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Colorado’s “reverse auction” for state employee drug plan estimated to save $27.5 million

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

Switching the company that manages Colorado’s state employee drug plan is estimated to save more than $27 million over the next five years, but the manager that holds the current contract is formally protesting.In 2021, the state legislature passed a bill requiring the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration to hold a “reverse auction” for the contract to manage prescription drug coverage for state employees. The Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions state employee union estimated the reverse auction could save $6 million to $10 million per year.The savings will most likely be close to $5.5 million each year for the next five years, which is about an 11% reduction, said Skip Miller, a state employee and president of Colorado WINS. There may be some changes in the cost of specific drugs, but the format of the reverse auction prevented bidders from shifting significant costs to employees, he said.Pharmacy benefit managers decide which drugs wi...

Lakeside Amusement Park Summer Scream returns with a ’90s theme

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

Denver Film’s signature fundraiser, Summer Scream, will return to historic Lakeside Amusement Park on Aug. 24 with a ’90s-themed immersive experience, organizers said Thursday.The announcement beats last year’s by nearly two months — a hint of the enthusiasm for this year’s event. Summer Scream takes over Lakeside Amusement Park, Denver’s second-oldest theme park behind Elitch Gardens, and closes it to the public while providing food, alcohol and unlimited rides on classic theme park attractions.Summer Scream opens up Lakeside Amusement Park to unlimited rides — and alcohol sales. (From the Hip Photo)Four-pack tickets for this year’s 21-and-up fundraiser are on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 11, for $225, or $56.25 per person. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later for $75 each. Both are available on denverfilm.org.This year’s ’90s theme will again be immersive, organizers said.“To quote (‘Saved by the Bel...

Kate Nelson, Denver’s first fashion model in a wheelchair, is leading a surprising evolution at Denver Fashion Week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

Kate Nelson’s mind whirled as she watched what felt like an endless line of gorgeous models step up to audition for Denver Fashion Week in 2019.“When you’re in a wheelchair, people tend to focus more on your disability than you,” said Nelson, a 46-year-old Denver accountant.. “I’ve always loved fashion, and my mother instilled in me that if you dress really well and have an element of fashion about you, they’ll notice you more than your disability.”Despite not being 18 years old and having “giraffe legs,” as Nelson observed of other hopefuls, she beat several rounds of elimination to become Denver Fashion Week’s first runway model who used a wheelchair. She only wanted to make a point to the judges about how stereotypes have denied people with disabilities the chance to take part in the fashion world.Now Nelson is returning to the runway as Denver Fashion Week debuts its first Inclusive Fashion show on Thursday, May 1...

Things to do this weekend: Alpaca happy hour, railfans in Golden

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

Wild Child at The Bluebird TheaterThrough Friday. Austin, Texas, band Wild Child is beloved for its infectious melodies and sincere lyrics that tackle love and heartbreak. But the inspiration for the title track on its fifth studio album, “End of the World,” came from a more sinister experience: A 2021 ice storm that ravaged Texas and collapsed the state’s power grid. Many residents died of hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning from heating apparatuses.Concerts Thursday, May 11, and Friday, May 12, at the Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. 8 p.m. with opener Próxima Parada. Tickets (nearly sold out): $30 via axs.com — Tiney RicciardiRelated ArticlesThings To Do | Gluten-free foodie fest, Herb’s Bar turns 90, Cinco de Mayo in Five Points, and more things to do in Denver this weekend Things To Do | Things to do this weekend: Big Stir Fest, car-free Garden of the Gods, Dia del Nino Things To Do | Thing...

Wendy's to test AI chatbot at drive-thru

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A fast food chain is teaming up with Google to add artificial intelligence to its menu.Wendy's is planning to launch an AI chatbot to automate its restaurants' drive-thrus, a representative for the company told Nexstar's WCMH on Tuesday. Dubbed FreshAI, the AI tech will hold limited conversations with customers, handling their food orders and answering frequently asked questions. The bot will integrate with the store's hardware and cash register systems for processing orders.A Wendy's drive-thru which would be capable of hosting the FreshAI chatbot for taking orders in the future. (Courtesy Photo/Wendy's)A Wendy's drive-thru which would be capable of hosting the FreshAI chatbot for taking orders in the future. (Courtesy Photo/Wendy's)The burger chain, founded in Columbus in 1969, tapped Google to power FreshAI with its existing cloud-based generative AI and large language models. The language models include the restaurant's menu as data, and will allow the dr...

