August 20th 2026
Rep Gov nominee Victor Marx lays out his vision for water.
Republican nominee for Governor Victor Marx yesterday at the Colorado Water
Congress in Steamboat Springs, laid out how he says Colorado should approach its water
future. Marx told the standing-room-only audience that he holds water rights himself,
giving him a personal stake in Colorado's water challenges. Marx says that more storage
is the answer. He said storage gives farmers and ranchers reliability, options for
communities and reduces emergency decisions. Marx said he would advocate for greater
partnership with the federal government, local and private partners, in part to address
forest health issues, and would build a good team that will look for solutions. Marx said
he would advocate for more responsible storage, better conservation, modern
infrastructure, healthy forests, protected watersheds, strong water rights, faster
responsible permitting, technology and innovation and long-term planning.
CDE released 2026 statewide assessments results.
The Colorado Department of Education yesterday released 2026 student achievement and
growth results, including data on how students performed on statewide assessments
administered this spring. The data shows that math achievement increased in most
elementary and middle school grades compared with 2025. Elementary english language
arts scores also increased in 4th and 5th grades. However, achievement declined in middle
school english language arts, while science results were largely unchanged in middle and
high school. 5th grade science scores decreased from 39% to 36.1%. In math, the
percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectation increased in 5 of the 6 grades
tested. 3rd grades remained unchanged. State officials said overall growth remained near
expectations, but said middle school english language arts and science require continued
attention.
CO AG Weiser files lawsuit against geo group.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser yesterday filed a lawsuit in an effort to force geo
group to provide information after a confirmed case of tuberculosis was reported at the
Aurora ice detention center. On august 13th, the Colorado Department of Public Health
and environment issued a public health order directing the geo group to share information
about the tb case for a public health investigation. The AG's office says the geo group
has failed to share medical information, potential contacts and detainee discharge and
transfer information. The Colorado AG's office says it has the authority to file a suit on
behalf of CDPHE to enforce its health order.
CPW contacting Aspen Acres Fire area hunting license holders.
Specific Elk hunting license holders in the Aspen Acres Fire area are being contacted
directly through the mail by Colorado Parks and Wildlife with options for refunds for the
purchase cost and restoration of any preference points used to select their impacted elk
hunting license. Impacted hunting areas are within game management units 69 and 84
and access may be restricted by fire recovery efforts. More details are in the mailing.
Info is also available by calling 303-297-1192.
Calhan Police Chief announces flock camera removal.
Calhan Police Chief Anthony Tribuzio on Tuesday announced that the flock camera that
had been located in Calhan has been removed and will not be replaced by any other brand
of similar camera. The announcement comes days after the Salida Police Department
announced that it has ended its contract with flock safety and would also stop using their
automated license plate reader. Both removals come as public pressure begins to increase
over the invasion of privacy and fourth amendment violation issues that such cameras
create.
August 19th 2026
Fire personnel continuing work on Aspen Acres Fire.
125 fire personnel are still working on the Aspen Acres Fire, which remains at 102,004
acres and 72% containment as of yesterday. Crews are making steady progress on
critical repair work throughout the affected area, according to fire officials. They are
focused on repairing areas impacted by fire suppression operations, such as reinforcing
fire lines, chipping and reducing brush piles created during firefighting and repairing
culverts. The Pike and San Isabel National Forest remains closed currently due to crews
continuing to work with heavy equipment and some fire lines still needing to be repaired
or reinforced, according to fire officials.
Protesters gathered outside Pueblo City Hall to protest flock cameras Monday.
About 25 people gathered outside the Pueblo City Hall on Monday afternoon to protest
the use of flock cameras and other forms of artificial intelligence surveillance. Flock
cameras are automated license plate readers that utilize ai to "automatically
capture,analyze and store" license plate data for law enforcement. A group called
"deflock" is raising awareness about flock cameras as potential threats to "personal
privacy and civil liberties", and has mapped 100 readers in and near the Pueblo City
limits. Protesters on Monday raised concerns about the creation of a "surveillance state",
and the potential misuse of data by private companies, among other concerns. The
demonstration took place a week after Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller was questioned
about the use of the cameras and their relationship to a $125,059 beat auto theft through
law enforcement state grant soon to be considered for acceptance by the city on second
reading.
Monte Vista PD welcomed new officers to its staff.
The Monte Vista Police Department has welcomed three new officers to its staff. During
the August 6th Monte Vista City Council Meeting, officers Michael Reimann and Craig
Collings, along with community service officer Dusty Duran, were officially sworn in as
members of the Monte Vista Police Department. Reimann and Collings are filling
existing police officer vacancies within the department. Duran is also filling an existing
vacancy, however, the title for his position was previously code enforcement. He will
instead be known as community service officer to better represent the broader
responsibilities of his job.
CPW reminding CO residents to keep vehicles locked.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reminding Colorado residents to keep their vehicles
locked after a bear broke into a car in Colorado Springs and then died. CPW says that a
250-pound black bear entered the unlocked car on Monday Night, destroyed the vehicle,
then died inside the vehicle. The bear was not found for days. Wildlife officers are
urging community members to lock their vehicles, keep their windows closed and refrain
from leaving trash or food inside their vehicle. CPW says this year is on pace to have the
highest number of bear conflicts and sightings, with 6,129 reports between January 1st
and August 13th statewide.
CSP ruled I-70 crash near Utah border intentional act.
The Colorado State Patrol has ruled a deadly crash near The Utah State border that killed
a Colorado Springs woman as an intentional act. According to CSP, a Subaru Outback
traveling the wrong way on Interstate 70 west of Grand Junction, struck the front of a
Ford F-150 truck on July 20th. The toxicology report indicates that the 32-year-old
woman driver had a blood alcohol content of 0.235. The driver of the Ford F-150, a 40-
year-old man from Thornton, sustained serious injuries. The passengers, a 32-year-old
woman, a 24-year-old woman, and three juveniles, also sustained serious injuries.