A man was killed by police Saturday during an incident that prompted a shelter-in-place for residents in the area of Willow Green Townhomes in Arvada, according to an announcement from police.

Police first responded to the apartment at 6989 Sheridan Blvd. around 7 a.m. after a domestic disturbance report involving an assault, according an Arvada PD release.

"Initial information indicated multiple individuals, including children, were inside the unit and that firearms were present," officials said in the release.

Police entered the apartment after seeing "evidence of a physical disturbance." In the apartment, they had found two women and a child who were safely taken out of the apartment, officials said. The release said officers were told there were two men still inside who were believed to be armed.

Police said they saw an armed man exit through a window and onto the roof before going back inside. The man came out on the roof again and retrieved a gun, when a Westminster officer shot him. Westminster PD had been called to the scene earlier when Arvada PD requested additional resources.

"Due to the unknown situation inside the apartment and potential danger, emergency medical personnel were unable to immediately access him," the release said. "A drone was used to monitor the suspect, who showed no signs of life."

The Jefferson County Regional SWAT Team searched the apartment and didn't find anyone else, and the man on the roof was confirmed to be dead around 11 a.m. There were two guns on the roof with him and another in the apartment, according to police.

Arvada PD detectives are investigating the initially reported assault, and the 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the police shooting.

Residents in the area of Willow Green Townhomes in Arvada near 70th Avenue and Sheridan were instructed to shelter in place Saturday morning while police said they were responding to a "barricaded suspect." The shelter in place was lifted a little after noon, and Sheridan reopened after being closed between 72nd and 69th avenues.

An Uber driver has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and driving her to a business in another city.

Javier Delgado-Cordoba, 29, turned himself in to the Jefferson County Jail on Monday on a sexual assault warrant that stemmed from an incident reported in late January, Arvada Police officials said. He is being charged with three counts of sexual assault, a spokesperson for the First Judicial District said.

Police believe there could still be additional victims.

Delgado-Cordoba has been driving for Uber for a year and has completed more than a thousand rides, according to police.

"We recognize that these types of crimes are deeply personal and difficult to report, said Arvada Chief of Police Ed Brady. Our goal in sharing this information is to ensure that anyone who may have been affected knows they are not alone and that support and resources are available.

Police say Delgado-Cordoba picked the woman and her boyfriend up from a Denver-area bar for an Uber ride to a residence in Arvada. Delgado-Cordoba is accused of getting into the back seat with the woman after the boyfriend got out of the car at the residence to unlock the door. As the boyfriend came back to the car, Delgado-Cordoba allegedly drove away with the woman still in the car and dropped her off at a business in Thornton, according an Arvada Police spokesperson.

She later sought medical care and a forensic exam, police said.

Detectives identified Delgado-Cordoba through information associated with his Uber profile, social media and DNA evidence, according to the release from Arvada PD.

Police are asking anyone else who believes they may be a victim of Delgado-Cordoba to contact the Arvada PD tip line at (720) 898-7171 and reference case AR26001904, or to contact their local law enforcement agency.

According to police, the ride was provided by a driver using the name Javier in a light colored 2023 Kia K5 sedan with the license plate 642RDGZ26, but Delgado-Cordoba may have also used other cars while working as a rideshare driver.

On Monday, a federal jury found Uber liable in the second of more than 3,000 pending sexual assault and misconduct lawsuits, the New York Times reported.

Last year, Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill that would have required regular background checks of rideshare drivers and would have banned drivers convicted of certain crimes from working for companies like Uber and Lyft, calling the regulations "unworkable," but directed his administration to work with sponsors of the bill to improve rideshare safety. The state's Public Utilities Commission is currently working on new rules aimed at cracking down on "imposter drivers."

Stage 1 water restrictions go into effect Wednesday for the City of Arvada. Leaders say how residents respond now could impact how much water they have for basic needs in the future.

Arvada receives most of its raw water supply from Denver Water, which implemented water restrictions for more than 1.5 million customers last month.

Residents are now limited to lawn watering to two days a week between the hours of 6 p.m. to 10 a.m.

If your home is an even address, your watering days are Sundays and Thursdays. If you are an odd address, your days are Wednesdays and Saturdays. Businesses are Tuesdays and Fridays.

City leaders said this is about making sure theres enough water for essential needs like drinking, cooking, and cleaning just now but also in the future. Along with limiting lawn watering, the city is asking people to avoid waste, fix leaks and only water plants outside peak heat hours.

Denver7 spoke to one resident who said he's already making long-term changes.

