Denver — Today, Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a proclamation declaring November Colorado Apprenticeship Month, in recognition of the increasingly important role such programs play in helping Coloradans gain in-demand skills while earning a paycheck.
“Apprenticeships give people of all ages an opportunity to hone existing skills and gain new ones,” said Joe Barela, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). “As we prepare for today and tomorrow’s rapidly changing economy, the importance of upskilling and reskilling will only grow. Apprenticeships will provide countless Coloradans with opportunities to remain competitive in a quickly evolving labor market that demands lifelong learning.”
During Colorado Apprenticeship Month, CDLE, along with the Business Experiential Learning (BEL) Commission, the Colorado Workforce Development Council, and workforce boards, will be hosting a “Celebration of Excellence” at the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion on November 5th. The event, sponsored by FirstBank and CareerWise Colorado, will honor apprentices, their mentors, and employers who have strong apprenticeship programs, and partnerships that further the adoption of apprenticeship programs.
Governor Polis’ proclamation comes as employers struggle to find skilled talent in a state with historically low unemployment rates. At the same time, many Coloradans find themselves without the skills or experience they need to find good jobs. Apprenticeships help alleviate employers’ skills gaps while also equipping apprentices with in-demand skills.
An increasing number of employers are recognizing the benefits of such programs; from 2013 to 2018, the number of apprentices grew from 375,000 to 585,000, a 56 percent increase, according to the United States Department of Labor. A data sheet by the Utah Department of Workforce Services also notes that the return on investment for a registered apprenticeship program is $1.46 for ever $1 invested, that 90 percent of apprentices retain employment after their apprenticeship ends, and that apprenticeship graduates earn, on average, $300,000 more over the course of their career than their peers who don’t complete an apprenticeship.
To view the Governor’s proclamation in full, click here.
To find out more about how your organization can adopt an apprenticeship program, visit Apprenticeship Evolution, a product of the BEL Commission.
In an era of money-hungry government, this election cycle seeks to move us further down a path asking taxpayers to give more, fund more, pay more.
Water has long been at the forefront of my agenda over the duration of my career in the state legislature. I have served as the Water Committee Chairman several times and have become one of those “water guys” from whom others seek information.
I have remained publicly neutral on Proposition DD as several questions were not answered. Instead, I proposed policy changes to require transparency. Those questions remain unclear and any transparency policy has so far been rejected.
This proposition asks permission to add sports betting to Colorado’s current list of approved games, in response to the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that individual states can authorize betting on sports. I know people who already bet using their smart phones.
Voters are asked to approve that list and then allow a tax on sports betting with the revenue going to the “Water Plan.”
On the surface this seems great: we need to make sure we have funding available to build storage and keep Colorado’s water in Colorado. Except, just like Prop CC, the legislature can raid funds set aside for water and use them for something else. And they have in the past – since 2002, $322 million dollars specified for water projects has been spent elsewhere.
If Prop CC fails and Prop DD passes, will the legislature take the money they had hoped would be generated by Proposition CC to fund the ongoing government overspending? The law says they can!
Let’s assume that we can trust the legislature to spend this money on the “Water Plan.” Will that money be used to build storage? Or will it fund other projects such as removing water from agriculture for recreation or instream flows or urban growth? A past director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board has been quoted saying that some rivers need to be 100% owned by the state to meet the agency’s conservation goals. That scares me and it should scare agriculture!
Most recently, as I try to decide if this is a good policy for Colorado, I can’t help but focus on the questions that are not being answered. It would appear that there are some hidden agendas involved.
To me, it boils down to this: should gamblers be made to fund our water needs? Should we raise taxes on something like gambling to replace a noticeable reduction in water funds used because of the curtailed oil and gas production? Can we trust the legislature to spend this money on what it is promised for?
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI) reintroduced the Philanthropic Facilitation Act (PFA) to reform the approval process for charitable investments, so organizations can more easily invest in community improvement and job creation, boosting economic growth in both rural and urban areas.
“Encouraging investment in both rural and urban settings is vital to growing our economy and creating jobs. The Philanthropic Facilitation Act benefits rural economies in particular by cutting red tape and removing barriers between philanthropists and small businesses, ultimately leading to more job creation,” said Senator Gardner. “Private charities are more than willing to invest in and grow the economy but are too often deterred by government bureaucracy. Simply put, it’s often too hard for philanthropists to identify qualified recipients for their charitable dollars. This legislation is a common-sense solution that gets government out of the way and encourages more investment across Colorado where it’s needed most.”
“Charitable foundations across Michigan are playing critical roles in supporting local economic development,” said Senator Peters. “I am pleased to partner with Senator Gardner on this bipartisan legislation that would encourage further investment in underserved rural and urban communities by streamlining the process for charitable organizations to grow, create jobs and continue to give back to these communities.”
