Hi, Bucket Listers! We hope you enjoyed the snow (our dog correspondent, Daphne, sure did), and that your sidewalks are cleared up by now. Thank you to everyone who showed up for us on Giving Tuesday. We’re halfway to our $15,000 goal with roughly a month to go. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Parker, Dan, Michael, Dominic, Debra, Nancy and Michael for their contributions. I know it gets exhausting this time of year with so many appeals, but community news matters and you matter to community news. Colorado Gives Day is on Tuesday, Dec. 9, so please contribute if you haven’t already. Now, onto the news.
NREL in Golden Has a New Name
For over three decades, Goldenites have referred to the U.S. Department of Energy building in town as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or NREL; however, on Dec. 1, the federal department announced that it would be renamed the National Laboratory of the Rockies. The NLR director said the name embraces “a broader applied energy mission” and would go into effect immediately. Corinne Westeman’s story, originally published in the Golden Transcript, breaks down the announcement and the reactions of Colorado public officials.
Are Denver Diners Ready for an Elevated Food Scene?
Listen, we all love Denver, but let’s be real: our food scene is incredibly basic. As Alex Grenier, executive chef of the Michelin-recommended restaurant Mercantile Dining and Provision’s, puts it “the audience in Denver is still a meat-and-potatoes type of audience.” Our reporter PJ Guidry spoke with some of the city’s culinary leaders about the future of Denver’s fine dining scene and how they are slowly pushing to elevate diners palates.
Odds Are Good That Sports Betting Is Here To Stay
If you are a sports fan, avoiding the onslaught of advertisements for mobile sports betting is nearly impossible. From commercials on TV during games to ads on stadium signage, it gives the impression that if you don’t bet on the action, you’re missing out. As part of their capstone project, CU Boulder News Corps students Jake Reuss and Ben Babson investigate how sports betting is emerging as college students’ (and even high school students’) new favorite vice, despite expert warnings about increased addiction risks.
Bucket List Talks Food Banks, Holiday Events and More on KGNU
The sixth episode of Bucket List Community Cafe’s radio show aired yesterday on KGNU. Our reporters spoke about why food banks are experiencing increased demand this holiday season, the reopening of Park Hill Park and the monthly Crafting for Democracy club. We also discussed holiday events in the metro area, how an author’s family is continuing her legacy and how high school students are assisting seniors with tech at Holly Creek Retirement Community.
Stuff We Noticed
Trump and Polis Spar Over Tina Peters. President Donald Trump attacked Governor Jared Polis this week over the Colorado Department of Corrections’ refusal to move Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk convicted of election interference in August 2024, from state to federal custody. On Dec. 3, Trump referred to Polis as a “SLEAZEBAG” and a “lightweight Governor, who has allowed his State to go to hell” because Colorado has refused to release Peters. In response, Polis wrote, “We would all benefit if the President spent less time posting attacks and instead worked on ending tariffs and making Christmas more affordable.”
Denver Gas Prices Are Cheaper Than the National Average. Finally, some good news! Data from GasBuddy show that Denver drivers can get gas for 56 cents less than the national average. Experts believe this is due to a combination of factors, including new stations opening with lower gas prices to attract customers, a low gas tax and Suncor’s Commerce City plant sourcing oil from Canada, where gas is less expensive. With everything else rising in price, this is a nice win for those of us who drive gas-guzzling vehicles.
Bear Encounters On the Rise in CO. This year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has received over 5,000 bear reports. That is the highest number since 2019 (5,392), when CPW began digitally tracking this data, and it exceeds the seven-year average of 4,583 bear-related reports. With bear sightings on the rise, CPW and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources are working on legislation to restrict unsecured attractants that encourage bears to wander out of the woods and towards civilization.
That’s all for this week, Bucket Listers. Don’t forget, Colorado Gives Day is on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Please remember to support community journalism in addition to your other charitable contributions. Your generosity allows us to continue providing you with free hyperlocal neighborly news that connects rather than divides us. It also enables us to continue mentoring the next generation of journalists. We cannot do this work without your partnership. Thank you for your support, and have a wonderful weekend.
Warmest Regards,
Toni Tresca
Editor/Bucket List Community News
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