Headlines — May 13, 2022

May 13, 2022

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County Commissioners Adopt Ignition-Resistant Requirements For New Home Construction In Eastern Unincorporated Boulder County 

The Boulder County Commissioners unanimously approved ignition-resistant requirements Thursday for new home construction in the eastern portions of the county.

The Marshall Fire and other recent wildfires prompted the commissioners to adopt stricter requirements to the county’s building code.

The change, which goes into effect on June 6, applies to new construction for the unincorporated grassland portions of the county and does not apply to cities and towns.

As part of the building code amendments, new structures will need ember-resistant roof venting, class-A roofing, noncombustible gutters, and a 3-foot buffer from combustible material such as wooden fences or shrubs. 

Boulder Crews Begin Removal Of Ailing And Historic Cottonwood Despite Opposition

Some Boulder residents chained themselves to an ailing cottonwood tree early Thursday morning as the city’s urban forestry department attempted to cut down the tree that dates back to 1880.

According to the city’s forester, the tree, which lived on Pearl Street between Sixth and Seventh Street, had pockets of decay throughout and posed a safety risk to the highly trafficked pedestrian area. 

The city’s forester also said there was no optimal time of year to remove the tree as animals use the tree for food and shelter during the winter months. 

Work on the tree began shortly after 9:30 AM after protesters unchained themselves and city crews called the police.  

According to The Daily Camera, the city’s forestry team left a 30-foot stump as a compromise instead of cutting down the entire tree. 

Road Rage Turned Carjacking Ends with Shots Fired in Boulder

Dozens of police chased a man through Boulder Thursday morning after a witness reported an erratic truck driving up Pearl Street’s pedestrian mall. The suspect,  25-year-old Trenton Joshua Dunham, was at the tail-end of a crime spree that began Wednesday night in Greeley.  

Shortly before heading to Boulder, Dunhman struck a man in Broomfield with a gun after a road rage incident. He then stole a parked truck. When police arrived at Pearl Street, Dunham took off in the truck toward the freeway in what turned into a high-speed chase.

Reaching more than 100 miles an hour, the highjacker drove toward Highway 36, where, near Table Mesa, Dunham ran over spikes that police used to pop Dunham’s tires. 

As the police closed in, Dunham brandished a gun. Police fired, and no one was seriously injured. 

Police took Dunham to the hospital for minor injuries before arresting him. They say Dunham stole a firearm, shot into a home, and stole another vehicle Wednesday. According to Boulder Police, Dunham has been charged with multiple felony counts, including aggravated motor vehicle theft, discharging a firearm, and two felony counts of criminal attempt first-degree murder.

Colorado Lawmakers End Legislative Session By Passing Contentious Fentanyl Bill 

Colorado lawmakers ended the impasse on legislation addressing the fentanyl crisis as the 2022 session concluded late Wednesday.

Lawmakers clashed for weeks over a bill that attempted to lower the fentanyl possession threshold for felony charges while strengthening a range of treatment resources and options for users.

The sticking point of contention centered on felony charges for individuals who unknowingly possess fentanyl. This potent synthetic opioid is often mixed with counterfeit prescription pills or other drug substances without a user’s knowledge. 

At the end of the session, lawmakers ultimately settled on bill language that allows some defendants to present evidence at trial that they unknowingly possessed fentanyl.

According to The Associated Press, the bill strengthens criminal penalties for fentanyl dealers and has other initiatives outside the criminal justice system to attack the crisis.

The Associated Press also reports Gov. Jared Polis immediately applauded the bill’s passage. 

EPA Awards Brownfields Assessment Grant For Properties Along Federal Boulevard

The United States Environmental Agency announced Thursday it had awarded the City and County of Denver a $500,000 Brownfields assessment grant to clean up priority sites along Denver’s Federal Boulevard. 

According to the agency’s news release, the city will focus on a former college campus, a vacant commercial property, and a former gas station. 

Officials will use the money to test and evaluate potential contamination along the road that stretches through the city’s western portion. After assessing, officials will determine cleanup options, start reuse planning, and perform community outreach. 

The EPA defines a brownfield as a property for which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers Conducting Food Drive, May 14

Letter carriers with the United States Postal Service will hold their 30th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive tomorrow, Saturday, May 14th. According to the National Association of Letter Carriers, tomorrow’s event is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. To donate, mail customers may leave nonperishable food items in a bag near their mailbox before their letter carrier arrives with tomorrow’s mail. 

Postal service employees say that although they welcome all nonperishable food items, foods high in protein, such as canned tuna, salmon, and peanut butter, are the most needed. 

Other needed items include canned fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-sugar cereals. After tomorrow’s collection, the postal service employees will deliver the food to local community churches, food banks, and food pantries for distribution. 

Scientists Finally Get Image Of Our Universe’s Black Hole

We can now know what the center of our galaxy looks like after astronomers released a picture of Sagittarius A Thursday.
Sagittarius A is the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. This is the first ever picture of the black hole and was done by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.

This same team of over 200 scientists and engineers made history by photographing M87, the supermassive black hole of another galaxy back in 2020.

The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration uses radio telescopes around the world to take these pictures. It was questionable if Sagittarius A was even photographable. With all of the stuff between us and the center of our universe, the picture is a massive historic feat.

Evening Skies To Showcase Total Lunar Eclipse Sunday Night

Clear sky conditions are expected for this Sunday’s total lunar eclipse, named the Super Flower Blood Moon. This month’s moon is also a super moon, with its appearance being bigger and brighter as it approaches the closest point to Earth in its orbit. 

According to The Denver Post, the moon will rise just before 8 PM Sunday, with the total phase of the eclipse beginning at 9:29 PM and lasting just over an hour with the maximum occurring at 10:11 PM. NASA will also livestream the eclipse starting at 7:32 PM Mountain time. 

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