5 Feel-Good Colorado Stories from April (Plus the Biggest Headlines)

While you were staying home this month, taking care of family, making meals, homeschooling, working, looking for work, and doing so much more, you might not have had time to read all of the big headlines.

Don’t worry, I’m here to recap some of the month’s biggest moments. As I type this, the sun is just creeping over the houses in my neighborhood casting everything in a new day ochre glow. At moments like this, it is easy to both forget our new normal and be grateful for the everyday things, like sunrises and really big cups of coffee, which make each day feel familiar in strange times. To that point, this month, Colorado journalists united in an unprecedented collaborative effort to document one day—April 16—for a number of Coloradans. The stories, which follow Gov. Jared Polis and Mayor Michael Hancock, but also a pharmacist, flight attendant, medical researcher, and others, is a historic look at life in the time of COVID-19.

The News Reel

If you’d asked me on January 1 what the biggest story of the year would be, I would have guessed the 2020 election. I would have been wrong, but the election is still happening and the Colorado Senate race remains a big story. This month, both major parties held their state assemblies and conventions—virtually. For Republicans, incumbent Cory Gardner secured his spot. Meanwhile, Democrats put Andrew Romanoff on the ballot with more than 85 percent of the vote at the state assembly (he joins John Hickenlooper, who petitioned onto the ballot). But the story of which names will be listed on the primary ballot is not over. Colorado Politics reports that several candidates have, or are, suing to make the ballot, including Erik Underwood, Diana Bray, Michelle Ferrigno Warren, and Lorena Garcia.
During our “lost month,” Polis spent a lot of time explaining, reassuring, and explaining some more, especially as the state announced plans to transition from stay-at-home to safer-at-home. For up-to-date information on what is open and what is not in Colorado, click here.
UFO? “Unidentified aerial phenomena”? Something to distract you from COVID-19 news? Discuss.

A Few Things to Smile About

While some of us are mastering sourdough and others are just trying to keep up with laundry between virtual meetings, David Krause has also been busy. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science paleontologist helped announce the discovery of “crazy beast” (otherwise known as Adalatherium hui), a mammal from the Mesozoic period (9News). You can learn more about the discovery and the animal during a free Zoom event on May 6.
News of permanent closures keep coming (farewell Racines!) but the legendary Spring Fling Cake from LoDo’s the Market can persist—if you make it home thanks to this recipe in the Know.
If you’re like me, the Denver Botanic Gardens’ spring plant sale is a holiday (no, really; I take the day off from work each year). The sale moved online this week—orders will be picked up in early May with social distancing procedures in place—and while it isn’t the same as walking through the gardens, it was still a lot of fun. Of course, this is not the only event to move online. First Fridays have gone virtual and other classic Denver events, including Denver PrideFest (the Know) and the Five Points Jazz Festival (Denverite), will be online as well.
We always knew Denverites were creative, but you’re really showing off your talents these days—from a mural supporting healthcare workers (FOX31) to neighborhood arts shows (7News). Bonus: Here are some ways to jumpstart your artistic side.
There are so many stories of people giving back right now (keep ’em coming!), but Nick Groke’s reporting (the Athletic) on how the Colorado Rockies and Kroenke Sports gave pallets of toilet paper to the Denver Rescue Mission is an uplifting read.