I’m exactly six weeks into puppy ownership and trying really hard not to screw it up. As someone who works from home most days, my biggest concern is that the pup will develop separation anxiety, so to prevent that I’ve been taking 10- to 20-minute walks throughout the day to give him some alone time in the house.
And it’s working — on him as much as on me. I know I’m not the first person to discover that taking a midday walk around the block works wonders on one’s mood; in fact, I’ve tried to make a habit of it before. But something about doing it for him and not for me has actually kept me consistent.
If you have a dog that needs frequent walks, then you might have already tapped into this small joy. But if you don’t — especially if you don’t — I highly recommend the dogless dog walk.
Take a lap, and let’s meet back here for the news.
Reporter
THE NEWS
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Postal Service floats idea of driving Western Slope mail to Denver and back before delivery
A crowd of around 175 people gathered in Grand Junction to hoot, holler and guffaw at a proposal by the U.S. Postal Service. The new plan would consolidate mail sorting in Denver, meaning Western Slope mail would be trucked over the Continental Divide and back before being delivered. The large crowd of opponents raised concerns about a serious potential for delays given I-70’s geography and history of natural catastrophes. Nancy Lofholm reports from Grand Junction.
TECHNOLOGY
Techstars moving HQ out of Colorado and ending its Boulder accelerator
Techstars, one of the best-known business accelerators in tech, announced that they are moving their headquarters to New York and closing the Boulder program where the company started. The accelerator was founded in 2007 by a group of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, including Gov. Jared Polis and Brad Feld, whose Foundry Group, also founded in Boulder, “showed the world that a venture capitalist didn’t have to be based on either coast,” writes reporter Tamara Chuang. In closing the Boulder program, Techstars will focus on core markets in San Francisco, New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
OUTDOORS
10th Mountain Division soldiers rally in Colorado to celebrate the past, train for alpine battles
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Hours spent on the annual ski traverse between Camp Hale and Vail
Every year members of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division descend on Colorado — or, more accurately, they ascend, traverse and descend — for Legacy Days, a mid-February celebration and training trip to honor the American ski troopers who trained at Camp Hale. Reporter Jason Blevins spoke with the soldiers about their histories and experiences with the 10th Mountain Division, and photographer Hugh Carey joined the group on their traverse.
ENERGY
Oil worker who lost a leg during 2019 tank explosion wins $30 million judgment. But Colorado law limits his award.
An oil and gas worker in Weld County won a $30 million federal jury judgment, but due to a Colorado cap on personal injury awards, he may only see half of the money. Steven Straughen was inspecting a faulty tank in 2019 when the tank exploded, throwing him nearly 30 feet and damaging his foot so badly that part of his leg had to be amputated. Michael Booth has the details on Straughen’s award and the Colorado law keeping it tied up.
HOUSING
A new — and much gentler — property tax hike is proposed for Colorado short-term rental properties
House Bill 1299 was introduced this week as an alternative plan for taxing short-term rentals. The new bill would make it so the commercial property tax rate — more than quadruple the residential property tax rate — would apply only to homeowners and businesses with three or more homes. The bill arrives as lawmakers are simultaneously considering Senate Bill 33, a highly contested bill that has been in the works for months, which proposes the commercial tax rate for any property that’s rented more than 90 days per year. Jason Blevins and Jesse Paul have more.
MORE NEWS
Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter
THE COLORADO REPORT
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THE OPINION PAGE
CARTOONS
In “What’d I Miss?” Ossie wonders what is it about certain music that made some think it could have a negative effect on listeners — or was it not about the music at all?
Drew Litton observes that, whether in person or on television, it’s gonna cost fans an arm and a leg to watch pro baseball and football for Colorado fans next season.
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.
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CONVERSATION
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Section by David Krause | Editor
BRB, taking the long route to check my mail.
— Parker & the whole staff of The Sun
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