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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Colorado Springs teachers frustrated over lawmakers getting COVID-19 vaccine before high-risk groups
Colorado lawmakers will get access to the COVID-19 vaccine as early as this week, despite adults 70 and older and teachers not receiving it yet. This comes after Governor Jared Polis moved state legislators and other essential government workers into Phase 1B.
With the new changes to the state's distribution plan, local educators are voicing their frustrations over lawmakers being prioritized, especially over high-risk groups.
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Alabama announced as permanent US Space Command headquarters
Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, has been selected as the preferred permanent headquarters for U.S. Space Command, according to a release from the U.S. Air Force. Colorado Springs was named as one of six finalists in mid-November after the U.S. Air Force spent months of evaluation considering over 40 communities.
The Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC stated in a release that while this announcement concludes the evaluation process that has been underway since late 2018, it will continue to work with state and federal leaders to "encourage the incoming Biden administration to accept the U.S. Air Force's recommendation."
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High winds across Colorado today with much colder air temperatures
High winds are expected today behind a cold front that passed through Colorado around midnight last night. We could see 30 to 50 mph gusts along and east of I-25 today and 60 to 70 mph gusts over some of the mountains. North winds will continuously drop cold air into the state today, so we will only warm up to highs in the 40s this afternoon.
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Data shows crime in Pueblo continues to decrease
Recently released data shows that Pueblo's crime rate decreased from 2019 to 2020, the same downward trend that's been happening every year since 2017. Although the rates between 2019 and 2020 only went down 4%, the total rates have decreased by over 20% since 2017.
The Pueblo Police Department's public information officer said the downward trend in crime began when they received more money from Measure 2B, which raised the sales tax and helped hire over 20 new officers.
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Impeached again; Trump becomes first US president to be impeached twice
The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time, marking the fourth impeachment of a US president in history. Trump also became the first president to be impeached by the House twice.
Congress admonished his role in last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol that killed five people. Ten Republican representatives, including Liz Cheney, R-Wy., the GOP caucus' third-ranking members, were among those who joined the Democratic majority in voting in favor of impeachment.
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