Headlines — January 05, 2022

Headlines Jan. 5, 2022

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Superior Reopens After Marshall Fire

Boulder County officials announced early Wednesday that they will lift all hard and soft closures as of 6 AM for the Town of Superior and unincorporated Boulder County except for South 76th Street which remains closed between Marshall Road and Sycamore Street. Authorities will continue patrol. Evacuation status for Louisville remains.

Victims can get in touch with advocates from 9 AM to 2 PM Wednesday at the Town of Superior Community Center. The Boulder County Disaster Assistance in Lafayette opened on Monday, and will operate from 9 AM to 7 PM seven days a week.

The Daily Camera reports crews could reach 100 percent containment of the fire on Monday night, but emergency personnel stayed on high alert as high winds picked up in the area posing the risk of flareups, or toppling weakened structures. Some gusts on Tuesday reached over 80 miles per hour.

Over $26 Million Donated To Marshall Fire Victims

Contributions to help those impacted by the Marshall Fire have risen to over $26 million. The total includes GoFundMe accounts and donations to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund, which has received over $12 million.

Tatiana Hernandez, CEO of the Community Foundation Boulder County, said that 43,000 people have given to the Wildfire Fund.

Boil Water Orders Still In Place

Some areas of Boulder County are still under orders to boil water before drinking, cooking or brushing teeth. In Louisville, officials expect water to be back online by Sunday. Free bottled water is being distributed at the Louisville Recreation Center.

In Superior, authorities are hoping to cancel boil water orders by Friday.

Boulder Valley Schools Reopen

Boulder Valley Schools reopen today after the winter break. Some students were urging authorities to postpone the return. More than 5,200 signatures were gathered on a petition to delay school reopening.

The Colorado Sun reports that Rob Anderson, the district superintendent, said in an email to families that schools are the center of the community and they need to be there to support those who need it. Angela Narayan, a professor at the University of Denver, said that schools can help resurrect a sense of normalcy after disruptions from the Marshall Fire.

Students, Faculty And Staff At CU Boulder Feel Effects Of Marshall Fire

Monday officials at the University of Colorado Boulder said that more than 700 employees, and 600 students live in areas that were evacuated last week because of the Marshall Fire. As reported earlier, the Spring semester will start with remote classes and open dorms later.

Patrick O’Rourke, CU’s Chief Operating Officer, said that they are still evaluating needs and the best ways they can support students, faculty and staff.

Omicron Exhausts Denver Hospitals

Health care officials in Denver said in a press conference Tuesday that about 93% of intensive care unit beds are full and staff are exhausted. The Denver Post reports that across the state, there are about 1,300 people hospitalized for COVID-19, an increase of about 130 from Monday.

The University of Colorado Hospital was over capacity. Denver hospitals have turned away patients from out of state because facilities don’t have the resources to take care of them.

Officials said that February will probably be the scariest point of the pandemic, as even vaccinated staff are getting sick and having to stay home.

In the city of Denver, Mayor Michael Hancock said the seven-day positivity rate is now over 25 percent, which means one of every four tests is positive for the virus. Public health officials hope to see positivity rates below 5 percent.

Denver Council Moves To Virtual Meetings

The Denver City Council has paused all in-person meetings. According to a news release, public hearings they will meet virtually for committee and regular council meetings.

Denver Council Delays Vote On Airport Renovation

The Denver City Council delayed a vote to spend $1 billion dollars to renovate Denver International Airport until Monday. Councilmember Debbie Ortega pressed for the delay, in order to gather more information before voting. According to The Denver Post, the additional money would come from funds generated by the airport and would be used to finish the project, which has been going on since 2018.

To Receive Millions From Opioid Settlement

Colorado will receive hundreds of millions of dollars from legal settlements with Johnson & Johnson, and three other drug companies in connection with the opioid crisis. The Attorney General’s Office said in a release that the settlement agreements, which could cause nearly $400 million for Colorado, require the participation of counties and municipalities in order to get the maximum payments.

Denver Police Were Warned About Shooter Who Killed 5 People In December

Denver police were warned a year ago about the man who shot and killed five people in the city and in Lakewood last week. Andre Theil, a German man said in an interview with The Denver Post that he had participated in chats with the shooter After had made increasingly alarming statements, Theil contacted police and said he that he thought there was a small but undeniable possibility that the person might commit a terrorist attack.

Police yesterday confirmed that they had received a tip from a person in Germany a year ago, but said they could not link the man who committed the shootings to a Denver address and had no reason to believe he was living in Denver at that time.

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