Colorado Kids In Poverty

KSIR-0223212- Colorado Kids in Poverty

New Census analysis shows the number of Colorado children living in communities of concentrated severe poverty skyrocketed over the last decade. After the 2000 census, 20-thousand Colorado kids met the criteria. The 2010 Census show that number has increased by 360 percent to over 92-thousand. Only Alaska and Vermont saw higher rates of increase.

RE-1 Valley Schools Opt Out Of "Race To The Top"

KSIR-022312 RE-1 Valley School Board Opts Out of Race To The Top

The RE-1 Valley Board of Education decided not to pursue at least 27-thousand dollars in Federal Funding through the "Race To The Top" program. Superintendant Betty Summers said the money would have been applied to the curriculum alignment and test assessment activities they are already working on, as well as to pay for minor salaries dealing with oversight of the grant. However, board members voted it down sighting concerns about what kind of federal mandates could be attached to the money.

Banner Health Clinic Hosts Open House

Banner Health is opening a new clinic in Fort Morgan. Practice Manager Karen Zack says they're hosting an open house this afternoon. Residents will be able to tour the new facility and meet Banner's health care providers...






TAG: Zack says the new clinic will offer full family practice services, including well-child and preventative visits for children and adults as well as illness and injury care. The new Banner Clinic is located on 909 E Railroad Avenue in Fort Morgan.

High Winds Subside in Logan, Weld Counties

The high winds should start dying down this morning, especially in Logan and Weld Counties. The National Weather Service issued a hig wind warning yesterday afternoon, and the winds kept up all night. Some Xcel Energy customers experienced momentary power outages last night, but officials with the company say those too, should be resolved today.

City Adopts Building Codes

After years of work on it, the city of Fort Morgan has new building codes. Council passed the ordinance that establishes those codes at their meeting this week. That means the city's building codes mirror those of the International Code Council's 2009 Building Codes, but with changes for Fort Morgan.

CDC Updates Listeria Death List, Could Increase To 36

(Atlanta, GA) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is updating its list of deaths caused by Colorado's cantaloupe listeria outbreak. The CDC said yesterday the death toll stands at 32, as of December 8th. But since then, at least four deaths have been linked to the same listeria strain.

DHS Beefing-Up Security In Four Corners Area

(Denver, CO) -- Don't be surprised if you see more guns and badges while driving around the Four Corners area. The Department of Homeland Security is beefing-up security there to crack-down on drug cartel activity.






That's Lt. Bruce Holiday with the Farmington, New Mexico Police Department. He says prison sentences will be a lot stiffer since the feds are involved, as opposed to state charges. The Four Corners region is made up of the Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona borders.

Salamander up for another vote in Colorado

DENVER (AP) — The western tiger salamander faces another test on its path to being named Colorado's official state amphibian.

The Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee was scheduled to consider the designation Thursday.

A Denver primary school class suggested the designation, which has already been approved by the House.

The western tiger salamander is found in every Colorado county.

3 injured when home explodes near Durango

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — Firefighters say a girl and her parents are recovering at hospitals after their home near Durango exploded, shortly after the father smelled gas.

Upper Pine River Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Bruce Evans says a propane company employee arrived at the home Tuesday night to find it had exploded. Evans says the employee found the girl huddling inside a car for warmth, with temperatures in the teens. He says she got to the car from her home despite having a broken leg.

Neighboring ranchers found her parents under about 4 to 6 feet of debris. One adult was flown to a hospital for critical injuries, exposure and burns. The other parent's injuries weren't disclosed.

Friends rescued the injured family dog Wednesday.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Winds fuel flames of 2 Boulder County fires

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Firefighters have contained a grass fire east of Lyons that prompted warnings for residents to leave as high winds fueled 10- to 15-foot flames.

The fire was reported around 6 p.m. Wednesday and burned about 20 acres before firefighters said they had contained it a little more than an hour later. Boulder County emergency officials say they had made 42 notifications through an automated system asking for evacuations. Residents are waiting to hear when they can return home.

Earlier Wednesday, Boulder County officials alerted 1,300 households about a grass fire in Boulder on city open space and property owned by IBM. The 45-acre fire was contained around 5 p.m.

Gusts as high as 88 mph were reported Wednesday southwest of Boulder.

The cause of the fires wasn't immediately known.

Udall: National debt threatens national security

DENVER (AP) — Sen. Mark Udall says the national debt is one of the biggest threats to national security that requires cuts to the military budget and finding ways to rein in Medicare and health care spending.

Udall hosted a national security forum and panel discussion in Denver Wednesday that includes Admiral James A. "Sandy" Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former Iraq and South Korea Ambassador Christopher Hill, and Kenneth L. Wainstein, former Homeland Security Adviser and Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the justice department.

Udall says he supports efforts currently under way to find ways to cut some $500 billion from the military budget over the next 10 years while still dealing with threats such as Iran's nuclear program and upheaval in Syria.