We ended up getting rid of our front lawn and putting in water-wise landscaping because we recognized there's less water in the Colorado River, the climate is changing, and we just wanted to be smart about it, Harris Rollinger told Denver7.

Rollinger said he will also be taking action toward other areas of his property.

We do have a lawn in the backyard. I know there's two days a week that we can water the lawn. We have a vegetable garden and plants that we can do hand watering with. It doesn't bother me at all, Rollinger said.

Given the historically low snowpack Colorado has experienced, Rollinger said these restrictions make sense.

Green grass is a beautiful thing, and watering your lawn make curb appeal everything. I get it, but we all have to share the burden of this, which is, we had no water. This winter, we had no snow, no moisture. In order for us to get through the summer, we have to pull together as a community and really pull together as a state to make it through, Rollinger said.

When Denver first implemented restrictions, viewers kept asking Denver7 "what about golf courses?"

In Arvada, the city said its reducing irrigation in its parks and two city-owned golf courses and instead prioritizing things like athletic fields and trees.

We're reducing the number of days that we're watering, and we are letting things stay a little bit browner for a little bit longer. There is some watering that we are doing to incorporate like wetting agents or plant health protectants into the soil for the plant's health. Mainly we're irrigating maybe once a week right now, Arvada Golf Course Operations & Maintenance Manager Joe Kunze said.

The citys golf courses West Woods and Lake Arbor encompass over 200 acres of irrigated turf and use around 125 million gallons of water annually.

As far as watering frequency, we try to use more of an infrequent approach. We try to mimic rainfall events where we might irrigate a little bit normal or a little bit higher than normal one night, but then we're able to turn the irrigation system completely off for the next two or three nights, Kunze said.

Kunze said the city has technology that monitors their pump stations and irrigation system.

We can report every drop of water that is used. We can monitor for any waste and ensure that there's zero waste, Kunze said.

Because of these restrictions, the citys Olde Town Water Fountain will now only be turned on for special events like the Farmers Market and Second Saturdays.

The Olde Town Fountain is tied into the regular water and sewer system and the water cannot be recycled. This means when it is running we continue to use more water. Running it full time would hinder our ability to reduce water use by 20% this year, according to the citys website.

The city will also be monitoring water use. Anyone who does not follow these restrictions could face fines.

Unseasonably warm weather is bringing an early summer rush to local bars and restaurants across the Denver metro area, providing a much-needed boost to businesses during what is typically their slowest season.

In Larimer Square, the patios are packed. At Tamayo, the restaurant has been busy for the past month and a half.

"It fills up quickly, and then it continues through happy hour, all into the evening and even to the later parts of the evening, because it's staying warmer at that time," Scott Rash, general manager of Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval, said.

Rash said reservations at Tamayo were completely booked from Friday to Sunday, boosted by large conferences and multiple sporting events happening downtown during the 78-degree weekend.

"Definitely keeping full and adding extra staff, which is helping out everybody. They're loving it because they're constantly busy," Rash said.

The early arrival of spring is also drawing crowds in Olde Town Arvada, where temperatures have broken records on multiple occasions this year.

"People want to come out. They want to sit on the patios. They want to enjoy a cocktail, just to be outside enjoy the sun," Scott Spears, owner of School House Kitchen and Libations, said.

Spears said Olde Town's designated drinking zone, which began last fall, is paying off sooner than expected thanks to the early arrival of spring this year.

"It's been good for business. I mean, the economy is a little bit rough right now, but it is. It's definitely helpful," Spears said.

The surge in foot traffic comes at a time when restaurant margins are tighter than ever. According to the Colorado Restaurant Association, owners keep just 3 cents from every $1 spent after operating costs.

"Local restaurants need every dollar they can get right now, amid rising costs and overall declines in consumer spending. An extended patio season is a springtime gift for local restaurants," the Colorado Restaurant Association said in a statement.

"We're all small businesses down here. We're all individually owned. There's not big corporations, and you're helping the people that are usually behind the counters," Spears said.

Business owners are optimistic the early sunshine is a sign of what is to come.

"Hopefully, absolutely good, early start for the summertime," Rash said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. After staring up at a nest of baby peregrine falcons and their mother soaring overhead, Jerry Arni packs up his telescope, walks down a short trail and then he, too, flies.

His version just includes a harness and zip line over a river to his home.

Arni, 83, is one of the many volunteers with Jefferson County's raptor monitoring program. Since 2015, he has volunteered to walk a couple minutes from home to a vantage point along the North Fork South Platte River where he can safely monitor a peregrine falcon nest and any babies also called fledglings from afar.

