Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Wednesday morning.
If you'd like to read the full story, be sure to click on the story headline.
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Gov. Jared Polis to issue 30-day statewide fire ban
During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis addressed the multiple wildfires burning across the state.
There are four large Colorado wildfires that continued to grow over the weekend and officials offered a dose of reality: The burning may not stop anytime soon. Polis said he would issue a 30-day statewide fire ban today that will go into effect tomorrow.
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Crews combat fire at duplex in Old Colorado City, 1 person still missing
One person is unaccounted for after crews responded to a duplex fire in Old Colorado City Tuesday night, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. The fire department responded around 11 p.m. to the duplex on North 14th Street. After 45 minutes of fighting the fire, the duplex suffered severe fire damage and the roof collapsed as a result. Firefighters said there was one person accounted for and investigators would return Wednesday morning to enter the building.
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Hot and smoky with strong to severe storms later today
We are going to see hot and smoky skies across Colorado today, with strong to severe storms coming back in the mid to late afternoon. Storms will likely be strong to severe today, with the biggest storm risks being hail, strong winds, and lightning-induced fires.
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No agreement reached on Columbus statue in Pueblo during meeting with mediator
The future of Pueblo's Columbus statue is on hold. Mayor Nick Gradisar said there was progress made in the meeting between opposing sides of the statue debate and a mediator, but no agreements could be reached. The mayor also said there will be no future meetings. The Pueblo City Council has approved the hiring of a mediator to aid in the ongoing debate over the Christopher Columbus statue earlier this month after weeks of protests at the Mesa Junction monument.
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Colorado joins lawsuit against USPS over cuts and changes; Postmaster General backs off
Colorado is part of a multistate lawsuit that was filed Tuesday against the U.S. Postal Service over reported changes that have led Colorado leaders to claim the Trump administration is deliberately slowing mail and committing voter suppression, though the Postmaster General announced he was backing off some of those changes shortly afterward. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office confirmed it was party to a lawsuit that was filed early Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Washington state.
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