The Sunriser | Why getting new trails in Colorado takes so much work

Good morning and welcome to the “thunderstorm every afternoon” stage of the Colorado summer.

While these sudden bursts of precipitation and thunder are a welcome part of summer, especially when parts of the state are in a flash drought, officials are keeping an eye on all recent burn scars and other flood-prone areas.

But while we wait for the afternoon storm to blow over, let’s take a look at a weekend’s worth of news, from the drama in the final act of the Tina Peters trial to a look at why connecting Colorado’s major trails is taking so long.

Let’s lace up these boots and get on our way, shall we?

OUTDOORS

Eight years after then-Governor John Hickenlooper announced a plan to connect 16 trail gaps across Colorado, only one of the chosen projects is complete. Jason Blevins The level of environmental scrutiny applied to the approval of a small section of one of the Big 16 reportedly reflects the new normal of making recreation enjoyable and leaving environmental concerns unaffected.

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CRIMES AND COURTS

Tina Peters, who faces 10 felony and misdemeanor charges including identity theft and attempting to influence a public official, hinted at the possibility of testifying in her own defense. But after a judge repeatedly told her she could not provide legal advice from the stand, she declined. Nancy Löfholm reports on the final stages of the case, which could conclude today.

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FOOD

There are federal, state and local programs that incentivize purchasing produce at farmers markets across Colorado. And while some are popular (such as vouchers that double the value of food assistance spent at farmers markets), fewer people are using them than the state had hoped. Kate Ruder has more information about the future of these The Colorado Trust programs.

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ECONOMY

After last week’s market turmoil fueled by a weak U.S. jobs report, local analysts say the response was overblown. Tamara Chuang analyzes the state of employment in Colorado as part of this week’s “What’s Working” column.

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MORE NEWS

COLORADO SUNDAY

A busy restaurant doesn’t mean it’s thriving, but there seems to be something particular about Denver that puts off the city’s best local chefs and restaurants and makes them look elsewhere. Some of Denver’s award-winning chefs are specific and share details with Tamara Chuangon his love/hate relationship with being part of Colorado’s larger food scene.

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THE COLORADO REPORT

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COLUMNS

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Thanks for starting the week with us! See you tomorrow.

— Eric and the entire staff at The Sun

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