A new coalition of Western city water agencies pledged to step up conservation efforts amid the 22-year megadrought draining the Colorado River. The environmental advocacy community diverged on how much to praise or blast the effort. Water providers in Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Pueblo, Las Vegas and a Southern California umbrella group all pledged to […]
Growth
Posted inGrowth, News
John Parvensky figured out how to solve the homelessness crisis. Now he’s out of time.
When John Parvensky helped start the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless in 1985, he and other leaders trying to solve homelessness in Denver figured they could accomplish the job in five years. They thought it was a matter of focusing on the increasing number of folks on the streets, mostly men and mostly with alcohol […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, Economy, Growth, Housing, News, Outdoors
Leadville was an unassuming, old mining town — until COVID brought the deep-pocketed tourists
LEADVILLE —A coffee shop downtown finally got fed up with the question and posted an answer: No, you cannot leave your bicycle in here. Everyone has a $10,000 bike. The sign got laughs from the locals, who’ve earned the right by living year-round at 10,000 feet to poke fun at Front Range and out-of-state tourists […]
Posted inGrowth
A first look at Denver Public Schools’ new strategic plan
A year into his tenure, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero is rolling out a new strategic plan to guide Colorado’s largest school district. The plan, which Marrero calls a roadmap, focuses on three broad goals: improving the student experience, improving the adult experience for educators and families, and replacing “ineffective, destructive systems” with “equitable, […]
Posted inNews
Rugged camper born in Colorado may help hone a new facet of Silverton’s high-elevation economy
Kass and Beth Kremer and their friend Daryl Magner were soaking up the alpenglow on a pleasant August evening two years ago, lounging around a campfire next to their tent and old Bronco on the back side of Silverton Mountain. They were happy to be out of COVID lockdown and in the mountains. But they […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, Housing
Old practices, new frontiers: The revival of a shuttered drive-in starts a bold experiment in southern Colorado
CENTER — The robot dangling from a rickety tower of lumber squirts out potato-shaped globs of mud. In a matter of hours, rings of globs are piled head high, creating an adobe hut. “This is sort of another experiment for us,” architect Luke Falcone says. Falcone’s family is testing a new vision in Center at […]
Posted inGrowth, Health, News, Politics and Government, Wildfire
Colorado passed new laws intended to help tenants. But those affected by the Marshall fire say they’re not working.
Before the Marshall fire burned about 1,000 homes in Louisville and Superior and rained potentially toxic ash on hundreds of others, Colorado strengthened laws for tenants doing battle with landlords. One law change in 2020 prohibited price gouging, including for rent, after a disaster. Another recent legislative update said landlords have 24 hours to address […]
Posted inGrowth
A tale of two Colorado counties: One the fastest growing, one the fastest shrinking
Broomfield and Kit Carson represent Colorado’s urban-rural divide. One is trying to pack in new residents in a thoughtful way, while the other is hoping no one else moves out.
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News
The life sciences industry is booming. Here’s how it affects the Denver metro.
The life science industry has thrived in Colorado for decades. But in the last year or two, more people are moving in and around Denver to research everything from diseases and medical devices to pharmaceuticals and drug discovery. That means there’s less space equipped with proper ventilation and technology and fewer labs available for research […]
Posted inEconomy, Equity, Growth, Health, News, Social Services
Health disparities drive Ute Mountain Ute plan for new grocery store, workforce center
In Towaoc, capital of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, there are about 347 households and no place within 15 miles to shop for fresh, healthy food. That’s a significant barrier to improving health in a community where rates of obesity and diabetes are nearly three times higher than the rest of Colorado. An ambitious plan […]