“Xcel Energy’s latest plan for electric production in Colorado calls for building three major solar power systems in Pueblo County, along with battery storage, and additional wind power that would let it dismantle the Comanche 1 and 2 power units south of the city,” reports The Pueblo Chieftain. “The ambitious energy forecast — called a 120-Day Report — confirms what Xcel has been suggesting for the past year: It intends to shift its power production into renewable energy and away from traditional carbon sources, including natural gas. Alice Jackson, president of Xcel Energy Colorado, said in a statement: ‘Our recommended plan secures long-term and low-cost renewable power, stimulates economic development in rural Colorado and substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions — all at a savings to customers.'”
“Karen Scopel didn’t sugarcoat it when she described what the natural lands that sit near 71st Avenue and the Poudre River Trail will look like in about a month,” reports The Greeley Tribune. “‘It’s going to look bad out here for awhile, bottom line. It’s all going to get pretty torn up,” Scopel, Greeley’s natural lands coordinator, said Wednesday, pointing to the 89 acres of surrounding landscape, made up of tall grasses, patches of cottonwood trees and an old utility road that was once used by oil and gas operators in the area.”
“Despite protests from neighbors, the Grand Junction City Council voted 6-1 on Wednesday night to allow approximately 300 homes to be planned for a subdivision north of Holy Family Catholic School,” reports The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. “The council voted to approve the zoning request after more than two hours of public comments and testimony, the majority of which opposed allowing the zoning for two homes per acre and some asking the council to consider limiting development to one home per acre.”
“Private security officers clad in khaki pants and gray shirts bearing the phrase ‘Longmont Welcoming Spaces Outreach Team’ will begin patrolling parts of Longmont next week in a joint venture between the city and the Longmont Downtown Development Authority,” reports The Longmont Times-Call. “The new program, characterized as the use of a “private security force” in an internal city email obtained by the Longmont Times-Call and Daily Camera, had not been announced publicly. But when asked about it Wednesday, officials confirmed the city contracted the Trident Protection Group for “ambassador services,” and that those patrols will begin Monday in order to ‘provide some additional eyes and ears.'”
“A mountain lion discovered Tuesday afternoon on a popular Steamboat Springs trail was euthanized Tuesday evening by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers,” reports The Steamboat Pilot. “Something was wrong with it,” area wildlife manager Kris Middledorf said. Middledorf said a mountain biker was on the Morning Gloria Trail on Emerald Mountain when he discovered the animal at about 4 p.m. “All of the sudden he came around the corner, hit his brakes and a mountain lion was on the trail,” Middledorf said. An animal control officer from the city of Steamboat Springs responded to the scene in addition to a wildlife officer. The animal was still partially on the trail and still breathing but would not respond to audible or physical stimuli.”
“After a bear attacked a family campsite near Red Feather Lakes on Tuesday night, Colorado Parks & Wildlife is on the lookout for the perpetrator,” reports The Loveland Reporter-Herald. “A bear “trampled through a tent” containing a family of four, sending a man to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to a release Wednesday from the department. Parks & Wildlife, as well as the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a report of the attack around 11 p.m. Tuesday. Area wildlife manager Ty Petersburg stated in the release that the family was in a tent in a dispersed camping area off County Road 67J, also known as Prairie Divide Road. That road passes Hiawatha Lake, Lake Ramona and Mitchell Lake No. 3.”
“Colorado’s largest charter school for gifted and talented students has been hit with eight civil rights complaints in two years,” reports The Denver Post. “But administrators at Stargate Charter School, in Thornton, say they have learned their lesson and are making changes to better address allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against disabled students. The complaints include the school’s mishandling of allegations that a former coach groped students and the school’s treatment of students with disabilities. The school has followed steps laid out by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, including employee training, a full review of the school’s processes for handling complaints and bringing on a Title IX coordinator, Jan Kulmann, Stargate’s governing board president said. The school’s executive director stepped down in April.”
“Pedro Gonzalez savagely beat Dita Richterova. Gonzalez admitted it and security video showed him doing it,” reports Vail Daily. “A jury spent four hours Wednesday afternoon, June 6, determining that Gonzalez was also guilty of trying to kill her. Along with assault, the jury of eight women and four men found him guilty of attempted first-degree murder. Gonzalez shifted his weight slightly when the verdict was read. Richterova exhaled with deep relief.”
“Boulder’s timeout on 55-foot-tall buildings likely will continue through 2020 after the City Council voted 5-4 late Tuesday night to extend the 2015 ban yet again,” reports The Boulder Daily Camera. “The measure will go to a third reading at a future meeting. The split vote took place close to midnight in front of a nearly empty chamber. A handful of speakers stuck around after a lengthy discussion on accessory dwelling units to voice their views on the height ordinance, which limits developers’ ability to request height variances up to the city’s voter-mandated 55-foot limit. “We don’t need it,” said John Tayer, speaking for the Boulder Chamber, which has come out against the ban. ‘You have in your ability as City Council to hold off on any buildings above 35 feet that you don’t approve of.'”
“The historic Hotel St. Cloud is expected to be put up for auction to the public after efforts to raise funds for its restoration have been slow going,” reports The Cañon Cty Daily Record. “The hotel at 631 Main St., and the entire downtown district, are listed on the National Historic Register. “It is no secret that the FOY has had its challenges in generating community and public financial support for its efforts,” a letter Wednesday from the FOY to the city council states. ‘The foundation has had many Cañon City fundraising events and cumulatively has not raised enough matching funds for one grant.'”
“Colorado would see more than $120 million in construction at local military bases under a $716 billion military policy and spending bill the Senate is taking up this week,” reports The Gazette in Colorado Springs. “The bill, which has already made its way through the House Armed Services Committee, would spend more than $100 million on Fort Carson, which would get a $77 million vehicle maintenance facility along with $24 million in new construction for the post’s 10th Special Forces Group. The Green Berets would get a $15 million “human performance training center” geared to prepare troops for combat in a method that’s reminiscent of how the NFL gets players ready for games. In addition to classrooms, the facility would include physical fitness facilities and amenities for dietary training.”
