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CO Gov signs ballot measure to protect the "freedom to marry."

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed a ballot measure that would give Coloradans the choice to remove a line from the state constitution, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. What will be a ballot initiative known as the "protecting the freedom to marry", would remove a line from amendment 43, which was passed by voters in 2006 that states "only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Colorado". The amendment passed in 2006 by a vote of 55% yes. Governor Polis signed off on the ballot measure before a large crowd at the capitol on Wednesday, the final day of the legislative session. The measure will now join many others on this November's ballot, which will be decided by voters.

Whether or not livestock shows will be affect in CO to be determined

Whether or not livestock fairs and shows in Colorado this summer will be modified has not yet been determined after bird flu is spreading among dairy cattle. So far, Colorado state officials have confirmed one outbreak of H5N1, or bird flu, in a dairy heard in northeast Colorado and are waiting on test results to confirm a potential second outbreak. as of Wednesday, 9 states across the U.S. had confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 among 36 dairy herds. Those numbers are expected to climb as officials at both the state and federal level continue to monitor the growing outbreak. Colorado department of public health and environment officials say that the risk to the general public for getting infected with bird flu is low, though risk depends on exposure. Those exposed to sick birds or cattle are more likely to get infected. One Colorado poultry worker and one Texas dairy worker are the only known human cases, both taking place over the past two years.

Raton police arrest man accused of stealing a school bus.

36-year-old Patrick Salazar was arrested by Raton Police after he was accused of stealing a school bus. According to police, a call came in around 4:42pm yesterday regarding a man who was wandering around a neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers found Salazar and told him to leave the area. Officers were then approached by another man who said he had been hit in the face and told them where his attacker was. Salazar was found there driving a Cimarron Municipal school bus and trying to leave the area. Officers managed to stop the bus and arrested Salazar. The victim told officers he was doing a routine inspection of the bus when he was attacked by Salazar. Salazar is facing charges of robbery, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and aggravated battery.

Three vehicle collision near Center Monday results in a casualty.

Three vehicles were involved in a collision near the town of Center on Monday, resulting in the death of one of the drivers. According to the Colorado State Patrol, shortly after 7am Monday, the driver of a Ford F150 out of Center was headed eastbound on County Road C. At the same time, the driver of a semi out of Monte Vista was headed Southbound on County Road 53, while the driver of a Ford F350, also out of Monte Vista, was headed northbound. The driver of the F150 did not stop at the intersection of County Road C and County Road 53. After entering the intersection, the F150 was struck by the semi on the driver's side, followed by the ford f350 on the rear passenger side. The driver of the F150, Jose Saavedra, 64, of Center, was taken to the Rio Grande County Hospital where he died of his injuries. The other two drivers were not identified. neither sustained any serious injuries.

CDOT to begin restriping CO Hwy's.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin restriping operations on several highways through the southwestern and south-central Colorado area on Monday. Striping operations will take place across Alamosa, Chaffee, Dolores, Gunnison, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Rio Grande, San Juan and San Miguel counties. CDOT will restripe the white and yellow lane markings, matching and refreshing existing pavement lines on both asphalt and concrete pavement. Work will take place on the following highways: US550, US491, US285, US160, US50, US24, CO291, CO145 and CO17.

Yesterday was the official end of the 2024 Colorado State Legislative Session. The Senate wrapped up early yesterday afternoon while the House was still considering bills into the evening yesterday. Dozens of bills still needed to be passed and finalized yesterday before the end of the session. SB24-233, that will lower property taxes for Coloradans, received final approval yesterday. SB24-228, to change how tabor refunds are handled and to lower state income tax rates also passed. Other bills that passed yesterday include one to change alcohol and liquor license requirements for caterers and other small businesses, changes to the biometric technology and artificial intelligence policy task force, appropriating $5 million to wildlife conservation programs, created the agricultural and rural community behavior health program, and changing two existing state income tax credits for child care expenses. All of the bills passed yesterday now move on to the Governor's desk for his signature before they can become law.

The Federal Aviation Administration and The San Luis Valley Regional Airport have finalized a settlement agreement over the FAA's proposed $1.2 million fine for the airport for numerous safety violations that pertained to firefighting readiness. Under the 8-page agreement, the airport must comply with mitigation measures pertaining to aircraft rescue and firefighting measures and must have a minimum of two fully trained personnel on airport property during all commercial air carrier operations. The agreement also mandates several other aircraft rescue and firefighting procedures that the airport must incorporate into daily operations.

A mass casualty exercise took place yesterday at the Pueblo memorial airport in Pueblo. pueblo county fire chiefs assembled a simulated plane crash at the airport and 150 people from a dozen agencies in Pueblo county took part in the exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to test Pueblo county's mass casualty incident plan that was created in 2019. The exercise gave crews a chance to demonstrate those plans for the event of a real-life emergency and to make adjustments as needed. Mock accident victims participated in the exercise and responders dressed in full protective gear as they worked to give each patient individual care, assess them on scene, and transport them accordingly.

