For the past two years, RTD offered zero fares across its entire system during the peak ozone months of July and August. The initiative was made possible by funding from the state in collaboration with the Colorado Energy Office.
Colorado lawmakers originally approved the program to help build ridership. In 2022, the transit agency said some ridership growth carried into September even after fare collection resumed.
However, FOX31 confirmed the initiative will not return for a third year.
On May 17, Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 24-032, the “Methods to Increase the Use of Transit” bill.
The bill states that the “regional transportation district may apply for either an ozone season transit grant or a youth fare-free transit grant pursuant to the youth fare-free transit grant program created in the bill, but not both.”
Since there wasn’t grant money appropriated for both, RTD told FOX31 it would look toward continuing the fare-free program for young people.
Future of Zero Fare for Youth program
In September 2023, RTD announced that it would offer free fare for those 19 and younger, known as the “Zero Fare for Youth” initiative. Last year was the beginning of the pilot program, and it is slated to end in August.
RTD said that staff will recommend to the RTD Board of Directors to continue the Zero Fare for Youth program beyond the one-year pilot.
Even without the continuation of free rides in the summer, RTD said it has seen an increase in ridership.
With the possible focus on continuing the Zero Fare for Youth program, RTD said it is a way to “attract and support the next generation of RTD customers and build future ridership.”
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will speak at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation on Thursday in Colorado, her first address at the ceremony that launches cadets into the Air Force or Space Force with pomp and the roar of jets.
President Joe Biden spoke last year to graduates, who will become second lieutenants, thanking them for choosing “service over self,” and noting the challenges ahead for the country and the world, from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to America’s rivalry with China. After greeting graduates with salutes and handshakes, the president took a spill on stage, later saying he’d tripped over a sandbag. He was uninjured.
Harris will speak in Falcon Stadium, which can host upwards of 46,000 people, during an election year, as details of a debate between Harris and Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-chosen running mate are being negotiated.
The commencement in Colorado Springs, Colorado, about an hour’s drive south of Denver, will wrap with graduates pitching their caps into the air as the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, zip past overhead.
Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the ceremony in 2020, when the event was scaled down to account for the COVID-19 pandemic.
DENVER (KDVR) — An electric vehicle fire on South Parker Road required multiple agencies to suppress the blaze, according to several agencies’ social media posts.
As of 11:30 a.m., the South Metro Fire Rescue reported that both directions of the roadway were closed due to the fire, which was reported between North Pinery Parkway and South Pinery Parkway.
Flames were reported to have spread to nearby grass but crews were able to contain them. The Douglas County Sheriff reported at 12:30 p.m. that the fire had been extinguished.
At about 12:45 p.m., South Metro Fire Rescue reported that one northbound lane had reopened to traffic, but crews were still working to get the electric vehicle towed to a safe location and reopen the southbound lanes.
According to social media posts, Franktown Fire, the Douglas County Sheriff, the Parker Police Department, the Colorado State Patrol and South Metro Fire Rescue were on scene of the electric vehicle fire.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office shared this photo of an electric vehicle fire on Parker Road. (Courtesy the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
South Metro Fire Rescue shared this photo of an electric vehicle fire that had been extinguished (Courtesy South Metro Fire Rescue)
No injuries were reported in the fire, but the agencies asked drivers to find alternate routes.
According to Thompson Safety, a company that provides safety solutions for companies near Houston, electric vehicle fires present a lot of danger to crews working to put the fire out due to the presence of a lithium-ion battery, which is usually what catches fire. The batteries are “prone to reigniting,” according to the company because lithium has a high ignition point that needs to be “cooled to a sub-ignition temperature.”
Using a regular Class D fire extinguisher to extinguish a lithium-ion fire is not the best idea, either; according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs, lithium-ion battery fires can be extinguished by a large volume of water to suppress the flames and cool the battery.
The South Metro Fire Rescue hazmat team used an electric vehicle fire blanket to smother the fire, removing access to oxygen that was fueling the blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
DENVER (KDVR) — A man died Tuesday night in a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 25 in Thornton.
The crash happened on northbound I-25 near 136th Avenue, according to the Thornton Police Department. The man was driving the wrong way on northbound I-25 and died in the crash.
Of the four vehicles involved, an unknown number of people were transported to the hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.
I-25 was closed just before 10:30 p.m. because of the crash.
