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Speeding on Colorado highways results in high fatalities

Joseph Rios
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Speeding on Colorado highways results in high fatalities

A study reported by a law firm with locations in Alabama, New York and George reported that Colorado has the sixth highest rate of speeding fatal crashes in the country.

Law firm Henninger Garrison Davis revealed that after analyzing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Colorado has a 37.29 percent rate higher than the national average of speeding related fatal crashes. Other states listed with high rates of speeding-related fatal crashes include Wyoming, who leads the country in such vehicle accidents, Utah, and Virginia.

Heninger Garrison Davis said in a press release that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s reporting system is an important resource in identifying how and where fatal crashes occur.

“The faster you travel, the less time you have to react to developing situations on the road, making a collision much more likely. Traveling at higher speed also makes it significantly harder to stop or maneuver around a collision ahead of you,” the law firm said. “Ensuring that you leave an appropriate amount of space in front and to the sides of your vehicle, should allow ample time to react to developing situations around you and minimize the risk of being involved in a serious accident.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently found that speeding is the leading cause of fatal crashes for drivers in the United States. The number of fatal speeding-related crashes has risen over the past three years. Men are more likely to be drivers in fatal speeding-related crashes than women, the administration says, and speeding is far more common in fatal motorcycle crashes than other vehicle body types.

When dealing with speeding behavior and aggressive drivers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says to let the person speeding pass you if you’re in the let lane, give speeding drivers space, and call the police if you believe a driver is following you or harassing you.

Consequences of speeding include greater potential for loss of vehicle control, reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment, increased fuel consumption/cost, and increased stopping distance after a driver perceives a danger.

As the holidays approach, it is of note that speeding has been more common among drivers during major holidays over the past 10 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says.

Data from 2012 through 2021 from the administration shows that there have been 1,253 fatal crashes involving speeding on Thanksgiving holiday and 878 that have occurred on Christmas Day.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays are right around the corner, and it’s important to remember to never drink and drive or speed. Taking precautions and prioritizing safety on the roads can make a significant impact in reducing the risk of serious accidents during this festive time.

Broncos win wild game in Buffalo

Brandon Rivera
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Broncos win wild game in Buffalo

Monday night’s game in Buffalo was Denver’s first since their return from last week’s bye. The Broncos enjoyed a two game winning streak heading into their bye after defeating the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs but were given the tough task on their return from their bye….defeat the Buffalo Bills on the road.

The Bills suffered their fourth loss of the season las week to the Cincinnati Bengals before heading into Monday night’s game against Denver.

In Monday night’s game Buffalo Bills started the game off on the offense and on the very first play of the game the Broncos strip Bills running back James Cook of the ball and recovered it. Denver turned the turnover into three points.

Neither team would score until the second quarter when the Broncos at the Bills 7 years line went for it on fourth and two. Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson dropped back and spun from coverage to give just enough separation from the defender to toss a pass to the corner of the end zone to link up with Courtland Sutton. The pass was initially called incomplete, however after a review, the play was reversed and Denver was awarded the touchdown. Denver unfortunately missed the extra point attempt.

The Bills moved the ball well on the ensuing drive and scored when Bills quarter back Josh Allen connected with Dalton Kincaid for a 22-yard touchdown. The Bills were successful on the two-point conversion and pulled to within 1 of the Broncos.

Luckily for Denver, the Bills left just enough time on the clock for Denver to move the ball to the Buffalo 30 yard line before kicking a 49-yard field goal and adding to their lead. The Bills were left with about 45 seconds before the half and on the first pass of their drive, Josh Allen tossed an interception which gave Denver great field possession. Denver kicked a 40-yard field goal before the half to take a 15 – 8 lead heading into the half.

Both teams volleyed across the 50-yard line for most of the thirst quarter until the Bills were able to punch the ball in for the touchdown after having successfully ran the ball on Denver’s porous defense most of the third quarter. The Bills score tied the game at 15 apiece.

