Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1865, the Battle of Julesburg took place. Around 1,000 Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota warriors ambushed about 60 U.S. cavalry soldiers near Fort Rankin in retaliation for the Sand Creek Massacre of Nov. 29, 1864.

Spotted any dinosaurs off Interstate 25 lately? A new adventure park is coming to Monument, complete with mini golf, a tiki bar, and a T-Rex big enough to make you look twice. Find the details in Et Cetera.

If you value your privacy and don’t like the idea of your personal information being just a Google search away, today’s sponsor, Incogni, has a simple way to take back control.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

USFWS Gives CPW Wolf Ultimatum

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is requiring Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to provide a detailed report of gray wolf management in the state from Dec. 12, 2023, to the present.

If the agency fails to do so, USFWS will terminate the agreement that gives CPW authority to manage its experimental wolf population, according to a Dec. 18 letter detailing the request.

CPW plans to comply with the request within the 30-day deadline, which falls on or about Jan. 17. If the agreement were revoked, Colorado’s wolves would be managed by the federal government.

In October, USFWS told CPW it could no longer import wolves from Canada, citing violations of a 2023 rule that limited sourcing to specific U.S. states—raising the possibility of a pause in future wolf releases.

GOP Governor Candidates Leave Race, Party

State Sen. Mark Baisley filed Monday to leave the crowded Republican primary for Colorado governor and run instead for U.S. Senate.

Baisley is the most experienced Republican challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat. National Republicans have signaled they will largely ignore Colorado’s Senate race to focus on more competitive states.

Separately, former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, another Republican candidate for governor, left the GOP last week with plans to continue his campaign as an unaffiliated candidate.

Other GOP candidates include state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, podcaster Joe Oltmann, and Marine veteran Victor Marx. Colorado last elected a Republican governor in 2002.

Mountain Lion Victim Identified

The woman killed in a mountain lion attack near Glen Haven on New Year’s Day has been identified as Kristen Marie Kovatch, 46, of Fort Collins.

Two mountain lions in the area, a year-old male and female believed to be part of a family group, were euthanized following the attack. Wildlife officers called off a search for a third lion on Monday.

Necropsies revealed human DNA on all four paws of the male lion. Five sightings and incidents were reported in the Glen Haven area in the weeks leading up to Jan. 1.

Kovatch’s death marks the first fatal mountain lion attack in Colorado since 1999, though the animals have recently been linked to several pet deaths along the Front Range.

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➤ Boulder County: A roughly 35-acre grassfire near Louisville prompted evacuations and the closure of U.S. Highway 287 on Monday. Crews had the fire mostly contained by 3:50 p.m., and all evacuation orders were lifted by 4:30 p.m. (See Details)

➤ Denver: FBI and local police are seeking help identifying a man who robbed a U.S. Bank on Colorado Boulevard Monday morning. (More)

➤ Douglas County: A 100-day closure of County Line Road from Clarkson Street to the U-Haul business access began yesterday for road work and safety improvements. (See Details)

➤ Greeley: The Greeley Stampede announced it will introduce AI-powered weapons detection systems at all park entrances this summer. (See Details)

➤ High Country: Two ski areas, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands, received 12 inches of snow in Monday night’s storm, while several others reported 6 inches or more. (See List)

➤ Boulder: A man died after a structure fire broke out at a local senior housing facility late Sunday night. (More)

➤ Mesa County: An injured hiker was rescued via helicopter from a height of about 11,000 feet west of Maroon Bells over the weekend. (More)

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➤ Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo said the school must boost revenue to address the projected $27 million athletic department deficit for the current fiscal year ending in June. (More)

➤ Tickets for the Broncos’ first playoff game start at $555 for nosebleed seats and climb up to nearly $2,000 for lower-level views. If they reach the AFC Championship, premium seats could cost over $10,000. (More)

➤ Colorado football added James Madison edge rusher Manny Ezeogu via the transfer portal. Ezeogu played in all 14 games in 2025, tallying 15 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a sack. (More)

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

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➤ PNC Bank closed a $4.1 billion deal Monday to acquire Lakewood-based FirstBank Holding Co., Colorado’s largest privately held bank, giving it the second-largest share of the state’s banking market. (More)

➤ Fort Collins may reintroduce paid street parking to Old Town by 2027, charging $2 an hour in an effort to reduce congestion and free up spots. (More)

➤ FrontRange H2O, a Loveland-based water company, is investing $150 million to harvest northern Colorado groundwater to serve towns along the Interstate 25 corridor. (See Details)

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➤ Lost Island Adventure Park, featuring dinosaurs, four 18-hole mini golf courses, and a 40,000-square-foot indoor playground and trampoline park, plans to open a new location in Monument in 2027. (See Details)

➤ This list of ice-skating rinks in and around Denver features everything from NHL-regulation-size ice sheets to beginner-friendly rinks and glow-in-the-dark skating. (See List)

➤ PonchoMan, a Broncos superfan from Grand Junction, has made it his mission to attend every home game for nearly 20 years. (More)

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➤ Everyone thought using mouthwash was safe…Until this world-renowned doctor proved otherwise. He clearly showed that, when used like this, mouthwash wreaks havoc on your gums…Causing inflammation, cavities, bad breath, and even tooth loss. Find out all about this here: The No.1 Mouthwash Mistake That Leads To Bleeding Gums And Tooth Loss