Headlines December 10, 2021
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Teens Ages 16 and 17 Can Now Receive The Pfizer COVID-19 Booster
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendation for adolescents age 16 and 17. The CDC expansion increases protection against the Omicron and Delta COVID-19 variant.
The state health department recommends those who are eligible to get a booster dose, to do so as soon as possible prior to holiday gatherings. A booster dose takes two weeks to build maximum protection.
Coloradans can get more information about vaccines and where to get vaccinated at covid19.colorado.gov/vaccinefinder.
Study Finds Chronic Exposure To Air Pollution May Increase Risk For ICU Admission Or Death Among COVID-19 Patients
Researchers at the Mount Sinai Health System have found hospitalized COVID-19 patients who live with intense air pollution have increased risk for intensive care unit admission and death as compared to those who live in areas with lower particulate matter.
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine published the study’s findings earlier this week.Researchers associated chronic exposure to particulate matter, even at concentrations below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory standards, with an 11 percent higher risk of mortality and a 13 percent higher risk of admission to the ICU. The study’s exploratory analysis also suggests younger people of color may be particularly vulnerable.
Boulder Police Arrest 21-year-old Male In Connection To Shooting On University Hill
The Boulder Police Department arrested a 21-year-old male Wednesday evening in connection with gunshots fired at 12th and College Street earlier in the week.
As police responded to the University Hill area at 6 AM Monday, they tracked the sound of gunfire to the suspect’s apartment and found the suspect intoxicated and an AK-47 rifle with a scratched-out serial number in his room. Police did not find any evidence of damaged property and there were no reports of injuries.
Police have charged the suspect with multiple firearm felonies and misdemeanors, including the unlawful purchase of firearms, menacing with a deadly weapon, defacing a firearm, reckless endangerment, and prohibited use of weapons.
According to The Daily Camera, the suspect is already facing a felony menacing case following an arrest in September.
Enduring “Old Main Cottonwood” To Be Removed From CU Campus
CU Boulder’s oldest and tallest tree on campus is scheduled to be removed over the upcoming Winter Break.The historic “Old Main Cottonwood” tree has been standing next to the Old Main Chapel, across the street from Mackey Auditorium, for more than 140 years. It was one of 42 plains cottonwoods the university planted in 1879.
Plains cottonwoods average a lifespan of 70 years and reach about 60 to 80 feet in height. The Old Main Cottonwood grew to 110 feet tall and 19 feet in circumference at the base of the trunk.
It’s not over yet for the Old Main Cottonwood. Because of its superior genetics and a desire for its legacy to endure, cuttings were taken and rooted in 2014. There are now four six-foot tall clones of the tree in the campus greenhouse set to be planted in the coming years.
The bottom portion of the trunk will be preserved, and next spring semester, there will be a celebration of the tree with a commemorative plaque at its base. The path next to the Old Main Cottonwood will be renovated, with the possibility of using some of the tree’s wood in the renovation.
CSU Pueblo Offers Free Tuition For Low-Income, In-state, First-time College Students
Colorado State University Pueblo has introduced an enrollment initiative that will provide free tuition for in-state, first-time college students with gross family incomes up to $50,000.
The Pueblo Chieftain reports students receiving the Colorado Promise Scholarship will need to be enrolled full time and will receive one year of paid tuition guaranteed. Students may reapply to get up to four years of free tuition.
University officials told the Pueblo Chieftain the initiative will truly make college more affordable and is part of a larger strategy under the 2028 Vision plan by CSU Pueblo President Timothy Mottet.
American Indian College Fund Receives $1 Million From The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The American Indian College Fund out of Denver has announced that it has received a $1 million grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative as support for the organization’s work in helping Indigenous students access higher education. The College Fund made the announcement earlier this week.
According to the organization’s press release, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative chose the College Fund based on its longtime work providing scholarships, academic and career programs, and financial and programmatic support to the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities.
The organization’s press release also reports the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has focused its funding to non-profit organizations whose work promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. Along with the American Indian College Fund, the initiative funded over 90 non-profit organizations.