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08_14_2024amheadlines Greta Kerkhoff
BVSD school board agrees to oppose state ballot property tax measures
The Boulder Valley school board has agreed to oppose two state property tax ballot initiatives: 50 and 108. In a meeting yesterday, they set their sights on encouraging the legislature to convene a special session, so that the district can convince backers to take the measures off the November ballot.
Initiative 50 would cap local governments’ property tax revenue growth at 4% annually. Measure 108 would lower the percentage of a home’s value that’s used to calculate taxes owed by the owner.
The district warns that if the measures are passed, they’ll will face “crippling” budget cuts.
According to The Daily Camera, if a special session is called, legislators would look at cutting property taxes more in exchange for the sponsors pulling the ballot initiatives.
Emergency planners discuss procedures for school evacuations in the case of wildfires
School districts in Boulder County are working on revised wildfire evacuation procedures.
District officials, along with law enforcement and fire officials, have been working on wildfire procedures since the Boulder Marshall Fire in 2021.
On Monday night, the district shared their concerns and preparation ideas with the Board of Trustees in Superior.
According to CBS Colorado, the district pointed out the need to ensure buses and bus drivers are available to evacuate all children safely in the case of a wildfire. They also proposed the development of early warning systems.
Colorado river officials negotiate over water conservation credit program
Colorado river officials in four states are working on a new agreement, in collaboration with the federal government, to conserve water.
Drought, climate change, and overuse have all significantly strained the Colorado River Basin, which supplies water to over 40 million people.
Currently, water conserved on a farm reenters streams and can be used by anyone downstream. Negotiations aim to set up a tracking program to count and store that water so it can benefit the Upper River Basin states.
Farmers and ranchers are already paid to cut back use of the Colorado River, with taxpayer money. While this led to water savings, it did not provide a method to track and store that water.
Officials with the Bureau of Reclamation – which manages the basin’s storage reservoirs – aim to draft an agreement by the end of September. According to The Colorado Sun, the draft will identify general criteria for projects that could potentially conserve water for credit, including who can participate and how the program would be regulated.
Colorado students submit a record number of Safe2Tells
Colorado students reported more concerns about suicide, bullying, and other issues than ever before last year through the state’s anonymous reporting website, Safe2Tell.
Safe2Tell saw over 28,000 reports for the 2023-24 school year. That’s a 25% percent increase compared to the previous year.
According to Colorado Public Radio, the most common reports were for concerns about suicide, cyber bullying, and welfare checks.
Administrators have said they believe social media, and the continuing youth mental health crisis, are to blame for the steep rise.
The program was established in 2003 in response to the Columbine High School shooting and other acts of violence experienced by Colorado youth.
Students and others can contact Safe2Tell to make anonymous reports to local law enforcement and school officials, through their website Safe2Tell.org, their mobile app, by texting S2TCO to 738477, or by calling their hotline.
Bird flu cases now detected in domestic cats
Six cases of feline Influenza A, also known as bird flu, have been diagnosed in domestic cats so far this year, according to the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association.
Five of the six cases were reported in Northern Colorado.
In recent months, the bird flu outbreak has affected Colorado poultry and dairy farms. According to Colorado Public Radio, half the state’s dairy herds are infected with the virus.
The federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said the risk to the general public remains low; however, cat owners living closer to agricultural communities should try to keep their cats indoors. Pet owners should also limit exposure to wild birds or livestock.
Coloradans can find information about when and where the feline cases were detected on the USDA’s HPAI Detections in Mammals webpage.
Denver cardiologist found guilty of drugging and assaulting nearly a dozen women
A Denver cardiologist was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting nearly a dozen women.
Yesterday, the jury found 36-year-old Stephen Matthews guilty on 35 felony counts of assault and sexual assault involving 11 victims.
Matthews was arrested back in March 2023, for drugging and assaulting a woman on a date. According to The Post, He was then arrested again after 9 women came forward saying they had similar experiences, citing they had been drugged.
The case gained media attention last year for many reasons, one of which being Matthews’ use of dating apps to inflict harm.
Matthews will next appear in court for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 25.
Tornado touches down in Elbert County
A tornado touched down in Elbert County last night around 8:30 p.m., near County Road 21. That’s under 50 miles southeast of Denver.
The tornado destroyed an outbuilding, and damaged a nearby home, according to The Denver Post. Fire officials say no one was injured.
Storms also flooded several roads, including County Road 21, which was closed overnight.
