PARKER, Colo. Fifteen days before the start of Pride Month, people in Douglas County held the 2026 edition of Douglas County Pride on Sunday.

The event was canceled in 2025 due to a leadership change, making it difficult to hold.

DougCo Pride isn't unfamiliar with obstacles.

In 2023, protesters interrupted a drag performance during the festival, wearing T-Shirts that read "Stand to Protect Children."

Attendees at Sunday's event say it meant a lot to see the festival return better than ever despite all it's been through.

"There's no reason to fear what's different if you realize that we're not that different," Kris Kidwell said.

For some, like Laura Jamison and Rob Brill, Sunday was their first DougCo Pride.

"We're actually here supporting our son, who is gay and part of the community, and I think it's really important, especially in Douglas County, to show support for the LGBTQIA community," Jamison said.

"Just show up, not be afraid to show up," Brill said about the importance of being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. "The worst thing you can do is just hide and worry. It's go out, be you, show people that may not understand that you're not here to hurt anyone."

Watch Tyler Melito's report in the player below:

Kidwell and his husband Joshua LeConey have been attending DougCo Pride for years.

"When I was in high school, it was unheard of to even come out of the closet, and then that sort of started to change in the 90s, and now I can openly discuss my husband in front of people, and it doesn't even raise an eyebrow," Kidwell detailed.

"It's become a regular part of everybody's life to some degree, so we don't have to come out," LeConey added. "We've just been able to be out now, and that's probably one of the biggest changes."

Even younger attendees like Lorenzo Luciano and Emit Kupzyk say it is powerful to see how much support there is for the LGBTQ+ community, even though they say there is so much hate in the world.

"It gives me more faith in humanity," Kupzyk said.

"Yeah, same with the faith, humanity, we're all just kind of chilling here," Luciano described.

Eli Brill and CJ Bennett say that despite the hatred some may have toward the LGBTQ+ community, it isn't going to stop them from loving who they want to love.

"We really don't mean any harm, and we just want to exist with people without having to be afraid of what we do or what we wear constantly, and how we act, and who we love," Brill said.

"We're not a sin, and that we're part of an actual community," said Bennett. "It's not just a bunch of mumbo jumbo; we're an actual community. Even if you're straight and you're not a part of our community, we will still welcome you."

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. An armed man was shot and killed inside a Franktown home after a deputy opened fire during a standoff Sunday afternoon, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

A spokesperson for the sheriffs office said its unclear if the suspect was fatally wounded by the deputys round or his own. They are still investigating.

No law enforcement officers were injured.

The incident occurred at a Franktown home after a child called 911, reporting that a man was assaulting a grandmother, according to Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.

As deputies reached the home, a woman ran out, and moments later, a man appeared in the doorway holding a handgun and pointed it at deputies, according to Sheriff Weekly.

Weekly said one deputy fired, hitting the man. However, it's still not known if the suspect was fatally wounded by a round from the deputy or by his own.

His identity has not been released.

Separately, a Douglas County Regional SWAT BearCat responding to the call crashed in heavy rain on Crowfoot Valley Road, according to the sheriffs office.

The deputy driving was injured but is expected to be OK; no one else was hurt.

Authorities have lifted evacuation orders for people in the town of Campo on Sunday night, but rural residents near the town are still under mandatory evacuation orders as the Sharpe Fire burns more than 28,000 acres in Baca County.

On Sunday night, the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department said the fire is 5% contained and crews have held the fire at County Road J. County officials previously ordered mandatory evacuations for the entire town of Campo and Road 24 to Road 36 south of Road J to the state line because of the fire. Only residents in rural areas immediately near Campo remain under mandatory evacuations.

Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency in response to the fire on Sunday night, which activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and directs state officials to take responsibility for all response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.

Megan England, with Baca County Emergency Management, said the county has not received reports of any homes burned.

"It's all hands on deck for the crews that have been paged," said England. "We have several dozen agencies responding from all over this part of the state and from outside the state as well. Over 100 units on scene of various types, both fire, law enforcement, and EMS."

Chloe Johnson, a Campo resident who evacuated her home, said the emergency response in her town has been overwhelming as residents work to move livestock from the flames and help fire crews.

"We've seen other communities experience the same thing. You just never really think that you'll be in their shoes," said Johnson. "Almost all the streets are kind of, are lined with ranchers and their water trailers or water trucks. There was tractors trying to get through town with their discs, just trying to get wherever the firefighters needed them. My dad's a firefighter and he's been around town and kind of hanging out and seeing if they need help and where he can help out."

The Colorado Department of Transportation has reopened both directions of US 287 from the Oklahoma state line to US 50 in Lamar. A 78-mile portion of US 287 was previously closed from the Oklahoma border on Sunday because of heavy smoke.

Vaughn Jones, the Chief of Wildland Fire Management for the Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control, said crews battled the fast-moving fire as it crossed into Colorado from Oklahoma Sunday afternoon.

"It's run at least about 10 miles today, and it is currently threatening the town of Campo in southeast Colorado," said Jones. "A combination of the terrain, the dry fuels, and then the wind, and we weren't able to get containment all the way around all sides of the fire. And then it just lined up with the wind blowing southwest to northeast."

The State Division of Fire Prevention and Control said it has multiple resources in the area, including three engines, three hand crews and a multi-mission aircraft.

The Campo School District announced on Facebook it postponed Sunday's graduation due to the fire.

The cause of the wildfire remains unknown as crews continue to respond.

BOULDER, Colo. The City of Boulder is currently under a drought watch, but officials said voluntary reductions as dry conditions continue could help avoid mandatory restrictions later this summer.

While many surrounding cities have implemented their own mandatory water restrictions, Boulder has yet to do so.

Drought and climate change have been incorporated into Boulder's planning efforts for many years. This year, we're relying on decades of planning to thoughtfully respond to drought conditions, City of Boulder water resources senior manager Kim Hutton said.

According to the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday morning, 82% of the state still remains under at least a "severe drought" level. That is down slightly from 86% from a map released on May 7.

The City of Boulder is currently under a Drought Watch, but officials said voluntary reductions as dry conditions continue could help avoid mandatory restrictions later this summer.

While it is dry this year, what's most noticeable is how historically hot it has been. So, we have a good sense of how hot, dry conditions will affect the amount of water available to the city. The biggest unknown is how our community will respond to the heat, Hutton said.

The city said its reservoir levels are about average.

Watch Sophia Villalba's report in the player below:

Right now, our community's voluntary water conservation is expected to be impactful enough to get us through the dry period, Hutton added.

The last time the city saw mandatory water restrictions was during the 2002 drought.

The savings that we achieved during that drought response turned into permanent savings. Water use continued to decline for years after 2002, Hutton added. Our total water use is 30% lower than it was about 25 years ago.

Residents like Wade Wimmer said many people in Boulder were expecting certain restrictions by now.

I think Boulderites are behind that measure. It's going to be a bit of a shock, but I think they're used to it, or they're planning on it coming at least, Wade Wimmer, a Boulder resident, said.

We're pretty confident that we can sustain the levels in the reservoirs and be sufficient to manage our water use over the next couple of years, Hutton said.

City officials said about half of Boulders total water use goes toward outdoor irrigation, mostly for residential lawns and common areas.

We have an HOA on a three-townhome complex. We've already addressed the issue, knowing that it's likely going to happen, Wimmer told Denver7.

Officials are encouraging residents to reduce lawn watering while still prioritizing trees.

My lawn is not going to look beautiful and pretty, but it'll still be there. I'm more concerned about the trees in my yard than the grass, Wimmer said.

City officials told Denver7 one of the biggest lessons the city learned during the 2002 drought was about tree health.

We implemented two days a week watering, and we limited it to 15 minutes per time, but what we saw was a lot of decline in tree health or tree death in the years following the 2002 drought, Hutton said. We learned a lot about the need for trees, and so we want to continue to maintain trees throughout the dry period. So, we're encouraging continued watering of trees.

During the peak summer months, water demand in Boulder increases nearly three times what it is during winter.

