Monday, March 16, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1905, Colorado had three different governors in the span of 24 hours. When an investigation found that both sides in the 1904 election were guilty of voter fraud, the declared winner, Alva Adams, resigned. James Peabody, his opponent, was immediately sworn in but resigned the next morning, leaving the office to Lt. Gov. Jesse MacDonald.

Hurricane-force winds wreaked havoc across Colorado’s Front Range last week, sending trees crashing into homes, cars, and power lines amid widespread wildfire concerns. Find out more in our Top Stories.

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Wind Downs Trees, Prompts Shutoff

Last week’s hurricane-force windstorm left extensive damage in its wake, uprooting and snapping an untold number of trees and downing power lines across the Front Range.

Trees fell on several buildings and vehicles in Fort Collins, including at Colorado State University, which closed its campus Thursday afternoon and canceled all Friday classes to assess the damage and clear debris. See a video here.

In the foothills community of Evergreen, firefighters responded to 78 wind-related calls, many involving large trees that struck homes, landed on power lines, blocked roads, and even uprooted a power transformer.

The fierce winds and warm, dry weather led Xcel Energy to perform a Public Safety Power Shutoff—its fourth since 2024—on Saturday, impacting about 18,000 customers in Boulder and Jefferson counties.

A colder storm system arrived Saturday night, bringing snow squalls to the mountains and blizzard-like conditions to the Denver area.

DOE: Jeffco Schools Violated Title IX

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) concluded that Jeffco Public Schools violated Title IX, a federal civil rights law, by allowing male students to compete in girls’ sports and access female bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations.

In findings released Friday, the DOE said the policies discriminate against female students by denying them safety, dignity, and equal access to school programs. The district has 10 days to agree to a proposed resolution agreement or “risk imminent enforcement action.”

Athletic rosters indicate “male students may occupy up to 61 roster positions on girls’ sports teams in the district,” according to the DOE’s findings, which follow a monthslong investigation.

In a statement, Jeffco Public Schools called the conclusion “erroneous,” citing prior federal guidance on Title IX, and said the proposed resolution agreement conflicts with state law.

State GOP Chair Resigns

Colorado GOP Chairwoman Brita Horn announced Thursday that she will resign next month, citing a “tremendous divide” in the party and threats of violence and blackmail attempts.

Horn’s term was slated to last through March 2027. Her resignation, effective April 17, follows two no-confidence votes: a 90% vote in late February and a 79% vote earlier this month.

Horn’s tenure has been marked by controversy and infighting. Legal battles tied to a lawsuit involving Horn and allies of former Chairman Dave Williams left the party nearly $150,000 in debt, mostly from legal fees.

The party’s central committee will elect a new leader this spring.

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➤ Western Slope: A female wolf died in northwest Colorado on Wednesday, the 14th wolf death since the reintroduction program began. Separately, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced Thursday it’s suspending its effort to find and kill a chronically depredatory wolf in Rio Blanco County. (More)

➤ Statewide: A bill that would require social media platforms to confirm receipt of judicial search warrants within eight hours and comply within 72 hours is now under consideration by the House Judiciary Committee. (More)

➤ Thornton: Threats to harm students, later determined to be false reports, prompted a large police presence at Thornton High School on Friday. (More)

➤ Eagle County: A local tow truck driver says his hours were cut at work after he refused to tow vehicles linked to an immigration enforcement operation in January. (More)

➤ Walsenburg: A boil advisory went into effect Friday due to a water line break. Locals should boil all water for at least one minute to make it potable. Two schools are closed today and tomorrow due to the break. (See Details)

➤ Colorado Springs: The oldest giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo died Friday at the age of 27, just five days after another giraffe at the zoo died. (More)

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➤ Denver Summit FC fell 2-1 to Bay FC Saturday in San Jose in the club’s first NWSL match. Melissa Kössler scored Denver’s first-ever goal, and captain Janine Sonis later received a red card. (More)

➤ Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II had $17 million of his 2027 salary become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the NFL’s 2026 league year. The guarantee is part of the four-year, $96 million extension he signed in 2024. (More)

➤ The Colorado Avalanche fell 3-1 to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday despite 15 saves from Mackenzie Blackwood. Martin Necas scored late in the third period to break up Winnipeg’s shutout as Colorado dropped its second game in the past three. (More)

➤ Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC defeated Las Vegas Lights FC 3-2 on Saturday night in their 2026 home opener. Levonte Johnson and Jonas Fjeldberg scored before a deflected goal in the 85th minute sealed the victory. (More)

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➤ House Bill 1210, a revived effort to ban companies from using search history, location, and other surveillance data to set individualized prices or wages, cleared the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on a 7-6 vote. (See Details)

➤ Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a bipartisan bill requiring certain employers in coal-transition communities to give hiring preference to qualified coal-industry workers displaced by plant closures. (More)

➤ Denver rentals offered concessions in 68% of cases in January—such as free rent, gift cards, or discounts—the highest rate of any U.S. housing market, according to a new analysis. (More)

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➤ A blue jay was spotted near Grand Junction for the first time in 22 years. The species rarely appears west of the Rocky Mountains. (See Photos)

➤ Thousands of people, many wearing green or decked out in festive costumes, attended the Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade downtown on Saturday. (See Video)

➤ Denver and Colorado Springs rose to No. 30 and No. 15, respectively, on an annual ranking of the most challenging U.S. cities for people with pollen allergies. (See List)

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