Australia’s colossal bushfires likely made La Niña worse, study finds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

By Kathleen Magramo | CNNSmoke from Australia’s worst wildfires in decades may have contributed to the rare triple La Niña weather event that impacted continents thousands of miles away, according to new research.Flames burned through 46 million acres from June 2019 to January 2020 — during Australia’s summer months — thrusting emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere and potentially shifting weather patterns, said a study published in Science Advances on Wednesday.The study, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), said the disaster was “exceptional in both its severity and particulate emissions,” releasing smoke levels similar to a major volcanic eruption.Scientists John Fasullo, Nan Rosenbloom and Rebecca Buchholz from NCAR in the United States used new modeling to demonstrate how emissions from the bushfires may have shifted weather patterns.Their research suggests smoke emissions led to the formation of clouds over the s...

49ers’ Kyle Shanahan hails Brock Purdy’s future without condemning Trey Lance’s

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

SAN JOSE — If Brock Purdy needs a vote of confidence to get through his elbow rehabilitation, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan sure gave him one Wednesday night.Shanahan, in leading off the Dwight Clark Legacy Series event at the California Theatre, glowed not only about Brock Purdy’s recovery but how he can be even better than last season’s rookie show.“As long as Brock’s elbow heals right, he’ll be the exact same guy, and when you have a clean break like that or a tear, it will be,” Shanahan said. “You can have a setback and something can go wrong, but everything’s been entirely on pace.“Just watching him now, he’s doing the same drills all the other quarterbacks are doing, he’s just using a towel to throw. But he’s still doing violent motions, he’s still moving it. He’s just not doing it with a football.”Purdy is two months into his prescribed six-month recovery, from having an internal-brace procedure repair ...

Photos: Season not over for Golden State Warriors in 121-106 win over Los Angeles Lakers in playoff Game 5

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

The Golden State Warriors won’t be taking their summer vacation just yet.The Warriors staved off elimination in their 121-106 win over Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Western Conference semifinals playoff Game 5 at the Chase Center in San Francisco Monday night.Both teams shot above 54% from the field and 50% from deep in the first two quarters. Those numbers tapered off in the second half, but the Warriors’ energy didn’t.Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | How a more aggressive Andrew Wiggins can help the Warriors force a Game 7 Golden State Warriors | Lakers’ Anthony Davis exits in fourth quarter of Warriors’ Game 5 win Golden State Warriors | Warriors stave off elimination, send series back to LA Golden State Warriors | Lakers coach responds to Kerr comments on flops; Curry named to All-NBA second team Golden State Warriors | Warriors beat the Lakers in Game 5, keep series and season al...

Borenstein: Oakland should seize the A’s stake in the Coliseum through eminent domain

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

The A’s and the city of Oakland are divorcing, but the team continues to cling to its ownership share in the family home.While billionaire ballclub owner John Fisher has declared his love for Las Vegas, he still holds rights to a half-interest in the Oakland Coliseum. For the city, the spurned spouse, that means future redevelopment of one of Oakland’s most valuable parcels could be blocked indefinitely.Fortunately, city officials have an option. They could — and should — wrest control of the property from the A’s owner through eminent domain to use it for a public purpose. The move would clear the way for economic revitalization of the 112-acre site, bringing needed housing and commercial development and a refurbished sports complex to one of the city’s most impoverished neighborhoods.It’s a travesty that, as Fisher works to move the A’s to another city, he can still control the destiny of a prime piece of once-public property with incredible transportation access, incl...

Opinion: The AI chatbots are coming for our voices. Are we ready?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:31:45 GMT

At a time when so many people want to project their voices as writers and speakers, and when many members of marginalized groups seek to finally make their voices heard, a technology has emerged — generative AI chatbots — that is perhaps the most effective voice silencer ever created.Communication is about coming together and having a common, intimate experience, not just sharing information. The vehicle for such experience is the individual, unique human voice, whether it’s someone telling stories around a campfire, giving a speech on a TED talk stage, or projecting their voice stylistically in the pages of a novel.AI can simulate human voices but only superficially. That’s because AI isn’t about human expression. It’s about the collection, aggregation and dissemination of information structured according to known and perhaps newly discovered patterns.From an artistic standpoint, there is great power and benefit to AI’s ability to synthesize and combine information. And...