Officials said if water use rises during the peak summer heat, mandatory restrictions could still be considered later this season. They are hopeful that voluntary reductions will lead to a 10% savings across town.

Four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided Sunday at an air show in Idaho, a show organizer said.

Emergency crews responded after the two planes collided during the show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho.

All four of the crew members from the planes ejected safely, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show. Sykes said the crash occurred off base and she did not see the crash but saw the smoke afterward.

The base said in a social media post that it was locked down following the incident during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show. Responders were on the scene and an investigation was underway.

Multiple witnesses reported two planes collided and crashed, and videos posted online showed four parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft plummet to the ground near the base about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boise.

No other information was immediately available, said a person who answered the phone at the 366th Fighter Wing public affairs office.

Organizers said the popular air show that includes flying demonstrations and parachute jumps is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds headlined the show both days.

The National Weather Service reported good visibility and winds gusting up to 29 mph (47 kph) around the time of the crash.

GREELEY, Colo.  Greeleys stolen Glenmere Park statue, "The Prize Catch," has been recovered after staff at Rocky Mountain Recycling recognized it from a police alert and notified detectives.

The life-size bronze piece was stolen the afternoon of May 12, with thieves cutting it off at the feet to remove it from its base.

A white box truck seen in the area is believed to be connected.

Detectives have returned the statue to the parks department, and the investigation continues.

Police are asking anyone with dashcam or security footage that might have captured a white box truck or suspicious activity at or near the park on May 12 between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., to contact them at 970-350-9605.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. A Douglas County adult resident has died from hantavirus, state and county health officials reported on Saturday.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said its investigating the incident and said the Douglas County case is not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak.

Early findings suggest the person was exposed to the virus locally through contact with rodents, which is the most common source of hantavirus in Colorado, according to CDPHE.

The agency did not identify the Douglas County resident nor provide a date as to when the person died.

State health officials said Sin Nombre hantavirus infections occur regularly in Colorado, usually in the spring and summer, and can cause a severe, sometimes deadly respiratory disease.

Hantaviruses have been around for centuries and are thought to be widespread worldwide. The disease gained renewed attention last year after the late actor Gene Hackman s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico.

The virus usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. But the hantavirus that has caused the cruise ship outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

CDPHE says avoiding exposure to rodents and their urine, feces, saliva, and nesting materials is the best way to prevent infection.

The state health agency said the risk to the general public remains low, and the investigation is ongoing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado has recorded about 121 total hantavirus cases from 1993 to 2023.

After a quiet start to May, the atmosphere over the central United States is primed for an outbreak.

A volatile stretch of severe thunderstorms is expected to unfold across the Plains and Midwest through Tuesday, bringing the risk of intense tornadoes EF3 or stronger destructive hail, damaging winds and heavy rain to a region where springs most dangerous storms often arrive with considerable force.

May is notorious for severe thunderstorm outbreaks in the Plains and Midwest, and this one could live up to that reputation. This is a big shift from what has been a quiet start to the month, because of a jet stream pattern that has suppressed widespread severe storms until now.

The tornado threat is significant Sunday and Monday. The storm threat shifts east on Tuesday.

RELATED STORY | Record-breaking El Nio possible, bringing extreme weather, experts warn

The weather pattern is also setting the stage for wildfires. Theres significant fire risk in the Southwest from Arizona to southwest Kansas well walk through some details on that threat after we talk about the timing for severe storms below.

Sunday

Storms will rapidly develop during the mid to late afternoon across Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The afternoon storms will be capable of producing very large hail.

The evening brings the highest tornado threat, from about 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. CT across eastern Nebraska, southeast South Dakota and western Iowa, including Omaha, Lincoln and Sioux City.

Monday

A widespread outbreak of severe thunderstorms is possible as the biggest surge of jet stream energy interacts with copious amounts of moisture in the Plains.

Supercells that erupt in the afternoon will likely spin up tornadoes some of them EF2 or stronger and produce very large hail. The highest threat of strong tornadoes stretches from central and eastern Kansas into southeastern Nebraska and northwestern Missouri. Widespread damaging winds will become the primary concern by late evening, although a few tornadoes will still be possible into the overnight hours.

Whats still uncertain is how storms and their cloud cover in the morning will affect conditions in the afternoon. That will play a role in pinpointing the areas with the biggest tornado threat places where storms from Sunday night linger into the morning will have less energy for the afternoon and evening storms to tap into.

Tuesday

Ongoing thunderstorms are likely Tuesday morning from northern Texas to Michigan. The potential for strong to severe storms will ramp up again through the afternoon. However, as the cold front becomes dominant trigger for storms, the tornado threat will diminish, and wind and hail will become the primary threats.

Wildfire threat

A level 3 of 3, extremely critical fire threat exists in the Southern High Plains Sunday and Monday. Areas from southwestern Kansas to the Texas Panhandle and northeastern New Mexico are under the highest threat, while a level 2 of 3, critical threat covers a much larger area, including much of New Mexico.

The same system bringing dangerous tornadoes to the Central Plains and Midwest will be the culprit for very dry and windy conditions in the Southern High Plains. Sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph, gusts up to 50 mph and relative humidity under 10% will combine with dry fuels causing any fires that ignite to spread at a life-threating pace, according to the National Weather Service.

DENVER  Get ready for temperatures to take a nose dive, Denver. A much colder, wetter system will be arriving late Sunday into Monday, bringing widespread rain, mountain snow, and a sharp temperature drop.

The National Weather Service said a few flakes might even fall along the I25 corridor Monday afternoon, but accumulation is unlikely.

But before we see a return to winter-like weather, Sunday will bring another round of scattered storms with the best chance for severe weather on the far Northeast Plains, where hail will be the main threat.

Isolated strong to severe storms are possible this afternoon, with the highest risk for severe weather for the eastern plains and the Palmer Divide. Otherwise, expect beneficial rainfall this afternoon through Monday, the NWS said in an X post.

The barometer will begin to dip late Sunday and into Monday as widespread rain and mountain snow move into the area.

Mondays highs are expected to drop 2030 degrees from Sunday, with a morning freeze possible Tuesday morning across the Denver metro area and much of the plains.

The high country will likely see 4-15 inches of snow above 9,000 feet. The foothills are expected to get just a trace.

The northern I25 corridor is expecting up to 1.5 inches of rain on Monday.

On Tuesday, highs will climb a bit and stay in the 50s and 60s through midweek, with scattered afternoon showers possible on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A warming trend returns next weekend with highs back into the 70s and low 80s.

MORE: Hourly forecast | Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

Stream live, current temperatures plus radars across Colorado anytime for free on the free Denver7+ app on your TV or watch from your computer or mobile phone anytime.

DENVER Police in Denver are investigating a wrong-way crash in the HOV lanes on Interstate 25 early Sunday morning.

The crash occurred near 20th Street in the northbound direction of the reversible HOV lanes, which change directions depending on the time of day.

Police said one of the drivers was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Investigators said the deceased driver, who was traveling in the wrong direction, collided head-on with another vehicle.

The second driver was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

Police have not said how the wrong-way driver managed to access the gate-controlled HOV lanes.

The lanes were closed for several hours during DPD's investigation.

The identity of the deceased will be released by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner.

An all-day prayer event on the National Mall on Sunday backed by the White House through a mix of taxpayer funds and private donations isthe most recent flashpoint in the Trump administration blurring separation of church and state.

The event, dubbed Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving, is part of a series of celebrations commemorating Americas 250th birthday, and is expected to feature video messages from President Donald Trump and other members of his Cabinet. House Speaker Mike Johnson will also deliver remarks. The event will bring together faith leaders, public officials and musicians to reflect and worship ahead of the anniversary of the nations founding.

Sundays event is the latest in a series of faith initiatives and policy moves championed by the White House that have bolstered an emphasis on Christianity in the governments operations,cultureand policy.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump signs executive order to 'eradicate anti-Christian bias' in government

Freedom 250, a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Park Foundation, which functions as the National Park Servicesfundraisingarm, organized the event.

