Colorado’s Democratic primaries on Tuesday will help answer a question the party has increasingly faced nationally: Are voters gravitating toward a younger, more progressive generation of leaders or sticking with established veterans?

That choice is starkly reflected in the fight to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette has been in office for as long as her challenger, a 29-year-old democratic socialist named Melat Kiros, has been alive. Likewise in the U.S. Senate race, Sen. John Hickenlooper has spent nearly three times as many years in public office as his challenger, state Sen. Julie Gonzales, who fashions herself as an “insurgent progressive.”

And a similar, if smaller, divide separates the two Democrats competing for the U.S. House in the state’s lone swing district, a seat that will be one of the keys to controlling the chamber in President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.

In the Democratic primary for governor, however, the opposite is the case: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet have struggled to meaningfully distinguish their agendas. Instead, the two Democrats have accused each other of pulling punches against Trump.

Democratic socialists have another shot in Denver

DeGette has comfortably controlled her House seat in Denver for nearly 30 years, then came Melat Kiros.

In a March Democratic assembly, a process to decide which candidates get on the primary ballot, DeGette barely qualified as Kiros, a first-time candidate, blew past her with more than double the votes.

While the assembly process is far from determinative of who will win Tuesday, it was a jolt for the Democratic establishment and DeGette, who’s been a progressive lawmaker herself.

Then, in New York last week, two democratic socialists and a progressive beat out establishment-backed candidates — two of whom were incumbents — in Democratic primaries for U.S. House, energizing a movement that’s just finding some political purchase.

Similar to the New York races, Kiros has the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders, while DeGette is backed by Colorado’s established Democratic House delegation.

A victory by Kiros in Colorado, while far from guaranteed, would work toward cementing the nascent but clear uprising of democratic socialist candidates, which has filled some Democratic leaders with anxiety.

DeGette argues that experience in Congress is needed right now to combat Trump, while Kiros, a former attorney, accuses DeGette of ineffectiveness. Also running is University of Colorado Regent Wanda James, who may split the anti-DeGette vote.

The ‘insurgent progressive’ versus the political veteran

Gonzales, the state senator and self-fashioned “insurgent progressive,” is trying to kick Hickenlooper, the more centrist former governor of Colorado, out of his U.S. Senate seat.

She’s leaning into the same arguments that others used in challenging establishment incumbents, including that Hickenlooper is an “incrementalist.”

Gonzales has said she previously joined the Democratic Socialists of America in 2018, but that her membership has lapsed.

Hickenlooper is favored in the statewide race.

A swing district may help decide control of the House

Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is a relatively new district that stretches from the northern suburbs of Denver up through farming country.

Since its creation in 2021, it’s swung from Democratic to GOP control and is held now by Republican Rep. Gabe Evans. With Democrats aiming to take back control of the House and obstruct Trump’s agenda, the race is closely watched.

Party leaders thought a moderate like state Rep. Shannon Bird was best equipped to challenge Evans, but the district is also heavily Hispanic and poorer than much of the rest of the state.

That’s where Bird’s Democratic primary opponent state Rep. Manny Rutinel, who is Latino, has planted a flag, arguing his personal story and more aggressive economic agenda will be more potent against Evans.

Who has hit Trump harder?

Weiser and Bennet are slugging that question out in the governor’s race after struggling to show major differences in their political agendas.

Weiser attacked Bennet for voting for Trump nominees and Bennet lambasted Weiser for not joining state lawsuits against first Trump administration.

“The attorney general says he’s really tough but was completely missing in action in Donald Trump’s first term,” Bennet said in a recent debate.

Weiser accused Bennet of a weak response to the president. But he also says Bennet should remain in the Senate instead of running for governor.

“You’ve made some mistakes; you didn’t stand up the way you should. I know you can shape up, use your seniority,” Weiser told Bennet during a debate. “With all that experience, to throw it away, would be such a waste for Colorado.”

With Colorado a blue state, Tuesday’s Democratic winner will be seen as the favorite to defeat the winner of the GOP primary and take over from term-limited Gov. Jared Polis.

The three main candidates seeking the Republican nomination include state Rep. Scott Bottoms, a farther right state lawmaker. State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer is considered the more conventional Republican, while Victor Marx is something of a wild card candidate with an eclectic past.

Candidate vying for Tina Peters’ old seat echoes her conspiracy theories

Peters was the Mesa County clerk who was convinced by Trump’s debunked claims of mass fraud in the 2020 election and eventually convicted in a scheme to make a copy of the county’s election computer system.

Candidate Abby Silzell is vying for Peters’ old job and repeating similar claims as she challenges incumbent Bobbie Gross.

Both are Republicans, and Silzell told CPR News that she believes Peter’s conviction was a “miscarriage of justice” and that in the 2020 election there was enough fraud to “affect the outcome.”

A notable piece of living history has been removed from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort after reportedly dying from recent cold weather.

Walt Disney World’s One-of-a-Kind Hawaiian Tree

The Polynesian Resort’s one-of-a-kind kukui nut tree was cut down in late June after Disney horticulturalists determined the tree could no longer survive in the wake of a uniquely difficult Florida winter.

The large tropical tree was located to the rear of the Great Ceremonial House, just off a guest footpath. According to a 2020 Forestry Journal feature, it was believed to be the only tree of its kind in mainland North America.

The tree, Aleurites moluccana, was donated to Disney by the people of Hawaiʻi and planted at the resort on April 5, 1997, the 25th anniversary of the opening of Magic Kingdom.

