#BlackForestFire Updates, Saturday, 6/15/13

On June 15, 2013 By

Containment is at 55%. Some areas are opening up as of 8 PM to a pre-evacuation notice: The area north of Hodgen Rd. and west of Black Forest Rd., and areas north of Walker Rd. High Forest Ranch will also be downgraded to preevacuation status. Access is from the north. Highway 83, Walker Road, and Meridian Road are still closed. El Paso County has released updated assessments of homes: 483 total loss, 17 partial damage, 3451 appear unaffected. Our notes follow:

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Western-Skies

Western Skies: June 2013, “Military”

On June 2, 2013 By

Colorado is no stranger to the military. From active bases to a large veteran population, many residents of the state have some kind of association with the armed services. This month for Western Skies, we’re exploring some of those relationships.

You can listen to the entire episode here, or download it by right-clicking [...]

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Flash Flood Risk Analysis of the Waldo Canyon Burn Scar - Map of Manitou Springs, from El Paso County Sheriff's Office

Preliminary Flash Flood Risk Analysis Released

On May 28, 2013 By

Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and El Paso County officials released a new preliminary flash flood risk analysis today for areas in and near the Waldo Canyon burn scar. The report models a specific rain event that has about a 10% chance of occurring in any given year. Patty Baxter with the El Paso County Office [...]

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Colorado Springs to Issue More Sandbags Today

On May 23, 2013 By

The Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management is offering another round of free sandbags today to residents affected by potential flooding, starting at 5 PM.

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Colorado Springs Council Approves $10 Million for Mitigation Work

On May 15, 2013 By

Colorado Springs City Council yesterday voted to spend $10 million from the city savings account to lessen the risk of catastrophic fire and flooding following last year’s Waldo Canyon fire. KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports.

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Colorado Springs Mayor Unveils Plan for Homeless Campus

On May 8, 2013 By

Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach yesterday unveiled his vision for a 24-hour campus to serve the homeless. As KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports, the mayor is looking for property downtown that can provide everything from showers to meals to drug counseling.

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Flood Meeting Scheduled for Mountain Shadows Residents; City to Distribute More Sandbags

On May 6, 2013 By

Residents of Mountain Shadows and others are invited to an informational meeting Tuesday, May 7th. The meeting is expected to address updated information regarding the increased flood risk and the city’s planned response to a potential flash flooding. Presenters are planning to spend the first half focusing specifically on risk in the Mountain Shadows [...]

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Flash Point: Living with Wildfire

On April 27, 2013 By

In the wake of last year’s destructive wildfires, Colorado’s residents, scientists, and government officials have been working hard to manage the ongoing threat. We’re not only mitigating our landscapes; we’re adapting our very understanding of what it means to reside within reach of mountain forests. Join KRCC News for “Flash Point,” a special series [...]

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Flash Point: The Double Bind, Forest Treatment In The Age of Megafires

On April 25, 2013 By

The devastating 2002 wildfire season generated public discussion about the need for treatments to fix our dangerously overgrown forests. Ten years later the Front Range was hit with another destructive fire season, which has a lot of Colorado residents wondering why more of that treatment hasn’t happened. KRCC’s Michelle Mercer looks into the status [...]

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Colorado Springs Council Shelves Solar Expansion

On April 24, 2013 By

In one of its first actions, the new Colorado Springs City Council yesterday shelved an expansion of a solar energy program. And, as KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports, a new practice by Council President Keith King signaled what the outcome would be.

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Flash Point: The Wildland Urban Interface, Where the Wilderness Meets Civilization

On April 24, 2013 By

For many, the notion of the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, may conjure up images of sparsely populated regions of cabins in the woods. That’s only part of the picture. In Colorado Springs, nearly a quarter of the population lives in neighborhoods classified as part of the WUI, and it stretches into some unexpected [...]

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Flash Point: Waldo Canyon Fire Victims, Recovering Without Rebuilding

On April 23, 2013 By

News of the Waldo Canyon Fire recovery has sounded an almost unanimous refrain, championing the efforts to rebuild in Mountain Shadows. But as KRCC’s Michelle Mercer reports in today’s Flash Point piece, that tells only part of the recovery story.

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Flash Point: The Nature of Emergency Management

On April 22, 2013 By

Colorado Springs officials recently released their Final After Action Report, detailing the city’s response during the Waldo Canyon Fire. Authors studied hours of dispatch tape, personal accounts, and logs to assess what the city did right, and what needs improvement. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin begins this series with a look at the nature of Emergency Management.

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Flash Point: Living with Wildfire

On April 22, 2013 By

In the wake of last year’s destructive wildfires, Colorado’s residents, scientists, and government officials have been working hard to manage the ongoing threat. We’re not only mitigating our landscapes; we’re adapting our very understanding of what it means to reside within reach of mountain forests. Join KRCC News for “Flash Point,” a special series produced by Andrea Chalfin and Michelle Mercer on how wildfire is changing life in Colorado. Click here for an interactive timeline, stories, and additional web content.

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Flood Town Hall Rescheduled; Video Posted

On April 12, 2013 By

El Paso County officials have rescheduled its Flood Preparedness Town Hall for residents of Chipita Park and Cascade for Monday, April 22 at Ute Pass Elementary at 6:30 PM. This comes after Tuesday’s planned meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather.

