Vote on Colorado’s Next License Plate Design

The historic Colorado license plate contest is your chance to make history, by helping design the State's 150th anniversary license plate. Organizers are promising peace, quiet, mountain views, and professional help in a first ever writer's conference. And a pandemic era emergency food benefit is expiring. You're watching the Local News Roundup brought to you by Keesee Motors, and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan, and Foley. I'm Connor Shreve. You can be a part of choosing the State's 150th anniversary license plate design. Voting in the historic Colorado contest opens February 1st, and runs through February 15th. All design submissions are the work of Colorado residents, and the winning designer will get a $1,000 grant, and a commemorative license plate featuring their design. You'll be able to purchase that license plate beginning August 1st for the same price as a standard plate at your local DMV, it'll remain available to purchase until August 1st, 2027. The 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood is 2026, you can vote on the Colorado DMV website. The first ever Mesa Verde Writers Conference is being planned for this summer at the Harmony Barn in Mancos. Three published authors will instruct a group of 20 to 25 aspiring, or published writers, from July 13th through the 16th. The conference will feature a handful of workshops, as well as smaller, and one-on-one sessions. Organizers hope to provide the time, space, and setting required to sustain creative work. Cost for the three day workshop is $400, and you'll need to provide a 50% down payment by April 1st. To reserve your spot, email whitewaterwriting@gmail.com. Additional information is available at mesaverdewritersconference.org. SNAP households should start bracing for a reduction in benefits next month. February is the final month of emergency allotments for those who are on the government food assistance program. Colorado was approved to issue additional SNAP benefits due to the state and federal emergency declarations that were in place during the pandemic. That means there's nothing the state or county can do to extend the emergency allotment benefits. The amount of your SNAP benefit will still be calculated based on a number of factors, but will be reduced compared to the past two years. If you do expect to be hit by the reduction you can start stocking up on non-perishable goods now, also remember you can roll over benefits from month to month on an EBT card for up to nine months. More tips, resources, and a food pantry finder are on the Colorado Department of Human Services website, at cdhs.colorado.gov. Thanks for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup, I'm Connor Shreve.

‍