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CDOT struggles to keep up with growing transit mandate, falling behind on payments to providers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

The leader of a small nonprofit transportation provider recalled making a plea directly to a state transportation official to speed up the approval of her grant contracts before money ran short. At stake was a door-to-door shuttle service for people with disabilities, older people and low-income clients across El Paso County.Another nonprofit transit provider said it opted to put off a planned expansion of a similar paratransit service into Weld County and other northern Front Range communities while it waited for state grant reimbursements to kick in.The culprit in both cases: a contracting bottleneck this year at the Colorado Department of Transportation, which has struggled to keep up with its expanding mandate to support transit programs across the state, especially in rural areas.Recent months have brought anxiety-inducing moments for the leaders of dozens of small providers, transit agencies and bus contractors across the state. The grant contracts and payments they depend on ...

These viral Denver hoagies cost nearly $30; fans say they’re worth every penny

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

When Arthur John (AJ) Shreffler III started selling hoagies and Philly cheesesteaks out of his Denver apartment in 2019, he would skip a night of sleep to bake all the bread.Those freshly made rolls, usually semolina sesame seed, still provide the base for every one of his sandwiches, no matter what is inside, because Shreffler likes to build things from the ground up.  “The day I start buying bread [instead of baking it] is the day I shut down the business,” he said.Four years after starting the business as a hobby, Shreffler has moved the kitchen prep out of his apartment and into a string of pop-up kitchens around metro Denver. His East Coast-style hoagies — everything from chopped cheese to Italian subs to meatball grinders — sell out almost immediately after he posts them online for pre-orders.To keep up with the demand, he’s found a team of six employees to help him run Little Arthur’s Hoagies, which is currently tucked inside Sunny’s, a breakfast joint in th...

After pushback to electric vehicle charging plan, Xcel Energy proposes rebates for others to build stations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

After getting pushback to its plan to build out electric vehicle chargers, Xcel Energy-Colorado is proposing to offer rebates to private businesses that want to build their own charging stations.The Public Utilities Commission is considering a proposal by Xcel to spend $145 million to build, own and operate up to 460 fast public electric vehicle chargers over the next three years. In July, the company filed an alternative plan to spend $120 million from 2024-2026 for a program offering rebates to businesses and non-regulated entities to build charging stations.Under the alternative, Xcel, Colorado’s largest electric utility, wouldn’t own or operate the chargers. The EV charging proposal is part of Xcel’s transportation electrification plan, required by state law.Trade organizations representing convenience stores and other businesses interested in installing chargers have said utilities would have an unfair advantage in the emerging market. They said utilities can ...

8 Colorado lakes suspected of toxic algae blooms. Here’s why it’s getting worse.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

Colorado’s lakes serve as a needed respite during sweltering summer days, but as climate warms the state’s lakes are becoming more susceptible to toxic blooms of algae.Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials closed several lakes to swimming and other recreation over recent weeks due to toxic algae blooms that can sicken swimmers and kill pets. The agency closed parts of Cherry Creek Reservoir on Sunday as well as the swim beach at North Sterling Reservoir.At least four lakes and reservoirs across the state have tested positive for toxins so far this summer: Deweese Reservoir outside Westcliffe, Road Canyon Reservoir south of Lake City, Barr Lake near Brighton and Cherry Creek Reservoir outside Denver, according to data collected by Colorado Public Health and Environment. Possible blooms have been reported in eight others, including Blue Heron Lake at St. Vrain State Park outside Longmont.The number of algae blooms will increase as Colorado’s climate becomes warmer, s...

How to get a reservation at Casa Bonita

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

After three years of waiting, Casa Bonita is finally open to the public. But that doesn’t mean just anyone can walk up and dine at the beloved Lakewood restaurant, now owned by the locally-raised “South Park” creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker.So how do you get in? Here are the must-do steps involved in securing a table at the hottest joint in town. We plan to update this story as new information becomes available, so feel free to bookmark it and check back regularly.RELATED: Casa Bonita’s renovation reportedly cost $40 millionSign up for Casa Bonita’s newsletter listCasa Bonita’s Matt Stone, executive chef Dana Rodriguez and Trey Parker (Photo by Paul H. Trantow for Casa Bonita)Casa Bonita is currently selling tickets to fans who can book a day and time to attend. But there’s a catch – you have to be invited to make your purchase.The restaurant, famous for its cliff divers and sopapillas, randomly selects individuals who sign up for its email newsletter list and sends them ...

