Half of Denver's 10 bestselling vehicles are pickup trucks

1 big thing: Denver's love of pickup trucks

2. 🏆 13 James Beard nominations

Chef/owner Kelly Whitaker at The Wolf's Tailor in 2019. Photo: AAron Ontiveroz/Denver Post via Getty Images

Capitol Pulse: Colorado's high heating bills turn to political heat

3. Capitol Pulse: High heating bills turn to political heat

Illustration of a thermometer shaped like an upwards arrow, with the mercury rising.

4. Mile Highlights: Thousands apply for free preschool

4. Mile Highlights: Applicants for free preschool 

Illustration of the flag of Denver with the Axios logo in the place of the mountains.

Seeking employment? 

5. 💵 Green fund raises big money 

Illustration of a hand screwing in a lightbulb with a dollar sign in the middle.

It's Friday! We suggest jamming to this as you read today's newsletter. 

Today's weather: Mostly cloudy with a high near 45°. This weekend will be much cooler with a chance of snow both days.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Denver member Cruz Cunningham! And happy early birthday to member Karen Knauff!

Today's newsletter is 863 words — a 3-minute read.

📺 John is watching every moment of this favorite competition.

🦋 Alayna is excited to check out this "rainforest yoga" class at the Butterfly Pavilion tomorrow.

🥳 Esteban can't believe this show is coming back. 

👀 Catch up quick: Miss a beat this week? Here's our 2-minute weekly news roundup on PBS12.

This newsletter was edited by Ross Terrell and Judith Isacoff.

Denver

Picture of the Denver skyline with DEN written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporters John Frank and Alayna Alvarez.

Axios Denver

Denver Zoo told to be on "alert" after Dallas disappearances

1 big thing: Denver Zoo told to be on "alert" 

Why a Republican has a chance in Denver's mayoral race

2. 🐘 The Republican in Denver's mayoral race

Andy Rogeout. Photo: Courtesy of campaign

3. Candidate's military experience in the spotlight

3.  Spotlight: Rougeot's military experience

4. Mile Highlights: PUC gets roasted by ratepayers

Illustration of "Mile Highlights" on the "Welcome to Colorado" wooden sign.

A new career is waiting for you

9 things to do in Denver this weekend | Feb. 3-5

5. What's going down in Denver this weekend 

Illustration of neon signs with the days of the week. Lights go out one by one and "weekend" flashes.

6. ❄️ 1 map to go

It's Thursday! In the groundhog we trust, even though he's predicting six more weeks of winter. 😬

Today's weather: A tad warmer, with sunny skies and highs near 42°.

Today's newsletter is 949 words — a 3.5-minute read.

⛺ John is looking for camping passes to this Telluride music festival in June. 

🐻 Alayna is loving that this bear in Boulder has gone totally viral for its hundreds of wildlife cam selfies.

⌛ Esteban recommends watching this movie in honor of Groundhog Day.

Thanks to our editor Ross Terrell and copy editor Bill Kole.

Denver's starting to look bland and some people don't care

1 big thing: Denver's becoming bland

New construction in Denver's River North district in 2018. Photo: AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Denver Public Schools weighs limits on ChatGPT

2. 💻 DPS weighs limits on ChatGPT

We tested ChatGPT's Colorado knowledge. Here's how it did.

3. 🤖 We tested ChatGPT's Colorado smarts

Animated gif of a computer screen that reads "A.I" with the "I" as a blinking cursor

4. 🏈 And the Broncos next coach is...

Is a new job in your future?

5. Mile Highlights: Asian Restaurant Week

6. 🏂 1 photo to go: X Games Aspen

Fridtjof Sæther Tischendorf of Norway finished up in 4th in the X Games Aspen Snowboard Knuckle Huck finals Sunday. Photo: RJ Sangosti/Denver Post via Getty Images

Welcome back, it's Monday. Be sure to bundle up!

🥶 Today's weather: Another Arctic blast has arrived.

Cloudy with a high near 8° and lows below freezing, plus a 60% chance of snow.

Today's newsletter is 916 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🏄 John is reading this amazing Hollywood-esque surfing story.   

🥔 Alayna is making a big pot of this quick and creamy soup, one of her go-tos. (Can winter end already?!) 

💃 Esteban is listening to this new Rosalia song.

Thanks to editor Ross Terrell and copy editor Judith Isacoff.

