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DORA to kick off National Consumer Week next week with series of activities
DENVER — Governor Jared Polis has proclaimed March 3-9, 2019 as National Consumer Protection Week in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) joins dozens of federal, state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations across the United States this week to recognize and celebrate NCPW.

“Helping Coloradans become informed consumers puts power directly in their hands,” said Gov. Polis. “National Consumer Protection Week highlights our ongoing commitment to ensure that Colorado remains a fair, and safe marketplace that consumers can trust. We want Coloradans to be more aware of the types of frauds and scams they may encounter so they can best protect themselves and their families.”

“At DORA, consumer protection is our mission. National Consumer Protection Week is one way we can reach out to Coloradans so they understand the variety of tools and resources DORA offers and know where they can turn to for help,” noted DORA Executive Director Patty Salazar.

DORA’s divisions — including Banking, Civil Rights, Financial Services, Insurance, Professions and Occupations, Real Estate, Securities, Office of Consumer Counsel and the Public Utilities Commission — are raising awareness about available consumer protection resources to Coloradans through a variety of events throughout National Consumer Protection Week and beyond. DORA is also partnering with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) on activities throughout the week.

DORA’s efforts include kicking off its “Take 5 to Get Wise – Ask DORA” consumer awareness and education campaign, with information shared via its award-winning consumer information website, askDORA.colorado.gov.

A snapshot of activities include:
- Tuesday, March 5
  - Colorado Business Roundtable (COBRT) Connect and Collaborateradio/podcast program with DORA and the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Denver and Central Colorado talking about frauds, scams and resources available to consumers and businesses. The program airs at 4 p.m. on Denver’s Money Talk (1690 AM) and also streamed via YouTube connected via COBRTs website.
  - Employment 101 workshop with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 10-11:30 a.m. (Free. Advanced registration required.)
- Wednesday, March 6
  - AskDORA Consumer Information Resource Tables with the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Denver and Central Colorado. 1560 Broadway, Denver, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  - Fair Housing 101 workshop with the Colorado Civil Rights Division and Grand Junction Housing Authority, 8 Foresight Circle, Grand Junction, 1-3:30 p.m. (Free. Advanced registration required.
- Thursday, March 7
  - Free Telephone Townhall: “Marked: Red Flags of Elder Financial Abuse” for state licensed professionals and law enforcement who encounter or work with senior populations and have mandatory reporting requirements. Telephone Townhall features DORA’s Division of Securities and Division of Professions and Occupations, along with experts in the senior care field. 11 a.m. to noon. Advanced registration required.
  - Live Twitter chat on financial consumer protection with DORA (@DORAColorado) and the BBB serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming (@WyncoBBB) at 1p.m.
- Friday, March 8
  - Interview with DORA on La Voz del Pueblo/Que Bueno (KBNO) radio at noon (1280 AM/97.7 FM) and live streamed from http://quebueno1280.com/.
Check out DORA’s consumer information website for more information at askDORA.colorado.gov. Helpful information and tips, live chats and more will be available through DORA’s social media channels on Facebook, facebook.com/Dora.Colorado.gov, and Twitter, @DORAcolorado. Look for #NCPW2019, #Take5CO and #GetWiseCO and follow the “Ask DORA Owl” throughout National Consumer Protection Week!

DORA is dedicated to preserving the integrity of the marketplace and is committed to promoting a fair and competitive business environment in Colorado. Consumer protection is our mission. Visit dora.colorado.gov for more information or call 303-894-7855 / toll free 1-800-886-7675 outside Denver.

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February 28, 2019
Cranes make annual return to the San Luis Valley; festival scheduled

MONTE VISTA, Colo. — In the San Luis Valley nature is again putting on one of its most memorable displays: the spring migration of Greater Sandhill Cranes. In appreciation of this wildlife spectacle, area organizations, businesses and wildlife agencies are holding the annual Monte Vista Crane Festival, March 8-10.

