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  • Vice President Harris to tout COVID relief package in Denver

    Vice President Harris to tout COVID relief package in Denver

    DENVER (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Denver on March 16 to highlight the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill passed by Congress on Wednesday.

    Details on the visit by Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were still being worked out, the vice president’s office said.

    Harris’ visit is part of an ambitious campaign by President Joe Biden’s administration to showcase the relief bill. The campaign includes travel by the president, first lady Jill Biden and Cabinet secretaries.

    Harris’ office said she will address the aid package’s many aspects, among them an extension of $300 weekly emergency unemployment benefits into September and the shoring up of state and local government finances.

    The U.S. House gave final congressional approval to the relief package along a near-party-line vote. Republicans opposed the legislation, characterizing it as bloated and crammed with liberal policies.

    Biden plans to sign the measure Friday.

     

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  • Summer Travel Down 18%

    Summer Travel Down 18%

    Thought this would be the “summer without travel”? Think again: AAA forecasts Americans will take 700 million trips between July and September in its latest analysis of economic indicators and survey data. While that number is down nearly 15 percent from last year, marking the first decline in summer travel since 2009, the data indicate Americans are making travel plans – although they’re much different than in years past. 

    “When it comes to travel, two things are true: Folks want to get out and stretch their legs after months of “stay-at-home” orders, but they’re more cautious about travel than they’ve ever been,” said Skyler McKinley, director of public affairs for AAA Colorado. “For now, they’re setting aside extended vacations in favor of long weekend getaways – and they’re packing up the car to get there.” 

    All told, travelers will take 683 million car trips during the summer travel period – representing 97 percent of all summer travel. Year over year, car trips will decrease in total volume by just 3 percent. Air travel, meanwhile, will decline by about 74 percent over 2019, while rail, cruise ship, and bus travel will slide by 86 percent. The data strongly suggest that Americans view the automobile as their safest travel option, and that 2020 will be the summer of the road trip. 

    But for the pandemic, AAA would have projected a total of 857 million trips during the third quarter of 2020 in a 3.6 percent increase over last year. By this analysis, the pandemic wiped out nearly 150 million person-trips this summer. Interestingly, the share of travelers making plans 48 hours to 7 days prior to departure is significantly higher than normal, indicating that more people are deciding to “get up and go” at the last minute than in years past. 

    Denver Rising, Orlando Falls

    Travelers are increasingly interested in exploring America’s great wide open by automobile as prominent cities that typically draw large crowds fall down the list. Denver has climbed to the top-searched city destination among AAA travelers, while Orlando has fallen from number one to number eight. 

    1. Denver, CO

    2. Las Vegas, NV

    3. Los Angeles, CA

    4. Seattle, WA

    5. Phoenix, AZ

    6. Portland, OR

    7. Myrtle Beach, SC

    8. Orlando, FL

    9. San Diego, CA

    10. Nashville, TN

    Travelers can plan out their travel in advance using AAA TripTik – which now includes comprehensive COVID-19 Travel Restriction mapping. 

    Road Trips & Traffic
    In collaboration with INRIX, AAA analyzed the top 20 metropolitan areas and all states to estimate where travelers may run into traffic when they travel. Here’s the good news: The top 20 metros will remain below typical summer-travel traffic congestion, although a number of states could expect to see traffic congestion rise to normal commuter levels – though they’ll still be well below the usual summer traffic patterns. 

    Per AAA’s forecast, traffic in Denver and across Colorado is unlikely to present sustained congestion, though travelers should expect some hot spots. 

    Gas Prices
    AAA expects the national average for a gallon of unleaded to average near $2.25 for the third quarter of 2020. That’s a 15 percent decline from the $2.66 average seen last summer, and the cheapest summer for filling up since 2016. 

    Colorado’s average sits at $2.41, down from $2.74 at this time last year. Motorists will pay a high of $2.88 in Vail and a low of $2.02 in Durango. 

    When at the pump, AAA recommends wearing disposable gloves or using a plastic sandwich bag to avoid touching the pump handle. When back in your car, be sure to clean your hands with sanitizer or wipes. 

    Know Before You Go
    No matter where you’re going or how you’re getting there, AAA recommends considering these points before you go: • Visit AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map at TripTik.AAA.com for the latest state and local travel restrictions.