Colorado's wet winter is a drop in the drought bucket

1 big thing: Colorado's wet winter a drop in the drought bucket 

2. Mapped: Where Colorado is driest  

3.🚶Jaywalking decriminalized in Denver 

4. Mile Highlights: Get smart, fast

Illustration of the Denver blue bear statue leaning against a black slash to create the Axios logo. 

Take your career to the next level

5. "Brewery" = fair game. "Seltzery" not so much

☕ Good Tuesday morning. Thanks for starting your day with us. 

☀️ Today's weather: The warmup begins. Sunny, with a high near 35° (but wind chills as low as -12°, yikes!) 

🚴 Situational awareness: Denver's next round of e-bike rebates goes live at 11am today. Apply here. 

Today's newsletter is 839 words — a 3-minute read.

🤔 John is reading this New York Times story on how to live life better.   

🎥 Alayna enjoyed this dark comedy directed by B.J. Novak (though she has mixed feelings about the ending). 

🤠 Esteban had a blast watching this Western. 

Editor's note: A story in yesterday's newsletter was corrected to show DeMeco Ryans is the defensive coordinator for the 49ers, not the offensive coordinator.

Thanks to our editor Ross Terrell and copy editor Eileen O'Reilly.

1 big thing: Denver's watchdog and the public

Denver-area leaders grapple with meth contamination fallout

2. Meth contamination challenges local leaders 

3. ✊🏾 CU Boulder's CAAAS Center 

4. Mile Highlights: Pain at the pump 

Plan your future

5. 👋 Say hello to Sean Payton 

14 Denver restaurants to dine with your darling on Valentine's Day

6. 💘 Where to dine on Valentine's Day 

🐪 Welcome to Wednesday and the first day of Black History Month! Let's dive right in.

Today's weather: Warmer, thankfully. Sunny with highs near 41°.

Today's newsletter is 918 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🎥 John is sad reading this story about the end of the Warren Miller film era.

💪 Alayna is feeling proud and honestly pretty great after finishing Dry January and these two 30-day workout challenges.

🤎 Esteban has this song on repeat because it provides a nice dance break during the day.

The first weekend of February is filled with fun events across the Mile High City. 

Here are nine happenings you won't want to miss:

💃 Museo de las Americas is throwing a party tomorrow to "celebrate Afro-Latinx identity." The event — part of Denver's First Friday series — includes a free samba class, local vendors and a bar, and runs from 5-9pm.

📜 Pages from the original Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a document that transformed the American Southwest, debuts in Denver tomorrow at History Colorado Center on the 175th anniversary of its signing. Catch the exhibit through May 23. Tickets: $15.

🎤 Comedian Ralph Barbosa, winner of the HBO & NYLFF Latino Stand-Up Comedy Competition, added a midnight show on Saturday at Comedy Works Downtown after selling out six other sets. Tickets: $24.

🎨 MCA Denver is hosting a celebration from 6-9pm on Saturday to say farewell to its exhibit "The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse." The party will include two DJs and light refreshments. Tickets: $20.

🍺Wynkoop Brewing's annual dark beer festival returns from noon-4pm this Saturday, with more than 15 beermakers participating. Attendees score unlimited dark beer tastings, appetizers, desserts and a commemorative glass. Tickets: $35-$45.

🐕 Nickelodeon's "PAW Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure" hits Bellco Theatre this Saturday and Sunday. Kiddos can watch Chase, Marshall, Skye and all their heroic pirate pup friends save the day. Tickets: $34-$79.

📖 Pat Pascoe, a historian and former state senator, will stop by the Denver Women's Press Club from 2-4pm on Sunday for a special signing of her new book: "A Dream of Justice: The Story of Keyes v. Denver Public Schools," a first-hand account. Tickets: Free; RSVP required.

🥌  The USA Curling Men's and Women's National Championships kick off Sunday at the Denver Coliseum, featuring fields of eight teams from each gender. The championship games will be held Feb. 11. Tickets start at $24.

🏳️‍🌈 Denver Beer Co. will welcome A'keria Davenport from "Ru Paul’s Drag Race" for a drag brunch at 11am on Sunday. The brewery is featuring a specialty small-batch brunch beer and bites from its food truck. Tickets: $20.

The first weekend of February is filled with fun events across the Mile High City.

