Monday, May 12, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1970, the International Olympic Committee chose Denver to host the XII Winter Olympic Games. Two years later, Colorado voters rejected public funding for the event, making Denver the only city in history to decline to host the Olympics.

Colorado’s legislative session may be over, but between an impasse over AI regulations and looming federal cuts, lawmakers are poised to reconvene this year. Learn more in our Top Stories.

If you’re already paying for Amazon Prime, be sure to check out the nine perks you need to be using from today’s sponsor, Brad’s Deals.

Don’t feel like reading the national edition of The Flyover? Tune in to The Flyover Podcast! New episodes drop daily—watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, all in under 15 minutes.

Special Legislative Session Looms

Colorado’s 2025 legislative session wrapped last week, but lawmakers may return for a special session to revisit a first-in-the-nation AI law and address likely federal spending cuts.

Passed in 2024, the law requires businesses to disclose when they use AI in consequential decisions, assess potential bias, and report discriminatory outcomes. Critics warn that its scope is too broad and would stifle innovation.

Despite plans to revise the law or delay its implementation, lawmakers ultimately failed to do either, prompting some to call for the legislature to reconvene later this year.

Gov. Jared Polis said he’s likely to call a special session if Congressional Republicans follow through on proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid.

School District Passes Trans Athletes Ban

Colorado Springs School District 49 voted on Thursday to approve a policy prohibiting student athletes from competing on teams that don’t align with their biological sex.

The policy, Preserving Fairness and Safety in Sports, bars students of one biological sex from joining the teams, entering the locker rooms, and lodging with students of the other sex. It’s believed to be the first such restriction passed by a district in the region.

Critics argue the policy is unenforceable and could violate state anti-discrimination laws. Superintendent Peter Hilts said it’s too early to know how the regulation would be enforced.

Also on Thursday, the district voted to oppose the Kelly Loving Act, a state transgender rights bill, citing concerns it would undermine parental rights and local control.

Colorado Climbs in State Rankings

Colorado was named the 11th-best state in the country in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 rankings—jumping from last year’s No. 16 spot and edging closer to the top 10.

The annual ranking is based on a variety of factors, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, crime and corrections, opportunity, fiscal stability, and the natural environment.

Colorado ranked third in education, sixth in economy, and ninth in healthcare. Conversely, it was one of the worst states for crime and financial stability.

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➤ Frisco: A 6.3-acre wildfire broke out on Saturday, temporarily closing Interstate 70. It was fully contained that evening, and police later arrested a suspect accused of starting the blaze. (More)

➤ Berthoud: A man was arrested after admitting he accidentally fired the shot that killed Jennifer James, a four-time cancer survivor, as she sat inside her own home. (See Details)

➤ Denver: More than 30 students are safe after a tour bus bound for Moab experienced a mechanical issue and became fully engulfed in flames. (See Details)

➤ Mead: A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Saturday for northern Colorado’s first Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to families who lost loved ones in the line of duty. (More)

➤ Denver: Two state lawmakers’ vehicles were vandalized at the Capitol on Wednesday, the last day of the legislative session, authorities say. The suspect is still at large. (More)

➤ Colorado Springs: Officials say 18 people detained in the raid of an underground nightclub have been removed from the U.S., while 86 remain in custody pending immigration proceedings. (More)

➤ Statewide: “Click It or Ticket” begins today, bringing stepped-up patrols and fines starting at $65 for unbuckled drivers and $82 for unrestrained kids. The seatbelt enforcement campaign runs through June 1. (More)

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➤ The Denver Nuggets dropped Game 4 at home, falling 92–87 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and tying the Western Conference Semifinals at 2–2. The series now heads back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Tuesday. (More)

➤ The Colorado Rockies’ embarrassing season hit a new low on Saturday when the San Diego Padres blew them out 21-0. The game got so out of hand that Rockies manager Bud Black used catcher Jacob Stallings as a pitcher for the final two innings. (More)

➤ New Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw is expected to be ready for training camp despite suffering a quad injury earlier this offseason. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NASCAR | MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | PGA | LPGA

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➤ In-N-Out Burger opened its newest Colorado restaurant in Brighton on Friday, bringing the statewide total to 13. (More)

➤ A controversial six-story apartment development next to Lakewood’s Belmar Park has been given preliminary approval, dealing a major blow to citizen groups opposed to the project. (More)

➤ Hotel Barth, a historic 62-unit senior living facility in downtown, is on the market for $2.5 million after closing earlier this year. (See Details)

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➤ Root Shoot Spirits, a Loveland-based distillery, won the award for best American single malt whiskey at the 2025 London Spirits Competition. (See Details)

➤ Mother’s Day typically kicks off gardening season, but experts say it’s still smart to hold off on some crops in case of a late spring frost. (See When to Plant)

➤ Humphrey, a puppy named in honor of a fallen police officer, met the veteran he’ll be paired with as a service dog in training onstage at the Stillwater Derby, a veterans’ fundraiser in Larimer County. (More)

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