Colorado Government News

“And the sinkhole can become a distant memory, just eight-and-a-half days after it occurred”

" The weather halted work on the sinkhole on northbound Interstate 25 at 58th Avenue on Thursday, but the Colorado Department of Transportation says it has big plans for Friday. via 9NEWS

A panel appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to find funding for the state's crumbling bridges and roads told lawmakers Tuesday that they need to find at least $500 million a year just to keep the highway system running.

Doug Aden, chairman of the Colorado Transportation Commission, warned legislators that the state's highways are in trouble.

"We've looked at our surface treatment where we're not meeting our goals, we've looked at the increasing backlog of bridges that need to be repaired, we're not meeting our goals for maintenance levels of service, we're running our equipment to 150 percent of its useful life. You can go on down the list of challenges the Colorado Department of Transportation is facing," he told legislators. Read more

“We call that a 'water hammer.' The pressure is much higher and the result is obviously not what we desired.”

" Colorado Department of Transportation crews have been working around the clock to fill a massive sinkhole and repave northbound Interstate 25 at 58th Avenue after a water main break triggered the problem on ... via 9NEWS

Denver Published 41 minute ago The state's snowpack is building to its biggest level in more than a decade, as snow keeps piling up in Colorado's mountains. via KOAA-TV Pueblo

“We think it's unethical, unfair and unsporting”

Lawmakers killed a bill Wednesday that would have made it illegal to kill wildlife while they are penned in after sports groups and ranchers said it would hurt their industries. via Cbs4denver.com

“This announcement signals the start of Colorado benefiting from the responsible development of our resources on the Western Slope”

Federal officials plan to begin cleaning up an old oil shale research site at the Roan Plateau this summer, which means Colorado will soon start getting its share of revenue from energy development, Colorado ... via The Summit County Journal

Water from a broken pipeline gouged a sinkhole spanning three lanes of Interstate 25 near downtown Denver, closing the northbound lanes of the highway Thursday.

No vehicles went into the hole, which opened around 3 p.m., while it was still daylight.

Water filled the 16-foot-deep crater that was 40 feet wide, sinking the pavement in three lanes and the right shoulder. Authorities were not certain if damage extended beyond that.

The flood came from a burst 66-inch main, the Colorado Department of Transportation said. Read more

“This is an important step toward consolidating and improving our homeland security programs, reducing fragmentation, and eliminating inefficiencies and duplication in the homeland security mission”

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter on Monday created a Cabinet-level post to provide greater oversight to homeland security efforts in the state. via The Denver Business Journal

By Tyler Petersen - Jan 28th, 2008 at 7:29 pm MST You can rate this post. Register or login now and tell us what you think. via Progress Now Action

“And where we decide to go as a state and a country with paper in elections _ that's the debate we're having. But other industries have already had this debate and they've made their decisions.”

Six years after Georgia elections officials took their brand new touchscreen voting machines on an introductory roadshow, it's safe to say that most voters heading to the polls on Tuesday are familiar with the devices by now.

As the first state to adopt uniform statewide electronic voting, Georgia holds the longest track record with electronic voting machines. And amid mounting concern elsewhere about the reliability of the machines, the state hopes its history can be a model for other governments. Read more

“These deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran”

By Rick Maze - Staff writer Posted : Thursday Jan 31, 2008 16:37:32 EST Mileage reimbursement rates for veterans visiting Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics will jump tomorrow to 28.5 cents ... via Marine Corps Times

“Individuals must educate themselves about managing their arthritis. There are many self-help programs and resources available for people to manage arthritis and the pain and disability that come with the disease.”

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that arthritis is hitting the nation's aging population of baby boomers and is projected to increase by 40 percent in the next two ... via The Colorado Department of Public Hea...

“The notion of taking people and putting them in a system that is broken doesn't make sense”

Members of a blue ribbon commission studying health care reform said Wednesday they will offer lawmakers a menu of options they hope will eventually allow all 792,000 uninsured residents of Colorado get health ... via Cbs4denver.com

Travelers on Interstate 70 will encounter intermittant closures on Vail Pass Tuesday, while the Colorado Department of Transportation conducts avalanche control work. via The Aspen Times

“We are being proactive and working with state agencies, particularly Human Services, to ensure they are complying with NVRA”

A voting advocacy group says Colorado hasn't done a good job of registering people receiving public assistance, including food stamps and Medicaid. via Cbs4denver.com

“These seven candidates represent a cross-section of the Colorado legal community”

Anyone wanting a definition of congressional gridlock doesn't have to look any further than the confrontation between Colorado Sens. via Pueblo Chieftain

“This is not a privilege, this is a right to use your land, and it's being turned into a privilege”

Colorado lawmakers voted to tighten the rules for off-road vehicles Tuesday despite objections that the state is taking away access to federal lands. via Cbs4denver.com

“We are gravely concerned that the draft rules will have a punitive impact on the industry at a time when already high energy prices are pinching Colorado's working families like never before. As written, the draft rules are unacceptable”

Republican and Democratic lawmakers sent Gov. Bill Ritter a strongly worded letter on Tuesday saying that proposed regulations for oil and gas production are "unacceptable" and would cripple the industry, which ... via Glenwood Springs Post-Independent

“It struck me that there is no reason we can't make this last year of the Bush administration a success for America”

Colorado legislators prioritized the nation's economy Monday night, committing to work with President Bush to stave off a recession as Bush gave the final State of the Union of his administration. via The Associated Press