    • Check the CDC’s COVID-19 data tracker, municipal and state health departments and local news for updates on coronavirus cases and continue to do so while on the road.
    • Pack face coverings, gloves and cleaning supplies – like disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer – and a thermometer. 
    • Take all necessary travel documentation, including health insurance cards. About the Forecast

    Because of the pandemic’s impacts on travel, AAA did not release Memorial or Independence Day travel forecasts.  AAA’s Q3 projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit, a London-based business information provider. For the purposes of this forecast, the summer travel period is defined as July 1 through September 30. In cooperation with AAA, IHS Markit developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes, using macroeconomic drivers such as employment; output; household net worth; asset prices including stock indices; interest rates; housing market indicators and variables related to travel and tourism, including prices of gasoline, airline travel and hotel stays. The complete AAA/IHS Markit forecast is available here.

     

    Photo Credit: MGN Online

     

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  • CBI Virtually Honors Colorado’s Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest Winners

    On Tuesday, May 26, 2020, members of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) virtually recognized three, 5th grade students for their winning entries as part of the National Missing Children’s Day poster contest.

    CBI Director John Camper and others presented the first-place award to 5th grade student Alicia Cardenas, from Cheraw Elementary in Cheraw Colorado, who won Colorado’s poster contest in recognition of National Missing Children’s Day on May 25. (Cheraw is located approximately 10 miles north of La Junta.)

     

    “Although Alicia’s entry was not selected as the recipient of the national contest her entry captured the spirit of the theme ‘Bring Our Missing Children Home in vivid colors and endless creativity,” said Director Camper. “While this year’s ceremony looked much different from previous events, it was a wonderful opportunity to virtually meet the students and their families.”

     

    The second and third place winners  Kianah Miller from Lincoln Elementary in Delta and Angelica Aguilar from St. John the Baptist School in Longmont were also recognized during the ceremony.

     

    Tens of thousands of children are reported missing in the United States each year. Law enforcement, citizens, and even children have been instrumental in keeping children safe and returning them home to their families, communities and schools.

     

    Colorado law enforcement received more than 8,000 reports of missing children in 2019.  The reports were primarily for runaways, and were resolved within a few days or weeks. However, as of May 1, 2020, there were over 600 cases of long-term missing (those missing a year or more) juvenile cases still active in Colorado.

     

    Attached, please find the winning poster for Alicia Cardenas featuring several beautifully drawn framed photos of families with the missing children represented as shadows, as well as an image from the virtual event.

     

    Each year, missing children are honored during National Missing Children’s Day on May 25th.

     

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  • State provides COVID-19 modeling data

    State provides COVID-19 modeling data

    The state today released additional COVID-19 modeling data to the public. Governor Jared Polis first provided an in-depth analysis of the data during a press conference on March 27. The state will continue to review data as it evolves to inform future policy decisions.

    The modeling data was produced by an expert team that the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) assembled to assist the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) in understanding the potential course of the pandemic in Colorado. 

    Drawing on expertise from the ColoradoSPH and the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, and the University of Colorado in Denver and Boulder, a team of volunteer experts modeled the pandemic using approaches tailored to Colorado, updating the modeling as the disease continues to spread in the state.

    The team uses a fundamental approach: the SEIR model. The basics of the models are intuitive: prior to infection, individuals are susceptible (S) and once exposed (E) and infected (I) they are contagious, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic; those infected may recover and become resistant (R) or become sufficiently ill to need hospitalization and possibly critical care and to die. This standard model is thus abbreviated as the SEIR model. 

    Another important number in the model is the reproductive number (R0), that is, the average number of new cases generated per infected person at the beginning of the outbreak. (The Governor has referred to this number as the “R naught.”) If that number exceeds one then the infection will spread. Various figures for R0 have been reported at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic from different parts of the world, ranging from about 2 to 5. The reproductive number depends, in part, on the frequency of contacts between infected and uninfected individuals. The goal of social distancing, which we are all experiencing now, is to reduce these contacts and lower the reproductive number with a target value below one so that contagion ends. A critical question is: How much social distancing is needed to control the epidemic, and how long does it need to be in place?

    The tables below provide two sets of numbers provided to CDPHE and the Governor’s Office. The numbers provided are for critical indicators and show the variation by the value of R0 at the beginning of the outbreak and the effectiveness of social distancing at reducing the contact rate, ranging from none to an 80% reduction. When these numbers were calculated, the team found that the R0 value for Colorado was likely above 3. To capture the uncertainty in R0 and the effectiveness of social distancing, estimates are provided for a range of values.

    Model R0 3.5 4.0 with SD 0 to 80

    Model R0 3.0 4.0 SD 0 to 60

     The Colorado modeling team has continued to refine its models as the data accumulate on the course of the pandemic. There are other models that provide estimates for Colorado, but those models are not as closely linked to the state’s data.

    Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.

