67,000 kids could miss out on summer food money

Good morning, Colorado.

I’ve recently come to accept that my favorite hobby might be collecting hobbies. A quick glance at my overflowing craft box and outdoor gear bins, and number of saved recipes are proof that I do not need any more activities to fill my spare time. But alas, amid the chaos over the last several weeks, I decided it was as good a time as ever to become a pickleball-er.

You can call me a conformist for joining the fastest-growing sport in the country or decide that I’m significantly less cool for taking part in a sport that “isn’t real.” You might be a tennis player who hates pickleball players taking over their turf, or maybe you live next to a court and the constant cacophony that comes with the game has you thinking that people like me are the bane of your existence. (OK, I admit I picked a very controversial hobby).

But before you send that not-very-nice email, let me just say how refreshing my mornings have been with a short jog to the courts followed by a quick match with my partner. And if this newsletter intro, in the slightest of ways, inspires you to try something new as a way to take a pause from the chaos, please let me know how it goes. (Maybe just pick something a little less divisive).

We’ve got some important stories to share with you all today, so let’s get to it.

Olivia Prentzel

Reporter

THE NEWS

SOCIAL SERVICES

Colorado kids could be missing out on $8 million in summer food money. State officials are trying to reach out to them.

The Summer EBT program — an evolution of a pandemic-era program to get money for food to students not attending in-person classes — sends families a grocery card loaded with $120 per child ($40 per month). While more than 550,000 students were automatically enrolled last year, there are tens of thousands of eligible students that missed out. Jennifer Brown has more on how the state is reaching out.

READ MORE

OUTDOORS

Colorado 14er opens after legislation adds protections for landowners

After landowners shut down access to the 14,055-foot Mount Lindsey in the Sangre de Cristos in 2021, hikers will now be able to access it again — if they sign a liability waiver. The reopening is thanks to legislation passed last year that gave landowners additional protections from lawsuits if they allowed free access and put up signs warning visitors of dangerous terrain and conditions, Jason Blevins reports.

READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT

Feeding deer in Colorado is illegal. Here’s why it’s also dangerous.

No matter how adorable the big-eyed herbivores may be as they stroll through your neighborhood, do not give in to the temptation to feed them. Dan England has more on the letter of the law — citations and fines — as well as the spirit of the law, which is to keep the animals happy and alive.

READ MORE

PHOTO

PHOTOS: The Colorado sheep shearers who help fuel the fashion world

From a dusty pen somewhere on the Western Slope to the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics in Paris is quite a journey. But as photojournalist William Woody documents in this beautiful series, the first step of the fashion saga is anything but runway ready.

READ MORE

MORE NEWS

• Bags will no longer fly free on Southwest Airlines. Southwest says people who haven’t either reached the upper tiers of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program, bought a business class ticket or hold the airline’s credit card will have to pay for checked bags.
• Pay for Colorado college athletes takes legislative step forward, though universities would still be able to keep compensation secret. “Doing this in secret doesn’t protect students, it exposes them to potential abuse,” said Tim Regan-Porter, CEO of the Colorado Press Association.
• Universal preschool bill dies as some Colorado programs still complain of bumps. Colorado’s $344 million universal preschool program is popular among families, but some providers say they’re still wrestling with problems. 

Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE COLORADO REPORT

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

• Utah bans fluoride in water, defying decades of public health advice. Experts warn the move could lead to more cavities, especially in vulnerable communities with less access to dental care. And with fluoride critic RFK Jr. now in power, this could be the start of a nationwide shift.
  — Food & Wine
• Colorado bill would prohibit officers from asking, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” House Bill 1243 is a one-page bill that’s less than 200 words that would prevent the question from being asked and requires the officer to inform the driver of why they were stopped — and it has the support of AAA.
  — KOAA News 5
• Tenants sue landlord of Denver’s Cedar Run Apartments — site of a recent ICE raid — over “unsafe” conditions. The residents say Gelt Venture Partners, the owner of the property, has left problems like a lack of running water and no heat languishing for months during the coldest months of the winter and never put locks on the external doors, allowing for vandalism and destruction in the building.
  — The Denver Post 🔑
• Denver Pavilions “in a tenuous situation” with loan coming due. Gart Properties has an $85 million loan that must be paid off in July, and CEO Mark Sidell did not confirm to BusinessDen that the company had been making monthly payments on the loan.
  — BusinessDen 🔑

Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

• Distillery tasting rooms don’t compete with Colorado bars like mine: They make them better. Senate Bill 132 would give Colorado’s small distilleries an avenue to grow and invite in more patrons who aren’t into spirits.
  — Skyler McKinley, owner of the Oak Creek Tavern in Routt County

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

REVIEW

“Gold-Fated Family”: Another side of the Molly Brown saga

The story of Margaret “Molly” Brown is writ large across the pages of Colorado history. But author Jody Pritzl looked deeper into her husband, J.J., and their children to complete the family portrait in this Colorado Authors League finalist for History. In this excerpt she focuses in large part on their son, Lawrence, as he struggled to find his place in the world.

READ AN EXCERPT

• Interview with the author. Pritzl knew all about Margaret “Molly” Brown from working as a docent at the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver. But visitors frequently asked one question that set her on a path of research that resulted in “Gold-Fated Family.” 
• Listen to a podcast with Jody Pritzl.

Section by Kevin Simpson | Writer

Thanks for reading until the very end. It’s going to be another sunny day — enjoy!

— Olivia & 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.