Read some of the responses here.
According to our readers, to love Colorado is to love big Eastern Plains skies and tiny alpine wonders (hello, pika!); it’s to love billowing thunderheads, lots of sunshine and warm downslope winds. One of you wrote about the view from the windows at DIA, another wrote about seeing dogs in Home Depot.
And many — many — of you wrote about the people who make this state so wonderful. We couldn’t agree more. So thanks for showing each other some Colorado love. That’s what this day’s about!
Now, about that state we’re all gushing over …
Parker Yamasaki
Reporter
THE NEWS
STATE LEGISLATURE
Colorado Senate gives preliminary OK to ban on sale, manufacture of certain semiautomatic guns after adding major carveout
State Sen. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, holds up an image of the 100-round drum magazine used by a gunman to murder his son, Alex, during the 2012 Aurora theater shooting as the Colorado Senate began debate on Senate Bill 3 Thursday at the Colorado Capitol. The measure would ban the manufacture and sale of certain semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and pistols in Colorado. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)“What we’re trying to do, and we continue to do, is try to save lives. We’re concerned about the next firearm. Not the ones you have.”
— Sen. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, lead sponsor of Senate Bill 3
After hours of negotiations, lawmakers added a carveout to the ambitious gun regulation bill that gave it a stronger chance of surviving the governor’s veto pen. Jesse Paul digs into the debate that stretched long into the night to explain what exactly changed — and why it would still be one of the biggest changes to gun laws the state has ever seen.
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Colorado lawmakers eye term limits, transparency rules for PERA board. Senate Bill 147 has wide-ranging support from groups, from labor to lawmakers, that want the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association to disclose more information to the public.COLORADANS
Meet the crooners spreading a chorus of Valentine’s Day love across Colorado’s Western Slope
Five members of the Bookcliff Barbershop Chorus sing “Heart of My Heart” to Irma Rojo on Thursday as she and her husband, Bill Harmsen, have coffee with friends at Main Street Bagels in Grand Junction. The appearance was one of 20 the group was planning to perform on the day before Valentine’s Day. The singers are, from left to right, Vern Dockter, Jim Witt, Jamie Ritz, Del Dyck and Harry Knipe. (Gretel Daugherty, Special to the Colorado Sun)Stop me if you’ve heard this one. So a German teacher, a mechanic, a pastor, a carpenter and a mailman walk into a bar Grand Junction bagel shop … But seriously, this story from Nancy Lofholm about the Bookcliff Barbershop Chorus is bound to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Bonus fun fact: One of the group’s gigs this year is at a reservation-only, white-tablecloth Valentine’s Day dinner at a McDonald’s in Clifton.
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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Bipartisan bill would allow Colorado counties to triple local lodging taxes to pay for more than housing
Homes fill the landscape in front of the ski area in Steamboat Springs in December 2021. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)6%
The maximum lodging tax that could be approved by voters under House Bill 1247, up from the current 2% cap
Lawmakers are looking to help communities pay for housing and other much-needed infrastructure projects by letting cities increase the taxes on people flocking to enjoy this beautiful state. Jason Blevins digs into the bill — and how mountain towns helped prove the concept.
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OUTDOORS
Crested Butte Mountain lift mechanics reach strike-dodging deal with Vail Resorts
Crested Butte Mountain Resort lift mechanics maintain 12 lifts, including the North Face T-bar. (Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun)⬆︎$6/hour
The average raise for lift mechanics at Crested Butte Mountain
With the threat of another strike hanging in the crisp, snowy air, Vail Resorts and the lift mechanic union at Crested Butte Mountain struck a deal that gives workers an across-the-board pay raise, as well as annual stipends to pay for things like skis and safety gear used at work. Jason Blevins has more.
