Technically speaking, the news out of tiny Fowler, east of Pueblo, today was that Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper stopped there to sign into law what was probably the 2017 session’s signature legislation, Senate Bill 267. That’s the hard-won, bipartisan effort that more or less aligned the planets to address the “sustainability of rural Colorado.”

As a practical matter, that means the dizzyingly multitasking measure will reclassify the hospital-provider fee; lease-purchase state buildings to fund highways; give a $30 million lift to rural schools; the list goes on. It’s especially important to Colorado’s farm and ranch communities because, among the bill’s many provisions are not only added funding for rural schools but also some help stabilizing Colorado’s struggling rural hospitals.

Hence, the decision to stage the signing ceremony and photo opp at Fowler High School.

As noted, though, that’s only technically speaking. Given that the bill itself already has gotten extensive, in-depth media coverage, the real news was this: Hick fired off a jump shot in the Fowler High gym without getting trampled by the substantially larger Senate President Kevin Grantham in Grantham’s attempt at a layup. The Cañon City Republican happened to be on hand for the signing. Here’s the video, courtesy of Pueblo PULP’s relentless news hound Kara Mason, who beamed it out via Twitter:

Indeed, they both missed. But, really, is Grantham actually wearing his cowboy boots?