Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Thursday morning.
If you'd like to read the full story, be sure to click on the story headline.
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Donthe Lucas murder trial delayed until Feb. 24 due to positive COVID-19 case
The murder trial of Donthe Lucas, the man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend Kelsie Schelling, has been delayed until Feb. 24 due to a positive COVID-19 test in the courtroom. News5's Colette Bordelon reports the judge joined the courtroom virtually to notify everyone of the delay. The health department recommends a quarantine of 14 days and since there was a possibility of exposure due to someone who was positive being in the courtroom, the court is following this guidance.
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Custer County community divided over mask mandates
Residents in Custer County are divided over whether or not masks should be "mandated" or "recommended." The controversy was catalyzed after Custer's Public Health Agency announced they would be no longer be "requiring" masks in the courthouse, only "highly recommending." Meanwhile, other residents who contacted News5 say they are very concerned about the lack of mask enforcement around the county.
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Another foggy morning and cold afternoon
We're going to be cold and foggy once again in southern Colorado today, especially through the morning. The afternoon should be dry, but temperatures will struggle to rise above 30 degrees for areas below 7,000 feet.
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News5 Investigates: Will El Paso County ever open a mass public COVID-19 vaccine site?
For several weeks, Pueblo County's public COVID-19 vaccine clinic has been up and running at the Pueblo Mall. So far, El Paso County Public Health has not followed suit and you asked us to look into what happened. Dr. Robin Johnson, El Paso County's medical director said instead of having one mass clinic, El Paso County Public Health has partnered with Centura Health, a handful of primary care practioners and UCHealth to handle vaccinations.
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Protest planned at D49 board meeting over decision to reprimand teacher for BLM mural in art lesson
A local organization is planning a protest at District 49's Board Meeting today after the district reprimanded a teacher for violating policy by including depictions of Black Lives Matter. The protest is being organized by The Empowerment Solidarity Network to show support for the teacher and denounce systemic racism.
According to the district, fourth-graders in the Art Explore class at Bennett Ranch Elementary engaged in the lesson on January 19 and 20. While the contents of the lesson met state academic standards related to culture, the material over Black Lives Matter was presented without following district policy of notifying parents about potentially controversial topics.
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