Colorado News & Current Events | Public News Service

Critics of Colorado Amendment 80 warn the move would siphon taxpayer dollars away from already underfunded public schools into private religious schools. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

CO Amendment 80 could prompt private school voucher foothold

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Inflation Reduction Act funding is helping leading electric cooperatives, which serve one in five rural Americans, to accelerate the adoption of affordable and reliable clean energy, lowering costs for their members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

Colorado's second-largest electricity provider, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, projects new federal clean energy funding will …

One cow can produce up to 264 pounds of methane every year, and it's estimated that livestock production is responsible for 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

How livestock farming fuels climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

So far, 34 farmers markets, food hubs and retail locations across the state offer Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus. (Adobe Stock)

Pilot program makes fresh Colorado produce accessible to more families

As Colorado's fall harvest kicks into high gear, people participating in SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps, can now get up to $60 per …

If the Kroger-Alberstons merger is approved, Gunnison's 6,000 residents would have to travel 65 miles to find a grocery store not owned by Kroger, which owns King Soopers in Colorado, according to the American Economic Liberties Project. (Galatas)

Corporate consolidation, lack of competition linked to rising grocery prices

As a federal judge considers a lawsuit aiming to block a proposed $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons, a new report detailed how …

Renewal Village's strong partnerships, including with the the Colorado Division of Housing and Adams County, helped tap four million federal dollars to create a new home for families experiencing homelessness. (Galatas)

Renewal Village adds 215 housing units for Denver's unhoused residents

Renewal Village, a converted Clarion Inn featuring 215 units of permanent supportive and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness…

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Nearly three of four Colorado voters surveyed want lawmakers to ensure full funding for Healthy School Meals for All. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado parents face September 30 deadline to help fund school meals

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022. Their …

Despite pledges from semiconductor companies in the 1990s to phase out dangerous chemicals, miscarriage and cancer rates remain high among the global workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CHIPS Act opportunity to set standard for good Colorado jobs

As the Biden-Harris Administration prepares to invest up to $175 billion in tax money into semiconductor manufacturing under the CHIPS Act, a new …

Colorado is investing in key infrastructure to power and maintain electric vehicles, including connecting new solar canopies to the electric grid, and adding more charging stations. (Adobe Stock)

Clean buses coming to Colorado transit systems

The Colorado Department of Transportation is investing nearly $32 million to help local governments and other stakeholders transition to electric vehi…

Access to affordable medicines is critical for managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, depression or asthma and preventing emergency treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Big Pharma siphoning off critical health center resource

As Congress heads back to work after the August recess, advocates for the nation's safety net Community Health Centers are urging lawmakers to end …

Colorado ranked 27th nationally for its typical daily incarceration rates, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Youth incarceration dropped 75% between 2000 and 2022

The number of young people locked up in juvenile justice facilities dropped from 108,000 in 2000 to just above 27,000 in 2022, according to a new …

As Colorado experiences more extreme heat due to climate change, upgrading to efficient, all-electric appliances can reduce indoor air pollution and provide cooling for Denver's income-qualified residents. (Energy Outreach Colorado)

Colorado's first multifamily housing units upgraded to all-electric

A coalition effort led by Energy Outreach Colorado has completed a first-of-its-kind multi-family electrification project, replacing gas-powered …

Exposure to smoke from wildfires has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and a decline in cognitive function. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for breathing easier during Colorado’s bad air quality days

Wildfires are becoming bigger and more frequent in Colorado and across the Mountain West, and health experts are offering tips to breathe easy even …

School-based mental and behavioral health services not only help prevent problems, they also improve education and future employment outcomes. (Adobe Stock)

Mental health checklist for Colorado students returning to school

Transitioning back to school can bring as much stress as excitement for many students and a new checklist created by the group Inseparable aims to hel…

A new poll found strong support for the Biden-Harris administration's agenda to lower prescription drug prices and stand up to big drug companies. (Adobe Stock)

Report details Big Pharma’s price-gouging patent tactics

As advocacy groups take a victory lap for moving lawmakers to finally allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for 10 widely-used medicines, a new …

Last Mile Education Fund estimates that investments that help 23,000 late-stage college students complete their STEM field degrees will generate $2.15 billion in wages over 10 years. (Adobe Stock)

Grants available for Colorado STEM students nearing graduation

Grants to help students overcome financial hurdles to complete degrees and certificates in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are now …

