President Biden is announcing that his Administration is sourcing a flight, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for Operation Fly Formula to transport Reckitt Mead Johnson infant formula base powder from Singapore to Chicago, Illinois via flights on July 12, 14, and 19. This delivery will include over 418,000 pounds of Reckitt Mead Johnson Enfamil Stage 1 infant formula base, the equivalent of approximately 6.2 million 8-ounce bottles. The product will be available at national and regional retailers.
Colorado Governor
Colorado Governor Jared Polis met with President Joe Biden and Democratic governors from across the country about the U.S. Supreme Court’s alarming decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and discussed ways to prevent criminal prosecution of women and doctors and protect the personal freedoms and privacy of Americans. Governor Polis congratulated President Biden on his progress with NATO to strengthen America’s standing internationally and then expressed his dismay with the U.S. Supreme Court’s alarming decision that is undercutting America’s moral standing and is a threat to personal freedom and privacy.
Denver Mayor
Mayor Michael B. Hancock joined with officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, homelessness response and mental health service providers, and funders to announce the launch of the Denver Housing to Health (H2H) program, a new pay-for-success initiative that begins July 1, 2022. The H2H program will leverage local housing resources, $11.75 million from six private funders, and up to $5.5 million in the form of a Social Impact Partnership Pay for Results Act (SIPPRA) grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to deliver permanent supportive housing to at least 125 people experiencing chronic homelessness and suffering from frequent mental and behavioral health crises requiring emergency care.
David Conde, Senior Consultant for International Programs
A few days ago, Maria Garza, the CEO of the largest migrant farm worker children Head Start agency in the country was invited to Washington, D.C. to participate in a round table discussion on issues associated with agricultural workers in the fields of America. The vast majority of these farm hands are Latino and a majority of those are immigrants.
Just like first responders, the farm worker labor force was out harvesting crops for our country’s tables in the middle of COVID. They are one of the reasons that the Latino community was the hardest hit by the virus.
The nation’s farm worker is also changing and diminishing in numbers at a time when the supply chain cannot keep up with the demand for fresh food. The perfect storm is being created by a combination circumstance that cuts down on the number of immigrants coming to the country and the growing shortage and high costs of farm products.
After a two-year COVID hiatus, UnidosUS, our biggest and most powerful Latino advocacy organization, is having its national conference on July 8-11 in San Antonio, Texas.
The subjects of the discussions at the gathering are diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, ensuring the future well-being of the community and country, access to quality education and creating general wealth.
The exchanges are designed so that the Latino community can take another step in its journey to becoming the face of America. The workshops on education, health, housing, creating financial wealth, immigration, racial equity, workforce development and voting and political empowerment provide a road map to the middle class.
Joining the middle class is basically the realization of the classical American Dream that is part of the immigrant tradition that identifies America. The view of the Dream is distorted however, by the fact it is an immigrant Dream and the people that speak and try to relate to it are, by enlarge, far removed from the ancestors that first came to this country.
This is also what was missing in the history of the Latino community in the United States. For a long time and still in some places, Latinos in America and their ancestors that were already here have been displaced, discounted, oppressed and told that they do not belong.
In some sense, Latinos did lack the history associated with the notion about America as an immigrant country until very recently. Latino immigrants in large numbers, especially beginning in the last half of the 20th Century, joined the tradition and have endured the prejudices associated with being an immigrant and more because of color and language.
Latino immigrants have and are working hard to “earn” the same sunshine others take for granted. At the same time, they have closed the circle that allows that community to join the foundations of the American story.
Besides teaching us about how to work hard again, the Latino immigrant also brings us closer to a new “American” beginning characterized by an arrival to a new land with the intention of finding opportunity for a better life and, in doing so, taking part in the continuing transformational miracle central to the story of this country.
The founding of this land based on the creed of democracy, family and the encouragement of economic potential continues as the primary message and a beacon for the world.
One of the most popular statement in the history of our politics is about America being an immigrant country. The Latino immigrant brings that statement to life.
Save up to $1700 when opting for cleaner, healthier mobility options
The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency’s (CASR) popular e-bike rebate program is back, with applications opening on Monday, July 11 at 8 a.m. with up to 2,000 rebates available. The e-bike rebate program has shifted to a new model, with a limited number of rebates available each month.
More than 3,000 Denverites applied for e-bike rebates within the first three weeks of the program’s launch, exceeding the program’s funding and anticipated demand. By shifting to a limited release model, Denver residents can rest assured rebates will be available on a monthly basis through the end of 2022. This program is funded by CASR’s Climate Protection Fund.
