- Hi, I'm Isabella Janney with the Colorado Springs Daily and today is July 31st, 2020. Our first segment today, we'll talk about a hate crime investigation in Pueblo. Our second story today is about the last call order for alcohol. And, our last story of the day is about restaurants in the Springs.
- Our first story today is about a hate crime investigation underway in Pueblo following senseless vandalism. Pueblo Police believe the vandalism on the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Emmett Till statue outside of Friendly Harbor Community Center was a biased-motivated act. The vandal or vandals also wrote the letters “KKK” outside the center. The crime happened either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Dr. Elissa Ball, the director of Friendly Harbor, said a group of volunteers showed up on Thursday and worked to clean off the graffiti on their own time with their own equipment. If you have any information that could help police in this case you’re asked to call 719-553-2511 and reference case number 20-12771.
- [https://www.kktv.com/2020/07/31/hate-crime-investigation-underway-in-pueblo-after-mlk-and-emmett-till-statue-vandalized/](https://www.kktv.com/2020/07/31/hate-crime-investigation-underway-in-pueblo-after-mlk-and-emmett-till-statue-vandalized/)
- Our second segment today is about a Denver District Court judge upholding Governor Jared Polis' Executive Public Health Order on the last call for alcohol. The judge denied the request for a restraining order, as the 10 p.m. "last call" for alcohol continues. With help from the [Tavern League of Colorado](https://thetavernleague.com/), hundreds of bars and restaurants challenged the executive order that moved the last call for alcohol up four hours, to 10 P.M. Some bar and restaurant owners testified Wednesday and Thursday, stating that they could be forced to shut down their business within 3 months if the restrictions continue. Prior to the judge's decision, Governor Jared Polis said, "This is a tough time, nobody in the country has figured out how we can have that free-wheeling act of nightlife during a pandemic." The judge clarified that the spike in COVID-19 cases among young people in their 20's gave credence to the state's decision to take action.
- [https://krdo.com/news/2020/07/30/legal-battle-ensues-over-last-call-for-alcohol-as-restaurants-struggle-with-restrictions/](https://krdo.com/news/2020/07/30/legal-battle-ensues-over-last-call-for-alcohol-as-restaurants-struggle-with-restrictions/)
- Our last story today is about newly released data from a survey conducted by the Colorado Restaurant Association between July 15th and 25th. The survey found that many restaurants continue to struggle, and some may close permanently. Despite reopening, and opening up outdoor dining options, many restaurants say they may need to close in the coming months. Of the restaurants that responded to the survey, 62% said they will consider closing permanently in the next six months under the current conditions. More than 30% said they would consider closing in less than three months, and 5% said they would look at shutting their doors permanently in less than one month. The survey also found that the restaurant industry has lost nearly 87,000 jobs since the start of the pandemic. Data shows that on average, restaurants have spent over $4,500 on PPE. Of the restaurants surveyed, most say cash and increased capacity is their biggest need.
- [https://krdo.com/news/2020/07/30/survey-finds-62-of-colorado-restaurants-consider-closing-permanently/](https://krdo.com/news/2020/07/30/survey-finds-62-of-colorado-restaurants-consider-closing-permanently/)
- Thank you so much for listening today. I'm Isabella Janney with the Colorado Springs Daily.