Arapahoe County

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Big Boy's Colorado adventure

The world's largest operating steam locomotive will stop in Strasburg for the final leg of its coast-to-coast America 250 tour.

America at 250

The train that &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="makes grown men cry" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/a-locomotive-named-big-boy-is-making-grown-men-cry-0f965e12" data-vars-content-id="808257a3-77b3-48cb-92e5-c70a4e03333d" data-vars-headline="Big Boy&#x27;s Colorado adventure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/a-locomotive-named-big-boy-is-making-grown-men-cry-0f965e12" target="_blank">makes grown men cry</a>&quot; rolls into Arapahoe County on Monday afternoon.Driving the news: Union Pacific&#x27;s Big Boy No. 4014 stops at Strasburg&#x27;s Main Street crossing from 3:45-4:15pm for the final leg of its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="coast-to-coast" data-vars-click-url="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/track" data-vars-content-id="808257a3-77b3-48cb-92e5-c70a4e03333d" data-vars-headline="Big Boy&#x27;s Colorado adventure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/track" target="_blank">coast-to-coast</a> America 250 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tour" data-vars-click-url="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule" data-vars-content-id="808257a3-77b3-48cb-92e5-c70a4e03333d" data-vars-headline="Big Boy&#x27;s Colorado adventure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule" target="_blank">tour</a>.

Inside Zyn's $1.2B Colorado bet

The new campus grows manufacturing jobs as debate over nicotine pouches continues.

Business

Philip Morris International ramps up production at its planned $1.2 billion Zyn campus in Aurora on Monday, cementing Colorado&#x27;s role at the center of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="booming" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/business/zyn-nicotine-pouches-tobacco.html" data-vars-content-id="fa4b3586-1dbd-43d0-9448-2b0d8033175c" data-vars-headline="Inside Zyn&#x27;s $1.2B Colorado bet" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/business/zyn-nicotine-pouches-tobacco.html" target="_blank">booming</a> nicotine pouch business.Why it matters: The tobacco giant&#x27;s first U.S. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="greenfield" data-vars-click-url="https://www.archistar.ai/blog/what-is-a-greenfield-development/" data-vars-content-id="fa4b3586-1dbd-43d0-9448-2b0d8033175c" data-vars-headline="Inside Zyn&#x27;s $1.2B Colorado bet" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.archistar.ai/blog/what-is-a-greenfield-development/" target="_blank">greenfield</a> manufacturing complex is being pitched as a boon to Aurora&#x27;s economy, but critics say Colorado is backing a product that could addict young users.

Colorado's golden beginnings

I found Colorado gold, but the story's worth far more.

Culture

Colorado&#x27;s 150th birthday is next month, but I don&#x27;t need a beard or a pickaxe to connect with stories that helped put our Centennial State on the map.Flashback: An 1858 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gold discovery" data-vars-click-url="https://www.the-old-west.com/articles/pike-s-peak-gold-rush" data-vars-content-id="9c95c7d2-1ee0-4ba1-b69d-67baa69d3041" data-vars-headline="Colorado&#x27;s golden beginnings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.the-old-west.com/articles/pike-s-peak-gold-rush" target="_blank">gold discovery</a> near Arapahoe County&#x27;s South Platte River and Little Dry Creek confluence was a major moment in the rush that drew fortune-seekers West.

Arapahoe County's missile silo problem

Repeated missile silo rescues are straining fire crews.

Aerospace

Back-to-back rescues at an abandoned Titan I missile silo have Arapahoe County fire chiefs warning that thrill seekers are stretching rural crews and putting rescuers at risk.Why it matters: Every rescue pulls fire crews into dangerous Cold War-era complexes where radios fail, standing water pools and decades-old concrete and metal are deteriorating as wildfire season stretches already-thin departments.

Double trouble: Colorado's summertime air threats

How to lessen wildfire smoke and ozone issues at home.

