Wolf dies during capture; Future of Craig coal plant uncertain again; Bird flu confirmed in Weld County

Headlines Wednesday, February 4, 2026

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    Wolf dies during capture; Future of Craig coal plant uncertain again; Bird flu confirmed in Weld County KGNU News

 

Wolf dies during capture

A gray wolf died last week while the state wildlife team tried to place a monitor collar on it. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) tries to keep two members from each pack monitored, and it had been time to change the batteries on the current collars, according to the Colorado Sun.

When the wolf was captured, it was unresponsive. It is still unclear if there were any underlying conditions in the death. The wolf was one of 10 brought to Colorado from Oregon, and had belonged to the King Mountain Pack, which formed in Routt County last spring. Counts from the summer show that the pack had already gained four new pups, but with the untimely death of a wolf, it is unclear how the pack will be affected.

Out of the 25 wolves that relocated to Colorado last year as part of the reintroduction program, 12 have now died. Colorado currently has no known plans to introduce any new wolves to the area.

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There was less climate coverage by media in 2025

Climate policy will likely play a role in the 2026 midterm elections, though researchers say politicians may not use the words “climate change.”

Topics like energy security, grocery affordability, and worsening drought in the West are all big issues for voters, and are all connected to the changing climate.

Max Boykoff leads the Media and Climate Change Observatory at CU Boulder.

He says it can be tough to predict how conversations around climate change will go in the coming months.

For example, the LA fires one year ago had a massive impact on how we talked about climate change in 2025.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of drying, lack of precipitation in the state of Colorado,” said Boykoff. “We don’t know next month if we— you know, of course I hope it won’t happen, but we are susceptible to the same kinds of tragedies. And if they were to happen, that would definitely reshape the way in which we’re moving into these midterm elections.”

Boykoff says in 2025, there was a notable decline in media coverage of climate change, and that many U.S.-focused stories looked at the Trump administration’s rolling back of climate funding, policy, and research.

He says that’s especially remarkable, given the extreme weather events that occurred across the U.S. in 2025, and that it was the hottest year on record worldwide.

Boykoff joined us live on A Public Affair to discuss climate coverage and more.

 

Future of Craig coal plant uncertain again

At the end of 2025, the Trump administration ordered an aging coal plant in Northwest Colorado to stay open, citing a so-called regional energy emergency.

Now, its operating company is telling the federal government it would be too costly to maintain the plant, which was scheduled to shut down on New Year’s Eve.

Tri-State Generation and the Platte River Power Authority operate Craig Station 1.

The ten-year phaseout of the coal-fired plant began in 2016, with plans for it to sunset on December 31 of last year both for economic reasons, and to comply with Colorado’s clean energy goals.

Craig 1 was shut down as of Dec. 19, due to mechanical issues, but after the Department of Energy order, the operators did repairs to restart it.

In a press release, Tri-State and Platte River say they’ll comply with federal law, but are appealing the decision to keep the plant open, saying they don’t feel it’s necessary.

Because both companies are co-operatives, they say rate-paying customers— in both western and southern Colorado and on the Front Range— would bear the burden of the repairs and maintenance.

Consulting group Grid Strategies estimates that it would cost $85 million annually to continue operating the plant.

This story was reported by Caroline Llanes for Rocky Mountain Community Radio.

 

Bird flu confirmed in Weld County

Chickens in Weld County have officially tested positive for the Bird Flu. Last Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera issued a disaster declaration following an alleged avian flu outbreak in various farms throughout the county. Officials in Weld County are currently working to keep the flu under control as hundreds of chickens have already fallen victim to the flu. Following the positive result, areas surrounding Gilcrest and Platteville were put under quarantine.

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Longmont considers changing its flag

Longmont City Council met last night to decide the future of the city’s flag, and whether it deserves a permanent spot outside the Civic Center. Officials are reviewing a proposal to dedicate a third flagpole to ensure the local emblem is flown consistently.

The current flag was designed in the 1970s and was once carried into space by Vance Brand. The flag has faced criticism for being outdated. Residents and local leaders are pushing for a modern redesign, arguing that a fresh look would represent the community’s identity and foster pride.

The project has an estimated price tag of $7,000 for a new flag pole and $5,000 for a professional redesign of the city flag.

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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.

 

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