This high-stakes moment could be the most consequential one in this truncated presidential election season. No one understands the importance of this debate more than President Joe Biden who ended his re-election campaign following his disastrous performance in the June debate.

The only thing that matters now is how each candidate gets to the winning total of 270 electoral college votes. As of today, Harris has 225 solid and likely electoral college votes versus 219 for Trump. This means that the presidential race will be won in six states representing three different regions.

Two are in the West: Arizona (11) and Nevada (6); two are in the South: Georgia (16) and North Carolina (16); and, two are in the Midwest: Pennsylvania (19) and Wisconsin (10).

With the exception of Wisconsin where Harris holds a narrow lead, recent polling data from FiveThirtyEight shows that Trump and Harris are within 1% of each other in the other 5 states. Biden won every one of these battleground states, except North Carolina in 2020.

What makes this debate even more crucial is that voting is about to begin. While November 5th is election day, forty-seven states offer early in-person voting. In North Carolina, mail ballots are sent to all voters who request them as early as September 6th. In Pennsylvania, early voting begins on September 16th when voters can visit their election office to request, complete and return the ballot. Other states vary on voting timelines.

Before Biden dropped out, Trump had a clear advantage. Biden’s base was weary and there was no clear path to victory. Harris, however, reset the election by energizing her base and attracting independent-leaning Democrats. Trump has been caught off guard. Trump needs to thwart Harris’ momentum, which won’t be easy given his caustic style.

For these two candidates, it’s not just about winning the debate, it’s also about not losing it in the style of a Biden-like performance. Both candidates need to find ways to connect with undecided voters without weakening their base.

The economy is the most important issue. Harris and Trump need to persuade voters that they understand the average American’s economic situation and have a viable plan that will make their lives better.

This year’s key issue hearkens back to 1980 when Ronald Reagan so effectively posed the question in the debate with President Jimmy Carter: are you better off today than you were four years ago?  Based on polling, Trump has an advantage here. Harris has had less time to roll out her economic agenda while distinguishing herself from Biden. Harris has an opportunity to sharpen her message and close the gap, which will be pivotal to her success.

Their policy positions on immigration, foreign affairs, protecting democracy, crime and abortion will also matter, not only to energize their base to get out the vote, but to move the key swing voters.  While polling shows Trump has the upper hand on the key issue of immigration, Harris has the upper hand on protecting democracy and abortion which has been costly for Republicans since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Meanwhile, both candidates will need to explain why their positions have changed on different issues.

Ultimately, however, style may prove to be more important than substance. There once was a day when looking presidential mattered and while that will be important for Harris, it has never been Trump’s strong suit as he chaotically mocks and insults his opponents. While it may be red meat for his most ardent followers, attacking Harris’s intelligence and racial identity or making sexual slurs against her will be a major liability in wooing undecided voters.

Harris and Trump both need to demonstrate they are likable.

Harris can do this by staying calm and showing humor, compassion, intelligence and sharing her personal journey. Harris can’t take Trump’s bait and she needs to be able to deliver an effective retort when Trump lies, like saying “there he goes again” or “he doesn’t let the facts get in his way.”

She was brilliant in her CNN interview when she was asked about Trump’s questioning of her racial identity and responded, “Same old, tired playbook” and, then said, “Next question, please”.  As George Bernard Shaw famously said, “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”

Trump must resist his instincts to self-sabotage. He needs to be coherent and avoid delivering confusion and obnoxious bombs. Trump needs to demonstrate strength, steadiness, and leadership and figure out a way to take Harris off balance and script without crossing lines.

Whoever does these things best will likely be our next president.

Doug Friednash grew up in Denver and is a partner with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. He is the former chief of staff for Gov. John Hickenlooper.

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Our approach emphasizes overcoming challenges through addiction recovery, mental health treatment and job training, with the ultimate goal of securing employment that allows individuals to support themselves without being dependent on taxpayer assistance. It provides incentives to encourage each individual’s movement through the program, understanding their unique needs and focusing on the ultimate long-term goal of escaping homelessness. This strategy is both fair to taxpayers and meaningful for those experiencing homelessness through a mix of compassion, courage and commitment.

Aurora has purchased the former Crowne Plaza Hotel at I-70 and Chambers, using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, along with ARPA funds from the state of Colorado, and Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties. The hotel will be repurposed as the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus (ARNC). The total cost, including renovations, is estimated to be $42 million. In exchange for funding from the state, Aurora has agreed to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness across the 10-county metro area.

The former hotel’s 255 private rooms, large conference areas and smaller meeting rooms will be converted according to a plan I recently proposed to our City Council, which passed with a strong majority Aug. 26.

The plan reflects a “Work First” approach already proven successful in Aurora through the “Ready to Work” program operated by Bridge House, a Boulder-based nonprofit, since 2018. It divides the proposed ARNC into three distinct parts or “Tiers.”

