Dental Implants Near Denver, CO

The EPA has revoked a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment lab certification after an investigation revealed data problems with a chemist.

DENVER — The EPA has revoked a testing certification for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) water quality lab, after an investigation found a chemist intentionally disregarded protocol in a method that tests for traces of metals, 9NEWS Investigates has learned.

The investigation into the chemist’s actions began in February, according to the state health department, but wasn’t made public until 9NEWS Investigates started asking questions about it last week. State health officials said the data problems may impact as many as 3% of the state’s 2,000 public water systems.

“As of today, it is EPA’s understanding that 69 regulated water systems have been impacted and roughly 20 of those water systems will need to resample to confirm that their water is still meeting federal standards because those specific systems did not have enough additional data to verify that they were still in compliance,” EPA Region 8 spokeswoman Taylor Gillespie said in a statement to 9NEWS Investigates.

List of impacted water systems below:

Some of the impacted water systems were notified in mid-August, and others got a letter from the state in late October.

A spokeswoman for CDPHE said there is no evidence of acute public health risks, and the state health department is in the process of notifying public water systems that were impacted and recalling data.

“What this means is that we don’t have complete information about past drinking water quality for some regulated drinking water systems in Colorado,” Gillespie said.

According to the health department, in February, a managing chemist discovered anomalies in test results relating to one water quality method, method 200.7, which tests for metals and trace elements of barium, copper and chromium in drinking water. When the anomalies were discovered, the acting chemist was removed from all laboratory testing and the department launched an investigation, according to Hope Shuler, interim communications director for the department.

But CDPHE had not notified the EPA of the lapse until early April, according to a letter from the EPA to the state health department revoking CDPHE’s certification to test for that method. The letter from mid-April also noted that CDPHE did not have a timeline to determine the scope of the investigation or a communication plan to let the impacted water systems know about the issues with the testing data.

A September letter from the EPA to CDPHE, also obtained by 9NEWS Investigates, noted that CDPHE found problems in testing data dating back five years and said the laboratory initially noticed problems with quality control back in June of 2022 but never notified the lab’s director or the EPA and no corrective action was taken back then either.

“While these quality control issues are serious and underscore the importance of maintaining rigorous quality standards, it’s important to note that this revocation means that there is a gap in the data that the State relies on to verify that drinking water is in compliance,” Gillespie, the EPA Region 8 spokeswoman said. “It does not indicate that there is a current or past problem with drinking water but rather that there is unusable data that cannot confirm that the water quality is meeting federal standards, and those specific systems will need to resample. “

Marc Edwards, a civil engineering professor from Virginia Tech who helped uncover a water crisis in Flint, Mich., analyzed the documents obtained by 9NEWS Investigates.

He agreed that the lapse in testing quality doesn’t necessarily mean something is or was wrong with drinking water.

“The issue is that the high-quality analyses that people paid for weren't done according to EPA standards, and it casts the conclusions in doubt,” Edwards told 9NEWS Investigates. “One of the tragedies here is we really don't know. Did the people submit those samples get told their water was safe when it wasn't, in which case it could cause an acute health risk? Or maybe these errors are inconsequential.”

Edwards said it is going to take a long time to sort through the errors and determine if anything was wrong.

“I think in general, you can trust the safety of your water and the competence and the data generated by government labs,” he said. “But every now and then something like this happens, and it's just annoying, because you've paid your fees and or tax money, and there are other problems in the world that you'd probably like to be dealing with rather than worrying about something like this.”

The EPA revoked CDPHE’s certification for three other water testing methods in August, citing the same problems with the chemist’s data practices. Shuler, CDPHE’s spokeswoman, contented the action was prematurely done before a third-party audit was complete.

“CDPHE has no current information that demonstrates similar intentional disregard of protocols with the other revoked methods,” Shuler said in a statement to 9NEWS. “We have appealed this decision to the EPA, as we wait for third-party data analysis results.

Shuler also said, "Federal and state regulations do not require water systems to notify their customers unless they receive a violation or there is an acute public health risk."

Steve Staeger is 9NEWS’ Consumer Investigator. 9NEWS Investigates producer Aaron Adelson contributed to this report.

