-
play_arrow
06_18_24_am_headlines Greta Kerkhoff
Rocky Mountain Airport truck crash
A truck that crashed through a fence at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield caused a lot of damage, but the incident did not appear to be malicious, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the Ford F-150 was the only person in the pickup truck yesterday when it crashed through the fence and hit two unoccupied airplanes. While the exact cause of the incident is under investigation, 9News said the driver was apparently experiencing medical issues at the time. The driver was taken to a hospital.
A spokesperson with the Sheriff’s office said the truck did extensive damage to several planes, and debris is scattered throughout the site of the crash.
The crash is being investigated by Colorado State Patrol. Because it is considered a car crash, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are not involved.
Valmont Power Station ash meetings
Two public meetings are scheduled for today, about coal ash remediation at Boulder’s Valmont Power Station.
The first of the two meetings is at eight o’clock this morning for business owners, while the second is from six to eight this evening, for people living near the power station at Valmont and 63rd Streets.
Both of the meetings will be in person, at the Boulder County Recycling Center at 1901 63rd Street
These meetings are meant to provide information about plans to clean up the landfills on the property that are full of coal ash. Coal was burned at the facility for more than ninety years, before coal operations ended in 2017. Elements in coal ash, like lithium and selenium, can filter into the environment.
The plant is currently operated by Xcel Energy, which is expected to clean up the landfills. The Camera says Xcel’s own testing has found higher-than-acceptable contaminant levels.
Neither of today’s meetings include a virtual option. But the Camera says Boulder County Public Health will upload video to its website, in the near future.
More information about the coal ash remediation project is available on the bouldercounty.gov website.
Club Q shooter sentencing
The person already serving life in prison for the 2022 Club Q murders in Colorado Springs is expected to enter a guilty plea in Federal court in Denver today.
Anderson Aldrich pleaded guilty to fifty-one state level charges a year ago, for killing five people and wounding many more at the LGBTQ+ nightclub. Seventy-four federal charges were filed against Aldrich earlier this year, including multiple hate crimes and firearms charges.
The Denver Gazette is reporting that Aldrich accepted a plea deal on the federal charges that keep Aldrich from getting the death penalty. The Gazette says Aldrich most recently has been incarcerated at the Wyoming State Penitentiary.
Boulder County health care merger
Two health care organizations in Boulder County have announced a merger, which could impact low-income people in the area.
Mental Health Partners and Clinica Family Health announced the merger last week. Boulder Reporting Lab says the merger is meant to create an “integrated healthcare model” that will better serve the people who have relied on the two organizations.
Mental Health Partners is the largest mental health care provider in Boulder County. They have more than ten thousand clients, and are one of the county’s few emergency mental health options outside of hospital emergency rooms.
Clinica Family Health offers affordable medical and dental care.
According to a press release, the newly formed agency will be called Clinica Family Health and Wellness and is expected to be up-and-running starting in September. It will provide physical, mental, and oral health care at locations in Boulder, Broomfield, Gilpin and Adams counties.
Boulder Reporting Lab says the merger comes on the heels of the pandemic-era continuous coverage for Medicaid, which ended mid-last year. Thousands of people in Boulder County lost their Medicaid coverage as a result.
Both Mental Health Partners and Clinica mainly serve people on Medicaid, and those without insurance.
Denver sales tax proposals
The Denver City Council has given initial approval to a bill that would let voters decide whether to raise the sales tax in the city.
City Council approved the increase in a 9-1 vote yesterday, and will take a final vote on it next week. If it passes then, the proposed tax hike would go before voters in November.
The proposed .34% increase would bring Denver’s total sales tax to 9.14%, one of the highest in Colorado.
Revenues would provide up to $70 million for Denver Health, a network of healthcare providers throughout the city.
According to Fox31, Denver Health estimated there were $140 million in unpaid medical bills in 2023 and said it can’t maintain its current cost of care without additional funding.
The City Council also approved a $5 million contract for homeless shelters, on an 8-2 vote. The Denver Gazette says the contract for Housing Connector will provide financial assistance and rental subsidies to unhoused people.
Louisville bear sighting
The sighting of a bear in Louisville has police there reminding the public that they should use extreme caution, if they encounter one of the animals.
The bear was seen near the Coal Creek golf course on Sunday, according to the Daily Camera, and was reported by about a dozen people. No one was hurt or threatened, and the bear eventually wandered away.
Police say such sightings are not uncommon. Anyone who sees a bear should stay calm, back slowly away, and avoid eye contact. They also recommend that people keep garbage cans clean and secure, and keep their garage doors closed.