Tier I focuses on compassion: In this tier congregate emergency shelter will be available for those who have not yet engaged with a case manager to develop a plan for moving out of homelessness and toward self-sufficiency. Only minimal services, such as meals, showers, laundry and pet sheltering, are provided in the Tier I emergency shelter to incentivize individuals to move to Tier II.

Tier II focuses on courage: In this tier participants must have made an individual decision to be actively participating in an approved plan under the guidance of a case manager, and in exchange, they will have access to extended-stay semi-private living accommodations and increased access to services. This plan involves programs that address their barriers to employment, such as job training, addiction recovery, mental health counseling, or a combination of these services.

Tier III focuses on commitment: In this tier there is further incentivization for achieving the goals set under Tier II and recognition of the individual’s efforts, with access to 235 private rooms in the hotel section of the ARNC for up to two years, reserved for those who are working outside the center but still need some services. Residents in Tier III will pay 30% of their income toward the cost of their temporary housing. The remaining 20 rooms in Tier III will be set aside for individuals experiencing homelessness who have been hospitalized and need convalescent care to recover from surgery or illness.

After moving through all three tiers, individuals are not just on a path to self-sufficiency, but have achieved it.

One objective of the ARNC is to secure recognition for the “Work First” approach from the federal government. Currently, the federal government recognizes “Housing First” as the primary strategy for addressing homelessness. As a result, Aurora must raise private funds to support the Tier III “Work First” portion of the ARNC.

The fact that Denver, with its “Housing First” approach, is a neighboring city presents a unique opportunity for the entire country to observe and compare the effectiveness of these two models.

I am confident in the effectiveness of our approach of compassion, courage and commitment make the outcomes both transparent and public, so policymakers locally, regionally and in Washington, D.C., can assess whether our “Work First” approach is effective, and we can obtain the recognition that “Work First” also deserves.

Dustin Zvonek is an at-large Aurora City Council member currently serving as mayor pro tem.

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Participating in sports is part of the American experience, and all young people should have a sporting chance to play. Yet for many, opportunities are dwindling. Budget-conscious school districts and localities are cutting programs, and private sports programs can cost families thousands of dollars a year.

This disparity is not just a matter of lost recreational opportunities. Youth are increasingly caught up in the digital world, spending significant time on screens rather than participating in physical activities or community events.

And evidence is growing of a profound mental health crisis among young people. From 2018 to 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that almost 40% of 12- to 17-year-olds reported “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.”

Participation in youth sports can play a key role in overall well-being. As a track and field athlete through my college years and, later, a coach, I know firsthand the benefits of playing sports: better physical fitness, increased self-confidence, improved social skills, grit, perseverance and more.

A wealth of evidence shows that regular physical exercise benefits kids in virtually every arena. For women, youth sports can be particularly formative. A 2013 survey of female corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies found that 94% had played sports. Just over half did so at the university level.

And the benefits of sports last well beyond adolescence. One study found a direct correlation between sports participation as a youth and greater self-esteem and happiness as an adult.

Professionally, former athletes do better economically, too. On average, they earn 7% more than non-athletes.

Despite these benefits, schools have gutted gym classes and sports programs, and fewer recreational opportunities exist. Club teams have proliferated, but they’re expensive. According to the Aspen Institute’s annual “State of Play” 2022 report, the average American family spends almost $900 annually per child to participate in organized sports. For families with annual incomes greater than $150,000, this figure was over $2,000. In total, Americans spend up to $40 billion a year on pay-to-play youth sports. These costs don’t include the time and resources needed to help young athletes get to practices and competitions.

The result is a stark socioeconomic gap in sports participation. Only 34% of kids from the poorest families played regular sports, compared to 67.7% from wealthier families.

Nevertheless, there’s reason for optimism. Communities are finding innovative solutions to increase sports participation among kids from every demographic.

In Colorado, organizations such as Chance Sports give scholarships to promising young athletes who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in club sports. This September, the Daniels Fund will join other sponsors in the inaugural Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, encouraging the whole community to give to increase sports access, and local partners are generously matching $1 million in donations made from September 4 through September 30, on a first-come, first-served basis. Youth Sports Giving Day will give every community member a direct way to make a difference in youth sports by providing support to local teams.

Donations made during the month-long Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day campaign need to be made through the Colorado Gives Platform at www.youthsportsgivingday.org and will go directly to the participating nonprofit organizations. Youth sports organizations interested in participating can learn how to sign up at youthsportsgivingday.org.

Youth sports may not immediately come to mind when addressing the pressing challenges facing America’s young people, but their benefits and widespread appeal make them essential in shaping the next generation. Investing in youth sports provides opportunities, fosters development and contributes to a more promising future for our democracy. By prioritizing sports, we can offer a powerful tool for tackling issues plaguing young people. Let’s champion youth sports as a vital pathway to a brighter future, ensuring our children stay active and thrive both on and off the field. I hope all Coloradans will pitch in to support youth sports and learn more about Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day.

