Colorado
Colorado health officials brace for layoffs amid loss of federal funding from Trump administration
Colorado’s health department is bracing for several layoffs early next month for workers focused on cancer and heart disease prevention, thanks to the apparent loss of nearly $2 million in federal grant funding and the state’s own bleak fiscal outlook.
The Department of Public Health and Environment initially said 11 positions would be eliminated through layoffs in its health data and prevention services divisions “because of delays and uncertainty” related to funding for the jobs. Federal money underwriting the positions hadn’t been released, CDPHE spokeswoman Vanessa Bernal said, and the layoffs will become effective on July 8.
Colorado WINS, the state employees’ union, said it had also received notification of another imminent layoff in the state Department of Agriculture. The agency did not respond to an email seeking comment Friday afternoon.
Bernal said some of the money — related to diabetes prevention — had been released earlier this week, but the terms attached to the grant were under legal review by the state. Still, if the money does become available, that would mean the state receives $850,000 in funding that it was otherwise set to lose. That funding would save two of the 11 positions slated for elimination in the health department.
The state is still expecting to initiate layoffs for programs in cardiovascular health, colorectal cancer screening, and a broader one for cancer prevention and control, amounting to nearly $1.9 million in total. Some of the state employees in those positions may be moved elsewhere in state government.
“If the federal funding does not come through, Colorado will lose critical staff and services that prevent disease and reduce long-term health care costs,” Bernal said in an email. “This is about uncertain federal funding — not the value of our employees. We are doing everything in our power to minimize workforce impacts. But these changes, if required, won’t just affect our staff — they will affect the health of people across Colorado.”
The cardiovascular funding supported a program that trains pharmacists to deliver “disease management programming,” and it provided training so community health workers could help people with chronic disease. The colorectal cancer fund helped screen older adults for the illness, and the broader cancer program promoted health choices that lowered the risk of illness and improved early detection.
Cancer and heart disease were the state’s leading causes of death in 2023, Bernal said.
Though the money represents a relatively small amount in a $16.7 billion general fund budget, the state couldn’t afford to backfill it, Bernal said. Colorado budget writers trimmed spending by $1.2 billion earlier this year and are already bracing for more reductions next year.
That outlook could worsen still — including for the state’s health programs — if federal cuts to Medicaid and food assistance are signed into law.
Bernal said the “work required by these specific grants cannot continue” without the federal funding. Shelby Wieman, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jared Polis, said in a statement that the “reality is we cannot backfill the funding lost.”
“We continue to closely monitor federal funding that is threatened by the (Trump) administration to understand its impacts on Coloradans, our communities, and state employees,” Wieman wrote.
Hilary Glasgow, the executive director of Colorado WINS, said in a statement that she feared the specter of more layoffs caused by lost federal funding. The union said nearly 3,700 state employees’ jobs are fully or partially paid for using federal dollars.
“We know they’re going to hurt our members and Coloradans,” Glasgow said. “Unfortunately, most people who rely on state workers for critical services like these don’t realize the feds are shutting them down until they’re gone.”
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Colorado
Helicopter releases thousands of colorful Easter eggs for Colorado church hunt
Thousands of candy-filled Easter eggs rained down on a waiting crowd of patient but eager children at a Colorado church community’s second annual Helicopter Egg Drop.
A charitable crew aboard a helicopter released 6,000 plastic eggs over the yard at Zeal City Church in Windsor, Colorado, early Easter Sunday morning for the parish’s egg hunt.
The copter came back and released even more colorful eggs for a second hunt during a later Easter service that day, CBS Colorado reported.
Lead Pastor Jeremy Cleveland told the outlet that the aerial egg drop is their unique way of “celebrating Jesus at Zeal City Church.”
“We’re celebrating Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we really wanted to bless our community and not just give them a sermon, but something to make them memories with their families and friends,” Cleveland said.
Cleveland highlighted the event’s rousing success, noting that it drew hundreds of families to the Sunday service.
“The kids are enjoying it, loving it. Parents are having a great time. It’s been awesome,” Cleveland’s wife, Brittany, told the outlet.
The Clevelands hope to carry on the burgeoning tradition for many more years to come.
Another local egg drop in 2024 saw a chopper dump 5,000 eggs over a park in Colorado Springs, Fox 21 reported.
The Compass Church in Salinas, California, also hosted its own drop where a helicopter poured 100,000 eggs over the grounds.
Colorado
Where to watch Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Sunday, April 5
The Philadelphia Phillies (5-3) will try to complete a three-game sweep over the Colorado Rockies (2-6). The Phillies won the series’ first two games by limiting the Rockies to a single run in each. Philadelphia’s Taijuan Walker is scheduled to start against Colorado’s Tomoyuki Sugano.
How to Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies
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Time: 3:10 p.m. ET / 12:10 p.m. PT
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Where: Coors Field, Denver
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TV Channels: Rockies.TV, NBCSP+
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Team records
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Philadelphia Phillies: 5-3 (No. 3 in NL East)
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Colorado Rockies: 2-6 (No. 5 in NL West)
Odds
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Spread: Colorado Rockies +1.5
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Moneyline: Colorado Rockies +145 / Philadelphia Phillies -175
Starting pitchers
Philadelphia Phillies: Taijuan Walker (0-1, ERA: 11.57, K: 2, WHIP: 2.79)
Colorado Rockies: Tomoyuki Sugano (0-0, ERA: 1.93, K: 4, WHIP: 0.86)
Weather: 63°F at first pitch
Ballpark: Capacity: 50,144 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass
Weather: 63°F at first pitch
Ballpark: Capacity: 50,144 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass
Colorado
Hooters Colorado Shoots Bikini Calendar Photos In The Mountains & Refuses To Die, Nacho Hat & Is Nike Dead?