Delivery workers are in high demand during the holidays, but the story is different at UPS, which recently told state officials that hundreds of layoffs are coming at the beginning of next year.

and last updated 9:52 AM, Nov 19, 2024

DENVER — Delivery workers are usually in high demand when the holidays roll around, but the story is different at UPS, which recently told state officials that hundreds of layoffs are coming at the beginning of next year.

In a letter signed Thursday of last week, a human resources employee for UPS told the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and Commerce City Mayor Steve Douglas that “due to changing business realities in our network,” the company was moving to lay off more than 400 workers at the facility located at 5190 Ivy St., effective Jan. 15, 2025.

The layoffs come as the company works to add more automation equipment to the location, which is expected to save $3 billion in costs by 2028, according to our partners at The Denver Post.

In all, 404 employees will be laid off, including 401 on the package processing side as well as 3 revenue recovery employees, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter, or WARN, for short. The letter was obtained by Denver7 Monday and requires businesses provide employees with a 60-day notice in case of mass layoffs.

The layoffs will affect both union and non-union employees, according to the letter. Union employees with seniority at the company represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local No. 455 will have bumping rights, meaning they’ll be able to apply to other positions within the company, according to the UPS human resources employee.

Permanent layoffs at Boeing

UPS wasn’t the only company to announce layoffs last week. On Friday, the aerospace company Boeing told state officials in a WARN letter they would be permanently laying off approximately 63 employees in Colorado effective Jan. 17, 2025.

Locations impacted by these layoffs, for which there are no bumping rights, include a location at 55 Inverness Dr. E in Englewood; Stapleton Intl, 8250 Smith Rd. in Denver; 4440 Discoverer Ave. at the Schriver Space Force Base in El Paso County; 440 Wooten Rd. in Colorado Springs; 5555 Tech Center in Colorado Springs; 720 Irwin Ave at the Schriver Space Force Base; and 9970 Federal Dr. in Colorado Springs.

Boeing has struggled in recent years with ongoing aircraft safety problems, which have damaged its reputation and caused headaches for its customers like Southwest Airlines, who recently blamed the company for layoffs. The Boeing Spaceliner had to return without its crew after suffering problems, leaving them behind on the International Space Station, the Denver Post reports.

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At this time of year, delivery companies are normally in full hiring mode. United Parcel Service, however, has informed the state that it plans to dismiss 404 workers at its Commerce City package processing facility while it adds more automation equipment to the location.

“As a part of our Network of the Future initiative we’re modernizing our Commerce City facility at 5190 Ivy Street, Commerce City, and will temporarily close half of the facility on Jan. 15, 2025,” company spokesman Tom Lopez said in an emailed statement.

UPS is working to place as many dislocated employees as possible in other positions and providing other support, the statement said, adding that the upgraded facility should fully reopen in 2026. The company said service to Denver customers won’t be impacted during the transition.

Of the 404 workers, 401 are on the package processing side and three are revenue recovery employees, Lori Cruz, a human resources executive with UPS, informed the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or WARN letter.

Union employees, who are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local No. 455, will have bumping rights, meaning they can apply for other available positions within the company.

UPS executives announced in late March that the company planned to close 200 of its hubs across the country under its Network of the Future plan, which seeks to automate more package processing facilities and save $3 billion in costs by 2028.

“Network of the Future is targeting all activities for automation within our four walls,” Nando Cesarone, president of the company’s U.S. operations, told investment analysts in March. “These building consolidations and automations yield real savings. For example, we’ll have fewer feeder runs. We’ll be able to eliminate both a.m. and p.m. ground and air feeds in many, many locations.”

On Friday, The Boeing Co. informed the state it would let go of 63 employees spread across seven locations in Denver, Arapahoe and El Paso counties. Those include an Englewood location at 55 Inverness Dr. East; a Denver location at 8250 Smith Road; and locations in El Paso County at the Schriver Space Force Base, 440 Wooten Road, 555 Tech Center and 9970 Federal Dr.

“Layoffs are expected to begin on Jan. 17, 2025, for most employees. Bumping rights do not exist,” Elizabeth French, exit manager at Chicago-based Boeing, informed the state in a WARN letter.

Boeing has struggled in recent years with ongoing aircraft safety problems, which have damaged its reputation and caused headaches for its customers like Southwest Airlines, who recently blamed the company for layoffs. The Boeing Spaceliner had to return without its crew after suffering problems, leaving them behind on the International Space Station.

