Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 2009, a Larimer County judge sentenced Richard Heene of Fort Collins to 90 days in jail for the infamous Balloon Boy incident, calling it an "elaborate hoax" designed to generate publicity.

Time slipped ever so slightly when power outages disrupted the ultra-precise, national standard-setting atomic clocks in Boulder. Read the full story below.

🎄 Which city in each state fits the Hallmark movie mold—snow-dusted streets, glowing storefronts, and just enough small-town charm? On today's Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown breaks down a new study highlighting the towns most likely to inspire a real-life Hallmark holiday story. Tune in here.

Today's sponsor, RAD Intel, is a rare private AI company already attracting thousands of early investors and real seven-figure contracts—giving readers a look at a potential inflection point before Wall Street fully catches on.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Just Nine Days Left in 2025—And a Decision That Matters

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Colorado Denied Federal Disaster Aid

The Trump administration late Saturday denied Colorado's requests for federal funding to support wildfire and flood recovery on the Western Slope.

In a statement, Gov. Jared Polis accused the president of playing "political games" by rejecting the disaster declarations, urging him to reconsider and vowing to appeal the decision.

According to Polis, the Lee and Elk fires in Rio Blanco County caused more than $27 million in damages—validated by FEMA—and historic flooding in southwest Colorado caused over $13 million in damages, with both events exceeding thresholds for federal disaster aid.

A White House spokesperson said the decision isn't political and noted that disaster aid should support, not replace, state efforts. Trump has previously suggested reducing FEMA's role in favor of more state responsibility.

Pilot Incapacitated, Plane Lands Itself

A plane auto-landed at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) on Saturday in what officials say was the first real-world use of Garmin's emergency Autoland technology.

After the plane's pilot became incapacitated mid-flight, the system activated automatically, declared an emergency to air traffic control, and safely landed the aircraft at RMMA.

Garmin confirmed this was the first non-demonstration use of its Autoland technology, which is designed to take over and perform emergency landings when the pilot can't fly the plane.

The plane's operator said everyone involved is okay. It's unclear how the pilot became incapacitated or if anyone else was on board.

US Time Impacted by Outage

Last week's public safety power shutoffs impacted the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) time lab in Boulder, causing official U.S. time to drift by 4.8 microseconds.

The brief timing error occurred when a generator at the Boulder facility failed to provide uninterrupted power during the switchover, momentarily losing synchronization with the national time scale.

While negligible for most, such an error can have far-reaching impacts on industries like telecommunications, finance, and transportation, which rely on UTC's microsecond precision.

Timekeeping redundancies and advance notice of the outage largely mitigated those impacts, NIST said. The agency recalibrated the clocks once power was restored.

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When 14,000 investors show up before Wall Street

You rarely see a private company cross 14,000 investors before Wall Street even clocks what's happening. RAD Intel has already done just that, with more than $60 million raised, recurring 7-figure contracts in place across major brands and agencies, and a reserved Nasdaq ticker, $RADI, while still private.

This isn't a concept-stage AI story. RAD Intel's platform is already wired into real marketing budgets, helping brands decide where the next dollar performs best before they spend it. That edge is starting to show up in the business. Sales contracts are on track to double by the end of 2026. The company's valuation has increased by more than 5,000% in approximately 5 years. Backed by multiple Fidelity funds and VCs, and selected by the Adobe Design Fund, RAD Intel attracts early investors—including operators from Google, Meta, YouTube, and Amazon—who spot inflection points early.

Through a qualified Reg A+ offering, shares are currently $0.85. On one side, you have traction that reads like an earnings call. On the other hand, a price that still lives in an early-stage window. Gaps between performance and price like that don't usually stay open for long.

➤ Statewide: State air quality regulators approved new methane rules for landfills, ending a months-long debate on how strict the rules should be. (See Details)

➤ Aurora: A judge granted $5,000 bond to prominent immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra, allowing her to leave ICE custody nine months after her detention in March. (More)

➤ Front Range: Utility regulators are collecting public feedback on Xcel Energy's public safety power shutoffs last week. More than 1,000 people have responded to the survey so far. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Officials are warning the public of "storm chaser" scams targeting homeowners in the wake of severe weather events, such as windstorms. Scammers pressure victims into home repairs, then disappear with deposits or do substandard work. (See Details)

➤ Colorado Springs: Police have located an armed and dangerous juvenile who escaped a mental health facility and stole a caretaker's car on Sunday. The suspect was caught Monday after being spotted near South Circle Road. (See Details)

➤ Delta: Police executed search warrants last Friday at two alleged illegal gambling establishments, making one arrest. (More)

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➤ Colorado football is expected to hire former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve as its linebackers coach for the 2026 season. Marve led the Hokies to one of the nation's top defenses in 2023 but saw a steep drop-off in 2025, finishing 72nd in total defense. (More)

➤ Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said he feels responsible for the play that left wide receiver Pat Bryant hospitalized Sunday, after throwing a late-game pass that led to Bryant taking a heavy hit from behind. (More)

➤ The Colorado Rockies signed free agent infielder Vimael Machin to a minor league contract this week with a chance to make the big league roster if he performs well in spring training. (More)

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➤ Record-breaking air travel is underway, including at Denver International Airport, where United Airlines expects to fly 10 million passengers through the holiday season. (Watch Report)

➤ A new bipartisan bill would require all products sold in national park visitor centers or gift shops, such as those in Estes Park, to be made in the U.S. Some fear the law could burden retailers, while others see it as an opportunity for local artisans. (See Details)

➤ Miners Alley Performing Arts Center in Golden was forced to cancel five sold-out weekend shows—resulting in a $20,000 loss—when Xcel Energy shut off power Friday. (See Details)

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14,000 investors. Multiple 7-figure contracts. Still Private.

When 14,000+ investors step in before Wall Street, it usually means they're seeing something the broader market hasn't fully priced yet. In RAD Intel's case, that "something" is an AI engine already embedded in 7-figure creator and media budgets, predicting which campaigns will perform before brands commit any budget.

RAD has raised $60M+, locked in a Nasdaq ticker, $RADI, all while still private. Even better? They're pacing 2x sales growth heading into 2026.

Shares are still at $0.85 through an SEC-qualified Reg A+ offering. If you've been waiting for real AI financials—the ones with traction already—this is a good place to start reading the fine print. Invest now at $0.85/share.

This is a paid advertisement for RAD Intel made pursuant to Regulation A+ offering and involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The valuation is set by the Company and there is currently no public market for the Company's Common Stock. Nasdaq ticker "RADI" has been reserved by RAD Intel and any potential listing is subject to future regulatory approval and market conditions. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.radintel.ai.

➤ The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), based at Peterson Space Force Base, will begin tracking Santa's journey across the globe early tomorrow morning, starting at 4 a.m. (See Details)

➤ A small village outside San Luis still practices an old southern Colorado tradition in which children go door to door collecting treats on Christmas morning. (See Details)

➤ Mrs. Claus for a Cause, an annual three-day charity event, took place in Montrose over the weekend, providing children with free toys, warm clothes, Christmas treats, and the chance to meet Santa. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

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Do you support requiring national park gift shops to sell only U.S.-made products?

Yesterday's Results:

How many Christmas sweaters do you own?

None: 32%
Just one: 25%
Two or three: 22%
Four or more: 21%

What is Colorado's oldest continuously occupied town?

Show me the answer

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