Black American farmers lost more than $300 billion worth of land in the 20th century, in part due to the USDA's discriminatory practices, research showed. (Lou W/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Farmers want more transparency on USDA discrimination payments

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is doling out direct payments to minority farmers and ranchers who the government had previously discriminated …

Water conservation projects in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming are expected to save more than 111,000 acre-feet of water annually, enough water to supply approximately 447,000 people for a year. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado taps $5.6 million Bipartisan Infrastructure dollars for water projects

The Biden Administration is investing $105 million in water conservation and efficiency projects meant to shore up drought resilience, including more …

Lowry Ranch is important habitat for several Tier 1 species from the State Wildlife Action Plan, including the burrowing owl, northern leopard frog and swift fox. (Adobe Stock)

Aurora residents to continue opposition to fracking near reservoir, Superfund site

Aurora residents and environmental groups said they will continue to oppose fracking near the Aurora Reservoir, thousands of homes and 13 schools …

More than a quarter of Coloradans surveyed said they cut pills in half, skipped doses or did not fill prescriptions because of costs. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Most Coloradans can’t afford basic health care

More than 70% of Coloradans believe drug companies, hospitals and insurance companies charge too much, according to a new Consumer Healthcare …

$Most methane pollution comes from the drilling and processing of fossil fuels, and has been on the rise since the introduction of hydraulic fracturing technology. (Adobe Stock)$

Colorado, nation face public health, climate risks as methane pollution soars

Methane pollution is increasing at the fastest rate in decades, according to a new report, and that's making it harder to turn the tide on climate …

A free pop-up farmer's market marks National Health Center Week. Colorado's 20 Community Health Centers operate 243 clinic sites, and serve one in five Child Health Plan Plus enrollees and nearly one in four Medicaid patients in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Celebrating safety-net health centers serving 1 in 7 Coloradans

On Monday, Salud Family Health Fort Collins staff were giving away bags filled with fruits and vegetables at a pop-up farmer's market for National …

The average American worker has just five hours per day when they are not working or sleeping. Nearly 3.5 hours are spent watching television and other screens. (Adobe Stock)

CSU Study: Americans have friends, but lack time and closeness

The U.S. Surgeon General has declared a public health crisis of loneliness and social isolation. New research from Colorado State University …

For many young people, worry over the threats of climate change results in panic attacks, insomnia, obsessive thinking and other negative mental health symptoms. (Mile High Youth Corps)

Colorado youth corps tackling impacts of climate disruptions

For over 30 years, the Mile High Youth Corps has helped young adults get skills and build career pathways - in construction, health care, …

Along with workshops and get-togethers, organizers are planning a

Rural businesses support each other through ‘Rural is Rad'

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

AARP's Livable Communities initiative aims to provide safe and walkable streets, age-friendly housing and transportation options, access to needed services and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life. (Adobe Stock)

Deadline near for AARP Colorado 2024 Planning Academy

AARP Colorado is encouraging residents, including those age 50 and older, to sign up for its free 2024 Planning Academy. Marissa Volpe, associate …

Nearly a quarter of the 749 Colorado educators who got stipends in the 2022-23 school year were educators of color. (Adobe Stock)

CO educators earning degrees could get $10,000 to cover prep costs

Colorado has not yet recovered from the pandemic when it comes to fully staffing its public schools. This past school year, districts faced a …

The Valdez family of Aurora officially added new family member Xavi through adoption on January 15th, 2019. (Misty Valdez)

Colorado companies recognized for adoption, foster care benefits

Companies in Colorado and across the nation are adding adoption and foster care benefits for workers, according to the 18th annual list of 100 Best …

New EPA rules on tailpipe pollution are expected to lead to $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers. (Adobe Stock)

EPA clean-car standards projected to bring $100B annual benefits

Clean-air advocates in Colorado are celebrating new EPA standards, which they believe can play a major role in reducing air pollution impacting …

Negotiating the costs of health care procedures using Medicare payments as a reference has proven effective in reducing health care spending, especially for large employers. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado hospitals charge commercial insurers up to six times Medicare rates

The rates Medicare pays hospitals are carefully calculated to cover the actual cost of care in an efficient health care facility. But Anthem, Cigna…

Colorado has been a leader in prioritizing intact habitat and migration corridor conservation, most recently through an executive order by Gov. Jared Polis and in new guidelines for the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission. (Adobe Stock)

