A man leans on the railing on a porch while a dog looks through the glass door
Neil Mahoney, of Golden, and his dog, Ryder, in late August. On Nov. 5, 2020, surrounded by family, Mahoney took his prescribed end-of-life medication. He died within an hour. The once-rugged outdoorsman, now reduced to gaunt bones and a swollen belly, was determined that he ― not the disease ― would decide when he died. (Heidi de Marco, Kaiser Health News)
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There’s still a lot of speculation around a winter storm this weekend that could dump up to 2 inches of precipitation in parts of the state. Only time will tell if the Front Range turns into a winter wonderland or a slushy mess.

Either way, it’s great news for Colorado, which could still use a whole lot of moisture. (The last big storm brought a much-needed boost to our below-average snowpack).

While forecasters analyze the models, I’ll be soaking up the sunshine, reading the news from my porch.

Let’s get reading.

Eight years ago, Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 106, which allowed terminally ill residents who were given less than six months to live to receive medical aid in dying, if they get the approval of two doctors. A new bill introduced to lawmakers last week aims to remove some of the barriers for those patients, by allowing out-of-state residents receive end-of-life medication and shrinking the waiting period to 48 hours from 15 days, Jesse Paul reports.

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A graphic showing how much the ingredients in a burger have increased
Teller Elementary School educates about 560 kids in preschool through fifth grade in Denver and is one of more than 80 Denver Public Schools that will scale back class time next year to give teachers more hours to plan and focus on professional development. Principal Sabrina Bates made the controversial decision so that educators, strapped with a growing list of responsibilities, can have more time during the school week to collaborate with colleagues and more closely examine how individual students are performing. (Erica Breunlin, The Colorado Sun)

More than 80 schools under Denver Public Schools are sending students home early on Fridays this year. Some parents are outraged, claiming that their students are being robbed of adequate learning time. Administrators say teachers need more time to plan as their responsibilities continue to multiply. And what about the parents with rigid work schedules who can’t afford to pick up their children early? Erica Breunlin lays out all sides of the debate.

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$98.5 million

The total price to purchase the Shoshone Power Plant water rights from Xcel Energy

The state’s top water policy agency reached a milestone Monday with a unanimous vote to contribute $20 million toward purchasing Shoshone Power Plant water rights from Xcel Energy. For many Western Slope water leaders, the vote was a cause for celebration after decades of fighting for more water security amid the Colorado River’s unpredictable flows, Shannon Mullane reports.

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Colorado’s warming from climate change has been most pronounced in the fall months, and in southern and southwestern parts of the state. (Colorado State University, “2024 Climate Change in Colorado”)

A new clean energy hub with the mission to expand startup ideas to cut greenhouse gases will be based in Colorado, thanks to $15 million from the National Science Foundation and a partnership between Colorado and Wyoming. The science foundation is known for publishing rock-solid science, Colorado officials say, and hubs making progress toward high-impact solutions could get up to $160 million total over 10 years, Michael Booth and Tamara Chuang report.

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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.

EXCERPT: As illustrated by this piece from Robert Williscroft’s sci-fi novel “The Oort Federation: To the Stars,” the author’s curiosity about advancements in science and the ways they could affect our lives far into the future play a prominent role as humans make their way toward distant galaxies. The attention to detail almost creates a plotline in and of itself.

READ THE SUNLIT EXCERPT

THE SUNLIT INTERVIEW: Williscroft notes that while he extrapolates to create the advanced technologies described in his books, there’s a lot of actual science behind his science fiction.

READ THE INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT WILLISCROFT

We hope you find some time to get outside today in this springlike weather. See 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.