As the state's political landscape changes, some familiar faces are filling new posts. Take Bill Ritter, soon to be a former one-term Democratic governor, who is slated to head up the national New Energy Economy Center at his alma mater, Colorado State University, reports the Fort Collins Coloradoan. The center will be funded entirely by private dollars, initially from the San Francisco-based Energy Foundation and the Bohemian Foundation in Fort Collins. While there, Ritter might want to explore the city of Fort Collins' $11 million investment in new energy, which is heavily reliant on old energy, points out Face the State. 

Meanwhile, two new U.S. congressmen from Colorado officially took office on Wednesday: Scott Tipton of Cortez and Gory Gardner of Yuma, who are part of the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives (via The Associated Press). Outgoing Congressman John Salazar, who was replaced by Tipton, has been tapped to join Governor-elect John Hickenlooper's administration as commissioner of agriculture, writes The Pueblo Chieftain. And Dr. Chris Urbina, a Pueblo native who is currently Denver Health's director of public health, will be the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (also via The Denver Post). In his new role, Urbina will also serve as the state's chief medical officer.

Elsewhere in the arena of politics, Adam Schrager of 9News, a respected journalist known for chasing the politicians, is on his way out. Next month he will leave to take a position at Wisconsin Public Television to be closer to family, according to ColoradoPols. Well-known Denver Post columnist Mike Littwin is also being moved—off the newspaper's Page 2 and into the editorial pages, notes Westword.