CU Target of Shooter Hoax

A fake active shooter report triggered a campus-wide shelter-in-place order at the University of Colorado Boulder Monday.

The CU Boulder Police Department issued the order just before 5 p.m., after someone claiming to be in Sewell Hall reported hearing gunshots near Norlin Library.

After evacuating the residence hall and library, CUPD determined the incident was a hoax, confirming there “was and is” no threat to campus.

Monday’s incident at CU is the latest in a series of false active shooter reports, or “swatting” incidents, that have impacted universities across the country in recent days.

Lee Fire Now Fourth-Largest

The Lee Fire, still 90% contained, grew to an estimated 138,844 acres Tuesday morning, making it the fourth-largest wildfire in Colorado history.

After surpassing the 2002 Hayman Fire, the Lee Fire now ranks just behind the Pine Gulch Fire (139,007 acres), East Troublesome (193,812), and Cameron Peak (208,913) fires, all in 2020.

At least five homes and 15 outbuildings have been destroyed by the Lee Fire and the nearby Elk Fire, which is now fully contained.

Fire managers said the area has a 100% chance of rain in the coming days. While monsoonal rain could slow the fire’s spread, it also brings a risk of flash flooding.

More Bills Amended, Passed in Session

After a tentative deal fell apart Sunday, Colorado lawmakers abandoned an effort to rewrite the Colorado AI Act, instead delaying its implementation from Feb. 1 to June 30, 2026.

The delay will allow the legislature to revisit the law during its regular 120-day session rather than during the ongoing special session, which began last week.

Lawmakers also passed five bills generating $244 million in new revenue—closing about one-third of the budget gap—through corporate tax policy changes.

Another bill passed Monday, originally aimed at pausing wolf reintroductions, was amended to allow the program to continue while redirecting some General Fund money to a health insurance affordability fund.

➤ Fort Collins: A kitchen fire broke out Saturday at the Fort Collins Rescue Mission, causing extensive damage and displacing 82 people. No injuries were reported. (See Details)

➤ Loveland: Police used a drone to find a robbery suspect who fled from officers on a motorcycle, crashed, ran away on foot, and tried to hide in a grassy area. (See Video)

➤ Pitkin County: Wildlife officials say hundreds of rainbow trout found dead in Grizzly Reservoir were killed by deteriorating water quality and other environmental factors. (See Details)

➤ Commerce City: All occupants of a vehicle escaped unharmed before a train collided with it Sunday night. The cause of the collision is under investigation. (More)

➤ Denver: Tom Haney Jr., a former homicide detective known for his work on the JonBenét Ramsey case, died on Aug. 19 at age 77. (More)

➤ Statewide: Colorado’s rate of youth suicide dropped to a 17-year low in 2024, health officials announced Monday. (See Report)

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➤ Former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne revealed in a recent interview that he voted for Georgia Tech over Colorado in the final Coaches Poll of the 1990 season, contributing to a result that saw the two teams share the national championship that year. (More)

➤ The Denver Broncos trimmed their roster down to 53 players yesterday. Click the following link to see who made the final cut. (See Roster)

➤ Ralphie VI, the University of Colorado’s live buffalo mascot, is retiring after four years. Known as Ember, she’s headed to a ranch for a slower pace alongside Ralphie V. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Soccer | WNBA | U.S. Open

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➤ A moon rover developed by Golden-based Lunar Outpost—and test-driven at a rural site in Huerfano County—is competing to win a service contract for NASA’s Artemis mission. (See Photos)

➤ Momma’s Kitchen, a homestyle breakfast diner serving food “like grandma used to make,” opened in Littleton in place of Littleton Cafe, which closed earlier this summer. (More)

➤ The single largest electric vehicle charging hub in Denver opened at Ball Arena, with 60 total charging ports available during games and events. (See Details)

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How General Motors Is Securing Lithium Supply

The world will need to produce 3.8 million tons of lithium per year by 2035 to meet the demand for electric vehicles. GM is turning to a startup to unlock a U.S.-based lithium supply: EnergyX.

EnergyX’s patented LiTAS® technology can extract up to 300% more lithium than traditional methods. GM led a $50 million funding round in EnergyX earlier this year, and EnergyX is now opening up the opportunity for all investors to join them. Don’t miss out: Become an EnergyX shareholder today.

➤ A monkey and a capybara at the Denver Zoo were photographed cuddling together. (See Photos)

➤ A CU Boulder student completed a three-day free climb on The American Way in Kyrgyzstan, one of the world’s most difficult rock climbing routes. (See Details)

➤ Ben & Jerry’s is Colorado’s most popular ice cream brand, based on a 2025 study mapping top brands by state. (See Map)

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Do you support more manned missions to the moon?

1. Yes, it’s important
2. No, waste of money
3. Not sure

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite type of Italian food?

1. Pasta: 26%
2. Pizza: 23%
3. Cured meats: 13%
4. Risotto: 13%
5. Gelato: 13%
6. Other: 12%

What competing city lost to Boulder in a bid to be the University of Colorado’s hometown?

Show me the answer