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"I did what anyone else would do"

A stranger on a dark sidewalk needed help. Brent Buford didn't hesitate.

Culture

Outside a room packed with nearly 100 people there to celebrate him, Brent Buford wanted no part of the fuss.What he&#x27;s saying: &quot;I did what anyone else would do,&quot; the 68-year-old grandfather said.

Parker is giving its history a second look

A revamped Heritage Center will tell Parker's fuller story.

Parker&#x27;s starting over on how it tells its story.Zoom in: The town spent the past 45 years growing into a destination — a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="72,000-resident" data-vars-click-url="https://www.parkerco.gov/159/About-Parker" data-vars-content-id="2ed51988-ce44-4ad0-8095-7a8de0471090" data-vars-headline="Parker is giving its history a second look" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.parkerco.gov/159/About-Parker" target="_blank">72,000-resident</a> suburb with schools, sprawling trails, ever-developing neighborhoods and a new, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$400+ million Mainstreet transformation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/douglas/2026/04/27/parker-downtown-transformation-mainstreet-investment" data-vars-content-id="2ed51988-ce44-4ad0-8095-7a8de0471090" data-vars-headline="Parker is giving its history a second look" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/douglas/2026/04/27/parker-downtown-transformation-mainstreet-investment" target="_self">$400+ million Mainstreet transformation</a>.

NASA backs Castle Rock's space training hub

A Castle Rock-based institute will train students for aerospace jobs.

Aerospace

Arapahoe Community College&#x27;s Castle Rock-based space institute won&#x27;t send astronauts to the stars, but it wants graduates building the bolts, soldering the parts and drawing the plans that get them there.Why it matters: Douglas County will soon help anchor NASA-backed workforce training in Colorado, connecting students statewide with an industry hungry for skilled workers.

DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo

A massive development proposal awaits its next hearing.

Business

A Douglas County real estate agent is building a community coalition to fight a controversial development near his town whenever the project resurfaces.Why it matters: Crowsnest has already run into opposition in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Parker" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/controversial-crowsnest-annexation-colorado-castle-pines/" data-vars-content-id="abf5b3e9-7856-40d6-9ed7-6b2d3d316bb0" data-vars-headline="DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/controversial-crowsnest-annexation-colorado-castle-pines/" target="_blank">Parker</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Castle Pines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/crowsnest-annexation-petition-colorado-castle-pines-withdrawn/" data-vars-content-id="abf5b3e9-7856-40d6-9ed7-6b2d3d316bb0" data-vars-headline="DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/crowsnest-annexation-petition-colorado-castle-pines-withdrawn/" target="_blank">Castle Pines</a> and nearby residents — including Joey Lugo — are ready for battle.

DougCo towns pump brakes on drone delivery

Officials want answers on noise, privacy and safety before approving hubs.

Parker and Castle Rock are likely among the nation&#x27;s first municipalities to pause approvals on drone-delivery hubs that launch retail orders from ground facilities into nearby neighborhoods.Why it matters: Back-to-back ordinances passed last week reveal a cautious approach from two fast-growing Douglas County communities better known for competing to attract retail convenience and sales tax dollars.

Local bookstores see boom as tech antidote

People are seeking connection, and local bookstores are filling the gap.

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="e58c8441-0c14-43dc-8e33-464b998ba829" data-vars-headline="Local bookstores see boom as tech antidote" 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 in an increasingly digital world.

Castle Rock's new I-25 ramps open soon

The project is expected to ease congestion and unlock new growth.

Northbound ramps at the Crystal Valley interchange are set to open soon, giving southern Castle Rock its long-awaited direct connection to Interstate 25.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The interchange" data-vars-click-url="https://www.crgov.com/3131/Crystal-Valley-Interchange" data-vars-content-id="dae80f02-4d56-4a31-8256-2a20586f557c" data-vars-headline="Castle Rock&#x27;s new I-25 ramps open soon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.crgov.com/3131/Crystal-Valley-Interchange" target="_blank">The interchange</a> will relieve traffic pressure in a rapidly expanding area, and it&#x27;s a major step for Castle Rock&#x27;s commercial and residential growth.

Lone Tree rises after decades of planning

New parks, housing and retail are pushing RidgeGate into its next era.

