Good morning, Colorado.
If you missed it, last night reporters Jennifer Brown and Michael Booth took our ongoing High Cost of Colorado series to the virtual stage to talk with experts on growing budget strains.
This event was a little different from our other virtual panels. If you tuned in live, the reporters and panelists were in the video chat, answering reader questions in real time as the panel was broadcast. It was like a two-for-one journalism sale!
Now even if you missed it, you can watch the panel and follow along with the live chat, just like you were there. Just look for the “show chat replay” button on YouTube as you watch.
Just click that button anywhere you’re rewatching the event to follow along!
Click here to watch the whole event and click here to sign up for our next one so you can be part of the live chat!
When you’re done with that discussion, we have a whole stack of news ready for reading, so let’s get on with it, shall we?
EDUCATION
Teens are learning to take 911 calls as a Colorado county scrambles to find dispatchers
Scott Brettell, who worked at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for about 16 years, teaches high school students in person and remotely during an introductory course on emergency dispatching Jan. 11 at Calhan Public High School. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
“You might be the last person that person ever gets to talk to.”
— Scott Brettell, a 911 dispatcher and instructor to a recent class at Calhan Public High School
In many parts of Colorado, it’s been harder and harder to find people to work the receiving end of emergency calls. While Colorado Springs is juggling dozens of open positions, a program in Calhan is training students on how to field a call on what could be the worst day of a person’s life. Erica Breunlin has more.
PHOTOS
Bill Pickett Rodeo celebrates 40 years of riding, roping and mutton bustin’ at the National Western
Valyncia Brooks of Manteca, California, competes in breakaway roping Monday at the MLK, Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo at the National Western Stock Show in the Denver Coliseum. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
The 40th annual MLK Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo of Champions drew top Black cowboys and cowgirls and a lot of little wranglers with big-arena aspirations. Reporter Tracy Ross has more on Bill Pickett’s legacy to accompany the moments captured by photographer Olivia Sun.
ENVIRONMENT
10 years after the last uranium speculator left Cañon City, an Australian company is on the hunt
It’s been a decade since Australia-based Black Range Minerals was told to either get a permit for full-scale mining or stop poking holes near Cañon City — by that point they had drilled more than 1,400 exploratory holes. But with interest in “carbon-free” energy on the rise, another Australian company is applying to start drilling the known uranium deposits — much to the dismay of two dozen property owners. Sue McMillin has more on the past, present and future of mining in Fremont County.
TECHNOLOGY
Rural Colorado awarded $113.5 million to build better broadband, but most applicants left empty-handed
In rural Colorado, 13 applicants were awarded $113.5 million to set up 18,769 homes and businesses with better internet. That’s obviously exciting, but at the same time, it’s only a handful of the 112 applications asking for more than $642 million. For those who didn’t win, there’s still hope, though, as the Colorado Broadband Office believes federal funds can help take care of the rest, Tamara Chuang writes.
MORE NEWS
Shooter who killed 5 people at Colorado LGBTQ+ club will plead guilty to 50 federal hate crimes. The federal charges, which include 24 firearm violations, are based on an FBI investigation that was confirmed after the shooter pleaded guilty to murder in state court and was sentenced to life in prison. Winds nearing 120 mph registered in Colorado as arctic storm lingers. The highest winds clocked in at 118 mph near Copper Mountain on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Olivia Prentzel has more storm updates.
THE COLORADO REPORT
Young bronc rider seriously injured in Denver. A 19-year-old rider is in serious condition at Denver Health after he was stomped by the horse he was riding during a rodeo event at the National Western Stock Show earlier this week.— 9News OSHA finds Colorado Springs psychiatric hospital failed to protect workers against workplace violence. Cedar Springs Hospital failed to provide a hazard-free workplace and destroyed video evidence attesting to employees’ claims of repeated violence within the facility, a federal investigation has found.
— The Gazette Denver-area apartment market ends year with rents steady and vacancies higher. A quarterly update from the Apartment Association of Metro Denver shows promising signs for Denver renters, with average rent in the metro area slightly down and vacancy rates up.
— The Denver Post 🔑
🔑 = source has article meter or paywall
— Terrance Carroll, Democratic former state House Speaker, and Colin Larson, Republican former state representative
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 [email protected].
RECOMMENDATIONS
Old Firehouse Books has picks brimming with beauty and suspense
Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from bookstores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins recommends:
“Lark Ascending” by Silas House, an Irish quest for safety “The Night Parade” by Jami Nakamura Lin, a speculative memoir “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” by Benjamin Stevenson, a closed-room mystery like “Knives Out”Read what the bookstore staff had to say about each. Pick up a copy and support your local bookstores at the same time.
Miss out on last night’s event? That’s OK, more are coming down the pipeline. Mark Jan. 24 on your calendar for when Michael Booth talks about the new car culture coming amid the EV revolution.
— Eric & the whole staff of The Sun
Corrections & Clarifications
Notice something wrong? The Colorado Sun has an ethical responsibility to fix all factual errors. Request a correction by emailing [email protected].
Type of Story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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