Happy holidays, Bucket Listers! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, more than one or nothing at all, we want to wish you a season of light and hope. We also want to thank you for your generosity during our #newsCOneeds fundraising campaign. We are so close to our $15,000 goal. With a week and a half left before the December 31st deadline, we’re just shy of $13,500. We are grateful to you for partnering with us to keep this work going.
Rising Insurance Costs Crushing Local Families
Even before the Affordable Care Act cuts go into effect, Colorado families are feeling the effects of rising health insurance costs. With premiums for an estimated 225,000 Coloradans expected to rise by 101% next year, the situation will only worsen. Rowen Kennedy provides firsthand accounts of how rising health insurance costs affect working-class families, as well as interviews with healthcare professionals about the industry’s future.
Boulderites Prepare to Say Goodbye to Dark Horse
As the saying goes, “all good things come to an end,” and, unfortunately, the Dark Horse’s time is almost up. Though it was supposed to close by the end of the year, the kitschy bar will now close in March 2026 to allow patrons to say their goodbyes properly. Our Ryland Scholes speaks with regulars who recall their first legal drink, graduation traditions and hopes for the future of this long-standing establishment.
5 Points History Gets a Jazzy, Holiday Twist
Based on Duke Ellington’s version of “The Nutcracker” and filled to the brim with local history, “The 5 Points Nutcracker” is back for its third year at The Savoy Denver. The show has quickly become a beloved holiday tradition that consistently sells out. Read Perry Guirdry’s piece to learn from the creators about how they incorporate prominent Black Coloradans into the story and why the show is still relevant.
Stuff We Noticed
Xcel Power Outages Continue. As part of its efforts to prevent wildfires caused by downed power lines, Xcel Energy turned off power to approximately 113,000 customers statewide beginning Wednesday in response to high winds. The company reported that approximately 58,000 of its customers were without power on Thursday and warned that another planned outage is expected today, Friday, Dec. 19. Residents may be without power over the weekend as Xcel crews inspect and repair damaged lines before they can be safely re-energized.
President Trump Decriminalizes Cannabis. On Thursday, the Trump administration issued an executive order making significant changes to federal marijuana policies. Trump’s order directs federal agencies to reclassify the drug as a Schedule III substance, rather than its current Schedule I status, which placed it alongside heroin and LSD. The reclassification of marijuana represents a significant step forward in federal drug policy, allowing for more medical applications and lowering tax burdens for cannabis companies. It could also eventually lead financial institutions to reevaluate practices in banking and lending.
Trump Closing National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Trump giveth (see above) and Trump taketh away. The Trump administration plans to close the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, calling their research “climate alarmism.” The lab employs 830 people who play an important role in natural disaster preparation and prediction, prompting several local politicians, including Governor Jared Polis, Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and US Representative Joe Neguse, to publicly criticize the move and say they “intend to fight back.”
That’s it for this week, Bucket Listers. Thank you for reading. We hope you and your loved ones have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season! As the year winds down, please support community news and remember that the Lenfest Institute will match every dollar you give to Bucket List Community News, doubling your impact. Your contributions help us continue serving the community with free hyperlocal neighborly news. We can’t do it without you.
Warmest Regards,
Toni Tresca
Editor/Bucket List Community News
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