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03_06_24headlines Franziska Stangl
Native tribes may soon take part in Colorado River discussions
The Upper Colorado River Commission voted in favor of an agreement on Monday that mandates regular meetings with Native American tribes.
According to The Colorado Sun, the Upper Colorado River Commission has permanent seats for a Federal representative and commissioners for the four Upper Basin states: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming – the commission has no seats reserved for tribe members.
The Commission wouldn’t add seats, but it would mandate meetings with the 6 upper basin tribes every two months.
There are 30 tribal nations in the Upper Basin region that have the right to about 26% of the river’s average flow. The tribes have been excluded from negotiations about the river’s water- distribution ever since the creation of the UCRC in 1948.
Lawsuit to halt construction in contaminated Rocky Flats trail
Washington lawmakers hear arguments this morning to halt work on a trail that would pass through Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge– a former nuclear weapon testing facility in South Boulder.
Physicians for Social Responsibility and “watchdog” groups from communities near Rocky Flats filed the lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim that walkers, bikers, and people in nearby communities would risk exposure to highly radioactive “hot spots” of cancer-causing plutonium that were never cleaned up.
They also say the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have failed to consider evidence of serious public health dangers and haven’t considered alternative locations for the trail.
The project, known as the Greenway, is currently planned to pass through the “Wind Blown Area” at Rocky Flats. It includes bridges and underpass connections to lands owned by neighboring municipalities.
Group wants Longmont City Council to proclaim Gaza cease-fire
Several speakers urged the Longmont City Council for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza during a Council meeting Tuesday.
The group proposed a proclamation, demanding Longmont’s support for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of detained Palestinian civilians.
Christopher Allred, known for supporting a global nuclear weapons prohibition treaty, was among those calling on the city council to endorse the cease-fire proclamation, according to The Daily Camera.
The City Council members did not directly respond to the speakers or allot time to address the public comments in formal council discussions.
Lawmakers want to regulate funeral service providers
Legislators announced a bill on Monday that would require a license for those who provide funeral services.
The proposed law comes in the wake of several incidents in Colorado where morticians improperly managed the bodies of deceased people. According to The Denver Post, the state’s licensing process for funeral service providers and morticians ran out more than 40 years ago. It makes Colorado the only state in the U.S. to not require licensing for morticians or funeral service providers.
The bill, which has not yet been introduced, would create a process that requires applicants to graduate from an accredited institution, go through background checks and at least a 1-year apprenticeship.
Bill to make first-degree murder not bailable cleared another hurdle
A bill that would take away the option to bail for people accused of first-degree murder cleared the House on Monday on a 59 to 5 vote.
If there is evidence or a high presumption that someone is guilty of first-degree murder, the bill would refuse that person the option of a bond.
The bill is now awaiting action at the Senate and, if it passes there, voters can decide on it this November.
Boulder police seeks victim advocates
The Boulder Police Department is looking for volunteer victim advocates to help with crisis intervention, community resources, active listening, and responses to grief and trauma.
The volunteers will be on-call for one shift per month. Applicants must be 21 years or older, attend a 40-hour training and commit to the program for at least a year.
Applications are open now until March 29th, either directly at the Police Department on 33rd Street or online.