The company’s CEO stepped down in March and more than 33,000 machinists at the company went on strike in September.

As part of the PWHL's Takeover Tour, the Minnesota Frost will take on the Montreal Victoire in Denver.

Credit: PWHL

DENVER — Denver will host a Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) game as part of the league's 2025 "Takeover Tour."

The Minnesota Frost will face the Montreal Victoire on Sunday, Jan. 12, at Denver's Ball Arena.

Presale tickets will be available on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. with general sale ticket sales starting on Friday, Nov. 22, at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com.

The PWHL will play nine neutral-site regular-season games during the "Takeover Tour." The games will happen in a variety of locations across the United States and Canada, according to the league.

The PWHL launched on Jan. 1, 2024, and is made up of six teams located in Boston, New York, Minnesota, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. The league has broken attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women's hockey game, according to the league.

“Bringing PWHL games to fans across both countries is a natural next step as we continue building our audience,” said PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations Amy Scheer.

“When exploring potential locations for a PWHL game, the enthusiasm from cities eager to engage with our League was incredibly encouraging. The PWHL Takeover Tour lets us showcase our game and exceptional athletes across a wider North American footprint—an exciting moment for our players and an important move for our business as we consider expansion.”

PWHL Takeover Tour schedule

“We are thrilled to welcome the PWHL champion Minnesota Frost and the Montréal Victoire to one of the world's great hockey towns," said Kevin Demoff, President of Team and Media Operations at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

"Ball Arena is home to a recent Stanley Cup winner in the Colorado Avalanche and our city also boasts the defending NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey national champion University of Denver and the defending USA Hockey High School Division 1 national champion Valor Christian. The growth of the PWHL has been amazing to watch and we are excited to host our first PWHL game at Ball Arena.”

Credit: PWHL

Once complete in 2028, the I-25 North Express Lanes Project will complete a major missing puzzle piece from Mead to Berthoud.

WELD COUNTY, Colo. — A portion of the Interstate 25 Express Lane in northern Colorado will close for at least three years.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said it will close the southbound I-25 Express Lane between Johnstown and Berthoud starting at 9 a.m. Friday.

The southbound closure from Colorado Highway 60 and Colorado Highway 56 will be in place through late 2027.

CDOT said the closure will allow crews to perform work during the I-25 North Express Lanes, Mead to Berthoud project.

CDOT said the work over the next three years includes concrete paving in both directions of I-25, reconstructing the I-25 interchange at Weld County Road 34, as well as five other bridges, and adding one 12-foot Express Lane in each direction from CO 66 to CO 56.

CDOT said the closure of the southbound I-25 lanes will increase safety for work crews and the traveling public and will allow work to proceed faster and more efficiently.

Traffic detours

To implement this Express Lane closure, the southbound I-25 on-ramp at CO 56 (Berthoud) will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22 for a traffic switch. Crews will stripe lanes, move barriers and switch traffic onto new lanes.

Traffic on CO 56 intending to travel south will turn north to Colorado Highway 60/Weld County Road 48 (exit 252), turn around and enter southbound I-25, according to CDOT.

Following this traffic switch, southbound I-25 traffic will be shifted to the northbound I-25 lanes into a head-to-head configuration between CO 56 and CO 66 starting at 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. This configuration will be in place through late 2025.

The new I-25 configuration will require a traffic switch and overnight closures of the southbound I-25 on- and off-ramps at WCR 34 near Mead from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, Crews will stripe lanes, move barriers and switch traffic into the new ongoing alignment. Motorists should plan for delays, CDOT said.

I-25 North Express Lanes Project

The I-25 North Express Lanes Project from Mead to Berthoud is a continuation of the approximately 20 miles of improvements that have been completed on I-25 between Berthoud to Fort Collins over the past six years.

CDOT said the six-mile project will expand and enhance I-25, from Colorado Highway 66 in Mead and connect to the newly built portion of I-25 just south of CO 56 in Berthoud.

Once complete in 2028, this project will complete a missing piece on I-25 and will be the first time there will be more than two lanes of I-25 from Denver to Fort Collins in both directions, CDOT said.