Headlines — August 26, 2022

August 26, 2022

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16 Jeffco Elementary Schools Face Possible Closures

16 schools in Jeffco School District are in danger of closing. Jeffco school district is the largest school district in the state and has the capacity to accommodate 96 thousand students. 

Board members held an official meeting yesterday to discuss this year’s low enrollment numbers, which are about– about 25 thousand students short. 

According to 9News, District staff recommend that Jeffco school board close 16 elementary schools across the county where enrollment numbers are especially low. 

9News reported that elementary schools take up about 39% of the district’s capacity. Within the last two years, two elementary schools have already been closed. 

“In 2020, the lowest number of births in 15 years was recorded. There are significantly fewer school-aged children in Jeffco today than 20 years ago, “ which was reported from a special meeting agenda on Thursday. For each school that may close, the district will relocate students to nearby schools.

Suggestions from the community were to turn old schools into community centers or affordable housing.

Colorado Has Issued A Cease And Desist Order For Prospect Energy Krause Site In Fort Collins  

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Division ordered Thursday that the oil and gas company Prospect Energy permanently cease operations at their Krause site north of Fort Collins. This order came after the company had numerous violations that endangered the public. The CDPHE cited Krause for failing to maintain volatile organic compounds seeping about from vapor lines in compliance with the state’s Vapor Control System Guidelines. 

According to a press release, the CDPHE says its decision comes after years of repeated complaints from neighbors, warnings, and attempts to penalize pollution violations.

The release says that Colorado statute gives the state the authority to shut down a source of pollution if it creates an unhealthy or disruptive environment for nearby residences or businesses. If Prospect Energy can demonstrate that it has identified and addressed all concerns, it may resume operations at the Krause site.

“This is an exceptional and rare course of action, and we do not take it lightly,” said Michael Ogletree, director of the Air Pollution Control Division. “This is a unique situation that calls for extraordinary measures to ensure we are protecting public welfare.”

Krause facility is located within close proximity to multiple public buildings, private residences, and businesses, that have complained for years about the oil and gas site. 

The CDPHE will continue to monitor the site due to Prospect Energy failing to correct its violations in the past.

Tina Peters’ Former Deputy Agrees To Testify 

Former Mesa County Clerk, Tina Peters, was indicted on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges for election tampering and fraud 

The Mesa County Court announced yesterday afternoon that her former deputy, Belinda Knisley, will testify against Peters in court as part of a plea deal. Knisley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for trespassing, first-degree official misconduct, and violation of duty. Knisley was sentenced to 150 hours of community service, and two years of unsupervised probation and she cannot work another election.  

According to The Colorado Sun, Kinsley’s plea brings a significant threat to Peters’ defense against felony charges for a security breach last year of her county’s election system. 

“Her value to us as a witness — it’s important, it’s critical,” Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein said to The Colorado Sun. She also added that in June during a plea hearing in Grand Junction, Knisley was interviewed at the attorney general’s office in Denver for seven hours, where she provided information to assist in the investigation into Peters. 

Peters is due to be arraigned on Sept. 7.

City Repeals Local Disaster Emergency Related To COVID-19

Starting August 31, Boulder County will repeal the last five emergency-related COVID-19 orders. 

According to a press release, City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde has concluded that these orders can be safely repealed because the threat to public health posed by COVID-19 has diminished.

In-person meetings for Boulder City council will resume on September 1, with the public welcomed back in October. 

“The last two and a half years have not been easy,” Rivera-Vandermyde said. “I look back with gratitude to our community for working together through the pandemic and now ahead with confidence in a brighter future thanks to all we have learned.”

The Marshall Fire is Officially Cleaned up

After four months of work, the Boulder County Debris Removal Program has finished cleaning up the remains of the Martial Fire that burned its way through boulder in late December. Services had to clear 566 properties of debris, ash, vegetation, and concrete. In total, the cleanup effort removed 103,662 tons of ash and debris.

The Marshall fire burned through over 6,000 acres of land in Boulder County. It was the most destructive fire in Colorado’s history in terms of structures lost. 

Boulder County commissioners Chairwoman Marta Loachamin said in a written statement that this was a major milestone in the community’s recovery from the fire. 

City hosting public engagement opportunities for the Homelessness Day Center

Today, from noon to 1:30 PM, the Housing and Human Services Department is hosting a feedback session for the Homeless Day Center. According to a press release, the goal for the center is to serve as a daytime facility that provides resource navigation and other services to assist individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. 

Boulder City Council said the center is one of ten priorities at the 2022 City Council retreat.

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