“Everyone who lives in Colorado should take the time to see this ancient and magnificent migration,” said Joe Lewandowski, public information officer for the Southwest Region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “This is one of only a few great wildlife migrations in the United States that people can easily see. The sights and sounds are absolutely amazing.”

The cranes started arriving in mid-February, flying from their winter nesting ground, primarily in New Mexico. The large wetland areas, wildlife refuges and grain fields in the San Luis Valley draw in about 25,000 birds. The cranes stop in the valley to rest-up and re-fuel for their trip north to their summer nesting and breeding grounds in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Cranes are among the oldest living species on the planet: Fossil records for cranes date back 9 million years.

The birds that migrate through Colorado are the largest of the North American sandhill subspecies standing 4-feet tall, having a wing-span of up to 7 feet and weighing in at 11 pounds. Besides their imposing size, the birds issue a continuous, distinctive and haunting call. At this time of year cranes are engaged in their mating ritual and the birds perform an elegant hopping dance to gain the attention of other birds.

The birds are abundant in areas near the town of Monte Vista and wildlife watchers can see the birds most readily in the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, about 5 miles south of town of Colorado Highway 15. Birds also gather at the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge, southeast of the town of Alamosa, and at that Rio Grande, Higel and Russell Lakes state wildlife areas.

The cranes are most active at dawn and at dusk when they’re moving back and forth from their nighttime roosting areas. But in the middle of the day they graze gracefully in the grain fields of the Monte Vista refuge.

Be sure to dress warm, as winter still reigns in the valley.

During the three days of the festival, free tours are offered at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the birds are most active. Visitors take buses to various spots on the wildlife refuge, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staffers talk about the migration and the refuge. If you want to take a tour, be on time because the buses leave promptly.

The number of cranes in the valley peaks in mid-March; but many birds linger through the month. So even if you can’t go the weekend of the festival there’s still plenty of time to see the birds.

Birdwatchers who travel on their own should be cautious when parking, getting out of vehicles and walking along roads. People are also asked to view birds from a distance with binoculars and spotting scopes, and to observe trail signs and closure notices.

Many other bird species – including eagles, turkeys, and a variety of raptors and waterfowl – can also be seen throughout the San Luis Valley. Look in the many cottonwood trees for owl nests.

The festival headquarters and starting point for the tours is the Ski Hi Park building located near U.S. Highway 160 on Sherman Avenue on the east side of Monte Vista. Visitors can pick up maps, schedules and information at the headquarters. Besides the tours, a variety of workshops are put on by bird, wildlife and photography experts. An arts and crafts fair continues through the weekend at the headquarters building.

Approximate distances to Monte Vista: Denver, 220 miles; Colorado Springs, 182 miles; Salida, 85 miles; Vail, 175 miles; Durango, 135 miles; Grand Junction, 230 miles.

For more information on the Monte Vista Crane Festival, see: mvcranefest.org; or https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Monte_Vista. For more information on State Wildlife Areas in the San Luis Valley, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo.

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February 28, 2019
‘Safety: Know Your Limits’ is Theme of Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week, March 3-9
Across the country, county and state Farm Bureaus are making safety a priority through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP). As part of ASAP, March 3-9 has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join Farm Bureau in promoting the week with its theme “Safety: Know Your Limits.”

A different safety focus will be highlighted by Colorado Farm Bureau and U.S. Ag Centers each day of the week:
- Monday, March 4 – Emergency Preparedness
- Tuesday, March 5 – Livestock
- Wednesday, March 6 – Heat Stress and Hydration
- Thursday, March 7 – Roadway Safety
- Friday, March 8 – Hearing Safety
During this week and throughout the year, Farm Bureau is encouraging farmers to make safety a priority on the farm.

The Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a part of the Farm Bureau Health and Safety Network of professionals who share an interest in identifying and decreasing safety and health risks. For more information and resources, visit the ASAP Facebook page or follow along at the Colorado Farm Bureau Facebook page.

Producers are encouraged to share the graphics and social media posts throughout the week, helping spread the word throughout our communities.

