Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Friday morning.
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New solar energy and battery facility coming to Colorado Springs Utilities
Colorado Springs Utilities customers will soon receive more of their electricity from the sun. The city-owned utility announced plans for a 175-megawatt (MW) solar farm to be coupled with a 25 MW battery storage system, all built and installed by Boulder-based juwi Inc. The additional power will broaden the community's renewable energy production to roughly 27% of Colorado Springs Utilities' energy portfolio. It will also help to meet the new state-mandated 80 percent carbon reduction by the year 2030.
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CHSAA releases details on high school football for fall or spring seasons
After announcing Wednesday night that high school football will happen in the fall in Colorado, the Colorado High School Activities Association announced some new updates to the season Thursday afternoon. According to a release, it is up to each specific school to decide whether they will play in Season A (fall) or Season C (spring) and they can only play in one season. Schools have until Monday, Sept. 21, at 8 a.m. to make their decisions. Each season will be structured the same and there will be a champion named in each season, according to CHSAA.
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Firefighters making 'excellent progress' at Cameron Peak Fire ahead of more ideal conditions
Firefighters at the Cameron Peak Fire are continuing to make “excellent progress” around the perimeter of the fire, according to the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Program. The most active section of the 102,596-acre fire on Wednesday was the Green Ridge area along Highway 14, officials said. This region of the fire has a steep slope and dry and dead beetle-kill trees. However, firefighters were able to make progress on the fire line here with the help of aerial crews. The containment remains at 8%.
The contingency lines were strengthened on Wednesday in the Crystal Lakes, Red Feather and Glacier View subdivisions, according to the Southwest Area Incident Management Team.
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Time running out on assistance for families using free and reduced-price lunch
Millions of dollars are available for families who have children using the free and reduced-price lunch program at school, but they need to act quickly to obtain financial assistance. Pandemic EBT is a one-time public benefit program funded through CARES Act money. Colorado received $110 million for the program, which is designed to help families pay for food since schools were closed in the spring and students did not have access to free and reduced-price lunch.
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Gov. Jared Polis extends statewide fire ban for another 30 days
Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order Wednesday that extends the statewide fire ban for another 30 days. Polis issued an order that went into effect Aug. 20 to help limit fire activity as wildfires rage in the state. One of the fires growing immensely at the time was the Pine Gulch Fire, which became the largest fire in Colorado history and is now 95% contained. The restrictions outlined in the order include campfires, charcoal grill fires, explosives, and smoking unless you are in an enclosed space or at least 6 feet away from flammable items.
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