DENVER (KDVR) — March is often credited as the first month with spring weather, but in Denver, it is historically the snowiest month of the year.
The National Weather Service said March is known to bring the biggest snowfall events of the season to the region, with the month typically accounting for 20% of the annual snowfall.
Being in the middle of the transition from winter to spring, March brings a variety of weather conditions. Here is what the average March weather looks like in Denver.
Denver typically sees six days with measurable precipitation in March, according to NWS.
From 1882 to 2022, March brought an average of 11.5 inches of snowfall to Denver. However, that number has gone down in recent years. From 1991 to 2020, Denver saw an average of 8.8 inches of snow in March.
Last March, Denver saw less snow than normal, with 5.1 inches accumulating over the month. The snowiest day last March was on the 25th when 2.2 inches fell in Denver.
Denver’s snowiest March in history was in 2003 with 35.2 inches.
March brings 1st sunset after 6 p.m.
The first 6 p.m. sunset this year will come on March 9. The next day, clocks will spring an hour forward for daylight saving time despite a bill passed in the Colorado legislature and signed into law in 2022 to keep the state on Mountain Daylight Time permanently.
That day, the sun will be out for 11 hours and 41 minutes and is forecast to rise around 7:20 a.m. and set around 7:01 p.m.
On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, NWS says the sun will be out for 12 hours for the first time in 2024.
Does Denver normally warm up in March?
March is the fifth-coldest month of the year, according to NWS.
Between 1981 and 2010, NWS typically recorded 24 days with freezing temperatures.
The month starts with a normal high temperature of 50 degrees and a typical low temperature of 22 degrees. By the end of March, high temperatures normally sit at 58 degrees with lows at an average of 30 degrees.
The coldest March recorded in Denver was in 1912 with an average temperature of 26.4 degrees. Meanwhile, the warmest March in Denver on record was in 1910, with an average of 50.4 degrees.
Historically, Denver typically gets 8.8 inches of snow in March with high temperatures in the 50s and low temperatures in the 30s.
PUEBLO, Colo. — The U.S. Forest Service is working to bridge the gap between the federal government and Indigenous communities through the work of tribal liaisons.
“The idea behind this is to better administer these lands by talking to the Indigenous stakeholders here, the people who have always lived here in Colorado, western Kansas,” said Herbert. “There are tribal leads liaisons throughout the federal government, whether you’re talking about the National Forest Service, the United States Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management. There are tribal liaisons everywhere.”
Herbert said the start of his new position consists of a lot of learning, both from other Colorado tribal liaisons, tribal leaders and the landscape itself.
“If I was going to come out here, I felt like I owed tribes my due diligence to come out here and learn these landscapes that they call home,” said Herbert. “My job is to talk to people. And ultimately, that’s all a tribal liaison does is I want to make sure that tribal voices are being heard within our national forest system.”
Ultimately, Herbert said his goal is to ensure everyone benefits from a better administration of the federal land.
“The whole reason we have these national forests is because we have a 250-year-old system of colonialism,” Herbert said. “The reason why I’m out here is because the people who call Colorado home were violently removed from these landscapes. Now, I don’t tell people that to upset them or to make them feel guilty. You didn’t do this, but you are responsible. And by that, I mean, you’re responsible for learning about these pasts, right? So that we can create a better present, so we can create a better future.”
A historian at heart, Herbert said he wants to first establish a real working relationship with tribes based on trust.
“The only way to do that is to be humble, is to be serious about the nature of the job,” said Herbert. “I look at myself here as a guest upon these lands. And in my position, I have to. These are native lands.”
“I don’t think it’s too much to do right by tribes and the United States Forest Service. We can accomplish both of those things,” Herbert continued. “When you change the landscape, you change culture. When you change the culture, you threaten the viability of people. That’s what’s at stake here is making sure that we honor these landscapes and manage them in ways that are appropriate to Indigenous communities.”
The Follow Up
What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.
A 14-year-old girl with high-functioning autism was reported missing Wednesday, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Taylor Thomas, who likes to be called “Jax,” was last seen on foot at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday in the area of 3101 S. Kipling St., Lakewood., CBI posted on X.
Taylor is 5 feet tall and weighs 95 pounds. She has dark brown, shoulder-length hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing black, white and gray camo pants, a black hoodie, black-and-white high-top shoes and a black-and-white Nike backpack.
Anyone who sees Taylor is asked to call 911 or the Lakewood Police Department at 303-980-7300.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — A Routt County jury awarded a Steamboat Springs couple more than $21 million after they found the couple had been dragged through the mud for years over false allegations of child abuse.
Cindy Hayek was awarded $7.6 million and her boyfriend Kenny Hamp was awarded nearly $13.68 million by a jury who determined Hayek’s ex-husband orchestrated a smear campaign to win full custody of the couple’s three children following a contentious divorce.
The ex-husband, Steven Herron, now lives in Maui, Hawaii, after moving to the island in the summer of 2021 with full custody of the kids, a 17-year-old girl and twin 13-year-old boys.
The verdict came down on Nov. 22, 2023, after a five-week trial, but the couple has just now decided to share their story with the Problem Solvers.
Mother’s boyfriend accused of child abuse
“I was asked to choose between my children and the truth. And for four years, I had to choose the truth,” Hayek said.
The 54-year-old told FOX31 Investigative Reporter Rob Low that she has spent nearly $8 million of her own money, both through her custody battle and in legal fees, to get a jury to hear her case.
“I felt listened to. I felt vindicated. I’ve been saying it for years — this never happened — and I just couldn’t get anybody to listen. I (finally) had seven people listen and agree that this never happened,” Hayek said.
What the jury said never happened was the child abuse Hamp was arrested for in 2019. The charge was later upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony.
“It’s the worst thing you could ever be accused of,” Hamp said. “It was humiliating, shaming, ruining my reputation.”
Hamp and Hayek told FOX31 they thought it was no coincidence that allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against Hamp one day after announcing their engagement.
Earlier that month, Hayek won a $10.5 million settlement after she sued her ex-husband on claims of fraud. Hayek claimed she was owed money from Herron’s sale of a fracking company. Hayek was an oil and gas geologist, who successfully argued she was entitled to some of the nearly $90 million in profits Herron made in the sale.
Ex-husband told police about abuse allegations
Herron told doctors one of his twin sons was complaining of a “wedgie” and soon went to police with allegations that only grew over time.
Hamp told FOX31 that Herron “was trying to throw me in jail for the rest of my life. Everybody knows what happens to pedophiles when they go to jail.”