DENVER (KDVR) – One Wheat Ridge police officer found a lot more than the common paraphernalia when he was searching a car for drugs.
While checking park trailheads on Sunday night, an officer saw a car with drug paraphernalia in it. According to the department’s social media, the owner arrived at the vehicle in Prospect Park and told police the car was lent to a friend.
The owner allowed an officer to search the vehicle who found a lot more than drugs in the car.
While the officer was searching the car, he found drugs, a gun and a large plastic bin. The officer’s body camera footage shows him opening the bin only to find a large rattlesnake inside.
The rattle can be heard from the body camera video.
Wheat Ridge police officers find rattlesnake during drug bust (Credit: Wheat Ridge Police)
“Yo, you got a rattlesnake in here? What the (expletive) dude. Are you kidding me? There’s a (expletive) live rattlesnake in this bin,” the officer said when he opened up the bin.
In the video, the car owner appeared just as shocked as the officer.
“Does he have any other thing that might bite me?” the officer said when he was looking through the rest of the car.
The vehicle owner will not face charges at this time. Police are still trying to contact the friend, as they still have “a lot of questions.”
Students claim protesting group directs slurs at Jewish community
DENVER (KDVR) — It has been nearly a week since University of Denver officials said they were calling on the pro-Palestinian student encampment to disband, and some students say they feel things outside the encampment have gotten worse.
On Tuesday night, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner sent an email to parents, students and staff about the pro-Palestinian protest.
Part of it read:
“… The false emergency call which diverted away important safety resources while vandalism occurred forced an urgent re-evaluation of the encampment as a form of safe free expression. As a result, we’ve lost confidence that the encampment can continue without further compromising operations and safety for all campus members. At an extended and productive meeting with encampment participants today, we informed them that the camp must close and asked them to clear the area voluntarily by 9:00 p.m. on May 21. We have offered our support to the encampment participants as they safely remove belongings. If participants choose not to voluntarily leave, the University will determine appropriate action to disband the camp.”
Chancellor Jeremy Haefner’s letter to the campus community
At around 9 p.m., non-protesting students said nothing was changing.
“They’re obviously not complying and nothing happens,” said DU junior, Jack Fingeroot. “9:30, you know, still nothing’s been happening. The protesters have been getting worse.”
A DU freshman, Jaiden Skinner, said the encampment was also getting rowdier.
“It was just a huge mob. There were like grown, grown adults there,” she said. “I had them come up into my face and try to hit me.”
After a while, she said the security that was present for most of the evening, seemed to have left.
“Nothing there. It was just a free-for-all. It was like Lord of the Flies,” Skinner said. “It was every man for themself.”
Another freshman who was there said he was assaulted.
“I was just like walking around with an Israeli flag you know, I wasn’t saying anything like hateful toward the camp at all,” said Jack Burkman. “And then I just got shoved really hard.”
He filed a police report and chose not to press charges.
At around 10 p.m., students said they received another email in which the chancellor said they were disappointed the protesters chose to stay, stating:
“During our meeting with the encampment student representatives today, we articulated multiple times that there were no plans to have police or campus safety dismantle the encampment tonight. We shared our desire to resolve this through a voluntary and cooperative approach. It was our expectation that the encampment would be dismantled by 9 p.m. and our interactions with the encampment participants indicated that was realistic to expect. We are disappointed that this is not what has happened and that participants chose this path forward, which is serving only to further threaten campus safety and operations.”
Chancellor Jeremy Haefner’s second email
Students, however, noted the language in the second email slightly contradicted the language from the first statement.
“Specific language or not, he still sent out an email saying they had ’til 9 p.m. to disband, otherwise the university would take action. I can’t imagine any other way that would’ve been taken,” Fingeroot said.
Students claim pro-Palestine group has been anti-Semitic
Since then, some students say they have seen instances of antisemitism increase.
“I had friends who were called slurs directed at Jewish people,” Burkman said.
“They told me that they wished Hamas killed my family, that was terrible,” Skinner said. “They literally were like, ‘They should’ve just bombed them.’”
As of Monday, May 27, the encampment had a fence around it, which the university said was to keep those inside the encampment safe, which led to more frustration among some Jewish students.
