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08_27_25_Headlines Jack Armstrong
Headlines Wednesday August 27, 2025
Special Legislative Session Ends
State lawmakers have wrapped up their special legislative session after six days, passing a series of bills aimed at closing a deficit in the state budget created by the federal tax-and-spending plan signed into law by Donald Trump.
That federal plan, which went into effect immediately upon signing last month, left Colorado with a $783 million budget shortfall. The bills that lawmakers passed only cover about a third of that amount, according to the Denver Post, It will be up to Governor Jared Polis to find the rest.
One of the measures that cleared both chambers, and is now headed to the governor for signing, is Senate Bill 4, a contentious bill meant to create new rules around the use of artificial intelligence. The Post calls the new bill a watered-down version of the original. It won’t go into effect until next summer, and lawmakers may fine-tune it in 2026 during their regular session.
Proposition MM
The governor has already signed new bills meant to raise money for the state’s school meals program, and help make up for cuts to federal food benefits.
Those two matters will go before Colorado voters as part of Proposition MM on the November ballot. Chalkbeat reports that if Prop MM passes, it would raise taxes on higher-income households in order to pay for school meals and to help make up for losses to SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Hiring Freeze
Meanwhile, a freeze on state hiring goes into effect today, and lasts until the end of 2025. The hiring freeze is also meant to help address the state budget deficit.
Governor Polis announced the hiring freeze earlier this month, at the same time he announced the special legislative session.
He said in a written statement that the freeze will help to prevent more severe actions, like furloughs or layoffs, according to the Colorado Sun.
It’s estimated that it will save the state up to seven million dollars. The freeze does not affect positions that are fully funded through TABOR-exempt funding sources, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
CU Swatting One Of Many Nationwide
The swatting hoax on the CU-Boulder campus Monday afternoon remains under investigation. The university said in an online statement that there never was a threat to the campus. KGNU’s Jack Armstrong has more…
The hoax began with a false report of gunshots being fired near the Norlin library shortly before 5pm.That led to an immediate shelter-in-place order that lasted for about an hour and a half.
That swatting hoax at CU was one of at least five on university campuses nationwide Monday. The Associated Press is reporting that there were similar incidents at the University of Arkansas, Northern Arizona University, Iowa State, and Kansas State. Each of these also turned out to be a hoax.
Additional swatting instances were called in on Tuesday. The Associate Press reports that those incidents took place at University of Kentucky, West Virginia University and Central Georgia Technical College
School officials have called them criminal acts, meant to create climates of fear. At CU Boulder, officials said there are resources available for students, faculty and staff who need support in the wake of such traumatic incidents
Larimer County West Nile Death
Colorado has recorded its fourth death from West Nile virus in 2025.
The most recent fatality happened in Fort Collins, and was reported yesterday by the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. The person who died was identified only as a Fort Collins adult.
Another of the state’s four West Nile deaths was an adult from Lafayette, while the remaining two were from Fremont County.
The Centers for Disease Control says Colorado has had 58 cases of West Nile infection this year, more than any other state in the country, according to 9News.
The West Nile virus is spread primarily through bites by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms usually take between three days and two weeks to show up. Those symptoms include fever, extreme fatigue, head and body aches, a skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
To prevent mosquito bites, health authorities recommend using insect repellent, wearing loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and pants during walks or while gardening, and avoiding outdoor activities at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
Wildfires
The Crosho Fire, first reported on Aug. 11, has now reached 100% containment. The 2,073 acre fire burned in the Routt National Forest and still has an unknown cause. No structures were lost in the fire, and several roads have reopened.
The Lee fire, burning in Rio Blanco County, has become the fourth largest blaze in Colorado history. The fire started a little more than three weeks ago southwest of Meeker. As of 9:30 p.m. Monday the fire has burned a total of 138,844 acres. The fire has now reached 90% containment.
Other fires being tracked by Denver7, include the Derby Fire, 13 miles north of Dotsero in Eagle and Garfield Counties. In Monday’s update, fire officials say that three-quarters of recent growth on the fire’s southwest flank has been halted due to better control lines.
The Lee Fire, burning 18 miles southwest of Meeker in Rio Blanco County, was sparked by lightning and has burned three homes and 12 outbuildings so far. Officials said fire activity has remained minimal with, “isolated creeping and smoldering observed.”
Several other Colorado Wildfires are on watch at the moment. For more information, visit the Denver7 website.
