May 27 news: Denver could join Aurora, end diaper tax

(zelle duda/Unsplash)

By Steven Bonifazi / NewsBreak Denver

(DENVER, Colo.) Greetings and happy Friday to you and yours, Denver Rounderuppers.

Welcome back to another Friday edition of the Denver Daily Roundup.

Denver's weather over Memorial Day weekend will begin warm and dry, with near-record temperatures near 90 Friday and Saturday. However, cooler and wetter weather will arrive by Sunday.

Without further ado, let's take a closer look at a few of the top, local stories from the NewsBreak Denver team you should be aware of this Friday:

1. Denver may end diaper tax, joining Aurora, state

(Laura Ohlman/Unsplash)

Denver could join Aurora and Colorado to end a tax on diapers.

NewsBreak Denver's David Heitz reports the bill to end the tax on diapers would need to be approved twice by the entire City Council to become law. If approved, the bill would become law on Oct. 1, according to a staff report. Aurora City Council ended the tax on diapers in April, becoming the first city in Colorado to do so.

Thirty-three states tax diapers, with rates ranging from 1.5 to 7 percent, according to Baby2Baby, a group advocating for an end to diaper taxes across the nation.

2. Larimer Square hosting Saturday night summer concert series

(Courtesy of Larimer Square)

Larimer Square's free outdoor live music series launches June 4 with DJ Buddy Bravo's upbeat house and dance music.

The Larimer Sessions will be held each Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m., according to NewsBreak Denver's Margaret Jackson. The lineup for the Larimer Sessions includes:

• June 4: DJ Buddy Bravo, upbeat house and dance music
• June 11: RAREBYRD$, Denver rap band with original lyrics
• June 18: IMGRUV, a special Juneteenth celebration featuring smooth, lyrical synth
• June 25: Fête de la Musique, a street party with multiple French performers and the Boulder Opera at Bistro Vendome
• July 2: Thred Savage, July 4 weekend celebration featuring hip-hop and funk
• July 9: The Splifftet, the debut performance of the new Denver Big Band jazz group
• July 16: DZIRAE GOLD, modern Memphis soul and classic jazz
• July 23: DJ Bella Scratch, pop and classic remixes
• July 30: Alex Heffron, guitar with jazz influences

3. Governor Jared Polis declares emergency due to baby formula shortage

Woman bottle feeding a baby.(RODNAE Productions/Pexels)

Gov. Jared Polis signed an Executive Order declaring a disaster emergency regarding the nationwide baby formula shortage.

The order allows for emergency funds to be available for the free distribution of human donor milk, Polis’ office said on Thursday. The nationwide shortage began earlier this year after a defective baby formula brand was recalled following four babies being hospitalized with a bacteria infection, leaving at least two dead, NewsBreak Denver's Claire Cleveland reported.

The public can donate human milk and financial donations to families in need of assistance. Donations and purchases of human milk can be made anywhere in Colorado. 

4. Here’s what the sunflower lanyards at DIA mean

Denver International Airport now has a sunflower lanyard program for those with hidden disabilities.(Denver International Airport)

Denver International Airport has partnered with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organization to provide the program at the airport as roughly 43 million people in the United States have some type of disability.

NewsBreak Denver's Brittany Anas reported DEN joins over 140 airports around the world that offer sunflower lanyards that discreetly signal a traveler has a hidden disability. DEN team members are signaled that a person wearing the lanyard has a hidden disability and may need extra help getting through security, to gates and through baggage claim. 

Examples of hidden disabilities include dementia, autism, hearing loss, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, speech difficulties, visual limitations, general aging-related decline, asthma, COPD, chronic illnesses and more.