Denver’s defense came up big at the start of the fourth quarter holding the Bills to only 36 yards before forcing them to punt. The Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims returned Buffalo’s kick 44 years giving Denver great field possession. The Broncos moved the ball down the field on 12 plays before Wilson connected with Javonte Williams on the 3-yard touchdown. Denver unfortunately miffed the place-hold for the extra point and Riley Dixon covered the ball up.

The Bills answered right back with a touchdown of their own after moving the ball 75-yards on five plays and took a 22 – 21 lead over the Broncos.

Photo courtesy: Denver Broncos Twitter

The Broncos with 1:55 left to play moved the ball down the field with the help of a pass interference call that put the ball within field goal range. The Broncos needed to move quickly after kneeling on the ball on third down in order to get their punting unit out. The unit lined up and kicked the ball but missed wide right. A flag was thrown for too many men on the field for Buffalo and Denver lined up and kicked the game winning field goal with no time on the clock and the win. Denver won 24- 22.

Pueblo’s gift to itself, better public safety in three new fire stations

Ernest Gurulé
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Pueblo’s gift to itself, better public safety in three new fire stations

The city of Pueblo is giving its residents a whole new layer of security. Construction, the city has just announced, will soon begin work on three new fire stations, fire stations that not only are long overdue but central to improving both public and worker safety.

The $36 million project will replace stations in a way that will not only make response times faster, but also make in-station time for firefighters not just more comfortable but dramatically safer.

For years, fire stations had been built on a purely practical level. There was open space, essentially a garage-like area for trucks and fire equipment, sleeping quarters and kitchen and dining space. It was a very nuts-and-bolts approach and, in a 21st century world, severely antiquated in so many ways.

Studies have shown that firefighters regularly deal with a variety of hidden dangers encountered on calls, including hazardous chemicals. These toxins come not only from the structures that may be burning but also from chemicals used to douse the blaze. Firefighters can also bring chemical residue back to the station, on both gear and equipment, including trucks. Some of these chemicals have been proven to be carcinogenic, agents that have been linked to cancer.

It is a given that firefighters, whether fighting a blaze in a new or decades-old structure, will encounter hazardous chemicals. On nearly every structure fire, first responders can encounter asbestos, formaldehyde, benzene or scores of other dangerous chemical elements. Firefighters can be exposed when breathing or absorbtion through their skin.

According to the American Cancer Society, studies have shown that rates of colon, prostate, testicular and melanoma cancers are higher among firefighters than in other occupations. One dramatic lesson about carci- nogenic threats occurred on 9/11. Scores of firefighters responding to the attacks were later diagnosed with cancers linked to inhaling airborne carcinogens. Many of these cancers were fatal. In one European study, it was reported that firefighters there who were exposed to dangerous chemicals were diagnosed at a rate three times higher than the general population for prostate cancer and leukemia.

While many of these dangers have long been suspected or documented, a 2020 seminar on modern stations attended by city officials only confirmed that the Pueblo project required quick attention. Fire stations, the seminar confirmed, needed better ventilation to keep personnel away from equipment exhaust. The same for equipment possibly coated with hazardous. A safe zone for decontamination was essential.

“COVID was the real awakening for ventilation (issues) and having separate bedrooms,” said Pueblo Fire Chief Barb Huber. Because a fire station is essentially a ‘home away from home’ for firefighters, the new stations will also incorporate personal health and wellness amenities. They will also separate firefighter sleeping quarters by gender.

Across the nation, fire departments have gradually drifted away from the traditional 24-hour on, 48 hours off shifts. “We have changed our schedules,” said Huber. Pueblo’s firefighters now operate on a 48/96 routine. They remain on duty for two days and are off the next four days. She said it’s a better approach to the job for both the mental and physical health of crews.

Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar said the new stations have been a priority for him since taking office in 2020. “We have been planning for these stations…and they are coming to fruition.” The stations will serve Pueblo’s eastside and Belmont areas, said Gradisar, as well as “serve a developing area on the west side.”

The placement of the three new stations will upgrade not only the facilities but better serve each community with better response times, said Huber. “All of the stations will be within six or five minutes (response time).” In firefighting a single minute can be crucial.