Visit the Centers’ YouTube channel for new content and fresh ideas about how to stay safe while working in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Join the movement to keep farms safe and share your own safety messages on social media using the hashtags #KeepFarmsSafe, #ASAP19 and #USAgCenters.

The 11 U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers are funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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February 28, 2019
Press Release: Governor Polis Proclaims March 1 – 7 as Colorado Weights and Measures Week

(DENVER) – Gov. Polis has issued a proclamation declaring March 1 – 7 as Weights and Measures Week in Colorado. Each year, the first week in March commemorates the signing of the first weights and measures law in the United States by President John Adams on March 2, 1799.

It’s been 220 years since that first law was passed. New measuring devices have been invented and computerization has made weights and measurement inspections much different than they used to be. The technologies have changed and improved but the need to make sure transactions remain accurate and transparent is as important as ever.

The governor’s proclamation honors the consumer protection efforts of the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. Their work touches virtually every Coloradan by ensuring the accuracy of all commercially used weighing and measuring equipment.

Every day, commercial scales, meters and scanning equipment devices are used to ensure equity in the marketplace. The Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS) and the Department of Agriculture’s Measurement Standards Programs protect consumers by checking and calibrating that the devices are operating properly.

Inspectors with OPS ensure that motorists are getting precisely what they are paying for at more than 50,000 retail motor fuel dispensers across the state. These inspectors routinely collect samples of fuel products (gasoline, diesel, E-85, biodiesel, etc.) from retail fueling stations across the state and analyze these samples to ensure compliance with fuel quality standards.

They also inspect bulk propane, gasoline, diesel truck meters, retail propane, compressed and liquefied natural gas dispensers for accuracy. In addition to this consumer protection work, OPS addresses environmental protection by overseeing the cleanup of leaks and spills.

Inspectors with the Department of Agriculture’s Inspection and Consumer Services division ensure the accuracy of commercial scales, meters and scanning equipment used at supermarkets, warehouses, packing plants, storage facilities, and retail stores. Scales are even used at Denver International Airport to determine allowable luggage weights. The metrology laboratory at the Department of Agriculture safeguards these devices’ precise accuracy.

Weights and measures officials conduct tests of commercially used weighing and measuring devices and report their condition to the owners. If the devices are correct, they are approved and sealed. If incorrect, they are prohibited from being rejected for use until the problem is corrected.

“Guaranteeing the accuracy of weights and measures is one of the oldest and most important activities of government,” says Hollis Glenn, Director of the Division of Inspection and Consumer Services. “Every citizen and every business has a direct financial interest in seeing that transactions are fair to both the buyer and seller.”

Mahesh Albuquerque, Director of the Division of Oil and Public Safety, agrees. “The quiet but systemic efforts of these officials instills trust in our marketplace. Weights and Measures Week is an opportunity to educate consumers, businesses and lawmakers about their important work.”

Colorado Department of Labor & Employment

CDLE’s Division of Oil and Public Safety is responsible for inspecting Colorado’s more than 50,000 retail motor fuel dispensers. Inspectors routinely collect samples of fuel products from retail fueling stations across the state, and samples are analyzed for compliance with fuel quality standards. For more information on OPS’s Weights and Measures program, visit www.colorado.gov/ops/WeightsMeasures.

Colorado Department of Agriculture

Inspectors and metrologists within CDA’s Measurement Standards Program and Division of Laboratory Services ensure the accuracy of scales, meters, and packaged products at supermarkets, warehouses, packing plants, storage facilities, and other retail stores. For more information on CDA’s Weights and Measures programs, visit www.colorado.gov/aginspection/measurement-standards or www.colorado.gov/aglabs/metrology-laboratory.

Link:

Governor’s Proclamation: Colorado Weights and Measures Week 2019

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February 28, 2019
Colorado ‘red flag’ gun bill passes first hearing

www.i-70scout.com

By JAMES ANDERSON
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) _ Colorado Democrats launched another campaign Thursday to pass a “red flag” gun law _ an effort backed by many top law enforcement officials to allow weapons to be seized from people who are determined by a court to pose significant risk.

