Colorado Week in Review

awesome + uniting

• Colorado voter registrations surge after presidential debate, Taylor Swift endorsement
• Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott funds 7 grants for Colorado infants, toddlers with $2.5M gift
• New litters of elusive, highly endangered black-footed ferrets produced in southeastern Colorado

awesome + controversy

• Colorado religious leaders support Amendment J on same-sex marriage
• Colorado’s next TABOR refund will be the last big one for a while, state forecasters predict
• Advocates, opponents of Colorado ballot measures have spent $15 million already on campaigns

awful + uniting

• CU Boulder study finds wildfire smoke linked to youth mental illness
• Emerald Ash Borer beetles discovered in Lakewood ash trees
• Colorado State Patrol releases video of Westminster trooper ambush, ‘no indication’ of international gang ties

awful + controversy

• Frontier flight attendants vote to authorize strike
• Rep. Yadira Caraveo slams GOP opponent for offensive posts made by his now-fired political director
• Donald Trump cost Mike Coffman his seat in Congress. Now he says he’s coming to Coffman’s city.

awesome + uniting

• Denver ranked as the hottest labor market in the US
• Michelle Obama makes surprise visit to Denver bookstore
• Adams 14 to add more than a dozen new electric school buses to its fleet

awesome + controversy

• Direct File, a free tax filing option, is available in Colorado starting with tax year 2025
• Once top in the nation for youth e-cigarette use, Colorado’s usage rate has sharply dropped after community response
• Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders team up to lead Colorado to 7th straight win over Colorado State

awful + uniting

• Street artist Sabo cited for anti-migrant signs posted around Denver in March
• Man accused of impersonating police and firefighters charged with arson in Alexander Mountain fire
• Colorado hiker’s body deemed “too dangerous” to recover

awful + controversy

• Aurora leaders backtrack on “overstated” claims of Venezuelan gang activity
• CO Congressional Candidate Evans Fires Political Director Following Times Recorder Reporting on Antisemitic & Violent Posts
• A third wolf released in Colorado’s reintroduction plan is dead, CPW says

awesome + uniting

• First snow of the season falls on Colorado mountains — including several ski areas
• Colorado is becoming a leader in constructing wildlife crossings — and there’s much more to come
• 3 Colorado utilities are getting $1.1B from the feds to accelerate the move to renewable energy

awesome + controversy

• What is the balloon flying across the Front Range sky?
• Colorado reseeding $6,000 cash for clunkers program with extra $9 million to boost EV purchases
• City of Lakewood looking to reduce residential speed limits from 30 mph to 25 mph (maybe even 20 mph)

awful + uniting

• Colorado mom drugged, fatally shot and stabbed 2 of her kids before fleeing to U.K., prosecutors say
• Former Aurora cop charged with raping daughter remains free as mom is sent to jail
• Boulder mass shooting trial centers on mental state of accused gunman

awful + controversy

• Colorado vs. Nebraska score, takeaways: Cornhuskers use big lead to smother Buffaloes in revenge game
• Boebert Gets Grilled on Voting Record, Rebuffs Rematch After First (and Likely Only) Debate
• Is racism fueling the furor over a Venezuelan gang “takeover” of apartment buildings in Aurora?

awesome + uniting

• Fort Carson soldier wins USA’s first Paralympic medal
• Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray, Will Ferrell and James Carville headed to the 51st Telluride Film Festival
• Colorado State Park campsites hit capacity as thousands enjoy Labor Day weekend outdoors

awesome + controversy

• Colorado lawmakers wrap up special session on property taxes, pass compromise bill
• Which Colorado city has the tastiest tap water? The results are in
• Recap: CU Buffs hold on to knock off North Dakota State

awful + uniting

• Colorado State Rams fall to No. 4 Texas Longhorns, 52-0 on the road in season opener
• Republican activist claims responsibility for racist signs in Denver
• Protesters Take Over Council Meeting After Aurora Names Fifth Police Chief in Two Years

awful + controversy

• Supporters of embattled Colorado GOP chair Dave Williams vote to keep him in his job
• Colorado wolf pack removal underway: Can they really be relocated?
• Mayors of Denver and Aurora say exaggerated migrant gang coverage creating ‘hysteria’

awesome + uniting

• Why do people compete in the Colorado State Fair? For some it’s continuing tradition, for others it means trying new things
• Bo Nix named Broncos starting QB for Week 1 at Seattle: “He’s been consistent”
• These Colorado Democrats got a chance to help VP Harris from the DNC stage while boosting their national credentials

awesome + controversy

• Colorado finalizes psilocybin regulations, allowing for supervised use
• Colorado is automatically sealing more than 100,000 criminal records
• New test scores show many Colorado students have shaken off pandemic setbacks, but gaps remain

awful + uniting

• Back to school means no AC for 29 Denver schools; proposed bond measure could help
• Colorado oil and gas operator won’t pay millions in fines if it agrees to cease operations in the state
• Denver district attorney asks court to dismiss murder charges in deadly road rage shooting on I-25

awful + controversy

• Colorado abortion funds struggle to cope with increased demand, donation shortfalls
• Fort Collins installing speed cameras around the city this fall
• GOP chair Dave Williams voted out by party members in meeting he calls “illegitimate”

