Colorado has paid back 87% of the $1 billion it borrowed from the federal government to help give unemployment benefits to out-of-work Coloradans during the pandemic. As of this week, the outstanding balance was just over $133 million. The unemployment loan is on track to be paid off by mid November. Colorado Sun reporter Tamara Chuang has the full story.

Putting your house up for sale is stressful enough. But, sellers in three major Colorado cities are now finding that they’re having to cut their listing price after the home is already on the market. Two to three times more sellers in Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs reconsidered their list prices and then lowered them in June compared to a year ago, according to new data from Zillow. Cutting the price of a house after it hits the market is normal but it doesn’t come without added stress for the seller. Colorado Sun reporters Tamara Chuang and Marvis Gutierrez have more to share about this story.

After the fall of Roe vs. Wade, abortion rights advocates are pointing to the story of a 10 year old Ohio girl who had to travel to another state to end her pregnancy after she was raped. And as states continue unraveling access to abortion, Colorado reproductive health care providers are seeing an increase in the number of people coming to the Centennial state to access abortion care. Colorado Sun reporter Jen Brown recently requested state health department data to provide a clearer picture about the ages of kids receiving abortions in Colorado.

There are at least 150 abandoned homes in the San Luis Valley at a time when Colorado is in a severe housing crunch. Sun reporter Tatiana Flowers visited the valley recently and met with several San Luis Valley organizations trying to find abandoned homes, figure out who owns them, buy them and renovate them  to make them habitable again.  The San Luis Valley is vast and sparsely populated, and short about one-thousand-800 housing units, which is where the abandoned home project comes in. In some cases, the homes will be restored for the people who abandoned them when upkeep became too expensive. In others, they will house people who are currently homeless.

Money matters a lot when it comes to politics, and the Sun’s Sandra Fish is Colorado’s journalism campaign finance guru. She reports that a group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York was behind a shadowy 4-million-dollar campaign to encourage voters in Colorado’s Republican primary to vote for a Republican candidate who is an election conspiracist.

It’s now taking nearly three months for Coloradans who are out of work to get a new unemployment claim processed. So why is it taking so long?

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the Aurora theater shooting when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people. Twelve were killed and many others were injured. So, how have gun laws in Colorado changed?

A few weeks ago, the Bureau of Reclamation said another 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water would have to be cut next year by Colorado River water users to protect levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell. To many, this signaled more water was going to be released from reservoirs in Colorado,  New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. On Monday, water managers in the four so-called Upper Basin States sent a letter back to the Bureau of Reclamation saying they’ll do what they can to pull back use of the overtaxed river that originates in Colorado. But they also said it's time for Lower Basin states to work just as hard to consume less water. Reporters Jennifer Brown and Chris Outcalt talked about what the implications are for Arizona, California and Nevada, states that together used almost three times the water consumed by the Upper Basin last year.

For years, Eric DeFonso studied bird recordings, listening to the chirping through his car speakers. His fascination with birds and their unique callings paid off last week in the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge with a special discovery. The Sun’s Olivia Prentzel talks with environment reporter Michael Booth about what he found.

Mesa County District Court Judge Matthew David Barrett issued an arrest warrant for Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was indicted back in March. Political reporter Jesse Paul brings us up to speed on the latest in this unraveling case.

After a Google Maps search showed company Tomcat Tactical based out of a home in a residential area, about a mile home from an elementary school, residents were shocked. This company wasn’t selling jam or crafts, but ammunition and semi-automatic weapon kits. It launched a debate among residents in Greenwood Village over whether guns should be allowed to be sold from homes. After months of discussion, city council members voted this week. Reporter Shannon Najmabadi explains the vote and how the city got there.

Clean energy plans are underway at three small utility companies, but environmental groups aren’t so pleased. And the EPA is getting sued over its plans to reduce ozone levels because some say they’re not sufficient to drive down the thick haze. The Sun’s environment reporter Michael Booth has the latest on clean energy in Colorado, who’s happy about them and who’s not.

The drinking water in Frisco is tainted with dangerous levels of PFAS after the EPA drastically lowered its guidance on what levels of the “forever chemicals” are safe to consume. Officials suspect firefighting foam that has run off into nearby creeks is driving up the PFAS levels in the small town’s water supply and more than 100 cities and towns across the state could be facing the same predicament. Reporter Olivia Prentzel talks with Michael Booth about what Frisco officials are calling “a concern, not a crisis” and what the news EPA guidance could mean for residents across Colorado. 

