Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, September 17th.

 

Today - Last year, a national group got involved in Colorado’s Republican primaries, spending on candidates seen as less conservative in several open seats. Now, some republicans want the party to opt out of the primary elections next year, arguing that the process of selecting candidates should be kept in-house.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we take you back to September 17th, 1868 when a group of about 50 volunteer troops from Kansas and Colorado Territory awoke to find themselves surrounded by Cheyennes and Arapahos. For nine days they hunkered on a sandbar in the middle of the river. The sandbar came to be known as Beecher Island, but it disappeared during a flood in 1935.

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Republicans who want their party to opt out of Colorado’s primary elections next year are citing a national group’s spending as a prime reason why. Unite America, which operates state and federal political action committees, got involved in Republican legislative primaries last year, spending nearly $456,000 on candidates seen as less conservative in several open seats. All five candidates supported by the group won their primaries — prompting some Republicans to decry the involvement of “outsiders” and say the process of selecting candidates should be kept in-house. Sandra Fish tells us more.

 

Reporter Jesse Paul is traveling to Pueblo on Saturday to watch the Republican confab, so check in for updates at Coloradosun.com. 

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

SCL Health, the Broomfield-based operator of eight not-for-profit hospitals with 16,000 employees, will merge into much larger Intermountain Healthcare of Utah, creating a chain of 33 hospitals with 58,000 employees across six Western states. SCL Health will give up its corporate name and overall leadership to Intermountain, but the individual Colorado hospitals such as St. Joseph’s and Good Samaritan will retain their names. Officials expect a combined annual revenue of about $14 billion and said the merger would help the hospitals continue promoting “affordable” care. They did not answer reporters’ questions about whether they would commit to freezing or lowering prices. 

 

The latest draft of Colorado’s congressional map avoids putting the state’s current U.S. House members into the same district, while creating a sweeping L-shaped district across most of the Western Slope and southern Colorado. The new 8th Congressional District in the north Denver metro region would be nearly 39% Hispanic. High-country counties including Routt, Jackson, Eagle, Summit and Grand are grouped with Larimer and Boulder into a proposed 2nd Congressional District. And the new districts would no longer pit Garfield County Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert against Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse of Lafayette. The map released this week is the second to be drawn by nonpartisan staff based on 2020 census data. It also incorporates input from the public about previous drafts. 

 

The federal Bureau of Land Management had planned to remove 80% of the wild horses in Sand Wash Basin as drought-stricken rangeland was so decimated it looked like “moon dust.” But after national outcry and a plea from Gov. Jared Polis, the wild horse roundup ended with the removal of 70% of the estimated 900 horse herd, about 100 fewer horses than expected. The 684 horses were herded by a low-flying helicopter into holding pens during the two-week roundup.

 

 A federal judge ruled Thursday that the man accused of killing three people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs in is incompetent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled Thursday. The ruling delays U.S. prosecutors' efforts to bring Robert Dear to trial after he was repeatedly deemed incompetent in state court. Neither prosecutors nor the defense contested the finding — but Dear did, shouting “I’m opposing it; I’m not crazy,” via a video feed from a mental health facility in Missouri. Sixty-three-year-old Dear is accused of killing three people and wounding eight others during the Nov. 27, 2015, attack. He was diagnosed in 2016 with a delusional disorder that has caused him to believe for decades that the FBI was persecuting him.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again on Monday. Now, a quick message from our editor.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday September 16th.

 

Today - For many Coloradans signs of climate change are all around them. And after this summer, the days of Coloradans putting off climate change seem to be over. 

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we’re going back to September 16th 1949 when city dignitaries gathered on the south side of the National Western Stock Show grounds in northeast Denver to break ground on the Denver Coliseum. 

 

For nearly a quarter century it hosted musical acts including Black Sabbath, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.

 

Now, our feature story.

 

For many Coloradans, climate change is happening now — all around them. They’re choking on ozone spikes, losing favorite hiking spots like Hanging Lake, sweating through fall school days and feeling the wildfire smoke descend. The scientific consensus is that human-caused climate change has raised average temperatures in the West about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit in recent decades, and closer to two full degrees on maximum-temperature days. And after this summer, the days of Coloradans putting off climate change as a worry for hurricane-ravaged Louisiana or a water-challenged Middle East seem to be over. Mike Booth tells us more.

