Juveniles Defense Council

Juveniles facing charges in Colorado will be guaranteed defense counsel at detention hearings under a bill expected to be signed into law.  It's a response to data from youth advocates showing that nearly half of juveniles with cases in state courts don't get legal representation.  The bill requires that juveniles have either a court-appointed attorney or a private lawyer at hearings where a judge determines whether a defendant should be released while their case is pending.  Supporters of the bill say the goal is to reduce incarceration rates.  The Governor's expected to sign the bill next week.

Library Services Upgrade

Some services of the Fort Morgan Public Library will not be available on Monday, May 19, as a software upgrade is completed. The library’s circulation software company will be performing the upgrade on the facility’s servers from approximately 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. During this time, the library staff will not be able to search for books, place holds on books, process payment of fines or renew books. Internet access on the library’s public computers will also be down. Patrons will still be able to check out and return books. This upgrade will enhance the service that the library uses for circulation.

Denver MERS

Travelers passing through Denver International are being warned about the danger of the MERS virus.  The airport says the signs went up today at all of its screening areas at the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  They list the symptoms of the virus and ask anyone who gets sick within 14 days of traveling to the Arabian peninsula to contact their doctor and tell the doctor where they have been.  MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is a respiratory illness that begins with flu-like fever and cough but can lead to shortness of breath, pneumonia and death.

What Minority Contract?

Denver is investigating the largest contract ever awarded to a minority-owned company in its history after the bulk of the work was turned over to another firm.  Mayor Michael Hancock asked his economic development chief to look into a $40 million mechanical contract at Denver International Airport given to Burgess Services.  The company is owned by Denise Burgess, an African-American woman.  She collected a 2% construction management fee but gave most of the construction work to RK Mechanical Inc., a large company that doesn't qualify for Denver's minority and business enterprise program.  Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher's planning to examine the entire program.

Bankers Survey

The economy appears to be gaining strength in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states.  The overall economic index for the region improved to 55.6 in May from April's 53.2, suggesting growth in the months ahead.  The survey of bankers in the region uses indexes that range from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. A score above 50 suggests growth in that factor in the months ahead.  Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says the results show the economy is improving in these rural areas that depend heavily on agriculture and energy production.  Colorado's among the state's in the survey. 

Edible Pot

Edible marijuana producers in Colorado are meeting again with state regulators and health officials to come up with stricter standards for marijuana-infused foods.  New warning labels and increased education were the main topics of discussion today.  The governor is expected to sign a bill next week to require edible pot to be "clearly identifiable" to make it less likely people accidentally eat pot. Marijuana regulators have 19 months to come up with stricter labeling and warning standards to make sure kids don't accidentally eat pot, or that adults don't eat more than they planned.