After 25 years of planning, Lone Tree is seeing major development across <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RidgeGate" data-vars-click-url="https://ridgegate.com/" data-vars-content-id="0a102223-4def-402c-934b-02b32d2b833b" data-vars-headline="Lone Tree rises after decades of planning" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ridgegate.com/" target="_blank">RidgeGate</a> — the massive mixed-use district that city leaders hope will become the south metro&#x27;s next urban center. Why it matters: Hundreds of acres surrounding RidgeGate&#x27;s light rail stations are now primed for offices, housing, hotels and entertainment projects — giving Lone Tree one of the region&#x27;s largest remaining transit-oriented development corridors.

Castle Rock hot spot serves luxe lunch vibes

Castle Rock's Brinkerhoff has a standout lunch and killer views.

Castle Rock&#x27;s hottest restaurant makes you feel like a million bucks.Why it matters: The Brinkerhoff serves prime steaks, fresh sushi and barrel-aged tequila cocktails in a hilltop space overlooking the Rocky Mountains.

Shrinking prairie pushes public grazing

Private land available for grazing has fallen roughly 16% across Douglas County since 2016.

Colorado&#x27;s cattle grazing season ramps up this month, but Douglas County&#x27;s ranching tradition is shrinking.The big picture: Growth is consuming the formerly wide-open spaces across the county, squeezing out the range that long powered the region&#x27;s ranching economy.

Coffee, served with a second chance

A popular Parker coffee shop's owner shares his journey from incarceration to community impact.

Parker&#x27;s most colorful coffee shop owner lives out of a used Ram ProMaster van with a license plate that reads &quot;CON.&quot;Why it matters: Dan Klehm&#x27;s Convict Coffee Co. is a second act rooted in redemption for people affected by incarceration.

Downtown Parker is getting a major glow-up

Shops, housing and more are reshaping Parker's Mainstreet.

<figure><img alt="The Juniper, in downtown Parker." height="3024" id="144528f2-1729-4c43-8496-011b0594fd4e" src="https://images.axios.com/qPzGJjAVVzyQ_PnfroMzB-3Bixw=/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg" width="4032" srcset="https://images.axios.com/5qoX0dHz9OW6dRzujyZvST8dPk8=/0x0:4032x3024/1920x1440/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=1920 1920w, https://images.axios.com/1aceG8Ve6NeCQlr4y395OeIR74g=/0x0:4032x3024/1600x1200/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=1600 1600w, https://images.axios.com/mBLiQyWXA8uTk7Cd7nmskniAArk=/0x0:4032x3024/1366x1024/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=1366 1366w, https://images.axios.com/U8_wZBlBimuhnu57kFiq_fGelsQ=/0x0:4032x3024/1024x768/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=1024 1024w, https://images.axios.com/8sPZrNew2OyPuzn6bwl4XHb4AlQ=/0x0:4032x3024/768x576/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=768 768w, https://images.axios.com/kB7qJzN4Uo_8ldXIQfwbpBAHANE=/0x0:4032x3024/640x480/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=640 640w, https://images.axios.com/lXrLZ-sG5EAeU-NUCwZzV-YifTU=/0x0:4032x3024/320x240/2026/05/27/1779898169015.jpeg?w=320 320w"/><figcaption>Parker&#x27;s new Juniper development includes Poulette and other businesses. Photo: Robert Sanchez/Axios</figcaption></figure>Once an outlier among metro-area must-sees, Parker&#x27;s Mainstreet is redefining what a stodgy suburban downtown can be.Why it matters: The corner of South Pine Drive and Mainstreet is the epicenter of a renewed municipal vision.

Axios Denver

Trump deportations ripple through Colorado's economy

Denver

A choropleth map showing the estimated cost per taxpayer for federal immigrant deportation and detention funding across the U.S. states. The average cost is $2.4k. Washington, D.C., has the highest load, at $3.9k.

Estimated cost per taxpayer for federal immigrant deportation and detainment funding

Data: Economic Policy Institute; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

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Colorado set to collect $615M from Meta settlement

Hipcamp names Colorado's best campsites

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Business 🏦

Trump deportations ripple through Colorado's economy

NASA backs Castle Rock's space training hub

DougCo residents mobilize with planning vote in limbo

Colorado set to collect $615M from Meta settlement

Hipcamp names Colorado's best campsites