WOODLAND PARK

‘Small home’ project draws neighbors’ ire

Woodland Park residents are protesting developers’ plan to profit off the tiny-house trend by building a community of slightly larger homes, saying the proposal should have never passed muster with city officials.   

Sally Riley, planning director for the Teller County community, ignored those residents’ concerns and exercised “utilitarian power” that “no unelected city official should ever have” when she approved the plans for the 53-home community off Colorado 67 in June, opponents of the project said in a recently filed appeal.  

Opponents fear that development group M3XP2’s Village at Tamarac will cause the values of nearby homes to fall, clog the highway with traffic, and strain local emergency services. And, they say, the city has set a dangerous precedent by allowing manufactured units in a zoning district that doesn’t allow mobile homes.

Riley and other city officials have disputed claims of impropriety, saying that the developers met the city code’s requirement.

THE GAZETTE, COLORADO SPRINGS

DURANGO

State to pay $7M for post-fire flood prevention effort

Colorado agencies have conducted a damage survey report showing about $7 million will be spent to protect homes from flooding following last year’s 416 Fire near Durango.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, La Plata County and an engineering firm determined the multi-million-dollar project will fund multiple efforts including placement of concrete barriers and sandbags.

Department officials say it will protect about 120 homes from potential flooding from the 416 Fire burn scar.

Officials say the NRCS will fund 75% of the project and the remaining costs will be split between the state and property owners.

Officials say the project is expected to begin in less than a month and remain in place for about two to five years as vegetation grows back.

DURANGO HERALD

ASPEN

Businessman: Possible China tariffs challenging

An Aspen businessman is watching for additional tariffs on Chinese products.

President Donald Trump said Aug. 15 he would delay a new, 25% tariff on Chinese goods from September to December.

Reggie Charles, founder of Aspen-based High Society Freeride Co., says he keeps a close watch on such developments.

High Society makes its skis and snowboards in Denver but its paddleboards in China. Charles says Chinese manufacturers make the best paddleboards.

Charles says the uncertainty over whether tariffs will take effect is challenging.

ASPEN DAILY NEWS

AURORA

City may require ICE detention center disease reporting

Aurora is considering whether to require employees at a privately run immigration detention center to promptly notify health officials of infectious disease outbreaks.

Aurora City Council members gave preliminary approval Aug. 15 to requiring such notification within 48 hours of discovery.

The proposal follows a spate of chickenpox and mumps outbreaks at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Aurora.

The facility, operated by GEO Group Inc., had 15 reported cases of mumps and nine of chicken pox from the beginning of 2019 through mid-March.

Facility officials implemented a vaccination program after the outbreaks.

The proposal was sent to the City Council for review.

AURORA SENTINEL

STATEWIDE

Colo. among states suing over immigration rule

Attorneys general in Colorado and 12 other states have filed a lawsuit challenging a Trump administration rule that’ll allow immigration officials to deny green cards to migrants who use public assistance, including food stamps or housing vouchers.

The federal lawsuit follows a similar one by two California counties.

Under new rules, Citizenship and Immigration Services will consider whether applicants have received public assistance among other factors such as education to determine whether to grant legal status.

The attorneys general argue the expansion will cause “irreparable harm” and deter non-citizens from seeking “essential” public assistance.

The lawsuit names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The states involved are: Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORDWAY

Prisoner who killed guard given life plus 48 years

A prisoner who pleaded guilty to the stabbing death of a Colorado state corrections officer has been sentenced to life plus 48 years in prison.

Miguel Alonso Contreras-Perez, 40, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for killing Colorado Department of Corrections Sgt. Mary Ricard in 2012 at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Ordway.

Contreras-Perez also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder for wounding Sgt. Lori Gann the same day.

Perez is an Army deserter who was sentenced in 2004 to 35 years to life in prison after he kidnapped and raped a 14-year-old girl in Colorado Springs.

Crowley County District Attorney Jim Bullock previously announced he was seeking the death penalty against Contreras-Perez.

Bullock says he settled for a plea agreement because a judge’s prior ruling inhibited a death penalty prosecution.

PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

MONTEZUMA COUNTY

Large solar project proposed

A Chicago-based renewable energy company has submitted a bid to build a $127 million solar project in southwest Colorado.

Invenergy’s proposed project near Pleasant View in Montezuma County would sit on 1,100 acres of private land and would generate 127 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 homes. More than 100,000 panels would provide power for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.

Montezuma County has been actively courting solar companies, creating a map showing ideal locations based on sun, geography and access to electrical substations and transmission lines.

Selection of a winning bid by Tri-State is expected to be announced later this year, and if chosen, the Invenergy project is expected to be completed by 2023.

CORTEZ JOURNAL

PUEBLO

Assisted living facility license suspended

Colorado officials have suspended the license of an assisted living facility following a series of complaints.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspended the operation of Johnson Home in Pueblo. The agency was moving toward revoking the license for the 19-bed home.

The state alleges 14 deficiencies including failing to meet the needs of two residents suffering from severe mental illness. One resident started fires and the other assaulted other residents.

Colorado officials say as a result, the facility’s operators failed to provide a safe and sanitary environment for all 19 residents.

PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

WESTMINSTER

Police officer not charged in shooting, killing man

Investigators say a Westminster police officer will not face criminal charges after he shot and killed a man who attacked him.

The officer was investigating a report that someone was acting erratically and throwing rocks outside a suburban Denver apartment complex in April.

Officials say the suspect identified as 23-year-old Kevin Beasley Jr. tried to grab the officer’s gun when he arrived.

Witnesses reported Beasley was punching the officer before being shot within two minutes of police arriving.

Officials say the officer was justified in using deadly physical force to defend himself.

Authorities say Beasley was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Officials say the officer was treated for injuries and has since been released from the hospital.

DENVER POST