Climate

Colorado&#x27;s summer air is a two-front health threat as wildfire smoke and ozone blanket the Front Range.Why it matters: Poor air quality isn&#x27;t just ugly or annoying. It can trigger coughing, wheezing and burning eyes — especially for kids, seniors and people with asthma, COPD, heart disease or other underlying health problems.

The metro area's e-bike injuries are surging

Serious crashes are becoming a near-daily occurrence.

Health

Metro Denver hospitals are treating a surge of serious injuries as electric rides become popular gifts, warm-weather commuting tools and high-speed toys.By the numbers: Seven of HCA HealthONE&#x27;s hospitals have recorded 149 e-bike- and e-scooter-related injuries in their trauma registries so far this year.

Bennett's big small-town boom

Cheaper homes, open plains and aging infrastructure collide just beyond Aurora's edge.

A small town straddling the Arapahoe-Adams county border is becoming Colorado&#x27;s latest growth test, as less expensive homes, open plains and aging infrastructure collide just beyond Aurora&#x27;s edge.Why it matters: Bennett is increasingly part of metro Denver&#x27;s housing market as builders look east and buyers search for something they can afford.

Bookstores fill gap left by disappearing third places

Book clubs, coffee and quiet spaces are drawing people back to local bookstores.

Bookstores are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="finding new life" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/03/bookstores-barnes-noble-james-daunt" data-vars-content-id="9e6b2849-e95e-4312-b782-5a98d5156bb7" data-vars-headline="Bookstores fill gap left by disappearing third places" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/03/bookstores-barnes-noble-james-daunt" target="_self">finding new life</a> as Americans lose many of their casual gathering places.The big picture: The comeback isn&#x27;t just about selling books. It&#x27;s about turning browsing into belonging.

Aurora mulls data center limits

Data centers have become a national flashpoint.

Aurora is poised for a wider debate over data center rules, as Councilmember Amy Wiles explores new regulations and residents question whether the city is ready for AI-fueled growth.The big picture: Aurora is the latest Colorado city grappling with data centers as communities statewide weigh the infrastructure needed to support cloud services, businesses and artificial intelligence.

Laubacher dominates Colorado's 4th Congressional District Democratic primary

The Democrat advances to face Lauren Boebert in November.

Politics

Democrat Eileen Laubacher defeated write-in candidate Jenna Preston on Tuesday, setting up a November showdown with Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado&#x27;s 4th Congressional District.The big picture: Laubacher handily won, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to the Colorado Secretary of State&#x27;s office" data-vars-click-url="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/126592/web.345435/#/summary" data-vars-content-id="47483943-7c3f-40d3-a782-4a0175d18f3a" data-vars-headline="Laubacher dominates Colorado&#x27;s 4th Congressional District Democratic primary" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/126592/web.345435/#/summary" target="_blank">according to the Colorado Secretary of State&#x27;s office</a>.

Bow Mar's starter homes cost $1M+

It's one of three Colorado cities with seven-figure starter homes.

Bow Mar has become a place where &quot;starter home&quot; means spending seven figures.Why it matters: The tiny town straddles Arapahoe and Jefferson counties and shows how the definition of entry level has shifted in wealthy, supply-constrained neighborhoods, where even the bottom rung of the market is mostly out of reach.

Axios Denver

Colorado's wolf population is growing — and so are ranchers' concerns

Denver

Aurora's fit flop 🏃🏻‍♀️

Aurora's fit flop

Coloradans love Colorado and its way of life

A bar chart that shows which aspects of Colorado life voters rate as very important in a June 26-July 1 poll of 655 registered voters. Protecting lands, water and wildlife leads at 86%, followed by freedom and personal choice at 79%. Rooting for pro sports teams ranks last at 24%.

What attributes of Colorado's way of life are "very important"

Data: Colorado Polling Institute; Note: Margin of error is +/- 3.83 percentage points; Chart: John Frank/Axios

News 🗞

Inside Zyn's $1.2B Colorado bet

Big Boy's Colorado adventure

Colorado's wolf population is growing — and so are ranchers' concerns

Aurora's fit flop

Coloradans love Colorado and its way of life