Colorado
What’s Working: Colorado has a new climate-jobs coalition, as Trump pulls back on green energy
Gathered at a Denver training facility on Logan Street earlier this month, members of several labor unions took a stand. There were the brothers and sisters from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the drivers hailing from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001, and the craftspeople from the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council.
Others joined them and together they announced Climate Jobs Colorado, a coalition to address the growing climate crisis, its impacts on workers and worker inequality. Creating high-quality union jobs lowers costs for working families and builds a clean energy economy that works for Coloradans, they said.
“About a year and a half ago, labor leaders from across our state started discussing what we can do with the triple aim of advancing climate goals, improving our ability to organize and represent workers across the state in the green economy, and combating economic inequality,” Dennis Dougherty, executive director of the Colorado AFL-CIO, told the group. “Now is the time to do something about it, and that is why we are here today.”
A week later, Donald Trump began his second term as president. Over the next few days, Trump signed multiple executive orders that many say will set the United States on “a radically different path” from the Biden administration in terms of environmental directives and departments.
Now to figure out how to move ahead.
“We don’t know what a Trump administration will bring to the table,” said Nate Bernstein, executive director of Climate Jobs Colorado. “But it makes it all the more important that we work at the state level to enact policies that are favorable for Coloradans and for Colorado workers.”
The report
Labor officials were encouraged by a new report from Cornell University’s Climate Jobs Institute. Melissa Shetler, the institute’s senior training and education associate, joined the kickoff.
“We are honored to join you here today in Colorado, and have collaborated with so many of you to develop a plan that reflects Labor’s vision for addressing climate change through equitable clean energy transition,” she said. “This plan and this report emphasize creating good union jobs for Colorado communities, protecting existing workers and ensuring the (green energy) transition benefits frontline, rural and historically disadvantaged communities.”
The report cites warnings from the International Panel on Climate Change that without rapid reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, the world is on track to warm between 2.7 and 3.6 degrees by the 2030s.
That warming “will give rise to catastrophic impacts not only around the world, but also in Coloradans’ own backyard,” such as the 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed over 1,000 homes, killed two people and caused more than $2 billion worth of damage, it says.
And the report gives recommendations for facing this future in the six sectors of energy, manufacturing, transportation, buildings, resilience and adaptation, and workforce development, including:
Climate Jobs Colorado aims to support union workers in climate jobs by pushing to maximize wages, benefits and working conditions and “make sure union members and those who wish to be in the union get a fair shake on the job,” Bernstein said.
Unions are “pushing up the living standards for all workers, and maximiz(ing) the number of members that we have in an industry so we can push up all wages in that industry,” he added. They also collectively bargain “to try to help address the concerns of members, whether it has to do with workplace safety, staffing or making sure they have sufficient resources to do their work.”
Climate jobs in Colorado
Colorado had 77,000 direct clean-tech, climate-tech and related energy jobs as of 2024, according to the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
From 2017 to 2023, the sector’s total employment grew by 2.2% compared to 1.4% on average for all U.S. states, it says.
According to a Clean Jobs Colorado 2024 report by the national environmental group E2, which advocates for “smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment,” Colorado’s renewable generation workforce grew 3.9 percent in 2023 to 18,718 individuals—the seventh largest in the country. It said solar and wind accounted for the majority of the sector’s workforce with 9,017 jobs and 7,880 jobs respectively.
Alissa Johnson, OEDIT’s spokesperson, said climate-related sectors added jobs at a much faster rate than the state’s overall employment, which grew by 2.5 percent.
Trump’s influence already apparent pre-2025
Even before Trump took office, potential for major policy shifts was already threatening the way Colorado operates.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission passed the 2021 Electric Resource Plan in December 2023 with winning bids for projects capable of creating about 3,500 megawatts of renewable energy.
But one of the issues the PUC discovered was “that none of the projects were under contract because the developers were saying their bids weren’t reliable anymore,” Commissioner Tom Plant said. That’s because “they don’t know what level of tariffs are going to go into place and how it’s going to impact their project costs. What might change is already changing.”
The state regulators allowed for up to 15% movement on bid prices based on changes in federal law, but on Thursday, Plant added, “so far, (Trump) is only talking about (a 10% tariff) on China,” when “during the campaign his rhetoric was more like 60%.”
“On the renewable tax credits, Republicans have indicated that they intend to use the reconciliation process to pass Trump’s tax cuts for corporations, but they have also said they want to shift some of the costs of that from other stuff,” Plant added. “There’s an expectation that they will look at tax credits that were passed under the IRA to do that. One of those tax credits was the renewable tax credit, (and) also EV tax credits.”