The first weekend of February is filled with fun events across the Mile High City. Here are nine happenings you won&#x27;t want to miss:

News

Things to Do

Axios Denver, anchored by John Frank and Alayna Alvarez, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Denver metro leaders are wrestling with ways to address and prevent costly fallouts from meth contamination in public places.

Why it matters: Heavy meth use in metro Denver is hurting its users and limiting people's access to public services. At the same time, it's costing cities — and taxpayers — hundreds of thousands of dollars to deal with.

Driving the news: Arvada Library closed indefinitely Saturday after testing revealed traces of methamphetamine that exceeded state safety levels — the region's fourth library to close for similar reasons within a month.

Denver Public Library isn't testing for meth contamination because crews "clean the buildings daily and throughout the day if needed," and bathrooms are monitored by staff, the city says.

State of play: Denver's health department is working with industrial hygiene contractors to formalize its cleaning protocol into a policy, which should be finished in "the next few weeks," agency spokesperson Emily Williams tells Axios Denver.

The new policy will include routine cleaning operations for unknown substances and for viral pathogens, like COVID-19 and influenza. It will also outline when Denver police or health professionals need to be consulted, Williams says.

Meanwhile, Boulder's central library — the first to test positive and close in late December — has already shelled out $188,000 in testing and cleanup efforts, says library spokesperson Annie Elliott.

The city has since reopened its main branch without upholstered furnishings, or access to public restrooms and computers.

Bathroom access will be restored in "a few more weeks," but the library's 28 computers for adults won't be available until "we identify a solution that is more easily cleanable on a routine basis," Elliott says.

Zoom out: The uptick in testing and closures is part of a ripple effect after the Boulder library incident, with many local jurisdictions proactively probing their libraries and transit stations for remnants of the drug.

Yes, but: Some drug addiction specialists say the growing library closures, and media coverage of them, are overblown.

"Meth has been just as popular for years," Lisa Raville, executive director of the Harm Reduction Action Center, told Westword. "If the drug war had a communications director, she's doing a great job at getting misinformation out there."

The big picture: Meth was the largest contributor to the rise in overdose deaths statewide before the introduction of fentanyl, Williams says. It remains one of the leading causes of overdose deaths in Denver and nationwide.

Threat level: The public health risk related to short-term or incidental exposure to meth in public areas is very low, health experts say.

The main health concerns stem from long-term exposure to properties where meth is produced or routinely consumed.

Local leaders are wrestling with ways to address and prevent costly fallouts from meth contamination in public places.

A man lighting a crystal meth pipe. Photo: Shannon Morris/Fairfax Media via Getty Images

Denver metro leaders are wrestling with ways to address and prevent costly fallouts from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="meth contamination" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/01/12/boulder-colorado-meth-library" data-vars-content-id="9f0de812-8eb5-4fe4-90ed-0d10a825a702" data-vars-headline="Denver-area leaders grapple with meth contamination fallout" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/01/12/boulder-colorado-meth-library" target="_self">meth contamination</a> in public places.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Heavy meth use" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/01/12/boulder-colorado-meth-library" data-vars-content-id="9f0de812-8eb5-4fe4-90ed-0d10a825a702" data-vars-headline="Denver-area leaders grapple with meth contamination fallout" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/01/12/boulder-colorado-meth-library" target="_self">Heavy meth use</a> in metro Denver is hurting its users and limiting people&#x27;s access to public services. At the same time, it&#x27;s costing cities — and taxpayers — hundreds of thousands of dollars to deal with.

The monkey business afoot at the Dallas Zoo is causing zookeepers across the country, including in Denver, to be extra vigilant when it comes to the safety of their animals.

Driving the news: Two emperor tamarin monkeys were allegedly stolen from the Dallas Zoo earlier this week and found in the closet of an abandoned home. It's the latest in a string of strange incidents at the zoo over the last month, Axios Dallas' Michael Mooney writes.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums issued a statement Tuesday urging its members —  including the Denver Zoo — to "be extra cautious and alert" until the Dallas culprit is caught.

What they're saying: "Unfortunately, as the events in Dallas show, motivated individuals can and do find ways to breach those security measures," association spokesperson Rob Vernon tells Axios Denver. "We will learn from these unfortunate incidents, and our members will be better prepared as a result."

