Headlines November 20, 2020

Due to a continued rise in cases, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has announced that Boulder County will move to a more restrictive level of recovery called, “Level Red: Severe Risk,” effective today at 5 p.m.

This is a transition from the county’s current status of “Level Orange: High Risk.” This will result in new capacity restrictions in Boulder County for some businesses. Under Level Red, community members should stay home as much as possible and public or private gatherings are limited to one household. There will be greater restrictions at the public library, recreation centers, and the police station lobby will be open for appointments only.

Restaurants will be the most severely impacted: under the order, restaurants may offer curbside and takeout until 10 p.m., delivery services, and in-person outdoor dining to tables with a single household. The last service of food, drink, and alcohol at restaurants is 8 p.m. The order also reduces or eliminates indoor capacity for most business sectors and strongly recommends remote work for all workers when possible.

CSU Announces Development of New COVID-19 Test

Colorado State University researchers hope to have a self-administered rapid antigen test they’ve developed for COVID-19 on the market by late winter or early spring. According to the Fort Collins Coloradoan, the test kit is about the size of a deck of playing cards, and includes everything a consumer would need to test themselves for the virus that causes COVID-19.

Boulder County Sheriff Goes Online for Non-emergencies

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has begun a new online reporting system that allows people to report non-emergencies and non-violent crimes without suspect information. Crimes occurring in unincorporated Boulder County or in Superior or Lyons can be filed through the system. The Boulder County Sheriff’s office is the latest agency in the county to adopt an online reporting system. The number to call is 303-441-4444.

DIA Prepares for Spike in Travel Despite Pandemic

During the pandemic, air travel has declined significantly but Thanksgiving travel is still expected to make DIA a busy place, even though airport officials are expecting a 36% decline in the number of passengers compared to last year.

The busiest days for travel should be the Sunday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving. 50,000 people are expected to go through airport checkpoints.

Masks are required for all travelers 11 years old and older. Masks are needed within any public indoor space and using or waiting to use public or other transportation services. And, just in case, masks are available to purchase at concessions or from a vending machine.

You will have to remove your mask briefly at security to show your face to a TSA agent. Security lines have been reconfigured for more social distancing.

Airport officials say if you see a crowded train, wait for the next one. They come every two to three minutes.

You can easily avoid a crowded train with DIA’s Verifly service. Verifly, available in an app, allows TSA screening reservations and provides a limited capacity train car to the gate.

DIA says more than 100 hand sanitizer dispensers are located throughout the airport and disinfecting wipe dispensers are in each gate area.

Wildlife Groups Look to President-elect Biden to Halt Border Wall

A Western group working to restore wildlife and their habitats says if President-elect Joe Biden halts construction of President Donald Trump’s signature border wall, it will benefit animal migration. Biden has said there will not be another foot of wall constructed along the border between the U.S. and Mexico when he takes office in January. Bryan Bird with Defenders of Wildlife says the Trump administration hasn’t built much new border wall but instead replaced previous vehicle barriers. He’s concerned, however, that much more of the wall could be completed before next year’s Presidential Inauguration on January 20.

“Customs and Border Protection is furiously working to complete the impenetrable wall across our southern border. They’re working day and night, regardless of the coronavirus, to finish it,” said Bird.