For him, though, leaving the house is itself a unique experience, as it involves soaring across a rushing or frozen river, depending on the season.

Other Jeffco Parks and Open Space volunteers like him zip line or no zip line are tasked with reporting their observations about the raptors, their nests and possible fledglings. Arni is a self-described fanatic about peregrine falcons, which started when he saw his first one around 2015 across the river from his home.

"And there it was, standing up there, just beautiful," he told Denver7. "Well, you could see the whole thing. You could see the helmet that it has on it. The whole bird is just spectacular. So, the minute after that, I immediately signed up for being a raptor monitor for the Cathedral Spires."

It all stems down to the fact that I believe that raptors should be protected and be part of our lives forever, he continued.

The idea of compensation for all of his hours watching the peregrines made him scoff.

I couldn't even think of being rewarded for being here, Arni said, smiling. My reward is sort of in my heart.

Jefferson Countys raptor monitoring program has supported these birds of prey in the county for more than 20 years, relying on a group of dedicated volunteers who track raptor breeding patterns across more than 25 territories of the birds.

That includes species like great horned owls, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and peregrines, and other predatory birds that keep other species' populations in check. The raptors mate in the winter or spring, and their fledglings learn to fly by late summer or fall.

Volunteers visit their designated sites where they can view the nests at least twice a month and submit reports on what they observe.

In 2025, about 40 volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours observing nests, surveying 93 in total, the county reported. Of those, about 30 nests were considered "active" and 52 fledglings were spotted.

The volunteers' reporting helps the county to determine when it can allow hikers and climbers back on certain trails that annually close when raptors begin nesting. This protects the animals, which will not lay eggs if they are stressed and disturbed by human presence. The trails only reopen once the fledglings are gone.

That's a world that Erickson Smith, natural resources specialist with Jeffco Parks and Open Space, gets to regularly dive into. He spoke with Denver7 during a walk around South Valley Park.

His career as a biologist kicked off by volunteering on public lands, so helping to manage the raptor monitoring program comes naturally to him. While some of the members are brand new, others have contributed their time since the program started 20 years ago.

"People's lives are really busy. And so seeing that commitment into something like conserving the natural resources in their community is really inspiring to me," Smith said. "And I feel like I need to pay it forward, because I was given the opportunity, once upon a time, and that got me here."

He explained that by tracking predators, biologists can learn what is happening across the broader landscape.

So, when Arni spotted newly hatched peregrines last year, it was a good sign.

Over the span of a few months, he zipped across the river and walked up to a safe viewing spot to watch the nest. Through all kinds of weather, he observed the fledglings' confidence increase and they began flapping their wings. To his knowledge, they all flew off, he said, noting that the 14- to 18-inch adults can fly 240 miles per hour, topping the list as the fastest animal on Earth.

"So last year, we absolutely were responsible for two more peregrine falcons being in the wild," he said. "And the parents hopefully will come back this year."

He told Denver7 on Tuesday afternoon that they had indeed returned.

When the adult peregrines are present, Arni said other raptors, like bald eagles and golden eagles, tend to leave the area.

"It's absolutely dominant," he said of the animal.

Golden eagles are another beloved raptor on Jefferson County's monitoring list.

Prior to our interview with Arni near his riverside home, Denver7 met with three other volunteers with the raptor monitoring program, including Tom Clark.

Clark had the rare chance to watch two golden eagles fledge at the same time. He has also witnessed a golden eagle snatch a crow from mid-air and bring it back to the nest to feed its young.

"That was pretty amazing," he said. "I'm very fortunate. It's not a job. It's an adventure."

Clark has volunteered with the program for eight years. Over that time, he has grown quite familiar with the species. He calls them dedicated and resilient parents that can endure anything from hailstorms and wildfires, to nearby traffic crashes and medevac helicopters flying overhead all while caring for their babies. Seeing them persevere through that difficulty to successfully raise their fledglings is part of what has kept him returning to volunteer.

"I intend to do it until I can't walk anymore," he said, grinning.

Third-year volunteer Danielle Duran also has her eyes to the sky something she has done her whole life before fully embracing her love for birds, especially raptors. However, the animals she watches are a little trickier to find during the day.

She monitors a great horned owl nest. Jeffco said the species had a "banner year" in 2025 with five of six monitored nests ending in success.

"I honestly do it because I find it fun and if I can spend my time doing something that I enjoy, that is also helping a bigger purpose, that's just a win," Duran said.

