Saturday, August 1, 2026

Colorado 150, Fed Spares River Cuts, and Naturalization Ceremony at Red Rocks

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1876, Colorado entered the Union, becoming the 38th U.S. State. Colorado is known as the Centennial State because it achieved statehood the same year as the United States’ 100th anniversary—meaning today, Colorado's 150th anniversary, roughly coincides with America's 250th.

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Colorado Spared Mandatory River Cuts

The federal government's final Colorado River plan, released Friday, spares Colorado from mandatory cuts and instead asks the Upper Basin states to conserve up to 200,000 acre-feet voluntarily.

The Lower Basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada could face reductions of up to 3 million acre-feet. Arizona's water agency called the framework unacceptable and said the cuts would devastate its economy.

The Bureau of Reclamation plan runs through 2036 and lets the agency set Lake Powell releases between 5 million and 12 million acre-feet, updating guidelines about every two years.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the framework leaves room for the seven states to reach their own deal. The 2007 rules expire at the end of the year.

Crime Fell Statewide in 2025

Colorado's violent crime rate fell 10.7% from 2024 to 2025, or 3,372 fewer reported violent crimes, according to state data released Thursday.

The property crime rate dropped 17.3%, or 28,126 fewer reports, the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice said. Motor vehicle theft fell 36.8% and homicide 16.8%.

Gov. Jared Polis credited a data-driven approach and public safety spending. "In the last two years, crime has decreased in Colorado," he said.

Colorado still ranks 47th nationally for crime and corrections in U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings, with a violent crime rate of 476 per 100,000 residents against a national average of 359.

Nunn Home Listed, Occupant Included

A three-bedroom house in Nunn hit Zillow with a warning few listings carry: no showings, no inspections, and a buyer left responsible for removing the woman inside.

A screenshot drew more than 4 million views on X. Tori McMechan and her late husband bought the Weld County home in 2006; he died in a car crash amid a dispute with town officials.

McMechan sued the lender twice on her own, arguing the loan changed hands without a clear record of ownership. Both suits were dismissed, and the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled against her last year.

She is pinning her hopes on a 2024 state law giving evicted tenants a right to a jury trial. "I've had three attorneys that could not even get this straightened out," she said.

The listing agent said he has sold thousands of foreclosed homes, but never one with someone still inside.

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➤ Mesa County: Sen. John Hickenlooper asked the Interior Department Thursday to investigate the deaths of four firefighters in the Knowles Fire burnover, including whether recent changes to the Wildland Fire Service played a role. Wildfires have burned more than 240,000 acres statewide this summer. (More)

➤ Aurora: Chantal Morales Rojas walked out of the ICE processing center Thursday, 10 days after agents arrested her on a jetway at Denver International Airport. An immigration judge granted the 27-year-old Ecuadorian a $3,000 bond. DHS says she overstayed her visa; a federal challenge is pending. (More)

➤ Hartman: The Colorado Department of State declared the 116-year-old Prowers County town abandoned on July 28 after every elected official resigned. The town of about 30 people has been under a boil order since October and now joins unincorporated Prowers County. (More)

➤ Denver: The New Civil Liberties Alliance sued in federal court Thursday to block Colorado's producer-funded recycling program, arguing it hands regulatory power to a private group. The state projects the program would bring no-cost recycling to 700,000 more households. (See Details)

➤ Monument: ACCO Engineered Systems will build a $36 million fabrication plant in Monument, adding about 135 jobs at an average wage above $87,000. The state approved more than $450,000 in job-growth incentives; the employee-owned firm also considered Arizona. (More)

➤ Air Force Academy: The academy reorganized its academic wing into four schools, including a new School of Integrated General Studies overseeing the 90 core credit hours every cadet takes. Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. James Valpiani will also command the academic wing. (See Details)

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➤ Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton got emotional when his former quarterback, Drew Brees, asked him to present him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement on Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio. Payton and Brees went 144-85 together in New Orleans, including a Super Bowl title. (More)

➤ Smoky Hill High School in Aurora has been using a buffalo logo since 2001 that closely resembles a trademarked Buffalo Sabres design, and the NHL is now asking them to change it. The Cherry Creek School District says it's working with the league on a royalty-free agreement. (More)

➤ Colorado's Folsom Field was ranked the No. 3 stadium in the Big 12 by USA Today, crediting the mountain backdrop, the Ralphie Run tradition, and the energy Deion Sanders has brought back to the venue. (More)

➤ The second annual Colorado Alumni Faceoff between Avalanche and Denver Pioneers alumni is set for Aug. 23 at DU's Magness Arena. Last year's game ended with the Pioneers winning 8-7 in a shootout. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Golf | WNBA | Soccer

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➤ The Durango Airtanker Base can pump more than 20,000 gallons of fire retardant an hour, and at the peak of last month's fires it was turning around 11 planes flying laps to the fire lines. The Forest Service base serves Colorado and eight other Western states. (Read Story)

➤ Nearly 300 people took the oath of allegiance at Red Rocks on Thursday in the first naturalization ceremony Colorado's federal trial court has held there. They came from 70 nations, the largest spread on record for a Colorado ceremony. (See Details)

➤ Denver7's two-part special Colorado 150 | America 250 rides the Royal Gorge Railroad, stops in Gold Hill and Palisade, and visits a Loveland farm that has been in the same family longer than Colorado has been a state. (Watch)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ Your $139 Amazon Prime membership includes hidden benefits most members are unknowingly paying for and never using. (Hear More)

➤ Mortgage rates have climbed to their highest level in a year as war fears and Fed doubts fuel inflation concerns. (Listen Now)

➤ Shark sightings are surging off New York City beaches, forcing police to send drones into the sky over swimmers. (Podcast Available)

What is most iconic of Colorado?

