Charter schools on the ballot

The good news: Firefighters have made major progress containing the wildfire burning south of Twin Lakes, which has chewed through 739 acres of national forestland since it ignited last week. A U.S. Forest Service fire management officer said the fire would have likely exploded into a 60,000-acre fire if it started burning in July or August when conditions are drier.

The less-good news: It’s getting drier. Temperatures are rising. And fires will spark quickly. Wildfire season is year round, but it’s during the next few months, especially, that we need to play our part to prevent fires from devastating our state and know how to stay safe. We created a few guides to help.

• How to plan for a hike during wildfire season in Colorado. (Pro tip: if you are planning to build a campfire and aren’t near a body of water, plan to carry enough water to fully extinguish the fire so that you create a slurry and that the coals are cool to the touch.)
• Here’s how to prepare for a wildfire in Colorado. As wildfire season grows longer and more catastrophic, experts suggest mapping evacuation routes and gathering emergency supplies ahead of time.

And with that, let’s get to today’s news.

Olivia Prentzel

Reporter

THE NEWS

ELECTION 2024

The future of Colorado charter schools could be determined by the Democratic primary for State Board of Education

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have poured into a Democratic primary for a seat on the Board of Education, a race that could determine the future of Colorado charter schools for years to come. What’s at stake? The panel’s willingness to overturn local districts when they reject a charter school’s application. Sandra Fish and Erica Breunlin have more on the heated race and what the candidates stand for.

READ MORE

• Democrat Adam Frisch is running TV ads in 3rd Congressional District GOP primary to boost his chances in November. The ads attack Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd, in a clear call to GOP primary voters in the district to back someone else in the six-way Republican primary — someone Adam Frisch believes will be easier to beat in November. Jesse Paul has more.

ENERGY

Southeastern Coloradans could pay $20 more a month if state regulators approve utility’s rate increase

Black Hills Energy, which serves about 100,000 customers in a slice of southeastern Colorado, is seeking a $36.7 million rate hike, which translates to a $20 increase for monthly residential bills. Officials in Pueblo and Cañon City are pushing back, some saying the increase would be “one more burden on a poor community.” Mark Jaffe has more.

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WATER

River defender group suing to block a Thornton pipeline from being built through Larimer County

Save the Poudre made its intention clear Monday: It will sue to block a Thornton pipeline from being built through Larimer County. The nonprofit and other environmental groups say Thornton should take its water rights through the Poudre River channel itself rather than build a pipeline. Michael Booth lays out both sides of the issue.

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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Mountain Village is the only town in Colorado that lets nonresidents vote. Now it’s considering adding LLCs to voter rolls.

Dating back to a decision in 1995, Mountain Village, above Telluride, became the first and only town in Colorado that allowed nonresidents to vote in local elections. Now, it could be among the first in the country to offer municipal ballots to property-owning LLCs and trusts that own property in the tiny resort municipality, Jason Blevins reports.

READ MORE

MORE NEWS

• All occupants aboard small plane dead after plane crashes into Steamboat Springs mobile home park. The Cessna 421, a small twin-engine transport plane, was traveling from Longmont and crashed at 4:23 p.m. into West Acres Mobile Park, setting two homes and two outbuildings on fire, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue said. 

Section by Olivia Prentzel | Reporter

THE COLORADO REPORT

• Tattered Cover accepts $1.83 million bid from Barnes & Noble. The beloved Denver institution has accepted a deal from the corporate bookstore chain to buy Tattered Cover’s four stores, pending a bankruptcy court’s approval.
  — The Denver Post 🔑
• State safety regulator says RTD “failed” to head off preventable light rail disruptions. RTD’s light rail trains on the E, H and R lines along Interstate 25 have been moving at just 10 mph for the past two weeks after the agency’s inspectors found track problems earlier this year.
  — CPR News
• Truck driver hits 2 planes at Broomfield airport. A pickup truck driver smashed through a metal fence Monday at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and hit two unoccupied planes before rolling across a grassy field and hitting a guardrail at the edge of airport property.
  — 9News
• Jim Pittenger, founder of Biker Jim’s, stepping away from company after business partnership goes bad. After being booted from Ball Arena, Pittinger posted on his Facebook page that he has decided to part ways with the business he founded.
  — Westword​​

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Kevin Jeffers | Product Team

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

• Outdoor brands need to honor their core values at events like the Outside Festival in Denver.  Meaningful conversations and unique experiences will go a lot further than brand promotions and free swag
  — Yvonne Leow, The founder of Bewilder, an outdoor education company 

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

BOOKS

In “Autumn of the Big Snow” a jealous wife stalks her rival into the mountains

Who says romance can’t also be gritty? Author Lou Dean’s protagonist, Katie Jo McVay, is a tough-as-nails woman heading into the backcountry when her co-worker’s angry and jealous wife shows up with murderous intentions. This excerpt from “Autumn of the Big Snow,” a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards Romance category, sets the wheels in motion for a further confrontation amid the rugged hills and fickle weather of northwest Colorado.

READ AN EXCERPT

• Interview with the author. Dean’s arrival in Colorado as a single mom of a 5-year-old son with chronic asthma started a decadeslong love affair with the land, which also influenced her decision to set this romance novel in her familiar territory.  

Section by Kevin Simpson | Writer

Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic Tuesday.

— Olivia & the whole staff of The Sun

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Corrections & Clarifications

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