Potato farmers in the San Luis Valley are cheering a Mexican Supreme Court decision that opened the country to Colorado tubers, ending a conflict decades old. Since 2000, American farmers have been able to sell their potatoes in the first few miles of Mexico south of the border. Now the country is open for free potato trade and Colorado is eyeing a new market of 70 million consumers, which could grow the U.S. potato export market in Mexico from about $60 million a year to more than $250 million a year. Colorado Sun reporter Jen Brown visited with San Luis Valley farmers about the promise of a new market in Mexico.

Colorado’s abortion providers are seeing a surge of patients seeking medical care after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe-v-Wade and a swell of states ban abortions. And the are preparing for even more, with increased hiring, training, mobile clinics and telehealth services for  people who can use medication to terminate pregnancies. Colorado Sun reporter Tatiana Flowers spoke with several abortion service providers in Colorado about the expansion of services following the high court’s controversial ruling.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows taxpayer dollars in Maine to flow into private schools has given hopes to conservative Colorado lawmakers supporting a program to direct public dollars into all the state’s schools — including private and religious schools — with a so-called voucher program.

Record-setting real estate prices in the Colorado high country have forced out more locals and workers, triggering a labor crisis across the Western Slope. Mobile home parks remain last-stop respites for thousands of working class residents. State lawmakers have passed laws to protect mobile home parks and residents as new owners take control but at least one park has slipped through the cracks. Colorado Sun freelancer Nancy Lofholm spent time with the residents of Country Meadows mobile home park in Gunnison, which a new owner has rebranded as Ski Town Village and raised rents by 73 percent. The more than 300 residents of the park have sued the owner over maintenance issues and a lack of clean water.

When interest rates rose in mid-June, the housing market was expected to cool down. But in Colorado, and especially in Denver, housing prices had jumped to new heights during the pandemic, making affordability challenging. And rising rents are an issue too.

When LaKeshia Hodge and her husband made their way out of homelessness, they wanted to give back. So they started Struggle of Love, which delivers food to older adults and people with disabilities with no access to transportation. But there’s something else that’s special about this Denver nonprofit. The Black-led charity is run by people who have experienced mental health issues, including trauma. It’s also benefiting from the Denver Foundation’s Black Resilience in Colorado, which has granted more than $2 million to 130 organizations in metro Denver. 

Republican primary voters largely rejected the slate of candidates who embraced election conspiracies Tuesday night. But not everything was determined by the end of the night. When we recorded today’s podcast, the race for Colorado’s House District 6 was separated by 38 votes. Here today are Sun politics reporters Jesse Paul, Sandra Fish and Shannon Najmabadi discussing what happened with business reporter Tamara Chuang -- and how Tuesday’s results could impact Colorado’s future.

As we prepared for the day’s podcast Tuesday night, Colorado Sun reporters were following the primary election so please check our site at Colorado-sun-dot-com for the latest results. Meanwhile, our reporters continue to cover other stories of interest to readers. One popular topic is e-bikes and this story lands on our site today: Denver just announced that 2,000 more e-bike vouchers are on the way.

On Monday, The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul reported that Joe O’Dea’s campaign received $1 million cash infusion. Half of that came from the Denver construction company owner’s own pocket. But O’Dea’s opponent, Ron Hanks, has received much more, with a big chunk coming from Democratic Colorado, a federal super PAC. Jesse joins us today before heading into campaign coverage. Business reporter Tamara Chuang talks to Jesse on what to know on primary day.

What does a modern cattle ranch look like — in 2022, amid a decades-long drought? Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown offers a look at a newer model that prioritizes diversifying the ways ranches can make a buck rather than relying solely on the unpredictable commodity price of beef. Brown talks with her colleague Chris Outcalt about her experience visiting a few ranches that are using this new model and what the prospects for this type of setup might be in the future.

The end of this year’s primary election is approaching fast: Tuesday, June 28 is the last day to turn in your ballot. Colorado Sun reporters Chris Outcalt and Jesse Paul talk through what Colorado voters need to know about voting in this year’s primary and discuss a few of the more interesting contests, including the republican primary races for governor and U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently granted emergency authorization for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young children. What are the differences between the two different vaccines? What about any potential side effects? How effective are these vaccines in young kids? Colorado Sun reporters Chris Outcalt and John Ingold talk through these questions and more in the wake of the recent FDA announcement.

With less than a week to go in this year’s political primary campaigns, the advertising in the run-up to the June 28 vote is getting more heated. Notably, democratic groups have been weighing in on republican races with ads that promote the more conservative candidates. The thinking on the democratic side is that those candidates will be more easily defeated come general election time. Colorado Sun reporters Chris Outcalt and Sandra Fish talk about this strategy and other storylines behind the latest primary election advertising campaigns.

