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02-17-25_am_headlines Gabrielle Mendoza
RTD Parking Lots for affordable housing
State lawmakers are weighing proposed legislation that could lead to new affordable housing in Denver.
The legislation introduced last week would “enable the development of affordable housing and dense, walkable, mixed-use communities near transit stations and routes,” according to The Denver Post.
The plan involves using existing Park-n-Ride lots to build new affordable housing.
RTD directors have already sold at least one Park-n-Ride property at less than half its market value to be used for the housing plan.
The Post says RTD has been looking for Park-n-Ride conversion opportunities for the last eight years. Ridership has decreased during that time. An RTD spokesperson told the Post that converting mostly-unused parking spaces into affordable housing would benefit both the transit agency and the public.
Gun Bill gets preliminary approval
The State Senate could take a final vote as soon as tomorrow, on a bill that would restrict the manufacture and sale of semiautomatic rifles and other weapons in Colorado. KGNU’s John Kelin explains.
The state senate gave its preliminary approval to Senate Bill 3 early Friday, after a lengthy debate and a negotiated revision.
The measure would prohibit the manufacture and sale of semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols.
The original version of the bill would have banned the sale or transfer of semiautomatic weapons that take detachable magazines. The bill was approved only after lawmakers added an exemption that allows those weapons for people who complete a training course, which would be run by the state. That’s according to The Colorado Sun.
The bill would affect AR-15 and AK-47 automatic rifles, as well as tactical shotguns and certain handguns.
The Sun says the negotiated exemption was the only way to advance the bill, due to Governor Jared Polis’s opposition to the original.
The bill does not ban the possession of any firearms, and does not mean the guns that people already own would be taken away.
If the state Senate does give final approval, it would go on to the state House. If it passes there, the Governor is expected to sign the amended bill.
CPW acquired 120 acres for new wildlife management area
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has acquired 120 new acres of land to open a new wildlife area along Michigan Creek.
The land acquisition was finalized on Friday.
The property is located about 6 miles southeast of Jefferson, Colorado, and will become the Michigan Creek State Wildlife Area. According to CBS News, a private landowner worked with the Western Rivers Conservancy over the past couple of years to get it donated for conservation efforts, eventually giving it over to CPW.
Officials say they plan to open the Michigan Creek State Wildlife Area by the end of the year.
Visitors looking to hunt, fish, or view wildlife at the new spot will be able to do so by purchasing a State Wildlife Area pass. This is different from a Park Pass, since funding from the Wildlife Pass specifically supports continued conservation efforts and habitat health.
More than 1000 flights delayed during winter storm
A winter storm caused over 1,000 delays and cancellations at Denver International Airport on Saturday. The delays totaled to 1,055 and the cancellations were 60.
Sunday also brought 345 delays and 12 cancellations. In one day, DIA sees over 1,700 flights come in and out. On Saturday morning, there was a ground stop put in place for arriving flights that went into effect at 7:30 am. The FAA said that the issue involved a ground surveillance system and the issue was resolved by 8:15 am.