The charge would later be dismissed in June 2020 after prosecutors filed a motion that stated, “The totality of evidence in this matter reveals there is no reasonable probability of conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In 2021, the Colorado Department of Human Services signed a settlement agreement that stated “the finding was overturned” when it came to allegations Hamp committed child sex abuse.
“This all came from Steve Herron telling the children that I did these things to these children. And the children believed what the father said, but in forensic interviews, the children actually told the truth and said that the father told them that this happened and that I never did that,” Hamp said.
Cindy Hayek and Kenny Hamp won a $21 million jury verdict over false child abuse claims.
Interview shows child was unsure if he had been abused
The Problem Solvers obtained a videotaped interview conducted in May 2020 between one of the twin boys and a forensic child abuse expert.
Below is a portion of their exchange:
Forensic interviewer: And who told you that Kenny was-sexually assaulted you?
9-year-old boy: My Dad.
FI: Your dad told you? Tell me what your dad said.
Boy: He said, ‘You have been sexually assaulted.’ And then he took me into my room.
In another more graphic portion of the interview, the boy shared details about what his father had said happened.
Herron and his attorney have not responded to the Problem Solvers for comment.
But FOX31 obtained a videotaped copy of the interview Herron and his wife Christine gave to a Steamboat Springs police detective and a state child case worker in September 2019, when the allegation of a “wedgie” first surfaced.
Herron can be seen on camera saying he doesn’t think he’s a bad person: “I’m not like this (expletive), like trying to pull these kids away from Cindy. I don’t think they’re safe.”
A state caseworker would soon ask Herron, “If you could wave a magic wand today, what would you want? As far as a parenting agreement plan?”
Herron would respond, “Full custody of the children. Full decision-making authority.”
Herron and Hayek were divorced in 2016 and granted equal parenting time.
That would change in November 2019 when a Routt County case worker sustained findings of abuse against Hamp, and a judge used those findings to restrict Hayek’s parenting time.
Jury rules ex-husband manipulated law enforcement
The Routt County jury would determine Herron had manipulated law enforcement and the child welfare system to do his bidding. When a Steamboat Springs police detective told Herron he would try to get the child abuse charge upgraded to sex assault, Herron would be heard on camera saying, “I would (expletive) hug you right now.”
Later in the same interview, Herron would tell the detective, “You made my (expletive) day brother, like you’re on my Christmas card list right now.”
“This was the most obvious, malicious and calculated scenario of child weaponization that I’ve ever seen,” said Chris Decker, the attorney who represented Hamp in the civil defamation case and who is also a FOX31 legal analyst.
In June 2023, the medical director of the child protection team at Children’s Hospital Colorado wrote a report on the case that closed by saying, “In summary, neither the documentation from multiple medical examinations nor the images taken by Mr. Herron provide any evidence that can be attributed to or support the allegations of child sexual abuse/assault.”
“It was an important verdict, and a message I think that the jury wanted to send was, ‘Stop the lying. Stop doing this, Steve Herron,’” Decker said.
Terry Duffin was the court-appointed parenting supervisor for Hayek and was in charge of observing visits between the kids and their mother, who had lost custody of her three kids to Herron when she refused to acknowledge Hamp had abused any of the kids.
When FOX31 asked Duffin if she suspected any of the kids had been sexually abused, she responded, “I do not, I don’t. I’ve seen a lot of trauma, a lot of traumatized children over my career,” but said she never saw any evidence of that with the children in this case.
Instead, Duffin said her 30 years of experience in the field of childhood trauma convinced her the allegations of sex abuse were false.
“The boys could never tell me any details about what happened to them. I felt like they were being coached,” said Duffin, who suspected Herron was motivated by revenge.
“He for quite a while spoke angrily about how mom got money she didn’t deserve,” Duffin said. “Steve was very, very angry that mom was even still around, and he was trying to eliminate her from the children’s lives. That’s what it felt like.”
The Problem Solvers asked if it appeared to be a case of parental alienation.
Hamp said he’s glad the kids are now able to have some agency.
“This story is about giving these children a chance in life to know the truth so they can make their own decisions in the future when they’re ready,” he told the Problem Solvers.
“I chose my family, and I’m going to put my family back together. It’s hard, but I’m going to do it. And I hope to one day see my children and tell them what happened, and I hope they don’t feel in any way that they’re responsible for this,” Hayek said.
Hayek said a Routt County domestic relations judge has not allowed her to speak to her kids since a Zoom visit in January 2021, because she refused to acknowledge her boyfriend’s sexual abuse.
Now that she has a favorable civil court ruling, in addition to the dismissal of the criminal charge and the reversal of findings from the Colorado Department of Human Services, she plans to file a motion asking the domestic relations judge to grant her re-integration therapy as a first step toward reuniting with her three children.
Breakdown of the millions awarded to couple
The jury award was broken down into several categories for Hamp and Hayek.
Hamp was awarded economic damages of $175,000 and non-economic damages of $3.5 million for defamation related to statements made by Herron to Steamboat Springs Detective Jordan Cyphers and then published in an application and affidavit for an arrest warrant.
Hamp was awarded an additional $10 million in punitive damages against Herron. His total award comes to $13.675 million.
Hayek’s total award was $7.6 million. She was awarded economic damages of $1.1 million and non-economic damages of $1.5 million for claims against Herron, which included outrageous conduct, abuse of process and conspiracy.
Hayek also was awarded $4 million in punitive damages against Herron. She also received $1 million in non-economic damages against Herron’s wife, Christine, for claims of outrageous conduct and conspiracy.
Court records show Herron filed for divorce from Christine the night before the verdict.
A jury rejected all of Herron’s counterclaims of defamation against Hayek.
As for whether the couple will ever receive the money a jury says they deserve, Hamp said, “Will I see the $13 million? I don’t care. What it was about was to vindicate this, to tell the truth.”
DENVER — Colorado roads are a bit bumpier this year as erratic temperatures are creating more potholes, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The state is experiencing warmer than normal temperatures, creating a thawing and freezing effect impacting roads and highways. Currently one of CDOT’s top repair requests through their online forums is for potholes.
“The moisture within the snow once it gets locked underneath the pavement, that’s when it can start causing problems for us,” said Tamara Rollison, a spokesperson for CDOT.
Colorado’s pothole problems are noticeable in Denver. DOTI has filled 663 potholes this year so far, in 2023 they filled a total of 1250.
