Thursday, February 19, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, the Superintendent of the Denver Mint sent a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, informing him that the mint had been robbed. The thief, a mint clerk, fled on horseback with $3,700 and would make it as far as the Arkansas River before being caught.

Colorado is famous for its locally grown produce—so famous, lawmakers say, that some out-of-state producers misuse the label, selling everything from fake Palisade peaches to bogus Olathe sweetcorn. In Business, we look at a new bill that would crack down on the practice.

Tune into today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, where Ayla Brown breaks down a new ranking of the best and worst states to retire in. Wondering where Colorado lands? We've got that, plus the key takeaways you won't want to miss. Watch here.

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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.

5 Killed in 36-Vehicle Pileup Near Pueblo

Interstate 25 in Pueblo remained closed for several hours on Tuesday after a 36-vehicle pileup killed five people and injured 29.

The midmorning crash involved seven semis and over two dozen passenger cars. High winds and blowing dirt had caused "brownout" conditions, resulting in low-to-zero visibility for the drivers.

Four people died at the scene. Of the 29 injured, one died in the hospital, and seven others suffered serious injuries. Four sheep inside a pickup truck’s trailer were also killed.

Fierce winds wreaked havoc across the plains Tuesday, with gusts up to 70 mph recorded in Costilla County. A high wind watch remains in effect through this morning.

Polis Names State Supreme Court Justice

Gov. Jared Polis appointed Susan Blanco, the chief district court judge in Larimer and Jackson counties, to the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Blanco, a Fort Collins native and University of Colorado Law School graduate, fills the vacancy on the seven-judge panel left by Justice Melissa Hart, who resigned in December. She beat out two other finalists for the role.

This is Polis’ second appointment to the state’s highest bench, the first being Maria Berkenkotter in 2020. Colorado Supreme Court Justices serve 10-year terms.

Palantir Leaves Denver for Miami

Palantir Technologies, a data analytics firm known for its government contracts, is relocating its headquarters from Denver to Miami.

Founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, and others in Silicon Valley, Palantir moved its headquarters to Denver in 2020. It was Colorado's largest publicly traded company, valued at over $300 billion.

Palantir has garnered national controversy for supplying its technology to federal agencies, including ICE. Its Denver headquarters has been the site of protests for several months.

The company didn't provide a reason for the move. It's the latest tech firm to move to Miami, which some industry leaders have billed as the new Silicon Valley.

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➤ Eastern Plains: A fast-moving, wind-fueled fire burned roughly 5,000 acres in Elbert and Lincoln counties Tuesday, prompting about two dozen home evacuations. It was contained by 6:30 p.m., and no structures were damaged. (More)

➤ Statewide: A proposed ballot measure would ask voters to temporarily adopt a new congressional map in 2028 and 2030. Under the plan, Democrats would be favored to win seven of Colorado’s eight seats, up from the four the party controls now. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Democrats introduced a group of bills Tuesday that would roll back some business tax breaks—many created or expanded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—to fund a new per-child tax credit. (See Details)

➤ Fort Collins: Colorado State University paused the installation of new electronic billboards, which are banned citywide, following community backlash and a proposed bill that would force the school to remove the signage. (See Details)

➤ Denver: The number of monthly court appearances to challenge parking citations has skyrocketed—rising from single digits to as high as 138—since the city shut down its online appeals process in September. (See Details)

➤ Greeley: Police Chief Adam Turk struck and injured a 15-year-old boy on a bicycle while driving an unmarked police car Sunday. A preliminary investigation shows the teen failed to yield to traffic. (More)

➤ Arvada: A skunk found in a local neighborhood has tested positive for rabies, officials said Wednesday, marking Colorado’s first confirmed rabies case of the year. (More)

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➤ Former Nuggets coach Doug Moe passed away this week at 87. Moe coached the team from 1980-1990 and logged 432 victories with the franchise—a record that stood until Michael Malone broke it in 2024. (More)

➤ Colorado Springs is set to host the Broadmoor Winter Polo Classic this weekend, where they'll play on dirt instead of the traditional grass to pay homage to the city's rodeo heritage. (More)

➤ Colorado Rockies third baseman Kris Bryant described the extent of his chronic back pain in a recent interview: "Any time my feet hit the ground, I feel like I could probably fall over… [it's] hard to grab the toothpaste in front of me." (More)

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➤ A new bill would ban mislabeling out-of-state agricultural products as Colorado-grown, addressing an uptick in “counterfeit” produce passed off as products like Palisade peaches, Olathe sweet corn, and Pueblo chiles. (See Details)

➤ Flatiron Crossing, a Broomfield mall, announced that six new retailers will open at the shopping center this year. (See Details)

➤ Dairy Queen's midtown Fort Collins location is seeking city approval for the addition of a drive-thru. (More)

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➤ Waffles, the resident African Cape porcupine at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, received a new companion porcupine named Thistle. The two quickly bonded and often cuddle or share food. (See Porcupines)

➤ The Denver Museum of Nature & Science announced it will renovate its gems and minerals hall to be 50 percent larger, transforming it into "an immersive, multi-sensory experience." The hall will close on April 15 and reopen in 2027. (See Details)

➤ Eldorado Canyon State Park, about 20 minutes south of Boulder, is the best state park in Colorado, according to a new state-by-state list. (See List)

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