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09 ISSUE SSUE 48

WEEK, OF MARCH 2, 2023 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2020

New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings

‘Forever chemicals’ feared to be in water via legal loopholes

Talking ‘Twin Victories’, new generation speaks

How politics, lobbying and safety concerns may be leaking PFAS into the municipal water supply BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

City Councilor Jennifer Allen-Thomas reviews some information about the Tuskegee Airmen with her father, former City Councilor James Allen Feb. 23 at Commerce City Civic Center. Allen is an Air Force veteran himself.

Speaking to a small group Feb. 23 at the Commerce City Civic Center for the city’s Black History Month commemoration, Martin talked about growing up as the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman. “They fought to serve their counBY SCOTT TAYLOR try and when they came home, STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM they came home to a life of service,” Martin said. “They were teachers, Martin, speaks instructors. Many stayed A For longnow, lineGabrielle of cars outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing siteinatthe for her father as well as herself. military to earn higher ranks so they Riverdale Park.and Thewesite to close many days in recent “Here weRegional are in 2023, arehas had could teachearly others. Many made weeks due about to highgetting demand. Adams County’s 14-day testsomething positivity rate still talking recognition a military career, they for be proud Health of.” wasthe 15.9Tuskegee percent,Airmen,” as of Nov.Martin 17, accordingcould to Tri-County Department. said. “Youand talkCommerce about fighting thetest positivity She was Daphne Brighton City’s ratesjoined were by both higherRice-Althan war. They had to fight just for the len, daughter of Price D. Rice, anoth13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have right to be there.” er member of the Tuskegee Airmen, died fromisCOVID-19 related health issues. COVID-19, Martin the daughter of Capt. andTobylimit Johnthe Thspread omas ofofLongmont, Robert retired, one to of the a re-enactor the Denver-based at leastMartin, 15 counties moved tighter restrictions thatforprohibits indoor and original Airmen, a group Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones Chapter of personalTuskegee gatherings. of 932 fighter and bomber pilots and the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. their support crews who trained at While Thomas spoke of their Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama experiences in a deeply segregated during World War II, breaking reU.S. duringPhoto World War II, basedWard on by Belen cords, making history and creating a interviews and conversations with legacy. Her father died in 2019. original members, the daughters

Story of Tuskegee Airmen recounted at Commerce City event

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gave more personal accounts of growing up; learning about their fathers’ sacrifices, what it all meant and how it affected them. The group was invited to speak by the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group. Mayor Pro-Tem Jennifer Allen-Thomas, a member of Commerce City’s DEI group, brought her father, By a former City Councilor Ellis Arnold — who represented the same seat Colorado Community Media his daughter now holds — and a retired member of the U.S. Air Force As Denver metro counties continue to himself. inch closer to local stay-at-home orders Twin underVictories Colorado’s system of coronavirusTheyrestrictions, all spoke ofthe twin battles the related state announced soldiers needed to fight, against an a new level of rules enemy in war butthat alsoprohibits againstindoor bias dining and personal gatherings and discrimination at home.— a change thatnear applies the majority of the Formed thetostart of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen’s fi rstin Denver metro area and many counties class of 13 cadets began service other regions. in July 1941 in deeply segregated The state’s which has Alabama. ThCOVID-19 ey grew todial, include been in effect since September, is the set of different levels of restrictions that each SEE TALKING, P2

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A study from Earthjustice blames the Suncor refinery in Commerce City and firefighting foam for leaching cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals’ PFAs into the municipal water supply for several Adams County cities. And it’s legal. A water source for Thornton — the South Platte River — runs past that facility. According to City Spokesperson Todd Barnes, a portion of Thornton’s water comes from the South Platte river, but they grab it before the Suncor facility. “Thornton currently gets most of itsisSouth Platte surface water county required to follow based on the aboveofwhere Suncor the severity a county’s localimpacts virus spread. South Platte via the Burlington The dial grew of the state’s safer-atCanal,” he out said. home order — the policysaid thatthe came after However, Barnes city is theconcerned statewide stay-at-home about PFASorder fromthis the Suncor theirof spring andfacility allowedimpacting numerous types water supply. Th ey are actively businesses to reopen. investigating their PFAS sources. The recently switched to color in “Thstate ornton is actively engaged identifiers — levels blue, yellow and the an investigation to determine orange rather than numbered levels to source(s) of our pollution and — will identify and pursue those potenavoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red tiallya responsible once that meant stay-at-home parties order. Now, level investigation is complete,” he said. red — “severe risk”pointed — is thetosecondEarthjustice a study SEE WATER, P3

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