Colorado News & Current Events | Public News Service

New technology can pinpoint methane sources to within 15 feet, and using a high-resolution imagery, can connect plumes to individual pieces of equipment. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

New Maps Expose Methane 'Super-Emitter' Sites

A new study mapping methane pollution across five oil and gas production basins in states including Colorado found a small number of sites account for…

Three in four good-paying jobs in Colorado require a college degree or other post-secondary credentials. (Adobe Stock)

Deep Data Dive Finds Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Students

The biggest obstacle facing Indigenous students completing college degrees is cost, according to a new collaborative study by the National Native …

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched its School-based Health Center initiative in 1987. (Adobe Stock)

CO Students Can Access Mental, Medical, Dental Care at School

With school now back in session, many Colorado kids are accessing medical, behavioral and dental care through School-based Health Centers, fully …

A recent designation of Southwest Colorado streams marks the largest community proposal for Outstanding Waters protections to be adopted in Colorado's history. (Adobe Stock)

Southwestern Colorado Waters Win New Protections

As climate change brings longer and more severe drought to the American Southwest, a community-led coalition is celebrating new protections for more …

Pollinator protectors are working to reclaim unused urban spaces, hellstrips, small yards, balconies and alleyways for native flowering plants. (Adobe Stock)

Grassroots Program Puts Hands-in-Ground for Colorado Pollinators

Some 18 recent graduates of an urban pollinator habitat-restoration program in Boulder got grants from the Endangered Species Coalition to put more na…

More than 60,000 kids in Colorado can't afford school meals, but don't qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and two out of every five Colorado families struggle to put food on the table for their children. (Adobe Stock)

Ending School Lunchline Shaming on Colorado’s November Ballot

In November, Colorado voters will have an opportunity to end a practice known as "lunch-line shaming," which drew national attention after a Colorado …

Some 18,000 children on average experience homelessness each year in Colorado, according to most recent Colorado Department of Education data. (Adobe Stock)

Solving Homelessness Key to Success in Multiple National Priorities

"Opportunity Starts at Home," a short documentary film released this week by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, exposes how housing …

To date, more than 550,000 individuals have used the Free Will platform to write a legal will. (Adobe Stock)

Online Tool Helps Create Legally Valid Will in 20 Minutes

August is National Make-a-Will Month, a gentle reminder to some seven in ten Americans who don't currently have a will or estate plan that it's never …

Congress recently passed legislation expected to help households transition away from expensive air conditioning to more efficient and affordable heat-pump technology which also can cool homes. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Urges States to Help More Low-Income Households Stay Cool in Summer

Coloradans struggling economically put their health at risk when they decide not to turn on cooling systems, frequently out of fear of not being able …

In the decade preceding the pandemic, Colorado's child poverty rate fell by nearly 30%, one of the largest declines in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ranks High in Child Well-Being as Kids Face Mental-Health Crisis

Colorado ranks 16th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

About two-thirds of women age 50 and older say they will not make their decisions until weeks or just days before election day. (Adobe Stock)

Older Women Voters Projected to Decide Balance of Power

Women voters age 50 and older have not decided which candidates to support in November's midterm elections, and the direction they choose could …

A new survey found that 98% of Coloradans know that dental care is very important, or important, and want to prioritize it. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans Call Dental Health Important, But Cite Barriers

Oral health has been called the window into your overall health. Problems in the mouth can alert providers to underlying medical conditions, and …

Clean-air advocates say reducing flaring at the Suncor refinery is just one step Colorado can take to reduce harmful ozone smog. (Adobe Stock)

CO Clean-Air Advocates Push for Better Ozone Protections

Kate Merlin's two children could not play outside for nearly half of last summer at camp because ground-level ozone reached levels considered dangerou…

A former coal-production site along the Yampa River now is an important wetland and riparian habitat corridor. (Adobe Stock)

Coffers Refilled for Additional Private Land Conservation

Keep it Colorado has received $3 million in grants from Great Outdoors Colorado. According to Melissa Daruna, the group's executive director…

Conservationists propose 12 initial wolf-reintroduction areas, based on large suitable habitat blocks, connectivity, and the presence of elk, deer and other prey. Proposed locations include Rocky Mountain National Park and the Maroon Bells-Snowmass and Hermosa Creek wilderness areas. (Adobe Stock)

CO Conservationists Offer Alternative Plan for Wolf Reintroduction

A coalition of 14 conservation groups has unveiled an alternative proposal to help guide wolf reintroduction and recovery ahead of a Colorado Parks an…

The oil and methane gas industry is one of the biggest contributors to smog in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Sued for OK'ing Colorado Smog-Reduction Plan with Fracking Loophole

