Good morning, Colorado.
Lots of politics news today from The Sun, which is no surprise with just a few days remaining in the state legislative session. After that, we can expect the rest of the year to be pretty devoid of politics news. Right? RIGHT?!
Anyway, please remember that you can join The Sun’s politics team May 15 at the University of Denver for a recap of the 2024 state legislative session. Speakers will include Gov. Jared Polis.
That event is free, and you can RSVP here.
On to today’s news.
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THE NEWS
POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Colorado owes taxpayers $34M in refunds it never sent. That means trouble for the state budget.
A state audit revealed that an extra $34 million is owed to Colorado taxpayers by the state government that should have been sent out years ago, Brian Eason reports. State officials had planned to come up with a solution by June, but Joint Budget Committee staff members say the matter can’t wait until after the session, which ends May 8. Here are the details on how the oversight affects the state budget.
TRANSPORTATION
Colorado is gearing up to prohibit semitrailers from traveling in left lane on mountain sections of I-70
Semitrailers and other commercial vehicles are about to be prohibited from traveling in the left lane on several treacherous sections of Interstate 70 under a bipartisan bill passed by the legislature Wednesday, Jesse Paul writes. The original version of the measure would have applied to a longer stretch of the highway, but it was pared back after the trucking industry voiced concerns.
EDUCATION
New medical school coming to University of Northern Colorado as state tries to solve workforce shortages
The College of Osteopathic Medicine, to be housed at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, is one of the major initiatives of a new law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jared Polis that aims to expand health care programs at higher education institutions in a bid to overcome health care workforce shortages, which were worsened during the pandemic. Erica Breunlin has more on what’s in the $247 million package.
MORE NEWS
THE COLORADO REPORT
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Section by Danika Worthington | Presentation Editor
THE OPINION PAGE
COMMUNITY
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What’s Happening
Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo starts with an underdog story. In May of 1862, a group of Mexican farmers and soldiers led by General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the far larger and better-equipped French forces, sent to Mexico by Emperor Napoleon III. France did ultimately take control, and the holiday was largely forgotten.
A century later in the 1960s, Chicano activists in the U.S. saw the parallels between their struggles for recognition and representation, and those of the Mexican farmers and soldiers who took on the French army. Activists and local communities held block parties to commemorate the resilience of Mexican people. Then tacos and tequila got involved.
These days Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated as a bridge between Mexican and American cultures, with music, dancing, Chihuahua races, lowrider showcases, lots of food and even more booze. You can find celebrations all over Colorado this weekend, including in Pueblo, Grand Junction and Monte Vista. The long-running celebration in downtown Denver is one of the country’s largest, according to Visit Denver, likely to draw over 400,000 visitors to the city over the weekend.
Free; May 4 and 5; Various locations
Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter
May the Second Be With You.
— Kevin & the whole staff of The Sun
Corrections & Clarifications
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