“The frustration, really, is that this group of demonstrators are being coddled by the university that is of course embracing their right to free speech,” said DU Rabbi Yossi Serebryanksi. “There’s no perception that there are consequences to their actions, which leaves many in the Jewish community feeling unheard, unseen and unsafe.”
Previously, DU pro-Palestine protesters said that DU administrators have prioritized “the voices of the Zionist sect of Judaism on campus while restricting staff support to the Jewish students who are currently at the greatest risk.”
In response to these allegations of antisemitism and assaults on campus, a university spokesperson wrote in an email to FOX31 in part:
“The Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX works to promote an environment free from discrimination and harassment in which DU community members can learn, live, and work. EOIX has initiated a review into potential antisemitism in our community and is partnering with a trusted external diversity, equity, and inclusion partner, Grand River Solutions, to help the university conduct this community review. Students with immediate concerns about their environment, faculty, roommate or anyone else involved in their university experience are encouraged to contact Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence for support.”
ASHBURN, Va. (DC News Now) — ESPN said Monday that the Washington Commanders’ new kicker faces allegations of sexual assault that supposedly took place during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McManus played for the Broncos from 2014-2022, joining the team at Super Bowl 50.
ESPN said two women filed a lawsuit in Duval County Circuit Civil Court, accusing Brandon McManus of assaulting them. The report said the women also claim the Jaguars didn’t “create a safe environment” for staff members who serve the football team.
The women asked for $1 million and a jury trial.
A spokesman for the Washington Commanders provided DC News Now with the following statement Monday:
Earlier today, we were made aware of the civil lawsuit filed on May 24 against Brandon McManus. We take allegations of this nature very seriously and are looking into the matter. We have been in communication with the League Office and Brandon’s representation, and will reserve further comment at this time.
If you’re looking to kick off the swim season in Denver, here’s what you need to know.
Denver public pool schedules
Denver plans on opening these pools on June 14 for the summer season:
Aztlan Recreation Center
Barnum Recreation Center
Berkeley Park
Congress Park
Cook Park Recreation Center
Eisenhower Recreation Center
Garfield Park
Globeville Argo Park
Green Valley Ranch
Harvard Gulch Recreation Center
Harvey Park Recreation Center
La Alma Recreation Center
Southwest Recreation Center
Due to construction and maintenance needs, Swansea and Mestizo Curtis pools will not open for the 2024 season while Ruby Hill Park will permanently close.
Open swim depends on availability. The pools are based on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Open swim times differ for each pool based on swimming lessons, safety breaks and other water-related activities. The 2024 schedule for each pool can be found on the city’s website.
Pool closing dates
The outdoor pools in Denver are set to close on Aug. 11, however, there will be a few closures during the summer.
The pools with be closed on June 19 and July 4 for holidays.
The pools will also close under certain conditions such as if it’s colder than 64 degrees, the water temperature is below 78 degrees, or if there’s high wind causing visibility issues at the bottom of the pool. Other events such as thunder and lightning, mechanical issues and sanitary reasons will also close the pool for a short period of time.
Swimming rules
These are some of the rules for all of the Denver public pools, as listed on the city’s website:
Children 5 years and under must be directly supervised in the pool, within arms reach, by a responsible parent or guardian
Children 6 and 7 years old must be accompanied by a responsible individual 12 years or older in the pool area at all times
Children 8 years and older may swim without a parent or guardian present
Showers are required before entry into the pool
Proper swimwear is required – no jeans or cut-offs, street clothes or undergarments
No running, pushing, wrestling or rough play in locker rooms, showers or pool area
A swimming ability test may be required before entering the deep water
Swim diapers or plastic pants are required for participants who are diaper-dependent
Lap swimmers will be required to share lanes and circle swim when needed
Food and drink in designated areas only; no glass containers
There are additional rules on the site as well as rules for the slide, leisure pools and water playground.
If you’re gearing up for the summer pool season, thankfully, it’s only a few weeks away.
DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Police Department said one person was hurt in a hit-and-run crash Sunday.
The crash happened near Evans Avenue and Dahlia Street, right between the Goldsmith and Virginia Village neighborhoods. Police first received reports of it at 1:53 p.m.
Three vehicles were involved, and police said one of them fled the scene.
One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, and police said they are in stable condition.
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A 21-year-old who survived a stroke is sharing her story in hopes of raising awareness and maybe even saving a life.