The long-established East Fourth Street station has been in place for more than sixty years. The facility has undergone repairs and improvements over the years. But Huber said when an analysis was done about an over-all renovation to bring it up to standard, it was determined that it made better economic sense to simply shut it down and replace it with something new.

Construction on the three new structures will begin in early 2024, said Huber. “I’m hoping to open in Spring of 2025.” The trio of new stations will follow sequentially with the last dedication ostensibly projected for late Spring of 2025.

Celebrating the Mexican Revolution

David Conde
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Celebrating the Mexican Revolution
David Conde, Senior Consultant for International Programs

November 20th is an important holiday in Mexico as it represents the starting point of renewal for a nation that had not achieved the ideals promulgated by President Benito Juarez (the first and only full-blooded Indian elected to the presidency) in the second half of the 19th Century.

What was a plan of democracy for the masses led by Juarez was first stymied by the French imposition of an Emperor and than the Conservative dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz who sought to modernize Mexico from the “top down” and on the backs of the poor.

In his manifesto called El Plan de San Luis (6 of November, 1910), Francisco I. Madero proclaimed a call to arms by November 20th of that year if President Porfirio Diaz did not abdicate another run for the presidency. Diaz decided to stay in power and the Mexican Revolution officially began on that date.

I first developed an intense interest in the Mexican Revolution while reading literary works that describe its human effect on novelistic characters. I was particularly taken by Al Filo de Agua (The Edge of the Storm, 1947) by Agustin Yanez who captured the last moments in a small town in the State of Jalisco before the Revolution swept everything aside.

I also modeled much of my thinking about identity on Pedro Paramo (1955), a novel that brings into focus the power of the rich over the poor. In this story, Pedro Paramo, the strong man of the region, manages to manipulate the revolutionaries and then deliberately lets his hometown, Comala, starve to death.

The daily restlessness, anxiety and uneasiness of ordinary people swept up by the Revolution in Al Filo del Agua contrasts sharply with the greed and eternal damnation of those that sought to exploit it. In that context and at that time, the Mexican Revolution came to have a special sense and meaning for me as it provided a new insight beyond the great personalities of the war and the chaos it created.

Octavio Paz once called the Mexican Revolution a great fiesta where friends killed each other just to prove their mutual love. The chaotic magic of the great and epic event transcended time as well as destroyed institutional frameworks that opened the door to the later creation of a modern Mexico.

There are very few other revolutions that destroy the institutional past and create a new future. Perhaps among them are the French Revolution that sought new democratic forms, the Russian Revolution that did away with monarchical rule and instituted a radically different design and the Cuban Revolution that turn its back on the past.

The celebration of the Mexican Revolution on November 20 has been of vital importance to the regime of President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador. He has based his tenure on those ideals and has gone as far as to name each year of his presidency after a revolutionary hero.

This has garnered him the support especially among the poor that constitute 54 percent of the population. That is a testament to his popularity and the reason that his party will keep its majority and win the next presidency.

As I talk to my friends in Mexico, I hear that the preparations for the celebration on November 20th are in high gear. The high schools, for example, are preparing to commemorate particular aspects of what was the Revolution. I especially like those that dress in revolutionary outfits and ride on horseback. I also like the armed Adelitas in their epic roles.

The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of laVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to news@lavozcolorado.com.

LaVozColorado Student of the Week is BACK!

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LaVozColorado Student of the Week is BACK!

LaVozColorado (La Voz) kicks off the 16th annual Student of the Week (SOTW) program. We are excited to once again feature Colorado’s top seniors for the school year. The program features Colorado’s top students from statewide high schools.

Student of the Week is one of our most popular features and in recent years it has become one of our busiest times of the year for LaVozColorado. Our internal committee narrows down the list of the quantity of qualified nominations. The internal committee reviews nominations where students are measured by their academic achievements and their presence in the community.

Historically, we receive nominations for students who attend Colorado high schools, and we challenge and encourage school administrators, counselors, and teachers across the state to send us nominations of your top students who deserve public praise and accolades. We remind everyone, including parents, to reach out to your student’s counselors, teachers, coaches etc. about your student or someone you may know who qualifies.

