OUTBREAK TO KEEP CAMP CLOSED DOWN
Colorado public health officials on Friday reported an outbreak of the novel coronavirus among staffers at a residential camp that borders El Paso and Teller counties.
At least four cases of the respiratory disease COVID-19 have been confirmed, officials said.
Another seven workers at Eagle Lake Overnight Camp are considered to have potential cases of COVID-19. And an additional 40 staffers were exposed to the disease, according to a news release.
The state health department said it received reports of confirmed cases at Eagle Lake Overnight Camp on Thursday. The camp had about 150 staff members — all older than 18 — onsite for training to prepare for the camp’s opening.
As a result of the outbreak, the camp no longer will open this summer, the news release says. Eagle Lake is a Christian camp for children and teens.
Crews keep wildfire at bay. Firefighters continued to make progress Thursday on the East Canyon Fire burning west of Durango.
The fire has not grown in several days, remaining at 2,860 acres and 17% containment, the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team said in a news release.
“Lighter winds on Thursday allowed firefighters to make good progress in securing the fireline,” officials wrote in the release.
Lightning sparked the fire Sunday, causing evacuations and road closures in the area.
REI to close in Orchard Town Center. The outdoor recreation giant REI is closing its store in Westminster’s Orchard Town Center, saying it couldn’t reach an agreement with the landlord.
The store will permanently close at 6 p.m. Monday, REI said in a statement Thursday. Anybody waiting for an order or equipment can pick it up curbside 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Monday, the company said.
REI, which was in the shopping center for 11 years, has several other stores along the Front Range. Its flagship store in Colorado is in downtown Denver along the South Platte River.
Taylor Alvey, vice president of leasing with Vestar, which owns and operates Orchard Town Center, said Friday that the company is disappointed that REI is leaving, but doesn’t expect it to negatively affect business at the shopping center.
“We have dozens of leading retailers and restaurants who are opening post COVID-19 and doing a brisk business. We continue to open new stores at Orchard Town Center, most recently Club Champion, Jersey Mike’s, and Lululemon, which opened today,” Alvey said in an email.
The center is looking forward to the re-opening of the AMC theater in midJuly, the grand opening of a 120-room Aloft Hotel in August and a large multifamily complex that will be an additional anchor to the shopping center opening this fall, Alvey added.
Parents face charges in death of son.
COLORADO SPRINGS» A Colorado couple accused of killing their 11-year-old son by forcing him to drink large amounts of water are facing several charges, including child abuse and first-degree murder.
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