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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Variances at risk for certain counties due to rising coronavirus cases
More than a dozen Colorado counties are at risk of having their variances revoked if they cannot slow the spread of coronavirus in their communities. El Paso, Custer, and Chaffee Counties all have two weeks to reverse their increases of coronavirus cases in order to maintain their variances. Gov. Jared Polis also issued an executive order on Tuesday suspending alcohol sales after 10 p.m. for establishments with a liquor license. The order will last for the next 30 days and goes into effect on Thursday morning. According to the governor, the goal is to reduce irresponsible behavior that can spread the virus.
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Pueblo D70 Board of Education votes to open schools remotely
The Pueblo District 70 Board of Education has voted unanimously to start the school year remotely. The board convened remotely Tuesday and approved the Remote Start Option. Leading up to this vote, the district reviewed a 15-page re-entry plan Friday that detailed what the fall would look like in both formats once students begin Aug. 24. In a statement released Tuesday evening, the district said students will start on Aug. 24 with remote online learning for four weeks and then will transition (depending on local COVID-19 positive case conditions) into a Hybrid In-Person delivery mode on Sept. 21.
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Hotter today with most of the rain staying west of I-25
Today is going to be hotter and drier overall, but there will still be plenty of moisture out in the mountains. Most of the rain today will stay out west of I-25, but a few stray showers and storms could develop in border mountain towns like Colorado Springs or Canon City.
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Gov. Jared Polis announces 10 p.m. last call for alcohol in establishments
Gov. Jared Polis announced Tuesday there would be further guidelines in public places to help combat COVID-19. Polis said the last call for alcohol will now be at 10 p.m. for the next 30 days, citing drinking as a way of limiting social distancing in public environments. The governor’s ban on alcohol sales past 10 p.m. at restaurants and bars that function as restaurants does not prevent those establishments from operating past 10 p.m. However, they can’t serve alcohol past that time.
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Local charter school offers glimpse into in-person, remote learning
As the school year approaches, there is much debate about whether children should return in-person or online. Coperni 3, a local charter school, has been doing in-person as well as online all summer long and will continue into the fall. The school has strict health and safety guidelines. Coperni 3 offers in-person learning, online remote, and hybrid which is case by case. For children remote, teachers use a web camera, Zoom and wireless microphone.