Rededicate250 will be a powerful moment to reflect on where we have been, recommit ourselves to the ideals that define us, and look toward the future with renewed hope and purpose, said Freedom 250 senior adviser Danielle Alvarez.

While organizers are inviting Americans of every background to attend the event, thelong listof faith leaders attendingarelargely evangelical Christians exceptforone Orthodoxrabbi and two conservative Catholic bishops. Brittany Baldwin, White House senior policy adviser and executive of the White House Task Force America 250, described a focus on our heritage as aJudeo-Christian nation in a since-deleted planning webinar that was posted ahead of Sundays event.

Questions over constitutionality

Experts CNN spoke with were split onwhether the event is constitutional.

Andrew Koppelman, a professor at Northwestern Universitys Pritzker School of Law who focuses on constitutional law, said the event is permitted because no court issued an injunction to stop it, but that it is contrary to the fundamental purposes of the Constitution.

This kind of divisive embrace of a particularreligion and trying to associate the incumbent administration with that religion is bad for religion, bad for government and bad for America,Koppelman said.

ButDouglas Laycock, who specializes in religion and law at the University of Texas School of Law, said he believes this event is flagrantly unconstitutional.

It is unconstitutional because it is explicit government promotion of religion, and not just religion in general, but of a fairly specific version of one particularreligion, Laycock said.

RELATED STORY | The US Christian population has declined for years. A new survey shows that drop leveling off

Meanwhile, Michael Moreland, professor of law and religion at Villanovas Charles Widger School of Law,argued there can be an intersection of religious faith and the public square, noting the prayers at open sessions of Congress and at the presidential inauguration.

I think that its kind of overemphasizing that idea of separation to think that an event like this raises any constitutional problems, Moreland said, adding that its too strong a separationist view of what the First Amendment requires.

Johnson, a devout Christian, on Sunday defended the event in an interview on the National Mall on Fox News, saying the gathering is a recognition of the religious and moral tradition of the country, and accused critics of wanting to erase the history of America and pretend as if were not a nation that was dedicated originally to God.

White HousespokeswomanTaylor Rogers told CNN in a statement that Rededicate 250 will be a beautiful and unifying moment to reflect on Americas history that has been shaped by great men and women of faith.

Rededicate 250 will be a fantastic event in our nations capital to celebrate freedom of religion for all people of faith a cornerstone of the sacred principles enshrined in our Constitution by the founding fathers. Americans will come together on the National Mall to rededicate this country as one nation under God, Rogers said.

A government-wide focus on Christianity

Critics say the Trump administration is trying to reinforce Christian nationalism the belief that the US was founded as a Christian nation and should be governed by Christian principles.

Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director oftheReligious Action Center of Reform Judaism,arguedthe termJudeo-Christian, which Baldwin used to describe the event, and which members of the Trump administration have repeatedly used to describe the nations values,does not serve Christianity, Judaism or other religions in America.

Judeo-Christian is often used as a mash up to co-opJudaism and subsume it within a triumphal view of Christianity and feeds right into a White Christian nationalist narrative, Pesner said at a media briefing ahead of Sundays event.

CNN reached out to the White House on criticisms about White Christian nationalism.

RELATED STORY | Trump reading passage on forgiveness as part of marathon Bible-reading stream

On Fox News Sunday, Johnson took aim at people who expressed concern about the rise of Christian nationalism under the Trump administration.

The people who are the naysayers and who have created this new term of Christian nationalism as a pejorative, a derogatory term, are trying to silence the influence and the voices of Christians, and I think thats wildly inappropriate, he said.

Various Trump administration officialshaverepeatedly tied the nations founding to Christianity.During a National Prayer Breakfast event this spring, Hegseth declared America was founded as a Christian nation. In one videopromoting Sundaysevent,the defense secretarysaid, Our founders knew two simple truths: Our rightsdontcome from government, they come from God, and a nation is only as strong as its faith.

But some historians disagree. Gregg Frazer, a professor of history and political studies The Masters University, a Christian college in California, wrote in an online paperthat while there were Christians among the Founding Fathers, they did not intend to create a Christian nation.

They were religious men who wanted religion but not necessarily Christianity to have significant influence in the public square, Frazer wrote.

The US Constitutions First Amendment says that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

Other critics of the event, including Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, have characterized Rededicate 250 as a government run-church service on the National Mall that many Christiansdontagree with.

Its meant to establish this administrations narrow view of Christianity as the American religion, Laser said at a media briefing. I can imagine that our foundersare rolling over in their graves.

A spokesperson for Freedom 250 told CNN the US has a long history of public prayer, dating to the Second Continental Congress.

Hegseth in February invited a controversial self-described Christian nationalist pastor who supports repealing womens right to vote and who believes homosexuality should be a crime to lead a worship service at the Pentagon as part of a monthly prayer series he started.

The Pentagon is one of several government agencies that have moved to open meetings with a prayer, host regularfaith services, and post Bible verses and Christian imagery on social media sinceTrump returned to office last year.

In April, Trump, alongside members of his Cabinet and faith leaders, participatedin amarathon reading of the Bible, as part of a weeklong eventofferingwhat its organizers described as a spiritual celebration of the countrys 250th anniversary.

Earlier that month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sent a Christ is risen Easter message to employees, sparking backlash inside the department, angering some of itsnearly100,000employeesand prompting a formal complaint against the secretary.

A unionrepresentingfederal employees, including those at the Department of Agriculture, filed a lawsuit against the agency and Rollins last week over the Easter email, seeking to prevent the secretary from further communicating proselytizing Christian messages to USDA subordinates. When asked for comment on the lawsuit, a USDA spokesperson told CNN, While we do not comment on pending litigation, we will keep the plaintiffs in our prayers during this process.

Public-private funds used for religious event

A spokesperson for Freedom 250 toldCNNthegroup puts on signature events forthenations250thanniversary using private and public dollars.

Last year, Congressallocated$150 million toward the 250thin the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but its not clear how much public funds Freedom 250 received for this event. Freedom 250 referred to the National Park Foundation for funding details. The NPF then referred to the National Park Service, which CNN reached out to for comment.

While Freedom 250s setup means that it does not have to disclose its donors, Jeff Reinbold, president and CEO of the NPF, told lawmakers at a hearing in February that the foundation would disclose any donations to Freedom 250 as part of its normal reporting, unless anonymity is requested by the donor.

Any donations to Freedom 250 follow our normal donation procedures, he said, adding that the donorsare also vetted by the National Park Service.

As the country prepares to turn 250, Robert P. Jones, president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, said his research shows Americans are embracing the view of a religiously diverse country.

There is great diversity, not only in the country, but I would say within Christianity itself, and I think thats worth noting, and the thing thats really quite absent if you look at this event, Jones said.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. - A fatal crash on I-25 North in Douglas County Friday has sparked a broader conversation among residents about whether the area's roads and highways can handle its rapid growth.

Colorado State Patrol responded to a multi-vehicle crash on I-25 in Douglas County around 1:30 p.m.

A 31-year-old man from Aurora was pronounced dead at the scene. The highway was closed for more than four hours, gridlocking traffic across the county.

Watch Tyler's video report in the player below.

The shutdown sent drivers scrambling for alternate routes and flooded local roads almost immediately.

"You could see the chatter on social media, and then the roads just got flooded. It was almost instantaneous," Douglas County resident Dan Notartomaso said.

Notartomaso was among many residents who took to social media Friday evening to offer condolences to the victim's family while also raising concerns about the county's infrastructure.

"This is a perfect example of what an emergency egress out of town would look like if we had a fire or other disaster. Stop building new homes. The surrounding infrastructure cannot handle it," Notartomaso posted on Facebook.

He pointed to recent residential development as a key part of the problem.

"They've put in 1,100 homes and when you add two cars per household, you didn't change the road. Founders has always been a two-way in, two-way out, you're immediately putting another 3,000 cars on the road, and that's just terrain," Notartomaso explained.

Sheila Gross spent two hours in traffic trying to pick up her child from day care during the shutdown. Her husband, Michael, delivers pizza and said it took him more than two hours round trip to complete an order that was less than 5 miles away.

