Why are so many pedestrians dying in Colorado?

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

The idea of the American male midlife crisis was pretty set in my mind as a kid thanks to TV: sports car, toupée, sudden interest in reliving the “good ol’ days.” I don’t really like cars, I’ve been at peace with my hairline’s journey to the back of my head since I was 23 and my ol’ days were fine, but nothing I want to revisit. So I thought I was immune.

But I’ve realized, here in the long shadow of my 41st birthday, that the drive to defy the march of time can come in many different forms. For instance, deciding to run a triathlon despite only ever participating in a single public race over 5K (and having failed swim lessons several times as a kid).

A few months of increasingly frantic training later, I finished my race Sunday, comfortably in the middle of the pack. And rather than feeling like a “crisis,” I now find myself more grateful than ever to be in the middle of the cozy little life I’ve been gifted.

And part of that life is getting to help my colleagues share the great work they do with readers like you! So let’s tighten up our laces, grease up the gears and dive into some news, shall we?

Eric Lubbers

CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

P.S. — We have a lot of fun stuff happening outside of the news right now:

• Colorado’s Best nominations are live! Click here to nominate your favorite local businesses as Colorado’s Best! Voting begins this summer, but you only have a few more weeks to make sure your favorites are on the ballot.
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THE NEWS

TRANSPORTATION

With no uniform safety improvements, there’s no end in sight to skyrocketing Colorado pedestrian deaths

Nearly 1,000 pedestrians have been killed on Colorado streets and roads in the past decade, a proportionally higher share than nearly every state. And as Elizabeth Koenck reports, as pedestrian deaths become more common, the efforts to make roads safer continue to be tackled in a patchwork, ineffective way from city to city and district to district.

READ MORE

OUTDOORS

A Colorado backcountry skiing phenom has climbed millions of vertical feet. He’s only 13.

Griff Pinto made a big decision at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown: It was time to go all-in on skiing. Sure, he was 8 years old at the time, but as Jason Blevins reports, those five years have turned Pinto into a backcountry expert unlike any seen before.

READ MORE

ENERGY

Colorado utilities are trying to go green. Tariffs and geopolitical chaos are getting in the way.

From the giant Xcel Energy to the smallest rural electric cooperatives, Colorado’s electric utilities are all rushing to meet reliability and clean energy standards. But as Mark Jaffe reports, the “clear policy decision of the Trump administration to drive up prices for wind, solar and storage” — as one co-op CEO put it — is adding significant costs to every plan.

READ MORE

MORE NEWS

• Colorado reports new case of measles, in a baby from Denver. A baby who had recently traveled to Mexico with family is Colorado’s second reported measles case in eight days.
• Stuck in a backlog: What it’s like to be a sexual assault survivor in Colorado right now. In Colorado, the average half wait time to process DNA kits and other evidence from sexual assault cases has stretched to a year and a half, leaving more than 1,400 people waiting for their results.
• Republican deal reached in U.S. House fight over proxy voting for new parents; Colorado congresswoman blasts agreement. Democratic U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat and the mother of an infant, blasted the deal. “This outcome does not address the barriers we’ve fought so hard to overcome,” she said.

Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE COLORADO REPORT

• What does Trump’s overhaul of the Institute of Museum and Library Services mean for Denver’s cultural institutions? Denver museums and libraries have received about $6.2 million in grants from IMLS since 2020, and after President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE put the federal agency’s entire staff on administrative leave, the future of funding for library services, museum programming and more is in limbo.
  — Denverite
• Northglenn says by Aug. 1, no more than four dogs or cats in each household. After complaints about the number of dogs and cats in local backyards, the city council adopted the measure that would only allow a total of four dogs or cats (in any combination). Residents can be grandfathered in by registering existing pets with the city before then.
  — Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel
• Elon Musk’s brother slams Trump tariffs, calls them “permanent tax on the American consumer. ” Kimbal Musk, the owner of Boulder-based restaurant chain The Kitchen, took to his brother’s social media platform on Monday to criticize President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
  — CNBC
• Son of Aspen icon accused of sexually assaulting woman over two decades ago. Klaus Obermeyer Jr., son of 105-year-old Aspen icon Klaus Obermeyer, is being sued for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting an Australian woman in New York in 2002.
  — The Aspen Times
• Azar firm says ex-employee uses Google ads to poach its clients. After winning a $1.5 million victory in a similar case, Frank Azar & Associates is suing former employee Dominic Genco’s firm for allegedly bidding against Frank Azar’s name for Google keywords and driving up the cost, as well as providing false ads using Azar’s name before redirecting to Genco’s site.
  — BusinessDen 🔑
• Breckenridge’s Chris Fisher reflects on ‘out-of-this-world’ experience at the iconic Barkley Marathons. You know, you feel good about yourself for completing a sprint triathlon, then you wake up and read about a Breckenridge man who finally got to participate in the infamous 100-mile sufferfest that is the Barkley Marathon. RIP my sense of contentment and satisfaction (I’m kidding, congrats Chris).
  — Summit Daily

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

• Legislation to update Colorado grant disbursement would help level playing field for smaller nonprofits. House Bill 1101 would make access to state funding more equitable by giving a portion of money at the start, easing cash-flow problems for some nonprofits.
  — Marco Dorado, managing director of Communities Lead Communities Thrive

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

“Deadly Heist” revisits Denver’s 1991 Father’s Day Massacre

Colorado has had its share of high-profile crimes and criminal trials, but few produced the tragedy, intrigue, courtroom theatrics and unsatisfying resolution of the United Bank robbery that resulted in the loss of $200,000 — and the murder of four unarmed guards. Author Steven Epstein, a North Carolina attorney who made “Deadly Heist” his fourth true crime title, recounts the twisting, often emotional narrative from an outsider’s point of view. This excerpt describes the investigation that closed in on enigmatic suspect James King.

READ AN EXCERPT

• Interview with the author. Epstein interviewed surviving figures from the case and delved into massive amounts of media coverage, but his ability to recreate a story that unfolded largely in a Denver courtroom rested heavily on the video recordings of a new cable network that broadcast the James King trial nationwide.
• Listen to a podcast with Steven Epstein.

Section by Kevin Simpson | Writer

I can almost walk up a flight of stairs without wincing now, which I’m going to call my second-biggest accomplishment of the week. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

— Eric & the whole staff of The Sun

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Corrections & Clarifications

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