Additionally, a USA today report found that Colorado was ranked 20th for pothole issues. The same study found that the number of pothole car repairs increased 57% between 2021 to 2022.
Colorado crews busy fixing pothole problems due to erratic temperatures
Despite the high number of potholes, CDOT can’t fully repair each one until the temperatures warm up.
“We’ll do a quick fix with the potholes,” said Rollison. “Once it warms up and we have consistently warmer temperatures later in the spring, then we can go in and make a more permanent fix.”
On one wall of Danielle SeeWalker’s art studio are pink neon letters with the Lakota prayer, “Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ” (We are All Related). On the wall across, two flags hang, one above the other: the top one has the word “Landback” with a bright red backdrop; the other is a light blue Standing Rock Sioux tribe flag.
SeeWalker, standing in the middle of the room, reflecting on her most recent commissions with entertainment giants Disney and Paramount: “It challenges this idea of what Native art is supposed to be or look like. I think it confuses people but I’m here for it.”
In the lead-up to the Super Bowl, SeeWalker was invited to paint a mural alongside two other Native artists by Paramount, owner of CBS, which aired the big game this year. This year’s matchup featured Kansas City, a team and fanbase regularly criticized for using Native American names and imagery.
The exhibition explores issues important to Native American people and communities, challenging visitors preconceptions of Indigenous art and giving people a chance to see some of History Colorado’s collection paired alongside SeeWalker’s contemporary works. It’ll be open Feb. 29 through Sept. 15.
It’s difficult for SeeWalker to talk about these past few months and her latest achievements without it sounding like boasting. But, she says, behind her success is a mission that’s near and dear to her heart: Native representation.
“Had I seen art that represented me, maybe my identity or self-confidence would have been a lot different than what it was,” SeeWalker said. “I love working with schools and kids because I reflect back on my childhood.”
Photo Courtesy of Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos
A Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta citizen from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, SeeWalker grew up in Bismarck and moved to Denver in 2018
A self-taught artist who didn’t begin publicly showcasing her work until 2020, SeeWalker describes a tumultuous upbringing on the reservation, raised by two parents who suffered from alcoholism.
“We were super poor,” SeeWalker said. “My mom was a teen mom. My dad was incarcerated, in and out of prison a lot of my childhood. I just always knew deep down inside that I wanted to break that cycle. I can’t explain it but I knew that from a really young age.”
SeeWalker completed her final year of high school in Philadelphia. After that, she attended college, a time during which she gave birth to her first son and worked three jobs to support herself.
“I just went to class and worked,” she said.
SeeWalker would go on to receive her Master’s in Counseling Psychology, something she says was inspired by a desire to address her own trauma while also helping others experiencing the same.
“In the Native community there’s not a lot of mental health therapy approaches that are very culturally sensitive,” SeeWalker said. “I wanted to do that. Ultimately, I didn’t.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
SeeWalker has instead developed a career as an ‘artivist,’ using her art and community platforms to help bring awareness to Indigenous issues
“She’s a worker,” said Joshua Emerson, a Diné comic and former co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission alongside SeeWalker.
“[SeeWalker], I look up to a lot, sort of like a big sister,” Emerson said. “It’s really cool to see she’s taken a step from regional to national, international a little bit.”
Last summer, SeeWalker became an Emmy Award-winning illustrator for her contributions to the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary titled, “A New Chapter,” a story shedding light on a book published in the 18th century bound in the skin of a murdered Native American man.
“I think that’s always been instilled in me from my dad,” SeeWalker said. “He’d always tell me, “if you don’t speak up Danielle, nobody’s going to do it for you.” I’m really trying to tell these stories and redirect the narrative on who our communities are in the 21st century through art.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
SeeWalker’s work challenges what Native art is often expected to look like — a tone on display at her new exhibition
When Felicia Bartley was hired at History Colorado, she was one of the only Native people on staff. Working alongside SeeWalker was her first curatorial collaboration with an Indigenous artist.
“Her color palette is incredible,” said Bartley, an assistant curator of Indigenous Culture and Heritage at History Colorado. “I remember that immediate rush of excitement just to work with another Native woman.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
For Bartley, raised in the Pueblo of Isleta, SeeWalker is just as much an artist as she is a historian, drawing on personal and lived experiences that help carry Native art from out of ahistorical categories like fiction, myth and fantasy into the mainstream.
“Working with [SeeWalker] and the collection has been, I hope other people feel this way too, it’s almost been a validating experience,” Bartley said. “Having [SeeWalker] here and working with her, providing a contemporary presence to the collection is really powerful.”
Witnessing SeeWalker work with major companies and organizations like Disney, Paramount and even the Denver Broncos, Bartley said, pushes “back on the narrative that Native people don’t exist anymore. [SeeWalker] is confronting that narrative that Native people are still here, we still exist and we’re still creating our futures.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
SeeWalker’s work and influence can be seen and felt across the city
As part of the Denver Broncos Stadium Artist Series, helping amplify local art in Denver, SeeWalker was one of the artists invited to create a mural inside of the stadium at the end of 2023. Her work can also be seen at the Denver Indian Center, Denver Central Market, the Denver Zoo and a number of Denver Public Schools like North High School, Brown International Academy and the Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design, to name a few.
When SeeWalker isn’t working in her art studio or as a self-proclaimed “boy mom” of two, she’s working as an Account Executive for the French multinational Michelin tire company.
“Rubber is not sexy,” SeeWalker jokes. “But I’ve always been a car person and I love cars, which is another passion of mine outside of art.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Some of the exhibition at History Colorado has been translated into Lakota, at the request of SeeWalker. For Bartley, receiving the translations was a moment that will stick with her.
“When they finally arrived, I think has been one of the most emotional aspects of this exhibition,” Bartley said. “To know that when people walk into this exhibition the very first language they are going to see is Lakota.”
“Native is in vogue right now,” Emerson said. “We got to make it so that the successes that [SeeWalker] is having aren’t just one-offs. It takes a community to make sure that we keep pushing the space that she has recreated for us.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Next to SeeWalker’s studio door is a portrait of a child smiling wearing a pretty white and red dress. It’s Danielle, and the portrait was drawn by her father who will have passed away 10 years ago this April.
“[Dad] had such a tough life growing up and made mistakes along the way,” SeeWalker said. “But he always instilled in me what I need to do to be a good relative, a good community member, a good mother. He is one of my greatest teachers and somebody that I think about all the time when I’m creating.”
A 40-year-old Commerce City man was arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that killed an accomplished wheelchair fencer on Friday, according to the Lakewood Police Department.
