The Home Front: Colorado has the ‘largest disparity between white and Latino residents attaining post-secondary education,’ per report

“Among the states with the largest Latino populations, Colorado has the largest disparity between white and Latino residents attaining post-secondary education, according to a new report,” reports The Longmont Times-Call. “Colorado is one of nine states with at least one million Latino residents, but it has the highest attainment gap of those states: Sixty-four percent of white residents have completed a high-quality certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or more, as compared to 39 percent of black residents and 29 percent of Latinos residents, according to a 68-page report released Tuesday by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. In the report, titled “Rocky Mountain Divide: Lifting Latinos and Closing Equity Gaps in Colorado,” the authors list findings and recommendations for the state to achieve educational equity.”

“Garden City Town Administrator Cheryl Campbell keeps expecting marijuana sales in the town to level out,” reports The Greeley Tribune. “But every time she says that out loud, it doesn’t happen. “At some point, it’s got to level out,” she said. The money accounts for 59 percent of Garden City’s total revenue. For Garden City, the industry in 2017 generated $1.48 million in sales tax. That’s a lot for such a small town, especially when you consider the town collected $537,000 in 2014. The town of 250 people is .11 square miles, landlocked between Greeley and Evans. Neither of the surrounding cities allow recreational marijuana sales, giving the town’s four marijuana shops — LivWell Garden City, Nature’s Herbs and Wellness, XG Platinum Dispensary and Smokey’s 420 — control over the local market.”

“Loveland’s Winter Holiday Council volunteers are considering hanging up their Santa hats due to persistent financial problems that have made it increasingly difficult for the group to spangle the city for the holidays,” reports The Loveland Reporter-Herald. “Council president Mary Hall said Wednesday that the group might turn over to the city their decorations, which have decorated the Lake Loveland area since 1989, if they cannot secure a dependable funding source. ‘If we don’t get funding … I will go over to the city and hand over the keys to the storage units (that hold the decorations),’ Hall said. ‘What else can we do?'”

“When Stacy Razzano had to decide between continuing to remain with her employer of 27 years or sticking up for the industry that has sustained her family and her community, she handed in her notice,” reports The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. “Razzano, branch manager and vice president of the Bank of the West in Craig, is finishing up her work there and considering her future job options after telling the bank last week that she was resigning. That was shortly after becoming aware of a social media post the bank made laying out its position to largely eschew investments in coal, oil and gas.”

“The burned-out wreck of a house at 1124 E. Eighth St. will be coming down in the next few days. City Manager Sam Azad said a demolition crew will knock down the two-story hulk this week or early next week,” reports The Pueblo Chieftain. “Neighbors confirmed they have been notified of the impending demolition. “We’re going to knock down the building because it’s a public nuisance and we’ll cover the debris until we have the necessary disposal permits from the state,” Azad said Wednesday.”

“The Sterling Lions Club once again took time to honor those who’ve contributed greatly to agriculture and Logan County at its annual Cowboy Breakfast, held Wednesday at the Sterling Elks Lodge. Recognized as this year’s Pioneer Award winner was Maurice John Schaefer,” reports The Sterling Journal-Advocate. “Schaefer was born on March 20, 1926 to Killian Schaefer and Elizabeth (Korth) Schaefer in Humphrey, Neb. He is 92 years old. His father was born in 1883 in Humphrey, Neb., and his mother was born in 1886 in Wayne, Neb. They were married in 1906 in Nebraska.”

“A special bond forms between the men and women who dig line and get covered with soot while fighting wildfires,” reports The Steamboat Pilot. “Kevin Thompson, a fire management officer with the Routt National Forest, is one of about 200 people helping fight and manage the lightning-caused, 2,061-acre Silver Creek Fire that is burning southeast of Steamboat Springs. Earlier in his career, Thompson worked for seven seasons with the Craig Hotshots crew based west of Steamboat in Craig. The Hotshots are elite firefighters based in different parts of the country who are expected to be in top physical shape and to work hard.”

