WEEK OF JULY 20, 2023
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 29
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Health officials warn of West Nile virus Brighton cool to moving jail Councilors advise sheriff to keep detention center in same location BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
To limit mosquito harborage, Jaura said it is important to identify and clear areas where stagnant water could be present: Remove pet dishes that can hold water from patios and decks Clean and inspect roof gutters Remove piles of debris from outdoor areas, including buckets, barrels, toys and tire swings that can hold pools
If Adams County hopes to build a new jail and keep it in Brighton, City Councilors told Sheriff Gene Clapps it would be best to keep it where it is. “It’s hard to find a place to put a jail and that to me lends some benefit to finding out how to expand or rebuild on land you already own, where you wouldn’t have to go through that particular process,” Brighton Councilor Peter Padilla said during Brighton’s July 11 study session meeting. “Any site you look for something new will run into a ‘Not In My Backyard’ scenario and whoever is closest to it will challenge it.” Claps said the county has outgrown the current Adams County Detention Facility, just north of Bridge Street on N. 19th Ave. The jail, built in 1983, is about a fourmile drive through Brighton neighborhoods from the Adams County Courthouse along Interstate 76 at Bromley Lane. Any option, which could cost between $180 million and $500 million, would require a vote of Adams County residents. Claps said the crowding at the current jail is keeping his staff from working with inmates to cut back on recidivism. That includes space for counseling and training, he said. “It’s taken away some opportunities for us to help people to be able to be stable enough to be released and to help reduce the recidivism and provide services that can help them and their families,” Claps said. “So we have lost, because of interior size, lots of opportunity to program
SEE WEST NILE, P6
SEE REACTIONS, P3
Mosquitoes are coming out this summer as more people are experiencing bites.
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tracked any mosquitoes carryAdams County cautions not ing the virus. However, the virus has been that cass of the virus likely found in mosquitoes in Arapahoe, Boulder, Delta, Larimer and Weld in weeks ahead counties, according to recent tests BY TEDDY JACOBSEN TJACOBSEN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
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LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
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Weeks of heavy rainfall followed by a string of hot days, has health officials in Adams County warning residents to be aware of mosquitoes. The weather has created perfect conditions for mosquitoes, some with the ability to transmit the potentially deadly West Nile virus. The Adams County Health Department runs a mosquito trapping program in various parts of the county. From there, they identify mosquitoes that could carry the virus and run tests on them. Ferah Jaura, manager of the program, said that monitoring mosquitoes in this way is the county’s primary tool for warning the public about health risks. So far, Jaura said the county has
in each county. West Nile is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of those who are infected don’t feel sick, but about one in five people develop a fever and other symptoms. About one in 150 people become seriously ill and may die, according to the CDC. Thirty-six cases have been reported to the CDC so far this year, none of them yet in Colorado. However, based on past trends, health officials in the state believe cases will appear soon. Last year, Colorado reported 206 total cases and 20 deaths in 2022. Of those, Adams County had 23 cases and 5 deaths, said Adams County Environmental Health Division Director Brian Hlavacek. “We expect we will see some cases
[this year],” Hlavacek said. “But we can’t predict the numbers.” Jaura expects mosquito activity to rise towards the end of July into August. She said the time to take preventative measures is now. There are countless ways to prevent mosquito populations from growing and spreading the virus, despite the rain this summer. “Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water and require water to complete their life cycle,” Jaura said. “Due to the abundance of rain in Colorado, mosquito populations are flourishing.” Arranging space
BRIEFS: PAGE 2 | OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 12 | LEGAL: PAGE 14
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