 

To read more of Mike Booth’s reporting on climate change, go to coloradosun.com. 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

The Aurora Police Department consistently violates state and federal law in a pattern of racially biased policing and excessive use of force, according to a year-long investigation into the agency launched by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. The department has been mired in a string of headline-grabbing controversies in recent years, including the 2019 death of Elijah McClain — an unarmed, 23-year-old Black man who died after an encounter with Aurora police and paramedics. Aurora police Chief Vanessa Wilson said her agency is committed to change. Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, launched the patterns and practices investigation into the department amid protests surrounding McClain’s death. It’s the first such investigation launched by Weiser’s office under a sweeping police accountability law passed by the Colorado legislature in 2020. 

 

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis married his longtime partner, Marlon Reis, on Wednesday afternoon. The couple wed at a small, traditional Jewish ceremony that was held outdoors with family and friends present. Every guest was required to test negative for COVID-19, the governor’s office said. Polis, 46, is the nation’s first openly gay elected governor.

 

The Polis administration is banking on an untested, first-in-the-nation type of regulation to sharply cut oil and gas sector emissions to meet state greenhouse gas targets — drawing praise from the industry, but roiling environmental groups and some local officials. The draft “greenhouse gas intensity target” rule, to be submitted to the Air Quality Control Commission on Friday, aims to cut overall emissions from oil and gas production by requiring operators to reduce emissions per barrel of oil equivalent they produce. But it has never been used industry wide, is based on incomplete data, and gives companies a free hand in deciding how to cut those emissions.

 

College leaders across Colorado worried students wouldn’t show up this fall, especially due to concerns about the delta variant. But Colorado community college enrollment dipped just slightly over last year, and no school across the state experienced more than a single-digit percentage drop in enrollment.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow for a special holiday episode. Now, a quick message from our editor.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday September 15th. Colorado Republicans see the once-a-decade redistricting process as an opportunity to regain some ground. 

 

Today - we take a look at an analysis of the latest maps that offer a glimpse into where the process of redrawing state House and Senate districts is headed. 

 

But first -- We’d like to thank our sponsor, Pinnacol Assurance. Pinnacol provides caring workers’ comp insurance. They were also named one of the most community-minded companies in Colorado. Pinnacol gives back through community investments, scholarships and apprenticeships. At Pinnacol, caring is more than kindness. It’s their powertool. See how they put care to work at Pinnacol dot com.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we take you back to September 15th, 1879 - the date of the first official meeting of the Colorado Historical Society in Denver, now known as History Colorado.

 

At the time, the Rocky Mountain News informed its readers that [quote] “the attention of old timers and all interested in the early history of Denver and Colorado is called to the meeting of the State Historical Society”. 

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Colorado has been trending blue for years as the share of registered Republican voters has declined and the percentage of unaffiliated voters grows. Though Republicans see the once-a-decade redistricting process as an opportunity to regain some ground, an analysis of the latest maps shows Democrats would be poised to keep control of the state Legislature. The latest draft maps are based on 2020 census data and public feedback, and will surely change; another draft is due September 23. But they offer a glimpse into where the process of redrawing state House and Senate districts is headed. Thy Vo and Sandra Fish tell us more. 

 

To read more of Thy and Fish’s reporting on redistricting — and to sign up for their weekly newsletter — go to coloradosun.com. 

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Grand Mesa Nordic skiers are no longer on a collision course with logging trucks on popular trails at the top of the world’s largest flattop mountain. Though an estimated 250 logging trucks had been slated to cut through the Nordic ski area this season, forest officials and the logging company have agreed to hold off until 2023. Along with recreational skiers, the trail network is heavily used in early season by numerous high school and collegiate ski teams because its 10,500-foot elevation usually brings early snow pack at a time when other Nordic areas are still waiting to groom trails.

 

President Joe Biden tried to advance his domestic spending plans Tuesday while touring the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus near Superior to highlight how his clean-energy proposals would help combat climate change and create good-paying jobs along the way. The trip to the the lab’s Flatirons Campus capped the president’s two-day swing through the West. He spoke about “more jobs for the economy” as he checked out a giant windmill blade laying on the ground outside the lab and got a demonstration of wind turbine technology.

 

Amazon says it is bringing its palm-recognition technology to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver. It’s the first time Amazon One technology will be used outside some of Amazon’s stores, where shoppers can pay for groceries and snacks by swiping their palms. Starting this week people going to concerts at Red Rocks will be able to sign up through A-E-G’s AXS ticketing system for the service that lets them wave their hand over a device to get into the venue. The Denver deal could lead to the technology being used at other A-E-G stadiums and movie theaters.

