Welcome back to another week of news, Bucket Listers! We’ve got reason to cheer: with your help, we reached our $5,000 Back to School Fundraiser goal and then some. Thank you to everyone who contributed $5,335 to help Bucket List keep going into 2026 and keep giving real-world experience for student journalists and recent graduates. Your support fuels our ability to keep telling the free hyperlocal stories that matter most to our community. We’re grateful to have you with us on this journey, and we’ve got another strong lineup of stories for you this week. Let’s dive in.
Magnus White’s Parents Lead State-Wide Street Safety Campaign
Last week, a dozen lawmakers sat in the Aurora History Museum to listen to crash victims and their families advocate for safer roads at a Route 2 Change event. Jill and Michael White organize these town hall events to put an end to deaths caused by reckless drivers. They lost their son, 17-year-old Team USA cyclist Magnus White, who was hit by an impaired driver while biking in Boulder. Our Ryland Scholes spoke with the Whites and other attendees at the Aurora event about their vision for safer streets across Colorado.
Death Doulas Want to Make Dying More Peaceful
As healthcare costs rise across America, more people are dying in their homes. Even though this may sound overwhelming, it does not have to be—that’s where death doulas come in. These individuals offer additional support to those nearing the end of their lives, beyond what hospice and palliative care can provide. Cassis Tingley profiles several active doulas in the Colorado community to learn how they are helping make death more peaceful for their clients.
LAEF Prepares Local Latino Students for Academic Success
Attending college can be difficult for first-generation Latino students in Colorado due to high tuition costs, lack of resources and few connections in academia. For 76 years, the Latin American Educational Foundation (LAEF) has supported 7,000 Latino students with scholarships, educational opportunities, and community partnerships to overcome academic obstacles. Diego Simental interviews staff and former students about the program’s efforts to improve educational access.
How Cherry Creek High Won the Nation’s Top Athletic Honor
Cherry Creek High School is making history in Colorado and across the country after winning the nation’s top athletic prize, the 2024-25 MaxPreps Cup. I had the opportunity to speak with the athletic director and coaches about what this win meant to them and how they built the school’s award-winning athletic department. Even though they won big, the school does not intend to rest on its laurels and believes “pressure is a privilege here at Creek.”
Stuff We Noticed
City Council Scales Back RiNO Development. The Denver City Council amended a redevelopment plan in RiNo with a 10-3 vote, reducing funding for an EDENS Properties project from $19.5 million in tax financing to $9.25 million. This change reflects the scaled-back plans that EDENS is pursuing. EDENS had planned to build 100,000 square feet of retail space with hundreds of apartments; however, the revised plans remove the residential component temporarily and reduce the retail space to 60,000 square feet.
Denver Metro Students Protest Gun Violence. On Wednesday, one week after the Evergreen High School shooting, students across Denver walked out of class in solidarity with Evergreen and to send the message that no student should be afraid to go to school. At the same time, Students Demand Action held a rally at the Colorado State Capitol to protest gun violence. Many students were in attendance, holding signs that read “we stand with Evergreen” and “no more silence, end gun violence,” urging local leaders to act in the aftermath of the tragedy.
CU Regent Launches Campaign to Replace U.S. Rep. CU Regent Wanda James, who serves on the University of Colorado Board of Regents and represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, announced this week that she will challenge U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in next year’s Democratic primary election for Congress. DeGette is the state’s longest-serving representative, having first been elected in 1996, which James’ website seems to critique: “The old politics of caution and careerism cannot meet the moment.” It’s been more than 50 years since the district elected a Republican to Congress, so this primary is the real battle for the seat.
That’s a wrap for this week, Bucket Listers! Thank you for reading and for helping us reach our fundraising goal—it means the world to our team. As fall officially begins on Monday, Sept. 22, we’re looking forward to crisp evenings, changing leaves in the high country for you leaf peepers, and plenty more neighborhood stories to share. Stay tuned for next Friday’s newsletter, and until then, take care and enjoy the weekend.
Warmest Regards,
Kathryn Cronin
Editorial Intern/Bucket List Community News
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