One of the simple joys in Melody McMurray’s life is spending time with her dog. Those daily walks are even sweeter now after she had a stroke earlier this year.
“I started feeling a little discombobulated. Everything was confusing to me. My sister would ask me the simplest question and for some reason, I couldn’t answer it.” McMurray said.
She said she thought she was just tired, but also felt like something was wrong.
“My fiancé was able to point out the signs of having a stroke so he immediately rushed me over here to the Aurora Medical Center,” she said.
At just 21 years old, she was diagnosed with a stroke, a blood clot in the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control, stroke risk increases with age, however, they can and do happen to people of all ages.
“I always say stroke does not respect age so you can have a stroke at any age meaning a child, a teenager, or a young adult,” Dr. Alicia Bennett of the Medical Center of Aurora told FOX31.
According to the CDC, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, and someone dies of a stroke every three minutes and 14 seconds.
DENVER (KDVR) — The Boulder Police Department said a great horned owl seemed to be “in good spirits” after she was hit by a car and rescued.
Police said a member of the community called for help Friday afternoon. Officers think she was likely flying low looking for a snack when she was struck.
Animal protection officers responded and safely caught the owl then took her to get checked out at Birds of Prey, a nonprofit organization that takes in injured and orphaned birds for rehabilitation and eventually a safe release.
The Boulder Police Department said a great horned owl seemed to be “in good spirits” after she was hit by a car and rescued. (Boulder Police Department)
The Boulder Police Department said a great horned owl seemed to be “in good spirits” after she was hit by a car and rescued. (Boulder Police Department)
Based on her fluffy feathers, BPD said officers believe she is an adolescent owl.
“We hope she recovers quickly and we’re thankful a community member called us to help,” the department said in a post on X.
DENVER (KDVR) — A man attempting to steal a bike in the middle of the day was stopped with help from a neighbor who saw it happening.
It happened on Gilpin Street in Denver around midday Thursday. Dan Ramos was working from home at the time.
“I was hearing a buzzing sound. I just assumed it was someone trimming their lawn,” he said.
At the same time, Bill Warshafsky heard it too. He lives just down the street and happened to be walking by Ramos’ house.
“I see a guy out on the porch and he’s got a hood over his head, and he’s crouched down,” Warshafsky said.
But it was not a lawn mower Ramos heard — it was a man using an electric saw to cut the lock on a bike.
“He didn’t flinch, he didn’t look at me,” Warshafsky said. “Nothing was going to distract this guy from what he was doing.”
“But obviously it didn’t do the trick quickly, he was having to work at it,” Ramos said.
The attempted thief worked for at least 20 minutes while Warshafsky ran home to grab his phone, then returned to take pictures.
Two neighbors spotted a man using an electric saw to cut the lock on a bike. (Bill Warshafsky)
Warshafsky flagged down a police car driving nearby to try and help the situation. The officers approached the man to make an arrest.
“He turned around with one hand up and said, ‘Oh, I’m just helping a friend here,’ and the cop said, ‘No, you’re not,’” Warshafsky said.
‘We’ll be locking out outlets from now on’
Ramos had no idea this happened until police knocked on his door thinking they had done him a favor.
“First thing the police asked me is: Is that your bike? It was literally sitting right here, and I was like no, that’s not my bike,” he said.
It was stolen somewhere else and brought there. It turns out Ramos’ porch was just the closest place to plug in an electric saw.
“We’ll be locking our outlets from now on,” Ramos said.
He’s thankful that even though they had never met, Warshafsky took the time to step in and help.
“We need more neighbors like Bill, for sure,” Ramos said.
Ramos said he will press charges on the man for trespassing. As for the bike, it’s currently with the Denver Police Department, and both Ramos and Warshafsky hope whoever it belongs to gets it back.
DENVER (KDVR) — The Regional Transportation District has some problems with getting people to get on board the transit system. A new report from the Common Sense Institute said the agency’s ridership has decreased while its budget has increased.
Fellows with CSI, a think tank focused on free enterprise, said RTD should take advantage of budget increases to get more riders on board.
Low ridership on RTD public transit
“I think for me, you know, I was really trying to look at if we are getting our return on investment that we’ve made as a region,” Kelly Brough said. The former Denver mayoral candidate is now a fellow with the institute and author of their latest report on RTD’s ridership.
