“The city of Loveland topped the list of best Colorado cities for recycling in 2017, boasting a 61 percent residential recycling rate for the second year in a row,” reports The Loveland Reporter-Herald. “A report released Wednesday by nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization the Colorado Public Interest Research Group and recycling nonprofit EcoCycle states that Loveland far outperformed its peers again: comparatively, Fort Collins’ residential recycling rate was 29 percent; Boulder’s, 52 percent; and Aspen’s, 40 percent.”
“The Boulder County District Attorney was spared further sanctions Thursday in a sexual assault case where the defense said the prosecution handed over a large piece of evidence more than six months after the initial arrest,” reports The Longmont Times-Call. “Boulder County District Judge Judith LaBuda ruled that, while the action was a violation, a sufficient sanction had already been imposed on the prosecution.”
“Would-be customers of a Grand Junction-based sign company under fire for falling months behind in production shouldn’t expect a refund anytime soon,” reports The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. “Anand Houston, founder of Kraken Design Co., 2403 Riverside Parkway, said Tuesday that his business is in dire financial straits, and that he won’t be able to give refunds to the crowd of unhappy customers knocking on his digital door unless he finds a buyer or somehow gets a cash infusion.”
“The search is on to establish a new off-leash trail for dog owners and pets as off-leash dogs will no longer be allowed on Blackmer Trail beginning Jan. 1,” reports The Steamboat Pilot. “The Steamboat Springs Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the issue at its Wednesday, Nov. 15 meeting and will address off-leash trails again at its Nov. 28 meeting. On Wednesday, the commission’s leading contender for a replacement to Blackmer was the Blue Sage Trail — a proposal that is no longer under consideration in light of the trail’s proximity to city public works and water operations. Another area under consideration is Stehley Park.”
“It was no secret that Colorado’s unaffiliated voters were going to decide the 2018 mid-term election, but a post-election telephone survey showed they strongly rejected Republican candidates and President Donald Trump,” reports The Pueblo Chieftain. “Magellan Strategies, a conservative-leaning polling firm in Lousiville, surveyed 500 unaffiliated voters last week and got “extraordinary” results, although grim ones for Republicans. “It was extraordinary because in the past 20 years, never has one political party been so overwhelmingly rejected at every level of representative government by the electorate,” wrote Dave Flaherty of Magellan. Democrats won the governor’s race along with attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state — as well as taking control of the state Senate and strengthening their hold on the House.”
“With one election over, another may be looming,” reports Vail Daily. “When the new Avon Town Council is sworn in on Tuesday, Dec. 11, one of its first action items will be to decide if it wants to hold a special election regarding the fate of the Hahnewald barn.”
“Three distinctive and historical area homes and one winery, all beautifully decorated for the holidays, are opening their doors to the public for the Fremont County Community Concert Association’s sixth annual Holiday Home Tour,” reports The Cañon City Daily Record. “The self-guided tour will be from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 and includes two residences in Florence, one in Cañon City and Legatum Cellars Winery. Numerous door prizes will be awarded after the tour. Winners will be notified by phone.”
“Isak Heartstone the troll has done exactly what trolls do: he has raised fear and anxiety, caused conflict between neighbors, incited peaceful warriors to a fury of rage, instigated name-calling and blame, emboldened harsh words and recrimination, and worse,” reports Summit Daily. “Throughout their mythology, trolls are not kindly toward humans. They threaten us injury and insult, maybe even eat us. Communities of lore with a troll in their midst banish them, like Billy Goat Gruff triumphing over the troll under the bridge by head-butting him into the swift flowing river. Trolls also bring out the best in us, inspiring compassion and empathy. So many people love Isak Heartstone and are bereft at his loss. With a troll not unlike the lovable, bumbling, farting ogre Shrek, people want to give him a hug and reassurance: “You poor thing, I know you’re big and ugly and everybody hates you, but I love you.”
“Colorado’s attorney general is being asked to look into a trip Gov. John Hickenlooper allegedly took to visit Tesla Automotive’s Nevada facility for making electric cars just before ordering the state to take up low-emission vehicle standards,” reports The Denver Post. “The trip was allegedly on a corporate jet owned by Tesla or its co-founder and CEO, Elon Musk, according to a letter Sen. John Cooke sent Thursday to Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. Hickenlooper’s office on Thursday said the claims were false.”
“Boulder County officials assert the ongoing efforts to rebuild from the devastation of the 2013 flood will not be impacted by next year’s sunset of the flood recovery sales and use tax,” reports The Boulder Daily Camera. “That claim comes even as the county this year discovered it could be on the hook for as much as $37 million it believed would come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with flood recovery projects. However, officials believe the issue holding up reimbursement from FEMA will be ironed out with the implementation of federal legislation passed in October. But it could be years until the county knows the final amount it will receive from the agency, according to Boulder County Commissioners’ Deputy Michelle Krezek.”
“More than a 1,000 people responded to a city questionnaire asking what they want Fort Collins to look like in 2040. The problem, according to city officials: Those respondents don’t necessarily look like Fort Collins as it is today,” reports The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. “About 1 in 10 Fort Collins residents identify as Latino while only 1 in 20 respondents identified as such. Just more than half of residents are homeowners, but 80 percent of respondents were homeowners. And while about 53 percent of residents have at least a bachelor’s degree, three-fourths of respondents did.”
“About 40 homeless people camping west of Durango were told Wednesday by the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office they have 48 hours to move. Deputies ‘tagged’ camps and informed campers of the eviction on the eastern slopes of Hogsback, a popular hiking area and ridgeline just west of city limits,” reports The Durango Herald. “The Sheriff’s Office plans to return to the slopes Friday to reassess the situation and try to assist as many people as possible, said spokesman Chris Burke. Exactly what will happen then is unclear, he said. The sweep was prompted by area residents who reported trash and nuisance foot traffic in the area, Burke said. “Some of the homeowners are at wits’ end,” he said. Campsites speckled the eastern slope of Hogsback on Wednesday afternoon, many strewn with garbage. The Sheriff’s Office cleaned up the area about a month ago, Burke said, but since then, the area has been trashed.”
