Government

44 Motorcycle Deaths so far in 2018   

In Colorado, motorcycle deaths have increased 20 percent in the last five years. To keep roads safe for those traveling to and from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Colorado State Patrol (CSP) will conduct a joint DUI enforcement period from August 3 to 13. A Safe to Sturgis campaign will also enhance efforts to increase roadway safety.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper announced that Larry Wolk, MD, the state's chief medical officer and executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is resigning. Wolk has accepted the role of chief medical officer with the Wonderful Company, based in Santa Monica, California. 

An amendment cosponsored by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) to maintain Amtrak train services along the established, long-distance passenger rail route of the Southwest Chief, #3665, was included in the 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has appointed Kristei Jones as a Yuma County Court Judge in the 13th Judicial District. He fills a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Sara Marie Wagers-Johnson.  

Jones is a ranch owner and operator, as well as a location manager at the Aurora Cooperative. He has served as a Volunteer Fireman in Wauneta and Wray since 1995. He also served as the Mayor of Wray from 2008-2012, and was a member of the Wray City Council from 2004-2008. 

Do you need help dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs, IRS, Social Security Administration, or another federal agency? Do you have a suggestion for Congress that will help your family or community? If so, then Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet invites residents from Kiowa County to meet with a member of his Colorado staff.

Dwight Gardner, the representative from Bennet's office in this region, will meet one-on-one with Coloradans on Thursday July 26, 2018

In the debates that rage after each highly-publicized mass shooting, one side claims that more restrictive gun laws could prevent future such tragedies while the other side counters that the rights of law-abiding gun owners shouldn't be sacrificed because of the horrendous act of someone who disregarded existing laws.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is hosting a telephone town hall Tuesday, July 24, for the residents of Baca, Bent, Crowley, Custer, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Park, Prowers, Pueblo and Teller counties. This call will include a discussion of transportation matters in Southern Colorado and provide a forum for people to ask questions.  

Starting Monday, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies across the state will conduct a seven-day high-visibility Click It or Ticketenforcement period targeting rural areas of Colorado. These areas tend to have the lowest seat belt use rates in the state. Currently, Colorado's statewide seat belt use rate is 84 percent, ranking Colorado in the bottom third in the nation.