“When compared to 22 other transit systems around the nation, our recovery has been much slower. So one takeaway is our ridership is nowhere near where we really need it to be, and for us to say this is really returning the value on our investment,” Brough said.
The report finds that as of Jan. 31, fares only recovered 4.4% of RTD’s operating costs. RTD would have to nearly triple its ridership to recover 30% of its operating costs through rider fares.
RTD said it actually saw a 33% increase in ridership between 2021-22 and a nearly 6% increase between 2022-23. They acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic between those years meant lower ridership than normal.
The report also found RTD’s budget has been climbing as its ridership has fallen. Between 2019-22, ridership fell 46% while the operating budget increased 3%.
Brough said RTD should take advantage of the budget increases by making the cost of taking transit lower to attract more riders.
“I think we also need to make it way less expensive for people to ride and for employers, maybe, to buy passes. Like really inexpensive so whether you are a nonprofit or a for-profit employer or even government, you’re really saying, I’m just going to totally buy everybody a pass,” Brough said. “We had a law that required 30% to come from the fare bucks. You can see we have a long way to go to really increase our ridership. You can charge very little and get a lot more people to buy and probably do much better than we’re doing today.”
Brough noted recent efforts, like RTD’s Zero Fare for Better Air and Zero Fare for Better Youth initiatives, as examples of how to boost ridership. She urged the district to expand that concept.
“Free fares for our young people in high school and college in this region is probably a really good idea, not as a one-off or something to try, but permanently, where we are changing behaviors. Now they’re getting used to taking the train and the bus, and it’s not as intimidating. So I think we’ve got to help our young people really take advantage of the system,” Brough said.
FILE – An RTD commuter train heading to Golden. (Regional Transportation District)
Crime on RTD transit around Denver
Another big issue with getting people on public transit in Colorado is crime. The study noted Colorado Bureau of Investigation crime figures rose 53% between 2019-23. Brough said more people riding could discourage the increase in crime too.
“We absolutely saw a rise in crimes being committed on our trains. I think it makes sense why people feel unsafe is because there are fewer people riding and more crimes being committed. And so in New York City where everybody rides, and you’re often riding with someone you might not feel totally comfortable riding with — when there are 50 other people in that same car, you feel pretty safe still. So that ridership is contributing, probably, to our feelings of not being safe,” Brough said.
Legislative efforts around public transit
Colorado lawmakers explored and passed several measures centered around RTD this legislative session. The report notably references Senate Bill 24-230, which poses a fee on oil and gas producers to spur funding for rail improvements. It also details the progression of FasTracks, the overdue public transit rail service from Longmont to Boulder, with the report saying 78 of the 119 miles of the project are completed.
“I think it really requires that we figure out: How does local government, all those cities that are part of that Regional Transportation District, seamlessly work with RTD so that decisions being made about RTD, it’s the local community that is really figuring out how do I meet those trains and get you where you need to go at both ends? Because I think we are failing there still,” Brough said.
“One of the things that really helps is when you develop more densely around those stops and you have numerous housing options — from condos for sale to apartments I could stay in, to single-family homes within a mile of each stop — what you know is it starts to become the easier choice because I am close to the train or the major bus stop. And I think this is where we can help incentivize our local governments and make sure the state has been looking at how to do this, we are building those stops the way we need to,” Brough said.
Brough also mentioned RTD governance. An effort supported by the governor that called for a restructuring of the board failed after getting pushback from community members.
“I appreciated the discussions at the Capitol. We don’t talk about this in the report, but you know, is the governing model working?” Brought said. “Is it incentivizing that local relationship, and are there models that would bring that local government closer to RTD?”
RTD responds
Although the report shows some critical areas where the district can improve, RTD seems to be welcoming of the report and some of the proposals made by its authors.
RTD told FOX31 in a statement: “RTD appreciates the Common Sense Institute’s focus on the agency’s operational environment, challenges, and opportunities. Many of the report’s recommendations closely align with efforts already underway by the agency to create a welcoming transit environment. RTD looks forward to partnering with the Common Sense Institute and other stakeholders and community partners to address challenges highlighted in the report while, at the same time, leveraging opportunities that support RTD’s customers, employees, and operational efficiencies.”
DENVER (KDVR) — The driver accused of hitting and killing teen cyclist Magnus White pleaded not guilty in court Friday.
