Colorado students sue to block law making schools shed Indian mascots - The Colorado Sun

Education

The plaintiffs, some of whom claim tribal membership, claim the Senate Bill 116 seeks to erase cultural references to Native American heritage

A lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court challenges the constitutionality of a new Colorado law requiring public schools to get rid of Native American mascots, logos and imagery by next summer or face massive fines.

In its opening salvo, the lawsuit suggests that a law that similarly forbade the use of the name or image of a Black American such as Martin Luther King for a school would not be considered.

“Erasing Native American names and images from the public square and from public discussion echoes a maneuver that plaintiffs have previously seen used by the eradicators of Native American heritage,” the lawsuit says. “Colorado repeats the same mistake in its paternalistic assumption that it must protect Native Americans by erasing cultural references to them and to their heritage.”

It says the plaintiffs “oppose the use of American Indian mascot performers and caricatures that mock Native American heritage.”

The plaintiffs intend to file a motion this week seeking an injunction that they hope will immediately halt implementation because districts can’t wait for the lawsuit to be heard and risk being fined $25,000 a month if they’re not in compliance, said William Trachman, an attorney with Mountain States Legal Foundation in Lakewood.

• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday October 7th. Today - In the latest drafts of Colorado’s new legislative districts Democrats will likely maintain control of the House and Senate, but there’s a chance the maps will end up in the hands of the Colorado Supreme Court first. 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 October 7th, 1863 when prominent Utes signed a treaty in Conejos County - one that intended to prevent conflict before it started by renouncing Ute claims to Colorado Territory east of the Continental Divide. To some Utes, the notion of ceding their easternmost claims to protect the Rocky Mountains’ western slope seemed sensible. Now, our feature story. The latest drafts of maps dividing Colorado’s legislative districts favors leaving Democrats in control of both the Colorado House and Senate, but if the Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission cannot reach agreement on the proposed redistricting, the maps will head to the Colorado Supreme Court. Make sure and read Thy's reporting at coloradosun dot com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado is fighting to keep teachers in the classroom as job stress builds in the face of outbreaks, quarantines and mask mandates. And the longer the pandemic drags on, the more state and school district officials worry about retaining young teachers. A new Colorado water year began October first and while drought conditions are slightly better than last time last year, there’s a lot riding on this winter to pull the state and really the entire West away from the precipice of extreme drought. Colorado is starting the winter with exceptionally dry soils and reservoirs well below normal, and the La Nina weather pattern taking shape increases chances for more snow in Colorado’s northern mountains but tilts toward less snow in the south. A surge of complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Education argues that twenty-nine Colorado charter schools could be violating federal law by asking prospective students in the application process about their special education needs. Advocates who filed the complaints say those screening questions could be the reason behind lower enrollment of students with disabilities at Colorado’s charter schools. The federal Emergency Broadband Benefit Program offers low-income Americans 50-dollar credits on their monthly internet bill as a way to help folks who are struggling through the pandemic. But five months after the $3.2 billion program launched, only 63,000 households in Colorado have taken advantage of the credit, a fraction of the number who are eligible. 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 and if you bump it up to $20 per month you'll get access to our politics newsletter, 'The Unaffiliated,' as well as our outdoors newsletter, 'The Outsider,' and our new health and environment newsletter 'The Temperature,' -- All three exclusive newsletters delivered to your inbox every week.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday October 6th Today - A wildfire mitigation project taking place at the top of Monarch Pass looks like it’ll be a model for timber harvesting in steep terrain - which is often extremely challenging. 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 October 6th, 1838, during the height of the fur trade. On this day one of the trade’s casualties, Fort Jackson, met its end when its largest competitor bought it out, removed its goods, and closed it down. The company, Fort Jackson, had been named after the recently retired President Andrew Jackson. Now, our feature story. When foresters and loggers harvest beetle kill in Colorado, they tend to stick to the flatlands. The steep stuff, which Colorado has a lot of, can be tricky … usually involving lots of on-the-ground manpower and helicopters. A wildfire mitigation project at the top of Monarch Pass is proving to be a model for timber harvesting in steep terrain and it’s also a model for local, regional and federal support for wildfire mitigation across an entire watershed. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Denver voters approved a green building ordinance -- the so-called “green roofs” law in 2017 -- but the Mile High City has not seen a sweeping renaissance of green construction. Builders say COVID-19 adaptations and rising construction costs have forced owners to delay renovations that could trigger the environmentally friendly construction regulation. The University of Colorado health system has fired one hundred and nineteen employees for not getting a COVID-19 vaccine. UCHealth employees had until October first to be vaccinated or apply for a medical or religious exemption. Those fired employees can re-apply for positions once they receive their vaccination. A class action lawsuit filed in Denver District Court says one of Colorado’s largest landlords has failed to fix serious issues at its five-hundred and sixty one -unit Mint Urban Infinity apartment complex. The class-action lawsuit argues Cardinal Group Management has ignored many l tenant complaints that include broken air conditioning, no hot water, insect infestations and sewage backing up into units. The Denver-based Cardinal Group, which manages 20,000 units in 28 apartment complexes in Colorado, received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan for its 319 employees and had that three-point-seven million dollar loan forgiven earlier this summer. For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday October 5th, Today - State health officials are proposing changes to the recent COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers. 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 October 5th, 1879 when a bugle call pierced the sky along Milk Creek in today’s Rio Blanco County. It was a welcome signal to a party of besieged soldiers that help had arrived. The conflict, which was between the White River Agency and the Utes. eventually led to Ute removal from most of western Colorado. Now, our feature story. Colorado health officials are proposing changes to the recent mandate that requires all health care workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Reporter John Ingold spoke with health care administrators about the proposed adjustment to the vaccine mandate. CLIP To read John’s story use the link in our show notes. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado voters in November could reduce property tax rates for apartment complexes and lodging properties. Supporters of Proposition 120 argue the property tax reduction could reduce rents and encourage investment in multi-family housing, which could ease the state’s housing shortage. Opponents, however, fear the reduced tax revenue could hurt local governments, schools and fire departments that depend on property taxes. Xcel Energy is studying new power-generation technologies like molten salt, biomass and hydrogen to replace coal-burning at the company’s soon-to-close power plant in Hayden. Coal-fired power plants are shuttering across the state as utilities cut greenhouse gas emissions and the proposed technology at Xcel plant in Hayden could be a model for communities transitioning from coal-dependent jobs. Another measure on the November ballot asks Colorado voters to adjust how the state spends money from the federal government and other outside sources. Supporters say Amendment 78 would provide better transparency for state spending while opponents argue the measure is a partisan ploy to slow spending by a Democratic administration. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Monday October 4th, Today - Countrywide many industries have been faced with worker shortages throughout the pandemic. Now, as federal unemployment benefits fade, Colorado employers are hoping to see an uptick in applicants for open roles. 