Colorado News & Current Events | Public News Service

Health-insurance companies are expanding coverage in 2022 to more Colorado counties, leaving just one county with a single on-exchange insurance company available. In 2020, 22 counties had just one provider. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Reinsurance Program Saving Coloradans Money on Health Coverage

DENVER -- The days of exponentially high increases in health-insurance costs may finally be in the rearview mirror. The Colorado Division of …

With federal support, Colorado could increase its solar housing stock by more than 440,000, according to the 30 Million Solar Homes report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More Solar Investment Could Transform CO Economy

CRAIG, Colo. -- What would it look like if one in four households in the country was solar-powered? A new report from the "30 Million Solar Homes" …

Investments in federal programs that help the bottom 60 to 80 percent of families is projected to narrow a widening racial wealth gap. (Adobe Stock)

Tax Reform Seen as Key for Equitable COVID Recovery

DENVER - As Congress struggles to pass legislation to boost recovery from the pandemic's economic fallout, tax experts are urging lawmakers to invest …

The 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit is set to benefit 89% of Colorado's children younger than 18. (nareekarn/Adobe Stock)

CO Families Already Benefiting from Advance Child Tax Credit Payments

DENVER -- Parents are now receiving fully refundable monthly 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit payments, and advocates for children and families have …

Nearly 6% of workers telecommuted in 2018, up from 2% in 1980, according to a New York Times report. Researchers project that 20% of work will be done from home post-COVID. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Colorado Companies to Reduce Air Pollution Post-COVID

DENVER -- As offices and businesses begin to open their doors after COVID-19 shutdowns, a new guidebook offers ways for CEOs and other commuters to …

To afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in much of Colorado, full-time workers need to earn $27.50 per hour or work 89 hours per week at current Colorado minimum wage. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver’s Bet on Housing-First Program Pays Off

DENVER -- When people experiencing chronic homelessness in Denver received free housing along with mental and behavioral health services, they were …

Public News Service joins the Trust Project, along with news outlets in the U.S, Europe and Central and South America. (The Trust Project)

Public News Service Joins the Trust Project to Support Transparency, Accuracy in Journalism

BOULDER, Colo. - As people struggle to find trusted news and information, Colorado News Connection and its network Public News Service are …

More than 90% of jobs that pay more than just a living wage are soon expected to require some form of post-secondary degree or credential. (Adobe Stock)

Students Who Left College During COVID Can Still Earn Associate’s Degree

DENVER - A new Colorado law will offer a pathway for thousands of students who have completed significant course work at public colleges and universit…

Xcel customers in Colorado will likely pay higher prices after last winter's natural gas power shortage caused by non-winterized power plants in Texas. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans Brace for Texas-Fueled Spikes in Energy Prices

DENVER -- When this winter's power outages in Texas' deregulated electric grid caused shockingly high utility bills for customers, Xcel Energy was …

In July 2020, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 3.4 million visitors, an increase of almost a million from the same time period in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

CO Water Stewards Brace for Record Crowds on Public Lands

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Colorado's public lands, which account for 43% of the entire state, are seeing record use after officials relaxed COVID-19 health …

Almost one-third of Colorado's electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Energy Chief's Visit Spotlights Colorado Clean-Energy Advances

DENVER -- U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was in Denver Thursday to promote President Joe Biden's plans to transition the nation's energy …

An average of 1.7 million WIC participants receive Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits each year. (Adobe Stock)

WIC Families Can Now Get Vouchers for Farmers Market Purchases

DENVER -- Participants in WIC, the federal nutrition assistance program for women, infants, and children, can now get vouchers to buy food at farmers …

In an effort to lower overall health-care costs, Colorado lawmakers recently passed legislation requiring insurance companies to reduce the cost of a new standardized health plan by 18% by 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Low-Value Health Care in Colorado Costs $140 Million in Excess Spending

DENVER - Colorado could save up to $140 million annually, and reduce potential harm to patients, by minimizing so-called low-value health-care …

Before the pandemic, the percentage of Colorado children living in poverty fell from 17% in 2010 to 11% in 2019, a faster decline than in all but five other states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

COVID Economic Shock Puts Decade of Children's Progress at Risk

DENVER - Colorado ranks 15th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2021 Kids Count Data Book…

Federal investments to switch to electric vehicles would generate $231 billion in additional tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Investment in EV Infrastructure Could Add $1.3 Trillion to U.S. GDP

DENVER -- As the Biden administration and Congress continue to wrangle over the size and scope of a federal infrastructure package, a new report …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

DENVER -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US …

Hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing contributes $5 billion in economic activity each year in Colorado. (Ryan Moehring/USFWS)

Report: Colorado on Track to Protect Wildlife Migration Corridors

DENVER -- A new report backs up Colorado's efforts to tap the best available science, including advances in GPS and radio tracking technologies…

