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07_11_2024amheadlines Greta Kerkhoff
Recorded ozone violations could be worsened by heatwave
Regional monitors in Colorado have recorded multiple violations of EPA ozone standards this summer season.
An update on July. 7, from the Regional Air Quality Council shows seven days of readings above the 2008-era limit of 75 parts per billion of ozone thus far. Ground level Ozone is an air pollutant, meaning high levels can impact people’s respiratory health.
According to the Colorado Sun, that may lead the EPA to change their ranking of Colorado from a severe violator of ozone limits, to an extreme one.
The Colorado Sun says the metro area is likely to see future crackdowns from federal regulators, as temperatures are expected to spike above 100 this week.
This summer, the State Health department has sent out 15 ozone alerts in June and five in July. These alerts urge people to avoid activity outdoors during the peak heat of the day.
Case of plague in Pueblo county
Pueblo County has reported their first case of plague since 2021.
Health officials in Pueblo County are investigating a possible case of plague after one person’s preliminary test came back positive last Friday. Their condition is currently unknown.
According to the Denver Post, the plague can spread from person to person, but that isn’t common. Typically, the disease is spread by infected fleas or other animals, and circulates regularly in prairie dogs and other small mammals in Colorado.
Plague can be treated with antibiotics when in early stages, but has a high fatality rate if the disease is left unaddressed.
To prevent the plague, health officials say to eliminate places where rodents may hide on your property, don’t touch sick or dead animals, and use insect repellent during outdoor recreation.
Colorado has confirmed 72 cases of plague in humans from 2005 to 2021, including 11 deaths.
Xcel Energy not meeting commitments of solar program
Xcel Energy has been slow to launch a state-mandated program to bring solar power to homes in Colorado.
Industry and state agencies filed a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission last week, saying they’ve been trying to get Xcel to file a solar tariff for three years now. That’s a document that sets out fees, deadlines, procedures, and a connection timeline to connect home solar panels.
The Colorado Sun reports that the latest complaint by agencies orders Xcel to get moving on home solar hookups.
The utility company promised 8 months ago to file the tariff and timeline, but have yet to deliver.
Xcel said an updated tariff sheet will be filed this Friday. The company claims that some of the delay can be blamed on computer problems, and incomplete connection applications from developers and homeowners. As of February, there was a backlog of 4,000 solar project applications.
Free public defenders for kids and teens
The Office of the Municipal Public Defender in Denver will now provide free legal representation for youth in the city’s municipal courts.
Starting today, young people ages 10 to 18 who are accused of municipal violations can receive free legal representation from a public defender thanks to a law unanimously passed by the City Council back in December. This could apply for those accused of crimes like alcohol possession, trespassing, and theft.
Before the law changed, only children charged in state courts received public defenders. Young people in Denver’s municipal courts were not offered free legal representation and could not receive courtroom advice from judges or city attorneys.
As a result, many children pleaded guilty because they felt they had no other choice. That’s according to the Colorado Sun. And if a child wanted to challenge their case but their parents couldn’t afford a lawyer, the child represented themselves at trial.
Denver is the only county in Colorado currently allowing public defenders to represent kids charged with municipal violations.
New funding from Juul settlement
Schools, government programs, and nonprofits in Colorado will receive funding to combat the youth vaping crisis.
The funding comes from a recent $32 million legal settlement with e-cigarette manufacturer Juul.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced the distribution of more than $17 million to 42 groups in the state on Tuesday.
In 2020, the state sued Juul over its marketing practices, finding the company targeted young people and misrepresented its products’ health risks.
At the time of the suit, Colorado was the top state in the nation per capita for teen vaping.
According to Colorado Public Radio the funding will go to programs focused on educating young people about the harms of vaping and treatment, as well as potential mental and behavioral health services.
Colorado DMV outages resolved
Colorado’s DMVs have resolved the technology problems that caused statewide outages Tuesday.
On Tuesday, officials cited “technical issues,” including problems with the state’s credit card processing system, as the reason for canceling all appointments.
Patrons were invited to access services again online and in-person yesterday.
According to Colorado Public Radio, vehicle registration late fees will be waived for customers affected by the outage. People who had appointments the day of the outage are encouraged to reschedule on the DMV’s website.
CPR reports that the outage could negatively impact Denver residents scrambling to renew their vehicle registration before the city begins cracking down on expired license plates starting next week.
The post Ozone violations could be worsened by heatwave, Case of plague in Pueblo County, Free public defenders for kids and teens appeared first on KGNU Community Radio.