Florida passed its own “red flag” law after the February 2017 Parkland school massacre, and 12 other states have done so. Colorado Republicans defeated a similar bill last year, insisting it infringed on citizens’ Second Amendment rights. But Democrats won both statehouse chambers in November, and Democratic Gov. Jared Polis called for a “red flag” law while campaigning last year.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 along party lines late Thursday to send this year’s bill to the chamber’s appropriations committee. The vote came after more than eight hours of testimony for and against the bill.

The legislation would allow family or law enforcement to seek a court order to have guns seized if they believe the owner is a threat. If approved, a subsequent court hearing would be held to determine whether to extend the seizure, up to 364 days.

The bill also would leave it up to the person whose guns were seized to prove at any point that he or she no longer poses a risk. That person would be entitled to legal counsel.

“This is the first step to move forward on a solution that is geared at trying to help people in crisis and confront the epidemic of gun violence that’s had a significant impact on the state of Colorado,” said House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, a co-sponsor along with first-term Rep. Tom Sullivan.

Sullivan’s son, Alex, was killed while celebrating his 27th birthday in the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting.

“Watching your child’s body drop into the ground is as bad as it gets,” Sullivan told a news conference last week. “And I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that none of you have to do that.”

A number of law enforcement officials supported the effort, including Tony Spurlock, sheriff of suburban Douglas County, who lost a deputy in a New Year’s Eve 2017 shooting by a suspect who was exhibiting increasingly erratic behavior. The bill is named after the deputy, Zachari Parrish.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle also supported the bill. His son was wounded in the shooting that killed Parrish.

“This is an issue that comes up constantly. We know who these folks are,” Pelle testified. “We absolutely know when and how the time is right to use the courts to help us relieve the situation and make our communities _ and our officers _ safer.”

John Walsh, a former U.S. attorney for Colorado, insisted the legislation protects the rights of gun owners to due process and that courts in other states have upheld similar laws.

House Minority Leader Patrick Neville, a survivor of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, says the bill would discourage citizens from seeking help because of the “stigma” associated with mental illness.

“No one should feel they have to choose between their guns and getting the help they need,” Neville said in a statement.

“I’m saddened that our beautiful state is moving away from due process,” said John Anderson, a retired commander of the Castle Rock Police Department and 20-year veteran of SWAT teams. The bill, he said, presumes that “the accused is guilty until proven innocent” and will create dangerous situations when officers try to confiscate firearms.

“You have now singled out one class of citizens in Colorado, and that is gun owners. And you will be challenged in court,” said Dudley Brown, executive director of the advocacy group Rocky Mountain Gun Owners.

The bill is backed by numerous gun control groups, including one founded by former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was severely wounded in a 2011 shooting, and survivors of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Gun rights are a perennial issue at Colorado’s Capitol. Lawmakers approved a ban on high-capacity magazines and added background checks for firearm transfers in 2013 following the Aurora and Sandy Hook shootings. Gun rights groups pushed successful recalls against two Democratic state senators who voted for the bills.

February 23, 2019
Colorado Legislature OK’s changes to presidential electors

By JAMES ANDERSON

Associated Press

DENVER (AP) _ The Democrat-controlled Legislature approved a bill Thursday calling for Colorado to join other states in casting presidential electoral votes for the winner of the national popular vote. Gov. Jared Polis, also a Democrat, has said he will sign the measure. Currently, the state’s electoral votes are cast for whoever wins in Colorado. Under the bill , Colorado would join 11 other states and the District of Columbia in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would take effect after states with a collective 270 electoral votes _ the number needed to win the presidency _ agree to join.