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MORE NEWS
Judge tells Colorado Springs to “take all actions necessary” to remove recreational marijuana repeal measure from ballot. After a flurry of court motions, a district court judge ordered the city to remove a referred ballot measure to avoid “confusing the electorate,” Olivia Prentzel reports. Fact Brief ☀️ Did Colorado have one of the highest marriage rates in the US in 2023? Yes. Colorado’s marriage rates among men and women were in the top 5 in the U.S., beating the national average.Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler
THE COLORADO REPORT
? = source has article meter or paywall
Arvada workshop finds around 500 unlicensed short-term rental properties. Of the 800 short-term rentals in the city, only between 250 and 300 are licensed, Arvada’s Director of Community and Economic Development Jessica Gardner told city council during a session focused on fixing enforcement of rental regulations.— Arvada Press Denver investors want to build WNBA arena for potential new team: report. If it took more than $100 million to get Denver’s NWSL team in the door, it’s looking like it could be even more expensive to land a new team in the established (but expanding) WNBA. But a group involving a hotel dynasty and the founder of Ibotta say they are ready to spend.— Denverite Aria grande: The opera singers who fell in love and had kids. This telling of the love story between tenor Zach Borichevsky and soprano Kathryn Lewek hits all the right high notes.— The Denver Post ? Montrose pastor who allowed unhoused residents to camp on church grounds appears in court. Rev. Kevin Young amassed so many citations from the city of Montrose that one of the first orders of business for Judge Erin Maxwell was to ask if it was OK to waive the reading of all the citations and ordinances to save time. — Colorado Public RadioEric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler
THE OPINION PAGE
COMMUNITY
All students new to Colorado schools have to be fully supported in the classroom. Students in Colorado should not have to depend on luck to receive the education they deserve.— Katia Necoechea Madriz, Aurora Public Schools third-grade teacherCARTOONS
In “What’d I Miss?” Ossie’s fanciful “dream” conjures a powerful allegory for dealing with the challenges headed our way like so many asteroids.
CARTOON
Jim Morrissey looks at the recent immigration raids through the Valentine’s Day lens of a non-citizen named Cupid who has some explaining to do.
CARTOON
Drew Litton isn’t fazed at all by the Nuggets stand-pat posture as the NBA trade deadline passed. They’re on an 8-game heater.
CARTOON
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].
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Podcast Playlist
CONVERSATION
Each weekday The Daily Sun-Up podcast brings you a thoughtful conversation and headlines of the day. We keep it tight so you can listen on the go, or stack up a few and tune in at your leisure. Download the Sun-Up for free on your favorite podcasting app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or RSS to plug into your app. Check out this week’s lineup from The Sun team:
So, what’s it like to ride the Ski Train to Winter Park? Skiers have more options and lower prices to entice them to ride the rails. Sun reporter Jennifer Brown hopped aboard the train recently and talks about why the state wants the line to go to Steamboat Springs.LISTEN Has Nebraska crossed the (state) line? The Cornhusker state wants to pull water from the South Platte River to store in new reservoirs. Sun reporter Parker Yamasaki explains why Colorado landowners are getting threatened with eminent domain letters.LISTEN Following our “Shadow Self.” Colorado author Kika Dorsey gives context to her latest literary fiction work — “As Joan Approaches Infinity” — and discusses her 30-year progression from poetry in high school to short stories to novelist. She chats with SunLit editor Kevin Simpson.LISTEN King Soopers strike enters second week. There hasn’t been any movement on the contract front, and Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang has more on the strike and how it hurt stores over the busy Super Bowl weekend.LISTEN Breaking down this year’s biggest gun bill. Sun political reporter Jesse Paul is joined by Lucas Brady Woods of KUNC and Bente Birkeland of CPR to discuss Senate Bill 3, which would ban the manufacture and sale of certain semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and handguns that can accept detachable ammunition magazines.LISTEN?️ Remember, you can ask Siri, Alexa or Google to “play the Daily Sun-Up podcast” and we’ll play right on your smart speaker. As always we appreciate your feedback and comments at [email protected].
David Krause | Editor
It’s always hard to share a birthday with a holiday. If you get the chance, wish YouTube a happy 20th birthday today, too! The site launched Feb. 14, 2005, as an online dating service and happened to have an exceptional video upload feature. The dating service failed. The video uploads, well, have come a long way.
— Parker & the whole staff of The Sun
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Corrections & Clarifications
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