     

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  • 10 new presumptive positive cases in Colorado

    10 new presumptive positive cases in Colorado

    CDPHE confirms limited community spread of COVID-19 in Colorado 

    DENVER, March 11, 2020: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) identified 10 new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, based on overnight testing results. The 10 new presumptive positive cases are in Pitkin, Eagle, Gunnison, Denver, Jefferson, and Arapahoe counties. That brings the total number of presumptive positive cases to 27, with one indeterminate case that public health is acting on as a presumptive positive. The state lab has run tests on approximately 300 people in Colorado since testing started on February 28.

    Based on the information CDPHE is receiving from presumptive positive cases, CDPHE has reason to suspect we are seeing limited community spread in Colorado. The Governor’s office will be holding a press conference at 5 p.m. tonight with more details. CDPHE has recommendations for ways to limit further community spread below. 

    Case 1:

    Gender: Male

    Age: 70s

    County of residence: Eagle

    Exposure: Under investigation

     

    Case 2:

    Gender: Female

    Age: 50s

    County of residence: Gunnison

    Exposure: Under investigation

     

    Case 3:

    Gender: Male

    Age: 50s

    County of Residence: In Pitkin County, but resident of Australia visiting Aspen

    Exposure: Travel, close contact with individuals

     

    Case 4: 

    Gender: Female

    Age: 20s

    County of residence: In Pitkin County, but resident of Australia visiting Aspen

    Exposure: Travel and contact with individuals

     

    Case 5:

    Gender: Female

    Age: 70s

    County of residence: Jefferson

    Exposure: Travel

     

    Case 6:

    Gender: Male

    Age: 70s

    County of residence: Jefferson

    Exposure: Travel

     

    Case 7: 

    Gender: Female

    Age: 50s

    County of residence: Gunnison

    Exposure: Under investigation

     

    Case 8:

    Gender: Male

    Age: 40s

    County of residence: Denver

    Exposure: Travel

     

    Case 9:

    Gender: Female

    Age: 80s

    County of residence: Arapahoe

    Exposure: Under investigation

     

    Case 10: 

    Gender: Female

    Age: 60s

    County of Residence: In Pitkin County, but resident of Australia visiting Aspen

    Exposure: Travel, close contact with individuals

     

    Limited community spread (or transmission) means there are cases and outbreaks in certain communities where people became infected, and we are unable to identify the source. Limited person-to-person spread (or transmission) means a person in Colorado became infected from a known exposure to another person in Colorado.  

    For limited community spread, community-based interventions such as school dismissals, event cancellations, and creating employee plans to work remotely can help slow the spread of COVID-19. If there is ongoing spread in a community, local and state officials, in consultation with federal officials when appropriate, will make decisions about implementing community interventions based on the scope of community spread. Community interventions may be different for each community.

     

    No matter where you live, everyone should practice daily preventive actions to reduce the risk of transmission, especially to people who may experience more severe illness. People in high-risk categories include: • Older people (over age 60), especially those over 80 years.

    • People who have chronic medical conditions like heart, lung, or kidney disease, or diabetes.
    • Older people with chronic medical conditions are at greatest risk. Other ways people can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in communities: • Stay home when sick.
    • Don’t shake hands in greeting — instead bump fists or elbows.
    • When possible, increase the distance between people. Six feet is a distance that reduces the transmission of the virus.
    • If there is active transmission between multiple people in your community, consider reducing the number of large group gatherings.    
    • Try to go out as little as possible. 
    • Discourage children and teens from gathering in other public places while school is dismissed to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community.  • Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks.
    • If you have older or at-risk neighbors/family members check in with them frequently and see if they have any specific needs. 

    These measures could reduce the strain on local health care systems and help ensure that those who need treatment are able to get it. 

    State officials will share more information at a press conference at 5 p.m. today at the Governor’s Office at the state capitol. Media advisory to follow.

    To ensure expedience on reporting presumptive positive cases, the state will provide overall testing statistics as soon as we are able on the website. 

    Continue to stay up to date by visiting colorado.gov/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus.

     

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  • CDPHE to open first drive-up testing center at State Lab in Lowry

    CDPHE to open first drive-up testing center at State Lab in Lowry

     The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will open the state’s first community testing center for COVID-19 at the state lab tomorrow at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11. 

    This will be a drive-up testing center at 8100 E. Lowry Blvd, Denver, CO 80230 for patients meeting the requirements listed below. This week, the center will be open 10 a.m. – 2 p.m Wednesday – Friday. CDPHE will post next week’s schedule on our website when it’s available. 