"The program is mostly made up of people who just love birds," she continued. "And if they got a chance to help out monitoring, ecology and habitats at the same time, it's kind of a win-win. But I think most of the volunteers, their first love is birds. And if it overlaps with volunteering, it's perfect."

Denver7 asked what has drawn her to these birds of prey.

"I don't do anything related to wildlife for my daily job. I work in marketing," Duran explained. "I think part of it is that they are so different from us. I feel like they're one of the animals that are the most opposite of say, a mammal like a primate. Their mannerisms, the way they interact with each other just feels so foreign."

Raptors feel mysterious and rare to her, she added.

"It feels like, when I get to watch them, getting a glimpse into a world that I don't normally get to see," she said.

Along a trail in South Valley Park, volunteer Erlinda Stafford explained how retirement has allowed her to spend more time outside. While she has committed to the program, she likes that she can choose when and how long she shows up. She monitors nests within that park and pointed a few of them out to Denver7.

"Oh, to watch the great horned owl fledglings," she said. "They are the cutest, fluffiest things you ever see. And then I also saw the fledglings down at the red-tailed hawks' nest. And they were gangly. They got these long legs. And you know, they're learning trying to learn to fly."

Stafford was trying something new too. She bought a new camera and has been learning photography while out watching the birds.

"When I first retired, I tried different volunteer things," she said. "And when I found this, I was like, 'Oh, this is my niche here.' Here we are. I get to be outside looking at birds, looking at nature, looking at all sorts of things and helping."

"I'm hooked. Hooked," she added. "I will keep doing this. Just as long as I can."

Police in Arvada are looking for one of three teen auto-theft suspects who police said led officers on a brief pursuit after crashing into a police car Monday morning.

Arvada police public information officer David Snelling said officers received a report of an auto theft at W. 60th Avenue and Yarrow Street.

When officers arrived, they encountered three teen suspects in the stolen vehicle.

The suspects reportedly swerved and hit a police car, prompting Arvada police to begin a pursuit.

The pursuit was ultimately called off shortly afterward.

After the pursuit had been called off, Snelling said the suspects continued driving and crashed at W. 67th Avenue.

At that location, two suspects were taken into custody while officers searched for the third.

No injuries were reported.

All southbound lanes of Wadsworth Boulevard were closed at 68th Avenue during the investigation.

ARVADA, Colo. Sports have a way of bringing an entire community together. In Arvada, girls soccer has been proof of that for decades, built on one simple belief: girls deserved to play too.

In the 1950s, Lu and Wes Sanborn chose Arvada to raise their family and encourage their children to discover their passions. Their children took an interest in sports, with Wes coaching several teams and saying it was "just a matter of who wanted to do what where, when and why."

Like many families, the seasons brought different sports. However, when their daughter Deb wanted to try soccer in the 1960s, there was a problem, as there was no girls team for her to play on.

"We were always together and always out in the outfield playing catch or kicking a soccer ball or whatever it is," said Deb. "The challenge was issued that girls would never want to do this, and thankfully, my dad accepted it because there was a whole lot of us around that we were ready to go."

It was a challenge Wes knew could be conquered and one he wasn't afraid to take on.

"Everybody was tickled to death at the meeting when I first brought this up," said Wes Sanborn. "They said, 'It will never be, nobody wants to play,' and I said, 'Well, how will you know if we don't try?' And they agreed to try.

"When I got that first team, they said, 'You asked for it, they're yours,' and that's how I really got involved in girls soccer."

Wes and Lu both took on coaching different girls teams, but it was not easy, as they had to find fields to practice on and learn the rules, too.

"The hardest part about it was just getting them all lined up to learn how to play, and the only way I had to was because I had a book," said Wes. "The book said, 'You do this, this, and this.' That's what I passed on to the girls."

Paula Hartfield lived across the street from Deb, with the childhood neighbors turning into teammates on the field. Hartfield said her father wasn't fully supportive at first, but that would change when he saw her on the field.

"I didn't know anything about foot skills or anything like that," said Hartfield. "I mean, it wasn't anything like it is nowadays, and I had a hard time staying in my position. I do remember that."

Decades later, the Sanborns proudly pulled out a 1972 clipping from the Arvada Citizen Sentinel with Deb and Paula featured in a photo alongside Gov. John Love's wife, Ann. The article, written by Ann Lockhart, was titled "Soccer Association Stages Another Successful Season."

Lockhart had no idea her article had been saved for all these decades until Denver7's Maggy Wolanske tracked her down. While the details may have faded, Lockhart emphasized the importance as a journalist to share the stories in her community.