BLM moves to sync oil and gas management with state big-game protections

The federal Bureau of Land Management has published a new plan for managing public lands which will put oil and gas management in sync with Colorado's…

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for assistance programs like SNAP, or Social Security benefits, even though they contribute to those programs by paying payroll and other taxes. (Adobe Stock)

Fact-checking GOP claims on immigrants

During last week's Republican National Convention, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Americans are not safe due to immigrants committing violent crimes…

Health experts recommend people age 50 and older get a hearing test every five years. (Adobe Stock)

Hearing-aid use could reduce risks of dementia

Correcting hearing loss by using hearing aids is a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia during aging…

In Colorado, more than 195,000 people work in agriculture across 38,900 farms and ranches. The industry supplies $47 billion to the state's economy annually. (Adobe Stock)

Addressing mental health needs of Colorado farming communities

In the past year, the Colorado AgrAbility Project added four behavioral health specialists to help the state's agricultural producers, workers and …

Colorado gets $156M from Inflation Reduction Act for 'Solar for All'

Colorado is calling on solar energy entrepreneurs to put $156 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding to work accelerating rooftop and community-ba…

If implemented, Project 2025 would make it legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and delete terms including

Civil rights groups sound alarm on Project 2025

Civil rights groups are sounding the alarm about potential threats to American democracy posed by Project 2025, a roadmap created by the Heritage …

In no state, county or metropolitan area in the United States can a worker earning the federal or prevailing state or local minimum wage afford a modest rental home at fair market rent by working a standard 40-hour work week, statistics show. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado housing costs 8th least affordable in nation

Colorado remains the eighth-least affordable state in the nation for housing, according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing …

Colorado hospitals and clinics have reported sharply increased numbers of uninsured people seeking care. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado posted 2nd-highest loss of Medicaid coverage in nation in May

In May, Colorado ranked second in the nation for the percentage of residents dropped from Medicaid health insurance rolls - including 500,000 who …

Rising temperatures can cause spikes in emergency-room visits for heat-related issues and workplace injuries. (Adobe Stock)

Common-sense summer health, safety strategies offered

As a changing climate exposes Coloradans to more days of dangerously high temperatures, health experts are offering common-sense summer safety …

Untreated factory farm waste runoff contains high levels of fecal pathogens such as E. coli, antibiotics and cleaning chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

Clean-water advocates head back to court over Colorado factory farms

Clean-water advocates are heading to state district court after Colorado regulators turned their back on a judge's decision last year calling for bett…

Utilities are shutting off power in an effort to keep downed and damaged power lines from sparking blazes and fueling the West's more frequent and intense wildfires. (Adobe Stock)

CO Nursing homes left in dark as utilities cut power to prevent wildfires

By Kate Ruder for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service…

There are no income or registration requirements for kids to participate in the state's Summer Meals program, which serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner to all youths up to age 18. (Adobe Stock)

Summer meals for kids available to-go and by delivery in remote rural areas

With school cafeterias closed for the summer, community groups and nonprofits are working to ensure that Colorado's one in five children who go …

A new report shows the nation is still a long way from having fully functioning emergency mental health systems in place in every zip code. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: CO suicide, mental health crisis lifeline system needs more work

Two years after the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was introduced, a new report by the group Inseparable says Colorado and other states …

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies in 2017, creating more than $1.25 billion in economic activity. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Bill proposal would cut SNAP food assistance by $30 billion

One proposed version of the next Farm Bill, introduced by the Republican chair of the House Agriculture Committee, would cut the Supplemental …

Oso Outdoors offers winter and summer programs, including mountain biking, which aim to help bring more diversity to outdoor recreation in Summit County. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists want free national park access for newest U.S. citizens

Conservation groups are asking federal agencies to give newly naturalized U.S. citizens a free America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Javier …

Oil companies have publicly championed tech-based carbon-capture solutions in part because it would allow them to continue selling fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Tech-based carbon-capture projects making headway in local governments

By Ysabelle Kempe for SmartCitiesDive.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

The top eight oil and gas corporations alone are set to burn 30% of the world's remaining global carbon budget, the total amount of climate pollution scientists said can be released during a transition to clean energy. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Big oil continues to resist, block fast transition to clean energy

Big oil is dropping the ball when it comes to meeting the companies' public pledges to help avert catastrophic climate change, according to a new …

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