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Colorado Sun reporter Shannon Mullane, center, listens to a question from the audience Sept. 14 during a panel discussion of the future of water in southwestern Colorado sponsored by The Sun and the San Juan Citizens Alliance at the Durango Public Library. (Eric Lubbers, The Colorado Sun)

Good morning and happy Monday!

I refuse to acknowledge the (yet again) 0-2 Broncos until they get their act together, so instead, I want to talk about some real Colorado winners.

On Saturday, I joined reporter Shannon Mullane in Durango where she led a fascinating panel discussion about the future of water in southwestern Colorado (keep an eye on our Instagram for some clips from that panel) before an intrepid crew of officials, advocates and residents took a nice walk down the Animas River to pick up trash.

A graphic showing how much the ingredients in a burger have increased
Colorado Sun reporter Shannon Mullane, center, and volunteer Brittany Leffel head to the banks of the Animas River during a river cleanup sponsored by The Sun and the San Juan Citizens Alliance on Sept. 14. (Eric Lubbers, The Colorado Sun)

It was so fun engaging with concerned citizens and getting to talk to them in person. And we can all enjoy this kind of camaraderie and exchange of ideas in less than two weeks at SunFest! With more than 30 speakers from all walks of Colorado life and panels led by your favorite Sun journalists tackling the most pressing issues in the state — think oil and gas, xeriscape gardening, psychedelics and a keynote with Kyle Clark of 9News — it’s one of the most inspiring ways to spend a fall Friday.

Tickets are on sale now — with big discounts for Sun members — so grab yours right now before the distractions of the week get in the way. Click here for tickets and more information.

But we can’t just play in the river and think about all the fun we’re going to have, we need to get to the rest of the news! So let’s put on our tall boots and wade in, shall we?

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Vehicles pass by the intersection of West Park and Main Street on Sept. 4 in Durango. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

How exactly does a small city help residents who want to safely walk and bike wherever they need to go, while designing a main street that is often also a state highway serving travelers passing through? Tracy Ross reports on how the “Strong Towns” national nonprofit organization is helping residents of Durango tackle bureaucracy to initiate lasting, fundamental changes to make their community a safer place to be outside of a car.

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Colorado Rep. Eliza Hamrick, front, speaks May 24 during a ceremony outside the governor’s mansion in Denver. Hamrick is one of 13 legislative candidates in Colorado running unopposed in 2024. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

There are seven Democrats and three Republicans running unopposed in state House districts this November, and three additional Democrats running against a candidate from a historically poor-performing third party, a Colorado Sun analysis has found. Jesse Paul has more, including historical precedent and what it means for the makeup of the legislature.

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Failed Florida developer Bobby Ginn planned hundreds of homes in the long-abandoned mining town of Gilman, which is part of the Eagle Mine Superfund site. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Minturn, population 1,100, has bested a $25 billion real estate company and secured a deal that not only ends a long, expensive legal battle, but could transform the next phase of the village’s future. Jason Blevins breaks down the historic deal.

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Urban Peak case manager Dara Amott, second from left, and unhoused Denver residents are pictured in silhouette Feb. 15 during an Urban Peak outreach visit to an encampment under Sixth Avenue in Denver. (Andy Colwell, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Nonprofit Elevated Denver has proposed a neighborhood resource hub — a kind of one-stop shop for people who are newly homeless or on the cusp of losing their homes — that will be staffed by people who have been in the shoes of those seeking help. Tatiana Flowers reports on the plans.

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This March 2019 file photo provided by the National Park Service shows the Junction Butte wolf pack taken from an aircraft in Yellowstone National Park. (National Park Service via AP, File)

Hillside Cemetery, with a glorious view of the San Juan mountains, is as much of a town park as a cemetery. So when Nancy Brockman decided she would have a big red British-style phone booth rather than a headstone to mark her plot, it got people of Silverton talking, Nancy Lofholm reports.

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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.

Thanks again to everyone who turned out for our event in Durango on Saturday and thanks in advance to everyone who is coming to SunFest. For your trouble, here’s a photo of Shannon attempting the largest pickup of the day:

Colorado Sun reporter Shannon Mullane attempts to fish a large piece of industrial fabric from the banks of the Animas River during a river cleanup sponsored by The Sun and the San Juan Citizens Alliance on Sept. 14. (Eric Lubbers, The Colorado Sun)

Have a great week and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

— Eric and the whole staff of The Sun

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Type of Story: News

Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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