Happy Friday and happy fall from KUNC News! Here are a few of the most interesting stories from the week of September 22-26
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Front Range workers sue Starbucks
Baristas along the Front Range filed a lawsuit against Starbucks last week over a new dress code.
They claim the company refused to reimburse them for money spent on approved dress attire. The lawsuit says this violates Colorado law.
The class action suit includes anyone who has worked at a Colorado Starbucks since April and spent money on clothing for the new dress code.
Starbucks’ employees in Illinois also sued the company.
Metal tariffs impact Northern Colorado builders
President Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum are having ripple effects in the state’s construction industry.
Drennen Custom Contracting in Fort Collins is no stranger to price fluctuations in its materials. But lately, those costs are just going up and up.
“Instead of knowing, like, ‘Okay, what's going to be, two weeks of cost up, two weeks cost down,’ it's this continuous hill,” said Drennen’s Operations manager, Rafe Quinton. “And the question is like, ‘Well, where's the climax at? When does this end?’”
Quinton says they’re paying a lot more for the metal they use in roofing projects and that’s hitting their business.
Those higher costs have potential customers holding off.
Quinton also says they’re not hiring as many work crews for projects, with uncertainty about what their financial picture will be down the road.
Xcel Energy settles on the eve of Marshall Fire trial
A jury trial was set to start on Thursday, Sept. 25, over the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. But the defendant has settled out of court.
On Wednesday at noon, the day before jury selection was set to start, Xcel Energy announced it had reached an agreement with plaintiffs to settle all claims in the lawsuit over the Marshall Fire.
The other defendants in the case, two telecommunications companies, also agreed to the settlement. Xcel said it expects to pay about $640 million as a result of the settlements.
The company emphasized that it's not admitting any fault or wrongdoing and maintained that its equipment did not cause or contribute to the fire.
College enrollment numbers on the Front Range paint a hopeful picture
Enrollment is up or holding steady at colleges and universities across the Front Range.
Aims Community College saw overall student numbers increase by over 6% this fall compared to last year.
Total enrollment at the University of Colorado Boulder is up by 1%. A record 91% of first year students returned to CU.
The University of Northern Colorado has more undergraduates this year, but overall enrollment is slightly down.
The Greeley Tribune reports the number of students transferring from Aims to UNC through a partnership program was up more than 30%.
Editor’s note: Aims Community College is an underwriter for KUNC.
ACLU sues ICE for records of plans to reopen Hudson Correctional Facility
ACLU Colorado is suing federal immigration officials to get access to plans for expanding ICE detention facilities in Colorado and Wyoming.
Federal plans include reopening the privately-owned Hudson Correctional Facility in Colorado. The facility has been vacant since 2014. It has a capacity of around 1,200 people with dayroom space that ICE says could be used for additional bunking.
The ACLU has been seeking details on ICE detention expansion through Freedom of Information Act requests for months.
Local immigrants’ rights advocates have been organizing protests at the Hudson site.
Ice Castles returns to two Colorado towns for the holidays
Ice Castles is bringing its frozen fortresses back to Colorado this winter.
The attraction is returning to Cripple Creek and Silverthorne. Ice Castles made its debut in Silverthorne in 2011, but has not been back since.
Work on the elaborate structures starts in late October, with the opening usually in late December.
Both locations will feature ice slides, tunnels, sculptures, and frozen taps where adults can sip on some winter spirits.
Suspects arrested in Yellow Jacket Fire investigation
Five people are facing charges in connection with the Yellow Jacket Fire. The fire burned 35 acres northeast of Meeker last month.
Crews had to deal with the fire while also managing the Lee, Elk, and Crosho fires.
The Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office says officials believe the Yellow Jacket fire was likely human-caused.
The five suspects could also face federal charges.
With a new adoption center, NOCO Humane hopes to reduce animal shelter crowding on the Front Range
NOCO Humane’s new adoption campus in Greeley is now open. The organization is trying to help address overcrowding in animal shelters across Northern Colorado.
The Greeley facility can house up to 100 animals, including 60 cats, 30 dogs, and 10 small mammals.
The new space is dedicated entirely to adoptions. Dylan Lipscomb with NOCO Humane says that frees up resources at other locations.
While shelter overcrowding is a problem across the nation, NOCO Humane has seen a decrease in the past year.