"I've never seen anything like that in the time I've been in Castle Rock. Unfortunately, yes, the person who passed away, my heart goes out to their family and all those involved. That is not diminishing this at all, but Castle Rock was not built for this type of shutdown thing," Sheila Gross said.

Gross said she hopes local leaders take notice.

"I think yesterday was a really big eye-opening experience, especially for city and council to say, 'Hey, what do we do to avoid this or mitigate it as best as we can,'" Gross said.

Both the Gross' and Notartomaso are calling on the Town of Castle Rock, Douglas County, and the Colorado Department of Transportation to evaluate how roads and highways can better serve the community's current size.

Gross noted some work is already underway.

"I think over the next 25 years, what some of the big things that they've already started a little bit working on is widening some of those major exit paths, especially the major corridors from like Castle Rock to Parker, being like Crowfoot Road. They're doing pretty aggressive expansion there, but it still has bottlenecks," said Michael Gross.

Notartomaso said the focus needs to shift away from new development.

"Right now we have to slow down development, we have to work with the space that we've already got, with the people that we already have, and find a plan that gets everybody out safely," Notartomaso said.

Denver7 reached out to Castle Rock, Douglas County, and CDOT officials for comment. Castle Rock said it would follow up with Denver7's Tyler Melito on Monday regarding these concerns.

Douglas County referred Melito to CDOT, as the highway falls under their jurisdiction, but noted the work being done in the county's 2050 Transportation Plan.

CDOT did not respond.

For 14 years, Grace Hamilton searched for answers. An active woman who enjoyed snowboarding and hiking, she knew something was wrong.

"I was experiencing, like, hair loss and weight gain and, like, really intense acne, really intense mood swings," Hamilton said.

Hamilton got her answer when she moved to Colorado several years ago. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, known as PCOS a complex condition affecting 1 in 8 women. Symptoms include weight gain, acne, and irregular periods along with invisible symptoms like insulin resistance, hormonal imbalances, and high cortisol.

Left untreated, PCOS carries a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. However, the focus and treatment have historically centered on the condition's reproductive not metabolic impacts.

Hamilton's diagnosis took more than a decade, partly because her case didn't fit the traditional picture of the condition.

"I never had polycystic ovaries, so that, I think, is part of why my diagnosis was so delayed," Hamilton said.

Now, the condition has a new name. PCOS is being renamed PMOS polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome a change medical experts say better reflects the full scope of the disorder and will help prevent delayed diagnoses like Hamilton's.

The push to rename the condition has been building for years.

"There was a meeting in 2012 at the NIH where really people came together and said, 'We think we need to change this,'" said Dr. Melanie Cree, a CU Anschutz professor and researcher.

Cree has been at the forefront of the effort to change both the name and the broader perception of the condition. The work required late nights and early mornings collaborating with experts across the globe.

"My times in Denver were always 2 to 4 AM, and so we'd be on with people from around the world," Cree said.

Those sleepless nights have now paid off. Cree joined academics worldwide as the name change was announced at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague on Tuesday.

The next three years will focus on educating both patients and providers to cement the name change and shift public perception of the condition.

"The name, really, I think, serves the goal of what everybody wanted, that it describes everything, not everything, but the majority of things that can happen with this medical condition," Cree said.

The hope is that the renaming will lead to better research, increased funding, and overall improved care for patients.

Cree, an NIH researcher, has noted the difficulty in obtaining sufficient funding for PMOS research throughout her career. According to Cree, women's health research receives the institute's lowest budget and is one of the hardest areas from which to secure grants.

"My first grant for treating this condition was from the American Heart Association. But I had to work really hard and against the name and so, you know, the hope is that it will help with research funding from a larger pot of money, so that our investigators can get more research funding."

Researchers have already begun working toward this goal.

"We're trying to get three clinical trials going for different aspects of PCOS that are all sponsored by different pharmaceutical companies," she said.

Hamilton participated in Cree's most recent clinical trial, which tested the use of GLP-1s for treating the condition. She is currently paying out of pocket for the drug but says the results have been worth it.

"I've lost 100 pounds. My hair has grown back. My adult acne has gone away. It's really changed my life," Hamilton said.

She hopes the name change will mean that someday insurance will pay for this treatment as well as bring more comprehensive treatment options to the millions of women living with the condition.

"I'm so thankful that moving forward, things could be different," Hamilton said.

And so it begins, rain affecting the front range and eastern plains tonight.

Rain will become more widespread tonight into Monday, while snow ramps up across the mountains and foothills. Temperatures will take a nose dive by Monday, with chilly, damp conditions sticking around through much of the day. Areas along and west of the foothills will likely see periods of steady precipitation.

The mountains are expected to pick up several inches of accumulating snow, especially in the higher elevations north of I-70. The foothills also have a strong chance of seeing accumulation by Monday, especially above about 6,500 to 8,000 feet. Around the I-25 Corridor and metro areas, it will mostly stay rain, though a few wet snowflakes could mix in late Monday afternoon or evening. From Estes Park to Leadville, we have a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for Monday as we expect 4-12 inches of snow.

Monday night could bring one last spring freeze for parts of the plains as temperatures fall close to or just below freezing. Whether it gets cold enough in the cities will depend on how quickly skies clear and winds calm down, but colder rural areas have a better chance of dipping below freezing overnight.

The warmer and drier weather pattern is still on the way, but its arriving a little later than expected.

Scattered showers and a few storms may linger through the middle of the week before conditions gradually improve. By Friday and into next weekend, temperatures should rebound to above normal with much drier weather returning.

DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.

State health officials say Colorado saw a major increase in syphilis cases between 2018 and 2023, especially congenital syphilis,which is when infection passes from mother to baby during pregnancy.

Like other sexually transmitted infections, the risk is going to occur when individuals are having sex, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says congenital syphilis cases increased more than seven times over a five-year period prompting the state to declare an epidemic in 2024. During that time, Governor Jared Polis called the yearslong trend a real danger for Colorado newborns.

I think certainly having sex with multiple partners, or having sex with partners that you don't know, is going to be some of the increased risk factors for the infection, Dr. Rachel Herlihy said.

Dr. Herlihy told Denver7 limited access to healthcare, especially prenatal care, is a major risk factor for syphilis and congenital syphilis because it can prevent people from receiving important screening tests and treatment during pregnancy. Other factors linked to rising syphilis cases include inconsistent syphilis testing by providers, substance use, and homelessness.

People weren't routinely being tested for syphilis. So, if you would get a screening test done for sexually transmitted infections, most likely you would be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea, maybe HIV, but syphilis wasn't as commonly being tested for. That's one of the messages that we've been emphasizing with healthcare providers in the last few years, is the importance of also testing patients for syphilis, Dr. Herlihy said.

But now, the state is seeing a shift and finding out why.

Provisional data shows the state recorded 64 congenital syphilis cases in 2024 compared to 44 in 2025. Overall cases also appear to be trending down from more than 3,200 cases in 2024 to 2,400 cases last year.

We're obviously being cautiously optimistic that things are trending in the right direction. We would love to see a continued downward trend, Dr. Herlihy said.

State epidemiologists told Denver7 increased testing may have temporarily boosted reported cases in 2024,

One of the things that can happen when you put this emphasis on increased screening and increased testing is a temporary increase in the number of cases. That may have occurred in 2024, but 2025 numbers have come down, and that is a good sign for us, Dr. Herlihy said.

Officials are hopeful the latest numbers show those interventions are starting to work.

One of the things that we put in place in Colorado in 2024 was this really significant emphasis on increasing screening and then increasing treatment for individuals that screen positive. Those two actions have been really important for us to try and stabilize and ultimately decrease the number of syphilis and congenital syphilis cases that we're seeing, Dr. Herlihy said.

State health officials said early testing during pregnancy is critical because syphilis is treatable with antibiotics when caught early.

