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Axios Denver
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, other local Dems, line up behind Kamala Harris
President Biden's stunning decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race opens the door for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to jump into it. Yes, but: The likelihood of that outcome is narrowing as Democratic leaders nationwide close ranks around Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy and Polis himself endorses her. Why it matters: The popular two-term governor is one of a handful of Democrats whose name has been floated in the media to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.State of play: For now, Polis is supporting Harris, who has been viewed as the obvious successor and secured...
Meet the Colorado athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris
Colorado is sending more than two dozen athletes to the Summer Olympic Games in Paris that start this week.By the numbers: The roughly 28 athletes who call the Centennial State home will compete in 12 sports and 28 disciplines, according to the official roster of 592 athletes from the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Olympic Committee.The sports range from women's 100m breaststroke and pairs rowing to equestrian dressage and golf.What we're watching: Colorado athletes are poised to win big as they defend titles from the Tokyo Games three years ago.The women's soccer team features three Colorado players — Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson...
Denverites can cool off like cowboys this summer
A galvanized steel trough could be the coolest way to beat the summer heat.Why it matters: Typically meant to store water for horses and cattle, stock tanks are making a splash across the U.S. as backyard pools.This comes at a time when demand for in-ground pools — which cost between $28,000 and $66,500 on average — takes a dive.The big picture: Cowboy Pools, which ships stock tank pools starting at $3,450 nationwide, reports pool sales are up roughly 30% year-over-year.Amanda Shaftel, co-founder of Cowboy Pools, says some Denverites have already jumped on the trend, and the stock tank pool company...
Home insurance costs higher in Colorado. Climate change is a factor.
Colorado is the fourth most expensive state for home insurance — a metric that reflects the risk for extreme weather propelled by climate change, a new analysis shows,Why it matters: The cost is just one more barrier to homeownership in Colorado, where property taxes, a hot real estate market and lack of inventory are driving housing prices through the roof.State of play: Homeowners' insurance premiums have spiked 30% to 130% in recent years, the Denver Post reports, while others are finding their existing policies are being canceled because of elevated risks.The increases rank among the nation's highest in part from...
Colorado's GOP delegates show renewed energy after RNC
Colorado delegates are leaving the Republican National Convention united and energized.Why it matters: The Colorado GOP will need the boost in a state where former President Trump lost twice, most recently in 2020 by 14 percentage points to President Biden.State of play: On the convention floor this week in Milwaukee, Colorado cast all 37 delegates for Trump and cheered the selection of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as the vice presidential pick."I haven't seen the Republican Party this unified in a long time," delegate Libby Szabo told CBS Colorado."Everyone here across all state delegations (is) fired up and ready to defeat Biden come November," state party chairman Dave Williams said in an interview with Colorado Politics.Between the lines: The assassination attempt that wounded Trump — and the show of strength in the days since — is motivating his supporters."I think the election was won on Saturday," Republican strategist Dick Wadhams told CBS Colorado. "The way he stood up and pumped his fist in the air and defiantly so."The bottom line: The most recent poll in Colorado — taken before the debate, assassination attempt and convention — shows Biden with a six-point advantage.Republicans are hoping to narrow that gap before November.
Casa Bonita: Go for the thrills, not the food
While Casa Bonita remains accessible only via a closely guarded ticket lottery, it is consistently packed, even on a Wednesday night. The big picture: I scored one such ticket to the "greatest restaurant in the world" with a group that included native Coloradans who hadn't yet revisited the reopened version — and newbies who had never been (nor seen the infamous "South Park" episode). Verdict from a native: "It is exactly how I remember." Verdict from a newbie: "I am so stimulated I don't know where to look." Zoom in: One can easily spend hours inside the revamped (tipping-free) restaurant. The...
