BREAKING: Six officers were charged with failing to intervene in the shooting death of Christian Glass, the 22-year-old who called for help after he became stranded near Silver Plume last June.
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Happy Friday, Sunrisers! Last week in the newsletter I talked about how it’s ski movie season, and the truth is, one of the reasons I’ve been watching so many is because I was researching an article about how women show up in those films.
Part of that research involved watching the end credits on 30 years worth of Warren Miller films. If you know anything about Warren Miller films, the idea of imposing something like “data collection” on them might sound like a fool’s errand. And you’d be right. Which is why I found myself in the waning hours of the night, pondering questions like: What gender is the yeti? Why did cows make the cast list? How many is a plethora, as in: “a plethora of Japanese snowbattlers?” And should I count all the monoboarders? (So. Many. Monoboarders.)
While I was searing my corneas trying to read lo-fi film credits, our reporters were out digging into some really important stories — preparing for the special legislative session that starts today, talking to teens about their mental health challenges and visiting survivors of the Club Q shooting in their homes. All that and more in today’s news.
CLUB Q SHOOTING
“The world stops to care”: Club Q survivors reflect on what’s changed — and what still needs fixing
Ashtin Gamblin at home in Colorado Springs. Gamblin was shot nine times during an attack in November 2022 at Club Q where five were killed. Gamblin now volunteers at VictimsFirst, a nonprofit helping victims of mass shootings, and cares for seven pets with her husband. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
“The rest of the world kept moving after the incident, but we were all stuck in a moment in time and we’ve been playing catch-up ever since.”
— John Arcediano, survivor of the Club Q shooting
Sunday marks one year since the night a shooter walked into Club Q in Colorado Springs and opened fire, killing five and injuring at least 18 people. For survivors of the attack, one year is barely enough time to process, let alone heal, from the life-altering event. Olivia Prentzel visited three survivors to hear about how the past year has felt to them.
POLITICS
Democrats will pursue same property tax relief for homeowners offered under Proposition HH during special session
The interior of the Colorado Capitol on March 23. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
A special legislative session convenes today to discuss short-term property tax relief in lieu of Proposition HH, which failed in the state’s coordinated election just over a week ago. A host of other bills expected to be introduced during the session address earned income tax credit, relief for renters, summer meal programs and TABOR refunds. Jesse Paul and Brian Eason have the details.
Colorado state budget concerns cast shadow over special session on property taxes. Gov. Jared Polis’ proposed spending plan has some major shortfalls, according to a legislative budget staff assessment.OUTDOORS
New all-woman ski film touring Colorado highlights lack of gender representation in ski industry
Skier and filmmaker Sierra Schlag and Sara Beam Robbins, director of “Advice for Girls” on Nov. 3 in Boulder. “Advice for Girls,” an all-women-produced ski film, features stories and advice from three generations of women in skiing. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
401
Parts skied by women in major ski films over the past 30 years
2,560
Parts skied by men in those same films
When Warren Miller started what is now a 74-year legacy of making an annual ski film, he tapped friends, and friends of friends, to star in them. That has long been the way for skiers to land a part in the anticipated films across production companies. While that method creates an on-screen camaraderie and playfulness, it also leaves a lot of people feeling left out. “Advice for Girls,” a new all-woman ski film touring Colorado right now, is trying to change the narrative. Parker Yamasaki has more.
Forest Service, Park Service rock climbing proposals worry both climbers and wilderness advocates. A new proposal allows land managers to approve climbing bolts and anchors as permanent installations in wilderness areas, but both advocates and opposition have their doubts.MENTAL HEALTH
Self-portrait of anxiety and depression: Teens’ artwork paints dire picture of Colorado’s mental health crisis
Battsetsen “Batt” Erdenebulgan, left, and Emma Nicotra pose Nov. 15 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver. Batt and Emma are part of the Colorado Youth Congress and have researched the best ways schools can help students battling mental health struggles. (Chloe Anderson, Special to The Colorado Sun)
“Something that adults like to do is tell us that the world is in the hands of the youth; it is our responsibility to fix it.”