Our 2023-2024 feature begins Wednesday, Nov. 22, and will run through mid-May 2024. In mid-June 2024, our internal committee will choose one student for a scholarship award of $1500, then, we will feature that outstanding student in mid-June.

The Student of the Week program winners have a great opportunity to add their featured publication to their student college portfolio and resume.

Our Student of the Week nomination packet is available for download on our website at www.lavozcolorado.com. You may also view last years’ featured students, and the Student of the Week scholarship winner online in the Student of the Week section of our website.

If you have questions about our Student of the Week program, please email Brandon Rivera at Bmrivera@lavozcolorado.com or drussell@lavozcolorado.com 303-936-8556.

State health department celebrates Colorado Recycles Week

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State health department celebrates Colorado Recycles Week

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is pleased to celebrate Colorado Recycles Week and encourages Coloradans to do their part to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Here are some easy ways for you to make a difference: The department’s Erase the Waste site has a variety of useful tips to reduce waste:

  • Fight Food Waste: As much as 40 percent of food is wasted. Planning meals, proper food storage techniques, freezing leftovers, and composting are effective ways to reduce the amount of food and packaging that end up in our landfills.
  • Buy Big, Buy Less: Buying frequently used household items like coffee or toilet paper in bulk reduces unnecessary packaging waste and saves trips to the grocery store. When shopping online, choose multiple items to be shipped all at once.
  • Bring Your Own: Bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store or reusable water bottles and coffee cups to work/school can significantly impact and reduce the amount of waste you create.
  • Skip the Plastic Utensils. If you don’t need disposable straws, plates, plastic silverware, or napkins with your takeout, don’t take them.

CDPHE has taken numerous steps to create a more sustainable Colorado through programming, grants, advancing infrastructure, and partnerships that aim to reduce waste and provide equitable recycling to all Coloradans.“Together we can improve the state’s waste diversion rate,” said CDPHE’s Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division Director, Tracie White. “Initiatives like Colorado Recycles Week remind us how important it is to continuously enhance our efforts to improve the quality of public health and the environment for both the current and future residents of Colorado.”

Here is a glimpse of what the state is working on:

Reducing waste

  • In response to the findings of the Statewide Organics Management Plan, the department is proposing changes to the solid waste composting regulations, in order to make it easier for small and mid-sized food waste compost facilities to obtain permits and to expand opportunities for diverting food waste. These changes will encourage the creation of more compost facilities that can accept food waste throughout the state.
  • The Front Range Waste Diversion Grant Program specifically targets diversion on the 13 Front Range counties where 80 percent of the state’s waste is generated. To date, the grant program has awarded nearly $18 million in grant funding. The current request for applications has a broad focus and a minimum ton- nage diverted requirement. The application period will close at 3 p.m. on January 12, 2024.

Providing equitable recycling collection

  • The Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling implementation has begun. The 15-member advisory board of recycling experts was appointed in December 2022, and the Producer Responsibility Organization, Circular Action Alliance, was approved on April 1, 2023. The statewide recycling needs assessment is currently underway and will be complete by January 2024. The extended producer responsibility program shifts the end-of-life management costs for recycling packaging and paper products from consumers and local governments to the producers. The program will provide equitable recycling to all Coloradans at no cost and is anticipated to begin in January 2026.
  • One gallon of improperly disposed paint has the ability to pollute up to 250,000 gallons of water. The Colorado Paint Stewardship Program, operated by “PaintCare” with oversight by the department, is here to prevent that by supporting convenient collection of unused paint. Since 2015, PaintCare has collected over 5.3 million gallons of unused paint and has established 196 free drop-off sites across Colorado. You can find a paint collection drop-off near you for your leftover paint.
  • Advancing Colorado’s infrastructure and economy
  • Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center is up and running as of July 1, 2023. The center will grow existing, and create new, recycling and composting end markets, attract remanufacturers and entrepreneurs to the state, and provide the necessary infrastructure, logistics, and marketing to create a sustainable circular economy for recycled commodities.
  • We fund statewide waste diversion projects and provide rebates for community recycling centers through our Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity Grant Program. The department has awarded over $27 million to develop recycling and composting infrastructure and promote sustainable behavior change in com- munities across Colorado. The current request for applications is focused on funding projects that will maximize waste diversion and create jobs in Colorado. Applications are due no later than 3 p.m. on January 5, 2024.
  • To further increase the diversion rate, the department is investing in creating local demand for recycled materials to advance a circular economy by supporting a fifth cohort of Colorado NextCycle, a program designed to boost remanufacturing solutions for recycled content in Colorado. We are accepting applications from interested teams through December 1, 2023.