Colorado Democrats launch deep canvassing effort to find empathy, not polarization in politics
Like a typical political canvassing campaign, it starts with a knock at the door. But it ends differently — with a meaningful conversation, rather than a flier in hand.This is how Colorado's Democratic Party leaders describe their effort to win over voters in the highly competitive 8th Congressional District north of Denver, which pits Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo.It's about empathy and understanding, not sharpened talking points.Why it matters: The deep canvassing campaign, known as the Horizon Project, is designed to reimagine how the party talks about politics, and officials say it's needed...
Jimmer Fredette and Canyon Barry lead Team USA into first 3x3 basketball Olympic bid
Colorado will showcase its game on the basketball court at the Olympics.State of play: Two of the four members of the first-ever Team USA 3x3 men's basketball team to qualify for the Olympics live here.Littleton's Jimmer Fredette, 35, is the former 2011 national college player of the year from his days at Brigham Young University, where he led the nation in scoring.He played parts of six seasons in the NBA and then in overseas leagues.In the 2023 World Cup, where Team USA finished with the silver medal, he led all scorers with 59.Canyon Barry of Colorado Springs is a 3x3...
How to camp in Colorado's wildfire lookout tower
If you want a million-dollar view for less than $100 a night, one option rises above the rest: camping in a wildfire lookout tower.The big picture: The U.S. Forest Service rents dozens of its old, remote fire lookouts now that infrared tools and aircraft have replaced human eyes in most areas.The "cabins" are like mountain lighthouses, designed for 360° views from high peaks.Zoom in: Colorado is home to one fire lookout tower near Evergreen that can be reserved for $80 a night from May 1 through Jan. 16, 2025.Yes, but: It's one of the most competitive camping spots in the state, and reservations appear to have already booked up for the season — though cancellations are possible.Details: The Mestaa'ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout sits at over 11,000 feet and can fit up to four people.It provides panoramic views of the Great Plains, Denver, Mount Blue Sky, Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and several other peaks.Inside are an electric stove, refrigerator, wall and space heaters, an exterior incinerating toilet, as well as beds, a table and chairs, cookware and dishes.If you go: You'll need to hike about a mile in to access the tower. Pets are not allowed.
Meet Crested Butte surgeon Gloria Beim, Team USA's lead physician at the 2024 Olympics
Colorado is sending more than athletes to Paris.Crested Butte orthopedic surgeon Gloria Beim is posted in the Olympic village as Team USA's lead physician.State of play: For Beim, this is her fourth Olympics after previously taking care of athletes in Athens, London and Sochi, where she served as chief medical officer, the Denver Post reported. She also worked the 2016 and 2018 Paralympics.What she's saying: When she received the Paris invitation, she "almost fainted," she told the Telluride Daily Planet."Even though I've done so many games, every time I get asked, it's the most amazing, exciting feeling," she said.Meet her:...
What Colorado residents say are the state's most serious problems
Data: Colorado Health Foundation; Note: Margin of error is +/- 4.1 percentage points; Chart: John Frank/AxiosColorado residents are plenty concerned about the state of the state, a new poll shows.Why it matters: The survey is a mood check and it's not good. It reflects other recent polls offering a pessimistic outlook and heady challenges for the 2024 election season.By the numbers: More than half of adults listed nine issues — ranging from health care costs to illegal immigration — as extremely or very serious problems, a new Colorado Health Foundation poll shows.About nine in 10 adults listed the cost of housing and the rising cost of living as major problems.
New Denver council committee pushes South Platte River growth
The inaugural South Platte River Committee meeting on Wednesday wasted no time in making decisions that will revamp the riverfront. Why it matters: The new Denver City Council panel is tasked with overseeing development along the sprawling river that snakes through the city, and finding ways to make it more appealing to the public.State of play: The South Platte River in Denver spans 12.5 miles, Councilmember Jamie Torres said during Wednesday's meeting.Current and future projects along the riverfront include a mixed-used complex in Sun Valley and the River Mile development that intends to effectively create a new neighborhood where Elitch...
