPC provides wildland fire support to local agencies in the form of funding, aviation, ground resources, and technical assistance. Funding support and resources have been provided to wildfires across the state this year, successfully keeping many fires small and limiting suppression costs and property damage.

     When a wildfire exceeds local and county capability, additional State assistance can be requested. For wildfires that meet State Responsibility criteria, DFPC assumes management and financial responsibility along with the County.  The Colorado Disaster Emergency Act allows for the extension of available funds and provides additional funds to pay for costs associated with the Elephant Butte Fire.

     So far in 2020, there have been 7 wildfire incidents that have met state responsibility criteria and exceeded the capability of the Counties they occurred in, with the state providing management and financial assistance of over $4,5000,000. In addition to these large fires, DFPC has provided funding assistance and aviation resources for approximately $1,750,000 on another 31 fires, with those initial attack actions limiting fire size, duration, cost, and impacts. In comparison, in 2016 and 2017 there were a combined 16 wildland fires that became state responsibility incidents and of those, 9 received an Executive Order and funding from the DEF.

     For more information on the Elephant Butte Fire, visit the Evergreen Fire Rescue Facebook Page.

     

     

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  • Colorado families with school-aged students to begin receiving Pandemic-EBT food benefits

    Colorado families with school-aged students to begin receiving Pandemic-EBT food benefits

    The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), is pleased to announce that Coloradans with school-enrolled children will begin to receive food benefits through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program starting Wednesday, July 22. This effort will help support Colorado’s families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    More than 360,000 Colorado children are eligible for P-EBT benefits, which will reimburse families for the free and reduced-price meals that students missed while schools were closed in March, April and May because of COVID-19. 

    Families who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as SNAP, or food stamps), and whose children attend a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program, can expect to have benefits automatically loaded onto their EBT cards between July 22 and July 31. Eligible families who don’t receive an automatic payment will need to apply for P-EBT funds.

    “We know many Colorado families are struggling to pay bills and feed their children, and this is one way we can help provide access to nutritious food and meet the needs of Coloradans during this difficult time,” said CDHS Food and Energy Assistance Director Karla Maraccini. “When used in conjunction with grab-and-go meals, these P-EBT benefits will be a great tool in ensuring Colorado’s children receive healthy meals.”

    The P-EBT program is designed to reimburse households for meals missed during school closures for those who are enrolled in or eligible for the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program (FRLP). Benefits are calculated in the amount of $5.70 per student per day of school closure. Households with students who are already enrolled in FRLP will receive a lump sum of $279 per eligible child (49 days of closure at $5.70 a day). A child newly eligible but not previously enrolled will receive the appropriate amount for the days they are determined eligible for P-EBT.

    Eligible families include those with children in preschool, Early Childhood Education (ECE) and pre-K through grade 12 who are enrolled in a school that participates in the NSLP. This includes public, private and charter schools. Students who attend some online schools are also eligible, as are special needs students aged 18 to 22.

    Some families may need to apply for P-EBT benefits, and the application will be made available in the last week of July on the CDHS website. Those instances can include: • If families do not automatically receive P-EBT funds on their current EBT card or if they did not get SNAP for all three months (March, April and May), they may qualify for more P-EBT benefits and should apply. 

    Eligible students who were not receiving food assistance in March, April and May will need to apply for the P-EBT benefit.

    If families can’t find or don’t have their EBT card, they will need to submit an application and then request a new card at . In this email, they will need to include the applicant’s name, date of birth, mailing address, phone number, State Issued ID Number, and P-EBT application reference number. All applicants will need their student’s State Issued ID number (also referred to as a SASID), which should have been provided to them by their school or school district (school contact information can be found here).

    In addition to supporting healthy and wholesome meals for Colorado’s eligible school-age children, P-EBT is expected to bring more than $110 million of federal money into the state’s economy through food retailers.

    P-EBT was created under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) as an important opportunity to provide nutritional resources to families who are losing or lost access to free or reduced-priced school meals as schools across Colorado closed in response to COVID-19.

    More information can be found at www.colorado.gov/cdhs/p-ebt.

    Image Credit: MGN Online

     

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  • New members appointed to the Colorado Sportsperson’s Roundtable

    New members appointed to the Colorado Sportsperson’s Roundtable

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife welcomes nine new members to the Colorado Sportsperson’s Roundtable, a group of both elected and appointed representatives that serve as liaisons between sportspersons and the agency. Each member is expected to serve two-year terms.

    The Colorado Sportsperson’s Roundtable gathers at least twice each year with CPW officials to provide feedback about a broad range of interests related to hunting, fishing and trapping in Colorado. These interests include, but are not limited to recruitment of new sportspersons, hunting and fishing regulations, habitat conservation, and increasing opportunities to hunt and fish across the state. 

    “The Roundtable offers CPW an opportunity to hear from engaged sportsmen and women directly on the most pressing issues related to wildlife management in Colorado,” said CPW Director Dan Prenzlow. “We greatly appreciate the service these volunteers provide to the State.”

    New statewide appointed members join the Roundtable from communities across the state including Snyder, Haswell, Antonito and Delta. They bring to the table a broad range of interests and experience including outfitting, big game hunting, private and public lands access, hunter education and recruitment, fishing and farming. They are: • Aaron Jones

    • Adam Oberheu
    • Chloe Lomprey
    • Erik Myhre
    • Kim Kokesh
    • Ryan Britten
    • Sharon Dillon
    • Trent Peterson 
    • Willie Kalaskie, a past Regional Caucus Delegate For information about the Sportsperson’s Roundtable and opportunities to get involved, visit http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Roundtable.aspx.

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