Our Government

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Our Government

White House

Statement from President Joe Biden on the October Consumer Price Index: “We saw more progress bringing down inflation while maintaining one of the strongest job markets in history. At 3.2 percent, annual inflation is now down by 65 percent from the peak. Gas prices are below $3.40 per gallon, reflecting an average decline of $1.65 from the peak after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Inflation has come down while the unemployment rate has been below 4 percent for 21 months in a row—the longest stretch in more than 50 years—while wages, wealth, and the share of working-age Americans with jobs are all higher now than before the pandemic.”

Colorado Governor

Governor Jared Polis reinforced the urgent need for Congress to pass the White House’s supplemental budget request to Congress to provide resources to interior states to assist with the influx of migrants to states like Colorado, fund border security and to help crack down on fentanyl moving across the border. Governor Polis has signed state laws to address the fentanyl crisis and Colorado urges Congress to take further bipartisan action to keep the government open.

Denver Mayor

Denver’s 2024 budget – the first under Mayor Mike Johnston – was unanimously approved by the Denver City Council tonight. The 2024 budget delivers on the Johnston administration’s top priorities: an affordable Denver, a safe Denver, a vibrant and revitalized downtown, a greener Denver, and housing for all. “I’m proud that this budget passed with unanimous support thanks to the continuous collaboration and dedication from City Council, showing what is possible when we work shoulder-to-shoulder to make a Denver a safe, affordable, and vibrant city for all,” said Mayor Mike Johnston.

A Week In Review

Joseph Rios
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A Week In Review

Africa

Kenya plants millions of trees

Kenya celebrated a holiday to plant 100 million trees. The country is committed to planting 15 billion trees in 10 years, and officials said the holiday allows each and every Kenyan to own the initiative. The purpose of the holiday is to tackle global change. Trees can combat against global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide in the air and releasing oxygen

Ghana soccer player dies on pitch

Ghana soccer player Raphael Dwamena collapsed and died on the field when his team, Egnatia, was playing against Partizani. Doctors immediately intervened, according to the Albanian Football Federation, but Dwamena unfortunately passed away. He was the leading score of the league and served his country in the military.

Asia

US/China strike climate deal

Chin and the United States reportedly reached some climate change related agreements, according to the United States. The agreements were reached shortly before the COP28 Summit in Dubai at the end of the month. Details are expected to be shared soon between the world’s two biggest polluters. John Kerry, Washington’s climate envoy, recently met with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua.

India celebrates the Hindu festival of lights

Millions of Indians recently celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It’s one of the most important festivals in the country. People gathered to pray, eat, and light fireworks, despite fireworks being banned in some parts of the country over concerns about air pollution. Delhi, India’s capital, has seen a high rate of pollution levels over the past week, and the city was recently covered by a thick layer of smog.

Europe

Far-right terror suspects detained in Belgium

A man and woman in their early 20s were detained after being accused of plotting bomb attacks and inciting violence. The couple were picked up after a series of raids in Belgium, and they are suspected of being part of a far-right group. They are also accused of recruiting people with the purpose of committing terrorist crimes. Other raids against right-wing terrorism took place in Germany, Italy, and other countries in Europe.

