ELECTION 2020-COLORADO SENATE

John Hickenlooper reports $5.2 million haul in Senate bid

DENVER (AP) — Democrat John Hickenlooper is reporting he raised $5.2 million last quarter in his bid for Colorado’s U.S. Senate seat. Hickenlooper is a former Colorado governor running against Republican Sen. Cory Gardner. Gardner is viewed as the most vulnerable Republican senator up for reelection. Hickenlooper’s campaign says the money he raised between April 1 and June 30 is a record for any Colorado Senate candidate in any quarter. It comes as Democratic Senate candidates have been shattering fundraising records across the country. Democrats would need to net three seats and win the presidency to gain control of the Senate.

COLORADO WILDFIRES

Cooler weather could help crews fight fire west of Denver

DENVER (AP) — Firefighters are hoping to take advantage of cooler weather to stop the spread of a wildfire that has forced the evacuation of hundreds of people in the foothills west of Denver. The Elephant Butte Fire started Monday afternoon and is burning in rugged and steep terrain west of Evergreen. No structures have burned, and no injuries have been reported. It’s not yet clear what caused the fire. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says three evacuation orders were issued for “well over a thousand homes.” The fire had burned less than a square mile as of Monday.

CONFERENCE BEAVER CREEK

Freedom conference moves 2020 location to Beaver Creek

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The Steamboat Institute’s Freedom Conference will take place outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the first time in its history, the conservative think tank announced Sunday. The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported that the event will move to Beaver Creek, situated 86 miles (138 kilometers) south of Steamboat Springs and 109 miles (175 kilometers) west of Denver. The 12th annual conference is scheduled for Aug. 28 to 29. The institute’s chairman Jennifer Schubert-Akin cited local restrictions related to COVID-19 as the main reason for the location change.

TOWN GENERATOR-LIGHTNING

Colorado town running on generator after lightning strike

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado town is using a generator to operate its power grid after lightning hit a transformer and caused what an official called a perfect storm of mechanical failure. The Steamboat Pilot & Today reported Oak Creek Town Administrator Chris Johnson says the community began work to replace the transformer after the lightning strike Friday. The town is attempting to acquire fuses that are a special size and difficult to obtain as a result of the small grid and substation. Other parts of the electric system also failed when workers attempted to restore the grid.

AP-US-FILM-TELLURIDE-FILM-FESTIVAL

Telluride Film Festival canceled due to pandemic

NEW YORK (AP) — An annual film retreat held in the Colorado mountains has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Telluride Film Festival is one of the fall movie season’s top launching pads. Organizers announced Tuesday that the festival’s 47th edition, scheduled for Labor Day weekend, has been scuttled due to COVID-19. Through much of the summer, Telluride had clung to hopes that cancellation wouldn’t be necessary. But with infections spiking throughout much of the South and West, they made what they called a “heartbreaking and unanimous” decision. Telluride is part of a late summer-early fall foursome of major festivals, along with the Venice Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival.

MINING COMPANY-CLEANUP

Colorado company agrees to $7M cleanup of former Alaska mine

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A Colorado company has agreed to a $7 million cleanup plan for Alaska’s only uranium mine, which has left radioactive waste in the Tongass National Forest. CoastAlaska reported Newmont Corporation is expected to fill the former Ross-Adams Mine in the Prince of Wales Island area. A plan has been in the works for decades to close and clean the open pit mine on Bokan Mountain. The remote area is used by residents for fishing halibut and other activities. Most of the radioactive debris will be buried and covered with a heavy plastic covering to seal the site.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-KKK MAYOR

Denver area casts votes to rename neighborhood with KKK ties

DENVER (AP) — A Denver neighborhood will vote on a list of nine names to replace its current association with a former mayor known for his Ku Klux Klan connection. The options are detailed on a site run by the neighborhood organization, Stapleton United Neighbors. The neighborhood was named for former Denver Mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton and was built on the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Stapleton was mayor for a total of 20 years between 1923 and 1947 and was a member of the KKK. The community board began with a list of 331 names and has since narrowed it down to nine.

CANNABIS SALES

Legal cannabis sales in Colorado reach all-time high in May

DENVER (AP) — Cannabis sales in Colorado set a new monthly record in May, reaching their highest level since broad legalization in 2014. State data compiled by The Denver Post shows that dispensaries sold over $192 million worth of cannabis products that month. The figure is up about 29% from April and 32% from May 2019. Sales at both medical and recreational marijuana shops hit monthly all-time highs. In all, the cannabis industry has sold more than $779 million in products so far this year and paid more than $167 million in taxes and fees to the state.