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 October 4th, 1982 when an estimated 200,000 people - roughly 40% of Denver’s population at the time - showed up along sixteenth street at lunchtime. They were there to celebrate the transformation of the former commercial hub - and the dedication of the Sixteenth Street Mall. The Sixteenth Street Mall offered the hope of real urban renewal. Now, our feature story. Colorado’s employers are locked in a battle for workers, with the service industry struggling to hire the same workers eyed by giants like Amazon, which needs one thousand more employees at its two-point-four million square-foot warehouse in Thornton and another twenty-two hundred workers at its Colorado Springs’ facility. As federal unemployment benefits fade, employers across the state are hoping to see more applicants. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: The legal wrangling over Colorado’s new district-tweaking congressional map has begun. After months of contentious debate, the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission has sent its new congressional map to the Colorado Supreme Court, where a host of political candidates, political parties and advocacy groups will challenge the proposed redistricting. San Juan County in southwest Colorado boasts an impressive ninety-nine point nine percent vaccination rate, yet the one-town county is struggling with the spread of COVID-19 and the highly contagious delta variant. The recent death of a resident -- and the hospitalization of others -- has caused the county to backtrack with new regulations that limit indoor events and require masks indoors. When search and rescue teams must delay recovery of a fallen adventurer, sometimes friends step-in. In the last year, when two skiers, a hiker and a kayaker did not returned home from the mountains, their friends have conducted ad hoc, and often complicated, recovery efforts. Colorado’s search and rescue teams rarely condone civilian rescues or recovery missions, but sometimes the lost or fallen’s friends are uniquely skilled and qualified to step up when others are unable. For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, October 1st. Today - Last year, Denver voters approved funding for a Climate Protection Fund. So what does the director of Denver’s new climate action office have to say about how they’re supporting climate-friendly projects and programs? 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 October 1st, 1991 when thousands of people flocked to Gilpin and Teller Counties lured by more than a dozen casinos that opened that day - all in hopes of reinvigorating former mining towns. Now, our feature story. Denver voters last November approved funding for a Climate Protection Fund, making the Mile High City the second in the nation to direct taxpayer dollars toward climate action work. Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth sat down with the director of Denver’s new climate action office and gives us the details of how the office is supporting a variety of climate-friendly projects and programs. Read more from Michael’s visit with Grace Rink at coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: The typical fall explosion of color in Colorado’s high country is not lasting as long as usual. That’s yet another effect of climate change, with unsettled weather and a dry summer hastening the shift from green to yellow, red and orange. A doctor and medical student have sued the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus over the center’s requirement for all employees and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court challenges the medical center’s denial of their requests for religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate and marks the latest clash over the growing number of public and private vaccine mandates. The Bureau of Land Management awarded oil and gas leases on public land in northwest Colorado without adequately considering impacts to air and wilderness, a federal judge has ruled. But U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Krieger -- MAR-sha KREE-ger -- stopped sort of voiding the leases in her response to a lawsuit filed by environmental groups hoping to block oil and gas drilling on 58,000 acres of public land around Dinosaur National Monument. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday September 30th. Today - Even as the state and federal government works to limit the environmental impacts of coal mining, Colorado has just allowed six coal mining companies to reduce their payments for access to public land. 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 30th, 1873 when a remarkable visitor achieved her goal of reaching the summit of Longs Peak, one of the most challenging mountains in Colorado. Isabella Bird, a globetrotting Briton, exhausted her vocabulary in lavishing praise on Estes Park and present-day Rocky Mountain National Park. Now, our feature story. Colorado is allowing all six companies mining coal in the state to reduce the payments they make to the federal and state government in exchange for access to public land. The annual reduction of royalty payments recently approved by Colorado means coal mining companies are paying less every year, even as both the state and federal government work to limit the impacts of coal mining. Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth looked into why state officials approved these smaller payments from coal mining companies. Read Michael’s story at coloradosun dot com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission late Tuesday approved a new eight-district congressional map. Some Democrats are not pleased, even though incumbents remain in their districts under the proposed map, which now must be approved by the Supreme Court by Nov. 1 or sent back to the commission for revisions. Telluride’s Original Thinkers festival kicks off today, with an array of artists, activists, musicians and movie-makers exploring the world’s triumphs and challenges in the last year. The ACLU team that helped pass a recent slate of sweeping criminal justice reforms in Colorado resigned this month. The nonpartisan civil rights nonprofit is accused of being too aggressive in wielding its new status as one of the most influential groups in the state. Supporters say the ACLU’s hard push for the end of the death penalty and police reform led to important change. Colorado’s rental assistance program offering up to 15 months of free rent to residents struggling during the pandemic has paid out only 15% of its available funds. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is now distributing about $6 million a week and has helped about 18,000 Coloradans. But there are still thousands more applicants waiting to be approved for help with their rent payments. 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 and if you bump it up to $20 per month you'll get access to our politics newsletter, 'The Unaffiliated,' as well as our outdoors newsletter, 'The Outsider,' and our new health and environment newsletter 'The Temperature,' -- All three exclusive newsletters delivered to your inbox every week.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday September 29th. Today - As the state’s behavioral health system continues to show signs of strain, new laws require the Department of Human Services to provide shelter beds for kids in crisis. But there just aren’t enough beds, so some kids are spending nights on the floors of justice centers or even the back of police cruisers. 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 29th, 1879 when Ute bands in western Colorado who had been resisting the encroachment of interlopers for decades were finally faced with no alternative. They surrendered and listened to the promises of federal agents who pledged to improve their lives by transforming them into farmers. Their communal frustration and despair found an outlet on September 29th, 1879 when members of the Yamparika faction killed agent Nathan Meeker who was known as the founder of Greeley Colorado’s most prosperous farming community. Now, our feature story. Colorado’s beleaguered behavioral health system continues to show signs of strain. New state and federal laws require the Department of Human Services to provide shelter beds for kids in crisis. But there are not enough beds for youths in the state so many juveniles who’ve been accused of less-serious crimes are spending nights on the floors of justice centers or the back of police cruisers. Nearly every District Attorney in the state has signed a letter to the head of Colorado’s Department of Human Service urging the state to quickly create shelter beds for kids. “The safety of our children and communities cannot wait,” reads the letter. Colorado Sun reporter Jen Brown obtained the letter from 21 of the state’s 22 District Attorneys asking the state to create more shelter beds for kids in trouble. Read Jen Brown’s story at coloradosun dot com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Hundreds of homeowners have fled the Ptarmigan (TARM-again) Fire east of Silverthorne after fire officials described, quote “unprecedented fire behavior” Monday night. The wildfire in the White River National Forest had grown to about 60 acres by Tuesday afternoon. President Joe Biden has tapped Cole Finnegan to be Colorado’s next U.S. Attorney. Finnegan is a well-known Democrat supporter and a Denver attorney who served as former chief-of-staff for then-Mayor John Hickenlooper and chief legal counsel for then-Gov. Roy Romer. School board members across Colorado are facing a wave of criticisms and disagreements as school districts deploy mask mandates and other COVID crackdowns. The shouting matches and social media blasts are now turning into recall efforts as angry parents seek to oust their local representatives on school boards. More Colorado school board members are finding themselves at a distressing crossroads as they listen to both parents, teachers and public health officials. 