"Well, newspapers have our history, the history of the community," said Lockhart. "I'll tell you, if you're doing history, you go back into the newspaper archives to look up things, and that's a great resource."

This newspaper clipping has a way of bringing it all back, with Paula and Deb rereading it and talking about the laughs, reversible shirts, and the life lessons that never left them.

"It taught us to accept a challenge when it was issued and that we were just as good and able to compete as a lot of the boys, which always made us happy," said Deb. "And to prove the girls were not all ribbons and bows, we actually could do both."

As Colorado gears up to welcome the first professional women's soccer team in the Mile High City, the pride runs deepest for those who knew all along the game was always something bigger.

"I think it'd be interesting to note or to share how did how did women's soccer even evolve? Because nobody really knew it would go this far," Deb said. "So now Denver has their own professional women's soccer league. They need to recognize how fortunate they are that we have paved a new path for them to go down, and we were the pioneers of that."

Denver7 is proud to be the official broadcast partner of Denver Summit FC. Our Maggy Wolanske covered the club's official team name announcement and spoke with excited fans at their brand launch block party in July.

A viewer reached out to Maggy about this story, and she was able to bring it to life. She knows there are plenty more soccer stories to tell, so if you have an idea, reach out below.

DENVER People at an Arvada sports bar may have been exposed to measles earlier this week, state health officials said Thursday, as the number of confirmed cases tied to an outbreak of the highly contagious disease in Broomfield County continues to grow.

Two additional cases were confirmed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in connection with the outbreak at Broomfield High School and Broomfield Heights Middle School, and public health officials say theyre investigating a possible third. All three are household contacts of a previously confirmed case in the county, a CDPHE spokesperson said in a news release.

The latest exposure occurred at the Bout Time Pub & Grub sports bar, located at 5225 W. 80th Ave in Arvada. People there may have been exposed on Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11, between 8 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., according to the CDPHE.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air and can remain airborne for up to two hours meaning people may have been exposed even if they were nowhere near the infected person at the time.

State health officials said the latest two cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals who were already in quarantine to prevent the further spread of the disease. The third individual was not in quarantine because they were previously vaccinated, the CDPHE spokesperson said.

While the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective, breakthrough cases can occur, especially following prolonged exposure within a household, the CDPHE official said in a news release. Breakthrough cases typically experience milder illness and are less likely to spread the virus to others.

Dozens of students and other staff members from both schools have been instructed to stay home for at least the next three weeks amid the state's first measles outbreak of 2026, though school officials have warned that additional measles cases could prolong the quarantine period for unvaccinated or immunocompromised students.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed especially those who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine should monitor for symptoms for 21 days and avoid public gatherings or high-risk settings, health officials said in a news release.

State health officials said those who were potentially exposed in connection with this latest case may develop symptoms through Wednesday, April 1.

Symptoms to watch out for include anything from a fever, a cough, a runny nose, and red, watery eyes that develop into a rash that starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body about three to five days after symptoms first start. A person with measles is contagious four days before and four days after the rash appears.

If you were at the location listed above and develop symptoms, you are asked to contact the CDPHE at 720-653-3369 or your local public health agency immediately by phone before trying to seek treatment to avoid other people from becoming potentially infected with the virus. If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles.

While most people recover within two or three weeks after contracting the virus, unvaccinated people run the risk of complications from the disease, including ear infections, seizures, pneumonia, immune amnesia, brain damage and ultimately, death.

Measles only spreads from people who show symptoms; it does not spread from people who arent feeling sick, state health officials said.

Unvaccinated people exposed to the virus can get the MMR vaccine 72 hours after exposure (but before symptoms are present) to prevent an infection, according to health officials. Immunoglobulin (IG), if administered within six days of exposure, may also be used in some circumstances, they added.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community, the CDPHE spokesperson said.

While the two-dose series of the MMR vaccine has a 97% efficacy rate against infection, about 3 in every 100 people can still get infected if exposed to the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccinated individuals will usually develop milder symptoms and are less likely to spread it to others, according to state health officials.

People who got vaccinated against measles before 1968 should talk to their health care provider about possibly getting a booster as the vaccine used before that year wasn't as effective.

As of Thursday, Colorado has reported cases of the virus in Adams (5), Arapahoe (1), Broomfield (3), and Weld (1) counties. On average, the state sees between zero and two cases each year. Last year, Colorado reported 36 measles cases amid a multi-state outbreak of the virus in the U.S.