If treatment does not occur, the baby can be born with what's called congenital syphilis, and that can be a variety of symptoms, including cognitive issues, neurologic issues, and bone deformities. A lot of really severe manifestations of that infection can occur, Dr. Herlihy added.

WELD COUNTY, Colo. Hunter Rivera, the 24-year-old chairman of the Weld County Republican Party, was one of two men arrested Thursday on suspicion of trying to buy sex from Larimer County Sheriffs Office investigators who posed as minors as part of an operation targeting child predators.

Larimer County deputies arrested Rivera and Ismaaeel Abdur Rahmaan, 22, during a Thursday undercover operation targeting people seeking to exploit children, according to the Larimer County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs office said investigators posted ads online posing as minors offering sexual acts; dozens responded, and the two suspects arrived at a meeting location where deputies took them into custody.

Both men face four felony charges: soliciting a child prostitute, internet luring of a child, cybercrimesoliciting to arrange a minor prostitute, and attempted sexual assault on a child.

Rivera received a $6,500 cash-only bond; Rahmaan received a $7,500 cash-only bond.

The Weld County Republican Party said Sunday that it has accepted Rivera's resignation as county chair, effective immediately.

Colorado House and Senate Republicans released a statement Friday, denouncing Rivera and calling the charges "sickening."

"These charges are sickening, horrifying, and beyond reprehensible. There is no defense for anyone who preys on children, no excuses, and no place for that anywhere near public life or our party," the statement read.

The state GOP added in a separate statement that the allegations against Rivera are "deeply disturbing and, if proven true, deserve the strongest possible condemnation."

First Vice Chair Adrienne Sandoval will serve as acting chairman until a successor is elected.

The World Health Organization declared Sunday the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.

Africas top public health body first confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congos Ituri province on Friday. By Saturday, it had reported 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths. All the cases are in Congo, except for two recorded in neighboring Uganda.

Health authorities say the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant of the Ebola disease that has no approved therapeutics or vaccines, making it much harder to fight.

Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have taken place in Congo and Uganda, including 17 in Congo since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo virus has been reported.

Heres what to know about the health crisis:

What does the WHOs emergency declaration mean?

The WHO says the latest Ebola outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, such as COVID-19, and advises against closing international borders.

Its emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action. However, the global response to previous declarations has been mixed.

In 2024, when the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency, experts at the time said it did little to get supplies like diagnostic tests, medicines and vaccines to affected countries quickly.

The outbreak in Congo started in a remote locality

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the first cases were reported in Mongwalu health zone, a high-traffic mining area in eastern Congo's Ituri province. Cases there subsequently migrated to Rwampara and Bunia health zones as patients sought medical care, the Africa CDC said, enabling spread across three health zones.

Those other two zones are Mongwalu and Bunia, the provinces capital city.

Ituri is in a remote eastern part of Congo, with poor road networks, and is more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nations capital, Kinshasa.

One major concern, the Africa CDC said, is the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan. Bunia, Ituri's main city, is near the border with Uganda.

The agency said there's also a risk of further spread due to intense population movement and attacks by armed groups that have killed dozens and displaced thousands in parts of Ituri in the past year.

There are also gaps in contact tracing, Africa CDC said, as local authorities race to find those who might have been exposed to the virus.

An unusual strain

The Bundibugyo virus, which health authorities say is responsible for the outbreak, is rare and different from the Ebola Zaire strain that has been dominant in all of Congo's past 17 outbreaks except one.

The virus was first detected in Ugandas Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak that killed 37 people out of 149 cases. The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.

The World Health Organization says the Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses, and that three of them are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus.

Dr. Gabriel Nsakala, a professor of public health who has been involved in past Ebola outbreak responses in Congo, said treatments for viral infections like Ebola are often directed at symptoms.

He said Congo has extensive experience managing Ebola outbreaks, but response efforts could be complicated by the unusual strain.

Urgent efforts to contain the outbreak

When the outbreak was confirmed on Friday, the Africa CDC convened an urgent high-level coordination meeting with health authorities from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, together with key partners including U.N. agencies and other countries.

The meeting, the agency said, focused on immediate response priorities, cross-border coordination, surveillance, safe and dignified burials and resource mobilization, among other areas.

On Saturday, Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya said several key response measures have been put in place to address the outbreak, including mobilization of resources from partners, deployment of multidisciplinary teams at official and nonofficial border crossing points, isolation of high-risk contacts, enhancement of surveillance, and contact listing and follow-up.

Possible logistical challenges in Congo

Congo is Africas second-largest country by land area and often faces logistical challenges in responding to disease outbreaks due to bad roads and long distances.

During last years three-month outbreak, the WHO initially faced significant challenges in providing vaccines, with delivery taking a week after the outbreak was confirmed.

Funding has also been problematic.

WHO said Friday that it has released $500,000 to support the response to the Ebola outbreak. Africa CDC also said Saturday that it has mobilized $2 million, but added that its only a small fraction of the urgently needed funds.

During last year's outbreak, health officials were concerned about the impact of U.S. funding cuts by the Trump administration.

The U.S. had supported responses to Congos past Ebola outbreaks, including in 2021, when the U.S. Agency for International Development provided up to $11.5 million to support efforts across Africa.

How Ebola is transmitted

The Ebola virus is highly contagious and can be transmitted to people from wild animals. It then spreads in the human population through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and with surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing contaminated with these fluids.

The disease it causes is a rare but severe and often fatal illness in people. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and at times internal and external bleeding.

The virus was first discovered in 1976, near the Ebola River in what is now Congo. The first outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests.

Janine Sonis scored two goals for the second straight game, and the expansion Denver Summit beat the Orlando Pride 3-1 on Saturday for the first home victory in franchise history.

In the other National Women's Soccer League matchup on Saturday, the North Carolina Courage beat Chicago 4-0, handing the Stars their fourth straight shutout loss.

In front of a sellout crowd of 16,974 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, Sonis converted a penalty kick to make it 2-0 after Oihane Hernandez fouled Yazmeen Ryan in the box in the 51st minute.

Orlando's Barbra Banda scored her league-best ninth goal of the season, getting the Pride within 2-1 in the 76th minute. Sonis responded one minute later with her second of the game and fourth this season.

Eva Gaetino scored in the 10th minute for Denver (3-3-3).

Orlando (3-5-2) was down a player for the last 27 minutes after Angelina Alonso Constantino was shown a red card.

Denver Summit FC: Pitchside | Episode 10: Megan Reid on her path to pro soccer. Watch in the video player below.

In Cary, North Carolina, Ashley Sanchez and Evelyn Ijeh each had a goal and an assist in North Carolina's 4-0 win over Chicago.

Mallory Swanson entered for the Stars as a substitute in the 76th minute, making her NWSL return after she missed last season while on maternity leave. The U.S. national team stalwart last played for Chicago 559 days earlier.

Another national team veteran, Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, exited in the 16th minute with an unspecified injury and was replaced by Halle Mackiewicz.

Ijeh headed in her first goal of the season in the 47th minute off a cross from Sanchez. Ijeh returned the favor in the 61st, assisting on Sanchez's sixth goal.

Ally Schlegel, who started her NWSL career in Chicago and signed with North Carolina as a free agent this past offseason, scored in the 65th minute for the Courage. Manaka Matsukubo made it 4-0 in the 86th.

North Carolina (3-3-3) ended a three-game winless streak. Chicago (2-8-0) is last in the NWSL standings and has not scored since a 2-0 win over Boston on April 25.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is warning about a potential increase in human-bear conflicts as the prolonged dry weather this winter is pushing hungry black bears into neighborhoods.

CPW said it has already received 98 reports of bear activity in 22 counties as of late April, compared to 127 reports in the same counties for all of last year. The wildlife agency said drought can lead to less natural food for bears, forcing them to look for food associated with humans.

Watch the video version of this report in the player below.

Every time a bear gets food from or near humans, whether from a bird feeder, a hummingbird feeder, or trash, it teaches the bear that people equal food, said Tim Kroening, Area Wildlife Manager for the Colorado Springs area. Bears are extremely intelligent and we cant unteach a bear that becomes habituated to a human-provided food source. It is vital that we as humans take responsibility to prevent them from learning this in the first place by keeping food sources secured.