To help limit the number of unredeemed vouchers and ensure rebates are available for those ready to buy, CASR encourages anyone who might be interested in an e-bike to visit a participating bike shop, ask questions and test out a few models before applying for a voucher.
To date, 848 e-bike rebates have been redeemed, with 56 percent of the program funding going to income-qualified residents. Half of the rebates available on July 11 will be reserved for income-qualified residents.
Denverites who are interested in e-bikes but not yet ready to claim a rebate voucher can sign up for notifications before each round of rebates becomes available. The release dates for 2022 are: • Monday, July 11 • Monday, August 1 • Tuesday, September 6 • Monday, October 3 • Monday, November 7 • Monday, December 5
In addition to e-bikes, the Climate Action Rebate program, provided by the Climate Protection Fund, also covers home energy upgrades, such as heat pumps, electric vehicle charging and solar panels. Additional changes to those programs include:
Heat pumps: As of June 24, the program has reached capacity for standard heat pump and heat pump water heater rebates. Additional standard rebates are expected to be available on a timed-release model in the fall before the cold weather season. Homeowners will have a limited number of days to work with approved contractors to complete installations. Denver residents who are interested in efficient heating and cooling with heat pumps are encouraged to learn more about their options and speak with an approved contractor. Income-qualified Denver residents may apply for heat pumps and heat pump water heaters at any time through the Energy Resource Center. Income-qualified rebates may cover up to the full cost of equipment and installation.
Solar panels: Solar panel rebates are available to Denver residents if they currently have a heat pump installed, either through the Climate Action Rebate program or otherwise. Residents can sign up for notifications when reservations for this program are open by the end of July. All other home energy rebates: EV charging, battery storage and electrical panel upgrades are still available.
There is a community in southern Colorado growing faster than any other place in that part of the state, but it’s invisible to a lot of Coloradans. But, in a thirty year period it has grown from a dot on the map into a full-fledged small town with amenities that meet big city requirements, including schools, employment and quality of life. It’s Pueblo West—not Pueblo, but Pueblo West!
It’s easy to see why land developer and oilman Robert P. McCullough saw value in the vastness of the area a dozen or so miles from Pueblo proper. In the late sixties, McCullough saw a future in the land that no one else apparently did. He saw a nearly endless expanse of open space and spectacular, postcard vistas extending from the high desert to Colorado’s southern front range. It was a land vibrant in vegetation, wild animal life and inspiring sunsets. Little by little, people began to see what McCulloch had seen so many years before.
Between 1990 and today, the population of Pueblo West has exploded, growing from a tiny burg of less than 5,000 to a population today estimated near 30,000.
McCulloch initially used a gimmick to attract and entice potential investors and homebuyers. He offered free flights from different points in the U.S. to Pueblo. There they could stay at the only hotel in the area, coincidentally the one he built. But it was as nice a place as any in southern Colorado and the trick worked. He found enough people to seed the area that has now grown into and adopted its own unique personality and flavor.
One of the things that Pueblo West has today that McCulloch didn’t imagine decades earlier, is Lake Pueblo State Park, southern Colorado’s largest and busiest aquatic amenity. Lake Pueblo, said Samantha Dosen, Pueblo West Communications Manager, has something for everyone. Families can enjoy “a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, boating, water recreation and much more.”
The lake, more informally known as the Pueblo Reservoir, may be for recreation but its water also serves the growing needs of the nearby community that has grown exponentially. Today, the community has two elementary schools, a middle school and its own high school. While it doesn’t yet have its own police force, it does have its own fire department and depends on the sheriff’s department for public safety issues.
Lake Pueblo, while a practical consideration as a water resource for Pueblo and parts of the Arkansas Valley, is also a tremendously popular destination drawing visitors from across the state and region. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the lake entertained more than 4.6 million visitors in 2021 setting a new record.
The community gives every indication of continued growth. New residents, including a number of retirees from Denver, have chosen it as home for its affordable housing but also its ‘around the corner amenities’ that would be far more expensive in the greater metro area, including golfing, an equestrian center, a nature and raptor center and the one thing that makes livable on a year-round basis: the weather.
Pueblo West advertises 300 days of sunshine each year with peak high temperatures in the upper 80’s to mid-90’s. Perhaps a drawback, if one considers it one at all, is the wind, a condition that many have come to expect in Pueblo West as ‘a price of admission.’
Pueblo West sits near state highway 50 which connects it on the west to Fremont County and Caῆon City. The 49-square-mile municipality is an hour’s drive to Colorado Springs where travelers often go to catch flights, but travelers also use Pueblo Municipal Airport, an approximate 20 minute drive directly east.