Chavez was out on bail after being arrested on suspicion of vehicular eluding in Adams County, according to court records. He posted a $2,500 bail in the case in October.
Chavez previously pleaded guilty in separate cases to charges of driving under restraint, driving without a license, obstructing a peace officer, weapons possession and possession of contraband in a detention facility, according to court records.
The hit-and-run occurred near West 23rd Avenue and Kipling Street at 7:24 p.m. Friday when a Chevy Camaro fatally struck a pedestrian and fled the scene. The pedestrian was later identified as 29-year-old Terre Engdahl, an award-winning parafencer who lived in Lakewood.
Chavez is in custody at the Jefferson County Jail on a $10,000 cash bail and is set to appear in court Tuesday.
Police are still searching for the Camaro, which sustained heavy front-end and windshield damage and is missing the driver’s side headlight. The car’s Colorado license plate, DWB-P87, may have been removed.
Anyone with information can call Lakewood police at 303-983-7300 and ask for Detective Moffat.
Denver plans to close four new immigrant shelters over the next month, Mayor Mike Johnston announced Wednesday morning.
Johnston said that closing the shelters could allow the city to save up to $60 million from its originally predicted $180 million figure in new immigrant response from the 2024 budget.
New arrivals to the city have been dropping in the last few weeks.
The city could still adjust to receiving more new immigrants again, but Johnston added that the city will focus on case management and helping new arrivals find housing and work to try to avoid needing to reactivate temporary hotel shelters.
“Our belief is even without any federal support on this issue, we believe our problems are solvable, and we are the ones to solve them and that’s the spirit the city has stepped up with here,” Johnston said, referring to a failed bipartisan bill at Congress that would have provided $1.4 billion in aid to local governments.
Closing new immigrant shelters comes as arrivals have been falling.
Source: Denver City Council Presentation, Feb. 28, 2024
Johnston’s administration paused hotel exits for families with children last November, one reason populations in those shelters grew so large. When the city resumed those exits in February, uncertain families and frustrated advocates panicked, worrying many people would land back in tents and cold weather.
The mayor said their fears were never realized.
“We have brought on nonprofit partners who have very successfully case managed and navigated those folks to connect them to work, to housing, to opportunity,” he said. “We’ve successfully exited 2,500 people over the last five weeks, and had next to no increase in the number of folks that are experiencing homelessness.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
He added his administration will wind down these next four hotels one at a time, to make sure those nonprofits and city staffers can continue to send people somewhere other than a sidewalk. Because all residents are subject to time limits in these hotels, Johnston said the city can wait for their scheduled exit times to empty out sites in the next four weeks.
“To be clear, no one is being displaced from these shelters,” he said. “We have organized the population that are in those hotels to be naturally drawing down. And as they draw down, close to a close, we will then consolidate them. Anyone left at that site will move to another site.”
But some community volunteers, who have been organizing online rather than directly by officials, are still worried.
Rachel Handler has been working with residents of one hotel, in Montbello. She confirmed that she and her network haven’t seen a wash of new homelessness over town.
“Yes people are off the streets. They are in apartments because they have gotten assistance with deposit and rent,” she told us.
Despite that help, she’s concerned the city will ultimately leave people in a lurch.
“What happens after a month, when the rent help isn’t available and they don’t have the papers to legally work? We see post after post of people in empty houses with no furniture, begging for help and money as rent is due in a couple days,” she told us. “If grassroots volunteers were not available, how would they get help?”
For his part, Johnston said his administration has gotten 600 people signed up for work authorization in the last few weeks, and plan to deliver that help to another 700 people in the coming weeks. People who cross the border using a U.S. Customs and Border Protection app can access work permits after 30 days of arriving; people who enter other ways and begin an asylum process need to wait six months.
Still, Maria Montero, another advocate who’s helped organize several Facebook volunteer groups, said some people have slipped through the cracks. She’s also worried about how people may fare in a few months.
“We still have people on the streets. We have families on the streets as well. I am trying to help a family of four that consists of the parents, a two-month-old and a four-year-old that are on the streets. Were told to contact nonprofits for help, but I haven’t had any luck with a response,” she said. “We are only going to see this getting worse with more exits happening, and singles and families being released with no resources. We still have camps popping up all around town and I don’t see that ending anytime soon.”
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
City Council hashed out next steps after Johnston’s press conference. Anne-Marie Braga, head of Denver Human Services, told legislators that she’s heard a lot of questions about how things will go in the coming months. Officials are finally transitioning from an “emergency phase” to something more stable, she said. They’ll have to tackle the long game once they’re settled.
“We don’t have a good answer for that yet,” she said. “It’s definitely something we’re looking into.”
DENVER (KDVR) — If you are looking for strange happenings or a creepy story to tell around the campfire, Colorado is home to many fascinating tales that some locals swear to be true. Others, however, call them urban myths.
Whether or not you believe them, the remnants of these myths remain in the Centennial State.
In Chaffee County, there’s a tiny town near Salida called Maysville. It’s home to the over-100-year-old yellow house. If you do drive by, be sure to honk.
As the story goes, the original owner, Harry Miller, would sit in the chair and wave at people as they drove by. The drivers would wave back and eventually honk. Joe became the owner of the house in 2016 and was a fan of the story. He has since carried on its legacy.
People honk out of good luck, especially the drivers who are about to head up to the nearby Monarch Pass.
“Good juju!” Joe said. “No honks for [bad luck].”
On average, the owner counted 100 beeps a day.
Tommyknockers were a Cornish miners legend that was brought to Colorado. They were supposedly responsible for the strange noises in underground mines. These noises also warned miners of impending danger. The legend has stayed in Colorado to this day, with a local mining town coining a brewery after it. Tommyknocker Brewery and Pub serves locals and tourists in Idaho Springs.
Riverdale Road is located in Adams County and is an 11-mile stretch of road from Thornton to Brighton. Some people say that Riverdale Road is one of the most haunted roads in the United States, while others just call it an urban myth.
Either way, Coloradans drive through this road every day.
The Denver Public Library says there have been stories passed down throughout the years, like the ghost jogger who taps on the sides of passing cars, a phantom Camaro with one headlight and a hitchhiker in white who disappears.
But one of the most popular stories has to do with the fire at the David Wolpert House. As legend has it, a man set his home on fire with his family inside. The family died, and the man was never seen again, according to the Denver Public Library. On further research, the library couldn’t find any reports of fatalities when the house burnt down, but a mysterious fire does make for a good ghost story.
