Trump order throws Colorado water projects into question ...Middle East

Good morning, Colorado.

I grew up in gusty, sometimes blizzardy Midwestern winters so this week’s cold snap ought to be a breeze for me.

It’s not.

I’m getting tired of living in what feels like a snowglobe I might never break out of, but I was lucky enough to find some warmth the past few days by cozying up to a new friend. His name’s Jack.

There is nothing better in this world than a golden retriever puppy. It’s a fact. I’m a reporter, so I would know.

Here’s a photo of Jack that will hopefully warm you, too. (He belongs to a friend who works in my apartment building. I’ve christened myself his godmother.)

Jack, the 7-pound golden retriever puppy making this extra-wintry week a little brighter.]*

Now that we’re all gooey and swooning over how cute this pup is, let’s crack open today’s news, shall we?

Erica Breunlin

Education Reporter

THE NEWS

WATER

17 environmental projects in limbo after Trump halts spending from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act

Beaver wetlands provided a wildlife refuge from wildfire during the Cameron Peak fire. (Emily Fairfax, courtesy photo)

$388.3 million

The spending for projects along the Colorado River on Friday, days before the executive order halting spending was signed

Coloradans thought they had millions coming their way for environmental projects meant to address drought in the Colorado River Basin. But after an executive order from President Trump, the status of present and future funding is up in the air, Shannon Mullane reports.

Colorado plans to limit coverage of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy for state employees to save $17M

A dosage of Wegovy on March 1 in Front Royal, Virginia. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)

The year of the budget cut continues as departments within the state government look to balance the shortfall in Colorado’s budget. And as Jesse Paul reports, the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration is targeting the quickly rising expense of the new class of drugs that includes Wegovy and Ozempic.

The number of babies being born with syphilis in Colorado is dropping. Better testing may be why. Nine months after Colorado issued an extraordinary public health order to fight an explosion of syphilis in newborn babies, cases have slowed. John Ingold digs into the success of the order that made testing for the disease more widely available.

EDUCATION

Colorado schools may soon be required to have a cellphone policy

Seniors Mykenzie Roy, 16, left, and Colby Vanderaa, 17, look at a cellphone in front of Aspen High School on Aug. 18. Aspen School District banned the use of cellphones among students in schools, a decision teens like Colby say was sudden and lacked enough student input. Now, legislation could prompt all Colorado districts to adopt cellphone policies dictating when and how students can use their cellphones in school. (Ray K. Erku, The Aspen Times)

All Colorado school districts would be required to adopt a cellphone policy with rules for when and how students can use phones in school under a bipartisan bill set to be introduced in the legislature later this month. Erica Breunlin has more.

Colorado saw more high schoolers graduate and fewer kids drop out in 2024, building on progress from 2023. The state’s four-year graduation rate reached its highest in more than a decade, though concerns remain with groups of students who are homeless or learning English as a second language continuing to graduate at lower rates.

HOUSING

A 62-year-old Denver man’s journey from home, to homeless, to a new apartment

Ronnie Hoover, who has been without a home for more than two years, carries his belongings out of his Pallet shelter at the Safe Outdoor Space managed by Colorado Village Collaborative on Jan. 13 in Denver as he prepares to move into an apartment. (Michael Ciaglo, Special to The Colorado Sun)

“I’m still kind of in shock that this is really happening. Putting a key in your own door and opening it up, and there’s your own refrigerator and stove, your bed and your bathroom. … It’s such a beautiful feeling.”

— Ronnie Hoover, one of the first new residents of St. Francis Apartments West building

It may be hard to measure the impact of the new St. Francis Apartments West, a 60-unit building constructed for homeless adults older than 55 with health conditions. But the story of lifelong chef Ronnie Hoover, who worked in restaurants around the city until he lost his job during the pandemic, is a great step toward understanding how precarious housing can be — and just how much work it can take to get back on your feet.

MORE NEWS

A Pitkin County rancher welcomed wolves in 2015. After reintroduction started, he changed his tune. Tracy Ross talked to rancher and newspaper columnist Tony Vagneur about why he’s changed his stance on wolves in the year since their reintroduction. Former CBI scientist, accused of widespread mishandling of DNA evidence, charged with 102 felonies. The charges come after a Colorado Bureau of Investigation probe found that Yvonne “Missy” Woods manipulated evidence in hundreds of cases. Olivia Prentzel has more.

Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

COLORADO REPORT

Lawsuit alleges parking companies illegally accessed Coloradans’ DMV records. “It’s bullying, it’s fear,” said one person who received a parking ticket she didn’t actually owe from a private company called Parking Revenue Recovery Services. But how those tickets made it to some people’s homes is the focus of a federal lawsuit.— CBS Denver 14 Colorado semifinalists announced for James Beard Awards. The list includes an acclaimed bakery in Parker, as well as restaurants in Denver, Boulder and Grand Junction.— The Denver Post ? Man says medical bills totaled more than $1M following 2023 chairlift fall at Winter Park Resort. An adaptive skier who fell off a chairlift March 17, 2023, at Winter Park Resort has had medical expenses totaling more than $1 million since the incident, according to lawyers representing the man.— Sky-Hi News

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Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE OPINION PAGE

COMMUNITY

Denver has a hidden youth homelessness crisis but we can be a leader in solving the problem nationwide. By connecting a patchwork of service providers, we can create a better version of point-in-time counts.— Matthew Y. Westfall, M.D., resident at University of Colorado School of Medicine

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.

What’s Happening

Jan. 23-29

A historical marker near 1620 Wazee St. in Denver details the anti-Chinese race riot that occurred Oct. 31, 1880, by people trying drive out Chinatown’s 400-some residents. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Where is Denver’s Chinatown? If you haven’t had the chance to see History Colorado’s “Where is Denver’s Chinatown?” exhibition — or if you’re just genuinely curious where Denver’s Chinatown is — next Wednesday’s event is a perfect excuse to visit.

The evening will feature a keynote speech by William Wei, Colorado state historian and author of “Asians in Colorado,” and a lion dance performance to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The story of Denver’s Chinatown is overflowing with 19th-century history and hijinks, from the westward movement of immigrant populations — first for gold, then to build the railroads — to their settling down and setting up shop in downtown Denver. That area was razed in the 1960s during an era of urban redevelopment, but there have been significant efforts in recent years to reclaim Denver’s past and present Chinatown.

$20; 5:30-8:30 p.m., Jan. 29; History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver

Retro Film Night. Dance party, vintage film screening, free apple strudel and a gear giveaway at intermission. What more can I say? Retro ski attire encouraged! Seats are first come, first served. Free with RSVP; films at 5 p.m., dance party at 6 p.m., Jan. 25; TACAW, 400 Robinson St., Basalt Triple Exhibition Opening. Opening reception for three new exhibitions, including Jane Waggoner Deschner’s exhibit, “Remember Me,” a part-teasing, part-tragic photography and embroidery collection. Click through the photos at the bottom of this page for a taste. Free; 6-8 p.m., Jan. 23; Museum of Art Fort Collins, 201 S. College Ave., Fort Collins J. Worra on Vail. You read that right: on Vail. The techno and house DJ performs on the Eagle’s Nest rooftop at the top of the gondola this Saturday beginning at noon. Wristbands are free, but you need a ski pass or gondola ticket to reach it. If that sounds like your jam but don’t want to throw down for an $80 gondola ride, J.Worra is following up with an evening performance in town at Chasing Rabbits. Free with mountain pass; noon, Jan. 25; Eagle’s Nest Rooftop, 1 Main Vail, Vail

Parker Yamasaki | Reporter

Thanks for giving us part of your morning. Heads up that we’re only 56 days from the start of spring! (Though who are we kidding? We’re probably due for at least one apocalyptic snowstorm in April or May.) We’ll see you back here tomorrow!

— Erica & the whole staff of The Sun

The Trust Project. Read our policies.

Corrections & Clarifications

In yesterday’s Colorado Report, we linked to a story about the Matterhorn Mill near Telluride that, based on a faulty timestamp on our end, we thought was timely. But as a reader pointed out, the story was from 2010. The good news: The emergency stabilization performed in 2010 did the trick, because the mill is still standing.

Notice something wrong? The Colorado Sun has an ethical responsibility to fix all factual errors. Request a correction by emailing corrections@coloradosun.com.

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