On Monday, Trump stalled spending under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act set to fund 42 environmental projects that could create infrastructure jobs in four states — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.
“If federal funding is not provided as promised by these contracts, infrastructure jobs in Colorado would be directly affected, now and in the future,” Johnson said. But “Colorado remains committed to doing our part to ensure the historic investments promised in our state are carried out,” she added.
Trump also for a second time pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, which could jettison the United States’ Biden-era promise to cut climate pollution by up to 66% within a decade.
Colorado Climate Jobs will be watching Trump’s executive orders related to green energy and how they might impact the new climate jobs union.
“Obviously, President Biden and Congress passed some really landmark legislation with green energy and the Inflation Reduction Act,” Bernstein said. “It also has a lot of incentives to do the right thing on behalf of the workers building those things. And I don’t know if you heard the potential EPA administrator, but he said he believes in diversifying energy,” Bernstein added, referring to Lee Zeldin, Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
Gov. Jared Polis’ office said in an email they “have not seen any language” on Trump’s national energy emergency declaration, which a Trump administration official told reporters “will unlock a variety of different authorities related to oil, gas and coal production.” But Polis’ office said it “is closely monitoring to determine what impacts, if any, of such an order might be.”
Got a question, story tip or other idea for Colorado Sun rural-economy reporter Tracy Ross? Send her an email at tracy@coloradosun.com.
ICYMI: 17 Colorado environmental projects are in limbo after Trump halts spending from Biden-era law. Coloradans thought they had millions coming their way for environmental projects meant to address drought in the Colorado River Basin. Now, the future is uncertain. >> Read story
Sun economy stories you may have missed
➔ Nonrenewals are fueling Colorado’s growing homeowners insurance crisis. In Colorado, homeowners’ premiums are up nearly 60% in five years. But the state is also dealing with insurers dropping coverage or leaving the state altogether. >> Read story
➔ Vail Resorts boosts pay for patrollers in wake of Park City strike — but union workers must wait. Meanwhile, Crested Butte lift mechanics threaten to strike and Breckenridge employees walk out to protest conditions at company housing >> Read story
➔ How Donald Trump’s return-to-office order will affect the 45,000 federal employees throughout Colorado. According to federal data, most work in-person at the office some or all of the work week. >> Read story
➔ Colorado plans to limit coverage of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy for state employees to save $17M. The decision was made to help balance the state’s budget. At least one state lawmaker who gets GLP-1 treatment is fighting hard to prevent the change. >> Read story
➔ More Colorado PERA benefit cuts “likely” in next two years. Changes to the pension’s demographic assumptions make it likely that PERA’s finances will deteriorate, triggering another round of benefit cuts and contribution hikes under state law >> Read story
➔ With Biden-era consumer protections in jeopardy, Colorado Democrats look to crack down on rental housing fees. The effort got a boost last week from a top Federal Trade Commission official, who sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis urging the state to target so-called “junk fees” >> Read story
King Soopers union sets first strike vote for Front Range stores, which could involve 10,000 workers. If workers vote to approve a strike, the walkout will involve more stores and employees than the nine-day strike in 2022. >> Read story
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Take the poll: What’s so great/terrible about your city?
A week into this reader poll and it’s probably no surprise that more people have criticism than compliments for their city. “Lack of affordable housing in SAFE neighborhoods,” says one respondent from Fort Collins. “Lack of enforcement of minor traffic violations, i.e.: no front license plate,” says another, but from Denver.
“Awful public transportation,” said a Colorado Springs resident, who really enjoys hiking in Cheyenne Canyon.
If you’ve already taken the poll, thanks for your feedback. We’re hoping for more specific highlights (and lowlights) of your current hometown, so feel free to submit another response. We’ll keep it going another week.
Take the poll >> cosun.co/WWcity
Other working bits
➔ Workers at homeless organization vote to unionize. A division of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless voted Wednesday to unionize, with 49 employees in favor and eight opposed. The workers are employed in the nonprofit’s Housing Supportive Services Department. The organization helps people struggling with homelessness.
CCH workers “routinely spoke about the need for higher wages, as they are some of the lowest-paid workers in the field,” said David Fernandez, a spokesman for the Service Employees International Union Local 105, in an email. SEIU has helped organize workers at Urban Peak and Wellpower. “Another major point for this workforce was addressing the high turnover, low employee support, and high caseloads that make the services they provide as frontline staff even more difficult,” he added.
