Colorado Springs ranks 11th in the country for birthplace diversity according to a recent study. That means many of its residents weren’t born here.  WalletHub’s cultural diversity study looked at data from over 500 American cities. Jill Gonzalez is an analyst for WalletHub, a personal finance website.

A bill for a new license plate featuring the Pueblo chile will get its day on the House floor.  The bill passed the Appropriations committee with an 8 – 5 vote. Democratic Representative Daneya Esgar of Pueblo is the sponsor. She says New Mexico is considering a similar license plate promoting their Hatch chiles.

Oral health falls under Governor John Hickenlooper’s Top 10 Winnable Battles for health in Colorado. Consuming fluoride in water is one safe and inexpensive way to help prevent dental decay, according to public health experts, and it was discovered right here in Colorado.

Researchers at NASA have launched a new project to pioneer technologies for measuring snowpack.  It’s called SnowEx and is expected to last five years. Data gathering for year one is taking place in Grand Mesa and in southwestern Colorado. NASA’s Charles Gatebe leads the research team.

Penrose-St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs ranks among the best in the country for the 10th time in a row. Consumer information site Healthgrades ranked the hospital among the fifty best in the country. Dr. David Dull oversees clinical quality and medical staff performance at Penrose-St. Francis.

Voters in the West care about conservation of public lands and the environment according to a recently released poll.  The survey reached 2800 registered voters across the Rocky Mountain west.

Pueblo City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution today that places a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2035. The proposal comes as the city grapples with utility rates.  Pueblo City Councilman Larry Atenicio is sponsoring the measure.

A Colorado Springs theater company is seeking submissions for its second annual theater festival featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.  The Funky Little Theater Company’s Spectrum Festival calls for ten minute plays that explore LGBT themes and characters. The company will produce several of the best submissions during the festival in early March.

The Springs Echo launched in January. The idea is that people who would otherwise be panhandling can sell the papers instead. The newspaper’s editor, Raven Canon, identifies as homeless. The Pueblo native says she started the paper to give people a source of income and a place to share their perspectives.

An elite bike race is coming back to Colorado Springs this August.  The new “Colorado Classic” is a four-stage men’s race that will take place in Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, and Denver this summer and feature professional athletes from around the world. There will also be a two-day women’s event in Colorado Springs and Denver.

Colorado Springs City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to pass an ordinance that makes it illegal to stand on certain city medians.  The measure bans standing on sloped medians less than four feet wide on busy streets where traffic travels more than 30 miles per hour.

Colorado Springs City Council is considering raising the rate they charge Comcast as part of a cable franchise renewal agreement with the company.  If passed, the move would mean customers would likely see a slight increase on their bills.

Standing on certain medians in Colorado Springs streets could soon be illegal if a proposed ordinance passes at City Council. Mayor John Suthers’ office is recommending the new rules. Suthers says he’s heard about the problem from city residents. “People were very legitimately concerned, particularly at nighttime.

A new study outlines the economic benefits of parks and recreation in the Pikes Peak region.  Parks help lower public health costs, raise property values, and attract tourism dollars, according to the study. The Trust for Public Land authored the report.

Fire managers and others from around the state gathered at UCCS to touch base this week. Prescribed or controlled burning is intentionally causing a fire over a planned area for environmental benefits. Kirk Will is a Unit Chief at the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control and presented at the event.

The governors of Colorado, Utah, and Nevada have announced intentions to create an electric vehicle charging network on interstate highways throughout those three states. Maria Eisemann is a transportation policy analyst for the Colorado Energy Office. She says most electric vehicle users return home to charge their cars at night.