Pueblo West is a quick getaway from Denver, approximately 100 south on I-25 and another ten minutes west on Colorado state highway 50. “It’s a beautiful area to visit and live,” said Dosen. It offers the best of what Colorado has to offer; good quality of life, plenty of recreation and all the amenities one might need with southern Colorado’s hub city just seven minutes away.
Pueblo West offers a unique quality of life with a lower cost of living while still having the beauty and outdoor amenities Colorado has to offer. We have a small town vibe given our equestrian background, offering families a quiet escape from city life.
David Conde Senior Consultant for International Programs
One of the positive things that happened during the COVID crisis is that funding to fight it actually took millions of children out of poverty. This, perhaps unintended consequence, speaks louder about American values than anything else when considering the born or the unborn.
I recently heard an interview with a Texas legislator who was asked about the future socioeconomic plight of the increased number of babies that might be born because of the ban on abortion. He stated that there was a bill in process that would add a hundred million dollars to the state budget to address the needs of children after birth. This got me to thinking about why is that so important now. How about the tens of millions of children in this country that are already here and that lack the economic, medical and social support to live what would be a normal life and upbringing demonstrated by those families that do have the resources?
If it is going to take the unplanned happenstance connected to another virus or some such thing to help the welfare of children you can count me out. The commitment has to be to everyone in and out of the womb all the way through the higher education experience.
“Women’s Right to Choose” and “Pro-Life” are political slogans and mottos that speak to the present circumstance, but hide a greater struggle that has been going on for centuries. It is about the holding on to power by Masculine versus the ascendancy of the Feminine Principle.
The civil rights movements of the racial, ethnic and cultural minorities in the second half of the 20th Century happened at the same time that women began seriously attempting to find their own voice. Remember that it was also in this century that both women and minorities achieved effective voting rights, the ultimately important element of power in a democracy.
This coincidences masked the fact that the circle that expresses the predominance of one culture or another is much smaller than the gigantic dynamics associated with gender. The powerful act of Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge and converting Adam in the Garden of Eden against God’s wishes is symbolic testimony of the dimensions of this almost eternal struggle.
There was a moment when Eve became like God, all knowing, before she shared her knowledge with her husband. She never got to the Tree of Life that was also in the Garden and therefore never achieved eternity as God’s equal.
Even though Genesis provides a patriarchal view of the Garden of Eden story, it nevertheless shows the power of the ‘Woman’ in the give and take of life. Women are rapidly gaining the power that men used to have and are taking control of their destiny and their bodies.
The Supreme Court’s decision against a national abortion constitutional standing is but a blip on the screen of a greater feminine gender reach. That is why there is a look and sense of desperation in the political deception of those that profess to care so much about the unborn.
America and the world are changing rapidly and our social and political divisions are a product of that. Activist women are at the forefront of that change as they continue their journey up the power structure.
To be sure, the Supreme Court’s decision is really not as much about the unborn as it is about keeping women under control. That however, is like putting the proverbial finger in the dike.
The Colorado Avalanche did not win game five in Denver last Friday night, a game fans packed into Ball Arena hoping to celebrate their first championship in 20 years. Instead, Avalanche fans had to wait, but the wait wasn’t long.
On Sunday the Colorado Avalanche faced the three-time Stanley Cup Champs (who have won the cup in back-to-back seasons prior to this years finals) the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida. Although Friday’s loss, a huge disappointment to fans, was a huge win for the back-to-back champs many will agree that the win merely delayed the inevitable.
In game six it was clear that the Tampa Bay Lightning’s strategy was to come out fast and strong, in an attempt to overwhelm a team that has overwhelmed most of their opponents throughout the playoffs. Colorado’s strategy was simple, play at their normal pace and allow their opponent to wear themselves down and attack in the second half of the game.
The Lightning scored under four minutes into the game after Cale Makar pulled the puck off the boards which was poked off his stick and onto a pass waiting for Lightning captain Steve Stamkos in front of the net and underneath Darcy Kuemper.
It wasn’t until the second period that the Avalanche were able to tie things up on a Nathan MacKinnon goal two minutes into the second period. The Lightning had outshot the Avs in the first but by halfway through the second Colorado had evened up the shots on goal.
The volley of shots-on-goal continued through most of the second until about 7:33 when Arturi Lehkonen caught a blocked pass from Nathan MacKinnon to Josh Manson for the go-ahead goal for the Avalanche.
Darcy Kuemper and Colorado’s defense stiffened up and in the third period the Colorado Avalanche only allowed two shots on goal halfway through the third. The Avalanche dominated their time in the Lightning’s zone keeping the puck on their side of the ice most of the third period.