Current law stipulates that private foundations must make a certain amount of charitable distributions in order to keep their tax-preferred status. Commonly, those distributions come in the form of grants to not-for-profit organizations. Program-Related Investments (PRIs), which are investments in for-profit companies undertaking a charitable activity, can also count towards a private foundation’s annual charitable distributions, but are often ignored due to a confusing certification process.
This legislation introduced by Gardner and Peters streamlines the process for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rulings on whether a loan or an investment by a philanthropic organization can be considered a PRI, and therefore count towards yearly charitable distributions. This legislation makes it easier for organizations to invest in a given entity by simplifying the process and forcing the IRS to make a decision within 120 days.
DENVER – The Colorado Supreme Court on Friday appointed Steven Vasconcellos as State Court Administrator. Vasconcellos had served as interim State Court Administrator since July.
“We have as a group become convinced that Steven is the best candidate to lead the State Court Administrator’s Office and move the Judicial Department forward,” Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats said. “Steven has dedicated his professional life to the department and has unparalleled institutional knowledge and experience. We have been greatly impressed not only by his management of the office as Interim State Court Administrator over the last three months but also by his ideas for better serving the needs of the state’s 22 judicial districts.”
Vasconcellos was among more than 50 applicants for the position. Four finalists appeared in a town hall-style meeting telecast to Judicial Department employees across the state, and the Supreme Court accepted department employees’ comments before concluding its three-month search.
Vasconcellos began his career with the Colorado Courts in 1995, serving in numerous positions ranging from court clerk in Colorado Springs to director of the Court Services Division of the State Court Administrator’s Office. He was serving as the SCAO Chief Operations Officer when he was appointed interim State Court Administrator in July.
The State Court Administrator works closely with the Chief Justice, Supreme Court, and Court Executives to set the strategic administrative direction for the Judicial Department. The position has oversight over the State Court Administrator’s Office, which provides central administrative services through many divisions including Information Technology, Financial Services, Human Resources, Court Services, Legal, Education and Probation Services. The office also assigns senior judges as needed. The State Court Administrator is a liaison to advisory working groups and committees of justices, judges and administrators that provide recommendations and advice for policymaking, business practice change, and service delivery. The State Court Administrator serves at the pleasure of the Supreme Court. The annual salary for this position is $184,836.
The Colorado Judicial Department is the state’s largest unified criminal justice agency and includes the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, as well as the state’s district and county trial courts. The Judicial Department is also home to the Division of Probation Services, which is responsible for supervising more than 80,000 adult and juvenile offenders.
The Judicial Branch employs approximately 4,600 employees, including 425 justices, judges and magistrates. Last fiscal year, 777,000 cases of all types were filed in the state court system.
Greeley, CO – This past Wednesday, CLA members from the Yuma area hosted a tour of their wind turbines and facilities for Governor Jared Polis and Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg.
Erick Farmer, owner of Heritage Dairy, talked about his wind turbines and discussed the benefits and some of the obstacles to increasing the use of turbines throughout rural Colorado.
“Terri and I were honored to host a discussion on wind energy with Governor Polis in Yuma County. Renewables are an important part of our ag operations in both Colorado and Kansas. Our wind turbines provide approximately 60% of our power at Heritage Dairy, and even more at our feedyards. This allows us to not only be more efficient and cut costs, but also allows us to be part of a bigger picture of becoming more sustainable. We are proud to be part of this movement,” said Erick Farmer. “It was important for us to also inform the Governor not only of our success with these wind projects, but to also enlighten him with the hurdles associated with renewable energy implementation in our County and State. We hope that this discussion with the Governor will help lead the path to more renewables as part of the future of ag in Colorado.”
Following the tour at Heritage Dairy, the group visited Smithfield Hog Production where Bill Gill, Assistant VP for Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Smithfield Foods; Dwain Weinrich, Colorado Operations Manager for Smithfield Hog Production and Julie McCaleb, Environmental Systems Manager, Smithfield Foods gave a bus tour of the hog farm and talked about the benefits of using renewable energy from wind turbines to power their facility and their future plans for wind turbine construction at the Yuma operation.
“It was good to have Governor Polis, Commissioner Greenberg and Michael Turner (State Energy Office) tour Yuma county ag operations. The tour highlighted livestock production along with crops that are grown in the area to feed the livestock in Yuma County. Renewable energy is a focal point for the Governor and as we concluded the visit, he stated how impressed he was with the current and proposed wind projects,” stated Dwain Weinrich, President-Elect of the Colorado Livestock Association.
On the bus ride following the tours, Yuma County Commissioner Trent Bushner shared information about the county’s impressive agricultural production and discussed how the agriculture industry is the driver in Yuma county and is critical to the sustainability of rural communities throughout Colorado.