Kyiv hit by air raid

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, was hit by a Russian air attack for the first time 52 days. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko said strong explosions were heard in the early hours of Saturday morning. Residents were told to take refuge in air raid shelters, and there have been no reports of casualties from the air attack. The attack occurred after President Volodomyr Zelensky marked the first anniversary of the liberation of Kherson from Russia.

Latin America

Dozens of migrants found in Mexico

Authorities in Mexico discovered 123 people from other countries trapped in trailer in the state of San Luis Potosi. Among those who were discovered include 34 children, according to Mexico’s immigration agency. It is unknown where the migrants were heading, but it is common for many to travel through the Americas to reach the United States. Many of those who were found were from Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras.

Fire in Chile kills Venezuelans

A fire at a migrant settlement in Chile killed 14 Venezuelans. It is unknown what caused the fire, but officials are investigating whether a heating unit had overheated. Three families were living at the settlement at the time, and among those who were killed include eight children. Coronel, the city where the fire occurred, is heavily affected by fires because of high temperatures.

North America

American toddler held in Gaza

The United States revealed that a three-year-old American whose parents were killed by Hamas is among the hostages in Gaza. There are 10 Americans unaccounted for since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Brett McGurk, President Biden’s top Mideast advisor, is traveling to Israel and other countries nearby this week to work on the release of the hostages.

Police investigate hate crimes in Montreal

Police in Montreal are investigating 74 alleged hate crimes and incidents targeting the Jewish community since Oct. 7. Recent reports said gunshots hit two Jewish schools in the city overnight. Bullet holes were found on both schools, and nobody was in the building at the time of the shooting. Montreal’s Jewish community has voiced their concern about a rise in hate crimes amid the Israel-Gaza war.

MSU-Denver veteran’s port in the storm but still not the whole answer

Ernest Gurulé
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MSU-Denver veteran’s port in the storm but still not the whole answer

There will always be veterans. At least, that has been the case since our country’s inception. Veterans have an arc that stretches from muskets to smart bombs. They are also a group that, depending on a nation’s mood, has been both vilified and honored.

Now, almost fully recovered from the Viet Nam era when, perhaps, the country’s least popular and most controversial war was waged, veterans are today routinely honored and especially on Veterans Day.

Across the country, it is estimated that there are approximately 16 million veterans, men and women who have served on active duty, an estimated six percent of the population. One cohort of veterans, WWII veterans, has seen its numbers dwindle to about 116,000, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA also says that this group once numbered 16 million.

While the country has pledged to always meet the needs of this group, there will always be those who fall through the proverbial cracks. Today the VA estimates that there are approximately 37,000 veterans who are “experiencing homelessness.” But the number is down from a 2010 high of 74,000.
At Metropolitan State University-Denver, the school’s Veteran and Military Student Services program, said its director, makes every effort to meet the needs of the nearly 900 veterans or surviving spouses of veterans currently enrolled. Joe Foster, a retired Lieutenant Colonel with 28 years’ service, says its approach is as comprehensive as possible.

Because MSU-Denver has this unique population, “there is a need for both academic support and professional development,” Foster said. But another reason for the school’s support for veterans, he said, may be the result of its president. Janine Davidson, who has been MSU-Denver’s president since 2016. Davidson is also an Air Force veteran who also served as Under Secretary of the Navy in the Obama Administration.

Foster said that while most veterans enrolled at MSU-Denver do not fall into the category of homeless, any veteran with housing challenges and asking for assistance gets the office’s support. The program works regularly with city and county resources to address this issue.

It works with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, VOA, the Denver Veterans Center and a number of non-profits. It is not a matter of not wanting to directly address a veterans’ needs, Foster said, but “there are resources better designed to much more effectively handle those situations than our office.” Still, his office, he said, is the starting point when the request for help occurs.

Foster, who spent half of his career as an officer in jet aircraft maintenance and the rest as an instructor at the Air Force Academy, said that two thirds of the school’s veterans “are between 25-35.” Most, like the majority of MSU-Denver students, attend school and also have jobs. Like other schools with an older population, it’s what is known as a commuter school.