Once a student has been accepted into the MSU Denver HOPES Program, he or she will be able to remain in the program throughout their time working toward a degree. (Adobe Stock)

MSU Denver Launches Support Program for Lowest-Income Students

DENVER - Metropolitan State University of Denver is taking applications for a pilot program designed to help its lowest-income students access food…

People with disabilities in Colorado currently have a vaccination rate of nearly 55%, compared with 30% for the non-disabled population. (Pixabay)

Colorado’s Homebound Population Receiving COVID Vaccines

DENVER - State health agencies are continuing to help people with disabilities who are physically unable to leave their homes to get COVID-19 vaccines…

Parents' poor mental health due to pandemic-related disruptions can be a contributing factor in negative mental-health outcomes for children. (Pixabay)

Helping Children Navigate Through Trauma

DENVER, Colo. -- School closures, social isolation, gaps in health-care access and other pandemic-related disruptions have taken a toll on children's …

The Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program distributes money to charitable pantries, who must spend the money purchasing food from local farmers and other producers. (Pixabay)

Anti-Hunger Advocates Call for Expanding Pantry Grant

LAFAYETTE, Colo. -- Anti-hunger advocates are calling on Colorado lawmakers to expand funding for the state's Food Pantry Assistance Grant. …

The CDC says fully vaccinated people can interact with others who are fully vaccinated without masks or distancing, but precautions are still necessary in certain instances, especially travel. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Safe Return to Summer Travel Involves Some Planning

DENVER - As more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19 and more cities and businesses reopen, public health and safety officials are urging folks …

Since cuts to federal public housing budgets began in the 1980s, the deficit of affordable housing units in the United States has increased to 7 million. (Galatas)

Judge Dismisses Legal Challenge to Denver Homeless Encampment

DENVER -- A Denver District Court judge dismissed a lawsuit yesterday meant to block efforts to create a legal homeless encampment in Denver's Park Hi…

By 2030, one in five U.S. residents are projected to be age 65 or older, and by 2035 there will be more adults over 65 than children under 18. (ArtTower/Pixabay)

Age-Friendly Network Welcomes 3 Colorado Cities

GREELEY, Colo. -- This week, Greeley, Evans and Garden City will officially join AARP's Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The Weld …

More than 70% of Colorado voters support eliminating outdated tax exemptions and credits for corporations and wealthy individuals. (Timothy Krause/Flickr)

Tax Reforms Aim to Boost Assistance for Working Families

DENVER - Children's advocates are supporting a pair of bills introduced this week by state Democrats to update Colorado's tax code, expand the …

A new Colorado law aims to enable students to become critical consumers and creators of media. (Pixabay)

Media-Literacy Bill Headed to Gov. Polis' Desk

DENVER -- A bill designed to help Colorado students learn how to critically evaluate what they see and hear in today's digital media landscape has cle…

Removing barriers such as bureaucratic red tape will help keep more Coloradans from getting their power cut off. (Stevepb/Pixabay)

Pandemic Spotlights Opportunities for Utility Equity in Colorado

DENVER -- The number of Coloradans who need help to keep the power on in their homes rose dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, and energy …

Environmental groups say a bill pending in the Legislature would help Colorado meet its emissions-reduction and environmental-justice goals. (Nicola/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Gov. Polis to Support Major Climate Bill

DENVER -- Environmental groups are urging Gov. Jared Polis to support a major climate bill pending in the Colorado Legislature. Senate Bill 200…

The new BLM director is expected to review the Uncompahgre Resource Management Plan, which critics say favored oil and gas development. (Pixabay)

Conservationists Praise Biden’s BLM Pick

DENVER -- President Joe Biden's pick to direct the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is getting high marks from conservationists. Aaron Kindle…

Some students in the San Luis Valley, especially young people of color, may not have been able to participate in the types of outdoor recreation that many Coloradans take for granted. (ArtTower/Pixabay)

Students in San Luis Valley Needed for Whitewater Rafting, River Surfing

ANTONITO, Colo. - Middle- and high-school students in Colorado's San Luis Valley will get to go whitewater rafting for the first time this summer…

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys found that 38% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression from April 2020 through last February, up from 11% in 2019. (Pixabay)

Need for Mental, Substance-Abuse Treatment Increased During COVID

FORT LUPTON, Colo. -- Suicide rates, overdoses and substance abuse all are on the rise since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a …

House Bill 1232 would increase health coverage for care before and after a child's birth, which could reduce racial disparities in infant mortality rates. (PxHere)

Colorado Health-Insurance Option Advances in House

DENVER -- The Colorado Health Insurance Option plan cleared the House Health and Insurance Committee this week, but the measure looks considerably …

The American Jobs Act is intended to spur growth in the energy-efficiency sector, which would reduce fossil-fuel consumption in buildings. (Larry Johnson/Wikimedia Commons)

