After a $5 million scam, the Mighty Argo reemerges

When Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams decided I should be tossed from the party’s state assembly in April — a meeting I’d covered multiple times in the past — it brought me back to the early days of my journalism career.

When the Carroll County Supervisors (mostly Democrats) asked me to leave a meeting in 1982 so they could talk about business privately, I refused, citing Iowa open meetings laws. They had to buy a tape recorder to keep a record and follow the law.

It’s been a long, fun run, but it’s time for me to work a lot less and spend more time with family and friends. I’m going to retire, but if you know me, I’ll never be retiring 😉. (Maybe I’ll apply to be an election worker?)

Thanks tons to my wonderful friends and colleagues here at The Colorado Sun! And much appreciation to you, our audience — we can’t do this important work without you!

Sandra Fish

Data Journalist

THE NEWS

PROPERTY

Stalled by massive theft, Mighty Argo Cable Car project gets going again. “Don’t ever count Mary Jane out,” Idaho Springs mayor says.

At a gathering in Idaho Springs on Thursday, people raised their locally brewed pilsners to toast a groundbreaking five years and one $4.5 million scam in the making. The Argo Mill project, which stalled when an initial deposit for the project disappeared, will include a new gondola and mountaintop pedestrian plaza that will connect with dozens of miles of trails above Idaho Springs. Jason Blevins has more on the developers’ high hopes.

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• Did Colorado home values rise significantly in 2023? In The Colorado Sun’s ongoing partnership with Gigafact, Justin George looks at which counties were hit with last year’s biggest jumps in property value, and what the pandemic had to do with it.  

SPORTS

Three cyclists from Durango to carry on Colorado town’s rich mountain biking legacy in Paris Olympics

Three-quarters of the U.S. Olympic team in mountain biking hail from Durango, a town that has sent someone to Team USA. every year since the sport was added to the Olympics in 1996. Ryan Simonovich profiles the three Durango 20-somethings, now just a few days away from competing in Paris.

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OUTDOORS

Mesa County counters 400,000-acre monument proposal with plan to protect 30,000 acres around the Dolores River

Local commissioners in southwestern Colorado worry that a vast area proposed for the Dolores River National Monument could threaten local industries and bring an unsustainable number of visitors to the rural region. The counties’ counterproposal, which lops off more than 360,000 acres, is supposed to be seen as “a starting point,” according to the Mesa County commissioner. But as Jason Blevins reports, river advocates instead see it as “grossly inadequate.”

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• Experienced climber falls 800 feet to his death on ridge near Telluride, sheriff’s office says. The 21-year-old from Arizona was an experienced climber. News of the man’s death came just hours after a hiker’s body was found in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, west of Denver. Olivia Prentzel has more. 
• The Outsider ☀️Salida surfers celebrate third iteration of the Scout Wave. High flows on the Arkansas River threatened the Scout Wave for a second year in a row — last year no one surfed the wave during peak flows in June and July — but some off-season adjustments, like a small raft chute, have made the wave a safer place to play. 

MORE NEWS

• Pedestrian, cyclist deaths on Colorado’s roads falling from last year’s all-time high, preliminary data shows. Last year’s traffic death numbers painted a grim picture for the state, with pedestrian and cyclist deaths reaching all-time highs. As Olivia Prentzel reports, more law enforcement, social media safety campaigns and infrastructure projects have helped bring this year’s deaths down, but there is more work to do. 

Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter

THE COLORADO REPORT

• Kroger-Albertsons merger on hold after Colorado judge ruling. “Consumers, workers, and farmers across the nation can breathe easier,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said.
  — CBS News
• Denver attorney says his client was wrongly convicted of murder due to former CBI analyst’s misconduct. Lawyers for a client who was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 are requesting the Colorado Bureau of Investigation expand its investigation into former DNA analyst Yvonne “Missy” Woods, claiming her false testimony led to wrongful conviction of their client.
  — Denver 7
• Home listings surge in Colorado, with a big boost in Denver inventory. This is a positive sign for people who can afford to buy homes in the Denver area.
  — The Denver Post 🔑
• A fan guide to Denver Broncos training camp this year. Training camp begins today at the newly named Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Englewood, with no charge for fans who want to watch Sean Payton kick off his second season in charge.
  — 9News

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Kevin Jeffers | Product Team

THE OPINION PAGE

CARTOONS

In “What’d I Miss?” Myra and Ossie marvel that Trump’s choice for a running mate used to harp on the toxic qualities of the GOP candidate. Not any more.

CARTOON

Drew Litton illustrates how, from quarterback on down the line, this year’s rebuilding-era preseason has Denver Broncos fans on the edge of their seats.

CARTOON

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.

Podcast Playlist

CONVERSATION

Each weekday The Daily Sun-Up podcast brings you a bit of Colorado history, headlines and a thoughtful conversation. We keep it tight so you can quickly listen, or stack up a few and tune in at your leisure. You can download the Sun-Up for free in your favorite podcasting app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or RSS to plug into your app. This week we chatted about oil and gas drilling, family leave money and much more.

• Can we really restore the water used by oil and gas drilling? Water reporter Shannon Mullane talks about how a new experiment using special kinds of viruses could help clean up one byproduct of drilling.
  LISTEN
• Colorado author discusses his book “The Waterman.” Sun writer and SunLit editor Kevin Simpson chats with Gary Schanbacher, whose new collection of linked short stories is built around the life of a man who makes his living in the waters off the East Coast.
  LISTEN
• Could a private ski area be coming to northern Colorado? Outdoors reporter Jason Blevins discusses the latest idea of a private, luxury ski resort and golf course on 7,000 acres around the Stagecoach area south of Steamboat Springs.
  LISTEN
• Colorado’s new family leave program isn’t getting tapped as expected. Most Colorado workers have been paying into the fund since last year, but as business reporter Tamara Chuang explains, we aren’t drawing much from it yet.
  LISTEN
• State steers affordable house money to middle class. Colorado has begun subsidizing rental units for middle-income families who make as much as $170,000. Politics reporters Jesse Paul and Brian Eason break down why.
  LISTEN

🗣️ Remember, you can ask Siri, Alexa or Google to “play the Daily Sun-Up podcast” and we’ll play right on your smart speaker. As always we appreciate your feedback and comments at podcast@coloradosun.com.

Section by David Krause | Editor

A huge thank you to Sandra Fish!

— Parker & the whole staff of The Sun

The Colorado Sun is part of The Trust Project. Read our policies.

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.