The legend dates back to the early 1900s when Theodore “Fodor” Glava died of the flu epidemic after he came to Colorado from Transylvania. But the rumors of Glava being a vampire started after his demise when a tree grew in the middle of his gravesite in the northwest corner of the Lafayette Municipal Cemetery.
Local legend has it that the tree grew from a spike that was hammered into Glava’s heart.
His gravesite has been decorated with trinkets from time to time.
What’s a Colorado ghost story without the mention of The Stanley Hotel? This may be Colorado’s most popular ghost story, as it’s one of the most haunted hotels in the nation.
The hotel in Estes Park is notorious for inspiring “The Shining,” but there’s more to this ghost story than a chilling horror novel by Stephen King.
From invisible piano playing at the concert hall to fourth-floor ghost sightings, the hotel has received numerous reports of ghost stories throughout the years.
FORT COLLINS — Just when it looked like Colorado State had completed a second-half comeback to send its game against Nevada to overtime, the Wolf Pack made sure extra time would not be needed.
Isaiah Stevens drained a jumper to tie the game at 74 with 2.8 seconds remaining, but the Wolf Pack banked in a half-court 3-pointer at the buzzer to claim a 77-74 victory Tuesday night at Moby Arena.
It was CSU’s first Mountain West conference loss at home and just its second loss at home this season. It was also CSU’s third straight loss overall on the heels of an 0-2 road trip last week at New Mexico and UNLV.
The Rams dropped to 20-9 overall and 8-8 in the Mountain West with two games remaining in the regular season.
“Basketball can be unforgiving sometimes,” CSU head coach Niko Medved said. “Tonight was a gut-punch. There’s no other way around it.”
Trailing 39-28 at halftime, the Rams scored the first four points to cut the Wolf Pack lead to 39-32 and then cut it to five at 42-37 on a layup by Patrick Cartier with 14:21 remaining in the game.
But a 3-pointer followed by three free throws from a foul on a 3-point attempt pushed the Wolf Pack’s lead back to double digits at 48-37 with 13:20 left.
CSU got back within five after a three-point play by Patrick Cartier made it 53-48 with 10:15 remaining. The Rams got that close a few more times, the last coming on a free-throw by Jalen Lake with 4:19 remaining that made it 63-58.
With 3:23 remaining, the Rams got within two at 63-61 on a three-point play by Stevens, but the Wolf Pack answered, as they did all game, with four straight points to extend their lead to multiple possessions again.
Finally, the Rams got within striking distance, pulling within three on a 3-pointer by Nique Clifford with 22 seconds left and then two on a jumper by Stevens with 11 seconds remaining and then tied it on another jumper by Stevens with just under three seconds left.
Colorado State’s Nique Clifford puts up a shot against Nevada on Tuesday at Moby Arena in Fort Collins. (Nathan Wright/Loveland Reporter-Herald)
Then Nevad’s Jarod Lucas, who missed a pair of free throws between Stevens’ two jumpers, raced down the sideline, heaved the ball from halfcourt and banked it in.
“It was a heck of a game,” Stevens said. “We kept fighting. I give our team a lot of credit, but we just didn’t make that last play.”
Stevens led the Rams with 23 points. Joel Scott added 15 and Clifford 10.
CSU led for the first 1:51, but after Nevada took a 5-3 lead on a 3-pointer, the Rams never led again in the opening 20 minutes.
The Wolf Pack extended its lead to five before the Rams were able to whittle it back down to one at 10-9 after a 3-pointer by Clifford with 13:40 left in the first half.
Nevada took a seven-point lead at 29-16, but the Rams cut their deficit to four at 30-26 on a jumper by Lake, but CSU would get no close than that before halftime as the Wolf Pack closed the period on a 9-2 run to take an 11-point lead into halftime.
Five first-half turnovers and a 39.3 shooting percentage from the field hurt the Rams in the first half. They were also only 5-for-12 (41.7%) from behind the 3-point line and got to the free-throw line once. Joe Palmer made one of two on that lone trip to the stripe.
Stevens had 10 points to lead the Rams in the first half.
That set up the Rams’ second-half comeback. only to fall short on Lucas’ final heave.
“We know who we are as a team, as a program,” Stevens said. “We always are going to continue to fight no matter what the game may be looking like in that moment.”
CSU will play its final home game of the season Saturday when the Rams host Wyoming at 2 p.m. at Moby Arena.
Colorado State’s Isaiah Stevens moves around the Nevada defense during their game Tuesday at Moby Arena in Fort Collins. (Nathan Wright/Loveland Reporter-Herald)
AURORA, Colo. — Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found dead inside an apartment in southwest Aurora Tuesday evening.
According to the Aurora Police Department, officers were called out for a welfare check at an apartment in the 12600 block of East Pacific Circle around 9:30 p.m. When officers arrived, the door to the apartment was open and the lights were on inside.
The officers performed a “safety check” and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Major Crime Homicide Unit is investigating the incident. Aurora PD said investigators are in the area collecting evidence and interviewing potential witnesses.
Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
The Follow Up
What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.
DENVER (KDVR) — Super Tuesday is just one week away. Colorado is one of 16 states that will vote in the presidential primary.
The 2024 choices for president are becoming more clear by the day. Nikki Haley knows that, but she made it clear on a presidential campaign stop in Centennial that she plans to keep fighting.
Haley, who’s served as ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor, campaigned in Colorado Tuesday, a day when Michigan voters were casting votes in the race where she stands as the final Republican candidate taking on her former boss, Donald Trump.
“This is not personal for me with Donald Trump. I voted for Donald Trump twice. I was proud to serve America in his administration. But the truth of the matter is, chaos follows him. Everywhere he goes, chaos follows him,” Haley told the crowd at Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight in Centennial.
Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign stop Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Haley on border, Putin, Ukraine funding
Haley touched on issues like Denver’s migrant crisis, support for Ukraine and standing firm against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Let’s talk about the border. Denver has had more illegal immigrants come here than any city in America, per capita. It is unbelievable what is happening. I can’t believe this is the United States of America,” Haley told supporters. “When I was governor of South Carolina, we passed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country. President Obama sued us over it, and we won.”
Haley said she wants to take what she did in South Carolina and apply it nationally: requiring business owners to verify their employees are authorized to work in the U.S.
Haley also focused on Russia’s president and funding for the war in Ukraine.