CCH, which employs 850 people, said executives are “committed to working collaboratively with SEIU and the impacted employees through the next phase of the collective bargaining agreement process,” in a statement. >> See vote results
➔ Denver rents decline. That’s according to the fourth-quarter report from the Apartment Association of Metro Denver. In an analysis by Apartment Insights of nearly 250,000 rental units, the average monthly rent dropped $69 to $1,842, compared to a year earlier. “This is the steepest decline in rents in the Denver Metro Area we’ve seen since we began recording rent trends 44 years ago,” Mark Williams, AAMD’s executive vice president, said in a news release. There’s also a growing number of unoccupied apartments, with the vacancy rate at 6.9% — the highest in 16 years. Prices tend to fall when there’s a lot of supply and that’s what’s been happening in the region. More than 33,000 new apartment homes were completed and hit the market in the past two years. >> View apartment report
➔ Coming soon: 88 affordable condos in Glenwood Springs. Housing can be out-of-reach in Colorado’s mountain resort communities like Glenwood Springs, where the median sales price of a condo was $540,000 last month. Expect something more affordable after Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley completes the conversion of an 88-unit apartment complex into condos. The L3 complex is taking applications for deed-restricted one-bedrooms that start at $380,000. Studio units are less. Potential owners must put in some “sweat equity” with Habitat to qualify. The conversion is backed by $23.8 million in financing from FirstBank. >> Details
➔Colorado’s paid family leave tapped by 135,000 workers. And we’re only one year into Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance, or FAMLI. Payments totaled $687 million in 2024.The average weekly payment was $914. Of those who took leave last year, less than half — or 61,000 — used it to bond with a new child.
The paid-leave benefit, made possible after voters approved the 2020 ballot measure, offers up to 12 weeks of partial pay for workers to take time off to care for a new child, a sick family member or themselves. The program is funded by employers and workers, much like unemployment benefits. At the end of 2024, the FAMLI fund had a balance of $1.235 billion and “remains strong,” according to a spokesperson at the state Department of Labor and Employment. A good chunk of that fund — $1.027 billion — is invested in the state’s treasury pool. >> See FAMLI numbers, read earlier story
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Colorado
Thornton marks 70 years: Exhibit traces Colorado city’s roots from developer’s dream to thriving suburb
Seventy years ago, a housing developer looked at an empty stretch of land north of Denver and saw the future. What Sam Hoffman built there became the city of Thornton — and a free public exhibit is now telling that story for the first time in a generation.
CBS Colorado is excited to shine the spotlight on Thornton, as Colorado marks 150 years as a state.
“The history of Thornton is really the history of suburbia,” said Lance Jones, the historian and curator of the city’s 70th anniversary exhibit. “Thornton was planned. Thornton was intentionally created as a city.”
Hoffman, Jones explained, recognized an opportunity in the postwar boom. “He realized the Denver Metro area was going to really explode and he wanted in on the ground floor,” Jones said. To sell his 5,000 planned homes, Hoffman turned to an unlikely marketing asset — Hollywood.
Three of his employees happened to be the brothers of Jane Russell, one of the biggest film stars in America at the time. “She was an A-list actress. I mean, she was really top of the game,” Jones said. Hoffman asked the brothers if their sister might make an appearance, and she agreed.
“One day in 1954, his grand opening celebration, she came out. And a lot of people came out to see her — big, big crowd,” Jones said. “Thousands of people showed up to see her, to get a glimpse, to take a picture.” Russell would return to Thornton more than three decades later, appearing at the opening of the Thornton Parkway interchange in 1986.
The homes Russell helped promote were advertised at $9,950, with a down payment for GI’s of $532.30 and a monthly mortgage of $65. Jones noted those were not trivial sums for working families of the era. “That represented a big chunk of the average person’s paycheck. People would have to save up for that,” Jones said.
A Denver Post clipping from Jan. 31, 1954, on display at the exhibit, documents the arrival of the city’s first residents. “This is one of the first families in Thornton moving in,” Jones said. “This was a unique thing. They created the city. It just sprang from nothing.”
By 1956, residents had established enough civic infrastructure to pursue formal incorporation. “There were a lot of civic organizations, a lot of clubs, a lot of veterans organizations — it was a big joiner kind of town,” Jones said. “And, eventually, in 1956, they were able to get incorporated.”
That civic spirit, Jones argued, never left. “The culture here in Thornton kind of developed from that. It’s still a city with a lot of civic involvement, a lot of events, a lot of cohesion.”