Hanna Skandera is president and CEO of the Daniels Fund (danielsfund.org). Joining the organization’s board in 2019 and taking the helm in 2021, Hanna has demonstrated a strong commitment to impact and positively influencing American life. Hanna is nationally recognized for her bold leadership, entrepreneurial vision and focus on outcomes. She previously served as Secretary of Education in New Mexico, Undersecretary in California and Deputy Commissioner in Florida, as well as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Education.

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Our coalition held a press conference Friday at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, the perfect venue, given that founder Pat Craig is renowned for saving big cats from horrific cruelty at the hands of mankind.

On this cool August morning, we saw a mountain lion, her sweet butterfly-patterned face hiding in the grass before she walked away, which is quintessential lion behavior when humans are present. We saw two lynx and a bobcat, making up all three of the wild cats that will be spared from trophy hunting and fur trapping with a “yes” vote.

Among the cats were CATs supporters: A powerful display of serious-minded voices for true wildlife conservation.

The room was silent, however, when shown raw footage of packs of dogs chasing lions and bobcats into trees, where they were shot as trophies.

Our campaign follows the journalistic virtue of “show, don’t tell” and this film shows the lion trophy hunting outfitters, who sell our wild cat as “your trophy” for upwards of $8,000 (the exact price for a lesser-maned African lion). In their own words, Colorado lion trophy hunters and fur trappers told the crowd that they were after their personal big trophy lion, a bucket list item, a thrill-kill.

Watch the video, “This is NOT Conservation,” on YouTube.

Veterinarian, Dr. Valerie Johnson, who holds a PhD from Colorado State University, connected the dots. “Mountain lion trophy hunters of Colorado are in the same vein as the people who pay big money to go to Africa and cut the tusks off elephants, or heads off lions,” she told the crowd.

Erik Molvar spoke as a hunter, although he’s a well-published biologist in wildlife conservation.

“Hunters are like me, they subscribe to hunting ethics … Hunting for big cats is trophy hunting, pure and simple. It’s not to fill the freezer, it’s to bring home a trophy … to brag about and impress your friends,” Molvar said. “That doesn’t respect the quarry, so it doesn’t deserve any particular respect from the general public, either.”

Perhaps the most well-received voice was that of J Dallas Gudgell, an experienced environmental scientist and member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes.

“As an Indigenous person concerned with and raised in a framework of right relationship with the natural world, I find trophy hunting and egocentric activity upends nature’s natural balance,” explained Gudgell, who is Wildlife and Tribal Policy Director for the International Wildlife Coexistence Network, one of the 100 groups endorsing CATs. “I support the people’s right to participate in the Democratic process to protect wild cats from senseless use.”

Dr. Christine Capaldo, a specialist in feline medicine, spoke of the bobcat in her southwestern Colorado community who was fur-trapped and strangled to death just to sell its fur on the lucrative Chinese fur market.

“Allowing unlimited numbers of bobcats to be killed isn’t about wildlife biology or management, it’s about greed, trophies, the despicable fur trade to China, and a complete disregard for the welfare of wildlife …Colorado’s native wild cats should not ever be for sale.”

Dr. Mickey Pardo, PhD, a wildlife biologist in Fort Collins, recently featured in the New York Times and National Geographic for his work, explained,

“As a biologist, I support the CATs ballot measure to ban trophy hunting and trapping of wild cats in Colorado. The scientific evidence is clear that hunting these animals is completely unnecessary and the methods used to hunt them are exceptionally cruel.”

Deanna Meyer, born and raised in Colorado, runs a rural family farm in lion country, abutting National Forest Lands, and she will vote “yes” to CATs based on her personal experience.

“One Christmas Day two years ago, I followed the sounds, finding six dogs who treed a terrified bobcat on my land,” Meyer said. “I was infuriated when I found out that there was nothing I could do. When this initiative passes, it will end this harassment and protect lions and bobcats who aren’t causing conflicts with humans.”

Delia Malone closed the event, speaking as a West Slope field ecologist, and Wildlife Chair for the Colorado Sierra Club, which endorses CATs. She’s vice chair of Roaring Fork Audubon, which is one of six Audubon Societies of Colorado that endorses CATs as well.

“At my home in Redstone which borders roadless area, we’re lucky enough to have a cougar family that has lived in the forest above us for generations — we’ve never had a negative encounter with the cougar family,” Malone said. “Trophy killing of lions contradicts the science, it is ethically wrong and should be outlawed.”