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 and if you bump it up to $20 per month you'll get access to our politics newsletter, 'The Unaffiliated,' as well as our outdoors newsletter, 'The Outsider,' and our new health and environment newsletter 'The Temperature,' -- All three exclusive newsletters delivered to your inbox every week.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday September 28th, Today - Glenwood Springs has had a challenging year … between the Grizzly Creek Fire, and mudslides. But businesses have largely stayed afloat thanks to federal aid. And now, they have access to federal disaster loans. 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 28th, 1719, when a massive expedition of Spaniards, Puebloans, and Apaches endured an early winter storm and feared for whether they had enough food. It’s little wonder that this beleaguered company at its camp near present day Trinidad Colorado, referred to a nearby river as the River of Lost Souls in Purgatory. Now, our feature story. Glenwood Springs has had a rough year … the Grizzly Creek Fire in August 2020 forced a two-week shutdown of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, just as the tourist destination was emerging from COVID lockdown …. in August this year the hot-springed resort town again endured a two-week closure of the canyon as mudslides buried the interstate below the burn scar … Glenwood businesses have been able to stay afloat for most of 2021 thanks to COVID relief from the federal government … and now those businesses have access to low interest federal disaster loans approved earlier this month. Colorado Sun reporter David Gilbert looked into what he called Glenwood’s “cavalcade of hardships,” and how this new round of federal assistance is helping the town’s economy … To read more of David’s reporting on Glenwood Springs, go to coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Nonprofit river conservation group American Whitewater is exploring a plan to adjust Colorado water law so communities can protect recreational river flows without building whitewater parks. The proposed changes to Colorado’s Recreational In-Channel Diversion water rights regulations faces stiff opposition from Western Slope water users. The Denver Public Schools board has expanded its conflict-of-interest policy to ban employees of independent charter schools and innovation zones from serving on the board. The district’s policy already barred school district employees from serving on the seven-member school board. Last week the board unanimously approved the new rules without public discussion. The board’s next election is set for Nov. 2. Fewer than 5,000 students — that’s less than 1% of Colorado’s K-through-12 students — have signed up for a weekly coronavirus testing program. That is not enough kids, says Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who launched the testing plan as a way to track cases and prevent outbreaks. Schools need to test at least one in five students to make a difference, the governor says. The testing program, which is backed by $173 million in federal funding, is testing about one-in-25 kids at 200 Colorado schools. And Colorado students are catching COVID, with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment last week tracking 156 active coronavirus outbreaks in K-12 schools. 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.
• Today - The latest draft of Colorado’s congressional map may turn out to be the final version. And if that’s the case, a new district would become the state’s most competitive — and its most Hispanic. 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 27th, 1865 when a military post near Julesburg earned a new title - Fort Sedgwick. It was renamed in honor of a general killed in Virginia. The post faced challenges in the wake of the Sand Creek Massacre, and proved vital to restoring peace through force. But by the decade’s end, conflict in eastern Colorado had diminished. And in 1871 the army ordered For Sedgwick abandoned. Today, a flagpole marks the location where the fort once stood. The latest draft of Colorado’s congressional map could become the final version. If it’s adopted, a new U.S. House District will become the state’s most competitive — and its most Hispanic. The map would avoid setting up contests between any of Colorado’s seven incumbent representatives. Beyond that, its implications are up for debate. Reporter Thy Vo has the rest. For more on Colorado’s congressional redistricting process go to coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: For 150 years members of the San Francisco Morada have completed the a Good Friday ritual of carrying a crucifix up the hill behind their San Luis Valley community. But the next time the ritual is performed it will be much different because a 10-foot-tall fence has been erected across their path by the owner of Cielo Vista Ranch. For decades there has been conflict between the wealthy owners of this huge ranch and descendants of the Sangre de Christo Land Grant who have birthright to access the land for certain activities. Members of the morada say the fence is unrelated to that conflict, but also say that they can’t help but feel that it is part of the long battle over property rights that continues Monday in court in Alamosa. A man police say shot and wounded a Littleton police officer was arrested Friday in Brighton after a long standoff. Rigoberto Dominguez is is accused of shooting at police officers responded to a report of gunfire early Tuesday morning. Police say he fired at the officers, hitting David Snook in his arm, leg and torso and as of Friday was still being treated in an intensive care unit. The Small Business Administration says 267 venues in Colorado received more than $172 million from the federal government’s Shuttered Venue Operators grant program. While SBA isn’t accepting new applications for the pandemic-relief program, those concert halls, theaters and museums can apply for a supplemental grant valued at 50 percent of what they’ve already received. Those applications opened on Friday. The Littleton Immigrant Resources Center is likely to lose about $150,000 in annual funding provided by the city. While the formal vote won’t come until October, the Littleton city council in a budget meeting earlier this month voted to cut the line item. The center is Littleton's only affordable resource center for immigrants seeking citizenship, providing low-cost civics and English lessons, test preparation and help filling out forms. For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, September 24th. Today - In coming to terms with the changing conditions brought on by climate change, some begin to struggle with climate anxiety. 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 24th, 1955 when President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in his wife’s family home on Lafayette Street in Denver. The physician called to Eisenhower’s bedside mistook the heart attack for a digestive complaint, and he did not end up going in for treatment for another twelve hours. Following the incident doctors limited Eisenhower's trips to Colorado, forbidding him from golfing or fishing in the state. Now, our feature story. Colorado resident Jonah Siefer is a policy analyst, recreational woodworker and year-round skier. He’s also a citizen scientist whose regular trips into the Rocky Mountains yield worrisome anecdotal evidence about climate change. He sees it in disappearing snowpacks, rocky ski runs and shrinking glaciers. In coming to grips with the changing conditions, Siefer has been thrust into dark emotional territory, too, with his battles against climate anxiety. Sofia Stuart-Rasi has more on his story. To read more about climate change, go to coloradosun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: A liberal Denver policy group and a Summit County commissioner are trying to keep ballots cast for one of three questions on the statewide ballot this fall from being counted. The Bell Policy Center and Commissioner Tamara Pogue on Thursday sued, claiming Colorado’s Title Board erred when it OK’d Amendment 78, which would add more legislative oversight to the way money that does not come from state tax dollars is spent. They say only questions related to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights can appear in year-elections and this one doesn’t deal with that tax-limiting measure. Amendment 78, which would amend the state constitution to add oversight to how money from legal settlements and the federal government is spent, arose after some COVID recovery money was distributed without Republican input. A Loveland nurse practitioner who touted alleged cures for the coronavirus has been fined $40,000 because he did not stop marketing treatments such as an anti-parasite drug often used for farm animals after he was hit last year with a cease and desist order. The owner of Loveland Medical Clinic could have the fine cut in half if he complies with the order to stop making misleading posts about the effectiveness of treatments including Ivermectin. Colorado’s school-aged children are experiencing the highest rates of coronavirus infection among any age group in the state right now. But state health officials Thursday presented new data showing that requiring kids to wear masks while in school is associated with lower rates of COVID-19. The data back up guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommending that all schools implement universal masking policies for students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Former Colorado Republican Party chair Ryan Call will be disbarred after acknowledging he took nearly $280,000 from a super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump while Call served as the political action committee’s treasurer. The state Supreme Court’s presiding disciplinary judge issued the decision after Call reached a settlement. In it, Call admitted to entering the Rebuilding America Now PAC into a secret contract to pay himself $5,000 a month for “political strategy and fundraising support” and that he misled members of his former Denver-based law firm about his activities with the committee. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday September 23rd. Today - The state’s system that treats children with severe mental health issues is completely overwhelmed. Some kids are staying in county office buildings given the lack of safe housing. And on top of that, nearly 70 foster kids across the state are missing. 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 23rd, 1909 when President William H. Taft, standing on a stage in Montrose County, set a golden bell down on a silver plate. An electric current opened the gates holding back the Gunnison River and water flowed through a 6 mile tunnel to the Uncompahgre River valley. President Taft predicted that “this valley, with an unpronounceable name, is going to blossom like a rose”, and within a few years 470 miles of canals were built to encourage diverse agricultural products. Now, our feature story. Colorado’s system that treats children with severe mental health issues is so stretched that kids are in jeopardy. That’s the upshot of a fiery letter sent by county health directors to state officials, and the details are bracing. Children in crisis are staying in motels and county office buildings for a lack of safe housing. Child protective workers spend hours, even days, on the phone trying to help them. And nearly 70 foster kids across the state are missing. Jennifer Brown has the details. To read more of Jennifer’s reporting on children in state custody, go to coloradosun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: A Colorado State University Pueblo student who authorities say made threats towards staff and fellow students at the school has been arrested after police say they found “a large cache of loaded weapons” and nearly 1,000 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle on campus. Robert James Killis, a 24-year-old who the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says has military experience, is suspected of unlawful carrying/possessing a weapon on a university campus after the arrest Wednesday. The offense is a low-level felony. Littleton police have named a suspect in a shooting that wounded one of their officers in the chest. Police are seeking 33-year-old Rigoberto Valles Dominguez, who remained at large Wednesday. The wounded officer, David Snook, was hit in his arm, leg and torso. He remains heavily sedated in an intensive care unit, Littleton Police Department Chief Doug Stephens said during a news conference, adding that the officer has ”a long road ahead of him.” The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has issued its second-largest penalty ever -- imposing a $2 million fine against oil and gas operator KP Kauffman. The company was initially hit with a $1.8 million fine but the commission raised the tab after concluding that KP Kauffman had engaged in a “pattern of violations” for leaks and spills. The largest fine, $18.25 million, was issued in 2020 to Occidental Petroleum Corp., the state’s largest operator, for a 2017 house explosion in Firestone that killed two people. Jim Sheeler, beloved for remarkably evocative obituary writing during his years as a Colorado journalist, has died in Ohio at the age of 53. In 2006, when he worked for the Rocky Mountain News, Sheeler won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature writing for Final Salute, a long-form story that chronicled the work of Major Steve Beck and how he helped the families of Marines who lost their lives in Iraq cope with the cost of war. Sheeler later taught at the University of Colorado and at the time of his death was a professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday September 22nd. Today - Given the affordable housing crisis, many resort towns in Colorado are attempting to limit vacation rentals like those offered on Airbnb. 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 22nd, 1963 when a ceremony in El Paso County dedicated one of Colorado’s most impressive buildings, the Cadet Chapel. The cadet chapel at the United States Air Force Academy was once described by a critic as “seventeen aluminum tetrahedrons set on end to resemble both a small Gothic cathedral and a squadron of fighter planes ready to zoom into the stratosphere.” Now, our feature story. Resort towns across Colorado are taking action to limit vacation rental homes like those offered through Airbnb and Vrbo. Tourists love them for the chance to stay in a house and feel like part of the community. But that luxury comes at the expense of affordable housing. The resulting pinch means that workers can’t find a place to live, and businesses can’t find workers — making it that much harder to survive. Jason Blevins has been on top of the high country housing crisis from the earliest signs of trouble. He joins us today with the latest. To read more of Jason’s reporting on mountain communities, go to coloradosun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado’s economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis remains strong, despite troubles from the more contagious delta variant and supply chain and labor shortages. State lawmakers Tuesday found a mostly rosy picture in the state’s quarterly economic forecast, which predicted they could have $3.3 billion more to spend next year compared to this year. Gov. Jared Polis called it more evidence that Colorado is “roaring back.” Criminal charges have been dropped in the death of a spiritual leader whose mummified body was found in southeastern Colorado. The body of Amy Carlson, 45, the leader of the Love Has Won group, was found in a makeshift shrine in the small, rural town of Moffat in April. Seven people were charged with tampering with her corpse as well as child abuse, presumably because there were two children living in the home. Charges against six of them were dropped at a court hearing in September. The Saguache County court clerk's office said it has no record of a case against the seventh person, but didn’t explain. It's unclear why the charges were dropped. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has activated the Wyoming National Guard to help at hospitals after a surge in COVID-19 infections. Ninety-five soldiers and airmen will deploy to facilities in 16 cities. The guard members will assist with cleanup, food service, coronavirus testing and other needs, serving in rotations of 14 to 30 days. The move comes as 190 people are hospitalized with coronavirus infections in Wyoming, down from a recent high of 223 on Sept. 8. Three caregivers have been charged in the death of an 86-year-old woman who investigators say was left outside a Grand Junction assisted living facility in the heat for six hours in June. The caregivers are accused of negligent death of an at-risk person and criminally negligent homicide in the June 14 death of Hazel Place. The Rifle native was a mother of three, grandmother of five and a great-grandmother of 12, an obituary said. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office helped investigate. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday September 21st, Today - As rural hospitals close across the country, the historic St. Vincent hospital is back and stronger than ever with the opening of a new eight-bed facility. The city’s mayor calls it a “stunning accomplishment” for a community hospital started in the 1870s by two Kansas nuns, 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 21st, 2012 when President Barack Obama used his authority under the Antiquities Act to declare Colorado’s Chimney Rock a National Monument. Archeologists believe that Chacoans, who dominated the region at the turn of the second millennium, used the Chimney Rock site as an astronomical calendar. Now, our feature story. Seven years ago, the only hospital in Leadville appeared on the verge of death. But this month, the historic St. Vincent hospital surged back to life with the opening of a new eight-bed facility, now called St. Vincent Health. The city’s mayor calls it a “stunning accomplishment” for a community hospital started in the 1870s by two Kansas nuns, and it comes at a time when rural hospitals are closing across the United States. For people in Leadville -- the nation’s highest incorporated city -- new services will be available close to home, shaving what can be lengthy drives on slick mountain roads. But it also promises to pump new energy into Leadville’s economy, creating high-paying jobs and a more livable community. Shannon Najmabadi has the details. To read more of Shannon Najmabadi’s reporting on economic development initiatives across Colorado, go to coloradosun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: A fifth teenager from the tiny Eastern Plains town of Wiley has died as a result of a car crash earlier this month. Fifteen-year-old Braden Black died on Friday. He was a passenger in a SUV that was hit by a truck when the 16-year-old driver ran a stop sign on September 8, the Colorado State Patrol says. The superintendent of schools in Wiley says his community, which had just 260 students, is reeling from the loss, but is managing with help from grief counselors dispatched by organizations in other towns. Denver-based Alterra Mountain Co. lost about $200 million when its North American ski operations shut down last year because of COVID. But its insurer is refusing to pay claims Alterra made under its business interruption policy. Alterra is suing Lexington Insurance in Denver District Court, noting that the policy did not exclude losses as a result of infectious or contagious disease. Other insurers have excluded that type of loss since the SARS virus outbreak in 2003. The number of electric vehicles sold in Colorado is growing quickly, but not fast enough to meet the state’s ambitious goal of having nearly a million of them on the road by 2030 to help reduce pollution. To encourage sales, Xcel Energy is offering incentives to help people making less than $85,000 a year afford a new or used EV and working with landlords to install chargers at apartment complexes and offering rebates for chargers installed in homes. The utility also wants to speed development of Colorado’s public charging network, which currently includes about 15,000 ports to refuel. About 165,000 are needed to ease consumer anxiety about getting stuck somewhere on the road. Hundreds of students from North High School and other Denver Public Schools walked out of their classrooms Monday morning and marched to the district headquarters to demand the school board do more about board member Tay Anderson than merely censure him. Some of the students said they will feel unsafe as long as he is in office. The board on Friday voted 6-1 to censure 23-year-old Anderson for conduct unbecoming. They voted after a six-month investigation found claims that Anderson had sexually assaulted students were unsubstantiated. It did find that he had flirted inappropriately with a 16-year-old on social media before learning her age, and that he made social media posts during the investigation that were threatening to witnesses. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Monday September 20th. Today - Colorado’s unemployment rate has dropped to 5.9%, since federal unemployment benefits ended. But most industries are still having a difficult time finding enough workers to fill open roles. 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 20th, 1877 when a crowd packed the Hinsdale County Courthouse in Lake City. The featured speaker was renowned women’s suffrage activist, Susan B Anthony. She ultimately agreed to deliver her remarks on the grounds outside to accommodate the exceptionally large crowd. Now, our feature story. More people have returned to work and the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.9%, after federal unemployment benefits ended Sept. 4. But employers from all industries have shared it’s still hard to find enough workers, and it may be that there just aren’t enough Coloradans out there. August saw a drop in the number of Colorodans who work or are looking for a job. According to the latest Census survey of households, the state’s labor force dropped by 2,300 workers last month, and is now at 3,193,200. Tamara Chuang tells us more. To read more of Tamara’s reporting — or to receive her weekly newsletter on jobs, work and pandemic unemployment in Colorado — go to coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Members of Colorado’s Republican Central Committee on Saturday voted against opting out of the state’s primary to select general election candidates next year. Some members wanted to return to the old caucus and assembly process in order to keep unaffiliated voters from participating in the selection of GOP candidates. Since the 2018 election, unaffiliated voters have been allowed to vote in the primary, though the law lets the party to opt out if 75 percent of the central committee concurs. Only 34 percent of the committee members present at the meeting in Pueblo voted to opt out. Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board unanimously approved changing the name of Squaw Mountain in Clear Creek County to Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain. The name honors an influential Cheyenne translator known as Owl Woman, who facilitated relations between white settlers and Native American tribes in the early 1800s. Supporters of the change called the peak’s previous name “patently offensive.” Now the U.S. Geological Survey’s Board on Geographic Names must approve the change. This is the first of 13 locations in Colorado for which residents have submitted applications to change offensive names, including Mount Evans. The Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters will move back to Washington, D.C., from Grand Junction, the Interior Department announced Friday. The decision comes despite objections from Colorado Republicans and Democrats, including the state’s two U.S. senators and its governor. In 2019, the Trump administration announced that the BLM’s headquarters moved to Grand Junction to be closer to the millions of acres of public lands it oversees. But critics of the relocation said it was done to help then-U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican who was up for reelection in 2020 but lost. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said Grand Junction will be the agency's western headquarters and that its presence in the city will grow. Denver Public Schools board voted 6-1 to censure fellow member Tay Anderson on Friday, two days after a report detailing a six-month investigation that the board said showed Anderson had engaged in behavior unbecoming of a member. Anderson, who said at a news conference before the censure that he would not resign, was the lone dissenting vote. A 96-page report summarizing the investigation found Anderson flirted with a 16-year-old student — albeit before he knew her age — and made social media posts that were intimidating toward witnesses near the end of the investigation. For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 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.
• 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, September 3rd. Today - Some towns around Colorado Springs have come up with a project to cycle their water in a nearly endless loop to solve their water shortage problems. The cost is over $100 million and involves nearby Fountain Creek. 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 3rd, 1779 when a combined force of Spaniards, Puebloans, Utes, and Apaches battled with a band of Comanche for control over modern day Colorado. The battle ended the following morning with the death of Cuerno Verde - the leader of the Comanche. Now, our feature story. Some fast-growing exurbs north and east of Colorado Springs think they’ve found a possible solution to the ever growing Front Range water woes. Instead of constantly drilling wells into a shrinking regional aquifer, they’ve devised a $134 million project to cycle their water in an almost endless loop through a complex process that involves nearby Fountain Creek. Colorado Sun reporter Michael Booth joined Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about the new water strategy. You can read more from Michael Booth about this complex strategy for a sustainable water supply in the Colorado Springs suburbs at ColoradoSun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: In Colorado’s effort to get as many people as possible vaccinated against the coronavirus, the state will employ a secret weapon: the family doctor. On Thursday, Gov. Jared Polis announced a new grant program to make it easier for primary care clinics to become vaccine providers. Those clinics, where the majority of Coloradans receive their routine medical care, could be crucial in boosting COVID vaccination rates, as surveys repeatedly show the family doctor to be a trusted source of medical advice. After more than 100 hours of public testimony over the last two months, the two independent commissions redrawing Colorado’s congressional and legislative maps now will be using that feedback to inform the state’s new political boundaries. The first version of a new congressional map based on the comments is expected by Sunday but could be released as soon as today. Like dozens of mayors before him, Steve Kudron smiled and waved at his constituents during Grand Lake’s annual Buffalo Days parade. But in a notable departure from the past, Kudron’s vehicle sported a sign urging townsfolk to stop his recall, a question that goes to voters Oct. 5. Kudron’s controversy highlights the small town’s division over the future of the community -- a future that hinges, as it does in many small communities, on how to provide affordable housing for workers and young families. Sun correspondent Vicky Uhland takes a closer look at what’s at stake. Colorado taxpayers can look forward to a break on their income taxes -- and a refund check -- because the state exceeded its cap on government growth and spending under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. The income tax rate will drop to 4.5% in 2021, down from 4.55%, and individual taxpayers will get an average sales tax refund payment of $70, with joint filers receiving about $166. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday September 2nd. Today - A few days ago the national eviction moratorium was overturned. And on top of that funds to provide rent assistance were slowly deployed. But now, some local programs are picking up some of the slack and helping renters in their communities who are in a tough spot. 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 2nd, 1853 when 30 soldiers and scholars crested Cochetopa Pass in present day Saguache County. They were led by Captain John W Gunnison. Their mission was to chart a transcontinental railroad route through Colorado and link the US from coast to coast. Now, our feature story. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a national eviction moratorium a few days ago, it put many renters whose incomes have been affected by the pandemic in a tough spot. Federal funds channeled to Colorado to provide rent assistance were slow to flow through the bureaucratic pipeline. But local programs picked up some of the slack until the state’s distribution system could start paying benefits more effectively. Colorado Sun reporter Tamara Chuang has been following the pandemic’s impacts on renters from the very beginning, and in today’s story she examined what went wrong with the flow of millions in federal funding to Colorado, how local efforts provided relief and where the state might go from here to ensure housing security. She joined Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about the ongoing issues for renters. You can read more about the state and local rent assistance programs and how they have played out in Colorado and also get some helpful tips from Tarama Chuang at ColoradoSun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: A statewide grand jury indicted five people -- three Aurora police officers and two paramedics -- for actions that preceded the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain two years ago. Each was charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide. Police stopped McClain, who had committed no crime but had been reported as suspicious, as he walked home from a convenience store. He was placed in a neck hold, injected with the powerful sedative ketamine and later suffered cardiac arrest and died in the hospital. McClain’s death also inspired a wave of new laws from the Colorado legislature and Gov. Jared Polis aimed at preventing similar fatalities. New rules on how and when ketamine can be administered in situations involving law enforcement as well as a ban on carotid and choke holds have been enacted over the last two years, which proponents of police reform hope will prevent unnecessary deaths and make law enforcement more accountable. A longtime state watchdog has a new name and more clout. Colorado’s Office of Consumer Counsel now will be known as the Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate. It’s hiring more attorneys for the first time in 16 years to help intervene on the public’s behalf against utilities in areas like climate change and environmental justice for pollution-impacted communities. One of its immediate battles will be over the $750 million in surcharges Colorado utilities have sought after a February storm spiked energy rates. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Wednesday September 1st. Today - Colorado has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to urge people to get vaccinated. And the campaign includes social media influencers - so how were they selected and what’s the bigger plan? 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 1st, 1927 when the most popular man in the country concluded a visit to Colorado. It was Colonel Charles A Lindbergh and he was leaving Denver’s airfield after having flown his famous “Spirit of St Louis” airplane there. Now, our feature story. The state of Colorado has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign that includes social media “influencers” to help make the case to the public for vaccination to slow the COVID-19 surge. It’s a strategy to specifically target people overwhelmed by the confusing deluge of information -- and disinformation -- and who so far have been what’s called “vaccine hesitant” for one reason or another. But who are these influencers, how were they selected and what’s the broader plan behind their recruitment for the cause? Colorado Sun reporter John Ingold took a close look at the people behind this effort, why the state went in this direction and what these individuals’ participation tells us about the state’s strategy for improving vaccination rates. He talked to Sun colleague Kevin Simpson about what he learned. You can read more about the vaccine influencers and what they mean for Colorado’s vaccination efforts from John Ingold at ColoradoSun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Triple-A road service is looking to hydrogen power in Denver as a way to demonstrate its potential as a viable vehicle fuel. New Day Hydrogen will build a fueling station at the Triple-A operations center, and Triple-A itself will use the fuel in dozens of light duty repair vans and eventually big towing rigs as well. Hydrogen is being advanced as an option alongside rapidly developing electric vehicles. A federal operation that plans to remove more than 700 mustangs from rangeland in far northwest Colorado is scheduled to begin Wednesday. The helicopter roundup of the horses, aimed at thinning the wild herd, comes despite pleas from animal rights activists, including First Gentleman Marlon Reis. The Bureau of Land Management says the rangeland where the mustangs roam has been badly damaged by drought and has turned to “moon dust” in some areas shared by the horses, elk, deer and sage grouse. It’s been nearly four years since the Outdoor Retailer trade show left Salt Lake City, its headquarters for 22 years. The massive event set up shop in Denver as a political statement that the outdoor industry strongly opposed Utah leaders pushing to overturn the designation of Bears Ears National Monument. Now Utah appears to be trying to reclaim its place as the hub of major outdoor industry trade events. Two new outdoor trade shows have set up camp there, including one that broke its deal with Denver to make the move and tourism officials say they’d love to have Outdoor Retailer back at the Salt Palace. Dick Lamm, a three-term Colorado governor, was remembered Tuesday afternoon at a public memorial. Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb eulogized the longtime fixture in Colorado politics who, among his notable achievements, rebuffed efforts to bring the 1976 Winter Olympics to Colorado. Lamm died July 29 at the age of 85. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday August 31st. Today - The coal-fired Martin Drake power plant in Colorado Springs has shut down coal operations. So what lies ahead for workers whose careers are becoming increasingly obsolete? 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 taking you back to August 31st, 1885 when Elijah Myers’ plan for the Colorado State Capitol was adopted. Both practical and aesthetic needs inspired the statehouse. It would consolidate offices - making government more efficient and cheaper - while also providing a showplace for a rich young state. Construction began in 1886 and lasted 15 years. Now, our feature story. The coal-fired Martin Drake power plant in Colorado Springs has been both a testament to American engineering and a symbol of coal’s decline in the United States. The plant just recently shut down coal operations after decades, though natural gas operations continue. Two stories mark both coal’s departure and how the plant’s workers -- people like Chris Cox -- will move forward in the transition toward cleaner energy. Sun reporter Michael Booth spent time with Cox and, in a companion piece to his unique obituary for coal-fired generation, explains what lies ahead for workers like him who had carved out a career tending to a process now increasingly obsolete. Michael sat down to talk about his reporting with Sun colleague Kevin Simpson. You can read more on the shutdown of coal operations at Martin Drake power plant and employees like Chris Cox from Michael Booth at ColoradoSun.com. And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has filed a lawsuit to prevent embattled Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from being involved in the upcoming November election. Peters has cast unfounded doubt on the results of the 2020 election and has been in hiding and under investigation since she allegedly allowed improper access to Mesa County’s election system computer hardware. Health care workers at thousands of facilities in Colorado must get their first dose of coronavirus vaccine no later than Sept. 30. The state board of health voted to enact the rule in response to spike in COVID-19 cases caused by an explosion of the more contagious delta variant. The state estimates that about 30% of the health care workforce in the facilities and agencies that will be subject to the new rule remain unvaccinated. A new law that provides in-state tuition status to members of 48 tribes with historical ties to Colorado will immediately knock about $15,000 off the sticker price of the state’s colleges and universities. But the long-term impact could open up a new higher education option for many more students -- particularly in states bordering Colorado like Wyoming, where many tribes have that historical connection. The number of Native American students enrolled in Colorado institutions has been in decline in recent years, and the in-state tuition law provides a tool to help reverse that trend. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Monday August 30th. Today - Hear from the Sun’s politics team as they discuss the 2022 election, redistricting and COVID-19. 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 August 30th, 1931 - the birthday of Jack Swigert. No Coloradan has ever had a better perspective of their state than Swigert. Granted, as the command module pilot of the Apollo XIII mission, he had little time to enjoy the view. Swigert graduated from the University of Colorado and went on to serve in the Air Force. Then, In 1966 NASA chose him as an astronaut for the Apollo missions. Now, our feature story. Welcome to a special edition of the Daily Sun Up podcast with a roundup of recent political news. Colorado Sun politics reporter Daniel Ducassi hosts his colleagues on the Sun’s politics team Jesse Paul, Thy Vo and Sandra Fish as they talk about the 2022 election, redistricting and COVID-19. To keep up with the latest from the Colorado Sun’s politics team go to coloradosun.com Thanks for listening. Finally, here are a few stories you should know about today: The Martin Drake power plant in downtown Colorado Springs burned its last coal on Saturday, with natural gas fired turbines continuing to meet the electricity demands of the state’s second largest city. Colorado Springs Utilities has been under pressure to transition to cleaner fuels, especially as the city contemplates redevelopment in neighborhoods near the plant, which is close to America the Beautiful Park and the new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. The utility’s other coal-fired plant, Ray D. Nixon, near Fort Carson, is expected to transition to cleaner fuel in 2029. There are 705 people in Colorado hospitalized because of COVID-19 at the end of last week, the highest level since January 21. Confirmed coronavirus cases have been spiking as the delta variant spreads, with about 99 percent of all case caused by the variant that is thought to be as contagious as chickenpox. COVID hospitalizations in Colorado still remain well below their peak of 1,847 reached on December 1, but the trend of increasing admissions is not showing signs of slowing. On Thursday, Colorado reported that its seven-day average of new daily cases was 1,490. Colorado’s highest seven-day average of new daily cases was about 5,400 in November. Jobs that disappeared during the pandemic are coming back in Colorado at a faster pace than in most other states. But even with only about 80 percent of the 362,000 jobs lost when Colorado shut down in 2020 back, employers say they are having a hard time filling openings. That may change when federal pandemic unemployment benefits end on Saturday. Colorado’s unemployment rate is around 6.1 percent. For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. Now, a quick message from our editor.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Friday, August 27th. Today - Some school districts in Routt County are using a state grant to incorporate agriculture into the school curriculum. 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 August 27th, 1942 when the first group of Japanese Americans arrived in the Prowers County town of Granada. They were coming from Southern California, and their involuntary migration to Colorado reflected the nation’s paranoia during WWII. Colorado’s camp, called Amache, held more than 7,500 people as prisoners. Now, our feature story. Two school districts in Routt County are using a state grant to incorporate agriculture into every grade, pre-K through high school. Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown recently spoke with district officials about the program. Brown speaks with fellow Sun reporter Daniel Ducassi about what she learned. To read Jennifer’s story go to coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Colorado likely will receive about $400 million from the massive national OxyContin settlement and on Thursday, Attorney General Phil Weiser began laying the groundwork for how it may be spent. About 60% of the money will be spread between 19 geographic regions that will have local governing councils to oversee how their share is spent. Local governments would receive 20% of the money and 10% would flow into projects including building drug treatment centers. The remaining 10% would be spent by Weiser’s office on strategies to deal with the opioid crisis. The plan still needs the blessing of local governments, though it is backed by officials in Denver, Adams, Logan and Pueblo counties. Mesa County officials want their clerk to come home. The commissioners on Tuesday sent the message to embattled GOP clerk Tina Peters, whose whereabouts have been unknown since she became the focus of a criminal election security investigation. “Call Tina, tell her to come out of hiding and come home,” Republican Mesa County Commissioner Scott McInnis told the audience. During the two hour meeting, the commissioners also approved a contract for new elections equipment from Dominion Voting Systems. The county’s gear was ordered to be trashed after images containing passwords to the system as well as copies of its hard drive were posted online, allegedly with assistance of Peters. People curious about emissions from the Suncor refinery in Commerce City now can view data online. The Canadian company on Wednesday began posting data from its voluntary air pollution monitoring at ccnd-air.com and will add reports from mobile vans next week. Suncor, which manufactures gasoline and jet fuel, was fined $9 million in 2020 for emissions violations in prior years. The company says the monitors are not part of that settlement, but were added in response to community concerns that same year. 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.
• Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Thursday August 26th. Today - Between rising housing costs and a lack of affordable child care many rural school districts are struggling to hire new teachers, and keep existing ones. One approach to addressing this problem is by opening up child care centers of their own. 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 August 26th, 1776 when a Spanish expedition consisting of two priests, a cartographer, two aristocrats, and five other men arrived at an area on the Uncompahgre River. They named their campsite “La Cienega de San Francisco”. It still stands today on the south side of Montrose near History Colorado’s Ute Indian Museum. Now, our feature story. Some rural school districts in Colorado are struggling to hire and retain teachers because of a double-whammy of soaring housing costs and a lack of affordable child care. Faced with chronic staffing shortages, some have decided to open up child care centers of their own in an effort to attract more teachers. Colorado Sun reporter Shannon Najmabadi and Erica Breunlin recently spoke with staff and administrators at local schools to find out more. Najmabadi and Breunlin talk with fellow Sun reporter Daniel Ducassi about what they learned. To read Shannon and Erica’s article, go to coloradosun.com And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today: Beloved Hanging Lake may be mostly off limits to hikers for the next year, but Forest Service managers see opportunity in the hiatus created by massive mudslides in Glenwood Canyon. During a walk up the trail ruined by mudslides the managers said they expect to create a more sustainable trail to the travertine lake that will be better able to handle the crowds of hikers that visit this year. About 15,000 reservations to hike the trail were canceled when the trail was closed earlier this month. The company that manages them said many people are opting to contribute their $12 fee to the trail rehab work. Colorado voters will decide in November whether to raise marijuana taxes to boost out-of-school learning. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office ruled Wednesday that supporters of Initiative 25 gathered enough signatures to secure a spot on the upcoming ballot. Backers of the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program Initiative, also known as LEAP, easily met the 124,632-signature threshold to qualify for the 2021 statewide election. The initiative would impose a new 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana starting on Jan. 1 and increasing to 5% by Jan. 1, 2024. That's in addition to the existing 15% state sales tax on recreational marijuana. Colorado has only paid out about 7.4% of the $444 million in federal rental assistance funds it had available. The amount of money being paid out is increasing monthly, but the state has hired a new payment vendor to get the money out to tenants and landlords who have been waiting for months for help. Including the $246 million local governments had to hand out, the state started with almost $700 million in federal aid available to people at risk of eviction. 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.