Plus: The colors are starting to pop from Augusta National.
Quick observations — in no particular order — from Florida while Mrs. Screencaps packs up the kids this Saturday morning for the long journey back to rainy Ohio
- Our kids must’ve thrown a pool ball or pool football 3,000 times on this trip. If they end up needing Tommy John surgery in June, it was due to this trip.
- We spent the last three days in Orlando and not once did the boys ask if we could go to a Disney or Universal property. At about $900 for a Disney park and $1,000 for Universal, it was a big relief. There’s a clear dilemma right now based on the prices: Do modern middle-class families have the money to blow on one day at these parks? Yes, but at some point, as in our case, you have to take a stand financially. The parks have reached the tipping point. We cannot be the only family in this situation. We saw my cousin this week in Florida, and she was talking about how her and her husband bought an acre of land in a beautiful part of Michigan for $1,800 last year. Meanwhile, Disney can suck a family dry for $1,300 after entrance, parking and food in a matter of hours. I vote for buying land. The same can be said for Mrs. Screencaps. My ears perked up when she showed interest in picking up some land. That was something I haven’t heard out of her before.
- Like many generations before me, I’m going to miss this weather when we hit the Ohio River, and it’s instantly 54, rainy and cloudy.
- However, I don’t know how people in Florida deal with highway traffic, or traffic in general for trips to grocery stores. I get it when I see people on Twitter parroting the line, “We’re full. No northerners are allowed in.”
- Did I mention how nice it was to not check email, Slack messages or DMs? So relaxing. I sat there in a cabana the last two days at the pool listening to music, watching the boys throw the football and never once did I wonder what people were sending me on social media or via email.
- Publix needs to figure out its Greek pasta salad. What they’re selling IS NOT Greek pasta salad.
- Gas was $4.29 at the final stop on I-75 before you go across the Everglades. It was one of the first questions my dad asked me when we rolled into his place just off Marco Island on Monday. It was officially on his mind.
- I hope our boys understand how fortunate they are to have two things in their lives: (1.) a grandfather who keeps his boat in a Marco Island boat house where they drop it in the water and have it ready for you when you pull up to the dock, and (2.) a grandmother who has a beautiful 9-hole golf course at her trailer park. Boys, those are the amenities that make these trips special, let me tell you. We might not have dropped $1,300 at Disney, but we had some fun.
- Speaking of golf, Screencaps Jr. had his first official 9-hole round of golf at my mom’s place and it was a special father-son moment. There I was having to teach him everything about golf etiquette, what club to use and how to handle himself on a green. As I told the text group, now I know why Diesel gets so emotional over moments with his own boys. Last Saturday, I had one of those moments with Screencaps Jr. On the Par 3 course, he had a couple of blowup holes, a couple of doubles and even a bogey. You better believe I made him count every stroke. Start them young. If they learn to shave strokes at 13, just think of how they’ll keep score at 33.
- We just happened to drive by the strip-mall Hooters in Kissimmee the other night and there was one lone middle-aged guy, maybe 58, sitting at the outdoor bar on a pretty pleasant Thursday night. I don’t want the iconic brand to die, but young, red-blooded men just aren’t showing up for a beer and wings. It’s sad, but it’s the world we’re living in.
— Keith in Indian Rocks Beach writes:
Hey Joe, if you need a place to park to take the kids to the beach, hit me up.
Kinsey:
Next time, Keith. I was so in the moment and ignoring my work email that I just saw this — a week later.
I looked up Keith’s address. He’s definitely right on the water.
— Chuck writes:
I dont see many Kinseys out there. Enjoy your vacation. Good luck to you and Outkick.
Kinsey:
From one Kinsey to another, thanks for the email, Chuck. I’ve enjoyed this vacation. Now it’s time to get home and get rolling on Spring, the mowing season, baseball season, track season and planting season for Mrs. Screencaps.
Is Nike about to get Wendy’s’d?
While I was ignoring the world in Florida, Nike stock was dropping like a rock. Of course the LIBS say this has nothing to do with the DEIs inside Nike joining forces with Kap or all the Alphabet Mafia messaging the company has pounded for years.
And don’t forget about how Nike promoted Lizzo-sized mannequins in 2022 only to have Lizzo turn her back on the fatty lifestyle.
Nike marketing chose a path. Combine that with changing tastes in culture and you have a brand in a free-fall.
Masters kits are arriving
— Mark writes:
Look what just showed up!! I’m a 60 year old man acting like a teenager right now! Food box arrives tomorrow!!
Kinsey:
Enjoy those drink cups, Mark. Those are about to become the best drink cups in your cabinet. Cherish them. Don’t let your friends walk off with them.
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That is it this morning. I know it’s a short one, but Mrs. Screencaps is ready to roll. The 3.5L V6 Honda Odyssey is ready to roll. We have a 13-hour day in front of us. It’s time to get back to reality.
I’ll see you guys again on Monday.
Have a great weekend and Happy Easter.
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