Every speaker at this event shows Colorado voters who we are: A vast coalition of wildlife experts, conservationists and diverse citizens, statewide including the most rural citizens living with lions, who all agree that this kind of fringe hunting for heads and fur has no place in the great state of Colorado, where we respect ethical outdoor activities, including ethical hunting of deer and elk for food.

As Pat Craig said so well: “Let’s be clear: Mountain lions and bobcats are not a food source as many callous individuals like to suggest. Instead, they are hunted solely for their heads and beautiful coats.”

Julie Marshall is the director of communications for Cats Aren’t Trophies.

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The Ride for Magnus last month was more than just a tribute; it was a wake-up call. While standing united in memory of Magnus White and reflecting on the statistics — two people killed on Colorado roads every day—one question loomed large: What actions would demonstrate solid public commitment to change current trends?

To answer this, let’s channel the words of Jill White, Magnus’s mother, who spoke at the event: “We know what killed Magnus, and we know the solutions.” The calls for change expressed at the rally — separated bike paths, advanced crash detection systems, and tougher penalties for rule violators — may help prevent future cases like Magnus’s death, eventually.

It is also important for us to consider the possibilities for swift and effective countermeasures to combat traffic fatalities challenging our society.  Should the Ride for Magnus become an annual event, it could be a powerful impetus for measures that can counteract traffic violence in a matter of weeks or months, not years.

As several speakers alluded to during Sunday’s rally, Magnus’s case exposes deeper systemic failures contributing to our nation’s traffic violence epidemic–an epidemic which requires strategic remedies that are immediate and strong. We need a tourniquet—better, an immediate and strong vaccine. I encourage a future organizing committee, and all of us who want to see improvements, to align future appeals for reform with the urgency that a public health crisis demands.

First, let’s identify and prioritize initiatives that can be quickly implemented quickly. Many of the current actions called for stretch far into the future. For example, when will the prescribed legislative or proposed infrastructure changes take effect? Five or ten years? Within those time frames, many more lives will be lost. In Colorado, over five years of waiting likely means 3,500 deaths, with 700 of those individuals being pedestrians or cyclists. It’s like closing the barn door after most of the horses have already escaped.

Second, we need to deal with the fact that speed kills. Efforts to meaningfully address traffic violence must address a universal law of physics inherent in addressing traffic safety: vehicle speed is the major contributing factor in a fatality. The outdated codes we use to design roadways support speeds which exacerbates the problem. Faster speeds and heavier cars, two trends sweeping the nation, make matters worse.

Infrastructure improvement–one of main pillars highlighted during last Sunday’s rally—points us in the right direction. Modern street designs have been proven to work by altering speed and movement patterns. They are employed widely in progressive nations and work. By changing street design, we can cure known locations in our communities that needlessly claim lives every day.

So what’s preventing us from making progress? There are several hurdles, but they can be overcome if we, collectively, can understand how our perspectives perpetuate the status quo. Most residents insist on the convenience of driving cars in free-flow conditions, using vehicles that are, each year, bigger and heavier. Existing, outdated street design codes reinforce such expectations. Politicians listen to residents and oblige, rather than asking drivers to spare seconds. It’s easier (and lazier) to stand behind the status quo–as reinforced by entrenched rules, long-established regulations, and economic incentives. And when something goes horribly wrong, we insist that individuals should follow existing guidelines, however broken they might be.

The prospect of thousands of people cycling each August, united in memory and for the purpose of demanding safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians is heartwarming. Looking ahead, we can (and should) best honor those we’ve lost by committing ourselves to enacting changes as swiftly as possible. If not, we risk delaying what needs to be done and perennially searching for new remedies that work in our existing system. It’s possible to lean into Jill White’s challenge and implement known solutions next week, not the indefinite bureaucratic future.

Kevin J. Krizek is Professor of Environmental Design at the University of Colorado Boulder and former Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment (U.S. Dept Of State). He analyzes urban dynamics, infrastructure, and the role of government. Recent work articulates new pathways for transport planning grounded in accessibility, sustainability, and social justice–perspectives shared in his TED talk, public essays (1, 2, 3, 4), and by the BBC. As a fellow of the Leopold Program, Dr. Krizek gained skills to guide transformative change, reinforcing his ability to make complex topics accessible to people of all backgrounds. He lives in Boulder, CO and has taught courses at more than ten universities, including as a visiting professor in the Netherlands and has served two Fulbright scholarships. At the Department of State in 2021/22, Krizek spurred global infrastructure initiatives on digital security, smart cities, and clean energy reform.

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But when they woke up, they saw a plume of smoke rising into the sky. Darren Wilson had anticipated something like this, even before their trip began.

“It was in the back of my mind — I hope we don’t hike into somewhere and get trapped by a fire,” recalled Wilson, a Hamilton, Montana, resident.