The Wheat Ridge Police Department said it received a report about a bear in a yard near West 32nd Avenue and Wright Street around 11 a.m. on Saturday. CPW said it has been monitoring the bear as it heads toward open space. Lise and Roland Pitts, who live near the area, said they heard about a bear sighting, but almost didn't believe it.

"At first we thought it was a joke. What's the chance of seeing a bear?" said Lise. "They're looking for food. They're active and looking for food."

On Tuesday, the Broomfield Police Department said a bear was spotted roaming the Anthem Ranch Neighborhood near Highway 7 and Lowell Boulevard. Earlier this month, CPW said a bear fell into the window well of a home in Falcon.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said black bears typically return to the first large food source they find each year, making it critical for residents to take precautions. The agency recommends the following:

If you see a bear before it sees you, CPW says to stand still and quietly move away. If a bear approaches you, the agency says hold your ground, wave your arms and yell "Hey Bear" until it leaves. CPW said bear spray is the easiest and most effective way to deter a bear that threatens you.

At least three people were killed near Moscow after Ukraine targeted Russia with more than 500 drones overnight, Russian state news agency TASS reported Sunday, citing local and military officials.

The attack on Moscow is the largest in over a year, according to TASS, citing information released by the citys mayor, and follows a huge wave of Russian strikes earlier in the week targeting Ukraines capital, Kyiv. Those attacks killed at least 25 people and injured dozens of others, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Overnight into Sunday, a woman was killed after a drone hit a private home in Khimki, a town to the northwest of the Russian capital, mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, adding that another person was trapped under the rubble.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Russian missile strike on Kyiv apartment block kills 24, including teens

Two men were killed in Mytishchi, to Moscows northeast, when drone debris fell on a house under construction, Sobyanin said, adding that a total of 12 people were injured in Moscow, including construction workers at an oil refinery.

An Indian citizen was killed in Moscow region as the result of a drone attack, Indias Embassy in Russia said, adding that an additional three Indian citizens were injured.

Ukraines Security Service said that Ukrainian forces targeted facilities in the Moscow region, including striking two oil pumping facilities, an oil refinery and the Angstrom plant, which supplies semiconductors to Russias military-industrial complex.

Russias Defense Ministry said it intercepted 556 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Sobyanin said air defences shot down more than 120 drones heading for Moscow and its environs.

Fallen debris also caused a house in the village of Subbotino to catch fire, while four people were injured when drones damaged several residential blocks in the western town of Istra, TASS reported.

Some drone fragments fell on the grounds of Sheremetyevo Airport, Russias busiest air hub, though no injuries or damage were reported, according to the facility.

The state news agency posted images of a house engulfed in a fireball and several damaged apartment blocks on Telegram, without specifying their locations.

RELATED STORY | Operation Spider Web: How Ukraine rewrote the rules of drone warfare

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 287 drones overnight, injuring at least nine people in the Dnipropetrovsk region and Zaporizhzhia district. It shot down all but eight of those drones across seven locations, it added.

Just a little more than a week ago, Russia held a scaled-down version of its traditionally dazzling Victory Day military parade following intensified Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory, particularly against oil refineries.

As the attack unfolded on Sunday morning, Ukraines commander of the Unmanned System Forces posted a message on his official Telegram account, addressed to the residents of Patriarchy, one of Moscows elite residential districts.

The one-way ticket to a peaceful life in Patriarchy and the surrounding areas has been canceled.

Sen. Bill Cassidy was decisively defeated in Saturdays Republican primary in Louisiana, unable to convince voters that he deserved another term five years after voting to convict President Donald Trump during an impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

He finished behind U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, who capitalized on the power of Trump's endorsement as the president continues purging his party of people he views as disloyal, and John Fleming, the state treasurer. Letlow and Fleming will compete in a runoff on June 27.

The result was the latest example of Trump's unrivaled power over the Republican Party as he approaches the twilight of his second term with persistent inflation, sagging approval ratings and dissatisfaction over the war with Iran. Unlike some other senators who declined to run again after crossing Trump, Cassidy pushed hard for reelection and spent nearly double the combined amount of his opponents.

But none of that was enough for Cassidy to qualify for a runoff, let alone win a third term.

Our country is not about one individual, he told supporters after his loss. It is about the welfare of all Americans, and it is about the Constitution.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court backs GOP in Louisiana redistricting, limiting Black voters influence

Letlow, on the other hand, swiftly embraced Trump's central role when she spoke at her victory party.

I want to say thank you to a very special man who you all know, the best president this country has ever had, President Donald Trump, she said while flanked by her two young children.

Asked about Cassidy's vote at the impeachment trial, Letlow called it a sign that he had turned his back on the Louisiana voters.

Trump cheered the victory on social media, saying thats what you get by voting to Impeach an innocent man.

Trump has been purging his party

Trump unloaded on Cassidy the morning of the election, calling him a disloyal disaster and a terrible guy." Later that night, the senator made a thinly veiled reference to the attacks.

Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity, and I find that people of character and integrity dont spend their time attacking people on the internet, Cassidy said.

The Louisiana primary comes in the middle of a month of campaigns by Trump to exact retribution on politicians who have crossed him. On May 5 he helped dislodge five of seven Indiana state senators who rejected his redistricting plan.

Next Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky will face a Trump-backed challenger, Ed Gallrein, in another Republican primary. Massie angered Trump by opposing his signature tax legislation over concerns about the national debt, pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and opposing his decision to go to war with Iran.

After Cassidy's defeat, Trump wrote on social media that Tom Massie, a major Sleazebag, is even worse. He encouraged voters to "get this LOSER out of politics in Tuesdays Election.

It's a striking amount of intraparty turmoil as Republicans face the possibility of losing control of Congress in November's midterm elections.

The runoff between Letlow and Fleming, a former U.S. House member and Trump administration official, will likely determine Louisiana's next senator because of the state's Republican leanings.

On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis advanced to a runoff, but the second spot remained too close to call between Nicholas Albares and Gary Crockett.

Election changes stir concern

The election was scrambled by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision gutting a part of the Voting Rights Act that affects how congressional maps are drawn. Although the Senate primary went forward, Louisiana leaders decided to delay House primaries until a future date to allow them to redo district lines ahead of time, a shift that raised the possibility of confusion for voters on Saturday.

Cassidy also complained that a new primary system enacted last year confused voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the all-party primary previously in place. He said some called his office to say they had been unable to vote for him.

The process that was set up was destined to be confusing, Cassidy told reporters Friday.

Dadrius Lanus, executive director of the state Democratic Party, said his team fielded hundreds of calls from voters who said the changes undermined their ability to vote as they planned.

A lot of the information should have gotten to voters well in advance, Lanus said. Its literally been a whirlwind of confusion.

Incumbent senator tried to hang on

Cassidy waged an aggressive campaign to convince voters he should not be counted out.

His campaign was expected to have spent roughly $9.6 million on advertising through May 16, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. And Louisiana Freedom Fund, a super PAC supporting him, was on track to spend $12.3 million.

By comparison Letlows campaign, which launched Jan. 20, spent roughly $3.9 million, while a super PAC backing her, the Accountability Project, spent about $6 million.

Fleming's campaign spent about $1.5 million.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Sen. Cassidy Defends Vote To Convict Donald Trump

Cassidy and Louisiana Freedom Fund ran ads attacking Letlow for supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which Trump has tried to eliminate.

Letlow, a college administrator before her election to the House, said she supported DEI while interviewing for the position of president of University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2020.

Targeted by Trump

Cassidy's vote in favor of convicting the president after his 2021 impeachment has shadowed him since.

John Martin, a 68-year-old retired engineer in south Louisiana, said he would vote for Letlow because he was still upset by Cassidy's decision. He waved a campaign flyer showing her standing alongside the president.

I know a lot more about Cassidy than I do about her, Martin said. But if shes endorsed by Trump, Im going to believe that.

