Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up. It’s Thursday January 21st, and even though there’s a lot of turmoil right now we’re feeling lucky to start the day with you.

Today - The city’s encampments persist, with tensions boiling over in Capitol Hill. Denver has opened two camps, but they’re full, and some are refusing to live there.

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 January 21st, 1842, when Alfred Packer, also known as "The Colorado Cannibal" was born. Packer earned his infamy at 32 when he and five other men had attempted to travel through the San Juan Mountains, during the peak of winter. 

Now, our feature story.

About 10 feet from an encampment on Pearl Street in Denver, where about 25 people are living in tents, keeping warm with makeshift fire pits fueled by propane tanks inside blanket- and tarp-covered structures. 24 year old Chloe Lives in her street level condo. She feels too unsafe to use her last name in this story. 

What began last fall as a small encampment with a few quiet people who are homeless has grown exponentially since mid-December.

The block is strewn with clothing and spoiled food, and there are syringes and foil with the remnants of heroin or meth. 

Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown paid Chloe a visit. And she’s joining us today to tell us more about the current situation.

Jennifer, to start, how did you feel about the homelessness crisis after your visit with Chloe?

Here’s some of Jennifer’s interview with Chloe 

The city has now set up new safe outdoor spaces, where red and gray tents are lined up in tidy rows, there are toilets and showers, and staff is on site 24 hours a day. 

Jennifer, can you tell us, besides these safe outdoor spaces, what programs is the city working on to solve this crisis?

Jennifer also spoke with 34 year old Marcio Johnson, who described living in the encampment and trying to keep it clean. 

The city has pushed the campers out of the alley a couple of times, and the encampments briefly dispersed to other parts of Capitol Hill only to return within days. More campers moved in after Denver cleaned up the large encampments by the Capitol and Morey Middle School.

It seems like no one is winning. 

And Chloe says it’s not their fault. It’s not our fault either, though. She blames the city at this point for lack of response, and a lack of action. 

Thanks for listening. Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

Emergency management crews have started to decommission the overflow coronavirus hospital set up at the Colorado Convention Center. None of the beds have been used, and the site was considered a last resort to the other four overflow sites. The work will finish by late March.

Mesa County business leaders are urging newly inaugurated President Joe Biden to keep the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction. The office’s move from D.C. in 2019 was seen as a political play, but locals say it’s important to keep officials close to the lands they’re regulating.

Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission will consider new regulations next month to reduce emissions from natural gas well regulators. Pneumatic controllers, as they’re called, manage well conditions and release a little bit of natural gas every time they toggle a valve. The proposal would require no-bleed controllers.

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

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

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you&rsquo;re listening to the Daily Sun-Up. It&rsquo;s Thursday January 21st, and even though there&rsquo;s a lot of turmoil right now we&rsquo;re feeling lucky to start the day with you.
Today - The city&rsquo;s encampments persist, with tensions boiling over in Capitol Hill. Denver has opened two camps, but they&rsquo;re full, and some are refusing to live there.
But before we begin, let&rsquo;s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett&rsquo;s book &ldquo;Colorado Day by Day&rdquo;:
Today, we&rsquo;re going back to January 21st, 1842, when Alfred Packer, also known as "The Colorado Cannibal" was born. Packer earned his infamy at 32 when he and five other men had attempted to travel through the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Mountains">San Juan Mountains</a>, during the peak of winter.&nbsp;
Now, our feature story.
About 10 feet from an encampment on Pearl Street in Denver, where about 25 people are living in tents, keeping warm with makeshift fire pits fueled by propane tanks inside blanket- and tarp-covered structures. 24 year old Chloe Lives in her street level condo. She feels too unsafe to use her last name in this story.&nbsp;
What began last fall as a small encampment with a few quiet people who are homeless has grown exponentially since mid-December.
The block is strewn with clothing and spoiled food, and there are syringes and foil with the remnants of heroin or meth.&nbsp;
Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown paid Chloe a visit. And she&rsquo;s joining us today to tell us more about the current situation.
Jennifer, to start, how did you feel about the homelessness crisis after your visit with Chloe?
Here&rsquo;s some of Jennifer&rsquo;s interview with Chloe&nbsp;
The city has now set up new safe outdoor spaces, where red and gray tents are lined up in tidy rows, there are toilets and showers, and staff is on site 24 hours a day.&nbsp;
Jennifer, can you tell us, besides these safe outdoor spaces, what programs is the city working on to solve this crisis?
Jennifer also spoke with 34 year old Marcio Johnson, who described living in the encampment and trying to keep it clean.&nbsp;
The city has pushed the campers out of the alley a couple of times, and the encampments briefly dispersed to other parts of Capitol Hill only to return within days. More campers moved in after Denver cleaned up the large encampments by the Capitol and Morey Middle School.
It seems like no one is winning.&nbsp;
And Chloe says it&rsquo;s not their fault. It&rsquo;s not our fault either, though. She blames the city at this point for lack of response, and a lack of action.&nbsp;
Thanks for listening. Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:
Emergency management crews have started to decommission the overflow coronavirus hospital set up at the Colorado Convention Center. None of the beds have been used, and the site was considered a last resort to the other four overflow sites. The work will finish by late March.
Mesa County business leaders are urging newly inaugurated President Joe Biden to keep the Bureau of Land Management headquarters in Grand Junction. The office&rsquo;s move from D.C. in 2019 was seen as a political play, but locals say it&rsquo;s important to keep officials close to the lands they&rsquo;re regulating.
Colorado&rsquo;s Air Quality Control Commission will consider new regulations next month to reduce emissions from natural gas well regulators. Pneumatic controllers, as they&rsquo;re called, manage well conditions and release a little bit of natural gas every time they toggle a valve. The proposal would require no-bleed controllers.
For more information on all of these stories, visit our website,<a href="http://www.coloradosun.com/"> www.coloradosun.com</a>. And don&rsquo;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&rsquo;ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again tomorrow.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

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