Good morning, Denver.

City staff counted unhoused people on one night in January and reported 518 sleeping on the streets versus 5,900 in shelters — the lowest unsheltered total since 2017; however, unhoused children reached a 10-year high, signaling rising family homelessness in Denver.

Experts say Denver’s child care system struggles with rising fees and staffing shortages, leaving many parents without affordable options.

They urge that more public funding be used to support quality care (following models in Vermont and France) so all families can access safe child care.

CareerWise Colorado’s youth apprenticeship program, launched in 2016, served only 1,200 students versus a 20,000 target and is shifting to include pre- and post-high school options as local districts rework plans for better participation and employer support.

The pivot aims to better meet workforce needs.

A new report from the Colorado State Forest Service shows that mountain pine beetles expanded nearly 150% along the Front Range between 2024 and 2025 — damaging over 5,500 acres in nine counties and increasing wildfire risk in stressed ponderosa pine forests.

Denver’s Cool Homes program is awarding $50,000 grants to nonprofits to deliver portable AC units to residents (65+ or with medical needs) as forecasts predict record 90-degree days, helping nearly 30% of homes without air conditioning stay safe this summer.

Denver International Airport announced a $300 million project to repurpose old baggage tunnels as walkways linking concourses that will ease delays when the internal train fails, with work expected to start soon.

CU Regent Wanda James, the first Black woman to own a cannabis dispensary and a former naval officer, is running to represent Colorado's First Congressional District.

She said Denver needs a fighter for better local representation.