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit aimed at forcing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject Colorado's plan to bring …

Colorado communities can apply for state and federal funding to help reduce fuels that feed wildfires. (Adobe Stock)

Wildfire Mitigation Increases Odds of Saving Colorado Homes

A changing climate is bringing longer and more severe drought and extreme heat to Colorado and other western states, and as a result, wildfire season …

Denver estimates it has a shortage of 27,000 housing units considered affordable for families earning less than 30% of the area median income, about $33,000 a year for a family of four. (Adobe Stock)

End of an Era Aiding Homeless in Colorado

Not long after the Reagan administration's massive cuts to public housing and housing assistance, John Parvensky saw a need to help people facing …

Outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world visit rural Pitkin County, where more than one-third of homes are second homes or homes intended for seasonal use. (Adobe Stock)

Addressing Affordable Worker Housing in Mountain Resort Towns

By Sarah Melotte for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabor…

Free school meal waivers passed by Congress during the pandemic reduced childhood hunger, supported academic achievement and improved student behavior. (Adobe Stock)

Clock Ticking Down on School Meal Waivers

Time is running out for Congress to extend school meal waivers passed during the COVID public health emergency to help cafeterias find creative ways t…

When asked whom they blame more for inflation - corporations for increasing prices to profit more, or the rising wages of workers - voters overwhelmingly blame corporations by a 55-point margin. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Impact of Wage Growth on Inflation Dwarfed by Corporate Profiteering

President Joe Biden is calling on oil and gas companies to start steering record profits away from shareholder pockets to give Americans some relief a…

Starting in August 2020, pharmaceutical manufacturers launched an aggressive attack against 340B-covered entities by refusing to ship 340B-priced medications to local pharmacies that expand the reach of health centers, known as contract pharmacies, a new report found. (Adobe Stock)

Health Centers Push Back Against Big-Pharma Tactics

Colorado's community health centers are joining a national effort pushing back against Big Pharma's recent moves making it harder to provide discounte…

Energy Outreach Colorado has helped Coloradans pay overdue utility bills at an average cost of $591, where previous bills averaged between $400 to $500. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans Brace for Higher Energy Bills in Summer

Coloradans are not likely to see much relief in their utility bills any time soon, as a late May cold spell gives way to the full heat of summer…

In 2020, 40% of children age 15 months and younger did not receive the recommended six or more well-child visits with a primary-care provider after birth, and 35% of children 30 months and younger did not receive the recommended two visits. (Adobe Stock)

More Colorado Children Getting Preventive Health Care

The percentage of Colorado children in their first 15 months receiving preventive medical and behavioral health services rose by 23% from 2013 levels…

Colorado is part of the gray wolf's native range, but wolves had been eradicated from the state by the 1940s, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Celebrate Upcoming CO Gray Wolf Reintroduction

After nearly a century, gray wolves are coming back to the state of Colorado. In 2020, voters approved Proposition 114, calling on Colorado Parks …

A 2020 survey found that nearly nine in ten Coloradans are concerned about more frequent and severe wildfires, drought and reduced snowpack. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Land Trusts Looking for Climate-Change Agents

As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

Georgetown researchers found that Black American women are the most likely to have to turn to student loans for college, and hold the most student loan debt, compared with their peers. (Adobe Stock)

Study: College Grads Twice as Likely to Have Good Jobs

By age 35, workers with a bachelor's degree or higher are about twice as likely as workers with just a high school diploma to have a good job - one …

As many as 80% of the homes lost to wildland fires could have been saved if their owners had followed a few simple fire-safe practices. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Officials: Now is the Time to Prepare for a Wildfire

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and state officials are encouraging Coloradans to get up to speed on prevention and emergency-exit strategies if …

The use of peripheral catheters in patients with late-stage kidney disease costs more than $14,000 per incidence and has a high risk of actually harming patients. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Use of Low-Value Health Services High Even During Pandemic

During the first year of the global pandemic, medical consumers in Colorado received more than one million low-value healthcare services - diagnostic …

Under new surprise billing protections, patients will be able to request an independent external review of a health-care coverage decision to deny care. (Adobe Stock)

Surprise Medical Billing Protections Clear Legislature

Coloradans will have more protections against so-called surprise medical bills after the General Assembly passed House Bill 1284. Adam Fox…

A recent poll found that 73% of voters in Colorado and New Mexico supported wildlife crossing solutions, including building overpasses on highways. (Adobe Stock)

Safe Wildlife-Crossing Bill Clears Colorado Legislature

The Colorado General Assembly has passed legislation to fund wildlife road-crossing projects across the state. Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Gunnison…