By the numbers: The Denver Zoo is home to 3,000 animals representing 450 different species, spokesperson Jake Kubie tells us.

Roughly a third of them are classified as endangered, critically endangered or extinct in the wild.

Threat level: Although some Denver Zoo creatures have managed to make a run for it in the past, none have knowingly ever been poached from their habitats, Vernon says.

The recent incidents involving the escape, death and apparent theft of animals at the Dallas Zoo are also rare nationwide, Vernon adds.

State of play: The Denver Zoo declined to comment on its safety protocols and whether it was ramping up security. 

However, every association-accredited facility must follow certain standards that call for keeping animals and guests safe, including protocols like properly securing habitats.

A gibbon perches on a rope at the Denver Zoo in 2018. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The monkey business <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="afoot at the Dallas Zoo" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/31/missing-monkeys-dallas-zoo" data-vars-content-id="b4e68f1b-83a3-4558-b5fa-9cb99e782c7f" data-vars-headline="Denver Zoo told to be on &quot;alert&quot; after Dallas disappearances" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/31/missing-monkeys-dallas-zoo" target="_self">afoot at the Dallas Zoo</a> is causing zookeepers across the country, including in Denver, to be extra vigilant when it comes to the safety of their animals.Driving the news: Two emperor tamarin monkeys were allegedly stolen from the Dallas Zoo earlier this week and found in the closet of an abandoned home. It&#x27;s the latest in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="string of strange incidents" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/26/escaped-leopard-dead-vulture-dallas-zoo" data-vars-content-id="b4e68f1b-83a3-4558-b5fa-9cb99e782c7f" data-vars-headline="Denver Zoo told to be on &quot;alert&quot; after Dallas disappearances" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/26/escaped-leopard-dead-vulture-dallas-zoo" target="_self">string of strange incidents</a> at the zoo over the last month, Axios Dallas&#x27; Michael Mooney <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/31/missing-monkeys-dallas-zoo" data-vars-content-id="b4e68f1b-83a3-4558-b5fa-9cb99e782c7f" data-vars-headline="Denver Zoo told to be on &quot;alert&quot; after Dallas disappearances" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2023/01/31/missing-monkeys-dallas-zoo" target="_self">writes</a>.

Business

The heavy snow blanketing the Rocky Mountains this winter is a welcome respite for the shrinking Colorado River. 

Yes, but: Climate experts say it still falls short from saturating the state's drought-ridden reservoirs.

State of play: Colorado and other Western states that make up the Colorado River Basin are in the midst of a megadrought — the region's worst in 1,200 years.

Driving the news: Western Colorado and much of the Front Range have been buried under above-average snowfall this season, National Weather Service hydrologist Aldis Strautins tells us.

Snowpack at the Colorado River's headwaters is 133% of average compared with the 30-year median between 1991 and 2020. Other nearby mountain ranges are between 140% and 160% of normal levels, he says. 

The big picture: Although the extra precipitation has helped curb Colorado's drought levels in the short-term, climate experts say the snow accumulation falls short of making a lasting impact. 

What they're saying: "It would take multiple years like this in a row to really help with the long-term drought that those reservoirs are seeing," Strautins tells Axios Denver. 

Brad Udall, a water and climate researcher at Colorado State University, told KUNC: "We would need five or six years at 150% snowpack to refill these reservoirs. And that is extremely unlikely." 

Map: Courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor 

By the numbers: 36% of the state is experiencing moderate to "exceptional" drought, compared with 88% a year ago, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. 

Those conditions are concentrated in eastern Colorado.

What to watch: With Colorado's snowiest months still ahead, the National Weather Service is predicting the northern part of the state will fare better than the southern region when it comes to snowpack. 

Southern Colorado is forecast to have some higher probability of below-normal precipitation, while the northern part of the state could see equal chances of above- or below-normal moisture levels, Strautins says. 

Although the extra precipitation has helped curb Colorado's drought levels in the short-term, climate experts say the snow accumulation falls short of making a lasting impact.

A west Denver neighborhood during a snowstorm on Jan. 18. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The heavy snow blanketing the Rocky Mountains this winter is a welcome respite for the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shrinking Colorado River" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/15/southwest-water-cuts-deadline-colorado-river-drought" data-vars-content-id="b98a507d-88f8-4b05-b68c-4c117f3ab070" data-vars-headline="Colorado&#x27;s wet winter is a drop in the drought bucket" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/15/southwest-water-cuts-deadline-colorado-river-drought" target="_self">shrinking Colorado River</a>. Yes, but: Climate experts say it still falls short from saturating the state&#x27;s drought-ridden reservoirs.

