July 15 - July 19, 2024
Each week KUNC collects and curates some of the more important stories of the week that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be, and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
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The Colorado River gets an unwanted guest
Invasive zebra mussels have arrived in the Colorado River. State Parks and Wildlife said this week signs of the mussels showed up in the river and a Western Slope canal during testing earlier this month.
Zebra mussels pose huge risks to water infrastructure and the river's ecology. An established population can strip the food chain and negatively impact fish species. Invasive mussels are also known to clog pipes and cause long-term maintenance issues.
Officials said they're working with the Bureau of Reclamation and local partners on a plan moving forward. The invaders were detected two years ago at Colorado’s Highline Lake State Park.
Heat wave a likely contributor to Weld County avian flu worker outbreak
Federal health officials are in Northwest Colorado this week investigating an outbreak of avian flu among poultry workers. Four workers were infected with the virus, with a fifth case likely. The infected workers had mild symptoms and are being monitored.
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say a heat wave last week may have contributed to the virus' spread. Workers were culling infected birds at a Weld County egg-laying facility in 100 degree heat. Industrial fans to keep the facility cool could have compromised their protective equipment.
Colorado has detected bird flu in two egg layer facilities in Weld County. Quarantine orders are in place for areas around where the outbreaks were confirmed.
Natural medicine facilitator applications open
Colorado has opened applications for its new natural medicine facilitator training program. It's the first opportunity to apply to provide psychedelic therapy services in the state.
Earlier this year, Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies released preliminary rules for the new natural medicine industry. The state-certified facilitator training programs will help educate future providers. Applications for individual psychedelic therapy facilitators will open in the months ahead.
Happy trails or toxic dust-up?
Residents worried about potential exposure to plutonium near Rocky Flats are asking the city of Westminster to pull out of a proposed trail project in the area. Critics say the trail construction and extra foot traffic could kick up plutonium and create health hazards.
Supporters of the Rocky Mountain Greenway project say recent soil tests have not found dangerous levels of radioactive material. The Denver Post reports the Westminster City Council hasn't decided yet whether to carry on with their $200,000 investment in the trail project.
The Rocky Mountain Greenway would connect three national wildlife refuges, including Rocky Flats, a former nuclear weapons production site.
Several counties opt out of gun bans in government buildings
A number of Colorado communities are opting out of part of a new state law that bans guns in “sensitive spaces.” The ban on guns in schools, universities, childcare centers, and polling places is firm, but counties and municipalities can opt out of it for government buildings.
About a dozen have decided to do so, just two weeks after the law took effect. Routt County Commissioner Tim Corrigan said increasing security to enforce the ban on government buildings would take too many county resources.
Other local governments opting out include Morgan County, Teller County and Mesa County.
Boldly Forward Colorado admits to breaking campaign finance laws
A political nonprofit organization tied to Gov. Jared Polis admitted last week to breaking state campaign finance laws. It now has to pay a fine and disclose its donors. The organization, Boldly Forward Colorado, was created to pay for Polis’ transition into office in 2018.
The Secretary of State’s office found the group spent more than $350,000 to support Proposition HH, a property tax ballot initiative backed by Polis that failed last year. With so much spending on a single issue, the group should have registered as an issue committee and reported its fundraising to the state.
Boldly Forward Colorado is being fined $18,000, although the state could have fined it more than $50,000.
A final yeehaw for the Sundance Steakhouse and Saloon
The sun is setting on a beloved country bar in Fort Collins. Sundance Steakhouse and Saloon on Mulberry Street announced it’s closing this month after 42 years of business. The watering hole’s last day is July 26th.
Sundance said they could not reach a desired lease agreement with the property owners. They may consider another location in the future. The bar opened in 1982 and has seen plenty of dancing, live country music, mechanical bull rides, and 25-cent drink specials.
Fort Collins receives state funding for affordable housing project
A new state program offering funding for affordable housing projects announced its first recipients this week. KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods reported that officials expect the projects to create more than 600 affordable units.
The Affordable Housing Financing Fund was created through the 2022 voter-approved ballot measure Proposition 123. It supports local governments that commit to increasing their affordable housing inventory.
It’s leveraging almost $40 million for six new housing developments across the state. Almost $6 million is set aside for a 76-unit project in Fort Collins. Developments in Denver and Craig are also getting funding.