A fire Monday afternoon destroyed a house on the Willett Ranch near Sanford in Conejos County. The fire was reported about 4:20pm Monday. Numerous agencies responded to the scene and firefighters worked to keep the fire contained given the high winds that were occurring at that time. Fire crews were on scene until around 11pm Monday night. No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries to people or animals were reported. The fire appears to be accidental, however, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Colorado State Patrol says that one of its troopers pulled over a driver for going 100 miles per hour on a state highway. The incident took place in a construction zone with a designated speed limit of 45 miles per hour. No other location specifics were given. After being pulled over, the driver was also arrested for driving under the influence. CSP wants to remind drivers how important it is to drive the speed limit listed in construction zones to avoid harming workers and how serious not using a designated driver is when under the influence.

SB24-228, a bill that would restructure how Tabor Refunds work in Colorado continues to advance in the state legislature. While millions of residents received a rebate check in 2022 and taxpayers saw a larger state refund this year, the new bill would end those mechanisms, except in years with exceptionally large surpluses. Instead, Colorado would lower it's income tax rate. The more colorado collects, the more your income tax rate would go down. When the state surplus is more than $1.5 billion, not only would income tax rates drop by 0.15%, sales tax would also go down. The bill would also repeal statutory sections related to tabor refund mechanisms that are no longer applicable. Today is the last day of this year's legislative session. SB24-228 has already passed the senate. It is scheduled for a vote in the State House today.

Nicholas Hepworth, 42, of Alamosa, was arrested Saturday during the execution of a search warrant at 912 8th street in Alamosa. According to Alamosa police, detectives with APD, along with the Monte Vista Police Department, Conejos County Sheriff's Office and Alamosa County Sheriff's Office, located numerous items in the residence that appeared to be drug-related. Detectives located over a thousand suspected fentanyl pills, methamphetamines, cocaine and an undisclosed amount of cash. Hepworth was taken into custody for unlawful distribution of a Schedule II substance and unlawful possession of a Schedule II substance. Hepworth was on parole with the Colorado department of corrections for similar drug-related charges at the time of his arrest, so his bond was set at $50,000 cash only. He is being held in the Alamosa County Detention Center.

Las Animas County Coroner Dominic Verquer, who was cleared of any wrongdoing on May 1st, says he knew he was covered by Colorado State Statutes when he was accused of burying unidentified bodies illegally in the Starkville cemetery south of Trinidad late last year. Verquer says when he received an unknown body, he sends a DNA sample to a lab for testing. However, results can take up to a year, and with nowhere to store the bodies, the John and Jane does are buried in local cemeteries. Verquer says the funds for the burials come out of his county budget and that he doesn't receive any additional funding from the state. Verquer says he knows where the unknown bodies are buried by logging GPS coordinates. Verquer was cleared of any wrongdoing following an extensive investigation into the allegations that did not identify any criminal law violations.

Following the water main break that occurred yesterday on Carroll street near the intersection of Lee drive in Alamosa, the city has been made aware of Concerns from the community regarding water quality. The city says that after a water line break, sediment in water lines collects and is discharged through indoor plumbing, often giving the water a discolored look, but is entirely harmless. The city recommends not trying to clear lines in your home until crews have had enough time to flush lines. The city asks for your patience and says it will notify residents when crews have completed flushing the lines.

The Colorado State Patrol says that while seat belt use is on the rise in Colorado, a total of 943 drivers were cited during the first click it or ticket enforcement period of the year. The number includes 26 drivers who had improperly restrained children in their vehicle. Overall, Colorado's seat belt use rate has improved in the last few years, up nearly 2% from 2022. According to the 2023 Colorado statewide seat belt survey, 88.6% of Coloradans buckle up, the highest use rate ever observed in the state. The national average is 92%. The next click it or ticket seat belt enforcement period begins Monday, May 13th and runs through June 2nd.

With just three days left in this year's legislative session, Colorado lawmakers yesterday introduced SB24-233, a property tax bill, that aims to save homeowners across Colorado billions of dollars. According to Governor Jared Polis, if passed, the average homeowner would save $300 to $400 a year in property tax. The proposal will ensure that colorado homeowners don't see an increase in their property taxes for 2024. In 2025 and beyond, the proposal would reduce property taxes by 7-10% compared to current law for homes value at $700,000 or less. Savings will depend on local mills and any changes in assessed home values. The bill would also lower the residential assessment rate for Colorado homeowners of single-family properties from an estimated 7.06% to 6.7%. The Colorado Legislature has until tomorrow to pass the bill. Senate President Steve Fenberg said he doesn't believe that there would need to be a special session to address property tax relief.