    In order to be tested at the state’s community testing center, individuals must have an order from their doctor confirming they meet the testing criteria and need to be tested, and photo identification that matches the name on the doctor’s order.

    Depending on test volume, individuals will be contacted directly with their results within 72 hours. While waiting for their test results, individuals should stay at home. Those who receive positive test results may be issued isolation orders. 

    People who come to be tested should know and do the following: 

    • Bring a written or electronic copy of the doctor’s order. Individuals should not go to their doctor’s office but should call to get an emailed or faxed copy of the order. 
    • If there are multiple people in one vehicle, each person to be tested must have their own doctor’s order.
    • Bring a form of photo ID (driver’s license, school ID, work badge, etc.) that matches the name on the doctor’s order. 
    • Individuals will drive through a secured area and will remain in their vehicles throughout the entire testing process. 
    • Even though we highly discourage it, members of the media may be present. State health department staff are working with the media to protect patient privacy. 
    • Be prepared for long wait times. No restrooms will be available. 
    • Bring water and other items to be comfortable while waiting. 
    • Testing is free. Proof of insurance is not required. 
    • Telephonic interpretation will be available for speakers of other languages. 

    This testing center will help the state test as many people as possible and improve the public health response by identifying and isolating those who are ill. This approach also helps to protect older adults and people with compromised immune systems. 

    The lab’s capacity for testing has increased. Right now, the lab has enough test availability for several days and will continue to receive additional tests from the CDC. 

    To respect and protect patient privacy, we ask that members of the media do not go to the area while testing is occurring between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. It could discourage patients from getting tested. In order to be accommodating, CDPHE suggests that media who are planning to film exteriors of the lab should do so only when testing is not going on. 

    Again, to protect patient privacy, we kindly ask that members of the media do not go to the facility while testing is occurring.

     

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  • Gov. Polis Provides Update on State’s Response to COVID-19

    Gov. Polis Provides Update on State’s Response to COVID-19

    Gov. Polis declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The declaration will help ensure resources are available to the state to combat COVID-19. 

    “Our top priority is protecting public health and our vulnerable populations which is why we are taking swift bold action. Our administration’s response will be guided by the science and lessons learned from the countries and states that this virus arrived in first” said Governor Jared Polis. “We will continue to be proactive and working around the clock to protect public health and safety with an eye towards preventing the need for more drastic measures that result in social disruption.” 

    “In order to slow the spread of the disease, some of the most effective measures we can take as a state is to test more people so that those who test positive can be isolated from the general population as we continue to stress the need for personal action such as staying home when sick, keeping their kids home when they’re sick and diligently washing your hands,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “We thank everyone who has been involved with this containment effort for their tireless efforts and works to ensure the people of our state are safe.”

    Details of the executive order: 

    • Directs Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to engage in emergency rulemaking to ensure workers in food handling, hospitality, child care, health care, and education can get paid sick leave to miss work if they exhibit flu-like symptoms and have to miss work awaiting testing results for COVID-19. 
    • For workers who test positive and lack access to paid leave, the Governor is directing CDLE to identify additional supports and wage replacement such as access to unemployment insurance.  These steps are especially important for those who work with vulnerable populations like older Coloradans and those with underlying health issues. When those workers lack access to paid sick leave, it poses a great risk to our ability to protect the public. 
    • Directs DPA to engage in emergency rulemaking regarding state employees. The administration wants to ensure that state functions continue to run smoothly. For employees who may be put either in quarantine or isolation and can work from home, they should do so. If these workers fall ill and cannot perform their duties, they will be able to use paid leave, and the state will be flexible with that paid leave. For impacted employees who cannot work remotely, such as correctional officers, assisted living staff, etc., the administration is working to ensure paid leave options for those who are ill to ensure that those workers can continue to put food on the table while protecting public health.
    • Directs the Department of Revenue to temporarily allow Coloradans over the age of 65 – a vulnerable population – to extend their driver’s licenses online to avoid having to congregate at DMVs at this time.
    • Starting tomorrow, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment will be opening a drive-up lab at their facility in Lowry to test anyone who has a note from their doctor stating that they meet the criteria for testing. Let me repeat because this is important, you must still have a doctor’s order to get tested at the new drive-up lab. That facility is located at 8100 E Lowry Blvd, Denver, CO 80230.

    The Governor issued the executive order verbally. The Governor encouraged the private sector of Colorado to voluntarily offer paid sick leave so that we can collectively do our part to contain the virus.

