Jon Murray

Denver City Council waits to send Xcel Energy franchise plan to voters It’s back to the drawing board for Denver city officials and Xcel Energy on a 20-year franchise agreement to deliver power to the city.

Denver City Council waits to send Xcel Energy franchise plan to voters trib.al/KRxZfuZ

Denver City Council rejects ranked-choice voting, advances change for at-large seats The Denver council on Monday night narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would ask voters to convert most city elections to ranked-choice voting, replacing a two-election runoff system.

Denver City Council rejects ranked-choice voting, advances change for at-large seats www.denverpost.com/2025/08/12/d... via @elliottwenzler.bsky.social

Uncertainty looms over Boulder’s iconic NOAA labs site The murky future of Boulder’s four NOAA research labs has brought renewed attention to their economic, scientific and cultural importance.

This is a good and interesting look by @bamesjurky.bsky.social at the perils surrounding NOAA in Boulder these days. www.denverpost.com/2025/08/09/b... @denverpost.com

"Earlier this month, Colorado’s top prison official directed DOC staff members to stop proactively responding to detainer requests. Under the new policy, ICE must file public records requests to obtain information about inmates." by @sethklamann.bsky.social www.denverpost.com/2025/08/11/c...

"The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled to learn of the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, alongside Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, by Israeli forces in Gaza." - CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg

When Colorado wildfires threatened this Western Slope town, neighbors showed up for each other When a 60,000-acre wildfire is breathing down the neck of a small northwestern Colorado town, the locals don’t freeze. The follow their first instinct — to jump into action to protect t…

When Colorado wildfires threatened this Western Slope town, neighbors showed up for each other. By @thenoellephillips.bsky.social on the ground in Meeker: www.denverpost.com/2025/08/08/m...

Colorado wildfires: Polis activates National Guard, all of Meeker on pre-evacuation status Two uncontained wildfires have charred thousands of acres and reached within a mile of the Western Slope town of Meeker, forcing evacuations as the flames jump highways and the threaten to cross th…

Two uncontained wildfires have charred thousands of acres and reached within a mile of the Western Slope town of Meeker, forcing evacuations as the flames jump highways and threaten to cross the White River. www.denverpost.com/2025/08/07/m... via @denverpost.com

An incisive story today from @coltrain.bsky.social, taking stock (and looking at impact) of Colorado’s mounting gun laws from the last five years — and going back to the post-Aurora theater shooting response more than a dozen years ago. Please give it a read.

Trump plans 100% tariff on computer chips, unless companies build in U.S. Companies making computer chips in the U.S. or planning to do so will be spared.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will impose a 100% tariff on computer chips, raising the specter of higher prices for electronics, autos, household appliances and other essential products dependent on the processors powering the digital age.

Colorado wildfires: New fire closes U.S. 40 in Moffat County A rapidly-growing wildfire west of Craig closed U.S. 40 in both directions on Wednesday afternoon.

UPDATE: A new, rapidly-growing wildfire west of Craig closed U.S. 40 in both directions on Wednesday afternoon

“The approach here is a balanced approach that would involve major spending cuts, new revenue and limited use of reserves, as we long as we can pay it back,” Polis told @denverpost.com today. “The less revenue there is, the more the cuts will be.”

An incisive story today from @coltrain.bsky.social, taking stock (and looking at impact) of Colorado’s mounting gun laws from the last five years — and going back to the post-Aurora theater shooting response more than a dozen years ago. Please give it a read.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston sets starting date for layoffs of city workers next month Mayor Mike Johnston didn’t say how many people will lose their jobs amid the city’s budget crisis, but a new letter to city employees specifies when they’ll begin in August.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston sets starting date for layoffs of city workers next month https://trib.al/hb0olSE

COVID infection early in pandemic linked to higher risk of cancer death, CU study finds COVID-19 didn’t directly cause the cancer to spread, but created an environment where dormant cells elsewhere in patients’ bodies can wake up.

New study finds COVID didn’t directly cause cancer to spread, but created environment where dormant cancer cells can wake. The body responds to infection with inflammation to kill virus — which helps cancer cells. “It’s kind of like collateral damage,” says Colorado researcher who helped lead study

Sloan’s Lake water crisis may force Dragon Boat Festival to leave Denver Colorado Dragon Boat Fest was moved from July to September this year over health and safety concerns

New: Dragon Boat Fest may leave Sloan's Lake over environmental concerns by @johnwenzel.bsky.social ‬⁩ www.denverpost.com/2025/07/30/c...

Colorado weather: Afternoon thunderstorms to bring heavy rain, flash floods Rain showers and thunderstorms across Colorado on Wednesday could cause flash flooding, especially south of Denver, according to the National Weather Service.

HEADS UP: Rain showers and thunderstorms across Colorado this afternoon could cause flash flooding, especially south of Denver.

Cap Hill neighbors have wondered about this white-walled mansion and its visitors for years “We saw a small group — maybe five or six people, nicely dressed in white, who were gone within an hour or two.”

