Colorado's 2026 legislative session starts today. Lawmakers will be working under the gold dome in Denver for the next 120 days. In anticipation of the new session, we're sharing the latest edition of Purplish, the podcast from Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. The Sun is a member of the alliance.

Photo by Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun

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Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang looks at the latest unemployment report for Colorado and how the labor force in the state is changing and other trends in the newest data.

https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/09/colorado-professional-jobs-tech-workers/

Photo provided by Activate Work

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Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at a new mental health program at Winter Park ski area to help patrollers manage the many stresses of their job, and Jason has updates on the end of the Telluride ski patroller strike.

Photo by Brett Schreckengost, Special to The Colorado Sun

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Today - The Sun's Kevin Simpson talks to mystery writers Becky Clark and Holly Harris talk about collaborating on "Colorado Mystery Merge".

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Today, Sun reporter Olivia Prentzel discusses the fatal mountain lion attack on a hiker in northern Colorado, the investigation and what officials are saying about the rare event.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/05/human-dna-fatal-mountain-lion-attack/

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Today - The Sun's Michael Booth talks with John Ingold about a controversial new vaccine schedule, and what a federal order extending coal power plants means for Colorado.

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As we start the first full week of 2026, Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang has updates on a number of issues related to Colorado workers, including the state-administered retirement savings plan, new minimum wage numbers and an addition to the state’s paid family leave program.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/03/colorado-retirement-growth-private-401-savings/

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Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins has the latest in the ski patroller strike in Telluride that shut down the ski area and why the rest of the industry is watching closely.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/01/telluride-ski-patroller-strike-resort-closure/

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Today, events specialist Kristina Pritchett maps out some of The Sun’s in-person events for 2026, including our 4th annual Colorado Sunfest on May 1, our upcoming state legislative session preview and gatherings for first time homebuyers and would-be high-country hikers.

https://coloradosun.com/events/

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Today we revisit a conversation about happiness with Dr. June Gruber. Dr. Gruber is a clinical psychologist and full Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she directs the Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Laboratory.

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