Poll Finds Party Distrust Among Voters

A new poll found the vast majority of Colorado’s unaffiliated voters chose to register that way, challenging assumptions that the rising number of unaffiliated voters is caused by automatic registration.

As of Dec. 1, unaffiliated voters make up half of active registered voters statewide. Of those polled, 86% said they intentionally became or chose to remain independent.

Roughly half reported former party affiliation, with 25% as Democrats and 21% as Republicans. Respondents cited a dislike or distrust of the two major parties, and nearly two-thirds want both to be more moderate.

The poll also found independents tend to be younger—with a median age of 42, compared to 49 for Democrats and 54 for Republicans—and to favor Democrats in Colorado elections.

911 Drones See Early Success, Skepticism

Two Skydio X10 drones have been deployed to 215 calls for robberies, burglaries, assaults, and other incidents since Denver launched its Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program in October.

In over 30% of missions, drone pilots determined that no patrol response was needed, saving resources and time. In 95% of missions, they provided critical information—such as a suspect’s location—to officers on the ground.

Some city leaders remain concerned about privacy and transparency. Denver has separately contracted with Flock Safety, a surveillance company at the center of national controversy, for a drone program that has yet to begin.

Denver joins a growing number of communities with DFR programs, including Castle Rock and Commerce City. The current no-cost program with Skydio runs through March 2026.

Shutoffs Possible Amid Dry, Warm Week

Xcel Energy warns that Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are possible tomorrow as near-record temperatures, dry conditions, and high winds contribute to severe fire risk on the Front Range.

The utility also said it will implement Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, which may trigger shutoffs if a powerline issue—such as a tree branch touching the line—is detected.

Restoring outages from significant weather events or a PSPS can take several hours to several days, Xcel said. Customers can track outages using this map.

While snow is forecast in the high country Wednesday into Thursday, Denver’s stretch of unseasonably warm, dry weather will continue for several more days.

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➤ Statewide: Several state and religious leaders issued statements condemning the Dec. 14 mass shooting in Sydney, Australia, where a father and son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 people. (More)

➤ Boulder: The police department released its annual update on the JonBenét Ramsey investigation, a homicide cold case now 29 years old. Police say new and retested evidence has generated new leads, aided by evolving forensic technology. (See Details)

➤ Pueblo County: A substitute teacher plans to sue Pueblo School District 70, alleging it violated his First Amendment rights when it temporarily suspended him over Facebook posts criticizing the late Charlie Kirk. (See Details)

➤ Mesa County: Deputies responding to an explosion near Whitewater Cemetery on Saturday traced the cause to a man-made explosive device. No injuries were reported, and an investigation is ongoing. (More)

➤ Denver: Three city police officers have been arrested in the past three weeks on various charges, including sexual assault, assault related to domestic violence, and felony eluding. (More)

➤ Fort Collins: A church in Old Town has been shut down due to methamphetamine contamination. The discovery follows reports of drug-related behavior in and at the building, which doubles as an overnight shelter. (See Details)

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➤ The Colorado Rockies hired former San Francisco Giants first baseman Brett Pill as their new hitting coach. The 41-year-old has never coached in the majors but served as the Dodgers’ minor league hitting coordinator for three seasons. (More)

➤ University of Northern Colorado football player and cancer survivor Myles McClarity was invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York over the weekend by the Joy+US Foundation. “I always watch the Heisman ceremony,” he said. “But you never, never think that you’re going to be in the room.” (More)

➤ Neither Colorado State (9-2) nor Colorado (9-1) made the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll this week. (See Poll) 

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ A Steamboat Springs billionaire bought two new apartment buildings in the town for $95.3 million and is renting them out to local workers at below-market rates. (See Details)

➤ Christmas tree prices have doubled over the past decade after adjusting for inflation—a surge felt especially in Denver, where long-haul transportation drives up the final cost. (More)

➤ Michelin-recognized restaurateurs plan to open a new Italian restaurant, Dear Emilia—described as a love letter to the Emilia Romagna region of Italy—in Denver on Jan. 29. (See Details)

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➤ About 25 pilots helped spread holiday cheer by airlifting 12,000 pounds of toys, food, clothing, and other donations to veterans and their families across rural Colorado, flying everywhere from Durango to Pueblo to Greeley. (See Details)

➤ Cheyenne Mountain State Park is hosting its annual ornament scavenger hunt through New Year’s Day. Visitors who find a single Christmas ornament hidden among the park’s 21 trails can choose from a selection of prizes. (See Details)

➤ A local author dedicated her novel to the Arvada coffee shop where she spent months writing it—an acknowledgement that blossomed into a friendship and went viral on Instagram. (See Details)

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Do you put up a real or plastic Christmas tree?

1. Real
2. Plastic
3. Both
4. Neither

Yesterday’s Results:

Which 20th-century decade is your favorite?

1. 1970s: 16%
2. 1960s: 15%
3. 1980s: 15%
4. 1950s: 14%
5. 1990s: 14%
6. Other: 13%
7. None: 13%

How tall is Denver’s Mile High Tree?

Show me the answer