Across the country, the number of confirmed measles infections has already topped 1,000. For context, 2026 seen more than half of all measles cases in just two months than it saw in all of 2025.

ARVADA, Colo.  A repeat DUI offender case in Arvada is raising questions about keeping dangerous drivers off the road.

Arvada police say 39-year-old Steven Sewick has been arrested three times on DUI charges in less than two months, each time under similar circumstances.

APD released body camera video Monday that showed Sewick's latest DUI arrest on Feb. 21.

The video showed the suspect stumbling out of a car with other passengers at a gas station in the 7300 block of Ralston Road.

Arvada police said he was arrested and charged with DUI after incidents on Jan. 4 and Jan. 27 as well.

He was arrested for investigation of DUI, driving as a habitual traffic offender, and five other violations in connection with the February incident.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Denver7, he was also convicted of three DUIs several years back in October 2009 in Lakewood, December 2009 in Denver and September 2010 in Westminster.

A judge ordered a $20,000 cash bond for him.

Renee Lund knows what can happen when someone uses drugs or alcohol, then gets behind a wheel. Her son, Tanner, was killed by a drunk driver in March 2022. He was 19 years old.

"It was Saturday afternoon. He was driving to his grandma's, took a left turn on a green arrow and was pummeled into a pole," Lund said.

She said she later found out the driver had a previous DUI arrest.

"It should have been one and done. He should have been in trouble the first time," Lund said.

Lund went to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAAD) in the aftermath.

And with Sewicks most-recent DUI arrest in Arvada, Denver7 sought her input on his multiple times behind bars for driving under the influence.

She could not believe more hasn't been done in four years to keep it from happening.

"Who should be responsible for finding better solutions to keep people from being put back, literally, into their car onto the streets?" she said. "... I just don't understand why it's 12 years (in prison) for vehicular homicide, but it can also be 12 years for stealing a car or some of the other crimes that are committed."

A judge ended up giving Sewick a $20,000 cash bond after the third arrest, but Denver7 wanted to know if there were steps that could have been taken the first time to stop the issue earlier.

We asked Arvada Det. Dave Snelling about it.

"I think the trend that we see is that there's so many civil sanctions against somebody's driver's license, and yet they continue to drive," Snelling said.

In Colorado, there's an Ignition Interlock Program. It's a device put in a car to keep someone from starting it unless they pass a breathalyzer.

Snelling said Sewick didn't have one in his car, but he was on a continuous alcohol monitor. During his last arrest, he was being investigated for alleged drug use.

"It costs money. It takes time to get into place, and sometimes the frustrating thing is, people will still find their way around it to get their vehicle going," Snelling said.

That "time" is what MADD wants to fix.

The group is working to update Colorado's Interlock Law to make it more accessible.

In a statement from MAAD, Denver7 was told: Unfortunately, stories like that of Mr. Sewicks are not that uncommon and DUI-related crashes, fatalities and injuries continue to occur on Colorado roads far too often. For some people, the arrest alone is enough to set them on a better path, however, in many cases, assistance is required. MADD Colorado is currently working on legislation to modernize Colorados Interlock law to make the use of ignition interlock more easily accessible. HB26-1242 eliminates a 2-month waiting period so individuals can have immediate access to ignition interlock potentially preventing subsequent DUIs. The bill also expands affordability access and provides options for early removal based on performance. In Colorado, we have an impaired driving crisis. In 2025, DUI related fatalities increased 9% over 2024. Countless families carry the devastating impact of someones choice to drive impaired. Ignition interlocks have blocked 180,195 drunk driving attempts since 2006. With these legislative changes, we can continue to save lives and together, we can end impaired driving.

The bill has been introduced and is scheduled to be discussed in the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government committee on March 11.

Arvada is canceling the third phase of the W. 72nd Avenue Bond Project because of the steep construction price increase.

In 2018, voters approved $64.5 million to support the widening of W. 72nd Avenue and a new underpass west of Kipling Street.

The first two phases of the project were already completed: The city finished utility work in the whole section of Kipling to Sims along West 2nd Avenue and also completed the widening of the W. 72nd Avenue and sidewalks from Oak to Sims.

The final phase of the project was to build the underpass at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing.

Final cost estimates were provided to the city in December of 2025. The bid increased the final cost of the project to $137 million nearly $40 million over the previous estimate and double the original approved bond amount.

Deputy City Manager Allison Scheck said the decision to halt the construction was difficult but ultimately, they felt obligated to protect other city funding.