The campaign was launched after Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the 2000 election to Republican George W. Bush when electoral votes were tallied. Colorado Democrats introduced the bill after Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton, who won 3 million more votes nationally than Trump. The state House voted 34-29 Thursday to approve the bill that previously cleared the Senate. Opponents say the initiative subverts an electoral college that was designed to ensure, in part, that smaller states aren’t trampled when it comes to choosing a president. They also insisted the matter should be go to voters. Two Colorado Republicans, Monument Mayor Don Wilson and Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese, said Thursday they’re seeking a 2020 state ballot measure on the issue. “Our founders feared the tyranny of the majority. In our electoral college our smaller states still have a say,” GOP Rep. Lori Saine warned before Thursday’s vote. “This is an exercise of the tyranny of the majority.”

“I hear time and again that my vote doesn’t count,” Democratic Rep. Emily Sirota, a bill co-sponsor, said of her constituents. “That’s the intention of this bill _ to help people believe their vote matters.”

Currently, voters choose presidential electors from the political parties. The Electoral College has 538 electors, corresponding to the number of seats held by states in the U.S. Senate and House, plus three votes for the District of Columbia. Electors from states that have joined the compact would pool their votes for the national popular vote winner _ whether or not that candidate won in those states. Compact members, including California (55 electoral votes) and New York (29), currently have 172 electors. Colorado, with nine, would give it 181. Republican state lawmakers argued the compact would induce candidates to bypass smaller, rural, often Republican-leaning states during their campaigns. They say Colorado, which voted overwhelmingly Democratic in the 2018 midterm elections, would be added to that “flyover” territory. Advocates said it would force the candidates to fight for votes in more states, including solidly red states like Texas and solidly blue states like California. Ray Haynes, a former California Republican state lawmaker and ex-national chair of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, which represents state lawmakers, lobbied on behalf of the Colorado bill, noting it had bipartisan support well before the Trump election. But he said he got a relatively cold response from Colorado Republicans. “Conservative legislators around the country understand the basic concept of the bill, and as legislators they think that every vote in every state in every election matters,” Haynes said. “The visceral response is, `Oh my god, this would have given us Clinton as president.’ And that’s not true,” he said. Other compact members are Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. New Mexico lawmakers are considering similar legislation.

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February 22, 2019
Statement regarding multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump’s emergency declaration

Feb. 18, 2019 (DENVER, Colo.) —Attorney General Phil Weiser and Governor Jared Polis together issued the following statement regarding Colorado joining the multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump’s emergency declaration:

“Colorado will join at least 12 other states in a multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional emergency declaration to build a border wall. After reviewing the specifics of this action over the weekend, we concluded that Colorado could lose tens of millions in military construction dollars that would be diverted to build the wall. Our military bases play a critical role in our nation’s readiness and are economic drivers in several communities.

“In this action, we are fighting for Colorado’s interests and defending the rule of law.”

February 18, 2019
News Flash Arapahoe County offices and courts will close at 3 p.m. today due to the weather for Arapahoe County CO

Arapahoe County government offices and courts are closing at 3 p.m. today, Wed., Feb. 6, due to the weather. Please plan accordingly and check our website for additional information.

http://www.arapahoegov.com

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February 6, 2019
State government offices in Denver area will close early today

DENVER — State of Colorado government offices in Denver and surrounding suburban counties will close at 2 p.m. due to extreme weather conditions.

State facilities essential to public health and safety will maintain regular operating schedules and “essential personnel” will maintain regular schedules.

The Colorado Judicial Branch posts its own information regarding closures and delays related to Colorado’s courthouses and probation offices. Visit www.courts.state.co.us for current information related to courts and probation. The Colorado General Assembly posts daily schedules at www.leg.colorado.gov.

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February 6, 2019
News release: Technical issues resolved at Colorado driver license and motor vehicle offices

DENVER, Thursday, January 31, 2019 – Technical issues caused by a Division of Motor Vehicles computer system outage have been resolved. Online and in-office services have returned to normal.

Vehicle registration late fees will be waived for those affected by today’s outage

We thank Colorado residents for their patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

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January 31, 2019