— Student artwork description
Teens facing mental health challenges like social anxiety, self-doubt, depression and loneliness often don’t know where to turn for help, and even if resources like school counselors are available, many still struggle to express themselves. A new exhibition organized by two Denver students at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver features the work of 35 young artists who are using paint, ink, watercolor and pens to give form to their feelings. Erica Breunlin has the story.
Two Colorado mental health centers merge, creating largest in the state. WellPower and Jefferson Center announced that they will combine in July. The centers will be able to expand their resources and fill gaps in specialized care.MORE NEWS
Man shot, killed outside of El Paso County courthouse; suspect detained immediately. Colorado Springs police said the shooter and victim had a prior relationship, and the public is not in danger. Clear Creek County sheriff’s supervisor pleads guilty to 2 misdemeanors in shooting death of Christian Glass. Kyle Gould, the sheriff’s supervisor on duty the night Christian Glass was killed, received 2 years probation and a $1,000 fine. Dog that survived 72 days in Colorado mountains after owner’s death is regaining weight, back on hiking trails. Finney spent more than 10 weeks in the wilderness after his owner died of hypothermia. The dog’s family reports that she has gained almost all of her strength back and is no longer ravenously hungry all day and night.
🔑 = source has article meter or paywall
Federal appeals court rules city of Aurora, officers can face trial for using excessive force on peaceful protesters. The court’s 22-page ruling is being called a “precedent-setting ruling” by the ACLU of Colorado.— 9News In a reversal, Xcel Energy won’t use carbon offsets or certified natural gas to clean up its gas system. Customers will cover the cost of any final plan through a new charge on their monthly utility bills.
— CPR News Denver’s care of affordable housing units “not good enough,” according to new city audit. “If affordable housing is a priority in the city, leaders need to show a matching responsibility to effective use of resources, accountability to housing goals, and commitment to helping those in Denver who need it most,” auditor Tim O’Brien said in a statement Thursday.
— Denverite After nearly 100 years, Esquire Theater likely to close as owners ask city to redevelop property. The owners of the Esquire Theater have sent plans to the city to redevelop the nearly 100-year-old property at East Sixth Avenue and Downing Street. “It’s a huge loss for the film community in Denver.”
— 9News
CARTOONS
In “What’d I Miss?” Ossie and Myra discuss a recent study on life expectancy — and the unfortunate inevitability that people will die over political differences. CARTOON
Cartoonist Drew Litton illustrates Peyton Manning’s still-tight bond with the Denver Broncos — which recently has been given voice in the popular ManningCast. 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].
Each weekday The Daily Sun-Up podcast brings you a bit of Colorado history, headlines and a thoughtful conversation. We keep it tight so you can quickly listen, or stack up a few and tune in at your leisure. You can download the Sun-Up for free in your favorite podcasting app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts or RSS to plug into your app. This week we hit on topics ranging from the special session to AI in health care:
What to expect in special legislative session on property tax relief. Our politics team breaks down what we might see this weekend during the special session on property tax relief and the urgency when lawmakers come together.LISTEN How removing a dam will make part of the Arkansas River safer. The small but deadly dam on the river near Salida has been removed. We’ve got a first-person account of going over said dam and why it was dangerous any time of year.
LISTEN Super Computing Conference comes to Denver (again!). The fastest internet speed was in Denver this week. We go inside how you build the network to support a SuperComputing conference that returned to downtown.
LISTEN How AI is being used in health care in Colorado. Health reporter John Ingold looks at how artificial intelligence is helping revolutionize health care, including ways to predict and detect sepsis much earlier.
LISTEN A look at the open enrollment process for health insurance. And if you’re getting health insurance through the individual market, we’ve got early info on our Dec. 6 virtual event with some of the state’s top insurance officials.
LISTEN
Remember to ask your favorite smart device to “play the Daily Sun-Up podcast” and we’ll be on the speaker. As always we appreciate your feedback and comments at [email protected].
If anyone is looking for an alphabetical list of the 112 skiers who appear in “Chasing Shadows,” you know where to find me.
— Parker & Kevin
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