    The Governor was joined by Rachel Herlihy, State Communicable Disease Epidemiologist, CDPHE, Scott Bookman, Incident Commander, CDPHE, Mike Willis, Director, Colorado Office of Emergency Management, Stan Hilkey, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Joe Barela, Executive Director of the Department of Labor and Employment today at the state capitol. 

    Yesterday, the Polis administration took action to ensure Coloradans can get tested for COVID-19 without financial fear. Last week, the Governor directed all state agencies to implement the State Emergency Operations Plan. This is a plan that the state has used in the past to respond to a variety of incidents, including natural disasters like fires and floods, and it is designed to ensure we have the resources and systems in place to respond to COVID-19. 

     

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  • Colorado plans own testing network to detect COVID-19

    Colorado plans own testing network to detect COVID-19

    DENVER (AP) — Colorado is setting up a testing network to identify coronavirus cases, officials said March 3.

    Samples from patients at 12 hospitals around the state that were negative for the flu will be tested for coronavirus to help officials determine if there is possible transmission of the new virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

    The number of tests to be conducted is still being evaluated, Rachel Herlihy, Colorado’s communicable disease epidemiologist, told reporters.

    Colorado was relying on the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to conduct tests, but the state health department announced March 2 that the state now has the ability to test up to 160 samples a day at its laboratory. Results are expected within 24 hours.

    Colorado is also testing specimens from patients referred by doctors and county health officials who have symptoms and have either been in contact with someone else confirmed to have the virus or have traveled to parts of the world where infection rates are high or community spread is happening. Colorado’s testing criteria is more lenient than the CDC’s because it allows people who have traveled to virus affected areas but who have not been hospitalized to still be tested, Herlihy said.

    Ten state agencies are in contact with Colorado’s incident command center set up to deal with any impact from the virus outbreak, said Gov. Jared Polis.

    State officials have about 650,000 face masks that will be given to caregivers and others deemed at risk of being infected with the virus, Polis said.

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  • GOVERNOR’S AG FORUM WELCOME RECEPTION MAKES A MOVE TO THE COLORADO HISTORY CENTER FOR FIRST TIME IN 29 YEARS.

    GOVERNOR’S AG FORUM WELCOME RECEPTION MAKES A MOVE TO THE COLORADO HISTORY CENTER FOR FIRST TIME IN 29 YEARS.

     For the first time in 29 years, the welcome reception for the Governor’s Forum on Colorado Agriculture will not be at the Governor’s Mansion. On Feb. 25, from 5:30p to 8:00p, the Welcome Reception for the Governor’s Forum on Colorado Agriculture will be held at the History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver, Colo. 

    This year marks the 29th year for the Governor’s Forum on Colorado Agriculture. This change in venue will allow the forum reception to welcome a greater number of guests and allow a stronger opportunity for networking and engagement. With a theme this year of “Brand it Agriculture”, CALP Class 14 hopes to cover a diverse range of agricultural issues and topics in an attempt to create solidarity among all agricultural industries. Registration is open through 1 pm at the event, Feb. 26, 2020 at the Renaissance Stapleton Hotel in Denver.

    For more information or to register, go to governorsagforum.com or contact Dani Traweek at (303) 547-5963. Speaker biographies available on-line and interviews may be arranged through Dani. 

    About Colorado Agriculture Leadership Program (CALP)

    CALP is an intensive, two-year agriculture leadership program, focused specifically on developing high caliber leaders for Colorado agriculture who are well-versed in the complex and diverse issues of food production, agriculture policy, and the converging interests of rural and urban populations in Colorado. For more information, please visit www.coloagleaders.org. 

     

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  • Statement on EPA’s Waters of the U.S. announcement

    DENVER: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is moving forward with removing protections for Colorado streams and wetlands. 

    “The EPA’s announcement today is alarming as it puts our precious waters at risk. Every Coloradan, and so many others from neighboring states, are dependent on Colorado’s healthy waterways. At the department, regardless of what happens at the federal-level, we’ll always be committed to the health of our waters. Healthy waters mean healthy Coloradans,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

    “In the absence of federal leadership, we are going to do everything possible to protect streams and wetlands in Colorado. It’s sad that we have to step up in contrast with our federal government on something so basic as protecting our water, but we must,” said Patrick Pfaltzgraff, director, Water Quality Control Division.  

    The roll back removes huge swaths of Colorado’s waters from federal jurisdiction, waters used by 19 states and Mexico. It’s estimated that almost 70% of our Colorado Waters could be impacted by this rule. Additionally, the change will impose significant burdens upon the State of Colorado. 

    Earlier in the year, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado Department of Agriculture collectively rebuked the EPA’s proposed rule change. 

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