With two minutes left in the game it appeared that the Avs were well on their way to their third cup as they continued to control the puck and keep the Lightning at bay.
Once time expired the Avalanche stormed the ice in celebration in front of a distraught Tampa Bay Lightning crowd.
Fans watched in disbelief while the Cup ceremony took place and the cup passing from player to player commenced.
No more than five minutes into the ceremonial events the team gathered for a photo on the ice with Nicholas Aube-Kubel carrying the cup to the photo shoot only to trip up and dent the cup making it the quickest dent to cup in NHL history.
Colorado will celebrate with fans on Thursday, June 30th with pre-parade festivities at 9 a.m. at Civic Center Park. There will be music and highlight reels from the season. The parade itself will begin at 10 a.m. at Union Station where fans are welcome to line 17th St. from Union Station to Broadway and on to Civic Center Park.
The Stanley Cup’s personal Twitter account had the best response to the Colorado Avalanche’s win: “Turn the light’s off, carry me home.”
Ethiopia denies role in border killings – Sudan has accused Ethiopia’s army of executing seven Sudanese soldiers at a border area. Ethiopia denied responsibility and alleged in a statement that the incident was “deliberately concocted to undermine relations” between the countries. Tensions between the countries have been high due to a conflict over a farming area near their shared border.
Africa fund promises billions of dollars in investment for vaccines – The Africa Development Bank has pledged around $3 billion to be invested over the next 10 years to end vaccine dependency in Africa. The funds will be used for a center for research, development and vaccine manufacturing in Rwanda. The Africa Development Bank will also help patent and license African made medicines.
Asia
Nasa carries out launch from Australia – Australia made history by becoming the first country to launch a Nasa rocket outside of the United States. The rocket was launched early Monday morning and will be used for astrophysics studies that can only happen in the Southern Hemisphere. The rocket launch marked the first of its kind in more than 25 years.
Japan urges Tokyo residents to use less electricity – Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry urged people to use less electricity on Monday as the country faces a heatwave. Officials asked residents to turn off unnecessary lights but noted that air conditioning should still be used. The country expected demand for power to be severe on Monday afternoon because of the weather.
Europe
Ukraine shopping center struck by Russian missile – At least 10 people were killed and 40 others were injured when a Russian missile struck a retail center in central-eastern Ukraine. Officials say that more than 1,000 people were inside the building at the time of the attack. Ukraine MP Lesia Vasylenko called the attack an act of terrorism committed by Russia. She added that the incident was a “blatant attack on the civilian population.”
Child sex abuse suspect arrested – Alistair Riggott was arrested and charged with numerous sex offenses in Portugal. He has been on the run for eight months, and his arrest was part of a joint operation with the National Crime Agency. Riggott left the UK after being charged with offenses like attempting to cause a child to watch an image of sexual activity, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and making and possessing indecent images of children.
Latin America
Bodies of priests found in Mexico – Officials in northern Mexico found the bodies of two Catholic priests and a tour guide after they were shot and killed in a church. Officials believe the trio had a run-in with a wanted drug trafficker. Pope Francis called the killings a shocking reminder of the level of violence in Mexico. Authorities said Jose Noriel Portillo Gil is a suspect in the case.
Ecuador pledges to lower fuel prices – Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso promised to cut 10 cents a gallon from petrol and diesel prices as protesters blocked roads over the weekend. Some protests turned violent, and Lasso promised that violent demonstrators would be punished by law. The cost of diesel has nearly doubled over the past two years in Ecuador. The country’s economy was hit hard by the pandemic.
North America
Biden signs new gun control bill – President Joe Biden signed a new gun control bill that imposes tougher checks on young gun buyers and encourages states to remove guns from people who are considered a threat. Biden admitted the bill doesn’t do everything he wants but said it does include actions he’s called for in the past. Shootings in New York and Texas last month left 31 people dead.
Companies pledge to cover employee travel expenses for abortions – After a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, many large companies told staff they will cover employee travel expenses for abortions. Among those companies include Facebook owner Meta, Disney and JP Morgan. Amazon also announced a similar statement. Around 13 states pave passed “trigger laws” that outlaw abortion. At least 20 other states are working to limit abortion access.
On July 5, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will award the Medal of Honor to four U.S. Army Soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War: Staff Sergeant Edward N. Kaneshiro (posthumous), Specialist Five Dwight W. Birdwell, Specialist Five Dennis M. Fujii, and retired Major John J. Duffy.
