5280’s 10 Best Longreads of 2018

These are the longform stories that resonated with readers in 2018.

By Jerilyn Forsythe

News

Eldora Rescinds Proposed Parking Fees After Major Backlash

By Jay Bouchard

Get Involved

Local Breweries Team Up to Help Victims of California Fires

By Jay Bouchard

Environment

What Xcel’s Lofty Energy Plan Means for Colorado—and the Nation

By Jay Bouchard

Get Involved

10 Local Charities Worth Your Dime on Colorado Gives Day

By Caroline Vakil

4 ways to keep your heart healthy

A Kaiser Permanente “heart electrician” explains how he helps keep hearts beating properly and talks heart health in general.

A Colorado-Built Spacecraft Will Reach Its Destination This Month

Osiris-Rex will aim to be the first American mission to bring back a sample of asteroid particles—which could give clues where else we should look for life forms.

By Mary Clare Fischer

This New Technology Will Help CDOT Manage Avalanches

The Colorado Department of Transportation is using infrared bi-oculars to help with avalanche mitigation at night, hoping to prevent high-mountain passes from being buried during the day.

By Angela Ufheil

Après-Everything

A letter from the editor of the December 2018 issue of 5280.

By Geoff Van Dyke

How to Be a True Anti-Racist

University of Colorado Denver education professor Cheryl Matias built her career helping prospective urban teachers fight racism. Now she wants to bring her ideas to the mainstream.

By Kate Siber

5 Organizations That Will Help You Support Local Charities

This Colorado Gives Day, these vetted groups can help narrow down the philanthropic causes you're hoping to support.

By Victoria Carodine

Nearly 300,000 Acres of Public Land Are Inaccessible in Colorado

According to a recent report, millions of acres of federal public land across the West are “landlocked” by private property holdings. And here in the Centennial State, there are unique barriers to opening up more land for recreation.

By Jay Bouchard

Keeping the Holidays Real

How to avoid the “holiday blues” with the gift that keeps giving (back). Hint: It’s not what you would expect.

Will Denver Be the First U.S. City With a Safe Injection Site?

Denver City Council passed a bill that, if sanctioned by state law, would create a supervised injection site for intravenous drug users.

By Haley Gray

Lindsey Vonn Stares Down Records and Retirement

Though an early season injury has her temporarily sidelined, the greatest female skier of all time is still gunning for the ultimate record.

By Shauna Farnell

What’s the Deal with Education Funding in Colorado?

Most local lawmakers agree that the way P-12 education is funded in the Centennial State should change. So what's standing in the way?

By Haley Gray

Gift Guide 2018: How You Can Give Back This Holiday Season

This holiday season, consider supporting one of these five worthy nonprofits in the Denver metro area.

By Victoria Carodine

My Father’s Final Gift

When it came to preparing for the end of his life, my father planned for the worst, knowing that would be best for me.

By Jerilyn Forsythe

118 Years Ago, a Denver Teen Was Publicly and Brutally Murdered

In November 1900, Preston "John" Porter Jr. was accused of raping and murdering a 12-year-old girl, and as punishment, was burned at the stake. Now, local activists are working to commit his memory—and that of others lynched at the turn of the 20th century—to the public record.

By Haley Gray

It’s Time for Denver to Rethink Electric Scooters

It's been nearly six months since e-scooters first descended on Denver's sidewalks. If the dockless machines are going to stick around, a few things must change.

By Jay Bouchard

The Midterms Are a Reminder of How Far Women Have Come, and How Far We Still Need to Go

Voters elected a historic number of women in the 2018 midterms—both in Colorado and nationwide. Yet representation in the Centennial State's highest offices lags behind.

By Lisa Wirthman

Colorado Is Still a (Very) Purple State—At Least for Now

On Tuesday, voters elected Democratic candidates across the board, while striking down progressive ballot initiatives. What does this tell us about Colorado's current state of purple politics?

By Haley Gray

A Blue Wave Crashes Into Colorado in the 2018 Midterms

Colorado Democrats had a lot to celebrate on Tuesday night, as the party swept every statewide race, picked up a congressional seat, and flipped the state Senate. But the shift wouldn't have been possible without a swell of support from young, independent, and female voters.

By Lisa Wirthman

5 Ways to Spend Veterans Day Weekend in Denver

This Veterans Day is extra special, as it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Here are just a few ways that Denverites can honor those who served in the armed forces this weekend.

By Chloe Barrett

Tom Sullivan Wins an Unlikely Campaign for a Colorado House Seat

It’s been six years and nearly four months since Tom Sullivan’s son, Alex, was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting. Now, the 62-year-old former postal worker will represent Colorado’s House District 37.

By Robert Sanchez

Election 2018: What Happened in Colorado

Whether you're red, blue, or somewhere in between, the 2018 midterm election was a historic one for the Centennial State.

By 5280

What We’re Watching in the Colorado Midterms

There’s a lot at stake in the 2018 midterms, which is already the most expensive election in Colorado history. Here are eight key storylines we’ll be watching.

By Erin Skarda

Need a Distraction From the Nonstop News Cycle? We’ve Got You Covered

You're tired. We're tired. Get off the proverbial hamster wheel with this list of (not super political!) things to read, listen to, and watch, straight from 5280's editorial staffers.

By Jerilyn Forsythe

Amazon’s 4-Star Store Is Now Open in Lone Tree

The multibillion dollar company still hasn’t announced where it will open its new headquarters, but it is unveiling a brick-and-mortar store in the Park Meadows mall on Thursday, November 1.

By Jay Bouchard

Get to Know Dianne Primavera, the Democratic Candidate for Lieutenant Governor

The state’s executive branch wouldn’t be complete without a second-in-command. We caught up with Jared Polis' pick to talk about Colorado, campaigning, and healthcare.

By Natasha Gardner

How the Can’d Aid Foundation Is Redefining Philanthropy

Five years ago, employees at Oskar Blues Brewery launched Can'd Aid to assist neighbors affected by the 2013 floods. Since then, the organization has expanded its "do-goodery" to reach well beyond local disaster relief efforts.

By Caroline Vakil