Latest news with #ArapahoeCounty
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Westbound I-70 closed due to motorcycle crash
DENVER (KDVR) — Parts of Interstate 70 are closed due to a crash on Saturday afternoon, according to a post on X from the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. All westbound lanes at Mile Marker 325 just west of Deer Trail are closed. Residents displaced after apartment fire in Craig, Red Cross responding Deputies said a motorcyclist crashed and has injuries, though the extent of the injuries is unknown. Investigators on the scene advise drivers to avoid the area or find alternate routes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
40% of Colorado county's roads deemed be in "poor" or "very poor" condition in 2024 report
40% of Arapahoe County's roads deemed to be in "poor" or "very poor" condition in report With years of deferred maintenance and not enough funding, some Arapahoe County roads are not getting the repairs they need and are quickly falling apart. County leaders say it's in part due to a major shortfall with the overall county budget and inflation. However, the county hopes that additional revenue generated by the passage of a ballot measure last November might help make much-needed road improvements. CBS The county's 2024 "Annual Report and Infrastructure Report Card" released this May shares more information about the status of the county's roads. The annual report assesses Arapahoe County's $1.7 billion in infrastructure, including roads and bridges, traffic signals, signs and guardrails. With more than 800 miles of roads to maintain within Arapahoe County, the report shows 40% of county roads were in "poor" or "very poor" condition in 2024. The other 60% of county roads were in "excellent, good or fair" condition, with the goal being 85% "It's not a huge shock," said Commissioner Jessica Campbell of District 2. " We've been in a budget shortfall for a while and falling behind. As we talked to our constituents, there was about $316.6 million of deferred maintenance last as of last year." Campbell says, for about 25 years, the county was constrained by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) which limits how much tax revenue the government can keep. Arapahoe County was one of few counties out of 64 in the state that were constrained by TABOR. With voters passing ballot measure 1A in November, the county is now released from spending limits imposed by TABOR starting this year. "We weren't able to fully benefit from the growth that was coming in, and so as growth was coming in, and our tax dollars did not keep up with the needs, and the demand, and the wear and tear," Campbell continued. Record inflation, demand from residents and a growing community has also led to roads steadily deteriorating and maintenance being delayed for years. "It just is going to continue to degrade over time, and those repairs become more and more expensive over time," Campbell said. "So then it becomes harder and harder to catch up." County leaders say, while the passing of 1A is a step in the right direction, an additional $124 million would be needed to bring every asset to a "good" rating or better. "Even with 1A passing, things are still very tight, and we're facing budget constraints and shortfalls in different new other areas now," Campbell said. "So at least now we have some influx of dollars that can help us move forward on those matters within the ballot language." Campbell said the budget is formalized in a study session and then is discussed in October and passed in December. That's when the public works department gets a better understanding of how much more funding the department will have. Residents are also invited to Dove Valley Regional Park June 6 for a public works and development "play-date." There will be machines for kids to climb and interact with. It's also an opportunity for parents and residents to get a better understanding of road maintenance and the work done by the public works department. The county has also created a resident advisory committee to ensure funds are spent in alignment with what constituents have as a priority. The committee's first meeting is also happening in June. "The report is a snapshot of all the incredible work that our public works department is doing, but we want to do better, and we want to do more," Campbell said. "I think that's part of the urgency and why we as a board felt it necessary to refer a measure to our voters in 2024, not just because of infrastructure and roads, but public safety and public health and our housing issues. There are a lot of issues in the county, and we are here to take care of them."
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
As Colorado measles cases grow, doctors share who does, and doesn't, need boosters
As measles cases in Colorado continue to rise, doctors are sharing how to know if you need a booster or not. Another measles case was reported in Colorado on Thursday, it is the 7th confirmed case of measles in the state. Officials said this case is related to two others we reported this week. The three people were on the same flight into Denver International Airport earlier this month. The Colorado State Health Department confirmed the most recent case was a vaccinated adult who was a passenger on a Turkish Airlines flight that flew to Denver on May 13. A new Turkish Airlines Airbus A350-900 aircraft Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images An out-of-state traveler and a 5-year-old child from Arapahoe County are the other two people on that flight who have been confirmed with the disease. That child was unvaccinated and is currently being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado. This third person, also an Arapahoe County resident, was in several public spaces in Denver, Aurora, Greenwood Village, and Evergreen while infectious between May 22 and 26. Seven cases may not seem like a big surge, but in 2024, there were zero cases in the state. After the measles vaccine was introduced, the disease was considered almost eradicated. With a recent surge in cases, it's leading to many questions about who may need a booster. Doctors said, unless you are unvaccinated, don't stress out too much. Boxes and vials of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Virus vaccine Jan Sonnenmair / Getty Images People born before 1957 are considered immune because the disease was so prevalent that they are presumed to have been exposed. In 1963, the vaccine was introduced, and anyone who got it should have some level of immunity. If you have had two doses of the live vaccine, doctors said you should be ok. And if it's been a while since you've had a vaccine? Well, doctors said that's ok too. "Those people who have had 2 doses of that vaccine virus, that is almost completely enough to prevent against measles for the rest of your life," said Dr. Dan Pastula, Head of Neuro Infectious Diseases at UCHealth. If you are concerned or you are at a high risk for exposure, you should talk to your healthcare provider. "You can get tested to see if you have immunity. And if you don't, then you could get a booster. But for the average person, no, we don't need to have a booster shot," said Dr. Bob Belknap, the Director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. Tests for measles immunity measure IgG antibody levels and can be done by a primary care physician and CVS MinuteClinics. Doctors said if you've never had measles, you don't want it. "Symptoms for measles usually start out with a pretty high fever, along with cough, runny nose, red, itchy, watery eyes. And then the rash comes, and the rash typically starts on the face or near the hairline and then spreads down the body. It's uncomfortable. It's itchy. It can be painful. And in, in the worst case, it can lead to pneumonias, problems in the lungs or even swelling around the brain," said Belknap. Both doctors agree immunity is the only way to avoid measles, which you can get one of two ways. Surviving measles or a vaccine, and the vaccine is the least troublesome way to gain immunity. "For anyone who is unvaccinated, it's not worth taking that risk. It's better off to just get the vaccine," said Belknap. There has been a rumor going around that vitamin A is effective at preventing measles and treating it. Doctors said that's not true, and you can give yourself liver damage if you take too much.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado confirms first measles outbreak of 2025 as cases reach numbers not seen in nearly 30 years
An Arapahoe County adult vaccinated against measles who tested positive for the virus may have exposed people at several locations across the Denver metro area, state health officials said Thursday.
