Newly released crime data by the FBI revealed that in 2022, Colorado was the most likely state to have your car stolen.
As part of a comprehensive study of the Most Dangerous States in 2023 research firm HubScore delved into the automobile theft data and found that Colorado experienced an additional 4,529 automobile thefts in 2022 compared to 2021.
Colorado Car Theft Data Highlights:
(Ranked highest to lowest)
Category: Front Page
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2022 Data – Colorado Ranks #1 in Car Theft Rates
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Governor Polis Orders Flags to be Lowered to Honor Sergeant Michael Moran
DENVER- Governor Polis ordered the flags to be lowered to half-staff tomorrow, Wednesday, December 6, 2023, to honor Sergeant Michael Moran, who was killed in the line of duty last week. Flags should be lowered tomorrow, the day of the service, from sunrise to sunset on all public buildings statewide. -
Governor Polis Announces Governor’s Residence Public Holiday Tours, Welcomes Coloradans to Tour Colorado’s Home
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis announced the annual Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion Holiday Tours. Open to the public annually around the holidays, Coloradans from across our state can tour the Governor’s Residence on Friday and Saturday, December 8th and 9th from 10 am-2 pm. Members of the public are asked to express interest in a tour through this Governor’s Office Form; however, walk-ins are welcomed.“This holiday season, I encourage Coloradans to come celebrate with us in Colorado’s House. Our public tours not only give Coloradans a chance to see the Governor’s Residence while beautifully decorated for the holidays, but also learn about the storied history of the home,” said Governor Polis.The Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion was recently named a runner-up top wedding venue in the Denver Metro Area by the Colorado Sun. A limited number of weddings can take place at the mansion each year, if you are interested inquire on the Governor’s Residence Wedding website. -
Livestock growers invited to evening with CSU Extension
Colorado State University Extension livestock specialists will host Livestock Producers Night Out starting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Farm Credit of Southern Colorado Show Pavilion on the Kit Carson County Fair Grounds in Burlington.The specialists will visit with livestock producers about current beef cattle production, producer concerns, and services offered to producers. A free taco bar will be provided and producers are encouraged stay to watch Round 1 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.Producers interested in attending should RSVP by Tuesday, Dec. 5, by calling Scott Stinnett at the Kit Carson County Extension Office at (719)346-5571. -
Governor Polis Orders Flags Lowered to Half Staff in Remembrance of First Lady Rosalynn Carter Beginning on Saturday
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff on all public buildings in honor and remembrance of First Lady Rosalynn Carter as proclaimed by President Biden. Flags should be lowered beginning on Saturday, November 25, 2023, until sunset on the day of the funeral which will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.The President’s full proclamation text states:Throughout her life as First Lady of Georgia and First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter exemplified hope, warmth, and a steadfast commitment to doing all she could to address many of our society’s greatest needs. She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for all; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities. Above all, the deep love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership, and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.As a mark of respect for the memory of Rosalynn Carter, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions from November 25, 2023, until sunset, on the day of interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. -
Keep a DUI off the table: Today Thanksgiving DUI enforcement begins
November 16, 2023 – Statewide Safety News – CDOT urges Coloradans to reach their destination safelyStatewide — If you gobble ‘til you wobble on Thanksgiving, make sure a sober ride home is part of your plans. From Nov. 16 to 30, the Colorado Department of Transportation will support Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 77 local law enforcement agencies for the Thanksgiving Week DUI enforcement period. This heightened enforcement will increase safety patrols across the state and reduce the number of impaired driving fatal crashes.
Statistics show impaired driving increases during the Thanksgiving holiday. Preliminary data shows that one-third of the roadway fatalities during Thanksgiving involved suspected impaired drivers between 2020 and 2022. A total of 30 people were killed on Colorado roads during that time.
Nationally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 190 people lost their lives during the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday due to impaired driving.“Holiday celebrations often include alcohol and cannabis as friends and families gather; this should never be an excuse to drive intoxicated,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol.“Thanksgiving is a time to remember what you are most grateful for and those things are the exact same reasons why you need to drive sober.”
2023 Impaired Driving Fatalities Highest Counties Last year, there were 366 DUI arrests over the Thanksgiving Week DUI enforcement period. So far this year, 192 people have been killed in crashes involving an impaired driver in Colorado. That represents almost a third of all fatal crashes in the state this year.
“With so many safe-ride options available, there is no reason to ever drive under the influence,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “If you’ve been drinking, don’t get behind the wheel. Always plan to have a designated driver, use a rideshare program, a taxi or public transit to get home safely.”
During enforcement periods, motorists may see:
- Sobriety checkpoints
- Saturation patrols
- Additional law enforcement on roadways
The recent Halloween Weekend enforcement period concluded with 170 arrests across 80 participating agencies. The agencies with the highest arrests were Colorado Springs Police Department (28), Fort Collins Police Department (16) and Lakewood Police Department (9). CSP reported 22 arrests.
