Headlines – June 20, 2023

Listen:

Download Audio

Colorado Employment Holds Steady

The unemployment rate in Colorado held at 2.8 percent from April to May.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment says the number of people without jobs during that period was about 90,000, up slightly from the previous period.

It’s the thirteenth month straight that Colorado unemployment has been below three percent. Nationwide, unemployment increased from April to May, to 3.7 percent.

Ball Corporation For Sale?

There are reports that the Westminster-based Ball Corporation may be up for sale.

Ball Corporation, the world’s largest supplier of beer cans, is looking at possibly selling off another division of their company, one that provides aerospace and national defense hardware, for over $5 billion.

Reuters reports that the divestment of the aerospace business, which accounted for 13% of Ball’s net sales in 2022, would allow Ball to focus more on its beverage packaging operations and could also trim its debt pile of about $9.7 billion.

Ball established its aerospace division in the 1950s, becoming a key contractor in areas such as earth science and national security.

The business has attracted the interest of large defense companies, such as BAE Systems and Textron, as well as private equity firms.

Ball shares rose 7% to $58.57 in afternoon trading in New York on Friday, giving the company a market value of more than $18 billion. Because of the national holiday yesterday the market was closed.

Nederland Controlled Burn

The City of Boulder is planning a controlled burn near Nederland this week. It could start today, depending on weather conditions. 

Boulder Fire Rescue will supervise the slash pile burn with support from local fire departments. Smoke may be visible for several days, and could pose health risks for some people, according to a city press release.

The controlled burn will take place in the Silver Lake Watershed area and is meant to reduce vegetation, as part of fire risk management.

According to the press release, the burn will start after 10 AM, and end before 3 PM. If weather conditions aren’t favorable, the city says the burn will be delayed.

Denver Homeless Shelter Closing

Nearly seventy people living in a unique homeless shelter in Denver will be looking for a new place to stay, once the facility closes this August.

The former Rodeway Inn currently houses women, transgender and non-binary people.

The CEO of the Gathering Place, the nonprofit which operates the shelter along with the Salvation Army, told the Denver Post that over the last three years, the private rooms have helped about 120 residents become independent.

Shelter residents and the 30 staff members created a successful community that includes a makeshift library and meeting room, and is supplied with face masks, books and computers. Residents even have access to the opioid-overdose antidote Naloxone. But the building itself is dilapidated with maintenance and plumbing issues. 

According to the Denver Post, Denver decided to sell the building over quote, “concerns about the property,” leaving some of the residents with the possibility of ending up back on the street. The shelter is currently set to close on August 23rd.

Geographic Name Changing Board Meets

A state panel will meet tonight to consider whether certain locations and geographical features in Colorado should be renamed.

Some of the possible changes under consideration by the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board are:

• Renaming Redskin Mountain to Mount Jerome;
• Redskin Creek to Ute Creek in Park and Jefferson Counties;
• Negro Draw to Robinson Draw in Montezuma County;
• Chinaman Canyon to Toison Canyon in Las Animas County;
• and Dead Mexican Gulch to Jose Belardi Gulch in Garfield County.

The Board was established by Governor Jared Polis, and will make its recommendations to him.

Boulder Creek Rescues

Emergency rescuers in Boulder say there’s been a noticeable increase in the number of Boulder Creek rescue calls they’ve had in the last few weeks.

All that recent rain, coupled with mountain runoff from melting snow, has raised creek levels, which has it running faster.

Boulder Fire Rescue has done at least five water rescues over a two week period, according to the Denver Gazette.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download