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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Local News

  • Denver Metro — Action Day for Visibility 

    Denver Metro — Action Day for Visibility 

     

    Indoor Burning Restrictions in Effect 

    This is the Denver Metro Air Pollution Forecast effective 4PM on Tuesday, January 3, 2017: 

    An Action Day for Visibility is now in effect for the seven-county Denver-Boulder metropolitan area . Indoor Burning Restrictions and requests to limit driving are now in effect until at least 4 PM Wednesday, January 4, 2017. Poor visibility and an exceedance of the state visibility standard are expected on Wednesday. Otherwise, good or moderate air quality conditions are expected. No other air quality advisories are in effect. 

    Cloud cover and upslope winds will prevent ventilation on Wednesday, allowing for Poor visibility. 

    For statewide conditions, forecasts and advisories, visit: 
    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx  

    A poorly maintained vehicle pollutes more than a well maintained one. If you must drive, properly maintain your vehicle. We’ll all breathe easier! 

    At 2PM (MST), Tuesday, 1/3/2017 the highest AQI value was 53 for Particulate less than 2.5 micrometers which indicates Moderate air quality. Respiratory symptoms possible in unusually sensitive individuals, possible aggravation of heart or lung disease in people with cardiopulmonary disease and older adults. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. 
    Front Range Air Quality Forecast & Colorado Smoke Outlook 

    FRONT RANGE AIR QUALITY FORECAST: 
    Tuesday, January 3, 2017, 2:20 PM MST 

    Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

    Fine Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Tuesday and Wednesday. Moderate concentrations are most likely in the Denver Metro area, and northward along the I-25 corridor to Ft. Collins and Greeley on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion in these areas. 

    Carbon Monoxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

    Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

    Visibility is expected to be Moderate to Poor Wednesday. 

    COLORADO SMOKE OUTLOOK: 
    Tuesday, January 3, 2017, 2:20 PM MST 

    Light to moderate smoke is possible near prescribed fires and small wildfires around the state.

  • New year rings in new rule for metro HOV traffic lanes

    DENVER — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) reminds carpoolers that High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Express Lanes have changed to 3-plus occupants per vehicle. The change to HOV 3+ began Jan. 1.

    The change affects the US 36 and I-25 Express Lanes, two corridors that offer free carpooling in the Express Lanes. The move to HOV 3+ is needed to provide uncongested travel as well as to provide funding to help offset costs of the lane including operations and maintenance.

    CDOT and HPTE are working with the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the Regional Transportation District (RTD), Smart Commute Metro North, 36 Commuting Solutions, North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO), Lyft, Uber and others to help people find and use additional ways to carpool or take other modes of transportation. To explore other carpooling options, visit the HOV 3+ solutions website at https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/hov-3. Drivers also always have the option of driving in the free general purpose lanes.

    Carpool purists, drivers who use their Switchable HOV Transponder in carpool mode only, will be able to receive the $15 transponder for free in spring 2017 as another way to ease the transition. Drivers can get a Switchable HOV Transponder at ExpressToll.com. For more information, visit expresslanes.codot.gov.

  • Today’s Events – Tuesday, Jan. 3

    Today’s Events – Tuesday, Jan. 3

    WHAT’S HAPPENING??

    It’s National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day!

    Here is a fun recipe in case your holiday sweet-tooth is still on duty  😉

    Chocolate-Covered Marzipan Cherries:
    Ingredients:
    12 glace cherries
    2 tablespoons rum (or brandy)
    100 grams dark chocolate
    250 grams marzipan

    Marzipan recipe:
    1/2 pound blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
    1 large egg white at room temperature
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoons vanilla
    1 teaspoon strong almond extract
    1-1/2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

    Make the marzipan first. If you don’t have a food processor, use an electric coffee grinder and grind the blanched almonds in small batches down into a fine powder, and then put the powder into a large mixing bowl. In a different bowl, whisk the egg white with the salt until it is frothy, and then whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir the mixture into the almond powder. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar (1/2 cup at a time), constantly kneading the mixture together in the bowl, until you have a smooth, pliable dough. and that’s it: that’s your marzipan paste, ready for further use! You can keep it in a cool refrigerated environment for up to 8 weeks.

    Now, line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper. Take the cherries, cut them in half and place them in a small bowl. Add the rum or brandy and stir well. Then, leave the cherries to soak up the alcohol for at least an hour, stirring every now and then. I the meantime, you can divide your marzipan paste into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Press half of a cherry cherry into the top of each marzipan ball and roll to get the cherry inside.
    Break the chocolate into pieces, place in a bowl and set over a saucepan, stirring until it has melted. Using a cocktail stick, dipe each marzipan ball in the chocolate, covering it completely and allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Lastly, put the coated cherries on the baking paper and chill until the chocolate hardens.

    Enjoy Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day!

  • Thieves steal from Strasburg RadioShack

    The Adams County Sheriff’s Department are searching for at least two people suspected of stealing merchandise from the RadioShack store in Strasburg on New Year’s Eve.

    Sheriff’s department officials confirmed that items were stolen but that no weapons were used during the incident.

    “It was not a robbery. It was a theft,” said Cmdr. Karl Smalley with the Plains Subdivision of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department. “There is a difference between robbery and theft with a robbery being at gunpoint or with some other threat with a weapon.”

    The sheriff’s department can be contacted through the Strasburg substation at (303)622-9797.

    For full coverage, see the Jan. 6 edition of the Eastern Colorado News.

  • Suspect in I-70 Corridor auto break-ins in custody

    The Adams County Sheriff’s Department announced New Year’s Eve that it has arrested a suspect in a series of at least seven automobile break-ins between Dec. 24-26.

