🛑 Denver may halt data centers

🛫 Peña Blvd Could Include Public Transit Expansion

After federal review, Denver International Airport officials have changed course on the two-lane road’s planned overhaul and will now consider more alternatives to adding a lane, including additional bus or train service. Environmental advocates have been calling for them to study public transit solutions to the notorious traffic problem for years. [Denver Post 🔒]

• All the context: Denver Post reported Jon Murray broke down the whole Peña Blvd conundrum on our podcast. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🗣️ Weiser and Bennet Spar at Gov’s Forum

With the primaries four months away, leading gubernatorial hopefuls Attorney General Phil Weiser and Sen. Michael Bennet are working hard to define their positions on everything from housing affordability issues to traffic on Peña Boulevard. We discuss their latest public face off. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

• There’s more: Check out our interviews with AG Weiser and Sen. Bennet on why they are running for governor.

🖐️ Mayor Suggests Pause on Data Centers

Mayor Johnston said Monday that he is working with City Council on a possible moratorium on new data centers to allow the city to review regulations, energy and water use, and zoning for the sites. Mayor Mike Johnston said he expects the process of establishing guardrails for the centers to take several months. [Denverite]

🚦 What Might Replace Flock?

Mayor Johnston put out a request for proposals recently for a new contractor to manage Denver’s controversial license plate reader cameras, and a decision is expected soon. But one security technology researcher told 9News that Flock’s main competitors Axon and Motorola wouldn’t be that different when it comes to data security and suggested the city manage the cameras itself. [9News]

• We’re also watching: A new bill at the legislature from State Sen. Judy Amabile would require local law enforcement to obtain a warrant to search data collected by license plate readers. [Denver7]

There’s no doubt it’s been an unseasonably hot winter here in Denver. (Like, record-breaking hot.) So, how worried should we be about wildfire risk? Not worried — at least not yet, according to Chris Bianchi.

The 9News meteorologist took to Instagram recently to address the local wildfire hysteria he’s been hearing lately. “Not only does it drive me a little bit nuts, but it’s factually incorrect,” he says.

Contrary to what many people seem to think, he explains, a low snowpack season doesn’t necessarily equate to high wildfire risk — it’s too early to accurately determine just how bad a wildfire season might be.