The Catch Up: Feb. 3-7, 2025
Each week, KUNC collects and curates some of the more important stories of the week that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be, and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
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Denver area King Soopers workers went on strike this week
Employees of Denver area King Soopers stores officially started their strike on Thursday morning. Their union, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7, voted to strike last week. UFCW says workers are looking for more healthcare benefits along with worries about new technology impacting staffing levels and increased workloads. King Soopers says stores will remain open during the strike.
Retrial in Glass murder case begins naming jurors
Jury selection began this week in the retrial of the man accused of shooting and killing Christian Glass in 2022. Former Clear Creek County Sheriff's deputy Andrew Buen is on trial again for second-degree murder after a jury could not reach a verdict last year. Buen was found guilty of reckless endangerment, but the jury deadlocked on the murder charge. jury selection could take several days. Glass was killed while police were attempting to force him out of his car. He seemed to be experiencing a mental health crisis.
Rep. Neguse encourages Fort Collins to 鈥榮tay hopeful鈥� in meeting with locals
Congressman Joe Neguse was back on home turf to meet with constituents last week, holding events in Estes Park, Fort Collins and Longmont. A standing-room-only crowd filled the student center at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, mostly asking Neguse questions about the recent tumult in Washington, D.C. Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump issued a vague, wide-reaching pause on federal funds before it was temporarily blocked by a judge. The event was originally billed as a 鈥淪tate of the District,鈥� but Neguse scrapped his planned presentation and held a question and answer session instead. Neguse, whose district includes Boulder, Fort Collins, Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs, highlighted the impact of federally-funded climate programs that help prevent wildfires and protect rivers and streams.
Council to delay decision on West Greeley project
The Greeley City Council punted a decision last month on guaranteeing over $1 billion in debt for the Cascadia project. Windsor developer Martin Lind鈥檚 plans include a hotel, a water park, and a new arena for the Colorado Eagles hockey team. Chris Wood With BizWest told KUNC Greeley officials want to make sure they can comfortably commit to the cost before finalizing the plan. He said the city already got an economic impact study with best-and-worst-case scenarios, but officials want another analysis. They say a new study would be built to better predict the most likely outcome for the project. Wood says City Council could revisit the decision in the coming weeks.
55-gallon drum discovered in Rocky Flats area declared safe after investigation
Colorado state health officials have determined a mysterious 55-gallon drum discovered in the Walnut Creek drainage area of Rocky Flats is not of concern. The drum initially sparked some questions as the area once housed a nuclear weapons manufacturer. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the U.S. Department of Energy led an investigation even though the drum appeared to be empty. Although unlikely, the agencies followed a multiple-step plan to test the drum鈥檚 residuals for any radioactive or toxic waste concerns. The steps included a visual inspection, testing the interior and exterior of the drum for gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide, and a radiological survey.
Climbing hotspots in Roosevelt National Forest close for bird nesting season聽
Several popular climbing areas in the Roosevelt National Forest are closed for the season to protect nesting birds of prey. That includes Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, and Security Risk in Boulder Canyon. Along Highway 14 in Poudre Canyon, Tripel Tier and Boston Peak are closed. A raptor closure is also in place at Mt. Olympus southeast of Highway 34. Federal and state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting birds of prey. The annual closures will be in place through July.
Liberty CEO tapped to lead federal energy department
The Senate confirmed Denver-based fossil fuel executive Chris Wright this week to serve as US energy secretary. Wright grew up in Colorado and founded a company in the 90s that helped launch commercial shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. He鈥檚 been the CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011. Wright promised to implement President Trump鈥檚 energy agenda, which favors boosting fossil fuel production and rolling back green energy initiatives.
Altitude Sports renews Xfinity deal聽
A new day has dawned for fans of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche. Altitude Sports reached an agreement Tuesday with Comcast Xfinity to restore the TV broadcast home of both teams to its channel lineup. Comcast has not carried Altitude Sports since 2019 because of a contract dispute. Games can now be seen on channel 1250. Altitude entered a partnership with KUSA-TV 9NEWS and its parent company earlier this season to televise Nuggets and Avs games. Those games will still be carried locally.