 

The former Lake County coroner was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation after a jury found him guilty of second degree official misconduct. The charge stems from when 45-year-old Shannon Kent sent his wife, who was not a deputy coroner, to several death scenes over a four-month period in 2019. Kent was acquitted of second-degree perjury, which is a felony. He faces a separate charge related to a corpse that was allegedly stored unrefrigerated in his private funeral home for several months. 

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow for a special holiday episode. Now, a quick message from our editor.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday September 14th,

 

Today - When a deep freeze over the winter sent natural gas prices soaring, Xcel Energy proposed a $550 million consumer surcharge to recover its costs. But will the Public Utilities Commission accept that full amount? 

 

But first -- We’d like to thank our sponsor, Pinnacol Assurance. Pinnacol provides caring workers’ comp insurance. They were also named one of the most community-minded companies in Colorado. Pinnacol gives back through community investments, scholarships and apprenticeships. At Pinnacol, caring is more than kindness. It’s their powertool. See how they put care to work at Pinnacol dot com.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today we’re going back to September 14th, 1978 when the show Mork and Mindy premiered on ABC. Mork and Mindy was a spinoff of Happy Days, and focused on the zany antics of Mork from Ork, an alien played by Robin Williams, who landed near Boulder Colorado in his spaceship. 

 

Now, our feature story.

 

After a historic deep freeze in mid-February sent natural gas prices soaring, Xcel Energy proposed a $550 million consumer surcharge to recover its costs. But critics say Xcel ignored warnings to store more gas and failed to switch to cheaper fuel oil. This left the state’s largest electricity provider helpless as spot prices spiked. Now, the state consumer advocate and the Public Utilities Commission staff say the PUC should reject about $130 million of the $550 million that Xcel wants to pass on to Colorado electric and gas customers. Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth explains the situation. 

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Colorado Springs police officers violated a man’s Fourth Amendment right to privacy when they set up a camera on a utility pole across the street from his home and recorded footage for three months without obtaining a search warrant. Police mounted the camera in June 2015 after receiving a tip that Rafael Phillip Tafoya was involved in drug trafficking, according to the ruling. It wasn’t until after reviewing the footage that police applied for a warrant to search his home and found large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine. The court also reversed Tafoya’s conviction on drug trafficking charges.

 

Gov. Jared Polis on Monday criticized federal regulatory delays in rolling out coronavirus vaccine booster shots, dismissing concerns that the vaccine doses are unnecessary and could be better used elsewhere. During a news conference Polis said “At the very least, the FDA should get out of the way and allow people to make this choice to protect themselves. He also said two departing vaccine regulators who argued booster shots are unneeded have “blood on their hands and that there are thousands of Americans that are dead today because of their delays on the booster shot.” 

 

The latest draft maps of Colorado’s new state Senate and House districts would make it difficult for Republicans to challenge Democratic control of the legislature, according to analysis of the proposals released Monday. The maps released Monday are the first plans drawn by nonpartisan redistricting staff based on a decade of demographic changes captured in 2020 census data, and take into account input from more than two dozen public hearings held around the state.

 

Pediatricians across the state are being bombarded with requests for doctor’s notes as parents try to get their kids exempt from wearing a mask at school despite few medical-based reasons not to do so. In mask-averse Douglas County, elected leaders already opted to create their own health department to sidestep unpopular COVID-19 public health orders and some parents have turned angry when their requests for doctor’s notes were denied.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Monday September 13th.

 

Today we’re joined by Mark Nagel. Nagel was the acting director of security at Denver International Airport on 9/11. The head of security happened to be out of town that day, leaving him in charge. 

 

Before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today we’re going back to September 13th, 1873 when Felix R Brunot negotiated a deal with the Utes that ceded the San Juan Mountains region to the United States. It became known as the Brunot Treaty. At another council that same year Brunot forced a Utes surrender to legalize the San Juan interlopers. Ouray, who sought peace, convinced Ute factions to back the cession. And federal agents awarded him with an annual annuity and a farm near Montrose. The farm survives today as History Coorado’s Ute Indian Museum.

 

 Now, our feature story. 