He also said that one trend that has changed over the last several years is the military experience current veteran students have had. “The big surges in combat, Iraq and Afghanistan, are now 10-15 years behind us,” said the former Air Force officer. “The ‘curve,’ those who had been in sustained and repeated combat operations, is not as represented in our veteran population.”

Nonetheless, MSU-Denver offers a counseling center for the veterans. It also keeps a veterans’ lounge for those who need computers, printing or just want to drop in. “We welcome any veteran stopping in,” Foster said. “We also have a food pantry that we like to have pretty well stocked,” for those who might want a quick snack. The pantry also provides “canned and frozen goods” that veterans can access if needed.

“We don’t advertise,” Foster said, but says anyone wanting to know its location should know it’s in the Tivoli building. But word of mouth has gotten around and the center’s “seen a significant increase in its use…it’s a place where every military student is comfortable.”

The school’s veterans’ outreach has received the highest marks from the VA, Foster said. “We recently passed a Veterans Administration compliance with zero discrepancies. That hardly ever happens with large schools.” MSU-Denver’s student population is now listed at nearly 16,000.

The challenge of meeting the needs for unhoused veterans has been made the highest priority for the federal government. HUD, VA, and USICH have all committed to addressing and reducing veteran homelessness. HUD, for example, is working with public housing authorities “in identifying additional vacant apartments and engaging landlords” to close this gap.

While the homeless or unhoused number of veterans has steadily decreased, the challenge remains vexing. In a number of studies from 1987 to 2014, the highest risk factors for homelessness among veterans were mental illness and substance abuse. Following close were low-income levels and “other income-related factors.”

In addition to the services offered to veterans at MSU-Denver, Foster also said that there is an office that aids veterans who need help with learning about and accessing veterans and military benefits. MSU-Denver also has an office of Veteran Certification.

Veteran George Autobee continues his service to his community

Joseph Rios
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Veteran George Autobee continues his service to his community

When the Vietnam War intensified some Americans at the time like Colorado native and Vietnam veteran George Autobee felt like enlisting in the military was the honorable thing to do.

Photo courtesy: George Autobee

The war was one of the longest armed conflicts in the history of the United States, spanning two decades and claiming the lives of more than 58,000 American troops. Autobee served in the 1st Marine Corps Division and was wounded twice in combat. He was eventually awarded the Purple Heart, a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving.

Born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado in 1949, Autobee enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating high school. He arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam in June 1968 where he was attached to the 1nd platoon, Mike Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division specializing in 60 mm mortars and as a rifleman.

Only two and a half months after arriving in Vietnam, Autobee was wounded in his arm when he was acting as the point man on Hill 310. He was left wounded without a weapon, and after eventually reaching a hospital, he was urgently taken into surgery. After being treated for his wound, Autobee was eventually awarded the Purple Heart and later a Gold Star.

Autobee returned to the United States in May of 1969 to pursue an undergraduate degree at what is now Colorado State University-Pueblo. Later, he earned a masters degree from the University of Northern Colorado, and in 1980, he reenlisted in the military as part of the United States Army Reserves where he became a medic.

Photo courtesy: George Autobee

Outside of the military, Autobee has had several successful ventures, including launching his own company, World Demographic Research LLC. Through his company, Autobee developed several economic studies on national, state and county Hispanic business growth reports and research on the Hispanic consumer market for the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. World Demographic Research LLC has also produced data and studies on health subjects like diabetes impact on the Hispanic community, and other work like Hispanic skiers and their economic impact on Colorado.

Autobee has also co-authored the books “The Hispanic Entrepreneurship Training Program,” “Latino Health Disparities Report 2019,” and authored the book “Marine Grunt to Medic.” He has also produced two 30-minute video documentaries and was the producer of the shows “The Weekly Issue” and “The Hispanic Chamber Review” with Telemundo Spanish TV. Autobee was responsible for directing over 100 shows.

Veteran’s Day is observed annually on Nov. 11, honoring military veterans like Autobee who have dedicated their lives to making the country better. LaVozColorado salutes Autobee for his dedication to serving his country and shining light on important subjects that affect the Hispanic/Latino community.

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