Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Friday morning.
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Colorado Springs, El Paso County representatives share winter weather plans
The big takeaway for this weekend's snow is to stay home if you do not need to travel. Colorado Springs and El Paso County representatives from public works, utilities and emergency management have been preparing and have an action plan in place for this weekend. Colorado Springs is currently looking at 3 to 9 inches of snow from the storm. Gov. Jared Polis also announced Thursday he would be activating the National Guard today at noon through Monday at noon to respond to search and rescue requests.
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Colorado says no gap in federal unemployment benefits expected after Biden signs stimulus bill
Most Coloradans who are currently receiving federal unemployment benefits will not see a gap this month after President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion stimulus package Thursday which extends the programs currently in place, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said.
CDLE officials said that the department had asked for and received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to deploy the extended federal unemployment benefits contained within the American Rescue Plan, which Biden signed Thursday, before the USDOL sends official guidance on the extensions.
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Carbon monoxide: A warning about the silent killer ahead of snowstorm
As a winter storm heads toward Southern Colorado, there are the threats we can see and those we cannot. The combination of the two can be deadly. Of course, obvious hazards are road conditions during winter weather. Captain John Lupton, the troop commander for the Colorado State Patrol out of El Paso County, said there will likely be closures of I-25 this weekend and he does not recommend people try to use other less-traveled roads.
Ideally, carbon monoxide leaks would be noticed through alarms. However, the El Paso County Coroner Dr. Leon Kelly said they have seen an increase in deaths related to carbon monoxide poisoning this winter
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Biden directs states to make vaccines available to all adults by May 1
President Joe Biden will direct states to make coronavirus vaccines available to all adults by May 1 in an effort to return the US to a state of normalcy by July 4, the president announced in his first prime-time address as president on Thursday. Biden called on the public to get vaccinated in an effort to helping the U.S. get back to normal. The speech commemorated the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration naming the coronavirus a pandemic.
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Town of Monument coordinating with local, state agencies to prepare for winter storm
The winter storm is expected to be a high-impact event for some areas, including in Monument. Ahead of the storm, the town is coordinating with local and state agencies to share additional resources and develop a plan if conditions worsen. With heavy snow expected for the area, residents are encouraged to stay at home and avoid traveling over the weekend.
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