HB24-1292, The Assault Weapons Ban, is expected to be killed in a senate committee today. The bill would have banned the transfer, sale and purchase of certain high- powered semi-automatic weapons in Colorado. The bill's sponsor, Julie Gonzales of Denver, said yesterday that she intends to request that the senate state veterans and military affairs committee indefinitely postpone the proposal today, Effectively killing the bill. While the bill passed the democrat-controlled state house, it faced an uphill battle in the State Senate. it is not known if Governor Polis would have signed the bill if it had made it to his desk. The bill was fiercely opposed by gun rights groups, the County Sheriffs of Colorado, as well as by Colorado Republicans.

The Colorado State Patrol and The Colorado Department of Transportation are working to keep Coloradans informed ahead of a change in the law for motorcyclists. Beginning on August 7th, motorcyclists will be allowed to "lane filter" in Colorado. Lane filtering takes place when cars are stopped on the roadway and motorcyclists move forward, still in the lane, but on the left side of the vehicles. Rules for filtering include: the vehicles ahead have come to a complete stop. The width of the lane is sufficient to accommodate both a vehicle and a motorcycle side-by-side. The rider is not going faster than 15mph. the change in the law may not be permanent, however. After three years, the state is required to determine if lane filters is a safe practice.

The trial for Daniel Brandt got underway yesterday with jury selection in Alamosa District Court. Brandt, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, is being tried as an adult and is facing 11 charges including the attempted first degree murder of Alamosa Police Officer Mollee Heeney and Alamosa resident Richard Rangel. The shooting took place just after 4pm on October 27th of 2022, in the 1200 block of Denver avenue in Alamosa. A long list of witnesses are expected to testify during the trial, which is expected to last until May 15th. District Attorney Anne Kelly is prosecuting the case.

The town of San Luis has been awarded more than $725,000 to make improvements to its town plaza. The money comes from the colorado department of local affairs, $544,777.00, and from the colorado department of transportation, $181,000.00. Plans are to remove some trees, redo all of the pavement, and make the plaza a nicer space to enjoy. Improvements will include a fountain, pavilions, lots of greenery, and spaces for food trucks and other vendors, making the plaza a focal point of main street in San Luis. while there is not yet a specific date set for a groundbreaking, it is hoped that the groundbreaking will take place in the next few months.

SB24-173, called the "regulate mortuary science occupations" bill passed the state legislature last week and was forwarded to the governor's desk on Thursday. Among other things, the bill would require a license for funeral directors, morticians and other related professions. The bill would take effect in 2026. In the meantime, existing professionals would be able to apply for a provisional license. Passage of the bill comes after a series of tragic discoveries in funeral homes in the state, including the 189 bodies found at the return to nature funeral home in penrose last october. In a statement, Polis' office said "the governor appreciates the work of the sponsors on this bill and looks forward to signing it into law to professionalize the funeral home industry and ensure Colorado families and their loved ones get the care they deserve".

SB24-171, the restoration of wolverines bill, a bill that authorizes Colorado Parks and Wildlife to reintroduce wolverines to Colorado's ecosystem passed the state legislature Friday and is headed to the governor's desk. Once it becomes law, the bill will require CPW to create rules around the reintroduction of the animal, which will also be contingent on the federal government designating wolverines as a "nonessential experimental population" since wolverines were listed as a threatened species in 2023. The bill requires CPW to request that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service adopt a final rule designating them as "nonessential" and "experimental". As with the reintroduction of gray wolves, the bill includes language that CPW must adopt rules for the compensation of owners of livestock for losses caused by wolverines.

Alamosa District Judge Michael Gonzales on Friday sentence Adre Baroz, 29, to five consecutive life sentences in the department of corrections without the possibility of parole for the murders of Korina Arroyo, Selena Esquibel, Myron Robert Martinez, Xavier Zeven Garcia and Shayla Hammel. Gonzales further sentenced Baroz to an additional 140 years for two counts of assault, one count of kidnapping and five counts of tempering with the remains of a deceased body. The additional charges will be served consecutively with the murder charges. Baroz previously plead guilty to brutally murdering the five people between August 25 of 2020 and November 13th of 2020. In a separate proceeding, Julius Baroz, 34, the older brother of Adre Baroz, was sentenced to 25 years for pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Myron Martinez.

Work will get underway once again today on Interstate 25 on the New Mexico side of Raton Pass to do work on the rock face located near Mile Marker 454. The rock work will include removing one large boulder that is on the verge of falling. Eight foot rock fencing will be place in the area as part of the project with a lane closure around the work area. Shoulder work, along with a cross over, will also take place, as will repaving work once the rock work is complete. The work is expected to take about two months to complete, or by the middle of July.

Law enforcement officials are urging drivers to follow the new move over law after an El Paso County deputy was almost hit during a traffic stop last Monday, April 29th. The deputy was not hit, but his patrol vehicle was struck, causing damage. The “move over or slow down for official vehicle” law requires drivers to move over a lane for any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazards flashing. The state patrol says if drivers are unable to move over, they must slow down to 20 miles per hour under the speed limit. The penalty of failing to do either is a misdemeanor traffic offense with a possible $150 fine and three point license violation.