On the afternoon of July 29, 2023, Magnus White, 17, was training on his bike in his hometown of Boulder to represent the USA in the world championships in mountain biking when he was struck by a car, according to court documents.
According to the arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31 in December, Yeva Smilianska, 23, was driving a Toyota Matrix southbound on Highway 119 just south of 63rd Street in Boulder. White was riding a Trek bicycle southbound on the right shoulder ahead when the Toyota traveled onto the shoulder and hit the bike. White was ejected from his bike, and the Toyota continued off the right side of the road.
Smilianska told law enforcement that she was driving 55 mph when she lost control of the vehicle and swerved to the right-hand side of the road, hitting White, according to the affidavit.
In her statement to Colorado State Patrol, Smilianska said her 2004 Toyota was old and sometimes acted weird, but it was the “first time on the road it acted like this” and said she “totally lost control.”
According to the affidavit, another cyclist was not far behind White and witnessed the crash. The witness said the vehicle was traveling in the far left lane when it made an abrupt right turn, a “beeline” as the witness described it, toward White on the side of the road.
Other witnesses who were driving behind Smilianska at the time of the crash said the driver “swerved to the right shoulder and back into the correct lane multiple times” before eventually crashing into White.
None of the witnesses reported signs of distracted driving, and law enforcement reported no signs of intoxication.
Family responds to not guilty plea
White’s family released a statement following the plea, including in part:
The driver’s decision to plead not guilty, to take no responsibility for her actions, compounds the grave injustice we are confronting. This was not an accident; this was a crime. The driver ended the life of a child.”
Magnus White’s family
The family said that Magnus “was brimming with immense potential” and noted that he would have graduated high school last week.
“Each missed milestone brings an overwhelming wave of emotions that no family should ever have to bear. The pain is both emotional and physical as we face each day without Magnus,” the family added.
The family said they “are resolute in our pursuit of justice for Magnus.”
The Boulder County District Attorney said a motions hearing is scheduled for Sept. 4 at 10:30 a.m. and a jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 16.
DENVER (KDVR) — A financial influencer who owns a company based in Colorado is barred from selling securities to Coloradans for three years.
Last year, the Colorado Division of Securities received an anonymous tip about a financial influencer who goes by Dr. Connor Robertson. Investigators were able to quickly find him on YouTube where he was heavily marketing his investment companies, like the “My BnB Accelerator” and “Syntacz” channels on YouTube.
“You give him $25,000 and then he’s going to give you 22% in returns by running these Airbnbs, managing them and getting all this money because he has so many properties,” said Tung Chan, Colorado securities commissioner.
Chan said investigators then went undercover, calling Robertson on the phone on Feb. 21, 2023. A consent order laid out what Robertson said while on the phone with investigators.
First, he said that he ran a syndication more than a true fund, which allows him to allegedly avoid major securities laws under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“He said something like he makes something like $3.9 million a year through this Airbnb scheme,” Chan said.
The consent order said he also mentioned he has “102 properties between Colorado and Florida” and “32 guys on his management team.”
“Just a lot of numbers that he threw out that made the investment seem really lucrative,” Chan said.
This, plus the fact that he promised a high return on investment, presented many red flags for investigators.
“We then put out subpoenas to his banks and to him,” Chan said.
‘That is not legal’
In an interview with him and his lawyer, they began to spot several different contradictions.
The consent order said first of all, subpoenaed documents and Robertson’s interview showed he “partially owned approximately 30 to 40 properties.”
Next, a subpoena response from Airbnb showed the total gross amount paid to Robertson was nearly $330,000, which was nowhere near the $3.9M he claimed to receive for the year.
To the statement on the 32 employees, he said during an interview with his lawyer present that he only had one.
“He was making a lot of misrepresentations and omissions to make it more attractive to get investors, and that is not legal,” Chan said.
Securities division settles with Colorado influencer
The Colorado Division of Securities reached a settlement with Robertson where he cannot sell or offer provisions in Colorado for three years. Since then, he has taken down the videos from his YouTube page.
“We don’t know for sure how many Coloradans were affected because we were able to get in before there were a lot of complaints coming in on this,” Chan said. “In fact, I think this is a really great example of how we’re out there proactively protecting consumers.”
