Friday, July 31, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1976, heavy rainfall near Estes Park triggered the Big Thompson Flood, the deadliest flood in Colorado history.

Colorado’s sesquicentennial—the 150th anniversary of Aug. 1, 1876, when the Colorado Territory finally became a state—is tomorrow. How are you celebrating? Vote in our Poll or hit reply to let us know.

Today’s sponsor, PuriProduce, offers a simple, chemical-free way to help clean your fruits and vegetables, giving you added peace of mind with every meal.

Life-Threatening Floods Hit Ouray County

Intense rain on the Gold Mountain fire burn scar sent floodwaters through Ouray County on Wednesday, prompting an immediate evacuation order for areas between Ridgway and Ouray.

Debris flows struck Blue Tip Drive and stranded 17 people on the second floors of their homes, with three houses reporting flooding and a burst gas line causing a leak.

The National Weather Service declared a flash flood emergency through 9 p.m. Wednesday. Highway 550 closed near Culter Creek and Ponderosa Village, while Oak Street in Ouray shut down indefinitely.

Red Mountain Pass remained closed in both directions Thursday as crews worked at least eight mudslide areas, and floodwaters also inundated Beulah in Pueblo County.

I-70 Project Moves Into Next Phase

CDOT says its $905 million Floyd Hill Project has reached the halfway mark on an 8-mile stretch of Interstate 70 between Evergreen and Idaho Springs.

Crews finished 211 controlled blasts and removed more than 765,511 tons of material, and rock blasting is now substantially complete.

Executive Director Shoshana Lew thanked drivers for their patience with the 15-minute blasts, and Project Director Kurt Kionka said the weekly traffic holds are largely over.

Work now shifts to 10 bridges, including a 115-foot-tall span built over live traffic using balanced cantilever segmental construction, with full completion planned for 2029.

Colorado Gears up for Colorado Day

Colorado turns 150 years old on Saturday, Aug. 1, and History Colorado will serve free pancakes in Denver’s Golden Triangle Creative District starting at 9 a.m. until supplies run out.

Every History Colorado museum offers free admission Saturday, with a scavenger hunt at the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, lawn games at Leadville’s Healy House, and gold panning in Georgetown.

In one of the day’s most Coloradan traditions, the Colorado Mountain Club will lead hundreds of hikers up the state’s fourteeners, with organizers stressing hiking safety.

Colorado Springs, meanwhile, is aiming to set a donut-dunking world record atop Pikes Peak as part of the statewide celebration.

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➤ Statewide: Colorado has logged more than 250 salmonella cases this month, roughly double the five-year July average, and state health officials have not identified a source. (More)

➤ Fort Collins: A city police officer driving an unmarked department F-150 was charged with careless driving causing bodily injury after a Wednesday evening crash in Weld County injured four people. (More)

➤ Dove Creek: Town hall has been locked for more than two months over threats to staff after basic water and sewer bills doubled to $132 a month. (More)

➤ Denver County: Judge Barry Schwartz, censured in January for offering a defendant $1 toward bond during a hearing, has resigned from the court bench. (More)

➤ Manitou Springs: Police and firefighters freed a bear that had trapped itself inside a car. No one was hurt, though the vehicle sustained significant damage as the animal tried to escape. (More)

➤ Estes Park: Fifty years after the historic 1976 Big Thompson Flood, two victims of the tragedy spoke about their experience, recalling how a local picnic trip turned into a grueling fight for survival. (More)

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➤ Colorado football coach Deion Sanders was named in testimony by former Buffaloes lineman Yakiri Walker, who told a court that Sanders dismissed his mental health struggles during his stint with the team. Walker played just 96 seconds at Colorado before leaving the program. (More)

➤ Former University of Denver goalkeeper Alina Santos signed her first professional contract with Southampton FC Women, a soccer team in England’s second tier. (More)

➤ Single-game tickets for CU football are now on sale, with the Utah rivalry game topping the price list at $158 and the Texas Tech homecoming matchup starting at $131. It would cost $460 to attend all six home games at Folsom Field on single-game tickets. (More)

➤ Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington credited the club for preparing him to become the youngest MLS player ever to appear in a World Cup. The 18-year-old Australian center back started three matches at the 2026 tournament. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Fort Morgan meatpackers reached a tentative labor agreement with Cargill Meat Solutions to end a nearly 70-day lockout. Union members will vote on the contract Monday. (More)

➤ A Grand Junction gun shop reported a record July as buyers rushed ahead of new state requirements, effective Aug. 1, for certain semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, which the owner says could add $400 to $500 per purchase. (More)

➤ Boulder city leaders have a tentative deal to sell a 59-space downtown parking lot at 2121 Broadway to a developer for a 110-room hotel, with a council vote set for Aug. 6. (More)

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➤ A red-tailed hawk knocked an Arvada police Drone First Responder out of the sky, causing its emergency parachute to deploy. (See Video)

➤ Colorado Parks and Wildlife built beaver dam analogs at the West Rifle Creek and Garfield Creek state wildlife areas, then let resident beavers take over much of the work restoring eroded streams. (More)

➤ The Adams County Fair opened with a lamb showmanship show earlier this week. Free events—including goat, swine, and beef shows, carnival rides, and country concerts—run through Sunday. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Student behavior is getting worse, and teachers are pointing the finger at parents, a new survey says. (Hear Details)

➤ Cuba’s power grid collapsed for the third time this month, leaving millions in the dark again. (Hear Episode)

➤ Gen Z is ditching the bar for the gym, and the numbers are striking. (Listen Now)