Thanksgiving Week is the first of three year-end holiday enforcement periods. The last two holiday enforcement periods of 2023 are Holiday Parties from Dec. 7 to 20 and New Year’s Eve Weekend from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3.
For yearly impaired-driving crash and fatality data in Colorado, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety/data-analysis/fatal-crash-data. For local law enforcement agency plans, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-reporting-portal.
About The Heat Is On
The CDOT Highway Safety Office provides funding to Colorado law enforcement for impaired driving enforcement, education and awareness campaigns. The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year, with 16 specific high-visibility impaired driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement. Find more details about the campaign, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips at HeatIsOnColorado.com. More information about DUI laws in Colorado can be found at NoDUIColorado.org. Learn more about CDOT’s dedication to keeping Colorado roads safe, including impaired driving enforcement objectives, arrest data and safety information at codot.gov/safety.
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Board Of County Commissioners To Consider Oil And Gas Amendments Nov. 14
The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 14 to consider oil and gas amendments to the County’s Land Use Code that include wildfire protections, increased setbacks, an air quality monitoring program, and additional testing requirements for soil, surface water and groundwater.
The hearing will be held in the East Hearing Room within the Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., in Littleton. Those who can’t attend in person can participate in the hearing by calling 855-436-3656 and pressing *3 to speak.
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial of the proposed amendments at their Nov. 8 public hearing. A recording of the meeting will be available on the website.
While the Planning Commission recommend denial, the Board of County Commissioners will consider the following:
- Require oil and gas operations to be located 3,000 feet away from existing and planned reservoirs when downgradient conditions can be demonstrated;
- Increase setbacks from occupied structures, platted lots and outside activity areas to 2,500 or 3,000 feet;
- Include wildland urban interface protections determined necessary by the fire district;
- Require soil contamination testing for any incidents where fluids move off a well pad. This includes a remediation plan if testing reveals contaminants are present off the well pad;
- Require the creation of groundwater and surface water quality plans, which provides additional water testing beyond state requirements, paid for by the operator;
- Develop an air quality mitigation plan, including air quality monitoring beyond state requirements with additional monitoring stations and increased leak detection monitoring. This requires County notification should a test result exceed air quality standards and monitoring conducted by an independent third-party consultant, paid for by the operator;
- Require continuous noise monitoring by an independent third-party consultant, paid for by the operator.
The Board of County Commissioner’s agenda and additional information of the proposed amendments is available at arapahoeco.gov/agendas.
The board previously approved amendments to the oil and gas land development code on October 10, which included a one-mile setback from existing and planned reservoirs unless downgradient conditions can be demonstrated, requiring access roads that comply with fire code, and requiring handwashing supplies for workers at oil and gas sites.
The County is developing additional amendments for consideration in early 2024, such as the inclusion of financial assurances and development of a County inspection program. For more information, visit www.arapahoeco.gov/oilandgas.
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County Proposing Further Amendments To Its Oil And Gas Regulations
Arapahoe County is proposing further amendments to its oil and gas regulations. The proposed amendments include wildfire protections, increased setbacks, additional soil, surface water, and groundwater testing, and an air quality program.
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Arapahoe County Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., in Littleton. (A previous version of this news item incorrectly listed Lima Plaza in Centennial as the meeting location.) Those who can’t attend in person can participate in the hearing by calling 855-436-3656 and pressing *3 to speak.
The proposed amendments include:
- Requiring oil and gas operations to be 3,000 feet away from existing and planned reservoirs when downgradient conditions can be demonstrated;
- Increasing setbacks from occupied structures, platted lots, outside activity areas and water bodies;
- Including wildland urban interface protections determined necessary by the fire district;
- Requiring soil contamination testing for any incidents where fluids move off a well pad. This includes a remediation plan if testing reveals contaminants are present off the well pad;
- Requiring the creation of groundwater and surface water quality plans, which provide additional water testing beyond state requirements;
- Developing an air quality mitigation plan. This includes air quality monitoring beyond state requirements with additional monitoring stations and increased leak detection monitoring, plus County notification should a test result exceed air quality standards. Monitoring to be conducted by an independent third-party consultant, paid for by the operator;
- Requiring continuous noise monitoring by an independent third-party consultant, paid for by the operator.
The agenda and additional information of the proposed amendments are available in Legistar.
The Board of County Commissioners will take up these amendments during a public hearing set for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 14 in the East Hearing Room within the Administration Building, 5334 S. Prince St., in Littleton.
A month ago, the Board of County Commissioners approved amendments to the oil and gas regulations, which included a one-mile setback from existing and planned reservoirs unless downgradient conditions can be demonstrated, requiring access roads that comply with fire code and requiring handwashing supplies for workers at oil and gas sites.
For more information, visit www.arapahoeco.gov/oilandgas.
