Good morning, Colorado Sun friends, and happy hump day.
This weekend I accomplished a major goal I set last summer after my second knee replacement in three months: get back above 14,000 feet. The last time I was up that high was Aug. 14, 2018, and realized on the way down La Plata Peak my knees couldn’t do it again until something changed.
Boy, has it: Two bionic new knees … oh, and that stent the cardiologist installed three years ago after I eluded the widowmaker. On Aug. 14, 1997, my dad died after his third heart attack. He was 55. The next year I started hiking fourteeners on the 14th of August as a way to honor him, but my battered knees finally caught up with me.
Until Saturday. And though it wasn’t the 14th, I was back in the Colorado clouds hitting the Mount Shavano summit just past 8 a.m. (huge thanks to my hiking partner, Alice!) and enjoying a Coke with my Pops as my moment atop the mountain. Sharing a green-bottle Coke with his kids was a treat, but I’m sure he’d understand the can.
All that is to say: Set those goals. Push yourself. Stumble. Get back up. Fall again. Get up again. And again. I’m already mapping out my next soda-pop trek.
And with that to sip on, and perhaps another cup of coffee, let’s get to today’s news.
Editor
THE NEWS
BREAKING: Gov. Jared Polis is set to make a “major announcement” at 9:45 a.m. today. Head to coloradosun.com for the latest coverage.
ENVIRONMENT
Colorado could lose $156 million federal solar grant under EPA changes
Colorado state officials and solar industry leaders are scrambling to untangle threats by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel $156 million in solar installation grants intended to help lower energy bills for homeowners and renters while meeting the ever-growing demand for electricity. Michael Booth has more on the national news that has Colorado’s clean energy sector in an uproar.
TECHNOLOGY
Fiber broadband industry connects in Denver after $42.5B federal program upended
The broadband industry was noticeably different from last year as the movers and shakers of internet access met at the Sheraton in downtown Denver. Tamara Chuang reports on how the rapid changes to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program has upended years of planning.
OUTDOORS
Keystone property owners sue Vail Resorts over role of homeowners association
Residents of a Keystone-based condo association formed by Intrawest in 1995 and transferred to Vail Resorts to fund projects and development around the ski area are suing a homeowners association controlled by the resort giant. They say its ownership of undeveloped land at the base of the resort gives it total control over the neighborhood — and blocks tax revenue to the town of Keystone. Jason Blevins has more.
WILDFIRE
Lee fire burning near Meeker makes large runs, nearly doubles in size
Fueled by hot, dry and windy weather, the Lee fire burning west of Meeker in northwest Colorado made large runs yesterday and is now burning across nearly 22,500 acres, up from 13,000 the day before, fire officials said. Olivia Prentzel has more, including updates on the nearby Elk fire, burning east of Meeker.
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Many new Colorado laws take effect Aug. 6. Here are some you should know about.
It’s been 90 days since Gov. Jared Polis signed a slew of new laws addressing everything from price gouging when a disaster hits to labeling lab-grown meat, designating nuclear energy a “clean” energy source, declaring “The Emperor” Colorado’s state mushroom and better recognizing the sovereignty of the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes – meaning now those laws go into effect, according to this story by Lucas Brady Woods, Kyle McKinnon and The Sun’s Jesse Paul.
OUTDOORS
Uncollared wolf blamed for multiple sheep deaths in northwestern Colorado
Colorado Parks and Wildlife now has another wolf to kill after it attacked multiple sheep in Rio Blanco County, according to the agency, which has been searching for another wolf it plans to kill in Pitkin County. The Rio Blanco wolf is uncollared, meaning it’s not one of the animals CPW translocated to Colorado from British Columbia or Oregon. And the fast-moving Elk fire is holding up the Rio Blanco County operation.
MORE NEWS
Section by Tracy Ross | Reporter
THE COLORADO REPORT
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Section by Olivia Prentzel | Reporter
THE OPINION PAGE
COLUMNS
COMMUNITY
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
Explore Booksellers suggests titles of humor and classic fiction
Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from bookstores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Explore Booksellers in Aspen recommends:
Read what the bookstore staff had to say about each. Pick up a copy and support your local bookstores at the same time.
Section by Kevin Simpson | Writer
Thanks for spending time with us today! We’ll see you back here tomorrow!
— David & the whole staff of The Sun
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