Good morning and happy Tuesday!
Less than two weeks have passed since the official start of summer, but it already feels like it is flying by. Last weekend, I hiked to Medano Lake on the lesser-known side of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in the rain (think Pacific Northwest vibes with lush forest and thick mist) and this weekend, I am gearing up for a backpacking trip in Crested Butte, where I hope to hike through trails bursting with wildflowers.
There’s no shortage of beautiful places to explore in Colorado, and before you know it, we’ll be hosting SunFest 2024, just as the seasons change. It will be a daylong event bringing Coloradans together to explore solutions to the state’s most pressing issues — from the outdoors and environment to politics and education.
We hope you’ll join us in the conversation – grab your tickets today!
And now, the news.
THE NEWS
AGRICULTURE
Colorado now has the worst outbreak of bird flu among dairy cattle in the country
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As of Monday evening, Colorado has identified 26 herds of dairy cattle with cases of the bird flu. That makes Colorado’s outbreak of the bird flu the worst in the country, with more cases in the past month than any other state. While the threat to humans is still very low, scientists fear that the disease could mutate and become more dangerous to people, John Ingold reports.
EDUCATION
More than 100 Front Range Community College instructors have had to wait for their summer paychecks
A payroll lag had 105 instructors at Front Range Community College finding ways to stretch their already tight budgets and some are still waiting to be paid for the courses they have taught. Erica Breunlin spoke to some of the instructors, who say this isn’t the first time they’ve been wondering when their paycheck will hit their bank accounts.
TECHNOLOGY
Colorado awarded $40.5 million federal quantum technology grant to become worldwide hub
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Colorado won a $40.5 million quantum technology grant from the federal government to help turn the state into a worldwide hub in the emerging field, Gov. Jared Polis announced Monday. That award could draw billions of dollars in private and partnership investments to the field, which already employs thousands of people across the state. Michael Booth and Tamara Chuang have more.
ENERGY
Tri-State set to pay $70M in aid to Moffat County, city of Craig to offset impact of closing power plant, coal mines
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Moffat County and the city of Craig will soon be getting $70 million under a settlement agreement with Tri-State, the utility company that is shuttering the local power plant and the coal mines that supply it. The deal falls short of the $118 million requested, but includes some water storage rights for the county, Mark Jaffe writes.
MORE NEWS
What do you want candidates to talk about during the 2024 election as they compete for your vote? Our survey is still open. Tell us what you think!
THE COLORADO REPORT
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THE OPINION PAGE
COLUMNS
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SunLit
“Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other” begins with a televised disaster
The hot mic strikes again. Narrator/protagonist Brynn Cornell, a rising national TV star whose public image leans into her small-town roots, reveals her true and not-so-nice feelings about her Colorado mountain upbringing when she thinks she’s off the air. In Bethany Turner’s 2024 Colorado Book Award winner for Romance, this sets the stage for exile, redemption and, of course, love.
Thanks for joining us today. See you tomorrow!
— Olivia & the whole staff of The Sun
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