Five individuals – four of them with ties to Yuma schools and one a Lamar High School graduate – and the Native American Guardians Association are listed as plaintiffs.

NAGA has been a controversial player in the mascot fight nationwide, with many people saying the organization is not representative of most tribes. It supported a successful school district lawsuit in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, that allowed the district to keep its Redskins moniker.

The legal battle cost the school district $500,000, according to LevittownNow.com.

Yuma schools use an Indian mascot, and Lamar’s mascot is Savages, and both districts are reluctant to change mascots. Lamar alumni have sold yard signs and banners to raise money for NAGA’s lawsuit, although the district’s Board of Education declined in July to financially back legal efforts to overturn the state law.

However, Lamar Board Member Jake Chamberlain attended Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs’ September meeting and asked for an October meeting to show the state board its plan to keep the Savage nickname and remove imagery. The commission is overseeing implementation of the state law.

“We have taken time to pause and reflect on what it really means to be a Savage,” he told the CCIA board. “Our intent is not to argue or overstep, but define who we really are – fierce, formidable, strong, brave competitors.

“We are confident the plan we propose will meet statutory requirements,” he said.

He said the district was worried about timing, because it needs time to implement the plan, or come up with something different should CCIA object to it. A meeting with CCIA is planned for Nov. 9.

The lawsuit claims that the state law violates two clauses of the 14^th Amendment – equal protection of the laws and political process discrimination based on race. It also asserts that the vagueness of the law violates the First Amendment right to petition.

Spokespersons for the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs declined to comment on the lawsuit. The heads of both agencies are named as defendants, as are several other state officials, including Gov. Jared Polis and state education commissioner Katy Anthes.

The legal action comes as many of the 26 schools (within 14 districts) deemed not in compliance with the law are moving to make changes to meet the June deadline. The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, which approved the list at its quarterly meeting in September, also must vote on whether changes made by schools are sufficient, according to a letter recently sent to school districts.

The commission will have three meetings before the deadline, with the last one in May.

Most schools have sought community and student input on potential name changes, including surveys on suggested new mascots. At least three schools have already changed – the Frederick High School Warriors are now the Golden Eagles and the two Campo schools have eliminated their Warrior mascot.

The changes at Frederick High School to rid the school of Warrior images are expected to cost $1 million, said Kerri McDermid, chief communications officer for the St. Vrain School District.

Campo Superintendent Nikki Johnson said in an email that the schools have long been a part of the South Baca Patriots cooperative for athletics but had continued to use the Warrior mascot within the schools.

Images in the southeast Colorado school gym were painted over during renovations in the summer, and an image on the gymnasium floor was to be removed this fall, she said. She said she was unaware that changes they made had to be reported to and approved by the CCIA.

The Sanford School District, which accounts for two schools on the list, has been working through surveys in the San Luis Valley community to narrow its list of potential new mascots to replace the Indians. The two in final contention are the Mustangs and the Wolves/Timberwolves, according to the district website.

The Yuma School District was working through a list of 14 suggested mascots in September, with a target of selecting a new one by Nov. 15. Email and phone messages to Superintendent Dianna Chrisman were not returned, and it’s unclear if the district is moving forward with the plan.

Four of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are from Yuma. Two are unnamed minors who attend the high school. The others are 2010 Yuma High School graduate Aubrey Roubideaux, a Rosebud tribal member who lives in Denver, and Donald Smith, senior pastor of the Yuma Christian Church and former teacher who is of Cherokee heritage, according to the lawsuit.

Smith said Wednesday that he could not comment on the lawsuit and referred all questions to the attorneys.

Demetrius Marez, a 1993 graduate of Lamar High who says he is 39% Diné, also is a named plaintiff. During a meeting this summer, he pleaded with the Lamar school board to retain the Savage mascot, saying Senate Bill 116 is an attempt to “erase” his culture.

Montrose School District posted a mascot transition plan in October, along with an initial estimate of $215,000 in costs, including repainting gym walls, removing metal artwork, scoreboard refurbishment or replacement in four gyms and removing various logos throughout buildings.

Committees are working on selecting new mascots and a recommendation is expected to be made to the Board of Education on Dec. 14, according to the plan.

All the movement by schools and districts now is why the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are seeking an injunction.

“Senate Bill 116 includes a deadline of June 1, 2022, before all Colorado public schools must alter their names, logos, letterhead and other imagery,” the lawsuit says. “If the law survives between now and then, it is highly unlikely that any school choosing to invest the time and money into changing its name will return, even if the law is ultimately struck down subsequently.”

Although NAGA has supported school districts and professional teams throughout the country as they fought to retain Native American mascots, this is its first lawsuit and Trachman and NAGA lawyer Scott Cousins said it could be precedent setting.

The two organizations — NAGA and the Mountain States Legal Foundation — joined forces during the summer, just after the state law took effect.

“The law had just passed and it drew our attention because of our position in Colorado,” Trachman said, noting that Mountain States has a long history of taking up equal protection issues. “We connected over the summer. It was a good marriage on an issue that we were invested in that was in our region of the country.”

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source: https://coloradosun.com/2021/11/04/colorado-schools-racist-mascots-lawsuit/

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