In the meantime, Chan said she is warning consumers to be cautious while investing, especially if it comes from social media. If they believe they have been scammed, or see something that looks a little bit off, Chan said you can report it on the Colorado Division of Securities website. You can also look up investment companies to see if there has been any legal or administrative action taken against them.
“We see more and more of this on YouTube and in social media. People are using it to, you know, to let people know about these amazing investments,” Chan said, “and a lot of the times if it’s really too good to be true, it is.”
DENVER (KDVR) — Hunting, fishing, hiking and biking: All popular activities in Colorado, and all require special equipment. Now, Coloradans are adding croquet to that list.
“It is a game for four people so we have four mallets. Blue, red, black, and yellow. Look at that post in the middle of the court. The colors coincide,” said croquet king James Creasy, founder of Jiminy Wicket.
Creasy knows all about mallets as a world-renowned croquet champion. In the very first tournament he participated in, he won second place. He’s won local tournaments in Florida and regional tournaments in Oklahoma.
“And I went on to win a national title at the Sarasota Croquet Club in Venice, Florida,“ said Creasy.
Croquet is a French word. It means “little crook”, which sort of means a stick with a hook.
“This version of croquet came from Egypt and it’s the fastest growing and most popular version of croquet in the world today. One hoop per point and we play through seven hoops,” said Creasy.
The Denver Croquet Club is in its 40th year playing on the historic 100-year-old grass court in Washington Park. The DCC is always looking for new members — no experience is required.
CHATFIELD STATE PARK, Colo. (KDVR) — Thousands are preparing to enjoy Colorado lakes and reservoirs over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and officials are encouraging visitors to follow safety guidelines and boating regulations.
FOX31 rode along with Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s boat patrol on Wednesday as rangers prepared for the expected crowds.
“We’ve already got our boats on the water before we even open to the public,” Tyler Hall said.
A major concern at lakes and reservoirs across Colorado is boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Your level of intoxication, you can feel it a lot more if you’re on the water,” Hall said.
Sail boat on Chatfield Reservoir (Getty Images)
Boaters should be aware of the consequences of operating a watercraft while impaired.
“It’s the same effectively as a DUI. You can be arrested for it and it’s something we’re out there enforcing,” Hall said.
Another safety concern is Colorado’s shifting weather conditions. Swimmers, kayakers and boaters should always check weather reports and be prepared to take shelter.
“The biggest thing I see is people out on paddleboards or kayaks, they have life jackets with them, but they’re not wearing it because they’re having fun in the sun. When you see those dark clouds rolling over the mountains, go ahead and just throw that life jacket on. All it can do is help you,” Hall said.
In Colorado, children aged 13 and under are required to wear a life jacket. There should be one life jacket for every person on board, as well as a throwable life ring and fire extinguisher. Boats must be registered.
DENVER (KDVR) — Enjoy a warm and dry Thursday before wet weather returns for the start of Memorial Day Weekend.
The rain will add to this week’s showers and thunderstorms to help get Denver’s May rain totals back on track for the month and keep the area well ahead for moisture for this early in the year.
Latest rain totals for Denver
Weather tonight: Mostly clear and comfortable
According to Pinpoint Weather, Colorado’s Most Accurate Forecast, skies will remain mostly clear overnight across the entire state. It will be a little breezy at times with mainly southerly winds. Temperatures will not be as chilly as last night.
The Pinpoint Weather Team expects temperatures in the 40s from the Front Range across the Eastern Plains mixed with a few milder 50s.
In the mountains, it will be chilly with plenty of readings in the 30s but most places will stay above freezing.
Overnight lows by Thursday morning across Colorado
Weather tomorrow: Sunny, breezy and warmer
Thursday will be mostly sunny and dry, but the mountains could see some rain and snow showers late in the day as the next storm system moves in from the northwest. High temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s for the eastern half of Colorado, including metro Denver and the Front Range.
Forecast highs on Thursday across Colorado
Looking ahead: Weekend storms but dry Memorial Day
A cold front arrives late Thursday and will cool Friday by a few degrees. There will also be a chance for a few showers and thunderstorms. The next best chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms will be over the weekend.
Saturday has the highest chance for stormy skies, so have a plan to head indoors should a storm fire up.
Colorado’s Most Accurate 7-day forecast from Pinpoint Weather
The forecast is looking dry and pleasant for Memorial Day and early next week as high pressure builds across the region. Temperatures will be slowly warming to the 80s by the middle to later part of next week.
DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Denver is considering adding millions of dollars to its security contract spending limits that cover protecting sites like homeless housing and migrant shelters.
Three proposals for spending limit increases cover three different security companies the city currently contracts with. The proposal seeks to increase two of the contracts from a current $400,000 to a limit of $3.4 million each. The third seeks to add $18 million to a contract to have a $43 million limit. These three contracts go toward providing security services at over 30 Denver facilities.
“So if Red Rocks needs extra security for a big concert, if another Arts and Venue event needs that security, we can provide it,” said Jon Ewing with the city of Denver, adding: “If an All In Mile High site needs a security, they can have it.”
At a presentation to the city’s finance committee on Tuesday, officials broke down an increase of security at three All In Mile High sites housing homeless people. Since March and April, officials stated that the three sites have 11 guards per shift, 24/7. City staff said they are projecting that the city will spend $3.2 million through the end of the year to provide this 24/7 security at the three sites.
Residents near one of the sites told FOX31 the added security is making a difference.
“I would never take that away because it’s cut back,” nearby resident Rosemary Guilmette said, adding: “The ambulances were there, being called regularly, and so were the police. So if you remove that, it’s not a good thing. And so they should allow them more money to continue to do this.”
Homeless advocate Ana-Lilith Miller with Housekeys Action Network Denver told FOX31 more focus and funds should be centered on getting the unhoused permanent housing instead of security.
“I feel like we should step back this money and actually input the money that they want to give to the security measures, to things like case management, making certain they’re getting the right, proper mental health, dealing with these things instead of just making them feel like they’re in jail because this is what it is,” Miller said.
Ewing said the goal is to get people out of shelters and into permanent housing, but updated proposed security contracts are to prepare for the unexpected as these efforts are underway. He stresses that the new figures are just a limit, not a guaranteed amount that these security companies will receive.
“It would be foolish of us to not prepare for all contingencies,” Ewing said, adding: “Everything that we have done, we’ve learned from, we’ve gotten a little smarter, a little better, a little more prepared and so we need to be prepared for those. That doesn’t mean that you write a blank check. We’re not going to do that. But what we are going to do is have the funds available when we need them.”
A city council committee approved the proposals Tuesday. The measures will now head to the full city council for a vote.
For the first time, a corpse flower named Cosmo is slated to bloom this weekend. This is an incredibly rare sight — and smell — because Cosmo has been growing for more than seven years for this very moment. Once he blooms, the corpse flower won’t bloom again for another three to five years.
“This is a rare occasion and a big deal because it will be the first bloom for the corpse flower here at CSU,” said Tammy Brenner, Colorado State University Plant Growth Facilities Manager.
The plant grew more than five inches from May 18-19. After speaking with some colleagues, Brenner expects the corpse flower to bloom around Saturday, May 25.
When Cosmo blooms, he will emit a putrid odor that has been compared to the smell of decaying flesh. Perfect for any morbid people out there.
The smell will become less pronounced after the first 12-24 hours, and the bloom only lasts around two to three days, according to CSU.
What is a corpse flower and why does it smell like that?
According to CSU, the corpse flower is known as Amorphophallus titanium, and it is the largest unbranched inflorescence (or collection of flowers acting as one) in the plant kingdom. These plants can grow up to eight feet.
Even though the corpse flower’s stench is not ideal for humans, the putrid smell actually lures pollinators like carrion beetles and flies.
According to the U.S. Botanic Garden, the corpse flower is native to Sumatra, Indonesia and an estimate of fewer than 1,000 species are left in the wild.
Institutions like CSU began cultivating corpse flowers to preserve their genetics and learn more about how they thrive.
Usually, the plant goes dormant in the fall when students return to campus, so Brenner said they hide Cosmo.
“It looks a little sad, so we usually hide it in the back, so no one thinks we’re killing it,” Brenner said.
However, this year Brenner expects people from around the community to visit Fort Collins to get a glimpse and sniff at Cosmo when he’s in full bloom.
However, there is a slim caveat.
While it appears Cosmo will bloom this weekend, there is a chance it won’t happen.
How to see and sniff the corpse flower
So, if you want to take your chances, public viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The flower is expected to bloom around Saturday, and viewing will be open each day while the flower is in bloom.
