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 [2]. 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 [3]. 

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 [4]). 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 [5]. 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 [6]). 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 [7]. Well-known Denver Post columnist Mike Littwin is also being moved—off the newspaper's Page 2 and into the editorial pages, notes Westword [8].