Headlines — August 23, 2022

August 23, 2022

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Details Emerge in Fatal Drive-By Shooting in Longmont

Details are slowly emerging about a drive-by shooting that killed a 13-year-old in a Longmont park over the weekend. Thirteen-year-old Zay Rosales was playing basketball with his cousin and a friend in Longmont’s Kensington Park early Saturday afternoon when someone drove by and discharged a firearm. 

A police report shows Rosales was unresponsive when officers arrived on the scene. His 15-year-old cousin was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the leg and has since been released.

Longmont police have arrested a 19-year-old they say handled the shootings. They say they found a gun and bullets in the car they impounded. Thus far, the motive is unclear, but police are encouraging witnesses to offer information.

Longmont City Council Is Set To Vote On Proclamation On the Prohibition Of Nuclear Weapons

The Longmont City Council will vote on a proclamation that supports a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in today’s meeting. Some local groups joining the council include The Colorado Coalition for Prevention of Nuclear War and the Rocky Mountain Justice Peace Center. In a press release, Christopher Allred from the Colorado Coalition for Prevention of Nuclear War said, “As US Citizens, we do not want trillions of our taxpayer dollars going to weapons of mass destruction.”

The Postal Service Debuts USPS Connect Services To The Denver Metro Area

The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced yesterday in a press release that they will roll out a new service called ‘USPS Connect’ across the US, including 44 post offices in Colorado. This service aims to provide same-day delivery for local orders. Some other improvements include next-day regional delivery, easy business support for both customers and business owners, discounts, and special pricing for businesses. 

In a press release, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy called the new service a “pivotal point in our Delivering for America Plan.” While not explicitly naming Amazon or other large delivery services, USPS Connect bares many similarities to other on-demand delivery services. A full schedule of the program rollout is available on the USPS website.

Aurora City Council Passes Ordinance That Limits New Grass installation.

Aurora City Council voted unanimously to ban planting “cool weather turf grasses” on golf courses or new housing development Monday night. The list of prohibited grasses includes Kentucky Blue Grass, Fescue and Ryegrasses, and other grasses that require disproportionate amounts of water. The ordinance also limits grass covering over 500 square feet or 45% of a person’s yard.

Half of Aurora’s water usage goes to lawn irrigation. According to The Sentinel, the policy says, “Eliminating high water use turf in nonfunctional and aesthetic areas maximizes the amount of available reusable water, a primary goal of Aurora Water.”  

They are some exceptions to the cool weather grass ban, including active recreational areas, commercial areas, and schools. The city will conduct a study in three years to evaluate the impact of the ordinance and potential areas to improve upon it. 

West Nile Virus Case Confirmed In Broomfield

According to the city of Broomfield, two West Nile cases have been confirmed in two residents. This comes on the heels of the first case in Boulder county that was confirmed over the weekend in Longmont.

The West Nile Virus is spread primarily from mosquito to human contact. Some patients might not experience any symptoms, but people who are over the age of 50 and those who have a compromised immune system can develop severe symptoms.

There is currently no cure for West Nile Virus although doctors can treat symptoms to help patients to recover quickly. Doctors suggest taking preventive measures to avoid the virus, including draining standing water that could breed mosquitos, limiting outdoor activity during dusk and dawn, and trying to wear long sleeves to prevent mosquitos from biting you.

The City of Boulder has planned the closure of 30th Street and Colorado Avenue.

The intersection of 30th Street and Colorado Avenue will be fully closed to vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic from Saturday, Sept. 10 to Friday, Sept. 23. The city is elevating the intersection to allow for the completion of two 30th Street and Colorado Avenue bike and pedestrian underpasses. 

 The closure is part of the ongoing work on the 30th Street and Colorado Underpass Project. Crews will be completing scheduled work that cannot be done with live traffic.

As part of the closure, RTD buses will be detoured, and some night work will be needed to complete the project. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2023.

 You can visit the city’s webpage to find a map of construction-free routes for bikers and pedestrians. People driving should use Arapahoe Avenue, Baseline Road, Foothills Parkway, and 28th Street as alternatives. 

State Sen. Kevin Priola Changes Party

Colorado State Senator Kevin Priola has switched party affiliation from Republican to Democratic. 

Priola – who has been a Republican representative for more than 30 years – indicated he no longer wants to affiliate with a party that promotes electoral conspiracy theories and refuses to condemn the storming of the US Capitol building on January 6th of last year.

Priola says the party switch will not change how he votes in the state senate, just the letter next to his name.  

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