“Donald Trump is going to side with a madman,” Haley said. “Believe Putin when he says once he takes Ukraine, Poland and the Baltics are next. Those are NATO countries. That immediately puts America at war. This is about preventing war.”
“I will always say we shouldn’t give cash to any country, friend or enemy, because you can’t follow it, you can’t hold it accountable. But if Ukraine needs the equipment and ammunition, if that’s 3.5% of our defense budget and that’s it, and it prevents war, give it to them,” Haley said.
Why Nikki Haley stays in after primary losses
Haley said she is still in the race because she’s worried about the future of the nation and the Republican Party, highlighting the campaign stops she has been making lately.
“We went to Minnesota. Same thing: They lost the governor’s mansion, they don’t have the statehouse, they don’t have the state senate, and they are feeling everything go the other way. Now, I’m in Colorado and I’m looking at the fact that no Republicans have gotten over 45% statewide since Donald Trump was president,” Haley said.
While Haley said she is staying put, some of her supporters believe she’s the candidate of the future.
“If Donald Trump were to win, vice president is coveted … because we know he is not going to serve more than four years,” said Shane Haase, a Haley supporter from Lakewood. “So essentially four years from now, if Haley doesn’t get the nomination — which looks likely, we all agree — four years from now, she’ll be in her mid-50s and would have a chance.”
A man holds up a placard before Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign stop Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Haley said Tuesday that the VP spot is not why she is still in the race.
“At first they were like, ‘Oh, she wants vice president.’ I think I’ve pretty much proven that that is not the case. And then they said, ‘Oh, but it’s about her political future.’ If it was about my political future, I would have been out a long time ago like the rest of the fellas. The reason I’m doing this is because I don’t want my kids to live like this. I don’t want your kids or your grandkids to live like this,” Haley told rallygoers.
Colorado voters have until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, to return their ballots. In the meantime, Haley is off to another primary state, Utah, for her next stop ahead of Super Tuesday.
“The majority of my childhood, I struggled with body image or just disordered thoughts of eating,” said Maddie Miller who is a former patient of ERC.
After trying different types of treatments since we were 14 years old, things finally clicked with the staff at ERC back in 2021.
“Treatments can be hard and stuff. But if you can open up to at least your therapist or your dietitian, it will make it a little bit easier,” Miller said.
Asking for help is sometimes the hardest first step for those struggling with an eating disorder.
“It is so important to understand the distinction that an eating disorder is actually a mental illness. People do not have the ability to just eat more, or just interrupt the behavior,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar, the Regional Medical Director of the Eating Recovery Center.
Miller shares another misconception she experienced during her recovery.
“They think it’s just about weight or just about food? It’s completely not that. It’s usually a coping mechanism for something that happened in their lives,” she said.
Left untreated, the disorder can be deadly.
“They are malnourished, their body is at great risk for medical complication, cardiac risks, electrolyte risks, that actually can be fatal,” said Dr. Wassenaar.
Early intervention is key, but often times people need support from their loved ones to get to that first step.
“Sit down and just talk to them about what you have been noticing. Don’t be like, “I think you’re doing this,” just be like “I’m noticing these few things,” said Miller.
Some signs to look out for when identifying an eating disorder are people becoming very restrictive about what they eat, sudden changes and impacts to their mood, and pulling away from things that used to be important to them in exchange for engaging in those behaviors.
“It’s very difficult and very hard, but my worst day in recovery is definitely better than my best day in my eating disorder,” said Miller.
If you or a loved one might be struggling with an eating disorder, the Eating Recovery Center offers free, confidential consultations with a masters-level clinician.
You can reach them on their website or call 866-489-1786.
“We have 24-hour care facilities that can take care of people with nursing support, therapy, support, dietary support, all around the clock so that people can get the care they need,” said Dr. Wassenaar.
The Follow Up
What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.
Denver Police are seeking assistance in identifying and finding suspects.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Pieces stolen from the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in City Park earlier this month were sold for scrap metal, according to a statement issued by the Denver Police Department on Tuesday.
According to DPD, 10 bronze pieces were sold to a local business, including pieces from the MLK monument along with pieces from the Joseph Addison Thatcher Memorial Fountain in City Park. DPD said that investigators recovered the items, which include a plaque honoring Black veterans that was cut into four pieces. Other pieces are still missing.
City staff noticed the vandalism on Feb. 21, but according to DPD the theft occurred on Feb. 18. DPD has identified Herman Duran as a suspect, and is seeking help in identifying the second suspect and tracking them down.
“Because the stolen pieces from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘I have a Dream’ monument and Joseph Addison Thatcher Memorial fountain were sold as scrap metal, the incident does not appear at this time to be bias motivated,” DPD wrote in its statement Tuesday.” However, investigators’ final findings will be presented to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, which will determines what charges to file, if any.
Sculptor Ed Dwight told Denverite last week that a number of his more than 130 statues across the country have been vandalized, often for scrap metal. Dwight, 90, said he struggles with his eyesight and can no longer fix the memorial and does not know who could.
Community leaders are now fundraising to fix the statue.
Vern L. Howard, Chair of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission, managed the memorial’s installation back in 2002.
“My first reaction is, I’m happier than a butcher’s dog that they found it,” he said.
But Howard said repairing the statue could cost between $75,000 and $100,000. Last week former mayor Wellington Webb and former state rep. Wilma Webb launched a fundraising campaign to fix the memorial. As of Tuesday the campaign had raised around $9,100.
Howard said he hopes to not only fix the memorial but also include better lighting and surveillance cameras nearby. He acknowledged that property belongs to the city, but said he thinks fundraising is necessary because the city is currently making budget cuts to help fund its new immigrant response.
“Do I think they have a fiscal responsibility? Well, yeah, they do,” Howard said. “However, human conditions and living conditions, making sure that people have a place to live and things of that nature, I think that that would probably top the list.”
This article has been updated with comments from MLK Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission chair Vern L. Howard and memorial sculptor Ed Dwight.
Colorado’s public pension program must continue divesting from companies that economically boycott Israel after a state House committee rejected a bill that would have repealed the requirement.
The 10-1 bipartisan defeat of HB24-1169 late Monday in the House Finance Committee came after hours of emotional and tense testimony. The discussion often spiraled into support or condemnation for Israel and its months-long military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
More than 100 people testified for or against the measure, which would have repealed a 2016 state law that requires the Public Employees Retirement Association to divest from companies that participate in the BDS movement. That movement promotes boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel as a way of protesting the country’s treatment of Palestinians.