Tim Hernández, teacher who inspired Denver classroom walkout, announces run for Colorado House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

Tim Hernández, the former Denver Public Schools teacher who drew supportive protests when his contract wasn’t renewed last year, is running for a vacant Colorado House seat set to be filled later this month.Hernández is seeking to fill the House District 4 seat in northwest Denver left vacant by Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, a Democrat newly elected to the Denver City Council. The seat will be filled when a Democratic vacancy committee picks a candidate to serve the last year of Gonzales-Gutierrez’s term later this month.Also vying for the seat are Rochelle Galindo, a former House representative, and Cecelia Espenoza, an attorney and former appellate judge. The committee, composed of 68 members, is tentatively scheduled to select Gonzales-Gutierrez’s replacement on Aug. 26, the district’s chairwoman said Monday. The district leans heavily Democratic and has a large Latino population.In a statement announcing her run, Galindo — who previously represented Gr...

Boulder loses one brewery, but gains another

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

Uhl’s Brewing, which opened in Boulder in March 2020 — just three days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down every restaurant and brewery in Colorado — will close for good this weekend.Uhl’s Brewing is closing in Boulder. (Jonathan Shikes)“We have kicked and clawed our way out of so many difficult situations these last three and a half years, it’s hard to accept that the problem presented to our little brewery simply cannot be fixed,” said company founder and head brewer Aaron Uhl.Uhl’s, at 5460 Conestoga Court, was known for its unusual but trendy styles, including milkshake IPAs and adjunct-heavy barrel-aged stouts. The brewery hosts a goodbye party on Saturday, Aug. 5, so that “long-time patrons and craft-beer lovers will have the chance to enjoy the taproom space, special craft beers, and the Uhl’s Brewing team one final time,” Uhl said. Aug. 6 will be its last day.Even as Uhl’s closes, however, another beer maker has just opened ...

Car-to-car shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 hospitalized in Costa Mesa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

One person was killed and another hospitalized following a car-to-car shooting in Costa Mesa Wednesday.Police received multiple 911 calls around 12:30 a.m. reporting a shooting near the intersection of Church Street and Walnut Street. Authorities investigate a fatal shooting in Costa Mesa on Aug. 2, 2023. (KeyNews.TV)Costa Mesa Police along with California Highway Patrol officers responded to scene near the 55 Freeway to find two victims suffering from gunshot wounds inside a white vehicle. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition. Man found dead inside barrel at Malibu beach identified Authorities have yet to identify either of the victims. No descriptions of a suspect or suspects were given. Investigators are also working to determine if the killing could be connected to a car-to-car shooting reported in Diamond Bar late Tuesday night.

60 Freeway closed amid shooting investigation in Diamond Bar area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

An investigation into a shooting prompted officials to close the 60 Freeway in the Diamond Bar area Wednesday morning.Officers were called to investigate reports of a car-to-car shooting near Diamond Bar Boulevard around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, the California Highway Patrol confirmed.Authorities investigate a possible shooting in Diamond Bar on Aug. 1, 2023. (KeyNews.TV)Officials were forced to close both directions of the 60 Freeway at the 57 Freeway and close a portion of the southbound 57 at the 60 to conduct their investigation. A driver of a pickup truck who pulled over in a parking lot told authorities that someone had shot at his vehicle.No injuries were reported but video showed what appeared to be a bullet hole in the vehicle. It was unclear how long the freeway would remain closed. Delays for drivers headed westbound were already stacking up by 4:30 a.m. Car-to-car shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 hospitalized in Costa Mesa The best alternate for drivers headed westbound ap...

'Get paid when it gets paid': Fed rate hikes crunch balance-carrying cardholders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:10 GMT

(The Hill) -- Americans with credit card debt are caught in the crossfire of the Federal Reserve’s battle to bring down inflation.The average annual percentage rate (APR) for credit cards hit 22.39 percent during the second quarter of 2023, up 3.5 percentage points from the same period last year, according to a new study by WalletHub."The current average credit card APR is the highest it’s ever been in the past two decades due to the recent Fed rate hikes," WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez told The Hill. Man found dead inside barrel at Malibu beach identified Gonzalez anticipates credit card APR will increase further as a result of the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates again last week.The Fed has hiked interest rates 11 times since March 2022, raising its baseline interest rate last week to a 22-year high. Fed rate hikes are meant to slow the economy and reduce inflation by making it more expensive to borrow and owe money. While rates on some loans — such as mortgag...