Welcome back to The Spot, where captures what’s happening this week — from the Colorado legislature to Denver city hall, with a stop through the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. EachThursday, our reporters and editors will break down what we’ve covered and what to watch for in the days ahead. This is our fifth (!) version of this newsletter (you can read last week’s here).
Enough already. Let’s get to the news.
It’s looking more and more like Gov. John Hickenlooper is laying the groundwork for a 2020 presidential bid, as current President Donald Trump deals with fallout from more Cabinet shakeups and breakups and an alleged affair with a porn star that continues to grab headlines.
Meanwhile, Republicans apparently lost a longtime GOP congressional seat in Pennsylvania in a defeat could have ripple effects across the nation, including Colorado.
On the home front, we take a look at the ongoing gun debate at the Colorado Capitol, the extent of metro Denver’s growth (it’s stunning and possibly galactic) and federal attention on the Western Slope. The unemployment rate remains low, the prospect of a Colorado Olympics are still drawing controversy and giant poles are sprouting up across Denver.
Fresh this morning:Denver City Council members’ joint statement opposing further investigation into Mayor Michael Hancock’s text message scandal has drawn quick scorn. City hall reporter Jon Murray has the story on why.
Gov. John Hickenlooper says when he found out Rex Tillerson had been fired this morning he briefly thought it was a Saturday Night Live vignette.
— Jesse Aaron Paul ☀ (@JesseAPaul)
ROLL CALL
COLORADO: THE STATEHOUSE & BEYOND
- Gov. John Hickenlooper can say he’s “100 percent” focused on his final year in office but his calendar and closest associations say he’s more serious than ever about running for president in 2020.
- A measure that would allow Coloradans tocarry a concealed gun without a permit passed the GOP-controlled state Senate. It’s almost certain to fail in the Democratic-controlled House, but not beforestoking more controversy amid the national debate over firearms.
- A partisan battle of words has ignited after Republicans announced they would pick expelled state Rep. Steve Lebsock’s replacement following his last-minute party switch.
- Police found fraud and sex crimes in a Colorado sober-living home empire. Oh, and the state doesn’t regulate the industry, which is thriving amid the opioid epidemic.
- The delicate process of public pension reform began this week at the Capitol. Reporter Brian Eason breaks down what you need to know about PERA: a subject that’s as important — and expensive — as it is complicated.
- Colorado’s unemployment rate remained low last month, as both the number of jobs and the number of people participating in the workplace have increased.
DENVER & THE SUBURBS
- This spring, the Denver City Council is set to change zoning rules that have been exploited by developers to build sideways-oriented “slot” homes on small lots. Amoratorium approved this week put an early stopto development applications under the existing rules — but developers slipped in 30 or more new projects under the cutoff.
- The trouble continues for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, withone city councilman’s call for an outside investigationinto Hancock’s suggestive text messages to a security detail officer. But the City Council as a whole, after receiving a closed-door briefing,is willing to drop it.
- Is the metro area ready for another Denver Tech Center-size development just south of DIA? Either way, we should see the earth movers starting to move on 21,000 acres south of the airport, where planners say there could eventually be 80 million square feet of retail, commercial and industrial space.
- In related news, Spaceport Colorado took a big step forward last week, when the feds began the 180-day countdown clock for issuing a license to the facility that hopes to launch tourists and passengers into suborbital flight.
- A standoff between RTD and its union employees that just weeks ago carried the prospect of a transit strike ended this week. Suburbs reporter John Aguilar has the latest on this saga.
- Thirty-foot green poleshave been sprouting out of the groundacross Denver’s more densely populated neighborhoods.They’re key to the future of wireless 5G signals, but not all neighbors appreciate their appearance.
- Anew effort to torpedo the idea of bidding for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games has a familiar face among its leadership: former Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm.
D.C. POLITICS FROM A COLORADO PERSPECTIVE
- Vice President Mike Pence will visit Colorado next month for at least the fourth time since last summer.
- Colorado relies heavily on foreign seasonal labor, and this year there’s a shortage of visas. Business reporter Aldo Svaldi has this story.
- Vail Resortsreported a $64.6 million benefit from Republicans’ tax cuts.
- Democrat Joe Neguse is looking more and more like U.S. Rep. Jared Polis’ likely successor.
- After a yearslong battle over $18 million in federal oil and gas lease revenue related to the Anvil Points research site, the money is heading to four Western Slope counties. We look at where it came from and what the holdup was.
- EPA AdministratorScott Pruittsaid Monday he plans to have reviewed by month’s end a stack of about 400 claims filedover damages sustained during the2015 Gold King Mine disaster.
- Thousands of Colorado students walked out of schools on Wednesday to protest gun violence, joining in solidarity with their peers across the nation.
THE WIRE
Here are some stories from around the state, region and U.S. we think you should check out:
- An in-depth look at the so-called in the Colorado legislature.— Colorado Public Radio
- Missouri’s lax marital laws have made it a destination wedding spot — . — The Kansas City Star
- A California spokesman forU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has resigned over what hedescribed as “false” and “misleading” statements made by top-ranking officials.— The Washington Post
- More than 100 Senate staff, aides and interns at the Colorado legislature have been about workplace issues. — KUNC
- Colorado College after decades-old sexual harassment allegations came into focus. — Colorado College
- Here’s , focusing around former president William F. Slocum and the woman who revealed his misconduct roughly 100 years ago. — The Chronicle of Higher education
- A detailed look at the (referenced above), and the impacts in the Colorado legislature. — The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
- A woman who didn’t know her house was classified as affordable — putting restrictions on how much she could sell it for —.— Denverite
- Several states — but not Colorado — are eyeing in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns a 25-year-old precedent that has effectively allowed online retailers to dodge state sales taxes. — Stateline
GET IN TOUCH
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P.S. The Denver Post has had a really tough week, as we learned Wednesday afternoon that some 30 staffers will be cut — or roughly one-third of the newsroom — as part of cost-saving reductions. Please support us () or journalism wherever you might be. And thanks for your support, whatever it might be.
Staff writers John Frank, Jon Murray, John Aguilar, Mark K. Matthews and Brian Eason contributed to this newsletter.