Happy Friday from KUNC News! Here are a few of the most interesting stories from the week of September 15-19:
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CU Regent Wanda James to launch congressional bid, challenging Colorado’s longest-serving congresswoman
University of Colorado Regent Wanda James is running against the state's longest-serving member of Congress. She launched her campaign on Sept. 17 to represent the First Congressional District, which covers Denver.
James will challenge incumbent Congresswoman Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary. Because the district is so heavily Democratic, the primary will likely decide who wins the seat.
Degette has represented the district for three decades. James says Denver has changed a lot over that time and needs fresh representation.
Other than serving as a CU Regent, James is a first-generation graduate of the university and a small business owner. She also worked as a fundraiser for former President Barack Obama and the Biden-Harris administration.
Denver International Airport becomes largest domestic hub in the country
Denver International Airport (DIA) is celebrating a new achievement after being crowned the largest domestic hub in the country. For the first year ever, the airport surpassed other popular airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago’s O’Hare, with the most direct flights within the U.S.
DIA added 12 new flights this year, bringing the total number of domestic nonstop flights to 197 destinations across the country.
Airport officials believe Colorado’s location has helped DIA grow, along with rising domestic travel demand and increased airline investments.
While Denver is not topping the list for international flights, the airport has also added a lot of destinations outside the U.S. The growth is giving Coloradans more opportunities to travel.
DIA added 35 direct international flights this year to 19 different countries. This includes service to Rome, Italy, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, as well as additional routes to cities such as Mexico City.
Top Republican in Colorado House resigns in wake of special session clash with Democrats
The top Republican in the Colorado House has resigned from the legislature.
Former Minority Leader Rose Pugliese says the environment at the Capitol has become toxic and disappointing, and she wants to prioritize her children.
Pugliese had a very public falling out with Democratic leaders at the end of the special legislative session last month. Democrats accused her of covering up misconduct within the GOP caucus.
Democratic House Majority Leader Monica Duran pushed back against claims the former Minority Leader made in her resignation letter, saying she won’t stand by while her character is impugned.
House Republicans will meet in the coming weeks to select a new leader.
Adult zebra mussels found in Colorado River, which is now designated “infested”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has found adult Zebra Mussels in the Colorado River for the first time. A section of the river is now considered infested. Wildlife officials had already found adult mussels in nearby waters around Grand Junction, and juvenile mussels were confirmed in the river earlier this summer near Glenwood Springs. But this latest detection means the invasive species has an established population in the Colorado River.
CPW says it won’t treat the infested section of the river because of the risks to native fish and habitat. No mussels have been found in the headwaters or at the confluence of the Roaring Fork River.
Students rally at the Capitol in response to Evergreen High School shooting
Denver high school students rallied at the State Capitol on Sept. 17, one week after a school shooting at Evergreen High School left two students injured and the shooter - also a student - dead by his own hand.
Dozens of students gathered on the Capitol steps and marched along nearby streets. Local members of the national organization Students Demand Action urged lawmakers to take stronger action to prevent gun violence.
Several Democratic state representatives joined the students. The Colorado legislature has passed a number of gun control laws in recent years. The state is considered to have some of the strongest in the country.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen introduced a bipartisan resolution this week honoring the victims of the Evergreen High School shooting.
St. Louis encephalitis found in Fort Collins for the first time
A new mosquito-borne virus has been detected in Northern Colorado. Larimer County health officials say the St. Louis encephalitis virus was found in a mosquito pool in northeast Fort Collins.
St. Louis encephalitis is transmitted by the same Culex mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. The virus causes similar symptoms and, in rare cases, can lead to long-term disability or death. This is the first time it's shown up in Larimer County.
Health officials are reminding residents to take steps to prevent mosquito bites.
Nominee for top federal water role withdraws amid pushback from some Colorado River states
The Trump Administration’s nominee to run the Bureau of Reclamation is withdrawing from the process. Ted Cooke, a longtime water manager in Arizona, said he was asked to step back by the White House. Cooke declined to share the reason he was given.
Cooke had been nominated to serve as commissioner of the federal agency that oversees the Colorado River. He faced pushback from some politicians and water officials who worried that he might favor the Lower Basin during that process.
Water experts around the region said Cooke was a qualified expert, and Cooke himself denied that he would bring a bias to his new position.
The seven states that use the Colorado River are stuck in tense talks about how to share its water in the future. They are split into two camps: the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico, and the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada.
Negotiations ahead of a 2026 deadline appear to be making little progress. If they can’t reach a deal in time, the federal government can step in and make those decisions itself.
Northern Colorado bankers worry about stablecoin legislation
Northern Colorado bankers are concerned about how a newly recognized form of cryptocurrency could affect their industry.
Congress recently passed the GENIUS Act. It created a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency tied to stable assets like the U-S dollar. For local bankers, the biggest concern is the loss of deposits.
Bank executives are also worried about competition, losing liquidity and reduced security. Congress’s act is intended to encourage innovation in digital payments while protecting consumers.
Fans put down a record number of deposits for 2026 Denver women’s pro soccer season
The Denver Summit soccer club has reached 15,000 season ticket deposits for its inaugural 2026 season. That sets a new record for a National Women's Soccer League expansion team.
The Summit will play its first games next year at a temporary stadium in Centennial.
A new stadium is set to open in the spring of 2028.
