Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Tuesday morning.
If you'd like to read the full story, be sure to click on the story headline.
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Gov. Polis orders hospitals to use second doses of COVID-19 vaccines right away
Some 40,000 Coloradans aged 70 and up will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine earlier than expected after Governor Jared Polis ordered hospitals to repurpose second doses of the vaccine as first doses.
In a letter to vaccine providers sent Monday, Gov. Polis said the state had received large quantities of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and instead of letting them sit on shelves to be applied as second doses, Polis ordered hospitals to get them into the arms of Coloradans who need them immediately.
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Hazardous driving conditions south of the Pikes Peak Region
Heavy snow fell across southern Colorado last night, mainly in areas south of the Pikes Peak Region. We still have heavy snow on the radar, mainly from Pueblo down to Walsenburg and out west in the Wet and Sangre De Cristo Mountains.
Here's a list of school closures and delays:
• Cotopaxi Fremont RE-3 - Cotopaxi Schools are moving to remote learning for all students today due to weather and road conditions.
• Cripple Creek-Victor - 2 Hours Late
• La Veta Sch. Dist. RE-2 - Closed. K-12 Remote Learning.
• Primero RE-2 School District: Closed UPDATE
• Pueblo Dist. 70 - Mountain schools CLOSED (Rye, Craver, Beulah) and in E-Learning today. Pueblo West and Mesa schools will be on a 2-hour delay. No morning Pre School. Afternoon Pre School as scheduled in PW and Mesa areas only. More Info Here
• St. John Neumann Catholic School - 2 Hours Late
• Fremont Co. Head Start - Remote learning day for children. Staff report as scheduled
• Holy Trinity Academy in Trinidad closed today with no e-learning
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Cold and gloomy behind last night's snow!
Snow was falling heavily last night for most areas south of El Paso and Teller county! Some of the heaviest hit areas were south of Pueblo and west into the Wet and Sangre De Cristo mountains. Be very careful driving on La Veta, Raton, and even Monarch Pass early in the morning.
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Pikes Peak United Way among nonprofits awarded grant to address racial equity, systemic racism
For many years, Kaiser Permanente has honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by volunteering on MLK Day at dozens of nonprofits across the state—providing hundreds of employees and physicians to help. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente shifted its focus from volunteering to providing grants. This year, the company is awarding $500,000 to five nonprofits across Colorado to aid in advancing racial equity and addressing systemic racism. One of those organizations is right here in Colorado Springs: Pikes Peak United Way.
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President Trump to issue up to 100 pardons on Tuesday before leaving office, reports say
In what will be one of his final acts as commander-in-chief, President Donald Trump is expected to issue dozens of pardons on Tuesday — his final full day in office. CNN, The Washington Post and the New York Times all report that Trump will announce an extensive list of pardons at some point on Tuesday — though it's unclear who will be included. CNN and Fox News report that a meeting took place at the White House on Sunday to finalize the list of those included.
The various reports indicate that Trump could issue between 50 and 100 pardons on Tuesday.
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