Namaste Solar workers install 24 solar panels onto a residence in southeast Boulder May 23, 2023. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
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Good morning!

I have to admit, while it’s fun and rewarding to put together the stories, photos, newsletters, social media posts, podcasts and projects that we do here at The Sun, sometimes we want to stop talking and do a little listening.

That’s why, every year, we ask readers like you to give us your 2 cents about the job we’re doing. I know, I know, it seems like every other transaction in our lives these days ends with someone handing us a receipt with a QR code and promises of free burgers in exchange for our opinion.

But I can tell you firsthand that we’re different. Our real, local staff pores over the responses we get every year and we take every suggestion as an opportunity to better serve the information needs of the people in this great state. Plus, you could win a Visa gift card, which is better than (almost) any free burrito.

So before we dive into today’s news, take a few minutes to tell us how we’re doing so we can do it even better! Just click below to get started.

2024 Reader Survey

OK, now that you’ve given us an earful, let’s get an eyeful of today’s stories, shall we?

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Solar energy panels line a rooftop near Lookout Park in western Arvada. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

There are all sorts of services offering to get your home powered by the sun, but what if you have a north-facing roof? Or too much shade? Or your budget just can’t absorb the big upfront costs of a full solar power system? Michael Booth put together a guide to help you discover which solar solution fits your home and budget.

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Eighth grader Nobel Woldu pieces together a tiny pink hat March 11 at Challenge School in Aurora. (Erica Breunlin, The Colorado Sun)

While many school-age kids emerged from the pandemic lockdowns with nothing but sharper Minecraft skills, 13-year-old Alexandra Schmidt came armed with crochet hooks and enthusiasm for traditional fiber arts. And as Erica Breunlin reports, that enthusiasm has been contagious, with Schmidt teaching dozens of her classmates — as well as her mom and teachers — crochet skills as part of a popular school club.

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Printed Page Bookshop co-owner John Frantzen, right, demonstrates how to cover a book for conservation during an introductory book-collecting workshop with workshop attendees Lara Romeo, left, of Highlands Ranch, and Jennifer Schloessmann, center left at rear, of Castle Pines, at the bookshop Saturday in Denver. (Andy Colwell, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Picture a book collector. If you imagined a wealthy older man in a tweed jacket with patches on the elbows, you need to read this story. Sue McMillin reports on the Kirkpatrick Prize for Colorado book collectors under the age of 30, complete with a $1,000 prize — and why its namesake is putting up the funds to keep alive the passion for book collecting.

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Natasha Fox, of Grand Junction, had numerous foster home placements as a youth. When she had to leave the foster system at age 18, she said she went “from having a home and everything to zero, to nothing.” (Barton Glasser, Special to The Colorado Trust)

200

The approximate number of young adults who age out of foster care in Colorado every year

29%

The share of former foster care youth in Colorado who have been incarcerated by age of 19

An 18th birthday is a time for celebration. But for the kids in Colorado’s foster care system, it marks the hard transition point between being connected to a system of services and being on their own. Daliah Singer with The Colorado Trust has a report on how state, local and nonprofit organizations are trying to bridge this perilous gap.

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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.

Sandhill cranes soar above farm fields Feb. 12 near Delta. The migrating birds make a stopover in western Colorado this time of year before continuing north. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Eckert Crane Days. Every year starting in late February, Colorado is host to around 20,000 greater sandhill cranes as they make their way north for the summer — and to the hundreds of visitors who flock in to watch the cranes feast and fly.

The cranes typically stick around for a few weeks feeding on barley and aquatic invertebrates before continuing their journey north. This weekend is one of the last great opportunities to converge with birders, nature photographers and other crane-curious folks at the Eckert Crane Days festival.

On Friday, Montrose-based wildlife biologist Evan Phillips will present research about the cranes’ shifting migration patterns at the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center. On Saturday, the Western States Ranch is hosting a free barbecue beginning at noon. Throughout the weekend experienced birders with binoculars and scopes will be on hand starting at 9 a.m. at Fruit Growers Reservoir, just outside of Eckert, to help guide crane viewers. All events are free and open to the public; RSVP is required for the research presentation.

Free; 6 p.m., March 22; Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center, 195 W. Main St., Cedaredge

Thanks for sticking with us. And if you didn’t already fill out your reader survey, your time is running out, so maybe pour a second cup of coffee and take a crack at it while it’s on your mind.

Have a great day and we’ll see you back here tomorrow to finish the week strong!

— Eric & 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.