Colorado’s population exceeds 6 million for first time; State awards $22 million in climate grants including $540k to Boulder County; General strike tomorrow

Headlines Thursday, January 29, 2026

  • cover play_arrow

    Colorado’s population exceeds 6 million for first time; State awards $22 million in climate grants including $540k to Boulder County; General strike tomorrow KGNU News

 

Colorado’s population exceeds 6 million for first time 

The Census Bureau reports that Colorado’s population reached and exceeded 6 million for the first time this past July. Combined with upwards revisions for prior years, this represents a .92% year-over-year increase compared to the previous year.

Governor Jared Polis said, “I look forward to welcoming even more people to Colorado as we move further into the new year.” He also noted that an increase in population can push up housing prices, but that he is dedicated to making it easier to build new homes, and keeping rents and home prices stable.

2025 Census Bureau data also shows that there were 65,380 total births in Colorado between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, a 4.6% increase over the prior year and the highest amount since 2017.

READ MORE

 

$540K in support for climate projects awarded to Boulder County communities 

Boulder County commissioners have approved more than half a million dollars in matching grants for local climate action projects across the county.

The funding will support projects in eight cities and towns, including a program in Longmont aimed at improving energy efficiency, electrification, and health and safety in low-income households.

Other projects include converting streetlights to energy-efficient LED fixtures in Lyons, and a comprehensive tree inventory in Lafayette, the first the city has undertaken. The funds will also help the city protect and expand its urban tree canopy.

Additional sustainability projects in Boulder, Nederland, Jamestown, Superior, and Louisville also received funding. Erie and Ward did not apply.

The Environmental Sustainability Municipal Matching Grants are paid for through the county’s voter-approved sustainability tax.

READ MORE

 

Colorado awards $22 million in climate grants

Colorado is awarding over $22 million to municipalities across the state to help reduce emissions, lower energy costs, and strengthen the state’s climate workforce. The grants from the Colorado Energy Office target four categories: buildings, land use, transportation, and waste.

Telluride is set to receive over $2 million to develop energy performance standards for commercial and municipal buildings. Similarly, Ridgway will get $1.3 million to develop an all-electric building code, as well as electrification projects in town. Mountain Village was awarded $1.8 million for a town-wide composting program, along with new sidewalks for low income, workforce, and affordable housing areas.

Other places got smaller amounts, like Rifle in Garfield County. It received $162,000 to help build accessory dwelling units and to connect those units to transportation. There’s also $1 million in grants to help provide H-VAC technicians training on heat pump installations, with funds specifically designated for rural Colorado communities.

This story was reported by Caroline Llanes forRocky Mountain Community Radio.

 

General strike tomorrow

Activists are calling for a nationwide general strike tomorrow, Friday Jan. 30, to protest the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the killing of two people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota. The National Shutdown campaign website calls for a “nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping” across the US, and calls ICE’s actions a “reign of terror.”

nationalshutdown.org lists at least 10 corresponding events scheduled in Colorado, including in Denver, Arvada, Golden, and Fort Collins.

READ MORE 

Citizen group doesn’t have to pay legal fees over CU South lawsuit, says judge

A judge has decided that a group of Boulder residents do not have to pay legal fees after they sued the city over the financing of the CU South flood mitigation project. According to the Boulder Reporting Lab, the lawsuit brought by Save South Boulder contests the Boulder City Council’s approval of an ordinance authorizing the city to issue $66 million in bonds to help fund the project, and alleges that Boulder’s stormwater utility fees require voter approval under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Although the judge previously dismissed the case, it is now under appeal. The city had asked the judge to sanction the plaintiffs by ordering them to pay $46,000 in attorneys’ fees. Boulder County District Court Judge Michael Kotlarczyk issued a denial of that request, without giving a reason.

READ MORE

Malala Yousafzai to speak in Boulder in April 

The University of Colorado Boulder has announced that activist Malala Yousafzai will speak at its Conference on World Affairs in April. Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, known for surviving an assassination attempt at 15 years old under the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education.

The conference will take place Apr. 13 through 16, and Yousafzai will be the closing speaker. It is free to attend, but requires a ticket, which can be purchased at colorado.edu/cwa.

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.