🏭 Will Suncor finally change its ways?

🏭 Will Suncor Finally Change Its Ways?

The state has reached a historic $10.5 million settlement with the Commerce City Suncor Energy refinery over years of air pollution violations. Officials are also doubling down on air quality monitoring regulations at the plant. [Denver Post]

• A longtime coming: How did we get here? And what might Denver look like if Suncor was shut down for good? [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🐶 Mysterious Dog Illness Perplexes Experts

The mysterious respiratory virus that was spreading among dogs nationwide last fall has been slowing down since a December spike, but veterinary experts are still unsure what it is and where it came from. [Denver Post]

• Speaking of dogs: The Denver Animal Shelter is spreading word about its “Harness the Love” campaign. Dog owners can trade in their pinch, choke, or shock collars in exchange for “fear-free” harnesses at no cost. [City of Denver]

⛰️ Outdoor Festival Announces Debut Date

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Colorado’s highly anticipated “South by Southwest-inspired” outdoor recreation festival. The inaugural event is scheduled to take place June 1-2 at Civic Center Park as a replacement for the Outdoor Retailer show, which left Denver for Salt Lake City in 2022. [CO Sun]

• Some context: Here’s an overview of the messy backstory between Denver and Outdoor Retailer. [Hey Denver]
• Dive deeper: The Outdoor Retailer show is just the tip of the Denver-Salt Lake City rivalry iceberg. So we asked our colleagues at City Cast Salt Lake — Why is SLC so obsessed with Denver anyways? [City Cast Denver 🎧]

Hey loyal reader, what’s on your mind? 🤔

🗣️ On the debate over how to pronounce Buena Vista, Stan P. says:

• “[According to] a book from History Colorado, and having visited Buena Vista over the past 40 years, the locals call it Buena [b-yoon-a] as in ‘beautiful’ because that is how the founder named it — not Spanish at all. I hate all GPS's that pronounce Limon as Spanish and Louisville as French. Louisville is named for Louis Nawatny. Another Front Range/West Slope divide is Montrose. The Front Range pronounces it as Mon Trose vs West Slope who says it as Mont Rose.”

🏡 After I shared this list of resources for Denver renters, Trina M. wrote in with a suggestion:

• “Consider homeshare programs that link older adults with younger people looking for housing. One organization I’m aware of is Sunshine Homeshare. It’s a win-win situation, providing extra income and (sometimes) help around the house for the older adult, and affordable housing for the young person. And it also can lead to wonderful, lasting friendships!”

💃 We recently talked about the dance classes offered at The Mercury Cafe. Mary H. wants to recommend another option:

• “I started dancing last year at the Turnverein for Tango classes, and have met some of my closest friends here through that community. A plug for one of their upcoming events: At Maria Empanada on the 14th, there is a Tango for Beginners class taught by two incredible women, no experience or dance partners necessary.”

Why This Popular Museum Exhibit Closed Forever

The Biden Administration just issued new rules requiring museums across the country to accelerate their repatriation and cultural representation efforts. But the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was ahead of the curve. We visited last summer just before they closed down the 45-year-old North American Indian Cultures Hall.