Who Had the Worst Week?

• Denver may be left of the political center, but its TV news stations soon may not reflect that. Sinclair‘s interest in acquiring Scripps – owner of Denver7 – means that three of our city’s four main TV news stations could be owned by the right-wing media companies Nexstar (Fox31, 9News) and Sinclair (Denver7).
• CBS4 reporter Kelly Werthmann and photojournalist Kevin Hartfield were forced to take refuge in their news vehicle when “a clearly unstable man” interrupted their live shot at the state capitol. No one was injured.
• A warm, dry fall has forced the ski resorts Purgatory and Powderhorn to delay their openings.
• The U.S. Coast Guard has downgraded swastikas and nooses from prohibited “hate symbols” to items that are merely “potentially divisive.”
• The former British Prince Andrew, now just Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after his brother stripped him of his royal title, just can’t catch a break. The Daily Mail reported this week that Osborne Partners, the PR firm that convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein hired in 2008 to help him rehabilitate his image, recommended to Epstein that he avoid associating with Andrew because Andrew’s reputation was too toxic.
• The U.S. may be headed for a brutal flu season. Scientists have found that this year’s virus causes more severe symptoms than last year’s and seems to be spreading more rapidly and earlier than usual. Enjoy those Thanksgiving visitors!
• Republicans in Texas have ousted Kate Rogers, a fellow Republican who was tasked with overseeing the renovation of the Alamo, because her 2023 Ph.D. dissertation included a “woke” statement – “Personally, I would love to see the Alamo become a beacon for historical reconciliation and a place that brings people together versus tearing them apart, but politically that may not be possible at this time.”
• Colorado fined BetMGM $50,000 for illegally accepting “prop” bets on individual college athletes’ performances during games.
• If you are addicted to buying lottery tickets but are broke, good news! The Colorado Lottery Commission will now allow you to use credit cards to buy tickets. What could go wrong?
• A Missouri judge whose Elvis fixation caused him to wear an Elvis wig during proceedings and play his songs and recite his lyrics in court has agreed to resign.
• A Russian K9 police dog selected to perform the ceremonial pre-game puck drop at a KHL league hockey game successfully dropped the puck from its mouth and then promptly bit two players.

Who won the week?

• Drew Kramer joined Tallgrass Energy where he will manage the company’s state and local public affairs.
• Linhart PR added Shannon Holleran as a senior account executive. She will support client programs and priorities in the energy, utilities, healthcare and professional services sectors.
• Keeton Public Relations celebrated its 21st anniversary.
• The Denver Press Club will honor Bruce Goldberg, Jean-Luc Currie, Jim Clarke and Nathan Fernando-Frescas at an event at the club on Dec. 2.
• Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats will be inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame next month.
• The Frida Kahlo painting “El sueño (La cama)” sold for $55 million, setting an auction record for a work by a female artist.