Livestock producers from the local area had the opportunity to visit with Governor Jared Polis and Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg following the tours during a meet and greet hosted by the Colorado Livestock Association. Representatives from Colorado Pork Producers Council and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association were also in attendance.
Friday, October 18, 2019 — The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting workers for temporary jobs in advance of the 2020 Census and is hosting multiple recruiting and hiring events for Colorado jobs next week. The events will feature information on what jobs are currently available and the requirements and duties of each job.
The Census Bureau is looking for 500,000 census takers across the country to join a team that offers great pay and flexible hours. The National Recruitment Campaign week will kick off with a news conference on October 22 in Phoenix.
Check out the listings below to find a Colorado recruiting event near you. Media should RSVP to Laurie Cipriano at lau or text 720-891-2497.
Boulder
What: 2020 Census Jobs for Students Recruiting Event
DENVER — Dish Network will locate its new wireless headquarters with at least 2,000 full-time employees in Colorado and T-Mobile will significantly build out a statewide 5G network, particularly in rural areas, under agreements the Colorado Attorney General’s office announced today. The companies agree to pay up to a total of $100 million if they fail to meet these commitments.
Because of the substantial benefits that Coloradans will gain from these commitments, the Attorney General’s Office will end its participation in a multistate lawsuit it joined in June to halt the T-Mobile and Sprint merger. The U.S. Justice Department recently approved the $26.5 billion merger, in which Dish agreed to acquire the companies’ prepaid businesses and get access to T-Mobile’s network for $5 billion, making it the fourth largest nationwide wireless carrier.
“The State of Colorado joined a multistate lawsuit to block the T-Mobile-Sprint merger because of concerns about how the merger would affect Coloradans. The agreements we are announcing today address those concerns by guaranteeing jobs in Colorado, a statewide buildout of a fast 5G network that will especially benefit rural communities, and low-cost mobile plans,” said Chief Deputy Attorney General Natalie Hanlon Leh. “Our announcement today ensures Coloradans will benefit from Dish’s success as a nationwide wireless competitor.
Under an agreement with Dish, the company will locate and maintain its wireless headquarters at its Riverfront facility in Littleton for at least seven years. The company will also employ a minimum of 2,000 full-time employees working primarily on wireless at Dish facilities in Colorado including Riverfront, and their Inverness and Meridian facilities in Englewood. In addition, Colorado will be among the first ten states where Dish plans to deploy 5G broadband services by 2023. Dish faces up to $20 million in penalties if it does not meet its commitments to the state.
In a separate agreement with T-Mobile, Coloradans will benefit from improved 5G coverage in the state, especially in rural areas. The New T-Mobile has agreed to the following commitments:
Statewide Network Build Commitment:
Within three years of the closing date of the merger, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 68 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 76 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
Within six years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 92 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 93 percent of the Colorado population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
Rural Network Build Commitment
Within three years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 60 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 63 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
Within six years of the closing date, New T-Mobile will deploy a 5G network in Colorado with at least 74 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 100 Mbps, and at least 84 percent of the Colorado rural population having access to download speeds equal to or greater than 50 Mbps.
Low-Price Mobile Plan Commitment
For at least five years following the closing date, New T-Mobile will offer new low-priced plans in the state that are available to all customers and provides:
Unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for $15 or less per month; and
Unlimited talk, text, and 5GB of data for $25 or less per month.
T-Mobile faces up to $80 million in penalties if it fails to meet its commitments to the state.
Hanlon Leh, Solicitor General Eric Olson, and attorneys from the Colorado Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Section negotiated the agreements with Dish and T-Mobile. Attorney General Phil Weiser recused himself from the matter.
Colorado State University will host a panel discussion and community conversation, Beyond Partisan Politics: Bridging Divides by Overcoming Our Echo Chambers, from 4:30to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, in the Lory Student Center Theater on campus. The event is free and open to the public; online registration required at csutix.com.
The three panelists represent a diverse set of perspectives. While Joan Blades, founder of MoveOn.org and MomsRising.org, takes a progressive view, she advocates dialogue across difference through LivingRoomConversations.org. Similarly, John Gable, who works in Silicon Valley and earlier worked for Sen. Mitch McConnell, takes a conservative view, yet urges us to engage a full range of perspectives on issues through his startup AllSides, designed specifically to address the biases caused by “filter bubbles.”
Pedro Silva is a U.S. Air Force veteran and trained linguist who currently serves as an associate minister at the First Congregational Church Boulder, UCC. He has a passion for using expansive conversational models such as LivingRoomConversations to engage on subjects such as race, ethnicity, and political discourse.
The speakers will engage each other, telling their stories of working to create connection across differences that diminish the filter bubbles we all so naturally inhabit. They’ll discuss the tools they have developed to support that important work. After the panel discussion, the audience will have an opportunity to participate in a Living Room Conversation.