Housing construction on the decline in Denver
Data: Census Bureau via housingdata.app; Chart: Axios VisualsDenver is poised to see an 18% drop in new housing units in 2024, according to Census Bureau data.Why it matters: The housing shortage is what's driving high prices in Denver.By the numbers: The total projected housing units this year is expected to reach 17,000, or 56.5 per 10,000 residents. That's down from the roughly 20,600 built in 2023, the data shows.The big picture: The local figures reflect a national downturn as higher interest rates for home loans pinch construction, according to the National Association of Home Builders.Labor and lot shortages are also weighing on builders, per the group's latest survey.What we're watching: The Biden administration recently awarded Denver a $4.5 million grant to address the issue. The city will use the money to streamline permitting and offer loans to affordable housing developers, both steps that officials suggest will boost construction in the future.
Climate report shows progress for Denver's goals, but work remains
Denver is far from hitting its greenhouse emission reduction goals — at least by its own standards.The big picture: The city won't meet its targeted 40% reduction by 2025, a key milestone toward its overall goal of fully cutting emissions, per the annual report from Denver's climate action office released last month.Why it matters: The city plays a significant role in combating the effects of climate change, and more work is needed to ensure Denver's greenhouse gas emissions shrink to zero by 2040.State of play: Denver must now partner with the state, the private sector and nonprofits to succeed in...
What's new at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival in Denver
The Great American Beer Festival is being reinvented for 2024.Why it matters: The annual event — now in its 42nd year — is one of the largest celebrations of beer in the nation, drawing hundreds of brewers and beer fans to Denver each fall.State of play: This year's GABF is more about the experience than the beer.Rather than organizing breweries by region or alphabet, the festival is staged with five themed areas that emphasize activities other than drinking, such as a stein-hoisting competition, costume contests and other games.The event also will debut canned cocktails and hard teas in addition to...
Denver's record-breaking tourism, by the numbers
Tourism in Denver hit an all-time high last year, bringing in billions in revenue, according to data published Monday by Visit Denver, the city's tourism arm.Why it matters: The pandemic-era shadow cast over downtown is lifting thanks to a surge in visitors revitalizing the local economy and reaffirming Denver's status as a top travel destination.By the numbers: The city saw more than 37 million domestic visitors in 2023, up 3% over the previous record set the year before.That generated about $10 billion in revenue, up nearly 10% from 2022.What they're saying: "Denver's tourism businesses, most of which are small and...
The Rapids are on a hot streak as a rivalry game looms
The Colorado Rapids are exceeding expectations, more than doubling their total wins from the previous season and giving fans a reason to proudly sport burgundy and blue.The big picture: The team sits in fourth place in the Western Conference, just a few games behind top-ranked LAFC, in the 14-team division.The Rapids' current 11-5-8 record is already miles ahead of last season's dreadful spell, which saw them win just five games and lose 17.The intrigue: The team hasn't lost a home game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in over two months. Its last home loss came May 11 against the San Jose Earthquakes.That's seven straight games with either a win or a tie, a span that includes two 4-1 shellackings of St. Louis City SC and CF Montréal.Between the lines: Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro leads the team with 11 goals this season, followed by American midfielder Djordje Mihailovic with 10 goals.What's next: The Rapids travel to Los Angeles to face the LA Galaxy Wednesday before returning home to face archrival Real Salt Lake on Saturday.Tickets for Saturday's game start at $32.
Denver's urban heat island effect makes it even hotter than you think
Temperatures topped 100 degrees over the weekend, but for much of Denver, it felt hotter.State of play: The city's built environment — buildings, roads and sidewalks — make it feel 9 degrees warmer downtown, according to a new analysis from Climate Central, a research nonprofit.The average urban heat island effect is 7.84 degrees, and roughly 428,000 residents feel a temperature intensity of 8 degrees or more.Why it matters: Denver is becoming hotter in the summer months because of climate change, and the city's built environment is only exacerbating the effects.How it works: The urban heat island index looks at how...
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