The kukui tree carried particular significance as the state tree of Hawaiʻi from 1959 forward, and it is still regarded as an important cultural symbol of the state. The tree at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort had been transplanted directly from Hawaiʻi, with a time capsule reportedly placed in the soil around its roots and base when it was planted.

In accordance with a traditional Hawaiian custom, according to the Forestry Journal piece, the kukui tree was planted behind the Great Ceremonial House rather than at the front, and it was deliberately planted by one lucky hotel guest, rather than a Cast Member. The article explained that this reflected a Hawaiian belief that kukui trees should be planted toward the rear, or “hale,” of a home and by a stranger to bring good luck.

In our photos, crews are seen working in the landscaped area near the resort’s longhouses and the Lava Pool. Orange cones and barricades block off portions of the walkway, with a utility vehicle and equipment nearby. The tree had been cut down, with a tall remaining trunk section visible where the kukui tree once stood.

At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, the tree helped support the resort’s South Pacific placemaking. The tree’s distinct light green, silvery leaves, striking trunk, and small green fruits stood out against native Florida trees and even other tropical trees planted at the resort.

For much of the kikui’s tree life, a Moreton Bay fig tree grew nearby on the opposite side of an adjacent footpath, another transplant tree which itself was removed some time around 2022.

The Facebook group Tikiman’s Unofficial Polynesian Resort Pages made a post regarding the tree’s removal, detailing that the recent unusual cold weather at the resort was too much to bear.

The tree had, however, a history of surviving violent Florida weather. A Disney Resort Team member told Forestry Journal that the kukui tree had been struck by lightning twice, survived hurricanes, nearly been uprooted, and endured prior cold snaps before this latest reported decline.

It is not currently known whether Disney plans to replace the kukui tree, or whether the reported time capsule at its base was removed, returned to the ground, or preserved elsewhere. We will keep you updated

Do you have any memories or photos of the kukui tree during its time at the Polynesian? Please share your memories with us on social media.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The following is a news release from Idaho Fish and Game.

POCATELLO – Over the last three weeks, Idaho Fish and Game Southeast Region personnel have been responding to numerous raccoon calls from the public in the Pocatello and Chubbuck areas. These reports have included observations of raccoons “acting sick” or lethargic, even appearing injured or lingering in plain view during daylight hours—which is not typical raccoon behavior.

Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Tyler Peterson of Pocatello says that reports from the public have recently increased, with him taking raccoon calls even on weekends and after hours.

“Almost daily we get a report of a raccoon that appears sick or acting abnormally,” Peterson says. “Some callers have reported that the animals appear blind or like their eyes are ‘glued shut’. Raccoons have also been observed out in the open just sitting on a sidewalk or in someone’s driveway during the middle of the day.”

Such reported symptoms and behaviors can be typical of canine distemper, a highly contagious disease caused by a paramyxovirus, and in fact, one of the raccoons submitted for testing came back positive for the disease. Additional carcasses are awaiting testing.

Dr. Nicole Walrath, wildlife veterinarian with Idaho Fish and Game’s Wildlife Health & Forensic Laboratory says, “Canine distemper is a widespread disease primarily affecting canids, raccoons, and skunks. It is not transmissible to humans. Clinical signs typically include discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, coughing, weight loss, fearlessness around humans, among other symptoms.”

Canine distemper is always present at some level within certain wildlife populations, with most wildlife distemper cases occurring in the spring and fall. However, it is not known why so many raccoons are apparently displaying distemper symptoms in this part of southeast Idaho at this time. What is known is that this disease is almost 100% fatal to animals like racoons and skunks.

What should you do to protect your pets?

Transmission occurs from contact with infected saliva, urine, feces or respiratory secretions from infected animals. The virus is resistant to cold, and the majority of cases in domestic dogs occur in the fall and winter. The disease can be fatal in dogs, which is why it is important for pet owners to consult their veterinarians about vaccinations and other recommended precautions for pets.

Keep your pets away from live raccoons and carcasses. To dispose of a raccoon carcass, wear gloves and a mask during handling and place the carcass in a bag before disposing in a trash receptacle.

What should you do if you observe a live raccoon on or near your property?

Remember, not all raccoons have distemper, and people and pets live alongside raccoons with little conflict or issues most of the time. They can even be fun to watch, though it is always a good idea for you and your pets to maintain a safe distance from raccoons or any wildlife for that matter.

If you have concerns or questions about a live raccoon that is exhibiting unusual symptoms or behavior, you can contact Idaho Fish and Game. Please note that Fish and Game will use a set of criteria to determine the best course of action for a homeowner, and we will NOT be dispatching or retrieving all raccoons that are reported.

What does this mean for local wildlife populations?

Wildlife canine distemper will continue to naturally persist in wildlife populations. The recent increase in incidences of canine distemper in the Pocatello and Chubbuck areas will likely not cause catastrophic changes to raccoon populations and is expected to decline as the summer progresses. Fish and Game will continue to monitor this situation in these and other southeast Idaho communities.

How do you discourage raccoons from coming onto your deck, porch, or getting into your house? Remove attractants and block access points to decks, garages or to your home. For those who feed wild birds or pets outside, consider storing food in secure containers or bring these food items indoors at night. Clean spilled birdseed and other food attractants from your deck or porch daily. Secure outdoor garbage receptacles to prevent access to hungry raccoons. Keep pet doors/access to your home or garage closed during the night when raccoons are most active.