Colorado Senator Dafna Michelson-Jenet resigns; Trump administration to cut health grants; Mikaela Shiffrin fails to reach the podium

Headlines Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026

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    Colorado Senator Dafna Michelson-Jenet resigns; Trump administration to cut health grants; Mikaela Shiffrin fails to reach the podium KGNU News

Colorado Senator Dafna Michelson-Jenet resigns

Colorado Senator Dafna Michelson-Jenet announced her resignation yesterday. Her last day is Friday. The Commerce City Democrat says she’s leaving the legislature to take a job with a local nonprofit that combats antisemitism. She told the Colorado Sun that the relatively low pay for state lawmakers and its financial impact on her family also factored into the decision.

Michelson-Jenet was first elected to the Colorado House in 2016 and moved over to the Senate in 2023. A Democratic vacancy committee for Senate District 21 will choose her replacement. More than two dozen current Colorado lawmakers were at one point appointed by vacancy committees.

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Trump administration to cut health grants

The Trump administration plans to cut over $600 million in health grant funding to Colorado and three other states, all Democratic-led. The Department of Health and Human Services will cut the money because it found the grants to be  “inconsistent with agency priorities,” according to Denver 7.

The money that the Trump administration plans to rescind would be used for things that include hiring staff, modernizing data systems and managing disease outbreaks. One of the biggest organizations affected focuses on engaging Black and Latino gay men.

Despite the administration’s plans, Governor Jared Polis has yet to receive any official cancellation notices. The eventual cuts coincide with other cuts to other states’ programs that support gender transitions for children, increase HIV prevention therapy among Black women and reduce social isolation among older LGBTQ adults.

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Mikaela Shiffrin fails to reach the podium

Colorado native and the most decorated alpine skier of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin, was unable to add to her medal count yesterday during the new team combined event at the Milan Cortina Games. Shiffrin missed the podium by finishing 0.06 seconds behind the other American team, who won bronze. Despite having a slight lead, she finished 15th out of 18 with a time of 45.38 seconds, according to USA Today.

Shiffrin and teammate Breezy Johnson finished with a combined time of 2:21.97 seconds, which was too slow to earn a medal. The result shocked the world, as Shiffrin and Johnson won the team combined event at last year’s world championships, when the event debuted.

Shiffrin’s USA teammates Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan took home the bronze medal.

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Lawmakers propose measures to address mass shootings

A group of Colorado Congressional and state lawmakers announced a joint set of legislative proposals Monday in response to the shooting at Evergreen High School last September. The measures focus largely on the shooter’s engagement with violent material online ahead of the attack.

One proposal from Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen would require social media companies to respond to warrants or court orders tied to potential threats within 72 hours. State lawmakers are pursuing similar legislation in Colorado. The announcement comes days after the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office ended its investigation into the Evergreen shooting, with no charges filed against the shooter’s parents.

This morning at 10 a.m., student gun violence activists are expected to meet with legislators at the Colorado state capitol, with a rally beginning outside the capitol at 10 a.m. Stay tuned for KGNU’s coverage of gun violence activism and proposed gun violence legislation over the next several days.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capital News Alliance.

 

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park files for bankruptcy 

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to a wrongful death lawsuit judgment against it. In September 2021, 6-year-old Wongel Estifanos died from blunt force injuries following a fall from the Haunted Mine Drop ride, according to 9 News. Following an investigation, it was discovered that Wongel was not buckled and was instead sitting on the seat buckle. It was determined that the death occurred due to multiple operator errors. In September 2025, Wongel’s family was awarded $200 million by the jury.

With the park filing for bankruptcy, Wongel’s family attorney says they hope that a newer, safer attraction will emerge in the coming years. As of now, the park will continue to operate as usual, with no impacts to its operation or events.

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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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