Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln appointed William Gilpin as the first Governor of the Colorado Territory. Gilpin played a critical role in the ongoing Civil War, during which he raised troops to defend the territory from Confederate invasion.

Spring officially sprung last week, and Colorado's weather seems to have taken the hint. Expect highs in the 70s, sunny skies, and potentially record heat in the next few days ahead of scattered rainstorms this weekend.

We're sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help people in need in the Congo.

Budget Introduction Delayed

The Joint Budget Committee (JBC’s) 2025-26 spending plan will reach the Senate on March 31—a full week later than planned—after prolonged budget cut debates spill into this week.

Tasked with covering a $1.2 billion shortfall, the JBC voted last week to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in social services, transportation, and state employee benefits. As of Wednesday, $20 million of the shortfall remained.

Much of the debate concerned a free school meals program that accounts for $42 million. In a compromise, the panel voted to keep the program as is for half the year, then restrict it to lower-income schools starting Jan. 1, 2026, if voters reject a tax increase to sustain it.

In balancing the budget, the six-member committee voted along party lines to use the less conservative of two revenue forecasts. Its two Republicans were opposed, favoring caution amid growing recession risks.

Trump Calls Capitol Portrait 'Distorted'

President Trump took to social media on Sunday to criticize his portrait in the Colorado Capitol, calling the artwork "purposefully distorted."

The oil painting has hung in the Capitol since 2019. The state GOP raised $10,000 to commission it from Sarah Boardman, the same artist who painted the building's portrait of former President Obama.

On Truth Social, Trump said the painting is "truly the worst" of the building's presidential portraits and called on Gov. Jared Polis to take it down, adding that several Coloradans "have called and written to complain" about the artwork.

In a statement Monday, House Democrats said the painting would be taken down at the request of the legislature's Republican leaders, who asked that it be replaced with one depicting Trump's "contemporary likeness."

Lost Teenagers Rescued with Drones

Two teenagers who got lost while hiking in Roxborough State Park on Saturday were rescued with the help of drones.

The pair called 911 after getting lost near Carpenter Peak. Douglas County Search and Rescue (DCSAR), along with other agencies, responded to the call around 8:30 p.m.

As rescue crews began to ascend on foot, DCSAR deployed a drone to find the pair, who remained in place and flashed a light to make themselves visible.

Using the drone, DCSAR was able to pinpoint the hikers' location while allowing their parents to see and talk to them via the drone's camera and speaker. Crews eventually reached the pair and escorted them to safety.

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Crisis in DRC

A decades-long conflict in eastern Congo has gone from a simmer to a boil in recent months.

Last week, Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 ignored calls for a ceasefire, seizing a strategic town in Congo—one of the most poverty-stricken countries in the world. M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups that have been vying for control of the mineral-rich area, and the resulting conflict has caught civilians (including many Christians) in the middle, creating one of the world's most significant humanitarian crises.

Last month, the U.N. Human Rights Council launched an investigation into allegations of atrocities, such as mass killings of civilians, by multiple groups.

An estimated 7 million people have been displaced, and more than 25 million people—approximately one in four Congolese—face acute food insecurity.

➤ Aurora: Police in the City Center neighborhood on Monday shot a teenager after he failed to comply with orders and charged at the officers. He was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. (More)

➤ Jefferson County: Over 18,000 Xcel Energy customers experienced power outages early Monday morning as winds in the area topped 80 mph. (More)

➤ Littleton: A tax preparer who falsely claimed to be a CPA and underreported clients' taxes on hundreds of returns was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Thursday, joining his incarcerated son and daughter. (More)

➤ Boulder County: A Golden man died after falling while climbing with friends and family in Boulder Canyon's Riviera climbing area on Sunday. (More)

➤ I-25: Segments of Interstate 25 and other roads near Mead will close overnight from March 26 to April 8 as crews reconstruct and widen highway bridge decks. (See Details)

➤ Denver: Hundreds of postal workers gathered outside Colorado's Capitol on Sunday to protest the proposed privatization of the U.S. Postal Service. (More)

➤ The Denver Nuggets came up with a huge win over the red-hot Houston Rockets on Sunday night despite missing their star player, Nikola Jokić. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray scored 39 points, his highest mark in a game since February. (More)

➤ Colorado Buffaloes women's basketball fell to Gonzaga 64-55 in Sunday's second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament. (More)

➤ Colorado State men's basketball coach Niko Medved, a University of Minnesota alum, is leaving the organization to take the head men's basketball coaching position with the Golden Gophers. (More)

➤ Want to stay up-to-date on everything related to name, image, and likeness in college sports? NIL Wire is just the place for you. Sign up here with one click!

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➤ A New York Times best-selling author has put his Greenwood Village home on the market for $5.9 million. It comes with a wine room, a sauna, a glide rink for hockey practice, and a batting cage. (See Photos)

➤ Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom shuttered its Thornton restaurant, one of 14 Old Chicago locations in the state, "after close evaluation of the market." (More)

➤ A proposed bill would simplify the licensing process for food truck owners by allowing permits to carry across municipalities, eliminating the need for redundant paperwork and in-person inspections. (See Details)

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➤ Keep your hands warm all winter with VolteX Heated Gloves! Designed for ultimate comfort, these rechargeable gloves deliver adjustable heat to fight off cold, even in freezing temps. Perfect for outdoor adventures or everyday use, they keep you cozy, active, and protected no matter the weather. Stay warm effortlessly!

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Join us in partnering with World Concern to help the most vulnerable in the Congo and in countries around the world where World Concern serves by providing life-sustaining nutrition, clean water, medication, and more with the love of Jesus. Every $27 dollars provides someone with these emergency essentials.

➤ Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was named the second-best zoo in the country on USA Today's list of the country's 10 best zoos. (See List)

➤ A community fundraiser has garnered nearly $4,000 so far for an elementary school paraprofessional who lost both her vehicles—one to a hit-and-run and one to theft—in the span of nine days. (See Details)

➤ Holly Hills in Denver is one of the 50 communities named on research platform Niche's 2025 Best Places to Live in America. (See List)

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