Headlines — February 10, 2023

February 10, 2023

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Suncor To Restart One Of Its Three Plants At Commerce City

The Suncor Refinery in Commerce City announced Thursday it’s restarting its Plant 2 operation that produces gasoline, fuel, and diesel. The refinery had closed in December after a cold snap damaged equipment. A company spokesperson told the Denver Post it will take several days for Plant 2 to return to normal operations. The company plans on restarting its other plants by the end of March. 

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said Wednesday the refinery’s shutdown has elevated the state’s gasoline prices with consumer costs likely remaining high as fuel demand grows in the warmer weather months. 

Avian Flu Confirmed In Three Colorado Mammal Species

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said Thursday the agency has identified several cases of avian flu in free-ranging wildlife. The agency confirmed the highly pathogenic disease was discovered in three mammals between October and January, including a black bear in Huerfano County, a skunk in Weld County, and a mountain lion in Gunnison County. 

Wildlife officials say the three animals showed signs of Avian flu, such as seizures, lack of responsiveness to human presence, and organ damage. Other mammal cases in the state are pending confirmation. The agency says despite the variety of mammal species susceptible to avian flu, the number of cases are currently low, and most cases associated with the outbreak are in wild and domestic birds. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed the first strain of avian flu in March 2022 from wild geese in northwest Colorado. 

Attendees At A Denver Hyatt Hotel Gathering Claim Racist Intrusion By Hotel Security  

A gathering of scholars and doctoral students at a Hyatt Regency suite at the Colorado Convention Center say they were subject to racist intrusion Wednesday when hotel security broke up the group, citing noise complaints. The group says they were attending a convention of the National Association of School Psychologists. The organization’s Black president, Dr. Celeste Malone, was hosting the gathering in the hotel suite.

Attendees of the gathering told Colorado Public Radio’s Denverite that after Malone requested a plate of cookies from the front desk, the hotel instead sent security to “assess the situation” and instructed three tenured scholars of color to “not get too rowdy.”  Hotel security then arrived later around 9:15 p.m. and cleared the room, with attendees being instructed to show ID. 

One attendee told Denverite that when she arrived at the party about 20 minutes earlier, she heard no noise in the hallway. The attendee also claimed that a party she attended Tuesday evening, that was predominately white and had many more people with loud music, did not get interrupted by hotel security. 

As of Thursday evening, Denverite says hotel management and security have not responded to requests for comment. 

Loveland Cop Who Violently Arrested Women With Dementia Could Get Sentence Change To Halfway House

The family of a Loveland woman with dementia who experienced a violent police arrest in 2020 said in a statement this week they are shocked and confused that former officer Austin Hopp is up for parole. Hopp received a conviction last year for breaking Karen Garner’s arm, separating her shoulder, and spraining her wrist during the arrest. He also not giving  did not give her medical attention while he and others joked about her injuries. 

Hopp so far has served nine months of his five-year prison term and will appear in court next week as a potential candidate for a community corrections program. The family said Hopp’s plea deal did not even provide an opportunity for parole until April 2024. 

Longmont City Council Delays Discussion In Forming Committee That Studies Offensive Street Names

The Longmont City Council decided earlier this week to hold off discussions forming a Community Name Change Committee that would review troublesome and offensive street names. Council members voted unanimously in late January to discuss forming the committee, but Councilperson Tim Waters argued during Tuesday’s study session that although he did not oppose the committee, he thought Longmont had more pressing matters and that staff already had enough on their plate. Waters further argued that he has not had a constituent who has complained about the name of their street.

Councilperson Marcia Martin said Longmont residents were not receptive to the committee formation on social media as they complained that city council had time to change street names, but not fix whatever citizens are complaining about. 

Councilperson Sean McCoy, who made the original motion on the issue, remarked that community leaders should not wait for their constituents to be outraged to react to cultural insensitivity.

According to the Daily Camera, council members voted to table the discussion until they identify priorities during their upcoming retreat. 

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