STATE HEALTH CARE C.E.O. SAYS ENROLLMENT IN OBAMACARE ON TRACK
Durango—Connect for Health Colorado Chief Patty Fontneau says the state is on track to meet enrollment goals for the year. She tells state lawmakers 128 thousand people have signed up for private plans and another 178 thousand have signed up for coverage through Medicaid. Fontneau however couldn’t answer the one big question that has lingered for months; how many young people have enrolled in Obamacare who previously weren’t insured? Federal regulations say people don’t have to answer that question though half of the exchange customers who did, indicated they did not have insurance.
COLORADO CLOSE TO SECURING AERIAL FIREFIGHTING FLEET
DENVER (AP) – A $21 million plan for Colorado to buy an aerial firefighting fleet designed to spot and attack wildfires faster has won initial approval in the Senate. The bill is a response to historic back-to-back wildfire seasons. The measure calls for the state to buy two spotter planes to detect fires within an hour after the first sighting of smoke. One more formal vote is required before the measure goes to the House.
SKIER INJURED IN 1,000 FOOT FALL
TELLURIDE (AP) – Authorities say a skier has fallen 1,000 feet down a steep slope outside Telluride in southwestern Colorado, suffering severe injuries. The Denver Post reports the man was airlifted from the Telluride airport to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. The skier’s name hasn’t been released and the specifics of his injuries weren’t available.
WESTERN SLOPE DAIRY MOVING TO DENVER
GRAND JUNCTION (AP) – Dean Foods says it’s closing its Meadow Gold milk-processing plant in Delta, citing a decision by grocery store chain City Market to open its own dairy. The closure of the 63 year old dairy means the loss of about 38 jobs. The Delta plant has been operating since 1951. Production is expected to be phased out within three months.
