Sen. Winters Memorial; Julie Gonzales Makes Primary Challenge Against Sen. Hickenlooper; Measles Exposure in Cortex, CO

Headlines Monday December 8, 2025

  • cover play_arrow

    Sen. Winters Memorial; Julie Gonzales Makes Primary Challenge Against Sen. Hickenlooper; Measles Exposure in Cortex, CO KGNU News

 

Sen. Winters Memorial 

Hundreds gathered on the steps of the State Capitol Friday, Dec.5 for a memorial service honoring State Senator Faith Winter, who died in a car crash last month. Winter’s family and friends were joined by many of her colleagues in the legislature and other Colorado leaders. In his speech, Governor Polis said he knew Winter for nearly two decades.

“As a public servant, she cared so deeply for the Colorado we love, so deeply for Colorado’s most vulnerable. She was kind and also tough in fighting for her people, her district and our state,” said Polis.

Other speakers included Congresswoman Brittany Petterson, State Representative Jenny Willford and Winter’s daughter. They remembered her as an advocate for women’s rights, paid family leave and the environment.

 

Rep. Bird to Drop for Legislature for Congressional Bid Focus

On Sunday, state representative Shannon Bird announced her resignation from the legislature to focus on her campaign for the 8th Congressional District. 

The 8th District is currently represented by Republican U.S. Representative Gabe Evans. In a statement announcing her decision, Bird said, “ voters of the 8th Congressional District deserve a candidate who is able to put in the 70-plus hours a week of work that it will take to flip this seat from red to blue.” Representative Manny Rutinel of Commerce City is the other Democratic state rep running to represent the 8th district. 

The end of Bird’s current term runs through early 2027. Her replacement will be selected by a Democratic vacancy committee.

The Colorado Sun reported that Bird’s replacement will be one of at least 27 members of the General Assembly next year who at some point were appointed to the House or Senate by or through a vacancy committee, meaning 1 in 4 state lawmakers in Colorado owe their legislative careers, either in whole or in part, to the vacancy process.

READ MORE

 

Julie Gonzales Makes Primary Challenge Against Sen. Hickenlooper

Democratic State Senator Julie Gonzales has launched a Democratic primary challenge against Senator John Hickenlooper.

Gonzales says she’s jumping into the race because she feels like Hickenlooper, who is in his first term, is not meeting the movement.

“Across the state Coloradans are really looking for fighters and people who will stand up for their values and for change,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzales was elected to the state Senate in 2018 and represents parts of Denver. She’s worked on issues from reproductive and renters rights to policies to support undocumented immigrants. She’s thirty years younger than Hickenlooper and says it’ll be a test on a new generation of leadership.

 

EPA Gets Involved in Florida Mesa Cleanup

Last December, a rupture on an Enterprise Products pipeline in southwestern Colorado, on tribal and county land, caused tens of thousands of gallons of refined gasoline to be spilled onto Florida Mesa.

Now, the Environmental Protection Agency is getting involved in the cleanup process.

The gasoline pipeline rupture spilled an estimated 97,000 gallons on the Southern Ute Reservation and La Plata County land. Now, federal regulators are increasing their oversight. The Environmental Protection Agency will fulfill its federal trust responsibilities with the state of Colorado and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe over cleanup and hazardous-waste management at the Enterprise Products spill site.

The December 2024 rupture is considered Colorado’s largest oil or gas spill since 2016. A failure of the pipeline or welding on Enterprise’s Mid-America Pipeline System sent gasoline rushing throughout Florida Mesa. Benzene has seeped within half a mile of the Animas River. Officials say the river is at low risk, but full remediation is expected to take years. Officials say that to date, more than 20,000 gallons have been recovered.

The Tribe contacted the EPA with “significant concerns” about Enterprise’s hazardous waste management. The tribe, the EPA, and the Colorado Department of Public Health have conducted a joint inspection this week to see if Enterprise has rectified the issues.

 

Measles Exposure in Cortex, CO

The Colorado Department of Health and Environment is advising who visited a Cold Stone Creamery at 215 S. Sligo St. in Cortez on November 26 to watch for measles symptoms. The state health department says an unvaccinated child in Montezuma county recently tested positive for the disease – the last known place someone could have been exposed while they tested positive would be at the ice cream shop between 3:30 and 6 P-M.

Rounding out the year, the state has counted 33 known cases of measles – a startling  rise compared to 2024, where the state did not count a single confirmed case of the disease.

The state health department warned that symptoms can take up to three weeks to materialize, meaning any who could have been exposed on November 26 should monitor their health for signs of the disease through next week. For more information on state recommendations for symptoms, visit KGNU [dot] O-R-G.

READ MORE

 

You can hear daily headlines on the Morning Magazine, KGNU’s weekday morning show with coverage of local and regional public affairs and news with headlines and commentary. Click here to listen to full episodes of the Morning Magazine.

Picture of KGNU News

KGNU News

Search

Now Playing

play_arrow

Live Broadcast

Recent Stories

Upcoming Events

KGNU PARTNERS

Want to help us build a better radio station?

We’re conducting a survey to help us understand how our listeners are using new technology. Please spend 15 minutes to let us know what you think.

Public media moves forward because you listen, watch, share and support. Thank you for being part of this community — and for helping us continue the journey during Public Media Giving Days.