They were hiking through the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness and knew it was under strict restrictions: No building campfires, no fire allowed anywhere, no exceptions. The summer had been dry and hot, and wildfires had been erupting throughout Montana.

But as the group continued hiking toward Hidden Lake, they realized the trail of smoke ahead might be the early stage of a wildfire.

The hikers weren’t trapped, but 200 yards from Hidden Lake they came upon scorched earth surrounding a tree split down the middle, most likely from a lightning strike. Its bark was blackened and glowing, and beneath the tree the charred ground smoldered. The smoke they’d seen was seeping from beneath hot charcoal and dry wood.

“You could tell the tree torched and burned while it was standing and then cracked and fell on the ground,” said Darren’s wife, Chelsie, an x-ray technologist with previous experience in wildland firefighting.

“I think everyone had different feelings,” she said. “Those who had never seen forest fires before were panicking.”

The group put Chelsie Wilson in charge, and she laid out a two-step process: Some people would run to Hidden Lake to fill every water bottle and hydration pack. Everyone else would use the water to turn the smoldering dirt into mud.

Chelsie Wilson and Brittney Erickson, one of her fellow hikers, poured water on dirt, using the wet earth to put out the fire bit by bit. Chelsie kicked a burning stump into the ground. The team smothered it. She instructed and delegated jobs, describing the team as willing, communicative and diligent.

“It was really scary at first,” Chelsie said, “and then it became fun.” After two hours, she gave her team the all-clear. They had transformed the patch of smoldering char into a wet pile of dirt and debris.

On a hike later the same day, the group climbed West Pintler Peak only to spot another fire, this one on the horizon some 10 miles away. They called in the sighting from a ridge with cell service and heard a plane fly low overhead the next day. Weeks later, they said they think that was the first alert to the Johnson Fire, a 270-acre blaze southwest of West Pintler Peak.

If there was a theme to the hikers’ trip it was definitely fire, because while camping near the bank of Oreamnos Lake, they spotted wispy smoke billowing from the opposite shoreline.

“We start yelling across the lake, top of our lungs,” Darren Wilson said. “‘Is there anybody there? Do you have a fire?’” Hearing no response, they initiated a then-familiar course of action. Gathering every container of water they possessed, the group rushed toward the smoke’s source.

“Like children of the corn, we come out of the trees,” Wilson said, only to find three men huddled around a prohibited campfire. The hikers explained that they’d put out a smoldering wildfire, spotted another and were worried about a third — the campfire they were now looking at.

“The guys were not very impressed with us, though,” Chelsie Wilson said, as the men reluctantly extinguished their fire. “They didn’t like our story at all.” Still, they’d agreed to douse the fire and the hikers withdrew, hoping this was the end of fires popping up on their trekhike.

“It’s a real possibility,” Darren Wilson said. “You could be caught behind the wrong side of a fire.”

Zeke Lloyd is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Helena, Montana and writes for the Montana Free Press.

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It’s a national tribute to the contributions they have made to the strength, growth and prosperity of our country and the State of Colorado.

Nationally, Labor Day began as a result of the labor movement in the late 19th century, a turbulent time in American history marked by rapid industrialization and substantial social and economic imbalance.

The Industrial Revolution led to extreme increases in wealth. But it was also a period of stark income inequality, unsafe working conditions and labor unrest. Workers — many of them immigrants — faced exhausting hours, unsafe working conditions and low wages. Child labor was widespread. The average workday was 12 or more hours, six days a week.

Improving workers’ wages, and safer workplace conditions, came at a grave human cost right here in Colorado.

In our state, Soldiers from the Colorado National Guard and private guards of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, attacked 1,200 striking minors and their families — who were living in a tent colony and protesting difficult mining working conditions — on April 20, 1914, in the Southwest Colorado town of Ludlow located approximately 12 miles north Trinidad; it is believed that 21 people were killed, including miners, women and children.

Although Ludlow is now a ghost town, it is the site today of a National Historic Landmark.

One week later, in Boulder County, the HECLA Mine strike began. It lasted four years and eight months and still is the longest strike in our state’s history. Seven strikers died and over 100 more were injured.

Today, Colorado is home to a diverse workforce across various industries, including technology, agriculture, and tourism. The state’s economy thrives on the hard work and skills of its workforce.

Now, Labor Day is a day to reflect on the achievements of our workforce and the progress that has been made in improving worker rights and safer working conditions. From establishing the 5-day work week and the eight-hour workday, higher wages, paid vacations, health insurance, maternity leave, retirement benefits, and the ability to work remotely, to the creation of safer working environments, the labor movement has been instrumental in ensuring fair treatment and better employment opportunities.

Labor Day also serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by workers. It underscores the need to continue advocating for improved living wages, benefits and safer working conditions.

In a broader sense, it is a celebration of the “American dream” and the belief that hard work should be rewarded with a decent standard of living and the opportunity for upward mobility.