Colorado Governor
Governor Polis issued an Executive Order in response to the Menkhaven Fire in Conejos County. The Governor’s action enables State agencies to coordinate for fire suppression, response, consequence management, and recovery efforts, and makes funding available from the Disaster Emergency Fund (DEF) to support wildfire response and recovery efforts. The Menkhaven Fire is 100% contained as of June 7, 2022. Governor Polis issued an Executive Order amending the funding for the 2018 Cabin Lake Fire to fund the full extent of repairs incurred by fire damages.
Denver Mayor
Mayor Michael B. Hancock issued the following statement on the decision of SCOTUS to overturn Roe v. Wade: “The decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade is devastating and a dangerous reversal of precedent. Never before has the Court taken away a right. Never before has the Court opened the door so widely to an assault on other foundational rights. This decision is nothing more than an incendiary attack on women’s rights and women’s health, and the consequences to the rule of law will be profound. Thankfully, Colorado has protected this right, and our city and state will continue to stand up for women and their right to autonomy over their own bodies and healthcare decisions.
“There is no time to waste: nearly half of the states already had laws in place to ban abortion or severely restrict access as soon as the Supreme Court decision came down”
U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet joined a group of 33 Democratic Senators in a letter to President Joe Biden urging “bold action” to protect the right to abortion after the conservative wing of the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Republicans made this generation of women the first with fewer rights than their mothers.
“We appreciate that in your speech yesterday, you acknowledged the reality that the ‘health and life of women across this nation are now at risk.’ Now is the time for bold action to protect the right to an abortion. You have the power to fight back and lead a national response to this devastating decision, so we call on you to take every step available to your Administration, across federal agencies, to help women access abortions and other reproductive health care, and to protect those who will face the harshest burdens from this devastating and extreme decision,” wrote the Hickenlooper, Bennet, and the Senators.
The letter comes as 22 state have laws in place to ban or severely restrict access that are trigged by the courts’ decision — with at least seven statewide abortion bans already in effect. Meanwhile, Republicans have made clear they will not stop with overturning Roe: next, they will push for a national abortion ban.
“There is no time to waste: nearly half of the states already had laws in place to ban abortion or severely restrict access as soon as the Supreme Court decision came down. Many states enacted those laws immediately, and at least a dozen are set to follow suit in the coming days and weeks,” continued the Senators. “Women across the country are now being told by states what choices they can and cannot make when it comes to their own health and reproductive choices. This is dangerous and horrifying and it will endanger women’s lives.”
Temperatures throughout the state are beginning to increase as the summer kicks into high gear. And with the rise in temperature comes a rise in risk of wildfires. But in Boulder County, some community members are still trying to recover from a fire that swept through the area toward the end of last year.
The Marshall Fire burned through more than 6,000 acres toward the end of last year, destroyed 1,091 structures, and damaged 179 others. It is the most destructive fire in Colorado history and killed at least two people.
It’s been five months since the Marshall Fire changed lives in Boulder County, and recovery efforts throughout the region are continuing. But thanks to a $29 million reward from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), help is on the way to Boulder County.
In May, the agency approved more than $29 million in additional public assistance funding for debris removal in the county. The funds were made possible because of a major disaster declaration issued by President Joe Biden on Dec. 31, 2021. FEMA’s public assistance program provides funds to government agencies and some nonprofit organizations for disaster response costs and to repair or replace damaged public buildings. For the Boulder County funding, FEMA is providing a 90 percent federal cost share while state and local entities will be responsible for the remaining costs, according to a release.
Photo courtesy: BoulderCounty.org
Around $26.9 million of the funding will be used in Boulder County for private property debris removal work that will be done by the county or its contractors. Removal will take place in Louisville, Superior and unincorporated Boulder County. FEMA says the debris removal work was approved because of health and safety threats caused by debris.
The remaining funds, which total around $2.8 million, will be dispersed to the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to hire debris removal monitors to review debris removal efforts and to provide technical support to the county during the removal process, the release reads.
Recently, a groundbreaking took place in Louisville for the rebuild of a home that was damaged in the fire at a lot on Larkspur Lane. The company in charge of the rebuild, Wood Brothers, is also planning to rebuild around 20 other homes in the surrounding neighborhood.
Some cities and counties in Colorado are working to address the risk of urban wildfires after seeing the devastating impact the Marshall Fire had. Castle Pines City Council adopted a new wildfire mitigation plan that details suggestions homeowners can take to protect their homes for wildfires. The plan was developed in partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue and encourages homeowners to remove all juniper trees from their property, clean out gutters regularly to remove dead and dry needles, leaves and debris, and to sign up for their county’s notification system.
