Good morning, Colorado. December is a hectic month, so I’ll keep it brief … but I can’t help but remind you all that we are nearing the end of our winter membership drive. That means there are only a few days left to become a member, or upgrade your membership, and have your contribution matched with a grant from the Colorado Media Project, totaling up to $5,000.
Our goal is 200 new and upgrading members and we’ve still got 80 to go, so if you’ve been on the fence, today is the day to help us get there! It’s a quick, yet impactful way to support trustworthy, local news. Just tap the button below to join!
We are so grateful for the community of readers who support The Sun and are excited to see it grow.
And with that, on to the news.
Reporter
THE NEWS
OUTDOORS
Forest Service, BLM offer plan to block mining, oil and gas drilling on 225,000 acres in Thompson Divide
A 20-year-ban on mining, oil and gas permits on public lands inside the Thompson Divide is a reason to celebrate for the group of conservationists in Crested Butte who have been fighting since the late 1970s to stop a plan to unearth a massive molybdenum deposit from an abandoned mine above the ski town. Jason Blevins explains more on the Forest Service and BLM’s proposal to protect the 225,000-acre mix of mountains and rangeland between Glenwood Springs and Crested Butte.
EQUITY
Parenting from prison is difficult, but a new Colorado law aims to give some incarcerated people a chance to try
Parenting from jail or prison has never been easy, but a new law that goes into effect Jan. 1 will require courts to include jailed parents in hearings and consider whether their kids have a “safe” relationship with them before terminating rights. Advocates say there are still many barriers, but they hope the law marks progress toward keeping more families together.
EDUCATION
Denver kids get $1,000 for sports, art, music in experiment for school success
Lakiesha Shears wants to support her sons’ athletic dreams — even if it’s to play in the NBA and NFL — but it’s a financial struggle to raise three boys on her own. She was thrilled when she received a surprise email from Denver Public Schools notifying her that because her middle schooler qualifies for free and reduced-price lunch, he is also eligible to receive $1,000 to pay for after-school sports, dance, music or art programs. Jennifer Brown has more on the pilot program that already has 1,000 kids on board.
THE COLORADO REPORT
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Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler
THE OPINION PAGE
COMMUNITY
The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggest writers or provide feedback at opinion@coloradosun.com.
SunLit
“On Censorship” explores reasons behind book challenges — and their dangers
Author James LaRue has spent a good portion of his professional life answering challenges to library materials, and took note of the recent resurgence in efforts to deny access to them. Librarians have long talked about the issue among themselves, but LaRue wanted to extend the conversation into the public realm. The result is “On Censorship,” in which he takes a deep and thoughtful look at the reasons behind those efforts, and what they could portend for society.
Kevin Simpson | Writer
You’ve made it to the very end. Thanks for being here, and see you tomorrow.
— Olivia & the whole staff of The Sun
Corrections & Clarifications
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