The Provost’s Ethics Colloquium and CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation are jointly hosting this event. Trained student facilitators from the center will lead the audience conversations, which will introduce strategies for respectful yet substantive exploration of differences and for considering how to overcome our echo chambers.
The evening will close with a reflection on the process and a question-and-answer session with the panelists. The panel discussion and the question-and-answer session but not the roundtable audience discussions will be live-streamed, and a link to the recording will be posted to the Ethics Colloquium site after the event.
On October 11, 2019, Colorado’s county clerks began mailing ballots to Colorado’s registered voters for the November 5, 2019 Coordinated Election. The Colorado Secretary of State is reminding registered voters and eligible voters of the resources available and key upcoming dates.
Resources for voters:
Coloradans can update and verify voter registration or register to vote online at GoVoteColorado.com.
Coloradans can view a sample ballot online by clicking on “Find my registration” at GoVoteColorado.com. Once there, enter First Name, Last Name, Zip Code, and Birthday to see your registration. To view your sample ballot, click on “Ballot Information” and then “view my sample ballot.”
To find a ballot drop-off location or Voter Service Polling Center visit GoVoteColorado.com and enter your address into the box labeled “Where do I vote or drop off my ballot?”
Coloradans can access the 2019 Blue Book online in English and Spanish here. The Blue Book includes the text and title of each initiated or referred constitutional amendment, law, or question on the ballot as well as a summary of the measure, the major arguments for and against the measure, and a brief fiscal assessment of the measure.
Information for voters with disabilities is available here.
Key Dates:
October 11-18: Ballots are mailed out to voters, and many drop boxes begin to open.
October 28:
Voter Service and Polling centers open.
Last day to register to vote and receive a mail ballot for the Coordinated Election. However, eligible voters can register to vote and vote in person at any county vote center through Election Day.
Last recommended day to return your ballot by mail. After October 28, voters should return ballots by hand to a ballot drop box or vote center.
November 5: Election Day
Vote in-person at a vote center.
Register to vote in-person at a vote center.
Update your existing registration at a vote center.
Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fully address all abuses and violations at detention facilities as outlined by recent DHS Office of the Inspector General reports by November 1, 2019. In a letter to Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan, Bennet requested the agency share its plan to address concerns from the reports, as well as detailed accounting of the department’s budget for detention facilities.
The reports include violations of the 2000 National Detention Standards and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Performance-Based National Detention Standards, including medical neglect and abuse, lack of mental healthcare, and food safety concerns.
“In light of the recent deaths at detention facilities, the lack of oversight and recourse to these violations is especially troubling. 31 immigrants, including seven children, have died in immigration custody since 2017. Yet, DHS fails to hold private contractors accountable or otherwise improve conditions of immigrant detention facilities,” wrote Bennet.
Following the release of the June report that revealed details of dire conditions endured by children and migrants at detention facilities across the country, Bennet sent a letter to McAleenan calling on DHS to provide a plan for rectifying the concerns outlined in the report.
A copy of today’s letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Secretary McAleenan:
I write to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) work immediately to cure all noncompliant detention conditions that the DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) identified in reports over the past year. Additionally, I request a detailed accounting of taxpayer funds provided to detention facilities in the United States and a clear methodology to cure all violations of national detention standards, including plans to penalize noncompliant facilities.
I am dismayed to hear that DHS has not addressed the violations and abuses outlined in the January 29, 2019 and June 3, 2019 OIG reports. Contracts and agreements with facilities that hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees require adherence to the 2000 National Detention Standards, ICE’s 2008 Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS), or the 2011 PBNDS. A Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) instructs ICE to recommend financial penalties for contractors that fail to meet the performance standards. According to the January 2019 OIG report, only 28 out of 106 reviewed detention facility contracts contained a QASP. Even when performance standards are blatantly unfulfilled, DHS rarely imposes penalties on facilities. Instead, facilities are excused with waivers for noncompliance. Furthermore, in the June 3, 2019 report, OIG found violations in food service that threaten detainee health, inappropriate segregation practices, the absence of recreation that endangers the general welfare of detainees, inadequate supply of clothing and toiletries, lack of visitation rights, and generally poor conditions that pose health risks.
In light of the recent deaths at detention facilities, the lack of oversight and recourse to these violations is especially troubling. 31 immigrants, including seven children, have died in immigration custody since 2017. Yet, DHS fails to hold private contractors accountable or otherwise improve conditions of immigrant detention facilities.
Since 2016, DHS has allocated $3 billion for the operation of 106 detention facilities. Given the troubling OIG reports, I again request detailed accounting of the allotment of funds to these detention facilities, including distribution of funds for medical services/supplies, food service/supplies, and other care. Please also provide a methodology to rectify all violations by November 1, 2019, a plan to penalize noncompliant facilities, and a plan to establish QASPs at each of the 106 facilities.
