Palmer Lake Negotiates Buc-ee’s Terms

The Town of Palmer Lake has released negotiated terms for a proposed annexation agreement with Buc-ee’s, advancing the Texas chain’s plans for a second Colorado location amid ongoing community opposition.

Under the terms, Buc-ee’s would pay for all roadway improvements related to the project, along with two wells and a water treatment plant. To limit water use, the location will not include a car wash.

The agreement calls for a 3% sales tax, with 1% rebated to Buc-ee’s for 20 years, and is estimated to generate $1 million annually for the town. Buc-ee’s would also provide a one-time community contribution of $350,000.

Palmer Lake’s Board of Trustees will consider and possibly vote on the agreement on Aug. 28. Residents continue to oppose the project ahead of the board’s Sept. 9 recall and annexation referendum votes.

New CBI Director Named

Armando Saldate III, head of the Denver Department of Public Safety, stepped down from the role to accept a position as Director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

As director, Saldate will oversee nearly 400 employees in criminal investigations, forensic laboratory services, and criminal justice information management. He is the 12th director in the bureau’s history.

Saldate became Denver’s safety chief in 2022. In that role, he oversaw several agencies, including the city’s police, fire, and sheriff departments.

Chris Schaefer, CBI’s previous director, retired in May after a 30-year career and a tenure marked by controversy, including the Yvonne “Missy” Woods scandal.

Ice Exhibition Returns to Colorado

ICE!, a holiday showcase of more than 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures, will return this winter to six Gaylord Hotels resorts, including Gaylord Rockies in Aurora.

Master artisans spend six weeks crafting the exhibition, using 6,000 blocks of ice and LED lighting to create immersive scenes, frozen passageways, and five two-story ice slides.

In Aurora, this season’s showcase will tell the story of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! See a preview here.

ICE! at Gaylord Rockies will open Nov. 24. The resort’s Christmas-season events, including a new indoor snow tubing hill, run through Jan. 2, 2026.

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➤ Statewide: The Department of Justice refiled its lawsuit against Colorado’s immigration policies. The amended suit targets Senate Bill 276, an immigration protections law signed into effect after the original filing. (See Details)

➤ Southwest Colorado: A historic 102-year-old wooden flume used for hydroelectric power collapsed between Silverton and Durango last month, triggering a landslide and forest closures. (See Details)

➤ Longmont: The city reopened Union Reservoir Swim Beach on Monday after closing it last month due to low water levels and a lifeguard staffing shortage. (More)

➤ Aurora: Authorities in Aguascalientes, Mexico, arrested Adrian Alamillo-Gonzales, a local man who fled the country in 2023 while facing charges of kidnapping and sexual assault. (See Details)

➤ Golden: The city council unanimously passed an ordinance banning outdoor amplified music. Street performers argue the rule will unfairly impact local musicians. (More)

➤ La Plata County: A former county jail commander faces more than 100 criminal charges related to allegedly watching videos of female inmates’ strip searches. (More)

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➤ University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders announced Monday that he had his bladder removed following a cancer diagnosis. He’s now cancer-free, according to doctors, and says he plans to coach the upcoming season. (More)

➤ Two University of Denver hockey commits were selected to compete for Team USA at the World Junior Summer Showcase. (More)

➤ Nuggets center Nikola Jokić wept with joy after his horse won a race earlier this month in his native Serbia. (See Video)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA

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➤ Frontier Airlines will debut four new nonstop flight routes out of Denver International Airport in October. (See Flights)

➤ The Denver Art Museum (DAM) and Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art celebrated their official merger on Sunday. Kirkland will bring 35,000 objects to the DAM, increasing its permanent holdings by 30%. (See Details)

➤ Woodward Barn at Copper, a 19,400-square-foot indoor training facility at Copper Mountain Ski Resort, allows skiers, snowboarders, and other riders to hone their skills year-round. (Read Story)

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➤ VisitCOS launched a webpage with an interactive map to highlight less-traveled places in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region. (See Details)

➤ Denver Botanic Gardens harvested roughly 100 pounds of lavender from Chatfield Farms to help Stem Ciders, a Colorado-based cidery, make its seasonal lavender cider. (See Photos)

➤ The Splashstreet Boys—Denver Water’s educational Backstreet Boys parody—released a new single and music video, titled Water Tuesday (Splashstreet’s Back). The group went viral in 2024 for their single I Water That Way. (See Video)

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Do you think more cities should ban outdoor amplified music?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite way to look at leaves in the fall?

1. Scenic drives: 31%
2. Hiking: 16%
3. Neighborhood walks: 14%
4. Not a fan: 13%
5. Other: 13%
6. Camping: 13%

In what year was the Denver Art Museum founded?

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