Volunteers pass out food to clients served by one of Colorado's 16 regional Area Agencies on Aging. The agencies use federal and state funding to provide Meals on Wheels, transportation, and other programs for people age 60 and older. (Provided by Denver Regional Council of Governments)
The Sunriser logo

Snow, below-freezing temps and the howling wind made for easy excuses to not start training for the half-marathon I plan to run in a few short months. Thankfully, this morning offered a bit of a reprieve so I bundled up for a slow, 3-mile jog to get back into the swing of things.

It’s always a satisfying feeling to start the day by crossing something off your to-do list (especially when it comes with a stellar view of Pikes Peak and some alpenglow).

Now, time for the news.

The next legislative session starts Wednesday and the Democratic majority at the Capitol has a lot of unfinished business on its agenda. Politics reporters Brian Eason and Jesse Paul compiled the eight big storylines — from property tax relief to new funding sources for transit — to keep on your radar.

READ MORE


A graphic showing how much the ingredients in a burger have increased
The Uncompahgre River flows through fresh snowfall in the Ouray Ice Park on Jan. 6 in Ouray. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

The state’s snowpack — a key water source for millions of people across the West — could be declining, if experts are reading the trends correctly. In The Colorado Sun’s latest installment of the “Colorado River Explained” series, reporter Shannon Mullane breaks down all you need to know about the state’s snowpack, including how it makes its way to your tap and what data can (and can’t) tell us.

READ MORE


A graphic showing how much the ingredients in a burger have increased
Volunteer Jonathan Parentice delivered meals in Mesa County to over a dozen households once a week during the pandemic. Colorado’s 16 Area Agencies on Aging use federal and state funds to provide meals, transportation and other services to people age 60 and older. (Luna Anna Archey, The Colorado Trust)

Colorado’s Area Agencies on Aging, with 16 regional offices across the state, are so short on funds this year that waitlists are increasing to thousands of people and programs are at risk of collapsing, Jennifer Brown reports. One Adams County meal-delivery program ran out of money halfway through the fiscal year and left 550 elderly people at risk of losing services.

READ MORE


Neighbors and local officials packed a recent hearing for an air pollution permit renewal for the Cemex factory in Boulder County, many demanding accountability for lax fines for consistent air pollution violations and citing the risks of a major greenhouse gas emitter in a suburban area. Meanwhile, the cement factory’s employees and officials praised the number of jobs it provides to the county and building materials it provides for the state. Michael Booth has the details.

READ MORE

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Who was the first person to ride a horse? Author Sarah V. Barnes’ work of historical fiction, “She Who Rides Horses,” takes us back 6,000 years to tell the story of a daughter of a clan chief who dares to dream of experiencing such a union of animal and human.

READ AN EXCERPT


Stay warm and we’ll catch you here tomorrow!

Olivia & the whole staff of The Sun

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.

This byline is used for articles and guides written collaboratively by The Colorado Sun reporters, editors and producers.