Chemical compounds known as PFAS have earned the nickname “forever chemicals” for good reason; they're everywhere — from nonstick pans to rainproof hiking gear. These chemicals also show up in sewage biosolids produced at wastewater treatment systems and that some farms then use as fertilizer. Colorado Sun reporters Chris Outcalt and Michael Booth talk about how and why these chemicals show up on farms, what experts say about how much of a concern it might be to use this fertilizer and a new state workgroup that has formed to examine some of the questions surrounding PFAS and biosolid sludge.

The landscape of Colorado’s Eastern Plains is in the midst of massive change that ultimately will impact the entire state. Xcel Energy’s $1.7 billion Power Pathway project will string transmission lines for nearly 600 miles across farm and ranch lands to transmit power to Front Range cities and suburbs. At the same time, energy companies are competing to create wind and solar installations to generate all that electricity. For landowners on the plains, that can mean lucrative royalties beyond their agricultural business – but it also promises windmills and solar panels that will change the landscape, quite literally. Sun energy reporter Mark Jaffe talked to the folks who have lived on the Eastern Plains for generations to produce an in-depth report on what this all means for the rural way of life. He got together with Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to chat about his story.

Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District runs from suburbs north of Denver into the heart of the conservative stronghold of Weld County. Democrats already have their candidate, but four Republicans are battling for a place on the ballot in the June 28 primary. Sun reporter Shannon Najmabadi took a close look at the GOP contenders, which range from seasoned political veterans to one newcomer, and the challenges they face in appealing first to their party and then, if successful, to a very diverse electorate that includes many unaffiliated voters. She sat down with Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about what figures to be a closely watched race both locally and nationally.

Residents and their leaders in Boulder County have a tough decision to make. A cement kiln, which is a major air polluter, and its accompanying rock quarry have made an offer: If the county renews its mining permit for another 15 years, the company will close both the quarry and the kiln in 2037. Plus, it will offer the county 1,800 acres of open space. It’s a tempting offer, as Sun reporter Michael Booth reports, but is the timeline for closure too long? He sat down with Sun colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about the proposed deal’s plusses and minuses, as well as the environmental problems posed by cement kilns.

The issue of the wild mustangs that roam open rangeland across the West, including Colorado, continues to inspire strong feelings. This week the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will conduct another in an ongoing series of roundups designed to pull many of the horses off the landscape. And once again, the agency is clashing with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who has been a vocal opponent of the roundups. Sun reporter Jennifer Brown, who has been following this conflict for years, sat down with colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about the latest developments.

The popularity of e-bikes has soared recently, in part because of government rebates that can take the sting out of a thousand-dollar-plus price tag. Denver already sold out of one round of highly-sought rebates and is considering a second round. Meanwhile, Colorado’s legislature is also embracing environmentally friendly electric alternatives, and earmarked $12 million to pass out statewide to potential e-bike riders. Sun reporter Michael Booth wrote about the surge in interest and sat down with colleague Kevin Simpson to talk about it.

New census numbers are giving us a better understanding of the forces shaping Colorado. One of those forces is population growth. But the growth hasn’t been evenly distributed across the state — in fact, several counties have been losing population. Colorado Sun reporters Jennifer Brown and Margaret Fleming recently dove into the data to find the counties on both ends of the spectrum. They spoke with colleague John Ingold about what they learned.

Recently, state aquatic biologists ventured into the mountains not far west of Colorado Springs to conduct an unusual kind of rescue mission — in a wholly unexpected place. The scientists are on a mission to save Colorado’s state fish, the greenback cutthroat trout. Colorado Sun reporter Kevin Simpson was there to watch the biologists work. He spoke with colleague John Ingold about what he learned and what he saw.

Colorado is facing a growing teacher shortage, caused in part by a large number of teachers leaving the profession during the pandemic. But the pipeline for creating new teachers is also struggling. In a two-part series this week, Sun reporter Erica Breunlin explored what has gone wrong and what it will take to fix it. She spoke with her colleague John Ingold about what she learned.

Yesterday, we told you about new recommendations from a state advisory panel on air pollution that environmental groups say fall short. But there’s a lot more to the story. Whistleblower allegations. Alleged violations of EPA regulations. And confusion about the process even from industry representatives. The Colorado Sun’s John Ingold spoke with reporter Michael Booth to learn more about the story and to find out what comes next.

Ballots are hitting mailboxes all across Colorado this week ahead of the June 28th primary. The election will decide which candidates move on to battle it out in this fall’s general election. And, if you’re new to the state or just need a refresher on how elections work here, we have you covered. Reporter John Ingold spoke with Sun politics experts Sandra Fish and Jesse Paul to find out everything you need to know about this year’s primary — from how to cast your ballot to what are the key races we’re watching.