The exhibit highlights several residents whose stories reflect the city’s early character. Among the artifacts is a cheerleading uniform that belonged to Loretta Garcia — the first baby born in Thornton after its incorporation. She and the city share the same milestone birthday. “Thornton is 70, and so is she,” Jones said. Garcia was delivered at home on Rowena Street because the trip to a Denver hospital was considered too far. “The doctor came up here and delivered her at home.”
Another featured resident is Norma Ellman, a Thornton High School teacher, who in 1956 traveled to California to compete on a CBS game show called “High Finance.” She won the equivalent of what Jones estimates would be more than $1 million today. The victory was significant enough that the mayor authorized Ellman to present the show’s host with a key to the city of Thornton.
Jones said the exhibit is designed to connect newer residents with the people who built the community, noting that from its earliest days Thornton had a strong Hispanic presence that continues today alongside a growing diversity of other ethnicities.
“The younger people really do need to hear from the folks who made Thornton, Thornton,” Jones said. “You have to know where we came from to know where we’re going.”
The 70th anniversary exhibit is free and open to the public at the Thornton Arts and Culture Annex. Visit this page for days and hours.
Summer swimming safety tips for children, families
Swim more safely this summer following these tips from the American Red Cross.
Last year, the buzz around Elitch Gardens was that 2025 could have been its last year — or at least the last year at its current site near Ball Arena.
But a June property deal gave sole ownership of the park’s land to Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, the owner of the arena, the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and other assets. That deal seemed to save Elitch Gardens at its current location for the immediate future, although the specter of a wrecking ball still looms.
Here’s a look at what Colorado’s amusement parks, water parks, fun centers and other activities have to offer in 2026.
Elitch Gardens in Denver
Colorado’s oldest amusement park kicked off its 136th year April 18 and has new events and activities planned for 2026.
Where: Downtown Denver
When it’s open: It opened for the season on April 18. Hours can vary and the most up-to-date information can be found online at its website.
Can’t miss rides: The park boasts multiple roller coasters, including Twister III, a 4,640-foot wooden coaster featuring a 90-foot drop and a pitch black tunnel. The attraction was listed as temporarily unavailable as of April 20, but other roller coasters include the Mind Eraser, Boomerang and Sidewinder.
Tickets and season passes: A day pass can run as much as $72.99, although discounts can often be found. Season passes start at $84.99, with multiple tiers of perks, with discounts sometimes available. Kids age 2 and younger get in free. Get more season pass information online
More information: elitchgardens.com
Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver
The low-cost alternative to Elitch Gardens is still finalizing plans for the 2026 season, but will be up and running for its 119th year in the same location.
Where: Denver
When it’s open: Lakeside has yet to announce an opening day but typically opens for weekends starting in mid-May before moving to a six-day-a-week schedule (no Tuesdays) from early June through mid-August. It usually closes out the season with weekends-only admission into September. Hours can also vary, so call Lakeside at 303-477-1621 to confirm hours before going.
Can’t miss rides: A smaller park, Lakeside has classic rides such as the Scrambler and the Tilt-A-Whirl. Its roller coasters include the Pinfari and Chipmunk. There’s no update on if its landmark coaster, the Cyclone, will reopen after nearly four years of sitting idle.
Tickets: 2026 pricing has not been announced yet.
More information: www.lakesideamusementpark.com
Glennwood Caverns Adventure Park near Glenwood Springs
The highest amusement park in the land, Glenwood Caverns sits at more than 7,100 feet elevation and offers both rides and chances to explore.
Where: On top of Iron Mountain
When it’s open: It has year-round operations, with all rides slated to open on May 1. The schedule is lighter outside of the summer. Its online schedule shows the park open every day from May 13 through Sept. 7, with hours stretching from 9 am. to 7 p.m. for much of that time before it starts mixing in off-days again.
Can’t miss rides: A gondola ride to the top of Iron Mountain has been a staple of the park dating to its founding, and its alpine coaster back down and cave tours all plays to its unique location. Not all rides are open every day and the harsh weather common on Colorado mountaintops can shut some attractions down, so check the weather and the website before going.
Tickets: Single-day advance tickets start at $32.99 for just gondola rides up Iron Mountain, ranging up to $62.99 for a Fun Day ticket that includes access to two cave tours, alpine coaster and other attractions on the mountaintop. Through April 30, local residents can get free annual gondola passes and a $63 discount on annual thrill passes. Annual passes without the discount are $157 for adults and $147 for children.
More information: www.glenwoodcaverns.com
North Pole – Santa’s Workshop near Colorado Springs
Experience the magic of Santa and the North Pole as early as the spring at this park on Pikes Peak.