Almost 5,000 oil and gas wells have been developed under the Polis administration, whose Greenhouse Pollution Reduction Roadmap includes plans to increase oil and gas production while mitigating methane leaks. (Adobe Stock)

Polis Pressed to Act Faster on Climate Change

A coalition of more than 60 environmental and community groups are calling on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other elected officials to act faster to …

Senate Bill 154 would require assisted facility owners to check Colorado's Adult Protective Services Data System prior to hiring an employee who is responsible for the care and welfare of residents. (Adobe Stock)

Measure to Protect Assisted-Living Residents Advances

Colorado residents in assisted-living facilities could soon have the same protections in place under federal law at nursing homes. Senate Bill 154 …

In a January Pew Research Center poll, 64% of respondents said they work from home because their office was closed, while 36% choose to work from home despite their offices being open. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Keep Healthy Habits in Mind While Working From Home

While working from home, it can be tempting to lounge on the couch while firing off emails. But health experts are urging folks to take a long-…

Well sites that produce less than 15 barrels of oil equivalent a day account for 80% of the nation's oil and gas wells. (Adobe Stock)

Plugging Methane Leaks Key to Improving CO Air Quality

Smaller or marginal wells account for just 6% of the nation's oil and gas production, but are responsible for half of all methane pollution in the U.…

Denver's Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods have just 5% tree canopy cover, when the ideal minimum canopy is 20%. (Adobe Stock)

Planting Trees on Earth Day for Climate Resiliency

Conservationists are planting trees on Earth Day to help mitigate the impacts of a warming planet. Urban areas along Colorado's Front Range become …

Pollinators are among the species in Colorado that contribute to a biodiverse ecosystem. (Bill/Adobe Stock)

CO Lawmakers Raise Awareness About Biodiversity Crisis, Possible Solutions

Advocates for endangered species and wildlife are raising awareness about the biodiversity crisis the nation is facing, and approaches for addressing …

It's estimated that 85% of individuals with intellectual disabilities are not working, or are under-employed, despite their willingness and ability to contribute to the workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Disability Measures Aim to Expand Access to Higher-Education, Reduce Poverty

Two bills making their way through the Colorado General Assembly would make it easier for people with disabilities to access college and other public …

While there is federal support for loan-repayment programs and residency programs for physicians, nurses and dentists, that support does not currently exist for entry-level positions including medical assistants. (Adobe Stock)

Building Long-Term Staffing Solutions Through Health Centers

Health centers in Colorado and across the nation are facing staffing shortages, and recruiting people into entry-level positions can be especially …

At least 269 people experiencing homelessness passed away in Denver in 2021, an increase from the previous year. (Adobe Stock)

New Health Center Serves Homeless-Shelter Residents Onsite

People experiencing homelessness in Denver can now access medical and behavioral care at a new health center set up inside a shelter operated by Denve…

A new Colorado private-land conservation plan aims to align and integrate with other statewide plans that have climate action components that support water, wildlife, recreation and agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Private Landowners Key to Climate Resiliency

More frequent and exponentially larger wildfires and prolonged drought already are impacting Colorado's agricultural lands and regional economies…

Leading global climate scientists have warned that sharp reductions in the burning of fossil fuels before 2030 are necessary to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

CO Website Spotlights Neighborhood-Level Risks of Climate Change

Coloradans already are seeing the impacts of climate change - rising temperatures, more frequent and severe wildfires, flooding and prolonged drought …

Numerous studies have shown that when children are given healthy food, they do better in school and stay healthier overall. (Adobe Stock)

Children’s Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Extend School Meals for All

Federal COVID relief funds that helped expand access to school meals for all kids regardless of their ability to pay are set to expire in June…

Pollsters at Colorado College saw a 22-point increase in the number of respondents who say climate change is a serious problem compared to a 2011 poll. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Youth Take Aim at Largest Corporate Polluters

Colorado students are expected to gather at the State Capitol today, joining a global climate youth strike. Students will also march to a Chase bank …

More than 100,000 Colorado residents live in mobile-home communities, both in urban and rural areas. (karagrubis/Adobe Stock)

CO Tenant Advocates: Mobile-Home Residents Need More Rent Safeguards

A bill before the General Assembly would put safeguards in place to promote accountability and affordability in mobile home parks. More than 100,000 …

As Americans struggled with price increases, 25 top oil and gas companies reaped $205 billion in profits in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Some Coloradans Want Increase in Clean-Energy Production, Not Drilling

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine upended global energy markets, the oil and gas industry is doubling down on calls for the Biden administration …

Colorado Lawmakers Consider Raising Minimum Age for Juvenile Prosecution

Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise the minimum age for prosecuting children for crimes from 10 to 13 years old, except in …

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