Valentine's Day is just two weeks away. Yeah, it snuck up on us too. 😬

What's happening: If you want to kindle the romance without burning dinner, we rounded up 14 Denver restaurants (see what we did there?) featuring special offerings to celebrate with your sweetheart.

Noisette in LoHi will offer a $125 three-course dinner, featuring live langoustine with sea urchin cream and filet mignon with bordelaise sauce. Wine pairings are also available. Reservations.

Duo in North Denver will serve a four-course dinner for $90, with highlights such as a trio of West Coast oysters, wild mushroom cavatelli and bison short ribs. Reservations.

Mizuna in Capitol Hill will provide a grand tasting menu featuring French classics for $180. Wine pairings, caviar and wagyu are also available as add-ons the night of. Reservations.

Goed Zuur in Five Points is hosting an $80 four-course dinner, featuring tasty meats and cheeses, plus $60 drink pairings of sour beer — their specialty — or wine. Date night specials are also available on Saturday, Feb. 11. Reservations.

Glo Noodle House near the Berkeley neighborhood is serving up a six-course dinner for $85, with dishes including grilled beef tenderloin with parsnip purée and kizami and butter-poached shrimp. Reservations.

Le Roux near Union Station is serving a $99 four-course menu from 4-9:30pm. Guests will be treated to a glass of champagne upon arrival. Wine pairings are available for $35. A bottle of Moët & Chandon can be requested for $90. Reservations.

Perdida in Wash Park is cooking up coastal Mexican cuisine with a $75 three-course menu that includes spotlights like filets with chimichurri sauce and seared baja sea bass. Reservations.

Somebody People on South Broadway is celebrating love with a set $60 menu, featuring flavorful plant-based cuisine and a specialty cocktail. Wine pairings are available for $40. Reservations.

Urban Farmer, located in the Oxford Hotel in downtown Denver, is providing a range of specials from Feb. 10-14, including smoked duck breast with sweet potato gnocchi and pork chops with purple yams. Reservations.

Everyday Pizza in RiNo is offering a $45 tasting menu featuring pasta and vegetable-forward pies, plus one craft cocktail. Wine pairings are available for $30. Reservations.

FIRE, in the ART Hotel near the Denver Art Museum, is serving a $75 three-course menu that includes roasted carrot bisque, seared scallops and duck leg confit. Reservations.

Palace Arms at The Brown Palace downtown is offering a $175 prix-fixe, four-course menu featuring dishes such as Rockefeller oysters with chorizo and manchego, mushroom ravioli, and duck breast and lobster tail. Reservations.

Toro in Cherry Creek is serving a four-course prix-fixe dinner from Feb. 14-16 at $195 for two, with pan-Latin inspired dishes such as fresh ceviche, smoked short ribs with chimichurri sauce, and the restaurant's signature dessert: La Bomba. Reservations.

Citizen Rail in LoDo is offering a $105 three-course dinner menu that includes a charred pear salad, grilled petite New York steak, sourdough pasta with black trumpet mushrooms, and more. Reservations.

If you want to kindle the romance without burning dinner, we rounded up a list of spots featuring special offerings.

Fresh ceviche and margaritas from Toro in Denver. Photo: Courtesy of Toro 

Valentine&#x27;s Day is just two weeks away. Yeah, it snuck up on us too. 😬What&#x27;s happening: If you want to kindle the romance without burning dinner, we rounded up 14 Denver restaurants (see what we did there?) featuring special offerings to celebrate with your sweetheart.<ul><li>Pro tip: Make your reservations ASAP. </li></ul>

Alayna Alvarez

Stories

Denver Zoo told to be on "alert" after Dallas disappearances

9 things to do in Denver this weekend | Feb. 3-5

Denver-area leaders grapple with meth contamination fallout

14 Denver restaurants to dine with your darling on Valentine's Day

Colorado's wet winter is a drop in the drought bucket

Newsletter editions

🐘 GOP Denver mayor?

🚓 New police watchdog

❄️ The drought snow-lution

👀 Our "fugly" problem

🛻 Somethin' bout a truck