Headlines — January 03, 2023

January 03, 2023

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Colorado New Shopping Bag Law Is In Effect

A new shopping bag law is now in effect in Colorado.

Under the new law, which began with the new year, each disposable plastic or paper bag will cost shoppers ten cents at checkout.

That per-bag charge may be even more in areas where local laws impose higher fees.

People who are in federal or state food assistance programs are exempt from the new law, but may have to prove they’re enrolled in an eligible program.

Businesses that don’t comply with the new state law are subject to fines.

A similar disposable bag law has been in effect in Boulder since 2013.

 Boulder Public Library Main Branch Reopening After Meth Contamination

The main branch of the Boulder Public Library will reopen in phases, beginning this week.

A limited reopening begins tomorrow. Library patrons can pick up hold items from 9 A.M. until 7 P.M. Library officials say they hope for a full reopening of the main branch next Monday, January 9.

The main branch has been closed since December 20, after air duct testing showed levels of methamphetamine contamination well above allowable thresholds. No other library branches were affected.

Remediation of the problem began right away, and Library Director David Farnan says he is confident there is no ongoing health risk.

According to a press release, a contractor’s report confirmed that the highest contamination levels were in public library restrooms. There was also surface contamination in heavily-used seating areas.

No public restrooms will be available until the remediation is complete.

Broomfield Boards And Commission Applications

Starting today, Broomfield residents can apply for openings on the city’s Boards and Commissions. There are twenty-one open positions for 2023. For most of them, applicants must be over eighteen.

Openings include one for an alternate member of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability, and five for the Board of Health.

Applications will be open until the end of this month.

Also in Broomfield, the deadline for applications to fill the seat of Ward 2 council member William Lindstedt is approaching. Applications are due by January 6 at 5pm. Applicants must live in Broomfield’s Ward 2. Lindstedt resigned from city council after winning a seat in the State house in November.

Denver Mayor Asks Catholic Church Help In Sheltering Migrants

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is asking the Catholic Church to help shelter immigrants arriving in the city from central and south America.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has made an official request to Denver’s Archbishop Samuel Aquila to help shelter migrants and asylum seekers at the now-vacant Little Sisters of the Poor on West 29th Avenue. Hundreds of individuals—from Venezuela and other Central and South American countries—continue to arrive in Denver, with about 1,500 people a night staying in various temporary facilities. 

The city has allocated three recreation centers to be temporary housing facilities and has paid for hotel rooms. City officials have spent more than $1.1 million so far to house, shelter, and care for more than 3,000 migrants who have arrived in Denver since Dec. 9. 

The city has put out an urgent call for short term – preferably bilingual – shelter workers to assist in the shelters through March 31st.

There was no comment from the archdiocese as of Sunday.

Denver Minimum Wage Rises

The minimum wage in the city and county of Denver is now $17.29 an hour, up from $15.87 an hour. That’s a nine percent increase, and it went into effect on New Year’s Day.

Minimum wage increases in Denver are set by the Department of Finance, and based on the Consumer Price Index.

Even working forty hours a week for 52 weeks a year, $17.29 an hour still leaves workers at less than 43 percent of the area’s median income.

The state minimum wage also rose on January first, up to $13.65 an hour.

Inflation Hits Lower-Income Coloradans Hardest

Inflation is hitting lower-income people harder than it does others in Colorado, according to a study by two CU-Denver professors.

Their report comes as state economic forecasters predict that inflation will continue to rise.

The professors say the unequal impact of rising costs calls for a targeted approach to dealing with inflation, that recognizes the unequal financial burden it creates.

High Country Avalanche Fatality

A side-country ski outing on Peak 10 above Breckenridge had a tragic ending for two men Saturday.

A man and his adult son exited Breckenridge Ski Resort through a back-country access gate at about one in the afternoon. On New Year’s Eve, they entered a popular area, known as the numbers, to ski south to southeast facing terrain that sits at around 11,600 feet. Details are scarce as to exactly how it happened, but both men were caught in a slide.

Shortly thereafter, the older of the two men was partially buried. After digging himself out, he was unable to locate his son. After making his way to a spot where he found cell service, the man called 9 1 1. Multiple agencies responded, and within about an hour and a half, an AbbVie rescue dog found the younger man’s body fully buried.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center sent a team to investigate the slide on Sunday. Their full report won’t be available until later this week.

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