Obtaining a concealed carry permit in Denver, already home to some of the state's strictest gun laws, will soon require additional steps.

The big picture: A state law taking effect July 1 will add requirements for obtaining concealed carry licenses, including mandating eight hours of in-person instruction and passing a live-fire test, where a person must shoot a minimum of 50 rounds.

Why it matters: The new law will add barriers for responsible gun owners, including costlier training for a permit type that's increased in popularity over the past five years, as Colorado's gun laws grow more restrictive.

Yes, but: The city's chief compliance officer, Mary Dulacki, tells us she doesn't presume the new requirements will affect many applicants.

• Firearms training could be more expensive for applicants, she adds.

By the numbers: Denver issued 2,768 concealed carry permits last year, a 31% jump from 2018, the last year DPD had available due to its retention policy.

• Those figures include new and renewed permits, which last five years, Denver police spokesperson Jay Casillas tells us.

Zoom in: Most concealed permit applications are approved in Denver, with about 46 applications rejected annually, based on DPD's data from 2018 to 2024.

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Colorado is prepared to offer tax breaks worth millions to lure data centers that power AI despite evidence questioning their economic impact.

Why it matters: The proposed incentives — valued at nearly $17 million when implemented — represent a big bet at a time when Colorado lawmakers are pinching pennies.

State of play: Colorado is behind the curve on data centers, especially compared with its northern neighbor Wyoming, but lawmakers here are hoping a state sales and use tax break will draw more development, as well as jobs and improvements to the power grid.

• The exemption is equal to 100% of expenses and will stay in place for 20 years.

Friction point: The question is who benefits from data centers given their soaring energy and water demands, unproven benefits for local communities and minimal permanent jobs created.

• If leaders prioritize jobs, there are better industries for which to compete, says Peter Orazem, an economics professor at Iowa State University.
• But future property tax revenue for local governments could justify the investment, he says.

Context: A 2023 state-commissioned report in Virginia, the country's data center hub, found the initial construction phase delivered economic benefits, but they drop off sharply once the centers are built.

• Building a 250,000-square-foot data center employs up to 1,500 local employees for 12-18 months. But that declines to 50 full-time workers, half of them contracted.

The other side: A recent Data Center Coalition report touts the economic benefits of data centers beyond the jobs inside them.

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Thousands of Coloradans are mourning Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at age 88.

By the numbers: More than 830,000 Coloradans, about 14% of the state's population, are Catholic, according to a survey conducted in 2023-24 by the Pew Research Center.

• Nearly 1 in 5 Denverites identify with the faith.

What they're saying: "His love for the poor, the hungry, and the oppressed — that's what I'll remember," Sister Evangeline Salazar, a retired nun in Colorado Springs, told CPR. "He wasn't afraid to tell world leaders, 'You have to do something for the people.'"

• In a statement yesterday, Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila called Francis a "powerful example of humility, prayer and service."

What's next: Flags across Colorado will fly at half-staff until sunset on the pope's day of interment, which is yet to be determined.

🏗 The development of Ball Arena's parking lots will include two 12-story apartment buildings, a 13-story hotel and a roughly 5,000-seat concert venue, according to plans submitted to the city. (BusinessDen 🔑)

🚩 U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Lafayette) refuted rumors that DOGE visited NOAA and NIST labs in Boulder. (Axios Boulder)

🏒 Avs captain Gabe Landeskog yesterday was activated from injured reserve amid the team's playoff push but did not play in the game. (Axios Denver)

📈 Colorado's unemployment rate hit 4.8% in March, up one point from February and well above the national average of 4.2%. (DBJ 🔑)

💸 Colorado lawmakers want to tax free bets offered by sports betting companies to raise more money for water infrastructure programs. (Colorado Sun)

💰 Metro area school districts are curtailing teacher raises because of budget concerns. Denver Public Schools is looking at a $400 pay increase, a roughly 0.47% cost-of-living raise. (Denver Post 🔑)

Schoolyard Beer Garden debuted yesterday in the historic Evans School in Denver's Golden Triangle.

Why it matters: The 120-year-old building, on the National Register of Historic Places, sat mostly empty for more than four decades. Now, it's being revived as a neighborhood hangout — with pints, pretzels and picnic tables.

The big picture: Schoolyard, in the works for years, is the latest adaptive reuse project from City Street Investors, a local firm behind Denver Union Station's redevelopment and last year's Secret Garden café in Capitol Hill's landmarked Tears-McFarlane House.

Zoom in: The sprawling new beer garden features:

🍺 18 beers on tap — plus bottles, cans and a full bar

☕️ A café serving coffee, pastries and burritos in the morning, and butter boards and charcuterie in the evening

🍔 A menu of burgers, brats, salads, sandwiches and snacks like hand-cut fries and fresh-baked pretzels

🍨 Ice cream served both inside and through a courtyard window

🪑 5,000 square feet of outdoor, dog-friendly space with fire pits and picnic tables

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