Cassidy steered clear of Trumps ire last year, supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services despite his public reservations about the nominees anti-vaccine views.

But as chair of the Senate health committee, Cassidy has been more publicly critical of Kennedy, including over funding cuts for vaccine development.

Trump also blamed Cassidy for the failed nomination of his second choice for surgeon general, Casey Means, who raised doubts about vaccinating newborns for hepatitis B, a practice Cassidy supports. Trump withdrew the Means nomination and criticized the senator.

Letlow waited for Trump's backing

Letlow considered running for Senate last year but only entered the race after Trump announced his endorsement in January.

By that time Fleming, who was elected treasurer in 2023, had already jumped in and pitched himself as a Trump devotee. But Landry was looking for a better-known challenger, and he suggested Letlow to the president.

Letlow had an unconventional and tragic entry into politics.

In 2020, while she was a college administrator, her husband Luke was elected to the U.S. House but died of COVID-19 before he could be sworn in. Letlow ran for and won the seat in a March 2021 special election and was reelected in 2022 and 2024.

DENVER While a weather change is exected to bring rain and cooler temps to the Denver metro over the next few days, the rain should mostly hold off during Sunday morning for the Colfax Marathon.

The Colfax Marathon weekend is back with thousands of runners expected in the two-day event, happening Saturday and Sunday. Other races like the half-marathon and the Urban 10 Mile are still available, and spots for the marathon are filling up. More info. and how to register, here.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Colfax Marathon through Denver and Lakewood.

Here's a bit of what you should know:

Dates & Events

Start/Finish

Here's the Sunday hourly forecast from Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson

Course Highlights

Road Closures

Here's info from RTD

"D, H and L light rail (Sunday, May 17, only):

Bus routes:

May 17 only: the following bus routes will be temporarily detoured in many areas, and will be allowed to cross the marathon route when possible: 0, 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 15L, 16, 19, 20, 24, 28, 30, 38, 40, 43, 44, 48, 51, 52, 76, 83L, ART, FREE

Customers using routes affected by the marathon should expect delays and detours, which may affect scheduled connecting bus and rail trips.

Check the RTD website before traveling for schedules and to plan a trip"

For the May 17 race day, RTD is accepting Colfax Marathon 2026 race bibs, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. as valid fare payment on the following rail lines and bus routes:

Rail lines: W Line

Bus routes: 15, 15L, 16"

And finally, you can find information on Lakewood road closures here.

DENVER Warm temperatures and active skies will set the stage for showers and thunderstorms later today, with the Eastern Plains at risk for large hail, damaging winds and even an isolated tornado.

The I-25 Corridor and foothills may see less-intense storms, but afternoon and evening hours could bring significantly stronger weather to areas farther east, depending on how far humid air pushes westward.

The Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson said a weather disturbance moving overhead will help storms develop, while a boundary near our area separates humid air to the east from much drier air to the west. Where that boundary settles will play a big role in storm intensity if the moist air moves farther toward I-25, the threat of severe weather expands. In the most humid zones, a few storms may produce large hail, damaging gusts up to 70 mph, and a small chance for an isolated tornado.

Other locations will still see showers and storms later today, but with lower severe impacts. The unsettled pattern continues into Sunday as another weather system approaches. Showers and thunderstorms are expected again during the afternoon and evening, along with breezy north winds. Small shifts in moisture and front placement will be key to Sundays storm strength even with modest instability, strong winds higher in the atmosphere could support a few strong to severe storms.

The Denver7 News team is tracking the latest severe weather alerts and storm reports below.

LINKS: Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

5:02 p.m. | Severe storm near Proctor | Warning in effect until 6:00 p.m., said NWS in Boulder.

4:28 p.m. | Philips County severe storm | Warning in effect until 5:15 p.m., said NWS in Boulder.

4:02 p.m. | Lincoln County severe storm | Quarter sized-hail also possible in Lincoln County. Severe t-storm warning issued until 4:30 p.m.

3:59 p.m. | New severe t-storm warning | Quarter sized-hail possible in storm near Akron. Severe t-storm warning issued until 4:45 p.m.

3:30p.m. | CSU ceremonies impacted | CSU Police & Safety on social media said CHHS ceremonies would be delayed Saturday:

Their post on X:

"Colorado State University is anticipating weather this afternoon around 3:30-4 p.m. The CHHS recognition ceremonies at Moby Arena will experience a delay and will now start at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m."

3:27p.m. | Grass fire reported | The NWS in Boulder also said a grass fire was reported north of Colorado Air and Space Port. Here's their social post below:

"Heads up if you're near Bennett: Ongoing grass fire to the north of the Colorado Air and Space Port. Winds are currently out of the N and NE," posted the NWS.

3:24p.m. | Severe t-storm warning | A storm near Hugo could produce half dollar-sized hail and 60 mph winds.

3:05 p.m. | Severe t-storm watch issued | Several Northeastern Colorado counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m., according to NWS in Boulder.

Colorado counties:

Kansas counties:

2:20 p.m. | Severe t-storm warning | NWS in Boulder is tracking a severe thunderstorm SW of Limon with quarter size hail possible

2:14 p.m. | Matheson storm |From NWS Boulder:

2:00 p.m. | Severe thunderstorm 'likely' |From NWS Storm Prediction Center:

1:45 p.m. | Tracking early stormss |From NWS in Boulder:

"A special weather statement has been issued for Simla CO and Matheson CO until 2:15 PM MDT"

12:45 p.m. | Stacey's Forecast | A weather disturbance moving overhead will help storms develop, while a boundary near the area separates humid air to the east from much drier air to the west.

Where that boundary ends up this afternoon will make a big difference in how intense the storms become. Areas farther east could see much stronger storms if the more humid air pushes westward. In that case, a few storms may produce large hail, damaging wind gusts around 70 mph, and even a small chance for an isolated tornado.

Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream or watch below.

Rival cellphone providers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are teaming up to eliminate dead zones across the United States, the companies announced this week.

The joint venture aims to nearly eliminate dead spots in underserved areas by relying largely on satellites rather than traditional cell towers to fill coverage gaps.

The service is considered direct-to-device, meaning cellphones will communicate directly with satellites.

RELATED STORY | T-Mobile teams up with Starlink to eliminate dead zones

The companies said they are also developing redundant technology to ensure reliable service during emergencies.

The collaboration comes a year after T-Mobile and Starlink launched a beta project to use satellite technology to fill coverage gaps. Also last year, Verizon partnered with Skylo to offer satellite messaging and location detection for customers with select Android devices.

The companies did not disclose which satellite providers will participate in the latest joint venture.

RELATED STORY | How often do you really need to restart your smartphone?

Our goal is to make staying connected simple, no matter where you are on a rural highway, in a national park, on a boat, or during an emergency, said John Stankey, chairman and CEO of AT&T. By joining with other carriers, we're bringing our combined expertise to accelerate access to reliable, always-on coverage everywhere. This collaboration not only makes connectivity easier; it strengthens America's communications leadership.

The partnership is subject to final regulatory approval.

A legal fight over Florida's new congressional map is now in the hands of a Leon County judge, as voting-rights groups ask the court to block the plan before the 2026 elections.

The plaintiffs argue the map is an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander that could help Republicans pick up four additional seats in Congress. The state, along with attorneys for the Florida House and Senate, says the request is extraordinary and should be denied.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court rejects Virginia's bid to restore congressional map favoring Democrats

WATCH BELOW: Judge weighs whether to block Florida's new congressional map

During a virtual hearing held Friday, attorneys for the plaintiffs asked Judge Joshua Hawkes to temporarily stop the new map from taking effect and instead keep Floridas 2022 congressional districts in place while the lawsuit continues.

"Plaintiffs and Florida voters will face irreparable harm if the 2026 election goes forward under unlawful districts," said Simone Leeper, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit centers on Florida's Fair Districts Amendments, voter-approved constitutional rules intended to limit partisan gerrymandering. Plaintiffs argue the new map was openly drawn using partisan data and does not comply with those protections.

