Saturday, October 24, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1859, gold-rush settlers voted to form the provisional Territory of Jefferson and elected Robert W. Steele governor. Never recognized by Washington, it governed from Denver until Colorado Territory replaced it in 1861.

What are the best and worst grocery stores? Texas swears by H-E-B. Florida won’t hear a bad word about Publix. California gave the country Trader Joe’s. What about Walmart, Albertsons, and Costco? Only one of them can be America’s top-rated supermarket. More than 31,000 shoppers graded the nation’s biggest grocery chains, and the results can be polarizing. Is your weekly grocery store on the best list or the worst? Ayla has the countdown on today’s Flyover Podcast. Tune in and pick a side.

Many of you have used Insurify to compare auto insurance. Today’s sponsor is back with another way to look for savings: homeowners insurance. This is our first time sharing Insurify’s home offering, bringing the same trusted comparison process to another big household expense.

Floods Swamp Southern Colorado Towns

Floodwater rose as high as 7 feet inside some South Fork homes as the Rio Grande and nearby creeks overflowed Thursday and Friday.

An estimated 80 to 100 homes around South Fork were under mandatory evacuation, though no injuries or deaths were reported. Rushing water also shut down Highway 160 between Wolf Creek Pass and South Fork.

In Archuleta County, evacuations covered low areas along four rivers, including the San Juan through Pagosa Springs. The Red Cross opened shelters in Pagosa Springs and Durango.

Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency in 11 counties, and National Guard members deployed to help in southwest Colorado.

“At this point we’re saturated and can’t take too much more without flooding,” said Kate Abbott, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Grand Junction. Pagosa Springs flooded under a similar weather pattern a year ago.

Colorado Springs Bids for Space Academy

Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday that Colorado will pitch a Colorado Springs site for the proposed U.S. Space Academy.

The academy grew out of an Aug. 28 executive order from President Trump. NASA is taking one proposal per state through Nov. 16 after pushing back an Oct. 26 deadline.

NASA’s timeline calls for a groundbreaking by 2027, a temporary home for the first 300 students in 2028, and a permanent campus by 2031. The president will pick the location.

Polis said Colorado is “a mile closer to space.” CU President Todd Saliman and Colorado Space Coalition co-chair Ronald Sega were among the leaders lined up behind the bid.

States across the country are competing for the academy, and it’s unclear whether Colorado will be a serious contender.

Boom to Build Turbines in Centennial

Boom Supersonic will build natural gas turbines for AI data centers at a new $150 million factory in Centennial that could employ up to 500 people.

The 42-megawatt turbine, called Superpower, is adapted from engine technology Boom developed for its planned supersonic airliner. It runs without drawing on the power grid or using water.

Boom is targeting first deliveries in mid-2027 and production of 50 turbines a year by 2029. Energy Secretary Chris Wright attended the turbine unveiling, and Polis joined the jobs announcement.

“The AI data center will be able to create its own electricity, do it completely waterless, and it’s also going to be quiet,” founder Blake Scholl said.

The company still hopes to deliver its first supersonic airliners in 2030.

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You Checked Your Car Insurance. What About Your Home?

Your homeowners insurance renews. You pay the bill. Another year goes by.

But when was the last time you checked what other insurers would charge?

If you’ve used Insurify for auto insurance, you already know the idea: compare your options and see whether there’s a better fit for your budget. Now you can do the same for your home.

Insurify lets you compare home insurance quotes from multiple companies, giving you a way to explore potential savings without visiting each insurer’s website individually.

It’s free to compare, and you can weigh the price, coverage, and deductible against your current policy. Whether you’ve tried Insurify before or you’re starting fresh, here’s another household bill worth a second look.

See what you could save on home insurance.

