Headlines April 8, 2021
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COVID-19 Cases Are on the Rise Again in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment reported increased hospitalization rates Wednesday with 450 people currently hospitalized for the virus. That’s the highest number since mid-February. The increase comes despite more vaccinations and may be connected to more contagious variants as well as relaxed restrictions in some counties.
Boulder County reported 127 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday along with seven additional hospitalizations. There were no new deaths from the virus in the county. Coronavirus variants continue to spread among Boulder County residents. To date, county officials report 66 variant cases detected. Most of those cases are the B 117 variant. At a briefing Wednesday, a Boulder County Public Health representative said cases are again spiking among student-age residents 18-22 years old.
Commissioners Approve Rocky Flats Crossing
Black residents of Denver are more likely to be ticketed for common offenses than white residents, according to an analysis by Denverite. In their report, Denverite broke down the ten most common crimes in the Denver Police Department’s database over the past three years. In all categories, Black people were cited or arrested at a higher percentage than their share of the city’s population, which is just under 10%. In tickets issued for drug paraphernalia, for example, 40% went to Black residents between 2018 and 2020. 30% of citations for driving without a license and for trespassing went to Black people. Several factors may influence these disparities, according to experts cited by Denverite. These include racial bias among the people who call the police to report possible crimes. 40% of all municipal court cases in Denver are people experiencing homelessness. People of color are disproportionately represented among the unhoused population.