Where: Cascade
When it’s open: May 16 marks the return of Santa and the reopening of the shops and rides. The park will be open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. into the fall, according to its website. From Oct. 28 through Dec. 24, it is slated to typically be open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Holiday week schedules can be different and weather could cause the park to close.
Can’t miss rides: The park was built for little kids, with some rides gentle enough to bring an infant on. The Candy Cane Coaster is a right-sized first coaster for preschooler, while the 60-foot high Ferris wheel gives great views of the park.
Tickets: During the summer and fall, admission to the park is free. To ride rides, purchase an all-access wristband at the park for $38 for those ages 3 to 59. Military family members and seniors can receive discounts in the spring and summer. From Oct. 28 through Dec. 24, all visitors age 3 and up entering must pay a yet-to-be-announced admission fee, which includes unlimited rides, and reservations will be required on peak days for individuals. Season passes are available, with some blackout dates.
More information: northpolecolorado.com
Water World near Denver
One of the nation’s top-rated water parks, Water World’s updates in the off-season includes its new Summit Canyon area with new waterslides and a toddler splash area.
Where: Federal Heights
When it’s open: Season starts May 23. Park hours are typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., although Summit Canyon will be open to 6 p.m. and special events could alter hours.
Can’t miss rides: The park has more than 50 attractions across 70 acres, including the Mile High Flyer water coaster, the Voyage to the Center of the Earth waterslide and Water World’s lazy river. All were recognized in 2025 in the USA TODAY 10BEST Reader’s Choice Awards in their respective categories.
Tickets: Advance single-day tickets for any day the park is open are $53.99 for people 48 inches and taller and $48.99 for those shorter, with discounts for tickets bought for specific days. A full season Splash Pass starts at $144.99 for people under 48 inches and $154.99 for people 48 inches and taller, with prices going up to add perks like discounts and meal plans. Guests under 40 inches always receive free admission.
More information: waterworldcolorado.com
Royal Gorge Bridge and Park in Cañon City
There is no shortage of ways to experience the beauty of one of Colorado’s most famous landmarks. Some are tame and one gives a unique thrill.
Where: Cañon City
When it’s open: Weather permitting, the park is open year round. The visitor’s center is typically open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and rides typically open at 10 a.m.
Can’t miss rides: The world’s highest suspension bridge is awe-inspiring on its own, and the aerial gondola gives stunning views, but the Royal Rush Skycoaster — which dangles riders 1,200 feet above the Arkansas River — can really get the heart pumping.
Tickets: General admission purchased in advance online is $34.95 for ages 12 and up and $29.95 for kids ages 3 to 11. There are additional fees for the Zipline, Skycoaster or Via Ferrata. A one-year pass is $80 for kids 3 to 11, $90 for ages 12 and up and $260 for a family of four. Discounts on season passes are available for Colorado residents through April 30.
More information: royalgorgebridge.com
Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs
The chain of hotels with their own indoor waterparks has one location in Colorado, offering guests access to waterslides and other entertainment under the same roof as their hotel.
When it’s open: Year-round. Hours vary.
Can’t miss rides: You can spin through the six-story funnel of the Howlin’ Tornado, stand up to the lapping waves of the Slap Tail Pond and race your family in the Mountain Edge Raceway.
Tickets: Rates for day passes and rooms vary greatly, so interested vacationers should look online. Deep discounts are easy to find.
More information: greatwolf.com/colorado-springs
Ski towns
With ski season largely over, many of Colorado’s ski towns are getting ready to start their summer activities. While they do not have full-fledged amusement parks, many of the ski resorts offer mountain coasters, alpine slides and other attractions to keep people entertained in the summer. Check out the options at Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Purgatory, Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park long after the snow has melted.
Fun centers and community water parks
If a day trip or road trip is more than you want to take on, many communities have fun centers or public water parks for people to enjoy. Check out:
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
UPDATE: SUNDAY 4/19/2026 7:12 p.m.
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Northbound Powers Boulevards is back open at Palmer Park Boulevard, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). However, the center and right northbound lanes as well as the right turn lane remain closed south of Constitution Avenue. Law enforcement asked the community to avoid the area if possible, and drive carefully.
ORIGINAL STORY: CSPD: Major crash closes northbound Powers
The northbound lanes of Powers Boulevard are closed at Palmer Park Boulevard for a major crash at Powers and Constitution as of 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD). Drivers are asked to avoid the area.
According to FOX21 News crew who spoke to an officer at the scene, the crash involved at least two cars and two motorcycles, and multiple people have been taken to the hospital.
Multiple agencies are responding, according to the FOX21 News crew, and the Major Crash Unit may be called in. Reports indicate that no one has died as of 5:30 p.m.
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