To fund the underpass at that cost, it would just mean canceling so many other projects, programs, and initiatives that are really important to our community," she said.

Scheck said several factors drove the cost increase, including inflation of construction materials since before the pandemic. The Union Pacific Railroad approvals also took longer than expected, setting the project back by over three years. During that approval time, construction costs only continued to rise.

While the underpass project is being scrapped, the city is still planning on using the rest of the bond funds to improve the area.

We're planning to repave the street, restore the existing corridor, and just generally clean things up. We'll also be working on the feasibility of an at-grade widening of the railroad crossing, and that's where the underpass was supposed to be, Scheck said.

According to the City of Arvada, an at-grade option requires new design and a new railroad approval process. They estimate it will likely take 5 to 10 more years to complete.

You can learn more about the future of the project on the city's website.

A skunk has tested positive for rabies, according to Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH). It's the first confirmed case of rabies in an animal in all of Colorado so far this year.

When the weather is warmer than usual, wildlife like skunks and bats can wander into neighborhoods more often, which can increase encounters between animals and people," JCPH Environmental Health Specialist and Zoonosis Lead Rachel Reichardt said. Keeping your pets vaccinated and staying away from wild animals are the best ways to stay safe year-round.

Rabies spreads through the saliva of infected animals and can affect people, pets and livestock. JCPH advised anyone who has had contact with a wild or stray animal to contact a doctor immediately.

It's a serious disease that can be deadly to humans and animals if not treated as soon as possible. For more information on rabies, click here or call 303-232-6301.

Anyone in the area looking to report concerns about a wild or stray animal can call Jefferson County Animal Control at 303-271-5050.

ARVADA, Colo. As a two-time 5A All-Around state champion and four-time 1st team All-State gymnast, Arvada West senior Layla Petz was set up beautifully to enter the world of college gymnastics.

Then, she decided not to do that.

"The mix of being burnt out with some of my other sports and this new sport that combined what I liked sparked my interest," said Petz, who signed to compete in Acrobatics & Tumbling at the University of Oregon.

She says it's more of a collegiate sport, so the opportunities to compete in Acrobatics & Tumbling at the high school level is limited. Luckily, the skills she's cultivated during her time with the Wildcats will easily translate when she joins the Ducks.

"It combines a lot of the aspects I liked from gymnastics and cheerleading," said Petz. "I loved the teammates and the girls and all the coaches out there, the environment felt right."

Her coach, Lori Hayes, said Petz is ready for the challenge.

"She's always willing to take on challenges as a gymnast, no skill is good enough," said Arvada West head gymnastics coach Lori Hayes. "Going to the University of Oregon is the best opportunity for her to keep growing as an athlete. Her talent goes beyond gymnastics."

In total, 29 student-athletes put pen to paper at Arvada West's signing day the most in more than a decade, according to AWHS Athletic Director Gordon Volk.

In talking with Petz, it's obvious she's a perfectionist sometimes to an extreme.

"I'm a little overcompetitive, but it comes from a good place," said Petz. "I'm a strong believer that if you put your mind to something, you can do it."

That drive and determination led her to earn a perfect 10.000 during high school competition it also bled into team-building activities off the mat.

"We were bobbing for apples and she put her whole body in like she was diving off a diving board to see how many she could get," said Coach Hayes. "She has a fun spirit."

That spirit is not without fear: "I'm still scared, to be honest," said Petz. "I've still never really done [Acrobatics & Tumbling]."

Courage is not the absence of fear, it's feeling afraid and doing the scary thing anyway Layla Petz is displaying immense courage, and inspiring strength, as she heads to Eugene next fall.

GOLDEN, Colo. A former Jefferson County school social worker has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child she met while working in the school district, according to a Monday news release.

Chloe Castro, 29, was arrested in November 2024 following an investigation that began after parents of the victim called police in October 2024, Denver7 has previously reported.

Castro pleaded guilty Monday to sexual assault on a child under the age of 15 by a person in position of trust. As part of the plea deal, two other charges were dismissed, according to the release from the Colorado First Judicial District Attorneys office.

Castro was a school social worker for Jeffco Public Schools and worked at Manning Middle School, Drake Middle School and Wheat Ridge High School, between Aug. 3 and Oct. 29, 2024; she had previously worked at Three Creeks K-8 from January 2022 to May 2024 and at Columbine Hills and Leawood Elementary schools from August 2021 to January 2022, Denver7 has reported.

Since her arrest, there have not been any reports to police of "additional criminal conduct involving other students," according to Monday's release.