Only three companies have been flagged under the law, according to PERA. It applies only to international companies. The law costs roughly $10,000 a year to administer.
Just one member of the Democrat-controlled finance committee, Rep. Lorena Garcia, an Adams County Democrat, voted to advance the bill. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Elisabeth Epps, a Denver Democrat. She was reprimanded by House leadership last month for, among other things, disrupting House proceedings and joining pro-Palestinian protesters seated in the House’s gallery during the November special session.
Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s war with Hamas, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched the war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which killed 1,200 people and included the taking of about 250 hostages, some of whom are still being held.
Epps told fellow lawmakers Monday that she repeatedly had been told the legislature had no business weighing in on international affairs, but she argued that the 2016 anti-BDS law did just that.
“There is a particularly insidious criticism that is made of folks who are protesting a range of issues,” she said. “The central element of that criticism is that we’re not doing it right. … If you want to petition your pension board to do an economic boycott, that’s not right either. That can’t be how we continue to do business here.”
The bill was widely expected to fail its first vote. Epps attempted a late amendment Monday night to turn the bill into a study of the 2016 law, but she was blocked on procedural grounds.
Supporters and opponents of the measure packed a basement committee room in the Capitol, spilling into the hall and an overflow room.
Epps and the bill’s supporters sought to cast the proposal as protecting a First Amendment right of economic protest, alongside broader criticisms of Israel and its military campaign. Opponents defended Israel and argued that the BDS movement was antisemitic and that the bill’s supporters were unfairly targeting Israel. Several of them criticized Hamas and the broader pro-Palestinian protest movement.
The snow squall warning is expected to end at 10:30 a.m.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
It’s really been coming down out there.
Winter weather is in full effect Tuesday morning as the city lays under a snow squall warning. A snow squall is an intense but short-lived, heavy snowfall. The warning is expected to last in the city until 10:30 a.m., so hopefully by the time you’re reading this, the snow has slowed. A mix of snow and rain is still expected to fall throughout the day.
However, the National Weather Service is predicting less than an inch of accumulated snowfall. While the temperatures will hit a high of about 44 degrees, they are expected to dip to about 17 degrees in the late night hours.
With that cold weather seeping into the night, the city will be opening up overnight shelters.
The McNichols Civic Center Building at 144 W. Colfax Ave. will be turned into overnight shelter from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 until 9 a.m. Wednesday. People in need of shelter can walk up directly to the center.
People in need can also head to the city’s “front door” shelter facilities, which have expanding capacity during cold weather nights. Those include Lawrence Street Community Center at 2222 Lawrence St. for individual men, Samaritan House at 2301 Lawrence St. for individual women and Urban Peak at 2100 Stout St. for youth ages 15 through 20.
The city says that families in need of shelter should call the Connection Center at 303-295-3366. For more information on shelter access, head to denvergov.org/findshelter.
After tonight, things will start warming up again. According to the NWS, temperatures will rise steadily throughout the week heading into the 50s, and mid-60s. Evening temperatures will also rise to the low to high 30s.
DENVER (KDVR) — From light snowfall to whiteout conditions in minutes, snow squalls are especially dangerous on the road.
If a snow squall warning pops up on your phone, here is what it means and what you should do.
Snow squalls: Fast whiteout conditions
A snow squall is a quick weather hazard that usually only lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, according to the National Weather Service.
These are dangerous for people on the road, as they can cause sudden whiteout conditions along with icy roads and gusty winds within minutes, even if the snow only has minor accumulation.
If there’s a snow squall in your area, you may see a notification for it.
Snow squall warnings
A snow squall warning is an alert to the public, but these alerts have changed in recent years.
In the past, snow squall warnings triggered a Wireless Emergency Alert which are notifications on mobile devices. However, they are no longer triggered as often because these alerts are now only used for high-impact snow squalls, according to NWS.
For the 2023 to 2024 season, NWS issued Impact-Based Warning Tags, which specify the impact of the snow squall. While there may still be a notification for the snow squall, the tags will show how serious the conditions are, as well as if these conditions are forecasted or confirmed.
NWS provided a chart which explains each tag:
Snow Squall Impact Tag (NWS)
What to do during a snow squall
If you receive a snow squall warning in your area, NWS suggests avoiding or delaying travel until the squall passes through. But sometimes these are unavoidable if you’re already on the road.
NWS says there’s truly no safe spot on the highway during a snow squall.
However, if you’re already on the road and you’re experiencing whiteout conditions, NWS recommends reducing your speed, turning on your headlights and hazard lights, giving the car in front of you plenty of space and avoiding slamming on your brakes.
Jill from Parker writes, “What’s driving you crazy? I’d like some direction for the traffic signals that relate to buses. There is one at 6th and Havana. It is either a horizontal or vertical line and is for buses only. I have never seen anything like that. I have looked but don’t find any good, reliable information.”
Those bus only signals, also known as queue jumps, have been in place for years at select intersections around metro Denver. The one I know best is on northbound Lincoln Street at 13th Ave. There is another on Lincoln St at 18th Ave. The specific queue jump signal you mentioned is for buses going northbound on Havana Street at 6th Avenue. It was installed by the City of Aurora in partnership with RTD in late 2022. A second queue jump signal was installed along northbound Havana Street at Colfax at the same time.
These queue jumps are usually placed on a traffic signal where a bus stops before an intersection, also called a near side stop. The bus only signals allow the bus driver to get a head start at the light, mainly so they don’t have to compete with general traffic to get into the flow of traffic, especially on busy roads. The signals are also instrumental for bus drivers who need to merge across all lanes to make an upcoming left.
The signal is usually a vertical bar that comes on for about 3 to 5 seconds before the green signal illuminates for all vehicles. The vertical bar acts basically as a green light for buses. The horizontal bar acts as a red light for buses, although I’m told by RTD that bus drivers can still merge into the through lane to proceed if they have the horizontal bar.
The queue jump at Havana and 6th is especially useful for buses that need to merge into traffic because their lane is ending. The queue jump on Havana at Colfax is helpful as it allows bus drivers to bypass waiting traffic to more quickly serve the far side stop. Typically for far side stops, ones that are located after the signal, there is no need for a queue jump, however, RTD has a system along part of Colfax and along Havana from Parker Rd to Montview called Transit Signal Priority (TSP). TSP allows buses to electronically request a longer green signal, usually 5-10 seconds, or shorter red signal as they approach an intersection. It is designed to keep bus transit moving faster to reduce delays with a minimal impact to other vehicles. TSP is also active along US 36 in Westminster.
