Searching for sobriety at 11,000 feet ...Middle East

Good morning from within two distinct but impressive bubbles: one filled with frigid arctic air making its way from Canada to Mexico, the other filled with joy over the first Broncos playoff berth since the 2015 season.

Heck, the last memory Broncos Country has of being in the postseason ended with a Super Bowl victory, so let’s just put a nice spin on things and say that the Broncos haven’t lost a playoff game in 10 seasons and keep feeling optimistic.

One upside of the nearly decade-long drought was that Broncos fans who were trying out dry January didn’t need to worry about the team playing meaningful football after Christmas to tempt them, but all that means is that we’re likely to see more “near beer” and other nonalcoholic options on gameday.

On that note, we have a fridge full of news to get to, including people who are finding their way on their sobriety journey by taking a hike, some predictions about the local economy in 2025 and much more.

So let’s dust off that Von Miller jersey and get to it, shall we?

Eric Lubbers

CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE NEWS

BREAKING: Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez launches bid to become Colorado secretary of state. Gonzalez is the first major Democrat to jump into the 2026 contest that will determine who will be the state’s top election official. Jesse Paul has more.

OUTDOORS

At nearly 11,000 feet, these Colorado hikers find what they long searched for in beer and other substances

Sober Outdoors participant Heather King overlooks St. Mary’s Glacier on Dec. 29 near Idaho Springs. Sober Outdoors is a donation-based and self-funded nonprofit that uses outdoor adventures to aid people as they heal their soul, body and mind while seeking sobriety. (Rebecca Slezak, Special to The Colorado Sun)

“I got to see that when I stopped drinking. I got to see how beautiful it was, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that had I not been to the backcountry.”

— Nick Pearson, founder of Sober Outdoors

While many sober-curious folks are testing out a dry January — and the U.S. Surgeon General advocated for stronger warning labels on the dangers of alcohol — some Coloradans are turning to the quiet, challenging calm of the outdoors to free themselves from addiction. Erica Breunlin has more on Sober Outdoors.

What’s Working: What some Colorado economists expect in 2025 — and how they’re preparing for it

Skiers wait in line to load into gondola cabins at Winter Park Resort in Winter Park on Dec. 28. (Jason Connolly, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Since the reelection of Donald Trump, economists have been holding back on making too many sweeping predictions about the future of the economy. In this week’s “What’s Working,” Tamara Chuang explored what forecasters are saying — and where they’re still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

How much does it cost to actually educate Colorado kids? Studies say at least $3.5B more than what’s being spent.

Classroom materials at Calhan Elementary School on Dec. 3. (Mark Reis, Special to The Colorado Sun)

$13.5 billion

The recommended amount of spending to achieve student needs, according to a new study.

$10 billion

The current budget earmarked for state education in the budget.

Two studies, one by a Denver public policy firm and another by a Virginia nonprofit, calculated the funding needed to adequately educate Colorado kids up to existing standards. And as Erica Breunlin reports, even after the major adjustment to the school funding formula, the state budget is billions of dollars behind.

Former eye bank workers say pressure, lax oversight led to errors in Colorado, Wyoming

Janell Lewis managed public relations and oversaw fundraising at Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, quitting in February 2023 after working for the organization for 12 years. She says stricter oversight of eye banks is needed. (Mike Vanata, WyoFile)

The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank helps procure corneas from deceased donors in Wyoming and Colorado — around 2,500 donations a year. But four employees say the lack of oversight at the bank has resulted in a tense work environment and damaged and wasted donated tissues due to accidents. Madelyn Beck of WyoFile and Rae Ellen Bichell of KFF Health News have more.

MORE NEWS

Election officials advance campaign finance complaint against state senator prompted by Colorado Sun reporting. State elections officials said the complaint filed against Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis “identified one or more potential violations of Colorado campaign finance law.” Denver’s Tim Gill joins Hillary Clinton, George Soros and Denzel Washington in receiving nation’s highest civilian honor. Gill made his fortune as a software entrepreneur and is a prominent LGBTQ activist. Colorado Springs Green Beret intended Las Vegas explosion as “wake-up call” for country, police say. Matthew Livelsberger wrote several notes in his phone, which police retrieved from the debris, revealing grievances about the direction of the country. Fact Brief ☀️ Does Colorado have one of the lowest tax burdens in the country? No. While Colorado’s statewide sales tax is low, other state and local taxes place its burden in the middle of the pack among states.

COLORADO SUNDAY

The good, the bad and the algorithm: What banning TikTok could do to Colorado creators

Teal Lehto, who runs the popular TikTok account @westernwatergirl, films material for a new social media post by the Animas River in Durango on Dec. 28. (Shannon Mullane, The Colorado Sun)

TikTok has become a gathering space for all kinds of niche interests, but with a looming ban, local content creators and consumers fear they could lose access to their communities. In this week’s Colorado Sunday, Parker Yamasaki spoke to Colorado creators, who use the platform to advance their advocacy work and raise awareness about watershed issues and public infrastructure failures around the Front Range, like bus stops with no wheelchair access or sidewalks that spit pedestrians into the street. Their work, audience and impact could soon change as soon as Friday, when the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments about the impending ban on TikTok, set to take effect Jan. 19.

Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE COLORADO REPORT

Student-pilot training for engine failure preceded Colorado plane crash. A flight instructor was teaching a student how to restart a plane’s engine midair when mechanical problems forced the pair to attempt an emergency landing on I-25 near Larkspur last summer.— CBS News Denver drivers hit with nation’s biggest surge in traffic delays. Metro Denver drivers spent an average of 44 hours stuck in traffic last year, marking a 19% increase from 2023 to 2024, according to an analysis from a global transportation firm. — The Denver Post Colorado has language access problems. Can legislation help fix them? A study by Migration Policy Institute highlighted the need for more government support and funding for equitable access to public services as the number of Coloradans who don’t identify English as their primary language grows.— Summit Daily

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Olivia Prentzel | Reporter

THE OPINION PAGE

COLUMNS

How the humble egg scrambled our brains and gave us Trump. Egg prices symbolized feelings of helplessness and frustration among voters in the face of worldwide inflation.— Diane Carman Phil Weiser becomes first off the line in the Colorado governor’s race. Phil Weiser is the first big-name Democrat to throw his name into the ring for governor, but likely had to in order to keep pace.— Mario Nicolais We knew the new year might be bad, but who could imagine a worse start for 2025? The truck bombing/suicide outside a Las Vegas Trump hotel involved a Fort Carson Special Forces member who apparently suffered brain damage.— Mike Littwin

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.

Thanks for kicking off the first full business week of the year with us! Hope you stay warm and have a great day, we’ll see you back here tomorrow.

— Eric and the whole staff of The Sun

The Trust Project. Read our policies.

Corrections & Clarifications

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