CoCo Question on Wrong Ballots

Ballot Issue 7A, the Colorado Connector (CoCo) passenger rail sales tax, is showing up on ballots for some voters who live outside the rail district in parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Weld counties.

The Secretary of State’s Office says it will help those counties count only eligible votes but hasn’t said how. The tax would pay for the Pueblo segment of the line.

The ballot snag follows scrutiny of an August outreach push in which the district planned to pay over 20 influencers. More than a dozen videos lacked paid disclosures.

A Sterling resident has filed a campaign finance complaint calling the nearly $2 million, mostly RTD-funded blitz illegal advocacy. District GM Sal Pace has said the effort was educational.

Brighton Pauses Data Centers

Brighton City Council backed a one-year moratorium on data centers Tuesday night, doubling the six-month pause first proposed, after hours of public comment.

The same night, officials announced that developers had withdrawn their rezoning application for a 2.5 million-square-foot, eight-building campus near the Lochbuie border.

Residents raised concerns about water, power, noise, and air quality, while some speakers said data centers could bring jobs and tax revenue. Brighton will use the pause to write rules.

Brighton joins a regional trend, as Loveland and Berthoud approved 12-month pauses in September, and Lochbuie passed a five-year moratorium earlier this year.

Colorado Ranked Among Least Safe States

Colorado landed 43rd of 50 states in a new WalletHub safety ranking, putting it in the bottom 10 alongside Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

The study compared all 50 states on 52 measures in five categories, ranging from assaults per capita to the unemployment rate. Vermont ranked first, and Mississippi finished last.

Colorado ranked 19th in financial safety but 46th in personal and residential safety, 41st in road safety, and 38th in workplace safety. Of its neighbors, only Oklahoma ranked lower.

Gov. Jared Polis’ office questioned why the ranking factors in things like credit scores and emergency funds, adding that the state is seeing major year-over-year drops in crime.

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➤ Mesa County: Former clerk Tina Peters met with President Trump to discuss election plans, a former DOJ attorney said. The White House declined to comment on the meeting. (More)

➤ I-70: A 2026 Metro Denver EDC study puts the annual cost of Interstate 70 mountain corridor congestion at $2.25 billion, a 53% increase from 2005 after adjusting for inflation. (More)

➤ Castle Rock: Town Council voted 6-1 to ban retail sales of kratom, with violations carrying fines up to $2,650 and up to a year in jail. The ordinance takes effect in 30 days. (More)

➤ Custer County: The sheriff’s office has ended its contract with Flock Safety and removed its license plate reader cameras, citing resident privacy concerns and reports of misuse elsewhere. (More)

➤ Larimer County: Parents packed a Poudre School District session to fight the proposed closure of Red Feather Lakes, Stove Prairie, and Livermore elementary schools. The board votes Oct. 27. (More)

➤ Fort Collins: A former Colorado State University (CSU) student has sued Phi Delta Theta and a former member she says sexually assaulted her at the fraternity house in 2024. (More)

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➤ Avalanche forwards Logan O’Connor and Zachary L’Heureux could make their season debuts on the 2-0 team’s two-game swing through Winnipeg and Calgary, coach Jared Bednar said. (More)

➤ Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II avoided a season-ending injury after going down untouched against the 49ers. He has a sprained ankle and is expected to miss at least two weeks. (More)

➤ After The Rockies’ 58-104, fourth straight 100-loss season, the team is raising ticket prices about 12%, which club president Walker Monfort said will close the gap with MLB. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NCAAF | WNBA | NHL | Soccer | NBA

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➤ Boulder restaurateur Bryan Dayton has bought the Kitchen American Bistro’s Boulder and Denver locations from Elon Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk, and Hugo Matheson. He says diners shouldn’t expect big changes soon. (More)

➤ Denver police can’t ticket Waymos for moving violations because state law has no way to cite driverless cars, but lawmakers will consider new autonomous vehicle rules next year. (More)

➤ Animal ER of the Western Slope, Grand Junction’s only 24/7 emergency vet clinic, has moved into a larger Patterson Road building with more exam rooms and two surgery suites. (More)

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Deep Sea? Deep Space? Don’t Sweat

What do underwater drones and lunar equipment have in common? Both must operate without air or electrical outlets.

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➤ Tommy’s Express Car Wash on Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs will run its drive-through Tunnel of Terror haunted wash Oct. 23 to 25. (More)

➤ Ice artisans from China have arrived at Gaylord Rockies to carve over 2 million pounds of ice into The Nightmare Before Christmas scenes for the holiday season. (More)

➤ The Dancing with the Stars live tour stops at Ball Arena on March 19, 2027. Presale tickets go on sale today, and the public sale begins Tuesday, Oct. 13. (More)

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➤ Coffee vs Hot Cacao vs Green Tea:  Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days?  Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ One of the most popular glucose monitors failed an accuracy test against the gold standard. (Hear Which One)

➤ A new report breaks down which states Gen Z adults are leaving and where they’re landing instead. (Hear Details)

➤ Spain is mourning the 87-year-old woman whose eviction ignited nationwide protests and pushed the country toward early elections. (Listen Now)

How often do you visit Garden of the Gods?

1. Multiple times a year
2. Once a year or so
3. Every few years
4. Rarely
5. Never been

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you plan on skiing this winter?

1. Probably not: 78%
2. Yes, definitely: 15%
3. We’ll see: 7%

What nationally known mobile phone accessory company is headquartered in Fort Collins?

Show me the answer