STATE HEALTH EXCHANGE ENROLLMENT BEHIND
DENVER (AP) – Colorado is dramatically behind its goals for getting people to sign up for health insurance under Obamacare. Enrollment through Colorado’s state-run exchange is barely half the state’s worst-case projection The online shopping site announced last week that it had signed up about 6,000 Coloradans so far. By mid November, exchange board members were hoping for at least 11,000. The exchange needs just over 136,000 enrollees next year to raise $6.5 million of its $51 million dollars in expenses. Board members are concerned about the shortfall. as well as a possible logjam at the Dec. 15 deadline for buying coverage that would start at the beginning of next year.
HUNTING BOYCOTT…WHAT BOYCOTT?
DENVER (AP) – A threatened Colorado boycott by hunters opposed to the state’s recent legislation meant to curtail gun violence has failed to materialize.The boycott was a bust, now that the state’s primary big game hunting seasons have closed. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife they are up about 5,000 licenses over last year at this time. The initial figures are a positive sign for Colorado’s $1.8 billion hunting and fishing industry. Colorado last year collected $38 million in elk and deer licenses from nonresidents, compared with $7.6 million from in-state hunters. With the largest elk herd in the nation, Colorado is the only state that offers an unlimited number of over-the-counter bull elk licenses to out-of-state hunters.
ASPEN-BOUND PLANE LIKELY BROKE UP DURING DESCENT
MONTROSE (AP) – The small, Aspen-bound plane that crashed last Tuesday outside Cedaredge, killing the pilot, may have broken up while still in flight. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say the Cessna 210 turboprop crashed Tuesday near a Cedaredge home, missing it by about 50 yards. The name of the pilot has not been released. Dave Bowling with the NTSB says when the plane was found, it was missing its left wing and part of its tail. The tail was found about a mile from the crash site. The wing was found about 1.5 miles away. Bowling says “when we find things like that, it’s pretty much an indicator that the airplane broke up in flight, probably in a very violent descent.”
