The Sunriser | Pharmaceutical company goes after Colorado’s price-setting board

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Good morning, Colorado.

I tried Afghan food for the first time last night at a restaurant in Colorado Springs and it was delicious. I ordered a traditional Afghan eggplant dish, simmered in tomato sauce and homemade yogurt, and kabuli pulao, the country’s national dish made of rice seasoned with cardamom, caramelized carrots and raisins and marinated lamb.

I discovered the restaurant through a book club with returned Peace Corps volunteers — every other month we read a book about a country where we lived as volunteers, then discuss it over a meal from that country. It’s a fun and relatively easy way to learn about places that feel far, far away, but maybe aren’t so different from home.

Speaking of learning something new, this morning’s newsletter is packed with news that is sure to teach us a fact or two. (Sadly, no international meal is included, though it sure goes well with a warm cup of coffee.)

THE NEWS

HEALTH

Pharmaceutical company Amgen sues Colorado over price-setting prescription drug board

A multinational pharmaceutical company, Amgen, is suing the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board, saying its attempt to put a price cap on its arthritis drug Enbrel is unconstitutional. The state board, created by lawmakers in 2021, aims to lower prescription costs, but Amgen argues that the board’s actions violate federal laws and want to strike down major parts of the law creating the board. John Ingold has more on the lawsuit.

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EQUITY

Sand Creek and Amache descendants find common ground and look to instill history in younger generations

Memories of two tragedies converged in the Eastern Plains last spring when descendants of the 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho people who were murdered during the Sand Creek Massacre made the pilgrimage to the incarceration camp where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. That convergence gave birth to an idea: create a youth-centered initiative to ensure that the history and remembrance extends to future generations. Kevin Simpson has the details on the concept that will soon become a reality.

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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Colorado lawmakers reject request to hire state lawyers to prosecute gun crimes in federal court

Colorado lawmakers rejected a request from the governor and attorney general to hire a group of lawyers to be loaned out to the federal government to prosecute gun crimes in federal court, Jesse Paul reports. The proposal, which would have set aside hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire as many as four attorneys, aimed to fill a void left after legislation in recent years rolled back a blanket prohibition barring people convicted of felonies from possessing guns. Instead, only those convicted of committing the state’s most serious felonies, like murder, rape, assault, robbery, arson and child abuse are prohibited from having a firearm.

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EDUCATION

Democrats’ school funding proposal would give more money to rural districts, increase per-student spending

Next year, Colorado school districts could see a slight bump in the amount of state funding they get per student under a bill introduced by Democratic lawmakers, who also want to devote more to rural school districts. Erica Breunlin has more on Senate Bill 188, the first school funding bill lawmakers have brought forward this legislative session.

READ MORE

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MORE NEWS

• Colorado university hires 2 former U.S. attorneys to review shooting, recommend any changes. The announcement comes after a UCCS student was charged with killing his suitemate and another person in a dorm room last month.

THE COLORADO REPORT

• How Wyatts Towing allegedly circumvented Colorado’s new towing law — and why legislators are pushing for further reform. During the investigation of a tow that violated the new state regulations, the Public Utilities Commission found that Wyatts had set up an email address for a private property that it used to authorize and approve its own tows, an act that the investigator says could amount to criminal fraud.
  — The Denver Post
• Denver Nuggets super fan banned from games at Ball Arena. 72-year-old Vicki Ray has been sitting in the same seats since Ball Arena was the Pepsi Center, talking to players, coaches and referees. But in February she was accused of grabbing a referee, passing notes to them and hitting a player in the face — which she vehemently denies — before being banned from the games.
  — CBS Denver
• CDOT launched a Trinidad-to-Pueblo bus route to bridge a transportation gap. Is it working? The smaller-scale Bustang Outrider program served more than 1,200 riders in its first year, growing consistently as it experimented with free fares.
  — The Pueblo Chieftain
• Rebate app Ibotta files to go public, says it was profitable last year. The Denver-based couponing app says it made $38.1 million in profits last year after losing $55 million the year before.
  — BusinessDen 🔑

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

• Colorado businesses must commit on benefits of a diverse, inclusive workforce. There is a solid blueprint that connects women’s voices and diversity in staffing to better insights and outcomes
  — Antoinette Gawin

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

In “The Quiet Butterfly” a painful separation and a search for a new life

A young girl leaves behind the comfort of her closest family to embark on what becomes a journey of self-discovery with a mother trying to overcome her own personal issues. Author Victoria Wright’s young adult novel, “The Quiet Butterfly,” begins with a difficult departure and a cross-country drive to Denver. Along the way, Wright hints at ways protagonist Neepa will lean on the Native teachings of her ancestors to deal with bullies —including the one she harbors within herself.

READ AN EXCERPT

• Interview with the author. Wright’s first novel mirrors her own journey toward embracing her Native culture to learn more about her true self, and the key role nature plays in the process.

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Thanks for joining us! Have a wonderful Tuesday.

— Olivia & 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.