    According to Cmdr. Karl Smalley with the Adams County Plains Subdivision, the arrest was made early in the morning Dec. 31 but that identification of the suspect in not being released until the investigation is completed.

    “It’s a matter of confirming with the victims that the items recovered are theirs and getting additional information collected,” Smalley said. “But hopefully getting this news out will help our residents rest a little bit easier.”

    The Adams County incidents in question occurred in and around Bennett and Strasburg and further north of I-70.

    Whether the suspect was also involved in a couple of break-ins in Byers in Arapahoe County is unknown.

    For updated coverage, see the Jan. 6 edition of the Eastern Colorado News.

     

  • Today’s Events – Saturday, Dec. 31

    Today’s Events – Saturday, Dec. 31

    New Year’s Noon. Families are invited to ring in the New Year early with hats, horns and a balloon drop. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Bennett Anythink.

  • Today’s Events – Friday, Dec. 30

    Today’s Events – Friday, Dec. 30

    Al-Anon family group. For more information call (303)888-4525.

    Story time. 10 a.m., Kelver Library, Byers.

    Adult book club. “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr. 10:30 a.m. Bennett Anythink.

  • Denver Metro Action Day for Visibility 

    Denver Metro Action Day for Visibility 

     

    Indoor Burning Restrictions in Effect 

    This is the Denver Metro Air Pollution Forecast effective 4PM on Thursday, December 29, 2016: 

    An Action Day for Visibility is now in effect for the seven-county Denver-Boulder metropolitan area . Indoor Burning Restrictions and requests to limit driving are now in effect until at least 4 PM Friday, December 30, 2016. Poor visibility and an exceedance of the state visibility standard are expected on Friday. Otherwise, good or moderate air quality conditions are expected. No other air quality advisories are in effect. 

    High pressure over Kansas, calm to light winds over the Front Range, and an inversion that will be persistent until later afternoon, will promote visibility degradation on Friday. 

    For statewide conditions, forecasts and advisories, visit: 
    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx  

    A poorly maintained vehicle pollutes more than a well maintained one. If you must drive, properly maintain your vehicle. We’ll all breathe easier! 

    At 2PM (MST), Thursday, 12/29/2016 the highest AQI value was 39 for Nitrogen Dioxide which indicates Good air quality. 
    Front Range Air Quality Forecast & Colorado Smoke Outlook 

    FRONT RANGE AIR QUALITY FORECAST: 
    Thursday, December 29, 2016, 2:10 AM MST 

    Ozone concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Thursday and Friday. 

    Fine Particulate Matter concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Thursday and Friday. Moderate concentrations of fine particulates are most likely within the Denver Metro area. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion in these areas on Thursday and Friday. 

    Carbon Monoxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good category on Thursday and Friday. 

    Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations are expected to be in the Good to Moderate range on Thursday and Friday. Moderate concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are most likely within the Denver Metro area near busy roadways, particularly between the hours of 7-10 AM and from 5-9 PM on Thursday and Friday. For health recommendations, please see Fine Particulate Matter above. 

    Visibility is expected to be Moderate to Poor on Friday. 

    COLORADO SMOKE OUTLOOK: 
    Thursday, December 29, 2016, 2:10 PM MST 

    Light to moderate smoke is possible near prescribed fires and small wildfires around the state.

  • New Year’s DUI enforcement begins Friday

    New Year’s DUI enforcement begins Friday

    Between Dec. 30 and Jan. 3, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies statewide will increase DUI enforcement to arrest impaired drivers during New Year’s celebrations as part of the year-long Heat is On campaign. This year, 107 agencies statewide will participate in the crackdown.

    “Nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities this year involved an impaired driver,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “It takes one person’s bad decision to change many lives forever. Plan to have a sober ride before you start celebrating.”

    Last year, 103 agencies arrested 396 impaired drivers during the New Year’s enforcement period. There were seven traffic fatalities during the enforcement period. Three of the seven fatalities were caused by alcohol-related crashes.

    “People often forget the financial, legal — and most importantly — the safety implications of driving impaired,” said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “There is absolutely no need to risk driving under the influence with the many transportations options available.”

    The following promotions will be available to help people get home safely from celebrations:

    • RTD and Coors Light will offer complimentary bus and rail service from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 7 a.m. on Jan. 1 as part of the “Freeze the Keys” DUI-prevention effort.

    • The Sawaya Law Firm’s “Free Cab Ride Home Program” will offer a ride from one location to the passenger’s home through Jan. 3. Once the passenger has paid for a cab, they can send the receipt to the The Sawaya Law Firm for reimbursement.

    • Lyft is offering a discount to new users. Sign up with the promo code CDOTRideSafe for a $20 credit on your first ride. Once you download the app, create an account and enter the code in the payment section.

    First-time DUI offenders can be punished with up to one year in jail, license suspension and thousands of dollars in fines. On average, a DUI can cost more than $13,500 after considering fines, legal fees and increased insurance costs. Penalties increase for repeat offenders.

    The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year with 12 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. More details can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com.

  • Today’s Events – Thursday, Dec. 29

    Today’s Events – Thursday, Dec. 29

    Music & Movement. Ages 2-6 can sing, dance and learn to play basic instruments. 10 a.m., Anythink Bennett library.

    Family story time for ages 3-5. 11 a.m., Davies Library, Deer Trail.

    Bingo for Books. 4:15 p.m., Anythink Bennett library.

    AA Strasburg Sobriety. 7:30 p.m., Saron Lutheran Church, 1656 Main St. Lane Shade, (303)717-2263.