May 12-16, 2025
Each week, »Ê¹ÚÍøÖ· collects and curates some of the more important stories of the week that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be, and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
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Air traffic controllers in Denver scramble to use backups after losing communications
Air traffic controllers in Denver lost communications with planes for 90 seconds earlier this week and had to scramble to use backup frequencies in the latest Federal Aviation Administration equipment failure. The outage at Denver International Airport happened Monday afternoon and affected communications, but not radar, said Frank McIntosh, the FAA's head of air traffic control, during a House hearing Thursday. This communications failure follows two high-profile outages of radar and communications in the past two and a half weeks at a facility that directs planes in and out of the Newark, New Jersey, airport.
Latest dangerous TikTok trend sparks concerns at Colorado schools
Teachers and school leaders on the Front Range are seeing a dangerous TikTok trend pick up among students. School-issued laptops are being tampered with to catch fire. Students were encouraged on social media to short-circuit laptops or puncture the battery. That can cause the laptop to catch fire and release toxic fumes. Boulder Valley School District officials say students could face disciplinary action and possible criminal prosecution. University High School in Greeley told »Ê¹ÚÍøÖ· that students are responsible for paying for any damages.
Western ranches pilot virtual fences for conservation
A handful of ranches in the West are testing out a new fence technology for its potential environmental benefits. The (PERC), a Bozeman nonprofit that advocates for free-market conservation, in grants this week for eight ranches that want to become early adopters of virtual fences. While barbed wire fences are a more common sight in the Mountain West, virtual fences have cropped up in the last few years. Ranch owners in other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, have used them for years.
CU Medical School at CSU Graduates its first class
The new School of Medicine at Colorado State University will see its first class of graduates cross the stage on May 19. The CU School of Medicine at CSU brings University of Colorado medical students to the Colorado State campus in Fort Collins. The cohort is incorporated into CSU’s veterinary and biomedical programs for an interdisciplinary curriculum. The CSU medical track offers CU students small class sizes, more hands-on clinical opportunities and chances for relationship-building in the Fort Collins community.
PSD settles with families over bus attendant’s assault convictions
Poudre School District will pay out over $16,000,000 in settlements to victims of a former bus attendant convicted of assault. The Board of Education approved the settlement agreement this week for 10 students and their families. Tyler Zanella was sentenced last year to 12 and a half years in prison for assaulting at-risk students. He took a plea deal to avoid a trial. The district was facing multiple lawsuits over Zanella's actions. After the settlement was approved, the Board noted several changes, like revised hiring practices, advanced bus camera systems, and a transportation manager to oversee bus operations.
Beau Jo’s backs out of employee ownership plan
Colorado pizza chain Beau Jo’s has decided not to move forward with an employee ownership plan after announcing the idea two years ago. The plan called for employees to get stock in the company that they could cash out later for their retirement. Beau Jo’s management pulled back on the idea because of long-term financial concerns and little benefit to seasonal employees. Management says they’re working on other strategies for the future.
MOA FoCo expanding
The Museum of Art Fort Collins is planning to expand. The museum launched a capital campaign last week for major renovations and additions that staff say will help attract more artists and engage more with the community. Plans call for accessibility and safety upgrades to the main gallery space. The museum also wants to expand its overall gallery capacity with new areas for education and performance. It's not clear how much the total project will cost. The goal of the project's first phase is to buy the museum's existing building on College Ave.
Rockies fire Black, Redmond
Longtime Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black was fired on May 11. The Rockies had one of the worst season starts in Major League Baseball history this year. Colorado lost to the San Diego Padres at Coors Field 21 to 0 on May 10. Black was the winningest manager in franchise history. He coached the team to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and 2018. The team also fired bench coach Mike Redmond.