 

On September 11th, 2001, Mark Nagel was the acting director of security at Denver International Airport. The head of security was out of town at a conference, leaving Nagel in charge. At about 7 a.m., Nagel learned of the terrorist attacks unfolding on the other side of the country and began to respond, evacuating the hub and implementing new security measures. 

Colorado Sun reporter Jesse Paul spoke to Nagel about what he remembers from that day 20 years ago and how it changed the aviation industry forever.

 

For more on this story visit us at coloradosun.com.

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Security workers will accompany nurses and staff members of Jefferson County Public Health’s three mobile coronavirus vaccine units for the foreseeable future after months of harassment and abuse. Two incidents are being investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and at least one more is being investigated by the Arvada Police Department.

 

Republican Heidi Ganahl on Friday formed a candidate committee to run for governor of Colorado in 2022, confirming months of speculation that she would launch a bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and lead the state. The University of Colorado regent, who is the only Republican official who holds statewide office, is expected to formally announce her bid this week.

 

A state health official on Friday sounded an alarm about the continued spread of the highly contagious delta variant. Colorado has fewer intensive care hospital beds available now than at any other point in the coronavirus pandemic. Scott Bookman, who is Colorado’s COVID-19 incident commander, said state dipped below 200 available ICU hospital beds on Thursday.

 

A Colorado State Patrol trooper assigned to a unit that protects the legislature and serves as the security detail for Gov. Jared Polis has been charged with felony menacing. Trooper Jay Hemphill was on duty last month when he allegedly pointed his gun at a motorist at an intersection near the state Capitol. Hemphill has been placed on administrative leave. 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, September 10th.

 

Today - How two years into Colorado’s home school boom, new families are still joining the fold amid the pandemic.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we take you back to September 10th, 1945 when a hatchet job gone wrong created a legend. In an attempt to cook a chicken dinner Lloyd and Clara Olsen of Mesa County found themselves with a headless chicken who’s brain stem was still intact. The so-called “Headless Wonder Chicken” soon took on new life as a sideshow attraction appearing before crowds from coast to coast. This went on for about a year and a half, and even made the Guinness Book of World Records!

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Reporter Erica Breunlin spoke with Jesse Paul about how two years into Colorado’s home school boom, new families are still joining the fold amid the coronavirus pandemic. And the growth in the state’s home-school population is expected to be long-lasting.

 

There also is a growing interest in a blend of homeschool and public school in which students divide their time between the two options.

 

To read more about the way the pandemic has changed parents’ approach to education in Colorado go to coloradosun.com

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Four teenagers died Wednesday night when the SUV they were riding in on Colorado’s Eastern Plains was struck by a tractor trailer. The youngest victim was 14 and the oldest was 16. The Colorado State Patrol says drugs and alcohol are not suspected to have contributed to the crash, which happened near the small town of Wiley.

 

Drought has loosened its grip across nearly half Colorado in the past year, but parts of the state could see conditions worsen in the coming months due to an autumn and winter that experts say will be hotter and drier than normal. Colorado State University climate scientist Peter Goble says “the outlook is not encouraging.” About 52% of the state’s geographic area now faces some type of drought -- ranging from abnormally dry to exceptional drought. The U.S. Drought Monitor says that this time last year, the entire state was plagued by a lack of rain. 

 

Twenty Democratic attorneys general, including Colorado’s Phil Weiser, have voiced their support for a lawsuit challenging South Carolina’s new abortion law. They are arguing that the restrictive measure could harm their states by taxing resources if women cross borders to seek care. The group filed an amicus brief with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear a lawsuit from the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder. The lawsuit sought to challenge the University of Colorado’s refusal to reveal the finalists for the school president’s job in 2019. The Camera sued in 2019, seeking the names of six finalists interviewed by the Board of Regents to replace then-university President Bruce Benson, who was retiring.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again on Monday. Now, a quick message from our editor.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday September 9th.

 

Today - Residents of an eco-friendly community in Arvada are fed up with a developer’s decision to introduce traditional natural gas lines into their neighborhood.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we take you back to September 9th, 1916 when The Opportunity school opened with Emily Griffith at its helm. The goal was to establish a school for the boys and girls and parents whose education had been limited by poverty. It’s now known as the Emily Griffith Technical College.

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Reporter Michael Booth joins Jesse Paul to discuss his story about residents of an eco-friendly community in Arvada who are fed up with a developer’s decision to introduce traditional natural gas lines for stoves, hot water heaters and barbecues into their neighborhood.