20 years ago the Hayman Fire threatened the communities west of Colorado Springs and Denver. It set a record, at the time, for destruction. Sun reporters Michael Booth and Kevin Simpson discuss the lingering damage, and how drought and climate change produced fires that have since eclipsed the once unthinkable Hayman fire. 

Colorado Sun reporters Michael Booth and Jesse Paul discuss the remarkable growth of United Airlines operations in Colorado, including some of the behind the scenes operations that are key to the international giant’s global network. 

Tensions between local land users and officials in western Colorado have grown over new plans for Sweetwater Lake.

A closer look at how much water disappears from the state’s most important rivers when managers must release millions of gallons downstream to keep Lake Powell full.

Visiting Colorado’s most popular destinations isn’t as easy as it used to be. Because of growing crowds, reservations are now required to drive to the top of Pikes Peak, hike the Hanging Lake Trail and camp at Conundrum Hot Springs. Reporter Margeret Fleming joined Jesse Paul to talk about the reservation trend sweeping across Colorado and how public lands managers are trying to make the reservation process equitable.  

Colorado’s 2022 legislative session ended earlier this month. To wrap up the 120-day lawmaking term, Gov. Jared Polis and four state lawmakers joined Colorado Sun political editor and reporter for an event last week breaking down what happened. On today’s episode, we’re featuring the segment with Polis, who is running for reelection. The governor talked about rising consumer costs, abortion access and his philosphy on influencing the legislative process.

Few know the deeply personal effects of a mass shooting like Tom Sullivan, whose son, Alex, was killed in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting. Sullivan began pushing for gun violence prevention and gun control legislation in the wake of Alex’s murder. In 2018, he ran to be a state representative and won, taking his message to the Colorado Capitol each day. He’s now running to be a state senator. Political reporter Jesse Paul interviewed Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat, on Wednesday about what the families affected by the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, can expect in the coming weeks and months, as well as the state of the push for more regulations around firearms.

In virtually every major Republican primary race in Colorado this year voters will have a choice between a candidate or candidates who baselessly believe the outcome of the last presidential election was fraudulent and those who don’t. Polls conducted in recent months strongly indicate that a large portion of the Republican electorate doubts the results of the 2020 presidential election. But do they care enough about the issue to pick a candidate based on where they stand?

Xcel Energy has proposed a plan to build a hydro power plant in the Unaweep Canyon that will help the company reach its renewable energy goals. But the proposal puts homes and Colorado 141 underwater. Unsurprisingly, conversations between Xcel representatives and residents are already getting heated. Sun reporters Jason Blevins and Jesse Aaron Paulhave more on the story…

Schools across Colorado have been racing to figure out how to comply with a new state law that prohibits American Indian mascots – something Native American communities have been pushing for for decades. The law has raised a lot of questions for districts and schools and sent many scrambling to adopt new mascots and remove derogatory names and images from campuses or risk facing a monthly $25,000 fine beginning in June. Freelance writer Sue McMillin talks to Erica Breunlin about the meaning mascots hold for schools and their entire communities and efforts to do away with emblems that have long caused pain.

Colorado’s rafting industry plunged into one of its hardest seasons in 2020 before riding higher than ever in 2021, hosting a record number of rafters. Numbers are still being finalized, but the Colorado River Outfitters Association expects that commercial river trips taken last year total around 625,000. This year, that number is likely to fall, with minimal snowpack and economic pressures affecting water conditions and people’s ability to road trip to rafting sites. Outdoors writer Jason Blevins talks to Erica Breunlin about this summer’s forecast for the rafting industry and the enormous economic impact that outdoor recreation has on Colorado.

Little attention is given to Indigenous people who go missing or murdered, both in Colorado and across the country. State lawmakers hope to change that after introducing a bill that is expected to be signed by Gov. Jared Polis. It will create a new Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives within the Colorado Department of Public Safety at a time when Colorado has more than 50 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, according to a task force that helped create the legislation. Equity reporter Tatiana Flowers talks to Erica Breunlin about the state’s new emphasis on trying to locate Indigenous people who remain missing.

The City of Aurora is proposing some bold restrictions to conserve water at a time climate change has hurt the state’s water supply. The measures include no new golf courses, no grass in medians and no expansive home lawns. Water conservationists say they can make a real difference when it comes to saving water, even as lawns soak up a small fraction of available water. Health and environmental writer Michael Booth talks to reporter Erica Breunlin about local efforts to pare back water usage while the state also prepares to roll out a turf buyback program.