Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Friday morning.
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Firefighters make progress in fighting YMCA Fire
Fire officials announced Thursday that the YMCA Fire burning near the Royal Gorge has been determined to have been started by lightning. Thursday night firefighters said crews were able to take advantage of retardant put down by aircraft to make progress on the YMCA Fire in Fremont County, containing about 30% of the fire's perimeter. Fire officials from the Bureau of Land Management said Thursday night the fire was mapped at 293 acres.
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Thousands of jobs available in Southern Colorado
Last week alone, nearly 14,000 Coloradans filed for some form of unemployment. Since March 29, the state has paid out an estimated $3.3 billion dollars in unemployment benefits. The top five industries with the most workers filing for unemployment claims are accommodation and food services, health care and social services, administrative positions, retail, and the manufacturing industry. Even though there are thousands of jobs up for grabs, the unemployment rate is still high.
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Hot and dry day to end the week
Southern Colorado will see an interesting start to the day and more of a classic hot and dry end to the day. Low level clouds and very humid, moist air were pushed from the plains up into the front range and I-25 corridor, leaving most with a very humid and muggy feel during the early morning hours.
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Colorado governor doesn't rule out mask mandate but makes clear: 'Wear a damn mask!'
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis did not rule out a statewide mask mandate in a news conference Thursday but made clear in his plainest terms yet how he feels about Coloradans and visitors to the state wearing them: “Wear a damn mask!” The governor’s exclamation came in response to a question about why he had not issued a statewide mandate for face coverings or masks, as have some other states in response to their massive spikes in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
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Pueblo deciding how to allocate CARES Act funds
A group consisting of entities like Pueblo city and county governments, along with the health department will determine how $14 million from the CARES Act will be split. The county says it wants to use the money to pay employees, along with figuring out different ways to serve its citizens while respecting the COVID-19 restrictions.
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