The Sunriser | Coveted water rights deal struck on Western Slope

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My household is officially in the last-minute Christmas crunch. Did we get a gift for our niece? What about the newborn boy? What are we bringing to the family white elephant?

Thankfully, one of us has been keeping a level head: No, we haven’t gotten that yet. Yes, we got a baby book. No, but we can figure that out this weekend.

Unfortunately, that person is not me so send your best wishes to my wife as she handles my downward spiral. And with that, let’s head to the news.

P.S. Now is the perfect time for year-end giving! You can help The Colorado Sun kick off 2024 with a strong start by donating today!

THE NEWS

POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Donald Trump blocked from appearing on presidential primary ballot by Colorado Supreme Court

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump cannot appear on the state’s Republican presidential primary ballot next year. The court said he was disqualified after engaging in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Broadly, the ruling means that Trump’s bid may hinge on Colorado. If the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the Colorado Supreme Court decision, Trump could be disqualified from appearing on Republican presidential primary ballots in other states, Jesse Paul reports.

For added context: Colorado is unimportant in the presidential race. Trump lost to President Joe Biden in Colorado by 13 percentage points in 2020.

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• “None of the above” option to appear on Colorado’s Democratic presidential primary ballots. The option comes as national polls have shown that Democratic voters are wary of President Joe Biden’s reelection bid, Sandra Fish reports.

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WATER

Western Slope coalition strikes historic deal for Colorado River water rights

Xcel Energy will allow the Colorado River Water District to buy long-coveted water rights for the Shoshone Power Plant as long as it can secure $98.5 million in funding. This puts Western Slope residents along a stretch of the river one step closer to greater water security, Shannon Mullane reports.

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• Drought task force has big ideas for the Colorado River, but senator who convened panel questions its work. The group has been unable to agree on tough, politically divisive issues, such as how to cut back water use equitably. But its suggestions for changing water rights tied to coal plants and the inclusion of tribes could gain traction, Fresh Water News’ Jerd Smith reports.

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TECH & BUSINESS

Outdated hiring practices may keep Colorado’s new tech talent from finding work

For years, tech firms have complained about labor shortages. In the past decade, coding bootcamps proliferated to meet demand, but they struggled to place their newly minted workers with employers who still required a degree, credentials and experience. Tamara Chuang digs into the talent pipeline to see what’s going on.

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• Colorado Springs Independent, an alternative weekly newspaper, indefinitely ceases publication. For three decades, the progressive weekly provided residents in Colorado’s second-largest city with an alternate source of news from Colorado Springs’ daily newspaper, The Gazette.

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THE COLORADO REPORT

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

• Denver mayor, under fire for homeless initiative’s tracking of numbers, puts focus on outcomes. As Mike Johnston’s office reaches for its stated goal of moving 1,000 people off the streets by Dec. 31, the administration has come under fire for counting people moved indoors for any length of time rather than those who have been sheltered for at least 14 days.
  — The Denver Post
• Colorado teenager charged with attempting to join ISIS. Acting on a social media tip, the FBI encountered the minor when he was 16 years old, and just under a year later, they arrested him for allegedly attempting to board a flight in Denver to join ISIS, the Justice Department said.
  — ABC News
• The first of DIA’s new underground train cars is finally here. The airport ordered 26 new train cars in 2018 and after a lengthy delay, the first has finally arrived. DIA will phase out its 16 oldest train cars, which date back to the mid-1990s.
  — Denverite
• Ticket prices, discontinued concerts among changes for 2024 X Winter Games. Valerie Ryan of Sports Content Creation LLC said the decision to discontinue concerts wasn’t because of a lack of attendance but a desire to focus on the competitions themselves.
  — The Aspen Times

SunLit

Out West books has some “killer” suggestions for the holidays

Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from bookstores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Out West Books in Grand Junction recommends:

• “Panther Gap” by James A. McLaughlin, mystery and bad guys surround an inheritance
• “Last Word to the Wise” by Ann Claire, matchmaking, mystery and murder collide
• “The Followers” by Bradeigh Godfrey, an online mystery besets a marriage

Read what the bookstore staff had to say about each. Pick up a copy and support your local bookstores at the same time.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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Here’s to hoping your holidays are stress-free and that I can find a stuffed cat for my niece.

— Danika & the whole staff of The Sun

Corrections & Clarifications

Notice something wrong? The Colorado Sun has an ethical responsibility to fix all factual errors. Request a correction by emailing corrections@coloradosun.com.

Type of Story: News

Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.