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MorningMagazine_2024-07-24 Philip Armour
Morning Mag Headlines – July 24, 2024 – Wednesday
Boulder County mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus
Mosquitoes in Boulder County have tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time this summer. The positive mosquitoes were collected from a trap in Longmont on July 15, according to Boulder County Public Health.
West Nile virus is transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito and causes fevers, body aches, and extreme fatigue. West Nile virus has the potential to lead to severe neurological diseases, like meningitis or encephalitis, and cause death.
There is no treatment, cure, or human vaccination for the virus, so avoiding mosquito bites is paramount. The city of Longmont is taking measures throughout the city this week to reduce mosquito populations, including spraying the area. That’s according to The Daily Camera.
Visit www.boco.org/WNV for more information on the County’s west nile virus prevention efforts.
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Cities in Metro Denver vote on whether to opt out of state’s gun-carrying restrictions
Two city councils in the Metro Denver area took stances on gun-carrying restrictions earlier this week. In Westminster, the City Council knocked down a proposal that would have opted the city out of a new state law prohibiting firearms in local government buildings.
Meanwhile, the Aurora City Council unanimously approved a similar provision which will allow residents to cast off gun restrictions for their own properties. That decision will go to a second vote, next month.
The state law went into effect July 1, and it makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly carry a firearm onto school grounds, into a polling place, or inside a local government building. It contains exemptions for law enforcement, military and security, and others who carry guns as part of “official duties.”
The votes come as a growing number of Colorado cities and counties are opting out of the law. Those include Douglas, Teller, Mesa, and Morgan counties, among others.
Video monitoring on RTD
Police will now be able to monitor live video and audio feeds inside Denver’s RTD buses. It’s the latest step in the Regional Transportation District’s plan to increase safety on public transport, according to officials. Up until now, police dispatchers could only listen to audio from inside RTD buses.
The system uses a secure, cellular network connection to hear audio and see live video from cameras inside buses and light rails.
The installation of live equipment on Denver’s buses started last year, using part of a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
As of yesterday, just under 20% of RTD’s light rail vehicles have had live look-in capability added. The rest of the fleet will be fitted for the equipment by June of 2027.
Transit officials say the new equipment will help dispatchers and police see people, situations, and events occurring onboard in real-time, and take the onus off of the bus driver to give specific descriptions of riders to police.
Colorado property tax initiative on November ballot
Proposition 108, or the Citizens’ Tax Cut, has received enough signatures to qualify for the November 2024 ballot.
The ballot initiative aims to reduce property tax assessment rates for property owners in Colorado. The Denver Gazette reports that it would bring assessment rates down 1% for residential properties and roughly 5% for commercial properties.
Tax revenues in the state have more than doubled over the last 10 years and are now four times higher than they were in 2000.
If Proposition 108 passes alongside Constitutional Amendment 50, which will also be on the November ballot, not only would there be cuts to this year’s tax increase, but there’d be new limits on future increases.
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BoCo shares In EPA Climate Funding Award
The environmental protection agency has awarded nearly $200 $199.7 million DOLLARS to the Denver Metro area to reduce climate pollution.
The majority of the funding will go toward upgrading homes and reducing energy bills in low-income communities.
The money – from the Environmental Protection Agency – will go toward Denver and Boulder County, among other nearby areas.
The Denver Regional Council of Governments has said it will use this money to make buildings more energy efficient. The funding will also help support residents and building owners switch from gas to electric appliances, according to a Boulder County press release.
Other planned initiatives using the funding include centralizing rebates for heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, and providing advising to help building owners and homeowners plan and implement upgrades. The money will also fund training for up to 4,800 workers as HVAC technicians, plumbers, and electricians.
Boulder County officials hope the initiatives will improve air quality, amidst dangerously high levels of air pollution, including ozone in the Denver Metro area.
The post Colorado property tax initiative on November ballot; BoCo receives EPA Climate Funding Award appeared first on KGNU Community Radio.