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Helping unhoused Coloradans get back on their feet: Ready to Work program and navigation center opens in Englewood
A new facility just opened in Englewood to help unhoused people in Arapahoe County. It's a collaborative effort between the Colorado county, Englewood, Littleton and Sheridan to address homelessness with an approach being seen more in the state: putting work first instead of housing first. Bringing the facility to Arapahoe County also represents a milestone in the Tri-Cities Homelessness Initiative, which addresses homelessness in these communities. CBS The new Bridge House Ready to Work Tri-Cities location is located 4675 South Windermere Street in Englewood. The facility has two programs within it, offering long term and short-term resources. For Chris Charles, going through a similar program, was life changing. Charles found has his path out of poverty, but several years ago, he found himself in jail for 6 months because of DUIs after losing several family members. "My drinking was a problem for me, and I didn't know how to cope with the emotions. I lost everything, because I wasn't able to work, and I wasn't able to pay my bills," said Charles. He then got into Bridge House's Ready to Work program. It's a Boulder-based organization founded nearly 25 years ago that began the Ready to Work program nearly a dozen years ago. A second site also opened in Aurora where they continued to focus on the Ready to Work program, which helps people get out of homelessness and into housing and employed in a sustainable way. As part of the Ready to Work program, people live in dorm style housing for nine to 12 months and get paid work opportunities. The organization has contracts with local cities, where employed people do landscaping work. Bridge House also offer wrap around services to get people out of homelessness. Scott Medina is the Director of Community Relations at Bridge House. "We're playing the long game here, to really change people's lives permanently and to get those kinds of results, you need a longer, more in depth program to do it," said Medina. The new Bridge House Ready to Work Tri Cities location is more than 13,000 square feet and can house up to 50 people long-term. The program has an 80% success rate. While the other side of the facility is the Tri Cities Homeless Navigation Center meant for short term resources like showers and laundry facilities, and up to 20 overnight beds. The Navigation Center also provides walk-in services, housing assistance, employment services, medical and mental health care. Both programs in the new facility operate as programs under Bridge House. "There are very few ready-to-work options. Housing First is very popular across the country, which is fantastic, but we take it a step further by including the employment piece," said Medina. "We also have the navigation in the same building as the ready to work program. So, we can even serve a much wider range of people through that... There are so many reasons that people become homeless in the first place, so there needs to be a lot of solutions to get out of homelessness." Medina said more than 500 people have graduated from the Ready to Work program in the last 12 years. He added, all graduates end up getting a full-time job. Those in the program must also maintain sobriety. For Charles, he believes in the program because people are given the resources they need to get back on their feet. He added, toward the end of the program, participants work with employment specialists, who can also help with writing resumes and mock interviews to help prepare people to enter the workforce and find permanent housing. "It's not a handout. We're teaching people how to take care of themselves and advocate for themselves, and that is what saved my life," said Charles, who graduated from Boulder's program and spent 12 months there. Charles got the support he needed through the program and is now three years sober. He has been out of the program for over two years and currently oversees housing operations at Bridge House in Englewood at the Tri Cities location, with compassion for residents now in the program and giving back to them. "I wanted to be a part of something that saved my life, and being a part of saving other people's lives and helping them become successful is the most rewarding thing that I've ever done," said Charles. All say it's a group effort in addressing homelessness between Arapahoe County, Englewood, Littleton and Sheridan. In a press release from Arapahoe County, the County said, "the project's funding represents a significant multi-jurisdictional commitment," as each community has helped fund the effort, which is listed below: - Arapahoe County: $1 million (American Rescue Plan Act Funds) - Arapahoe County: $577,000 (Community Development Block Grants) - City of Englewood: $850,000 - City of Littleton: $175,000 (American Rescue Plan Funds) - City of Littleton: $1.5 million Housing & Urban Development grant - City of Sheridan: $250,000 - Additional support from foundation and operational grants "Addressing homelessness and harm reduction are top priorities for the residents of Arapahoe County," said Board Chair Leslie Summey. "Our $1.5 million ARPA investment demonstrates our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for our most vulnerable community members." "They're really looking for some very effective services to get people out of homelessness in the area and really deal with the issues that they're facing. So, they've been very excited to get a Ready to Work program in this area that will permanently people out of homelessness," said Medina. For more information about the Tri-Cities Homelessness Initiative, visit
