Seeking sunshine and slightly warmer temps, I headed south to a part of Colorado I had never explored before and went for a hike Saturday with absolutely zero expectations. It’s my favorite way to hike — not knowing what flora you’ll find or vistas you’ll see — and I left Royal Gorge Park in Cañon City pleasantly surprised. With my sheepdog by my side, I hiked for nearly five hours (passing only four people), with views of snow-dusted ridgelines and funky-looking cacti. I now understand why they call the gorge, which is one of the deepest canyons in Colorado, the “Grand Canyon of the Arkansas.”
Do yourself a favor and add these trails to your list.
But before you embark on any adventure, we’ve got a great lineup of stories to read to teach us about the hopes for San Luis Valley’s tourism economy, why our utility bills keep rising and more.
Let’s get reading.
P.S. — We’ve got a free live event scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, when health reporter John Ingold will speak with a panel of experts about choosing the right health insurance plan, just in time for open enrollment. RSVP for free here.
HIGH COST OF COLORADO
Colorado utility bills keep growing even though the price of electricity is static. Here’s why.
Namaste Solar apprentice Jimmy Paenkhay and electrician Matthew Thomas work on an electrical utility service upgrade of a house in southeastern Boulder on May 23. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)
Since 2009, the average monthly residential bill, for 600 kilowatt-hours of energy, has risen 38% to $92. For The Colorado Sun’s latest installment of the High Cost of Colorado series, Mark Jaffe digs into what’s causing the cost to continually rise and why experts don’t see a break for consumers any time soon.
Tri-State moves up closure of coal burning power plant, lines up for $970M federal grant for wind, solar generation. Closing Craig Station Unit 3 two years early will take a large bite out of greenhouse gases generated in Colorado.POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Colorado state worker pay has improved. Other jobs still pay more.
Skip Miller, president of Colorado WINS, the state employees union, speaks at a news conference at the Colorado Capitol on Jan. 10, 2019, announcing legislation that would allow state employees to collectively bargain. (Moe Clark, The Colorado Sun)
“None of us is here for the money. That being said, having an entire state government where (public service) is the primary reason for folks working is not sustainable in the long term.”
— Rep. Jeff Bridges, a Greenwood Village Democrat who serves on the Joint Budget Committee
Even after three consecutive years of pay raises, state workers in Colorado could still be making more money if they were working a comparable job in the public or private sectors, according to the state’s latest pay study. Political reporter Brian Eason explains a new tiered system that will provide regular raises based on years of service and why it will still be hard for the state to catch up to other employees.
Colorado lawmaker abruptly announces her resignation, citing “sensationalistic and vitriolic” political environment. State Rep. Ruby Dickson’s resignation means at least 28 of the 100 lawmakers serving at the Colorado Capitol next year will have landed a seat in the legislature thanks to a vacancy committee. Former U.S. Olympic swimmer, Colorado Springs resident Klete Keller sentenced for storming Capitol on Jan. 6. Keller was sentenced Friday to three years of probation, including six months of home detention. George Santos is expelled from the U.S. House. Here’s how Colorado’s delegation voted. Two of three Republicans in Colorado’s U.S. House delegation voted against expelling Santos.ECONOMY
The town of San Luis has received nearly $2 million in revitalization grants since 2019. Will a tourism economy take hold?
The view of San Luis from the Stations of the Cross along La Mesa de la Piedad y de la Misericordia, or the Hill of Piety and Mercy, on Nov. 29. Although the town’s history and culture rivals that of Taos, it has struggled to gain a footing as a viable tourism destination. (John McEvoy, Special to The Colorado Sun)
You could wander the San Luis Valley, slowly and methodically, for days, taking in the art, culture and history, Tracy Ross writes. You could compare it to a smaller, quieter version of Taos, though the valley doesn’t have a fraction of the tourism economy that Taos does. Town of San Luis leaders are hoping the latest $500,000 grant, from the Environmental Protection Agency, helps turn that around.
What’s Working: Wireless phone bills in Colorado are lower than the national average. Inflation is still high, but the mobile service providers say they charge the same price everywhere. What’s the cause?WATER
Kevin Rein, Colorado’s top water cop, retires after six years as state engineer
State engineer Kevin Rein speaks about water issues Nov. 29 in Durango during a meeting of the Sub-Task Force on Tribal Matters, part of the larger Colorado River Drought Task Force. Rein plans to retire Dec. 31. (Shannon Mullane, The Colorado Sun)
“In Colorado, there are a lot of folks that are always looking over the state engineer’s shoulder on what he’s doing. Water is a big business, it’s very important, and it’s very competitive.”
— Steve Wolff, general manager of the Southwestern Water Conservation District
Kevin Rein, who has served as a key adviser in Colorado’s biggest water debates for the past six years, is set to retire and let another person take the helm as state engineer to ensure essential water resources flow to Coloradans, 19 states downstream and Mexico. He’s leaving as Colorado and six other U.S. states in the Colorado River Basin are negotiating the rules that will govern how the basin’s biggest reservoirs, lakes Mead and Powell, will operate after 2026 and for years to come, Shannon Mullane writes.
Colorado’s runaway truck ramps, fixtures for decades, see renewed focus in campaign for highway safety
One truck driver’s failure to use a ramp in 2019 led to state and industry collaboration on raising awareness of the precipitous danger of mountain driving. Kevin Simpson has more in this week’s edition of Colorado Sunday.
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Colorado researchers find it can be safe to transplant stem cells into brains as multiple sclerosis treatment. The trial, involving scientists in Colorado, the United Kingdom and Italy, infused stem cells taken from the brain of a fetus that had died in a miscarriage into 15 Italian patients who already had significant disabilities caused by multiple sclerosis.— The Denver Post 🔑 2024 looking good for Colorado jobs, but interest rates will still be a sticking point, CU report says. The state’s employment is estimated to increase 2.2% in 2023, which equates to 64,500 jobs, researchers at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business said in a new report on the economic outlook.
— CPR News You can name the wolves being reintroduced to Colorado. The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide has announced a “naming contest” for the first wolves that will be reintroduced into their original native historical range in the state.
— The Aspen Times Man saves neighbors from burning apartment building. At least three units were destroyed or damaged in the fire in the area of 104th Avenue and York Street. Everyone inside the building managed to make it out safely thanks to their neighbor, Phil Taylor.
— 9News
COLUMNS
Who is really responsible for the death of Elijah McClain? Every one of them. We don’t need a jury trial to know they all are responsible for the death of Elijah McClain. Any one of the Aurora officers or paramedics could have stopped the attack.— Diane Carman If Joe Biden is right, Lauren Boebert and her MAGA buddies could actually help him win reelection. Biden didn’t come to Pueblo to blow Boebert away at a wind turbine plant. He came to make her a national symbol of MAGA extremism.
— Mike Littwin Don’t feed the turkeys, in Congress or otherwise. A flock of wild turkeys in my suburban Denver yard were a perfect fill-in for several members of Congress, including one from Colorado named Boebert.
— Mario Nicolais
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].
We hope your week is off to a great start and look forward to seeing you here tomorrow!
— Olivia and the whole staff of The Sun
Corrections & Clarifications
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