Good Monday morning, Colorado. I’ve been lucky enough to call this great state home for more than 30 years, and I never tire of working on my “Colorado List” every chance I get.
Case in point, last week I bought a ski lift chair. One that’s ferried thousands of Colorado fannies for decades. Sunlight Mountain Resort is replacing both of its old lifts this summer, and they’ve been auctioning the chairs. As our oldest son works there, I had an in.
So the latest addition to the Krause family is double-chair No. 25 from the storied Segundo lift, the oldest operating chairlift in Colorado. It started spinning at the ski hill outside of Glenwood Springs in 1973, but before that it was hoisting the rich and famous up Aspen Mountain from 1954 to 1969. Who knows who plopped down in No. 25 back when it was shiny and new. Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Lana Turner, Lucille Ball, John Wayne?
If that chair could talk, the stories it could tell. So while I daydream about the “Who’s Who” my beloved chair has given respite to, here are the Colorado stories you should know about today.
Editor
THE NEWS
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
A Colorado lawmaker charged gas to his campaign. Then he asked taxpayers to reimburse his mileage.
Colorado State Rep. Ryan Armagost, a Berthoud Republican, charged about $2,000 to his campaign during the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions for mileage reimbursement and car washes. He collected that money on top of thousands of dollars of mileage reimbursement from the state for driving to and from the Capitol during both sessions. Jesse Paul breaks down the dollars that went to Armagost, who is resigning in September for a new job and personal relationship in Arizona.
WILDFIRE
3 western Colorado counties under disaster declaration as wildfires scorch thousands of acres
Gov. Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration over the weekend for Montrose, Delta and Mesa counties as wildfires continue to burn through thousands of acres after a lightning storm Thursday. The largest is the South Rim fire, which has burned more than 3,500 acres since starting Thursday morning near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. David Krause has the update.
HEALTH
Getting stoned is no high for dogs — or their owners — in Colorado
Canine marijuana intoxication cases are on the rise in both Colorado and nationally. When a dog accidentally eats a marijuana edible or a partially burned joint, they’re often left stumbling like they’re drunk. The good news, as Kate Ruder reports, is that most dogs recover at home, and a new treatment is helping curb symptoms and reduce intoxication time.
ECONOMY
What’s Working: Nonprofit thrift store is training technicians to service Colorado’s electric vehicle charging stations
Goodwill of Colorado is branching out into the electric vehicle space with a new training program that teaches people in need of employment how to become EV station technicians. It’s an in-demand job in Colorado, which has more than 6,000 EV charging ports and ranks among the top states for EV sales. Tamara Chuang has more.
COLORADO SUNDAY
Climate denial is fueling federal policy. But these Colorado kids still hope to save the planet.
This week’s Colorado Sunday story looks to the future. Tracy Ross went to the first Colorado Youth Climate Summit to learn how climate activists are still finding a way to share their knowledge — and hope — for a more livable earth in the face of encroaching climate denialism coming from Washington.
MORE NEWS
Section by Erica Breunlin | Education Reporter
THE COLORADO REPORT
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THE OPINION PAGE
COLUMNS
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Swing or a bench? That’s the biggest question I’ve got to answer in the next few weeks. Until then, we’ll see you back here tomorrow.
— David and the whole staff of The Sun
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