Molly Urbina New Flood Recovery Chief

Gov. Hickenlooper's named a new recovery chief to continue Colorado's rebuilding efforts after September's historic floods. Molly Urbina will take on the role of state recovery chief beginning next month, when current chief Jerre Stead leaves his position. Stead is the executive chairman of Englewood-based IHS Inc. and had been working for the state pro bono. Urbina is the deputy manager at Denver's Community Planning and Development Department. She'll oversee Colorado's recovery, coordinating with state and federal agencies.

Legislative Panel Approves 3% State Worker Pay Raise

The Legislature's Joint Budget Committee voted 4-to-2 today for a 3% pay raise for state workers in spite of GOP opposition. They also approved a 1.5% merit-pay increase in the spending package the entire Legislature will vote on later this spring. The 2 republicans who voted no, say they're not opposed to a pay hike, but have issues with how the hike's being calculated. Lawmakers and state workers pushing for the raise say it's needed to keep up with inflation. State workers got a 2% raise last year, the first raise in several years.

A fundraising event benefitting the Colorado Riverfront Trails Project got underway today

A fundraising event benefitting the Colorado Riverfront Trails Project got underway today (January 13th). The event runs through this Thursday (16th) and will be held at the Edgewater Brewery, in Grand Junction. All money raised will be used to complete the planned public use trail system from Palisade to Fruita. Over 20 miles of trail have been completed and two additional sections linking Grand Junction to Fruita are slated for completion in 2014. Jim Jeffryes, owner of the Edgewater Brewery, will aid the groups to raise money by donating $1 of each bottle of Lands End Amber and Standing Wave Pale Ale sold at the restaurant during the January 13th through the 16th event.
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Colorado authorities are getting some help to prevent driving high

Colorado authorities are getting some help to prevent driving high. The Denver Post reports that Colorado has received a $400,000 federal grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to train police officers to spot drivers impaired by marijuana. Some of the money will be spent on television advertising about the dangers of driving stoned. Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, and state highway officials say marijuana use was a factor in more than 1,000 driving-under-the-influence arrests filed in 2012. There were 24,742 total DUI and driving-while-ability-impaired cases filed in Colorado that year. The grant will also be used to train 35 more drug recognition experts among Colorado law enforcement agencies. Colorado currently has 185 such officers.
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