RELATED STORY | Trump's redistricting push fizzles in South Carolina Senate but wins in Missouri's top court

"The evidence here is staggering, and defendants barely attempt to rebut it," said Christina Ford, an attorney for the Equal Ground plaintiffs.

Attorneys for the state, House and Senate pushed back, arguing the plaintiffs are asking the court to freeze a duly enacted map before a full trial. They said the challengers are relying on disputed facts, expert reports, political commentary and statements that do not prove unconstitutional intent.

"There's no need to rush in this instance either," said Mohammad Jazil, an attorney for the Secretary of State. "There should be a trial, there should be a proper assessment of the facts, all of the facts, a testing of the evidence, a testing of the expert witnesses before another plan is imposed."

Hawkes pressed both sides on whether he has the power to pause the new map now, and whether reverting to the 2022 map would simply preserve the status quo or amount to ordering the state to use a plan no longer in law.

"It seems like a lot to do this early in the case," Hawkes said during the hearing.

The judge did not immediately rule. His decision could carry major political consequences not just for the future of Florida's congressional districts, but potentially for control of Congress in 2027.

The timeline is tight. Candidate qualifying is expected in June, followed by the August primaries and the 2026 midterm general election on Nov. 3.

This article was originally produced by Forrest Saunders for the Scripps News Group stations in Florida.

Frances Pasteur Institute said it has fully sequenced the Andes strain of the hantavirus detected in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship and found that it matched viruses already known in South America, with no evidence so far of new characteristics that would make it more transmissible or more dangerous.

The analyzed virus corresponds to the viruses already known and monitored in South America, Health Minister Stphanie Rist said Friday on X. At this stage, no element suggests the emergence of a form of the virus that could be more transmissible or more dangerous, she said.

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Pasteur said genomic analysis confirmed that the virus found in the French passenger matched the virus detected in other cases aboard the ship and closely resembled known Andes virus samples circulating in South America.

This sequencing work allows us to better understand the virus and to ensure close health monitoring, Rist said. She added that the data would be shared with the international scientific community.

Pasteur said the viruses detected in patients from the ship were identical to each other and about 97% similar to some Andes viruses circulating in South America, including those identified in rodents. Jean-Claude Manuguerra, who heads Pasteurs Environment and Infectious Risk unit, said the remaining variation appeared to reflect natural viral variation and did not seem to affect the characteristics of the virus detected among travelers.

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The French passenger tested positive after traveling aboard the MV Hondius and has been treated in Paris. French authorities previously said she was in serious condition.

The outbreak on the ship has reached 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed. Three people on the cruise died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

On Wednesday Colorado lawmakers passed Senate Bill 26-190 requiring law enforcement agencies to share recordings of deadly police shootings with the family members of the person killed before sharing them with the public.

The legislation also requires police departments to make every effort to notify the family of the person who died in a police shooting within 24-hours. It requires law enforcement agencies to proactively provide relevant unedited video and audio recordings when officers kill a person to their immediate family within 21 days of the incident.

Watch the video version of this story in the player below.

In addition, families would have to be notified of their right to view the footage at least 72 hours before it is released to the public and requires officers to refrain from using subjective statements about the person killed.

We were able to create statutory language around police no longer being able to make subjective observations or extrajudicial statements when they are giving those public updates. Additionally they can no longer just simply pull prior criminal history and make that a part of the narrative. It wasn't relevant at the time of the incident, so it's not relevant in the time of the update. So we now have a law that requires police to give facts, the facts that they have at the time, said MiDian Shofner, CEO of The Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership.

Shofner helped draft the legislative proposal for the bill.

We have multiple families in our own community that have suffered in agony because these systems have not shown compassion or care, and so, because of that, we were able to leverage the lived experiences of the family of Kilyn Lewis, Jalin Seabron people impacted by the Rajon Belt-Stubblefield killing, Kory Dillard, Shofner said. All of those families have lived their pain out loud in order to seek change, because they know what it means to not have answers, they know what it means to hear your loved one being criminalized, and you're trying to manage the grief that comes with the loss. So we were able to truly leverage real time lived experiences."

But there was some push back to the bill. In the first hearing for SB26-190, Republican lawmakers on the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee voted against advancing the legislation.

The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police has also shared concerns with portions of the bill they believe could "create legal ambiguity and unintentionally discourage timely, factual communication with the public during critical moments".

The bill still needs Governor Polis's signature before becoming law.

Whole Foods Market announced it will bring its small-format locations to three new markets Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia as it expands in densely populated urban areas.

The stores, part of the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop concept, are scheduled to open within the next two years. The company says the layout emphasizes easier access to meals, pantry staples and grab-and-go options.

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Daily Shop is an important part of how were growing our physical store presence, said Christina Minardi, vice president of real estate and store development at Whole Foods Market and Amazon. As we expand this smaller format into new cities, were continuing to deliver the same high standards and carefully curated assortment Whole Foods Market is known for, in a way that meets our customers everyday needs.

Whole Foods launched its small-format concept in 2024 in New York City and has since expanded to Arlington, Virginia, and London. Additional Daily Shop locations are also planned for New York City.

The company says it plans to open 100 new locations in the coming years, bringing its total to more than 600 stores nationwide.

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Someone paid more than $9 million to have lunch with basketball player Stephen Curry and Warren Buffett, and the legendary investor also promised to match the winning bid so both their favorite charities will benefit.

The auction on eBay was intended to revive an event that Buffett hosted for more than two decades that raised $53 million for the GLIDE Foundation homeless charity in San Francisco. This year's auction that wrapped up Thursday night also raised month for Curry's Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation that he established with his wife, Ayesha.

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The anonymous winner paid $9,000,100 to win a private lunch with Buffett and the Currys in the 95-year-old investor's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, next month.

"Were overwhelmed with gratitude for this opportunity, which reflects a shared belief that when different generations and institutions come together with purpose, we can create deeper and more lasting impact for the people who need it most, the Currys said in a statement.

The Buffett auctions started in 2000 and continued every year until the pandemic prompted a couple years off. Starting in 2008, every winning bid for lunch with the investing giant topped $1 million. He discontinued the event after someone paid $19 million for a lunch in 2022.

A follow-up auction in 2024 raised $1.5 million for a lunch with software titan Marc Benioff, but that version of the event didn't last.

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Buffett reached out to the Currys earlier this year to ask them to join the lunch auction this year. Curry missed 27 games this year before returning to help the Golden State Warriors down the stretch.

Buffett stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in January after six decades of leading the conglomerate. He remains chairman, but just sat through his first annual shareholder meeting sitting in the audience instead of leading the event from stage.

A former Kansas mayor who pleaded guilty to charges that he illegally voted in U.S. elections has reportedly been detained, drawing an outcry from supporters.

Jose Joe Ceballos pleaded guilty in April to three counts of disorderly election conduct. The Department of Homeland Security said Ceballos voted multiple times in U.S. elections and affirmed he was a U.S. citizen.

Ceballos obtained a green card in 1990 and applied for U.S. citizenship in 2025. While holding a green card, he served as mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, a town of about 700 residents near the Oklahoma border.

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His attorney, Jess Hoeme, said Ceballos plea deal was favorable. Ceballos had been facing felony charges that, if he had been convicted, could have increased his chances of being deported to Mexico.

Hoeme noted that Ceballos never denied voting but claimed he did not intentionally break the law.

KSNW-TV reported that Ceballos was detained this week in Wichita, and his future status in the U.S. is uncertain.

I dont know whats going to happen, Ceballos told KSNW. I dont know where theyre going to take me and what I can and cant do inside there.

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When he turned himself in to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, numerous supporters gathered to urge his release.

The Trump administration has cited Ceballos case in support of an election bill that would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Opponents say such a proposal would place an undue burden on some voters and have a chilling effect on participation.

The Department of Homeland Security says it has identified 24,000 cases of noncitizens on U.S. voting rolls, though it is unclear how many of them actually voted. There were more than 155 million total votes cast in the last presidential election.

Ceballos was reelected as mayor in 2025 but resigned one month after the November election, following the charges of illegal voting.