➤ Adams County: The DOJ says it picked the county for Nov. 3 election monitoring because federal law requires Spanish-language ballots there, and it called a similar notice to Douglas County an error. Colorado’s secretary of state says monitors need permission to enter restricted areas. (More)

➤ Denver: A bronze statue of Cheyenne Chief Black Kettle, now on display at the History Colorado Center, is the first piece of a Sand Creek Massacre memorial planned for the Capitol’s west steps. The rest of the monument is set for installation in 2027. (More)

➤ Statewide: Diesel hit a record $6.56 a gallon, up 89% from a year ago and the steepest annual jump in the nation, according to AAA. GasBuddy says the culprit in part is maintenance at the Suncor refinery in Commerce City, Colorado’s only refinery. (More)

➤ Colorado Springs: Firefighters union Local 5 is asking for help protecting the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Memorial Park, where campers have left graffiti, trash, and drug paraphernalia since August. The union estimates the damage in the thousands of dollars. (More)

➤ Grand Junction: The city dropped its plan to close the Senior Center after members packed Wednesday’s council meeting. The city and the nonprofit that runs the center, which has more than 300 members paying $20 a year, aim to sign a new agreement by January. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: The Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued its first forecast of the season, warning that hazards are developing on steep, snow-covered slopes. Forecasters urged hunters, hikers, and early-season skiers to stick to lower-angle routes through the weekend. (More)

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➤ Air Force visited Wyoming last night on a four-game winning streak, with both teams 3-1 in Mountain West play. Coming into the game, the home team had won every meeting since 2017. (See Result)

➤ Colorado softball’s state semifinals and title games are today at Aurora Sports Park. Top seeds Cherokee Trail (5A), Windsor (4A), and D’Evelyn (3A) all won their openers Friday, with Windsor routing Green Mountain 16-1. (See Schedule)

➤ Colorado State hosts San Diego State at 4:30 p.m. today at Canvas Stadium, trying to snap a four-game skid. Quarterback Hauss Hejny is expected to start for the first time since injuring his hamstring in Week 3. (More)

➤ Colorado’s UFL team will reveal its name and logo Sunday at a free launch party at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, with gates opening at 1 p.m. Season tickets for all five home games start at $75. (More)

➤ Colorado high school football playoffs in Classes 3A and 2A expand from 16 to 24 teams this fall, with the top eight seeds earning first-round byes. The 3A, 4A, and 5A title games are Dec. 5 at CSU’s Canvas Stadium. (More)

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

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➤ Could you handle an unexpected vet bill? Pet insurance may help cover eligible treatment costs when your furry companion gets sick or injured. Explore pet insurance options with Money.com, and compare costs, deductibles, and exclusions before choosing. See whether coverage makes sense for your pet and budget.

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Same Trusted Process. Another Place to Look for Savings.

Already compared your auto insurance through Insurify? Give your homeowners policy the same attention.

You don’t have to be moving or buying a house to explore your options. If you’ve been renewing the same policy year after year, comparing quotes can help you see how it stacks up today.

Your home is a major investment. Its insurance deserves more than an automatic renewal.

Compare home insurance quotes for free.

➤ Colorado ranks among America’s 10 “scariest” states, according to a SmartAsset analysis of Halloween attractions, reportedly haunted places, and popular horror films set in each state. Pennsylvania topped the list, and Hawaii ranked least scary. (See List)

➤ Pumpkins in the Park returns today to Bancroft Park in Old Colorado City. The free fall festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. with a pumpkin patch, live music, and a costume contest. (See Details)

➤ Cherokee Ranch & Castle in Douglas County leads guided hikes into what it calls Colorado’s largest petrified forest, where fossilized logs date back millions of years. (Read Story)

➤ Two Colorado restaurants made Yelp’s first Top 100 Pasta Places list: Radicato in Breckenridge at No. 64 and Odyssey Italian Restaurant in Denver at No. 81. Odyssey is known for its Monday special, when signature pastas are half off. (More)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

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

➤ What are the best and worst grocery stores in America? Shoppers just ranked them all. (Hear Ranking)

➤ The Trump administration has canceled some of its toughest tariffs on Canada, less than two weeks before the midterms. (Listen Now)

➤ Mexican prosecutors have filed treason charges over a CIA drug raid that left four people dead, escalating sovereignty tensions. (Hear Story)