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06_27_2024amheadlines Greta Kerkhoff
Election Updates
More likely winners are emerging in Boulder County races as primary election results roll in.
Incumbent state Rep. Junie Joseph and retired science educator Tina Mueh both sought the democratic nomination for state House District 10.
According to the Daily Camera, by 4:13 p.m. Wednesday, Joseph appeared on track to win the Democratic nomination as of yesterday afternoon, with a near-20% lead.
Another closely-watched race, the at-large seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents, is also wrapping up.
Elliott Hood, a school attorney and former teacher, is leading ahead of DEI executive and former CU athlete Charles “CJ” Johnson by around 15% of the vote.
In the State Board of Education race for the Second Congressional District, Democrat Kathy Gebhardt; former Boulder Valley School Board president, is the projected winner. She has an almost 17-point lead over her opponent Democrat Marisol Rodriguez, an education consultant.
In state House District 11, republican and IT professional Kathy Reeves is leading by 19 points over former Longmont mayoral candidate Terri Goon.
You can find an updated list of Boulder County election results at electionresults.bouldercounty.gov.
Colorado tax breaks
Colorado lawmakers approved $1 billion in new tax breaks in the annual legislative session that wrapped up in May.
According to Axios Denver, the 26 new tax credits prioritize specific groups, over popular TABOR refunds that go to all taxpayers.
Parents, older homeowners, freight rail operators, movie makers, and others will see tax relief. For example, parents filing individually making $75,000 or less will receive up to $3,200 for each child under age 16.
According to a new report released on Thursday, the redistribution of tax breaks decreases TABOR refunds by roughly $3 billion over three fiscal years. The largest of the new tax breaks starts this year and will reduce state revenue by roughly $740 million.
Confirmed West Nile case
Arapahoe County reported the first human case of West Nile Virus in Colorado this year.
Colorado doesn’t usually see their first case of West Nile until later in the summer, which is setting off alarms for Arapahoe County Public Health officials about mosquito activity.
Last year was Colorado’s worst for West Nile virus in 20 years, with over 600 cases spanning 40 counties. 50 died as a result, according to CBS News Colorado.
Symptoms like fever, body aches, and headache generally appear 2–14 days after exposure.
Less than 1 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will develop severe symptoms that can affect the nervous system. While these symptoms can occur in any person, people over 60 years of age are at higher risk, as well as those with certain medical conditions.
Mild symptoms of West Nile virus infection usually pass on their own.
Youth Led program distributes grant funding to local nonprofits
Just over $41,000 was recently distributed by the youth-led arm of the Community Foundation of Boulder County.
15 Forever, the 13-member youth-led grant-making program of the Community Foundation, has officially granted funds to 6 nonprofits working to support youth mental health in Boulder County.
The youth cohort raised the $41,100 in grant funding through donor outreach and fundraising. They received applications from 28 organizations, and chose six to distribute the money to. Those include Creativity Alive in Boulder, and Impact on Education in Louisville.
Wildfire mitigation rebate program
Boulder County residents are eligible for a new wildfire mitigation rebate program managed by Wildfire Partners. The program will provide county residents a rebate up to $500 for completing wildfire mitigation at their homes.
To receive the rebate, residents can complete one of four actions: removing highly flammable juniper vegetation, replacing the perimeters of a home with noncombustible landscaping material, replacing fencing attached to a home with noncombustible material, or screening vents on a home with mesh or replacing them with flame-resistant vents.
The rebate program is open to all Boulder County residents, including all municipalities and the City of Boulder, who own or rent a home in Boulder County. Applications must be sent in by October 31, 2024, and the mitigation work must be done on the property located in Boulder County.
Learn more at wildfirepartners.org/rebate.
MSU program awards associate degrees to former students
Metropolitan State University of Denver – or MSU – formally handed over associate’s degrees to roughly 300 former students this week, following through on a 2021 law.
The Colorado Re-Engaged Initiative recognized that more than 25,000 Coloradans who invested time and money into their education but couldn’t finish their bachelor’s degrees, could be eligible for an associate’s degree.
MSU Denver has awarded the largest number of degrees among participating universities, and hosted a special graduation ceremony on Monday.
According to Colorado Public Radio in order to qualify for the MSU Denver degree, people needed at least 18 credits from MSU.
The law directed participating colleges to go through the past 10 years of their records to identify eligible students for the program.
On the whole, former students who’ve completed at least 70 credits towards their bachelor’s degree are eligible, as 70 credits is about two years of school.
Denver Zoo announces new name
The Denver Zoo will now be known as the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, or DZCA.
According to 9News, the zoo announced its new name, brand and logo on Tuesday, saying the name reaffirms its commitment to wildlife conservation.
As a wildlife conservation organization, the Zoo will conduct research, implement sustainability practices, breed and release wildlife, restore habitats, and rescue and rehabilitate animals.
In total DZCA has more than 600 conservation programs they’ve funded and executed over the past few decades.
DZCA’s recent work includes launching conservation programs in Africa and Southeast Asia with the mission of protecting the regions’ endangered animals, including Asian elephants and mountain gorillas.
Like some other Zoos, DZCA has moved towards larger enclosures with fewer animals and more realistic habitats in recent years.
