Hello, Denverinos. Today's news of note ranges from massive federal spending plans to a fight over the National Western Center, the low-low prices of weed in Oregon and more.
State and federal:
Tom Tancredo just quit the governor race. He credits the Denver Post, 9News ... and a lack of money. Here's who remains in the Republican field. (Colorado Politics, Denverite)
President Donald Trump says he wants $1.5 trillion in infrastructure spending, but Laura Bliss (hi, Laura!) reports that bipartisan support seems "pretty untenable," in part because it asks states and cities to contribute way more money than usual. (CityLab)
Local action:
Denver City Council approved the first board members for the National Western Center amid concerns about community representation. (Denverite)
Denver DA Beth McCann is supporting a lawsuit by the city of Los Angeles against the Department of Justice. It's about immigration enforcement. (Denverite)
Denver spent $155,000 lobbying the legislature last year, fourth highest among government entities. (KUNC)
Intoxicants:
Weed is selling for $50 per pound in Oregon. If you know anything about weed - and I certainly don't! - then you know that's ludicrously cheap.
It's hard to make sake in Denver. Colorado Sake Company and State Sen. Lucia Guzman are working on changing the rules. (Denverite)
Ideas:
Ashley profiled the local tea shop that is using art to lift up people who have been incarcerated. (Denverite)
Former mayor Wellington Webb has an idea: Let's call it Mile High Stadium at Pat Bowlen Field. I feel like it should go in the other order, personally. Isn't the field in the stadium? (Denverite)
Science says: Put a robot in that dirty old mine shaft. (AP)
Amazon:
Besides a ton of free publicity, Amazon is harvesting a ton of free data from cities in the HQ2 search. It will likely use that data as it places warehouses and other stuff for years to come. (NYT)
CityLab also has a helpful analysis of all the HQ2 contenders. Denver is "solid but unremarkable." Yeah! (CityLab)
Luna:
Next person to say "super blue blood moon" gets banned from this website. I will find a way. Except you, Seth.