You can watch a video of Monday night’s Flood Preparedness Town Hall below [...]

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One Remains Hospitalized After HazMat Incident at Colorado College

On April 11, 2013 By

Colorado College students are back in two buildings today after a chemical incident in a science lab yesterday afternoon caused evacuations and sent 13 people to the hospital. It also shut down Nevada Avenue. KRCC’s Hannah Sohl reports.

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HazMat Incident at Colorado College Closes Nevada; Sends 13 to Hospital

On April 10, 2013 By

Nevada Avenue between Cache la Poudre and Uintah in downtown Colorado Springs is closed due to a hazardous material incident at Colorado College. KRCC’s Hannah Sohl reports.

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Pikes Peak Region Holds Flood Meetings

On April 10, 2013 By

With an increased flood risk in areas in and near the Waldo Canyon burn scar, county and city officials in the Pikes Peak region are holding a series of meetings to help keep residents informed of alert systems, mitigation efforts, and how they can prepare for the upcoming flood season. KRCC’s Hannah Sohl recently [...]

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Colorado Springs Council Approves Solar Subsidies

On April 10, 2013 By

Colorado Springs City Council yesterday voted to expand its Community Solar Garden program, a subsidy for solar energy that allows consumers to invest in solar panels without installing them on their own rooftops. KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports.

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Flood Preparedness Meeting Postponed Due to Weather

On April 9, 2013 By

Tonight’s flood preparedness meeting at Ute Pass Elementary for residents of Chipita Park and Cascade has been postponed due to the weather. County officials are working to reschedule the session. Click inside for a list of currently scheduled meetings.

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New Emergency Operations Center in Colorado Springs Unveiled

On April 8, 2013 By

Colorado Springs opened its new Emergency Operations Center today. As KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports, it’s the city’s first dedicated multi-agency command post.

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Flood Awareness Meetings in the Pikes Peak Region

On April 8, 2013 By

The Pikes Peak Region is focusing on flood preparations for residents of El Paso County and Colorado Springs near the Waldo Canyon burn area. KRCC’s Martha Perez-Sanz has more.

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CSFD Captain Steve Riker recounts his experiences during the Waldo Canyon Fire.

Colorado Springs Officials Release Waldo Canyon Fire Final After Action Report

On April 3, 2013 By

Colorado Springs city officials released their final After Action Report on last year’s devastating Waldo Canyon Fire this morning. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin has more.

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News

A Surprising Barrier To Clean Water: Human Nature
June 20, 2013 | NPR · Getting clean water to people in the developing world isn’t just an engineering problem.
 

Ocala Star-Banner / Landov
If Supplies Of Oil Are Up, Why Is Gas Still Pricey?
June 20, 2013 | KUHF · Supplies of oil have been surging this year, and U.S. drivers, who have been switching to more fuel-efficient cars, are using less gasoline.That would seem to be the right economic combination to push down prices at the pump, but gasoline prices have remained stubbornly high this summer.
 

AP
How Ted Cruz’s Father Shaped His Views On Immigration
June 20, 2013 | NPR · The Texas senator says giving a path to citizenship to immigrants in the U.S. illegally would be unfair to immigrants who followed the rules, like his own father, 74-year-old Rafael Bienvenido Cruz. He portrays his dad as a kind of Cuban Horatio Alger.
 

Arts & Life

Werner Forman Archive
Gourmands Through The Ages: ‘A History Of Food In 100 Recipes’
June 20, 2013 | NPR · From ancient Egyptian bakers to Gordon Ramsey, every era has its foodies. And without them, the history of food would be pretty darn boring, says William Sitwell. His new book chronicles how these epicures shaped our palates, and the recipes they left behind.
 

Getty Images
James Gandolfini Dies; ‘Sopranos’ Actor Was 51
June 19, 2013 | NPR · Actor James Gandolfini, 51, has reportedly died. Variety magazine reports that he suffered a “sudden stroke.” The cause of death is not yet known with certainty, but HBO says the actor may have suffered a heart attack.
 

iStockphoto.com
From Classic Toys To New Twists, Kids Go Back To Blocks
June 19, 2013 | NPR · NPR’s Neda Ulaby investigates a trend in toys that sounds awfully familiar: Manufacturers are finding new ways to get kids interested in playing with blocks, both real and virtual.
Windows Media | MP3 | NPR Player | Add to NPR Player
 

Music

Getty Images
The-Dream On Why We All Need R&B
June 19, 2013 | NPR · Terius Nash, better known as The-Dream, has written some of the most memorable recent pop hits, from Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” But when he writes songs for himself, he makes R&B.
Windows Media | MP3 | NPR Player | Add to NPR Player
 

Courtesy of the artist
Emmylou Harris And Rodney Crowell Get The Old Band Together Again
June 19, 2013 | WXPN · The country legends discuss how Nashville has changed over the years and play songs from their latest collaborative album, Old Yellow Moon.
Windows Media
 

Courtesy of the artist
Viking’s Choice: True Widow Wants To Make Your Summer A Bummer
June 19, 2013 | NPR · True Widow’s stoner-rock and shoegaze mix trudges with back-breaking heft. Turn it up on a good pair of speakers or headphones, and “Four Teeth” rattles like a heavier bummer jam from Neil Young’s Zuma, complete with one-string guitar solos.
 

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