In Colorado, Labor Day is also a celebration of the state’s economic achievements. The technology industry, in particular, has seen exponential growth, specifically within the cities of Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder, becoming the home for innovation and startup companies. This growth has created numerous job opportunities, attracting talent from across the country and fostering a vibrant and competitive labor market.

Agriculture also remains one of the foundations of Colorado’s economy. Among the 50 states, Colorado ranks as of one of the leading producers of crops: corn, winter wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, apples, peaches and potatoes. The hard work of farmers and agricultural workers ensures that the state and the nation for fresh, locally-produced food. Labor Day is a time to recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication of individuals who work tirelessly to sustain our agricultural industry.

The tourism and service industries are also vital elements of Colorado’s economy. Our state’s natural beauty, including the majestic Rocky Mountains, attracts millions of visitors each year. This influx of tourists drives the hospitality, retail and service sectors, providing employment and economic opportunities for many Coloradans. The holiday is also a testament to the hard work of those in the tourism and service industries who ensure that visitors have memorable experiences.

Beyond the economic contributions, Labor Day is a time for communities to come together, celebrate and reflect on shared values. Parades, picnics and public events are common across Colorado, fostering a sense of community spirit.

For many Coloradans, Labor Day is also an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, enjoying Colorado’s natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Whether it’s hiking in the mountains, fishing in the rivers or attending local festivals, the holiday provides a much-needed respite from the daily grind and a chance to recharge and reconnect.

As we celebrate Labor Day, it is important to look to the future and consider the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the workforce in Colorado and across the nation. The rise of new automation and the use of Artificial Intelligence is transforming the labor market, creating new opportunities while also posing threats to traditional jobs, such as newsrooms across our state and country. Ensuring that workers are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in this changing environment is crucial.

On top of that, COVID-19 should have taught us that all workers are an “essential” part of our economy.

Labor Day is more than just a day off; it is an acknowledgment of the contributions and sacrifices of all workers. In Colorado, the holiday is a celebration of the state’s robust labor history, its diverse economy and the hardworking individuals who drive its success.

As we honor past achievements and look to the future, Labor Day serves as a reminder of the importance of valuing and supporting our workforce, ensuring that the American dream remains within reach for all.

Jim Martin can be reached jimmartinesq@gmail.com.

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It is inevitable that the political frenzy surrounding the resignation of President Joe Biden as a candidate for re-election and the tribulations of former President Donald J. Trump, including his two impeachments by the House of Representatives, his subsequent acquittals by the Senate, and his criminal proceedings, is compared to that which existed in 1973 and 1974 with respect to Watergate.

The overall atmosphere of divisiveness is common to both eras, although few know or remember that President Nixon was never charged with a crime, was never impeached by the House of Representatives, and never was convicted by the Senate of an impeachable offense. He, as did President Biden, succumbed to enormous political pressure from both sides of the aisle “for the good of the country.”

What is the most important legacy of the Watergate experience on today’s events that are often declared by both political parties and the mass media to be the most dangerous and important in the history of the United States?  Was it the Supreme Court’s historic limitation of the application of executive privilege, the pressure by members of Congress that forced a president’s resignation, the confirmation that there are indeed terrible consequences for bad acts or that transparency in government is our ally not our enemy?

No, in my opinion, the most significant lesson of Watergate is the recognition that our form of government continues to have the strength and resilience to overcome the transgression of our leaders, political crisses, predictions, and warnings of national doom and government collapse.

Watergate has come to mean much more than a botched burglary by James McCord and four others on the night of June 17, 1972, at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate office complex on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The core issue of Watergate was whether President Nixon committed obstruction of justice by participating in a cover-up (plugging the leak) of wrongful actions committed by individuals (the Plumbers) who were associated with the White House.

I had the privilege of serving as one of the president’s lawyers on the Watergate legal defense team, reporting to Special Watergate Counsel James St. Clair, a tough Boston trial lawyer. The 20-lawyer White House defense team consisted of our group, the White House Office of General Counsel, including Our Watergate defense team included, among others, Loren Smith, later to become the chief counsel of the two Reagan presidential campaigns and the chief judge of the United States Court of Federal Claim. We faced about 200 lawyers employed by the Senate Select Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. Our team’s primary White House political contact was General Alexander Haig, the White House chief of staff, later the Allied supreme commander in Europe.

My service at the White House started in early 1974, soon after St. Clair took the reins as the principal Watergate defense counsel. I had responded to a notice that invited DOJ lawyers to apply to the new Watergate defense team; following, I was almost immediately interviewed at the Old Executive Office Building by Geoff Shepard, who has since authored fascinating in-depth books about Watergate. Upon receiving the job offer, I accepted it without calling my wife and resigned from my position as a trial lawyer in the general litigation section in the Civil Division at the Department of Justice.

