Farmers required to test cows milk for avian flu
Colorado dairies must now test milk weekly as the state takes efforts to curb the spread of bird flu.
On Monday, Colorado state veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin ordered licensed dairies in the state to send weekly samples in for avian flu testing. If samples come back positive, the Colorado Department of Agriculture will order the facility to quarantine its cattle.
According to the Denver Post, the order does not pertain to dairies that sell raw milk as part of a “cow share” program, because they aren’t state-regulated. Therefore, experts are advising that people not drink unpasteurized milk or feed it to their pets; doing so may spread the virus.
Typically, avian influenza circulates in wild birds. The virus was passed to dairy cattle in Texas earlier this year. So far, this version of the virus has not produced severe illness in any humans and doesn’t seem to spread from person to person.
While cows typically recover from the disease, the virus is deadly to chickens. This month alone Colorado farmers had to kill and dispose of about 3.2 million infected chickens.
Federal Judge sides with Church providing shelter to the homeless
A federal judge has ruled in favor of The Rock Church in Castle Rock.
The ruling came after the church sued the town for attempting to prevent them from providing temporary shelter to unhoused people on the church’s property.
Initially, the town had said The Rock could not park RVs used as residences on-site due to local zoning laws.
In the suit, the church argued that this violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act because the institution’s religious beliefs compel it to run a makeshift homeless shelter.
According to The Guardian, the town has since said it doesn’t have the right to tell the church which vehicles can be parked in its private lot.
The ruling represents a small victory for those aiming to house the homeless, as rent prices rise across the country, and law enforcement consistently sweep street encampments.
First new singletrack in Boulder in nine years
A new biking trail has Boulder, on the west side of Highway 36. A decade in the making, the North Sky Trail is 3.5 miles long, multi-use, and connects the Foothills North Trail in Boulder to Joder Ranch. This is the first new trail in the city to be opened for cyclists since 2015.
The North Sky Trail cost Boulder $1 million to construct, according to Boulder Reporting Lab. About 800 volunteers helped construct the new singletrack, which is designed for less experienced riders. It’s also open to people on foot or horseback.
The city says they worked to minimize ecological impacts of the trail through negotiations with private property owners, the building of bridges to keep people away from drainages where birds nest, and the relocation of some plants.
E-bikes are prohibited on the trail, and dogs must be leashed and are banned entirely from May 1 to July 31 to protect nesting birds.
Boulder reservoir to use herbicide on invasive species
The City of Boulder will introduce an herbicide into the local reservoir, to reduce an invasive species.
Back in summer 2022, Colorado Parks and Wildlife detected Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive plant, in the Boulder Reservoir. It has impacted boating and swimming, and the city is concerned it may start to affect the 63rd Street Water Treatment Plant intake, which is part of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District supply chain.
The city will follow an adaptive management plan developed by an aquatic nuisance species expert. The plan includes using a targeted herbicide to manage Eurasian watermilfoil’s spread and minimize its impacts, since the species cannot be eradicated once it’s entered a body of water.
The selected herbicide, triclopyr, has been approved by the city’s Integrated Pest Management program and has been used elsewhere within the local water conservancy district. The city says they plan to use the herbicide minimally. That’s according to The Daily Camera.
Janitor strike
Thousands of Colorado janitors have voted in favor of striking.
Members of SEIU Local 105 unanimously voted “yes” on Tuesday to authorize a strike.
Members hope to reach an agreement with cleaning companies by the time their contract expires Sunday. If they don’t, the strike – which would start next week – would be the largest janitorial strike in Colorado since the 1990s.
The janitors are united under one master contract that is bargained for between them and their employers. Demands focus on livable wages. According to CBS Colorado, union officials say the latest wage proposals won’t keep up with Denver’s minimum wage next year.
Union employees work for 17 cleaning contractors covering over 1,500 buildings. The negotiations affect over 2,000 janitors, majority of which are Latina women.
Two Coloradans join first ever commercial spacewalk
Two Coloradans will join the first-ever commercial spacewalk to research ways for people to live on the Moon and Mars.
Sarah Gillis and Scott Poteet from Colorado will travel with two other astronauts nearly 870 miles above Earth in Polaris Dawn. They plan to perform nearly 40 science experiments, with goals to understand the health impacts of long-duration space travel, and the potential for “regular people” with health problems to go into space. Some of the experiments are in conjunction with CU Boulder.
The crew will attempt to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown and try the first-ever commercial spacewalk.
The private space mission is funded by billionaire space-tourism entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, and is scheduled to launch as soon as Aug. 1
The Polaris Dawn mission is one of several information-gathering trips needed before the future travel of SpaceX’s mega-rocket, Starship. That’s according to The Colorado Sun.
Hazardous air quality continues
Thick wildfire smoke drifting from Canada into Colorado will continue to create hazardous air conditions through today.
Since Wednesday, Colorado had air quality index ratings between 100 and 150. Any rating over 100 is considered unhealthy.
State officials also reported unhealthy levels of ozone in the Denver area and have extended air quality advisories to continue until 4. p.m. today.
According to the Denver Post, when possible, people should limit driving gas and diesel-powered vehicles and avoid outside physical activity until the action day expires.
The thick smoke will continue throughout today, but conditions are expected to improve Friday.