Yesterday's Results:

How are you celebrating the 150th Colorado Day?

Relaxing at home: 27%
Other: 17%
Family time: 15%
County fair: 11%
Hiking: 11%
Visiting museum: 10%
Free pancakes: 9%

Which Colorado bridge was the highest suspension bridge in the world for more than 70 years?

Show me the answer

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Talarico Leading Paxton, Top Private Companies, and Tanya Tucker's Sung Testimony

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1966, Charles Whitman opened fire from the observation deck of the University of Texas Tower in Austin, in one of the worst mass murders in American history.

Second Poll Shows Tight Senate Race

A new Fox News poll of Texas registered voters shows Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton 51% to 48% in the U.S. Senate race.

The 3-point gap sits inside the margin of error. It's the second poll in a week to show Talarico ahead, after Texas Public Opinion Research put him up 45% to 40% Tuesday.

Talarico draws 68% of independents and 98% of Democrats, while 89% of Republicans back Paxton. About one in four non-MAGA Republicans said they'd vote for Talarico.

Nearly 4 in 10 voters named inflation as the top issue in their Senate vote, and 2 in 10 named immigration. Texas hasn't sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.

Weekend Front Nudges the Heat Down

A weak summer cold front will slide into North, Northeast, and East Texas this weekend, dropping highs from the upper 90s into the lower 90s by Sunday.

The heat dome that has run the state all week is shifting west toward Arizona, Nevada, and California, opening the door for northerly winds on its eastern edge.

East Texas counties sat under heat advisories through Friday evening with heat indices near 105 degrees. Behind the front, morning lows should fall into the lower 70s, with a few upper 60s early next week.

Houston gets less of a break. Forecasters there expect highs near 100 today and upper 90s next week, with overnight lows close to 80.

Texas' Top Private Company Isn't H-E-B

Austin telecom company Purple Communications ranked as Texas' highest entry on Time's first list of America's 500 best private companies, landing at No. 56.

Purple provides video relay, interpreting, and real-time translation for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. Its score of 88.72 put it 19 spots ahead of H-E-B, the San Antonio grocer that usually tops Texas rankings.

Time built the ranking with Statista, scoring companies on employee satisfaction surveys, plus net benefit on society, knowledge, health, and the environment.

Half Price Books came in at No. 127, The Container Store at No. 160, Buc-ee's at No. 198, Blue Bell Creameries at No. 285, and Whataburger at No. 418. California apparel maker Patagonia took the top spot overall at 96.84.

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➤ McGregor: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman toured SpaceX's rocket engine testing site with U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions this week, calling the McGregor facility central to America's return to the moon. (See Details)

➤ Robertson County: Crews broke ground on a $1.7 billion solar project that will produce 1.2 gigawatts when finished, the largest solar installation ever built on an existing coal mining site in North America. (More)

➤ Amarillo: Gina Hinojosa, Democrat nominee for governor, walked the site of Project Matador, billed as the world's largest data center. Hinojosa said she'd back legislation prioritizing residents over data centers for water, and would declare an emergency if needed. (More)

➤ Denton: City Council member Jordan Villarreal, Denton's youngest ever council member, announced Thursday he will step down, citing what he described as ongoing personal health issues. Villarreal was elected in May. (See Details)

➤ Laredo: The City Council moved to freeze data center applications while it drafts rules. The city has nothing on the books regulating the facilities, and leaders want something in place before developers file proposals. (More)

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➤ CBS Sports placed former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo on leave following his arrest last week on suspicion of driving under the influence in Milwaukee. J.J. Watt will step in as CBS' lead NFL game analyst alongside Jim Nantz. (More)

➤ San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama signed a long-term extension with Nike on Friday that includes his own signature shoe, the Nike Wemby 1. (More)

➤ Texas Rangers reliever Jakob Junis landed back on the injured list with a left adductor strain, his second IL stint this month after missing time earlier with a hip issue. (More)

➤ A nonprofit called Houston Hockey Community announced plans to build the city's first dual-surface ice and roller hockey rink in North Houston. The facility would include a full NHL-size ice sheet and a roller court to expand affordable access to hockey in the city. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Golf | WNBA | Soccer

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One of the trivia questions this week asked, What's the highest point in Texas? A reader named Mike sent his answer as a set of photos featuring his wife, Monika, from their epic hike to the summit of Guadalupe Peak (8,751 feet), about 100 miles east of El Paso. What a view!

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➤ Tanya Tucker traveled from a Nashville movie set to testify against a 765-kilovolt transmission line that would cross her Burnet County ranch, then sang for the Senate Business and Commerce Committee. The Seminole native asked lawmakers to "take a longer look at the other options." (Watch)

➤ Kurth Memorial Library in Lufkin is aiming its summer reading program at a statewide problem: 70% of Texas fourth graders read below proficiency, according to 2024 Annie E. Casey Foundation data. Program Director Maren Metzner said this year's program adds a group challenge. (Read Story)

➤ A Sugar Land teenager with a lifelong fascination with sea creatures is recovering after a barracuda bit her. She has since given the fish a name. (Read Story)

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