I was then 30 years old and not that far away from my graduation from the William Mitchell College of Law in Minneapolis coincidentally the alma matter of then Chief Justice Warren Burger — a Nixon appointee.

Our team was close-knit, although as in real life, some were more equal than others — despite the fact that we were all lawyers. Make no mistake about it – Watergate was a political animal or a zoo of political animals. We worked day and night together to do what we thought was legally right, attending meetings of the judiciary committees, writing sections of court briefs, appearing at Grand Jury and court proceedings, and interviewing witnesses. We argued on behalf of the Office of the President for a strong presidential executive privilege. We were under an immense amount of pressure — pressure that remains difficult to describe in words.

I accompanied Jim St. Clair when he argued before the Supreme Court that Leon Jaworski, the special prosecutor, was not entitled to enforce subpoenas that had been issued, in the context of a criminal trial against seven Watergate figures, for 64 specific taped recordings of presidential conversations. We lost resoundingly in the Supreme Court on July 24 on a 9-0 vote, the opinion of which was authored by Chief Justice Burger.

His opinion established that a claim of executive privilege is reviewable by a court and the claim of executive privilege by a president is not absolute. Nonetheless, in retrospect, we had helped to set the table for similar arguments and somewhat similar results a half-century later, in the now controversial Trump v. United States decision of July 1 of this year.

I have often thought about the impact of those times on my family and the country and occasionally relive those exciting, tumultuous times. The daily tension was palpable even without the presence of cell phones, computers, and social media. The daily developments were captured in detail in the pages of The Washington Post and hometown papers across the United States and shared in buses, bowling alleys, and cafes across the United States. There also were lighter days, such as our children Justin and Heather’s (ages 5 and 1) participation in the White House Easter Egg Roll, our excursion on the presidential yacht, the Sequoia, and very late-night dinners and conversations with Loren Smith about chasing UFOs.

Our future as a nation depends on our common sense and the vigorous exercise of the rights and obligations of each of the three branches of government, which were demonstrated during Watergate. It does not depend on personalities.

I am proud to have been an integral part of a historic legal team. We worked as your lawyers to help our country handle a major constitutional crisis. One is never the same after having such an experience.

Since then, most of the major figures of the Watergate era. including Richard M Nixon, Senator Sam Ervin , and Chief Justice Warren Burger, have passed. However, the United States has survived. I am a much better person for having stepped forward to help in 1974 and hope that my involvement helped. I would do it all over again, and without doubt there will be need again in the history of this great country.

Jim Prochnow is a principal shareholder in the Denver Office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, a global law firm. He is primarily a food, drug, and trial lawyer. He and his wife, Virginia, live in Denver. They moved to Colorado after Watergate to ski and for the Colorado sunshine. They have three children.

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Initiative 91 would outlaw the hunting of bobcats and mountain lions. The initiative is both unnecessary and a slap in the face to rural populations who live with these predators and take part in their management through hunting. These animals are plentiful and well managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in partnership with hunters, many of whom hail from the rural Western Slope.

Contrary to advocates’ assertions, Colorado law already prohibits hunting mountain lions for sport; the meat must be harvested for consumption. Initiative 91 not only rejects science-based wildlife management, it is a deliberate affront to the rural way of life which for many includes hunting and fishing.

Not surprisingly, Colorado’s most recent experience with ballot box biology hasn’t gone well for rural Coloradans. Veal beat venison in a wolf taste test. Thanks to Proposition 114, wolves were reintroduced to western Colorado in December 2023. Soon after, several of them decided to ditch swift deer for slow livestock. They’ve killed 16 calves, cows, and sheep in Grand County alone.

Ranchers appealed to the state for relief. CPW is planning to trap the depredating wolves to relocate them. During similar trap and relocation efforts in Montana, mated pairs separated and abandoned their pups. Scientists over at CPW knew the potential consequences of bringing back this apex predator and resisted it until a narrow majority of voters forced their hand. If urban voters had known that the romantic notion of wolf reintroduction meant eviscerated livestock and dead puppies, would they have voted differently?

Wolves won’t be the only ones going after ranchers’ livelihoods if another initiative passes. Denver voters will be asked in November to shut down the 70-year-old employee-owned Superior Farm slaughterhouse near the National Western Stock Show complex. Not only would the employees lose their jobs, the closure will adversely impact sheep ranchers and the state’s economy.

According to a study by the Colorado State University Regional Economic Development Institute, the business generates around $861 million in economic activity and supports some 3,000 jobs. The Denver facility carries about a fifth of all U.S. sheep processing capacity. If it is not rebuilt elsewhere in Colorado, Colorado ranchers will have fewer options and could go out of business for want of places to send their livestock.