 

Geos homes residents are furious at this perceived breach of their careful community plan, and are appealing to local and state politicians to stop what they see as an assault on their principles and a grand experiment to demonstrate healthier communities. They note, for example, that cities including Denver plan to block natural gas connections in new home construction in just over two years from now. 

 

You can read more about this story at ColoradoSun.com.

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Douglas County has taken a major step in its long-simmering, pandemic-fueled separation from the agency that has safeguarded its residents’ health for 55 years. County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to create its own health department. Douglas County plans to maintain some ties with Tri-County Health Department, however, even as it appoints a board to oversee the new health department. 

 

Loveland has agreed to pay $3 million to a 73-year-old woman with dementia who was roughly arrested by police last year. Then-Officer Austin Hopp arrested Karen Garner after she left a store without paying for about $14 worth of items. A federal lawsuit that Garner filed claimed he dislocated her shoulder by shoving her handcuffed left arm forward onto the hood of a patrol car.

 

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday identified the 6-year-old girl who died at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park as Wongel Estifanos. She died Sunday after “an incident” while riding the Haunted Mine Drop ride. A forensic pathologist found she suffered from multiple blunt-force injuries.

 

The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed a $100 million lawsuit against the state’s health department to move forward in a case involving a smelly biogas plant in Weld County. The plant turned manure, food waste and other organic matter into natural gas, along with a liquid that was sold as fertilizer to farmers. Its owners argue state regulators forced them to close down the facility without just compensation.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow for a special holiday episode. Now, a quick message from our editor.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday September 8th.

Today - A federal class-action lawsuit claims the state has lapsed on its obligation to provide mental health care for kids in need.

But first -- We’d like to thank our sponsor, Pinnacol Assurance. Pinnacol provides caring workers’ comp insurance. They were also named one of the most community-minded companies in Colorado. Pinnacol gives back through community investments, scholarships and apprenticeships. At Pinnacol, caring is more than kindness. It’s their powertool. See how they put care to work at Pinnacol dot com.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we’re going back to September 8th, 1874 when Franklin Rhoda, a federal surveyor, led a small party along a remote Ute path in the San Juan Mountains. He wrote: “One thing very peculiar about this particular part of the country is the deathlike stillness that almost oppresses one in passing through it”.

 

The expedition, which started in the Summer of 1874 would be completed in October of that year. Along the way, they would climb Uncompahgre peak, Mount Sneffels, and Mount Wilson.

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Colorado Sun reporter Jen Brown spoke to Jesse Paul about her reporting on a federal class-action lawsuit claiming the state has lapsed on its obligation to provide mental health care for needy children, leaving them to cycle in and out of emergency rooms instead of receiving appropriate long-term care.

 

The lawsuit so far includes three anonymous plaintiffs, all teenagers who have for months or years been checked into hospital emergency rooms and psychiatric facilities but then refused step-down residential treatment because no beds are available.

 

To learn more visit us at coloradosun.com

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

A judge Tuesday ordered a mental health evaluation for the man accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder King Soopers in March. The evaluation will be used to determine whether the suspect is competent to stand trial. The judge set an Oct. 19 hearing to hear the results of the evaluation.

 

Interest in accessory dwelling units -- also known by terms like granny flats, mother-in-law apartments or carriage houses -- is growing in Denver, where the housing market is tight and prices are sharply rising. That momentum is reflected in the rebounding number of rezoning requests, which took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2010, Denver issued only two permits for such units. In 2019, the number spiked to 71 before the coronavirus shutdown saw a dropoff to 54 in 2020.

 

The Colorado Supreme Court will not consider a case that questions ski areas' use of waivers to protect themselves from lawsuits filed by injured skiers. Attorneys fighting for skier safety fear the end of legal challenges to now-ubiquitous resort liability waivers may mean the death of the venerable Ski Safety Act.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow for a special holiday episode. Now, a quick message from our editor.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday September 7th.

 

Today - The Bureau of Land Management recently herded mustangs into a holding pen in an effort to thin the herd of almost 900 roaming northwestern Colorado. Why? The BLM argues that drought has made life unsustainable for that many horses. Though not everyone involved agrees.

 

But first -- We’d like to thank our sponsor, Pinnacol Assurance. Pinnacol provides caring workers’ comp insurance. They were also named one of the most community-minded companies in Colorado. Pinnacol gives back through community investments, scholarships and apprenticeships. At Pinnacol, caring is more than kindness. It’s their powertool. See how they put care to work at Pinnacol dot com.