CO Tech Group Predicts Job Growth from Feds’ New Climate Goal

DENVER -- Colorado will see major job growth in the solar, wind and energy-efficiency fields as a result of the administration's climate goals and …

In 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation committing the state to reduce emissions by 90% from 2005 levels by 2050. (Roy Buri/Pixabay)

Colorado Officials Welcome Feds Back as Climate Partners

BASALT, Colo. -- As President Joe Biden meets with world leaders on Earth Day to reaffirm America's commitment to addressing climate change, Colorado …

People experiencing food insecurity in Colorado increased from 9% before the pandemic to nearly 40% by December 2020. (Partnership for Healthier America)

Lessons During COVID Spotlight Path Toward Greater Food Equity

DENVER -- After the coronavirus pandemic shut down restaurants and emptied grocery shelves, food experts said lessons learned while rebuilding …

Research shows untreated hearing loss can be linked to social isolation in older adults. (thodonal/Adobe Stock)

Audiologists Raise Concerns About Delayed, Untreated Hearing Loss

DENVER -- Audiologists and hearing specialists urge people to keep up with their hearing health as the pandemic continues. Jamie Walter, assistant …

A national universal paid-leave program is projected to generate two million jobs and more than $22 billion in economic activity per year. (Vitalik Radko/Deposit Photos)

Advocates Push Paid Family and Medical Leave as "Critical" Infrastructure

DENVER -- As the Biden administration continues to promote its plan to address the nation's crumbling roads and bridges, a coalition of worker …

Qualifying students living in a family of four can receive $782 per month in food benefits during the coronavirus pandemic. (Travis Isaacs/Wikimedia Commons)

Expanded SNAP Benefits Helping Students During COVID

DENVER -- Thousands of low-income college students in Colorado now have an easier path to food assistance during the pandemic, after the federal …

Research shows students who drop out or pause their college education are less likely to complete their degrees. (Nikolay Georgiev/Pixabay)

CO Educators Work to Bring College Enrollment Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

DENVER -- Enrollment in Colorado's colleges and universities dropped during the coronavirus pandemic, and educators said the impacts could be felt …

Even before COVID-19 health measures, 60% of people with disabilities reported experiencing mental-health challenges, largely due to social isolation. (Pixabay)

Groups Work to Get Vaccines to Colorado’s Disabled, Homeless

DENVER -- Colorado's disability community and supporters are applauding Gov. Jared Polis' move to prioritize COVID-19 vaccines for people with Down …

Colorado ranks eighth in the nation as a state with the least affordable and available units, nearing the rate in Texas, Florida and Delaware. (Pixabay)

Need for Affordable Housing in Colorado Dwarfs Available Units

DENVER - The need for affordable housing continues to outgrow supply in Colorado and across the United States, according to a new report. For every 1…

Gun-safety advocates are urging Congress to pass the first major federal gun control laws in two decades. (JP Photography/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Gun-Violence Prevention in Wake of Boulder Shooting

BOULDER, Colo. -- After last week's mass shooting in Boulder, advocates for gun safety are calling on both state and federal lawmakers to take …

Community child-care programs in El Paso County have added pollinator gardens, native plants and other natural elements to kids' outdoor play areas. (Pixabay)

Adding Nature to Kids' Play Boosts Education, Health

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Plastic- and rubber-dominated playgrounds in Colorado Springs have added winding pathways with tall grasses, gardens…

Officer Eric Talley, an 11-year veteran of Boulder Police Department, was shot and killed Monday responding to reports of an active shooter at a King Soopers grocery store. (Boulder PD)

Ten Dead, Including Police Officer, in Boulder Grocery Store Shooting

BOULDER, Colo. -- An intensive investigation is underway into a mass shooting that killed ten people, including a police officer, at a Boulder…

An additional $1,000 in tax credits reduces the incidence of low birthweight births by about three out of every 100 children born to mothers likely to qualify for the credit. (Pixy)

Redirecting Tax Expenditures Could Help CO Achieve Equity Goals

DENVER -- The Colorado state auditor's office has released a series of reports on tax expenditures, including deductions, exemptions, credits and …

Conservation groups say land bridges can prevent collisions between migrating wildlife and vehicles on highways and rail lines. (jacek/Adobe Stock)

Cooperation Key to Restoring Wildlife Migrations

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Wildlife migrations are a part of the American West's lore and history, but many of those centuries-old passages are now …

Community health centers will travel to farms to offer COVID-19 vaccines, along with primary, dental and mental-health care. (Insurance Journal)

Getting Vaccines to Returning Migrant Farmers

OLATHE, Colo. -- Colorado farms are bringing back seasonal workers to get started on this year's crops, and community health centers are gearing up …

Two-thirds of older people surveyed last year report they're more afraid of running out of money in retirement than death. (EPA/Picryl)

Women's Wage Gap Linked to Retirement Insecurity

DENVER - Women in Colorado earn 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that wage gap plays a deciding role in how and when women can securely …

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