New Rideshare Laws Kick In

A Colorado law placing new safety requirements on Uber and Lyft took effect yesterday.

Spearheaded by state Rep. Jenny Willford, the Rideshare Safety and Accountability Act requires companies to begin reviewing a driver for deactivation within seven business days of a rider complaint.

Permanent deactivations must involve a human reviewer rather than an algorithm, and companies must adopt policies to prevent imposter drivers, account sharing, and account renting.

The law could be preempted by a federal amendment limiting rideshare services’ liability. If passed, the amendment would render Colorado’s bill “completely null,” according to Willford.

Douglas County OKs Data Center Rebate

Douglas County commissioners voted unanimously to grant a $19 million tax rebate to a Flexential data center under construction near C-470 and Chambers Road in Parker.

The deal returns 100% of the county’s business personal property tax over 35 years. The facility is expected to create 16 jobs.

Every resident who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting opposed the rebate, citing worries about water use, noise, electricity demand, and property values.

The board of commissioners called the business personal property tax “immoral and wrong” and said any business in the county that asks for the same credit will receive it.

Cooler, Wetter Weather Arrives

After seven straight days at or above 90 degrees, the Front Range is finally expected to see relief as a cold front drops daytime highs into the low 80s.

Forecasters called today Denver’s best chance for rain all week. The moisture should help clear out wildfire smoke that has drifted in from out of state.

Southern Colorado sees more widespread showers and storms with heavy rain, a rising flood risk, and highs in the 70s and 80s into the weekend.

The cool, wet pattern holds through the weekend with scattered afternoon storms. Officials urge caution around lightning and runoff near recent burn scars.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Golden: City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to fire City Manager Scott Vargo over the initial response to a racist incident at the fire department. (More)

➤ Grand Junction: The county coroner’s office released the names of five 17-year-old boys who died when their car veered off a cliff on Lookout Lane. (More)

➤ Lake County: All remaining evacuation and pre-evacuation orders tied to the Willow Fire west of Leadville have been lifted. The human-caused fire has burned 7,534 acres. (More)

➤ Greeley: Investigators say a power line failure during a microburst sparked the grass fire that killed a woman and critically injured a man near a homeless encampment on Sunday. (More)

➤ Westminster: Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued an emergency public fish salvage order for McKay Lake Open Space due to the imminent loss of the fishery from drought conditions. (More)

➤ Littleton: A deputy broke a van’s window to rescue a dog locked in the vehicle after witnesses reported the animal had been left inside for nearly four hours in 80-degree heat. (See Video)

Enjoy reading The Colorado Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family. ✈️

➤ The Denver Broncos were valued at $9.18 billion in Sportico’s annual NFL franchise rankings, 15th among the league’s 32 teams. (More)

➤ Colorado State announced its second Ring of Honor class, led by Clark Haggans, who holds the program’s career records for sacks (33) and tackles for loss (54) and won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers. (More)

➤ Air Force’s preseason football practice went viral on social media this week after a video showed multiple F-16s fly directly over the players warming up. (See Video)

➤ The University of Denver hired Agustín Moreno as head women’s tennis coach, bringing 20 seasons of Division I experience and a 247-158 career record to the program ahead of its first season in the West Coast Conference. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The $12,000 home repair your insurance won’t cover. A failed furnace or air conditioner can cost thousands to replace. That’s where a home warranty comes in. A home warranty is designed for these everyday breakdowns, helping cover major home systems and appliances when they fail from normal use. Right now, American Home Shield is offering 30% off select plans for a limited time.* Get 30% Off Select Plans →

➤ Spending in 18 mountain towns fell to a four-year low of $4.8 billion last winter, leaving high country governments cutting budgets, freezing hiring, and scaling back projects. (More)

➤ Denver sued nine tobacco manufacturers and one distributor, seeking to make them pay for cleaning non-biodegradable cigarette filters out of city streets, stormwater systems, and waterways. (More)

➤ Fraser Valley Hot Dogs in Winter Park has been inducted into the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame, an honor the Chicago company grants only two or three times a year. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Peptides are the newest breakthrough in anti-aging, longevity, weight loss, and muscle growth. But not every peptide works the same way for every person. The Pep Report analyzes your DNA against published research to show which peptides your own biology actually supports, before you spend a dollar guessing. Flyover readers get 10% off automatically, no code needed. See Which Peptides Match Your DNA

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Police coaxed a bear out of Breckenridge’s Grand Timber Lodge, which the bear had entered through automatic front doors and raided for M&Ms. (See Video)

➤ Big Bounce America brings the Guinness-certified World’s Biggest Bounce House to the Denver Coliseum on Aug. 22 and 23, with sessions reserved for adults. (More)

➤ Fort Collins content creator Taylor Calmus, better known as Dude Dad, has raised more than $10,000 for Coloradans affected by wildfires. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Most people focus on what they eat when thinking about A1C and blood sugar. But when you eat dinner may also affect your body in surprising ways—including changes you might notice in your urine. These everyday signals could offer clues about your overall health. Click here to discover what your dinner habits could reveal about your blood sugar and health.

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:

➤ These seven moments burned themselves into nearly every American’s memory. (See List)

➤ Party leaders spent weeks pressuring their own Senate nominee to quit ahead of a ballot deadline that could reshape a key race. (Hear Details)

➤ Video gamers are being hired by the thousands to guide real planes amid a deepening air traffic controller shortage. (Listen Now)

How often do you use rideshare apps?

1. Every day
2. Every week
3. Every month
4. Every 2-3 months
5. Rarely
6. Never

Yesterday’s Results:

How many meteor showers have you seen before?

1. 1 to 3: 27%
2. Never seen one: 25%
3. 3 to 5: 17%
4. 10 or more: 16%
5. 5 to 10: 15%

 In what year did Colorado experience its most expensive hailstorm?

Show me the answer