Major roadways aren’t the only place where queue jump signals are used. They will be used at several signalized intersections in Boulder County along highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont. When a bus approaches one of these special intersections, it will pull into a dedicated bus-only lane. The bus will receive a special traffic signal that allows it to proceed while the general traffic remains stopped at the red light. Because buses have the special traffic signal, they can get a head start, jump ahead of the traffic, and merge back more safely into the general traffic lanes. Along the highway 119 corridor all queue bypass lanes will be on the left side of the intersections, closest to the center median between northbound and southbound highway 119.
RTD tells me there are a few other major queue jump signals including one along westbound Colfax at Lipan and one along westbound 60th Ave at Dahlia in Commerce City. By the way, here is a link for a story I previously wrotedescribing the differences between near side and far side stops and why they are important.
Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber says he has been covering Denver-metro traffic since Ben-Hur was driving a chariot. (We believe the actual number is over 25 years.) He’s obsessed with letting viewers know what’s happening on their drive and the best way to avoid the problems that spring up. Follow him on Facebook,Twitter or Instagram or listen to his Driving You Crazy podcast on any podcast app including iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify and Podbean.
Moon Alert: Avoid shopping and important decisions after 1 p.m. EST today (10 a.m. PST). This lasts until late tomorrow. The Moon is in Libra.
Happy Birthday for Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024:
You have a magnetic, alluring quality. You are passionate and intense; nevertheless, you appear cool, charming, even detached. This is the first year of a nine-year cycle for you, which means new beginnings and new opportunities will create change in your life. You might become a leader.
ARIES
(March 21-April 19) ★★★ You might surprise yourself at how willing you are and how far you will go to be heard by others today, especially friends and groups. You have the proverbial bee in your bonnet, and you intend to make the most of it. This is why groups and friends will listen to you today. Tonight: Shared enthusiasm!
TAURUS
(April 20-May 20) ★★★★ Your ambition is aroused and nothing will hold you back today, in part because you are confident. But more than that, you are determined. Because you expect success from your efforts, this is very likely what you will get — at least most of you. Tally ho! Tonight: Go for it!
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20) ★★★★ This is a fabulous day to travel somewhere or to make travel plans, because you are ambitious! You want to do things in a big way. This is also an excellent day to explore opportunities in publishing, medicine, the law or anything to do with higher education and the media. You’re PowerPoint on steroids! Tonight: Be bold!
CANCER
(June 21-July 22) ★★★★ Discussions about inheritances or anything that you share with someone else, including debt or shared responsibilities, will go well today. People are enthusiastic and willing to entertain big ideas. They are also willing to be generous and forgive small obligations. Tonight: Settle finances.
LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22) ★★★ You might attract someone to you today who is bold about going after what they want. You will have to listen, at the least. This person, perhaps a friend or even a partner, might encourage you to make an ambitious move that promotes your reputation and good name among your peers. Listen! Tonight: Cooperate.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★★ This is a powerful day related to your work. Your mind is on money issues and ways to boost your earnings. Meanwhile, any effort related to your work will bring you successful results because you’re prepared to go all out. Your determination and enthusiasm can’t be overlooked. Tonight: Work.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ★★★★ This is a wonderful day to schmooze and enjoy social times with others. Take a long lunch. Meet friends for coffee or drinks. Pop in for happy hour. Playful times with children and sports events will appeal to you. You’re particularly energetic and competitive today. Oh yes, you want it all! Tonight: Socialize.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ★★★★ Use your energy to make improvements at home. You can do this today. Many of you will also entertain at home or have a gathering take place at your home for some reason. Real estate speculation and real estate opportunities look good. Tonight: Cocoon.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ★★★★ Today your ruler Jupiter gets a wonderful boost from Mars, which is why you’re enthusiastic and raring to go! Expect success in sales, marketing, teaching, acting and running the world in general. Your enthusiasm knows no bounds! Tonight: Conversations.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ★★★★ You’re confident about financial matters today, which makes this a strong day for business and commerce. Whereas you might otherwise be cautious, today you’re optimistic and bold! You’re willing to take a chance, because you smell gold in them thar hills. Tonight: Check your assets.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ★★★ It might be a good idea to get some physical exercise today to blow off some steam that might be building up within you. For different reasons, you’re enthusiastic and confident today. Not only that, you feel competitive. You won’t hesitate to go after what you want. Tonight: High energy!
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20) ★★★ This is an upbeat, happy day for you, in part because inwardly you feel more sure of yourself about something. You have a sense that things are going to turn out well in your future, and you’re right. Tonight: Low profile.
BORN TODAY
Actress Kate Mara (1983), actress Joanne Woodward (1930), singer-songwriter, actor Josh Groban (1981)
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) — The teenage hero who died nearly five years ago in the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting is being honored in a new way.
Family and community members kicked off a fundraising campaign Monday to build a permanent memorial to Kendrick Castillo in Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch.
“I said early on I could feel Kendrick in the wind. Today is no different,” John Castillo, Kendrick’s father, said at the breezy start to a news conference announcing the memorial Monday morning.
“Maria and I, from the bottom of our hearts, are very grateful. We have great gratitude for everyone who is making this possible,” Castillo said.
A close-up view at Kendrick Castillo’s memorial in Douglas County (KDVR)
‘He saw a difficulty … he didn’t run away’
Kendrick Castillo, 18, died on May 7, 2019. He was shot while rushing at a shooter at his high school, protecting other students from the gunfire.
“He stood and gave his own life to defend the lives of his classmates,” Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said.
Law enforcement officers, county leaders, community officials and Castillo’s parents stood together in the park as a temporary plaque was unveiled. The memorial will be in Civic Green Park in the Town Center area of Highlands Ranch.
Additionally, organizers plan to rename Lucent Boulevard through Highlands Ranch as “Kendrick Castillo Way.”
“And our goal in turning tragedy into triumph is to encourage not just kids and students in this community, but young and old people of all backgrounds, to do what Kendrick did. And what did he do? When he saw a difficulty, a challenge, he didn’t run away,” said Abe Laydon, Douglas County commissioner.
Designs for the memorial are still being finalized, although it may resemble the teen’s gravesite at nearby Seven Stones Chatfield cemetery.
“Coming up on five years since we lost Kendrick. And of course, Maria and I, there’s not a minute or a second that we don’t think about him, but for the community, I think this is huge,” John Castillo said.
The estimated cost of the memorial is around $30,000, and organizers have set up a fundraising page to help cover the expenses.