According to the study, the loss of U.S. processing capacity will prompt markets to replace domestic supply with imports. Consumers will likely pay more for meat. Also, not every country that raises and slaughters sheep has same humane livestock regulations and standards as the U.S.

A minority of voters could negatively impact the majority not just in Colorado. The people pushing this initiative represent an even smaller minority. They don’t believe humans should eat meat, according to their website, and this is their way to take a bite out of the age-old practice.

Most vegetarians and vegans are live and let live but a small percentage would like to foist their lifestyle on the rest of us. It only took 2% of registered voters in Denver to push this ballot question that would single out a business for closure, toss its employees out of work, harm ranchers throughout the state, cost the state millions of dollars in economic activity, force markets to import meat, and reduce choices for those who want locally-sourced products.  It’s hard to imagine a worse idea.

If urban and suburban voters are tempted to support these no-good, feel-good initiatives, they should first visit their neighbors on either side of the Front Range who will be impacted.  A little empathy for rural Colorado is wanting.

Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on X: @kristakafer.

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In September, the ECMC has yet another opportunity to fulfill its obligation to protect Colorado’s communities. But yet again, it appears the interests of the oil and gas industry are being prioritized over the health of Colorado’s communities.

As members of Colorado’s Environmental Justice Action Task Force, we call on the ECMC and Gov. Jared Polis to strengthen these rules to hold oil and gas polluters accountable, stopping the rampant oil and gas pollution that takes place in Colorado’s disproportionately impacted communities.

We represent two of 22 Environmental Justice Action Task Force members appointed in 2021 and acted as co-chairs on the Environmental and Equity Cumulative Impact Analysis subcommittee. The task force worked with community members and state partners extensively for nearly a year, eventually developing a set of recommendations aimed at addressing environmental injustice in Colorado. The ECMC’s latest draft rules lack several essential provisions needed to shield disproportionately impacted communities from the harmful effects of oil and gas development.

We’re not the only task force urging the ECMC to strengthen these draft rules. Western Resource Advocates Building Decarbonization Manager Meera Fickling, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Health Equity Commissioner Hilda Nucete, GreenLatinos Colorado State Director Ean Thomas Tafoya and Chair of the Sangre de Cristo Group of the Sierra Club Jamie Valdez, all support the opinions expressed in this piece.

The draft rules lack protections for neighborhoods near oil and gas operations, especially those already struggling with pollution and related health problems like asthma, cancer or autoimmune disorders. By failing to require oil and gas activities to take place at least 2,000 feet from disproportionately impacted communities and limiting public involvement in the permitting process, the state is prioritizing industry profits over people’s safety and well-being.

By failing to protect Colorado communities, a crucial part of ECMC’s mission, these draft rules perpetuate environmental racism as the many of the Colorado communities that are most impacted by oil and gas pollution are communities of color and low-income communities. According to Protégete’s Colorado Latino Climate Justice Policy Handbook, Colorado counties with high Latino populations contain a disproportionately high number of oil and gas wells and a disproportionately low number of air quality monitoring stations. These proposed rules ignore the spirit of environmental justice and are not in line with the final recommendations we made as members of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force.

Our final recommendations included that state agencies should use the definition of disproportionately impacted communities (DICs) explained in detail here. But the ECMC’s recent draft rules prioritize a different definition, labeled as cumulatively impacted communities (CICs), that excludes many areas historically burdened by oil and gas activities and almost all of Colorado’s Western Slope communities. The ECMC is not the only state agency using CICs. Several environmental organizations are involved in ongoing litigation with Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission over the use of the CIC term, which encompasses only a fraction of the communities that are included in the DIC definition.

The ECMC should use the definition of DICs that were recommended by the task force and used by state lawmakers. This definition ensures that the communities most affected by environmental injustices are accurately identified and protected.

Additionally, the ECMC should strengthen its proposed draft rules in three ways:

• Close loopholes to ensure no new oil and gas operations are allowed within 2,000 feet of DICs, unless every  resident who lives within that radius gives informed consent

• Mandate air quality testing in a community before approving new oil and gas permits, and deny the permits if the oil and gas operations would push air pollution to unhealthy levels

• Set and enforce strict limits on ozone-causing, toxic air pollutants during the summer months, typically when air quality is the worst along Colorado’s Front Range

Everyone in Colorado deserves the right to live in a healthy and safe environment. Rather than eliminating oil and gas pollution, the latest draft rules by the ECMC provide concessions to oil and gas polluters and ignore community concerns. This is not acceptable. Governor Polis and the ECMC must protect and listen to the voices of the communities most affected by environmental racism, and hold oil and gas polluters accountable.

Renée Chacon is co-founder and executive director of Womxn from the Mountain and serves as the Ward III Councilmember on the Commerce City Council. Beatriz Soto is the director of Protégete at Conservation Colorado and co-chair of the Clean Water for All Colorado Coalition.

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