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Denver home prices are falling, but does that mean buying a house is affordable?
Approved, Local, Westword

Denver home prices are falling, but does that mean buying a house is affordable?

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Denver had the seventh-highest drop in home prices in 2024, according to Realtor.com. But that doesn’t necessarily mean buying a home in Denver is affordable. Though the median list price of a home in Denver was down 5.35 percent in December 2024 compared to December 2023, the median list price is still $577,350. Still, real estate experts are taking the news of the drop as another sign that markets are leveling out from pandemic-induced, skyrocketing prices. “Austin, Denver, Phoenix and Nashville were the darling markets of 2021 and 2022 and places where prices went wild,” says Joel Berner, Realtor.com senior economist. “Now, with more homes on the market, prices are returning to where they belong.” READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD...
As 75th session gets started, GOP opens caucus meetings, Democrats behind closed doors
Approved, completecolorado.com, State

As 75th session gets started, GOP opens caucus meetings, Democrats behind closed doors

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado As the 2025 legislative session gets underway it appears majority Democrats will continue practicing closed door governance, while Republicans have pledged to be more transparent, saying Colorado voters have right to know what is going on under the gold dome of the state capitol. Both Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) and Senate President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) have made it clear that Democrat caucus meetings will no longer be open to the public or the media. The two started closing meetings last August after a new bill they both supported went into law that exempted the legislature from portions of Colorado’s open meeting laws. Senate Bill 24-157 was passed after another bill sponsored by Democrats allowing legislators to block...
Can firefighters use ocean water to douse wildfires?
Approved, Fox21, National

Can firefighters use ocean water to douse wildfires?

By Michael Bartiromo, Cameron Kiszla | Fox 21 News Footage of a firefighting plane picking up water from the Pacific Ocean to beat back the wildfires currently burning in Los Angeles has only added fuel to a debate taking place among onlookers on social media: Should we be using seawater to douse the flames? “I’m really confused. Can’t they use ocean water to put out the fires?” one X user from Canada asked Thursday. “How is the ground so dry with that much water[?]” As demonstrated in the aforementioned footage — which has been published by Nexstar’s KTLA, among other outlets — yes, firefighters can use seawater to put out fires. But it’s not exactly as simple, safe, or environmentally friendly, experts have said. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 21 NEWS...
Who do Americans blame for recent terror attacks?
Approved, MIG Reports, National

Who do Americans blame for recent terror attacks?

By Mig Reports Key Takeaways: Recent terror attacks are sparking discussion about blame, threats to America, and political accountability. Most Americans distrust government and institutions when it comes to protecting citizens and reporting transparently on events. The right blames poor immigration policies and anti-American ideologies while the left blames white nationalism and xenophobia for terrorism. Over the New Year, unsettling headlines about terrorism attacks like a New Orleans truck attack and a Las Vegas explosion involving a Tesla Cybertruck are causing public anxiety. These incidents cause Americans to discuss questions of national security, government accountability, and voice frustration with leadership. READ THE FULL STORY AT MIG REPORTS
Bill McCartney, winningest Buffs football coach of all time, dead at 84
Approved, CUBuffs.com, Local

Bill McCartney, winningest Buffs football coach of all time, dead at 84

By David Plati | CUBuffs.com Bill McCartney, one of the most visible and successful head coaches in all sports in the University of Colorado's 135-year athletic history, passed away peacefully here after a long illness shortly after 9 p.m. Friday evening with family members by his side.  He was 84. When "Mac" first set foot on the CU campus in Boulder in June 1982, little did he – or anyone – know at the time that just over a dozen years later he would retire as the winningest coach in CU football history. He orchestrated a turnaround with a program that had won just 14 games over the previous six seasons to one that claimed three Big Eight Conference titles and the 1990 consensus national championship. He is one of 11 with CU ties in the College Football Hall of Fame, as he was indu...
Inside DIA’s lost and found: Bags, electronics and even a bag of dried fish
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Inside DIA’s lost and found: Bags, electronics and even a bag of dried fish

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox 31 News  The lost and found at the Denver International Airport became home to thousands of misplaced items in 2024, holding anything from lost luggage to unusual items like a bag with dried fish. According to the lost and found team at DIA, the airport collects around 200 lost items each day, and only 30-40% of the items make it back to their owners. But what those misplaced items are is a mixed bag. The most common lost items at the airport are bags, electronics and wallets. The airport also collected 2,646 earbuds that were turned into lost and found throughout 2024. However, the airport ended up seeing much more than luggage at its lost and found. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Marshall Fire victim in Colorado loses childhood home in California wildfires
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Marshall Fire victim in Colorado loses childhood home in California wildfires

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado It can be hard to imagine experiencing the loss of one home from a wildfire, let alone two. Yet, that is exactly what Boulder resident Christian Maljian is facing right now, amid the ongoing wildfires in California.  "I'll miss all of it," said Christian.  Christian spoke with CBS Colorado as he FaceTimed his sister Natalie Maljian. She held up her phone to all of the wreckage of what was left of his childhood home in Altadena, California.  "We kind of knew it was already burned, so we had a day to prepare before we came," said Natalie.  READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Gaines: A legislative directory to reach anyone in the 75th session
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Gaines: A legislative directory to reach anyone in the 75th session

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project A reader was kind enough to make a directory of legislators in an Excel Spreadsheet. It's linked below and feel free to make a local copy (and share). Sheet 1 is senators, sheet 2 is representatives. It lists phones, emails, committee memberships, party affiliation, and district. The other quite helpful thing here is that you can copy and paste the emails. I have more than once used this spreadsheet to email every. single. legislator. It's even got some "hidden tabs" with voting machine passwords!** A great big thanks to the person — what must have been a lot of time to produce this and share it! **It doesn't. I don't have the kind of political juice to avoid any sort of legal entanglement that comes with tha...
Caldara: Prying open secretive government at the ballot box
Approved, Commentary, completecolorado.com

Caldara: Prying open secretive government at the ballot box

By Jon Caldara | Commentary, Complete Colorado Hubris? Arrogance? Disdain? Contempt? What word describes the attitude of the Colorado legislature toward those who elected them? What explains their actions? Longtime political strategist Eric Sonderman described it to me in three simple words: “Because we can.” How can Sen. Chris Hansen run for re-election knowing that as soon as he wins, he’ll resign to take a $500,000 per-year crony job at a power utility? Well, because he can. How can the governor, who campaigned promising to massively cut special interest tax breaks, instead create an avalanche of new ones, enough to drain the budget of all TABOR surplus money? Again, because he can. READ THE FULL STORY AT COMPLETE COLORADO Editor’s note: Opinion...