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today we’re going back to September 7th, 1968 when the town of Ridgway was transformed into Fort Smith, Arkansas for the filming of True Grit. Starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, and Kim Darby, it earned Wayne his only Academy Award for the role of lawman Rooster Cogburn.

 

The film used a number of Colorado locations including Gunnison, Montrose, and Ouray. Wayne praised the “beautiful scenery” of the San Juans and raved about the steak at the Red Barn restaurant in Montrose.

 

Now, our feature story.

 

What could be more quintessentially Western than a wild horse roundup? The federal Bureau of Land Management used a helicopter to herd mustangs into a holding pen over several days in an effort to thin the herd of almost 900 roaming the hills canyons of far northwestern Colorado, where the BLM argues that drought has made life unsustainable for that many horses. But not everyone who caravaned to the roundup in the vast expanses near the Wyoming border agrees. And that made for a tense day on the range for Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown.

 

Still dusty from the trip, she joined Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about the experience, and the clashing views of how  to manage the expanding herd. 

 

You can read more from Jennifer Brown about the wild mustang roundup and the controversy surrounding it at ColoradoSun.com.

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Demand for housing in Colorado has never been stronger and the proof is in the building permits. Six of the top 20 biggest months since 1988 have occurred since October. But a construction labor shortage is keeping builders from meeting demand -- so much so that most new homes are sold before they are constructed. The Colorado Homebuilding Academy has graduated hundreds of new workers since it started in 2017, but that’s still not enough to close the gap created as skilled laborers retired have or migrated to other work. 

 

Federal unemployment benefits dried up on Saturday. There were about 107,000 Coloradans still drawing the benefit. Another 30,000 people lost a $300 per week federal “bonus.” Colorado has distributed about $11.2 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits since March 29, 2020, when people began making pandemic-related unemployment claims. About $7.8 billion of the total flowed from federal programs. Colorado had to borrow $1 billion to keep up with state benefits and interest begins accruing on that sum on Tuesday. Unemployment premiums paid by Colorado businesses will be raised to pay off that loan.

 

A plan to log 345 acres of federal forest on Grand Mesa may have less of an impact on 30 miles of Nordic ski trails after forest managers and the Grand Mesa Nordic Council met to brainstorm on Friday. Two possible solutions that came out of the meeting were to cut a ski trail adjacent to Scales Lake Road so that both skiers and logging trucks could use the area at the same time, and to suspend logging on Nov. 15 and finish the operation later in the winter, when the prime Nordic skiing season is over. Now the ideas must be proposed to the Montrose logging company that holds the contracts. Logging near the Skyway trail system is expected to begin on schedule in October.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

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Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Monday September 6th.

Today - A self proclaimed “Lakes Geek” makes satellite-view comparisons of lakes all over the world. But why is his work so important to Colorado? 

But first -- We’d like to thank our sponsor, Pinnacol Assurance. Pinnacol provides caring workers’ comp insurance. They were also named one of the most community-minded companies in Colorado. Pinnacol gives back through community investments, scholarships and apprenticeships. At Pinnacol, caring is more than kindness. It’s their powertool. See how they put care to work at Pinnacol.com

Before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

Today we’re going back to September 6th, 1920 when Jack Dempsey defended his world heavyweight title against Billy Miske in the first ever boxing match broadcast by radio. Dempsey hailed from Manassa, a Mormon farming colony in Conejos County though his childhood was fairly migratory going from one Colorado town to the next. They found their greatest success in Montrose when his mother took the family reins.

He’d return to Colorado to begin his boxing career and would spar in Aspen, Gunnison, Durango, Telluride, Victor, Leadville and more before he worked his way up to being heavyweight champion, a title he held from 1919 until 1926.

 Now, our feature story. 

A self-described “lakes geek” makes satellite-view comparisons of lakes all over the world as part of his hobby, a website that he calls “Lakepedia.” Why is that important to Colorado? As reporter Michael Booth explains, he’s offering us before-and-after satellite photos of Blue Mesa, Taylor Park and other major reservoirs, with a slider that lets the viewer see the changes to the shorelines from before the state’s prolonged drought to now. 

The Sun’s Kevin Simpson took a few minutes to chat with Michael about the images.

You can check out the time-lapse images of major lakes in the West today at coloradosun.com.

Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy your day off this Labor Day! For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.

 

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