Among the stately houses in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, one stands out for its sprawling property and mysterious occupant.

A lot of really eye-popping details in this @samtabachnik.bsky.social piece about Craig’ police department, including: The police paid out two settlements to the same guy, 20 years apart, and then shot & killed him in a 3rd incident, when the man pulled a gun and told officers to shoot him.

Colorado to receive $67 million in education funds Trump administration had frozen for nearly a month The U.S. Education Department unexpectedly froze $6.8 billion in nationwide education funding the day before it was set to be distributed.

The Trump administration will release about $67 million to Colorado’s K-12 school districts after freezing the money for nearly a month, a move that comes just weeks before the 2025-26 academic year begins // Story by @jessicaseaman.bsky.social

USDA to scatter half its Washington staff to field offices, including in Fort Collins The U.S. Department of Agriculture will move thousands of employees out of the nation’s capital in a reorganization the agency says will put them closer to customers while saving money, Agric…

Interesting news: USDA to scatter half its Washington staff to Agriculture field offices, including in Fort Collins www.denverpost.com/2025/07/24/t... via @denverpost.com

First responders in Colorado’s mountain towns are receiving wave of unfounded texts for help from satellite-enabled iPhones At least 10 Colorado 911 dispatch centers have received emergency texts from iPhones saying people were trapped, lost or on fire

NEW: Something similar happened at #Colorado ski resorts when Apple rolled out new technology in 2022. Back then, devices were deploying a crash feature that automatically called 911 when the user endured a sudden stop, like in a car crash. Or, it turns out, a sudden skid and stop while skiing.

Colorado issues notices to companies in falsified data case over cleanup of 404 oil and gas sites Regulators took the first enforcement steps against some of Colorado’s largest oil and gas operators in an investigation into reports of falsified data on the cleanup of 404 sites in Weld Cou…

Colorado issues notices to companies in falsified data case over cleanup of 404 oil and gas sites www.denverpost.com/2025/07/23/o... via @denverpost.com

Lifejacket loaner stations installed at reservoir where four people have drowned this year The kiosks at Lake Pueblo State Park are part of a larger effort to provide lifejackets and prevent tragedies.

Two lifejacket loaner stations have been added to Lake Pueblo State Park, where four people have drowned so far this year.

perfect headline. no notes

A calm 24 hours in Colorado: a former senator facing criminal charges for allegedly faking letters of support in an ethics probe; revelations about Rep. Gabe Evans’ background; the state saying it mistakenly gave data to ICE; & Gov. Polis pledging to stop himself from building a bridge no one wants.

The Department of Homeland Security has defended its response to the Texas floods. A department spokesperson stressed that Noem initially tapped into other DHS assets, including rescue teams from the US Coast Guard and Border Patrol, and over time, as a need for FEMA resources arose, those requests received the secretary's approval. "It is laughable that a career public employee, who claims to serve the American people, would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight," another DHS spokesman said in a statement about Pagurek's resignation. "We're being responsible with taxpayer dollars, that's our job."

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said that FEMA did not experience any delays in deployments in Texas.

"It is laughable that a career public employee, who claims to serve the American people, would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight," she said referring to Mr. Pagurek.

Lessons in journalism sausage-making:

Yesterday (left), CNN scoops the departure of a FEMA official and gives anonymity to a DHS flack who dumps on the guy.

Today (right 2), NYT follows that scoop and uses precisely the same response—but it’s attributed by name to DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis drops plans for Capitol pedestrian bridge after more than 82,000 people reject it According to Gov. Polis’ office, 94% of the survey’s 87,686 respondents rejected the pedestrian bridge idea.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis drops plans for Capitol pedestrian bridge. Lawmaker says: “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a poll that clear. Ninety-three, 94%. That’s just bananas.” www.denverpost.com/2025/07/22/c... via @coltrain.bsky.social @sethklamann.bsky.social

Colorado sheriff’s deputy who alerted ICE to Utah student violated state law, AG says Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a civil complaint against Alexander Zwinck, alleging the deputy knowingly assisted in federal immigration enforcement, which is prohibited by state law.

Colorado sheriff’s deputy who alerted ICE to Utah student violated state law, AG says www.denverpost.com/2025/07/22/u... via @denverpost.com

Denver will allow loan transfer after affordable housing parcel purchased by Broncos Developer Jeff Shanahan will redeploy taxpayer money to add affordable housing in Baker neighborhood instead.

Denver will allow loan transfer after affordable housing parcel purchased by Broncos https://trib.al/XVufiMU

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston calls for “learned hopefulness” on homelessness, housing, other challenges Mayor Mike Johnston urged Denverites to embrace a “learned hopefulness” as an antidote to the challenges Colorado’s largest city faces, including housing affordability and downtow…

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston calls for "learned hopefulness" on homelessness, housing, other challenges www.denverpost.com/2025/07/21/d... @denverpost.com