The Sunriser | How farmers are fighting a little worm

Good morning, Colorado.

My wife and I are looking for a cocktail bar that will take us tomorrow without a Valentine’s Day reservation. Wish us luck — we’ll need it.

In other liquid news, I have a fresh cup of coffee in front of me. So let’s not dally and instead get into today’s news.

Danika Worthington

Presentation Editor

THE NEWS

BUSINESS

A little worm destroyed last year’s sweet corn crop. Here’s how Colorado farmers are fighting back.

I’ll let Nancy Lofholm’s writing kick this blurb off:

Olathe farmer John Harold had been producing Olathe Sweet Corn for nearly half a century when last summer he finally got frustrated enough to use the Q word.

He contemplated quitting.

The Harolds and other growers near Olathe have worked on a three-pronged response to thwart Hhelicoverpa zea, a tiny worm that decimated last year’s crop. Here’s what they plan to do.

READ MORE

• She started fishing to connect with her late husband. She started a company because of the problems she ran into. Dylan Demery has a nice story on how she came to fishing. As Dan England writes, it’s “maybe even Hallmark-worthy” — but only if you stop it right before she walks into a store to buy her first fishing gear.

CULTURE

What you should know about Lunar New Year, Colorado’s newest state holiday

Colorado is the second state in the country to recognize Lunar New Year as an official holiday. It’s mostly a symbolic designation without a paid holiday off, but Asian Americans in Colorado told Parker Yamasaki that it’s still a meaningful acknowledgement. For those unfamiliar, Parker has pulled together a few things to know about the culturally important — and visually stunning — holiday.

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WATER

Dozens of Colorado farmers, ranchers and one city cut Colorado River water use in exchange for $8.7M

Coloradans could help save up to 17,000 acre-feet of water in the Colorado River — much more than the 2,500 acre-feet saved last year — and get a roughly $8.7 million check in return. It’s all part of a voluntary, multistate program that pays water users to temporarily use less water. Shannon Mullane has more on how the program is doing this year after a stumbling relaunch in 2023.

READ MORE

Section by Danika Worthington | Presentation Editor

THE COLORADO REPORT

• To recover machinery from the bottom of the Dillon Reservoir, this tow company put a spin on ice fishing. Two skid steer loaders weighing 6,000 pounds each had been sitting 42 feet below the surface of the ice on Dillon Reservoir since Jan. 31 — before Mountain Recovery reeled them out of the water for what has to be a record catch.
  — Summit Daily
• State bill would force school boards, city councils, others to livestream meetings — including Cherry Creek schools. Something I learned in this story about House Bill 1168: Cherry Creek School District, one of the largest in the state, does not have a designated space for board meetings and instead conducts business at a rotating series of schools.
  — Sentinel Colorado
• Tesla worker killed in fiery crash may be first “Full Self-Driving” fatality. Hans von Ohain died when his Tesla Model 3 barreled into a tree on Upper Bear Creek Road outside of Evergreen. While von Ohain had a blood-alcohol level three times Colorado’s legal limit, investigators have assembled a case that the Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature was engaged at the time of the crash — part of a pattern of crashes related to the software.
  — The Washington Post 🔑
• Mike Nelson, forecasting pioneer and decorated TV meteorologist, to sign off from Denver7 later this year. Nelson, who began his career designing weather graphics systems for broadcast and installing meteorology computers at TV stations in the 1970s, will deliver his final weather report in December.
  — Denver7
• Holy land: Kentwood adds team focused on religious properties. Three brokers in one of the state’s largest commercial firms will be focused on properties owned by religious entities, which one broker estimates to be 35 million square feet of built space on over 15,000 acres along the Front Range.
  — BusinessDen 🔑

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

• Artificial intelligence will forever change our relationships. We can still choose how. The ability for our Colorado communities to thrive depends on it.
  — Michelle Culver, founder of the Rithm Project

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

Series of calamitous events connects characters in “Playing with (Wild)fire”

She could look out the window of her house and see the monstrous 2020 Cameron Peak fire creating a maelstrom of activity in the foothills outside Fort Collins. Author Laura Pritchett turned to writing what eventually became “Playing with (Wild)fire” in part to deal with her real-life trauma, but also to use fiction as a tool to get to the heart of an inspiring phenomenon.

READ AN EXCERPT

• Interview with the author. Contemporary Colorado has, particularly of late, been shaped by the wildfires that have increased in frequency and intensity. And not surprisingly, Pritchett’s novel reflects that. But she focuses on the good that comes with true community.

Section by Kevin Simpson | Writer

Coffee mug is now officially empty. See you tomorrow.

— 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.