awesome + uniting

• Tim Walz, speaking at $3 million Denver fundraiser, attacks Trump for false AI-crowd claims
• 9Things to do in Colorado this weekend: Aug. 16-18
• ProgressNow Colorado’s 21st Anniversary Gala

awesome + controversy

• Giant balloons floating above Colorado’s wildfires could help to predict future blazes
• Colorado Gov. Polis calls lawmakers back to Denver for special session on property taxes
• Sweeping changes have arrived for residential real estate in Colorado

awful + uniting

• Extreme heat at Colorado airshow sickens about 100 people with 10 hospitalized, officials say
• Calls for justice in Aurora police’s killing of Kilyn Lewis amplify
• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 escapes handler, bites child and father

awful + controversy

• Colorado’s lagging childhood vaccination rates an “accident waiting to happen”
• GUILTY: Tina Peters found guilty on most charges
• Senate District 6 candidates denounce ‘fearmongering’ GOP fundraising email

awesome + uniting

• Colorado’s Mallory Swanson scores lone goal as USWNT wins first gold medal since 2012
• Colorado to become center for stiff person syndrome treatment with donation from Céline Dion
• For Over 50 Years, This Town Has Hosted One Of The Longest-Running Festivals In Colorado

awesome + controversy

• Colorado fire officials say Quarry Fire is 100% contained
• 200 new laws go into effect Wednesday across Colorado
• Tourists spent $28.2B in Colorado last year, representing nearly 4% growth in spending

awful + uniting

• As Colorado’s bird flu outbreak continues, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra urges Coloradans to be prepared
• Suncor sued in federal court by environmental groups seeking hundreds of millions in fines
• Denver PD officers fired after allegedly joking about going to immigrant shelters for ‘target practice’

awful + controversy

• Aspen Welcomes Its Most Notorious Criminal Since Ted Bundy
• Judge lifts order keeping Republicans from trying to remove Dave Williams as Colorado’s GOP chair
• Former Tina Peters supporter takes stand against her

awesome + uniting

• Things to do this weekend: Colorado Day, First Friday markets and more
• Free school supplies, haircuts, vaccines, and more. Check out these 2024 back-to-school events
• Lucky cat rescued from Quarry Fire: ‘Symbol of what we’ve been through here’

awesome + controversy

• Children’s social media safety bills pass Senate with Colorado support
• With Randy Gradishar’s induction at age 72, the ‘Orange Crush’ finally gets into Canton
• Judge allows Colorado church to continue sheltering homeless as lawsuit against town plays out

awful + uniting

• Another heat wave has moved in and could push temperatures to record territory this week
• Gov. Jared Polis: Colorado’s three large Front Range wildfires were likely caused by people
• Regis University professor Nicholas Myklebust arrested, charged with killing his wife and daughter in Denver

awful + controversy

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be on Colorado’s presidential ballot, but Libertarian dispute continues
• Republican campaigns say Colorado GOP turmoil means they are going it alone heading into November
• Aurora cops counter social-media accounts of unruly throng at Aurora shopping center watching Venezuelan election results

awesome + uniting

• Thousands of fireflies are thriving at a small marsh in Colorado
• Democrats in Colorado’s Black and South Asian communities rally behind Kamala Harris’s campaign after surprise switch
• Meet the Colorado athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

awesome + controversy

• Broncos running back Javonte Williams has become ‘shiftier’ by dropping 11 pounds for training camp
• Colorado’s Jared Polis lands on DC newsletter’s list of potential Kamala Harris running mates
• Meet Crush, the rare orange lobster diverted from dinner plate to aquarium by Denver Broncos fans

awful + uniting

• Wildfire smoke moves into Denver area, will linger above Colorado skies for next several days
• Lakeside scrambling as Colorado town attorney says: “That’s a serious indictment”
• Revolving door at police chief’s office in Aurora concerns Colorado community leaders

awful + controversy

• Colorado judge temporarily blocks Kroger-Albertsons grocery ‘megamerger’
• U.S. Supreme Court denies former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters’ bid to halt criminal case
• Colorado Republicans still gathered Saturday to discuss removing state Chairman Dave Williams, but no vote was taken

awesome + uniting

• Boulder named one of six finalists to host the iconic Sundance Film Festival
• It’s 719 Day! Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Southern Colorado
• Colorado rattlesnake “mega den” gaining national attention via webcam for citizen science

awesome + controversy

• Colorado stegosaurus fossil fetched a record $44.6M at Sotheby’s. Should they be auctioned?
• Voter-approved measure to help fund more than 600 affordable housing units in Colorado
• Record number of visitors make Denver their destination

awful + uniting

• Colorado state representative says FBI behind attempted assassination of Trump
• Zebra mussel veligers detected in the Colorado River, Highline Canal
• Twelve years after Aurora movie theater shooting, Coloradans in Congress look to honor first responders and survivors

awful + controversy

• Democrat Hickenlooper says Biden’s withdrawal could ‘be in the best interests of the country’: Report
• Investigation launched in Dolores County after 23% of voters didn’t receive ballots
• Ammo vending machines are coming to these three southern Colorado towns