Headlines — December 12, 2022

December 12, 2022

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Colorado is expecting a powerful winter storm

A winter storm is forecast to hit Colorado Monday afternoon, bringing heavy snow to the mountains and 1-4 inches to the Denver area. Blizzard conditions are possible on the plains Monday evening through Tuesday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 1 p.m. Monday through 5 p.m. Wednesday. Mountain areas may see as much as 18 inches of snow. 

Drivers are advised to expect traffic delays during afternoon and evening commutes.

Monarch High Student Wellness Center Regarded as Model

The Boulder Valley School District is reportedly seeking to expand upon the success of a Wellness Center in Monarch High School. The Wellness Center at Louisville’s Monarch High School sees an average of 40 to 50 students each day according to the Daily Camera. 

The center opened in the fall with grant funding paying the salary of a full time counselor. Many students at Monarch High were directly affected by the Marshall Fire a year ago. The fire in the area compounded mental health challenges for youth already dealing with pandemic stress. The Wellness Center provides an on-campus space for students to come relax, process, talk with a counselor, or simply take a break. 

The Daily Camera reports the Boulder Valley School District is working with the nonprofit organization Impact on Education to raise money to keep the center fully staffed and functioning at full capacity while expanding the project to other schools. 

Fort Morgan Group Fight For Citizenship

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) organized an event in Fort Morgan on Sunday evening as part of a national week of action to call for protections for asylum seekers and a pathway to citizenship for immigrant families. Yesterday was International Human Rights Day and December 18th is International Migrants Day.

Many immigrants rights groups are calling on the Democratic majority of both houses of the lame duck session of Congress to pass immigration reform measures before the potential gridlock of the next session.

Workers at Denver Processing Plant Vote in Favor of Strike

Around 200 workers at a Denver meat processing plant have voted to authorize a strike. 

According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union, the workers have been attempting to negotiate a new contract with plant owner JBS USA since September. They voted unanimously to authorize a strike over what they say are unfair labor practices. 

The strike date remains undetermined, but Local union President Kim Cordova called on management at the Denver Processing plant and its JBS leadership to stop what she called unfair labor practices and come to the table with proposals for an industry-leading agreement.

Aurora Police Arrest A man In Connection With A Triple Homicide

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a triple homicide in Aurora over the weekend. Family members reportedly discovered the bodies of two women and one man inside a house in the Willow Park neighborhood of Aurora on Saturday night, all of them with apparent gunshot wounds. Police have not yet identified the victims but say that Christopher Martinez the man arrested by police was known to them.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Awards Grants

The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board has awarded a $750,000 grant to the City of Lafayette and Thorne Nature Experience to build a Lafayette Nature Center and improve adjacent open space. 

The project will include nature play and community gathering spaces and support an equity-centered approach to nature connection along Coal Creek and the Coal Creek Regional Trail. The grant is part of GOCO’s Community Impact program, which supports developing and revitalizing outdoor spaces that enhance a community’s access to the outdoors.

CU Unrolls New Program for Transfer Students

The University of Colorado Boulder is due to kick off a pilot program to make it easier for arts and sciences students to transfer to the flagship state university. 

As of the upcoming spring semester  students registered in the arts and sciences four-year accredited schools will be able  to transfer all of their non-remedial credits to CU Boulder provided grades are a C- [minus] or higher. CU hopes that the new transfer policy will allow enrichment of academics, as well as, athletics at the university. 

The policy does not apply to the engineering or business schools, though more than 70% [percent] of the college qualifies as the arts and science portion. This change in CU policy reportedly comes after discussion with the National Collegiate Athletic Association. An NCAA rule change last year allows transfer students to no longer have to sit out a year of competition after transferring. 

CU’s recent signing of Coach Deion Sanders is leaving many fans of Buffaloes excited for an upcoming season, and this new pilot transfer policy and NCAA rule change is expected to enhance the university’s recruitment leverage.

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