Good morning, Denver.

Mary Sharon Balakas was named this week's Denver7 Everyday Hero for leading Children's Hospital Colorado's Holiday Card Project.

The project—inviting young patients to create artwork turned into holiday cards—supports hospital initiatives and generates roughly $80k each season to improve care.

Denver nonprofit Women’s Bean Project is planning to expand its services to hire and train more women facing chronic employment barriers.

The program offers paid work, classroom instruction + job-readiness coaching through its six-to-nine-month course.

DOT waived Southwest Airlines’ final $11 million penalty from a 2023 settlement after a December 2022 storm disrupted operations in Denver and Chicago and stranded over 2 million travelers.

The decision credits the airline for investing in improved network operations (including on-time performance).

Local government leaders across the region reported caution during budget season as cities and counties adjust spending amid state and federal cuts; some areas experienced job cuts while others, like Rifle and Grand Junction, expect steady sales tax revenue growth ahead of 2026.

On Monday, Dec. 8, Aurora’s MLK Jr. Library unveiled an expanded space with a Makerspace offering 3D printing, a computer lab, and a redesigned children’s play area (a $2.5 million project funded by a federal grant).

Staff plan to add community-led programming soon.

At Colorado School of Mines, researchers are developing green concrete — a blend of cement and biochar from landfill waste — to lower CO2 emissions.

Tunstall’s team has received a million-dollar grant to commercialize their sustainable product and reduce concrete’s carbon footprint.