Politics reporter
Nick Coltrain
Nick Coltrain covers state politics for the Denver Post. He joined the news organization in 2022 after covering the Iowa caucus and COVID-19 for the Des Moines Register and all things for the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
All Stories

Colorado Propositions LL and MM would bolster state’s beleaguered universal school meals program
Propositions LL and MM on Colorado's 2025 ballot will determine if the universal free school meals program can reach sustainability or if it will be significantly cut back.

Former professor pleads guilty in DUI crash that killed Golden police officer
Stephen Geer pleaded guilty Monday to charges related to a drunk driving crash last November that killed Golden police Officer Evan Dunn and injured three other people last November.

2 homes lost, dozens damaged by floodwaters in southern Colorado
Archuleta County Sheriff Mike Le Roux said “continuous rain” started early Monday in and near Pagosa Springs, and the water levels were slowly rising.

Elk herd with ‘agitated’ bull moves on after grazing in Lakewood’s Union Ridge Park
Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said itap not common for elk to wander that far into the metro area, but also not unheard of.

3 injured in overnight Arvada shootings, police say
One unidentified victim was shot multiple times during what investigators believe was an armed robbery and carjacking, according to the Arvada Police Department.

As federal shutdown drags on, workers bear brunt of impact in Colorado and nationally: ‘I want to do this job.’
"It's painful,” said a federal worker and mother of two in Highlands Ranch. “It's painful that this was my dream job. ... I've given my career, and most of my...

Lawsuit to derail Colorado’s second Buc-ee’s dismissed
A District Court Judge in El Paso County dismissed a lawsuit on Friday that sought to derail the development of a popular Buc-ee’s travel center in the town of Palmer...

Woman sentenced 10 years for 2023 Lakewood ambush killing
One of the seven people charged in connection with a 2023 ambush killing of a pregnant Lakewood woman will serve 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to assault with...

With ‘no juggernaut’ in the field, Colorado Republicans — 19 and counting — line up for governor’s race
A baseball lineup’s worth of conservative candidates for Colorado governor showed for a GOP forum this week -- and that was only half of the declared field in the still-early...

Many of Colorado’s 54,000 federal civilian workers in limbo amid shutdown, but public lands are open
Not all federal workers are furloughed, with significant exemptions in some agencies. Excepted employees, or those whose work includes protecting life and property, are expected to continue working.