“A grant to design new city offices for Fort Morgan has arrived, but it is $200,000 less than what city officials expected,” reports The Fort Morgan Times. “So now the city is looking at spending $1.6 million just to design the complex, instead of the $2 million it originally budgeted for design purposes. Councilman Dan Marler said he feels both ‘hoodwinked’ and ‘surprised’ after receiving the news at Tuesday’s city council meeting. “I’m feeling a little hoodwinked,” Marler said. ‘We’re spending all of our reserves here. We were anticipating on finishing out the roads around Centrepoint Plaza for about $2.5 million and now we’re talking $7 million. In two more months, are we going to be at $9 million?’ he questioned.”

“The proposed Vail Trail Extension will be removed from the town’s open lands plan after council members heard concerns from the community on Tuesday, Aug. 7,” reports Vail Daily. “The new trail was to be cut through the town-owned Katsos Ranch Open Space in East Vail along a route that would run parallel to the existing Gore Valley Trail, a paved path. The Vail Trail Extension was proposed as a soft-surface alternative to the Gore Valley Trail, to be used by hikers and mountain bikers.”

“Current redevelopment in the 1300 block of U.S. 50 is expected to not only breathe new life into the vacant corner but also contribute to city coffers and expand the local workforce,” reports The Cañon City Daily Record. “The structures at 1303 and 1315 U.S. 50 have been demolished to make way for a new Starbucks that is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2019, according to Cañon City Economic Development Director Ryan Stevens. In addition to improving the highway by removing two under-performing buildings, Stevens said it is estimated that the project will generate about $18,000 per year in general sales tax and $9,000 per year toward the 2A streets project.”

“Boulder’s City Council delayed a decision on flood protection after hours of public comment Tuesday night that included concerns over lack of transparency in the city’s engagement with citizens,” reports The Boulder Daily Camera. “Several community members spoke during Tuesday’s public hearing to criticize the lengthy, twisting path to a flood solution for south Boulder creek, a journey that may grow longer as citizen groups including Save South Boulder and PLAN, the city’s open space and planning boards, and some members of council are calling for another concept to be considered along with plans already developed through a three-year public process.”

“A proposed substance abuse treatment center in Woodmoor has given rise to a groundswell of opposition from residents who feel the facility would draw criminals and unbridled drug use to the area,” reports The Gazette in Colorado Springs. “Their concerns were spotlighted at a Wednesday night public meeting held by Sunshine Behavioral Health, the California-based company that has purchased the area’s former Ramada hotel property to house the high-end facility that it hopes to open early next year. About 130 people packed into a meeting room at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce in Monument, and more people flooded into the hallway. Within the first 10 minutes, opponents of the project had begun circulating a petition to stop the facility from opening. At one point, a man asked for those opposed to the center to raise their hands, and nearly everyone in the audience did.”

“Denver police took a 16-year-old girl into custody in connection with the death of 7-year-old Jordan Vong after finding the boy’s body hidden in his family’s Montbello home Tuesday night,” reports The Denver Post. “Officers had twice previously searched Jordan’s family home on the 4900 block of Fairplay Street in Montbello after he was reported missing around 4:30 p.m. Monday. Officers had hoped Jordan was hiding somewhere in the house, said Denver Police Department Division Chief Joe Montoya. ‘Generally, in these types of cases, we hope the child is hiding or playing a game,’ Montoya said. But Tuesday night, after more than 24 hours of searching that also involved the FBI, Denver police asked a judge for a search warrant. They started a deep search of the family’s home at 8:20 p.m., and after 30 minutes, found the boy’s body “intentionally concealed,’ Montoya said.”

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1 COMMENT

  1. Let’s see, which party has held the governorship for the past 12 years? And which party has held the majority in the CO House for 16 of the past 18 years?

    Democrats. And a quick look at Wikipedia’s Gini coefficient page shows–surprise, surprise–four of the top five most unequal states are big, very blue states and the District of Columbia.

    Why do Democrat-run states have such a huge difference between the richest and the poorest? Could it be that the very-rich denizens of such true-blue cities like Boulder and Aspen love to pay their illegal alien toilet cleaners and grass cutters less than minimum wage, and gladly shove them out to Ft. Morgan and Glenwood Springs at night so they don’t have to look at their brown faces when the get home from work?

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