August 5-9, 2024
Each week, KUNC collects and curates some of the most important stories that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
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Recovery begins for residents with Front Range fires under control
Two more fires on the Front Range were fully contained this week — the Quarry Fire southwest of Denver and The Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County — and firefighters are closing in on full containment on the Alexander Mountain Fire. As of this morning, it’s 91% contained.
The Alexander Mountain Fire west of Loveland started July 29. Management of the fire has been and local agencies. Officials are focused on connecting homeowners with .
A Disaster Assistance Center is open at the Ranch Events Center in Loveland for residents impacted by the fire. The one-stop-shop will offer residents help on everything from site cleanup and insurance to counseling and mental health. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
The Forest Service said Friday that the cause of the Alexander Mountain Fire was determined to be human caused. The Quarry Fire is being investigated as arson.
Olympic glory for Colorado athletes in Paris
Dozens of athletes from Colorado are in Paris for the 2024 Olympics, and some have claimed medals in their events.
This week, became the first American woman to win two gold medals in discus throwing. Colorado Springs resident Sarah Hildenbrandt for Team USA in the women’s wrestling freestyle 50KG.
Other Colorado Olympians are headed into their finals this weekend.
Lindsay Horan, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson play on Saturday with the U.S. Women’s soccer team in the final against Brazil. The game starts at 9 a.m. and has scored 3 goals for Team USA in Olympic play.
Boulder resident Brooke Raboutou is competing in the Women’s Climbing Combined Event on Saturday. Raboutou is hoping to be the first American to win a medal in women’s climbing.
Also on Saturday, the U.S. Men’s Basketball team heads to the 5x5 final against France after defeating Serbia and the Denver Nuggets’ Nikole Jokic Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Denver’s Haleigh Washington and Aurora’s Jordyn Poulter go for gold in women’s volleyball against Italy on Sunday. The match is scheduled for 5 a.m.
State GOP can vote on Williams ouster, judge says
State Republican Party leaders are free to hold a vote on the removal of party Chairman Dave Williams after a judge reversed an order this week. Arapahoe County District Court Judge Thomas W. Henderson rescinded his previous order, temporarily blocking a vote.
The order was in response to a lawsuit Williams filed last month. Henderson now says last week’s order was wrong because he lacked jurisdiction. The GOP central committee plans to hold the vote during a meeting on August 24 in Brighton.
Hickenlooper trying to address the traumatic legacy of Indian boarding schools
Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper is backing a bill in Washington that would create a federal commission to investigate the history of American Indian boarding schools across the nation. Hundreds of thousands of Indigenous children were removed from their homes and forced to assimilate into Western culture — from cutting their hair to speaking only English.
Hickenlooper says the schools might be gone, but the trauma they inflicted remains. Here in Colorado, a new state law took effect this week that puts $1 million toward more research into boarding schools and their legacy.
will interview more than 30 tribal nation representatives. They hope their work will create a more holistic, accurate account for future generations.
Heat closes Yampa River
The city of Steamboat Springs closed the Yampa River to recreation this week due to high water temperatures. Warm water can be dangerous for fish, and boaters and anglers could stress them out even more. Water in the Yampa had been higher than 75 degrees for multiple days in a row.
Commercial river outfitters were forced to suspend operations. The closure is voluntary for the public.
Steamboat Springs officials said the river would reopen Saturday.
New Boulder program works to change how police respond to neurodivergence
Boulder Police have created a new program that helps identify autistic individuals so officers can respond to situations appropriately. is the first of its kind in Colorado. It's the result of police outreach to Boulder's autistic community and conversations with the .
Special decals were created with inclusive wording and images to act as an alert. When displayed on a vehicle or home, the decal signals that someone may be autistic. With appropriate training, police can use the decal to adjust their response to certain situations involving neurodivergent people.
Decals can be picked up at the Boulder Police Department.
A poop crusade on Colorado’s high peaks
As the popularity of Colorado’s 14ers has grown, so has their poop problem. Hikers often leave human waste behind. wants to change that. The campaign educates the public about best practices for packing out their own waste.
At a kiosk at the Mount Elbert trailhead you can get free bags to do your duty in. PACT Outdoors, the outdoor bathroom kit company that organized the campaign, says it hopes to make best wilderness pooping practices more approachable.
The bags are double-sealed and contain a powder that controls odor and breaks down waste. The initiative will expand to other 14ers next year.
Remember COVID? Yeah, it’s still here
COVID-19 cases are surging again this summer across the US. Colorado reported more than 2,400 confirmed cases this week, a number that has been steadily increasing since mid-May.
Epidemiologist Dr. Katelyn Jetelina says the surge is a result of people spending more time inside because it's hot out (the virus spreads easily indoors), how quickly the virus mutates (twice as fast as the flu), and the fact that individual immunity wanes over time.
Jetelina urges people to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine. If you’re cooped up inside trying to stay cool, open windows when possible to increase air circulation.