Castro is being held without bail at the Jefferson County Jail, online jail records show. Castro faces a sentence of at least four years and up to life in prison, according to the release.

Her sentencing is set for April 2.

At least 13 gas stations across the Denver metro area received contaminated unleaded fuel from a third-party supplier and it is likely that number of impacted stations will increase, said Colorados Department of Labor and Employment in a news briefing Friday.

A delivery from a supplier of regular unleaded fuel to select retailers in the Denver metro was contaminated with diesel fuel. The division became aware of this through consumer complaints, said Cher Haavind, Deputy Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE)

As of Friday afternoon, the CDLE has received just over 200 complaints.

Haavind said consumers have reported various engine issues.

Could be that an engine just completely stopped working or performing or just gradually stalled out.

Haavind said reports first came into the CDLE on Thursday and an inspector took a sample at a Denver metro gas station and was able to identify through visual inspection that in fact it was a diesel contamination and that is because of the color of the fuel.

Castle Pines resident MeiLon Dizmang said her husband filled up at the King Soopers gas station on Lagae Rd. on Thursday morning around 7 AM, only to have his truck stall shortly after.

He was driving into work down the highway, got about 15 miles away, and that's when it started to slow down. And he was trying to accelerate, she said, it just became really sluggish and then completely died.

A few miles south in Castle Rock, Marie Gorman had a nearly identical experience.

I got gas about a quarter till 10 in the morning, and filled up my tank. It was about empty, and I drove it about, I would say, about 10 miles to my next appointment, she recalled, when I came back from that appointment, I started my car, and it just shook a lot, and then it died.

Both took their vehicles to dealerships, where they quickly discovered they weren't alone multiple drivers were dealing with stalled vehicles after filling up at certain gas stations.

While the CDLE at this point believes the fuel contamination is contained to Denver metro gas stations, the Division of Oil and Public Safety alerted 3,000 gas station owners across the state notifying them that we are aware of the contamination and outlining the steps to date, added Haavind.

Inspectors have been out collecting further samples to determine the scope of the contamination.

I think the common question right now is where did all this fuel go what locations were working with Sinclair, the origin of this fuel, to get that list published, said Zach Hope, Manager of the Petroleum Storage Tank Program in Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS). Look forward to more details on that and their investigation into what happened to cause this fuel mix-up at their terminal location.

If drivers suspect they purchased contaminated fuel they are urged to first reach out to the gas station.

For consumers, if you purchased regular unleaded gasoline in Colorado after Wednesday afternoon it would be wise to determine where you bought that especially if youre having any engine or car-related issues get in touch with that point-of-sale at the gas station. That gas station will be the place consumers go to seek claims for the damages, added Hope.

He said that is the established process for consumers to handle a claim around a fuel quality concern.

I talked to my insurance company today. They will have to go to the dealership and do their own fuel testing. They said that could take up to three weeks for them to get there to do that, said Gorman.

Denver7 reached out to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association and asked if those affected by the gas mix up should file a claim with their insurance company.

They told us insurance might pay for a tow, but insurance doesnt cover mechanical issues.

I just hope that these big companies are, you know, paying attention to us consumers that you know, don't have the funds to pay off our cars or to get these cars fixed, added Gorman.

While 200 consumer reports have been received, the scope of the contamination is still unclear and Haavind added: Somewhere between 24 and 36 hours from now we believe all the contamination at the fuel pumps should be remediated.

Phil Long Ford of Denver told Denver7 that customers are bringing vehicles into its service department with the contaminated fuel. Service director Stephen Martindale warned drivers to avoid using their car if they think they got contaminated fuel and have the vehicle towed to a trusted mechanic.

While King Soopers is the only company so far to return Denver7's request for comment, it is suspected other gas stations were also impacted. The Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety verified it started receiving complaints about "bad gas" on Thursday, January 8, from King Soopers, Costco and Murphy Express locations.

The division took a sample from a Costco gas station at River Pointe in Sheridan, which confirmed the contamination there.

"This is an issue for several fuel retailers, so I hope you are reaching out to them as well," King Soopers said in a statement to Denver7. "As soon as we became aware of the issue, we took immediate action by shutting down the impacted fuel lines and dispatching teams to perform thorough diagnostics."

The company said customers who believe they may have been impacted should contact the King Soopers where they filled up for assistance. King Soopers identified the following locations as contaminated:

The Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety said preliminary investigation shows regular, unleaded gas contaminated with diesel fuel was distributed to gas stations across the Denver metro area between 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, and 6 a.m. on Thursday, January 8.

The division sourced it back to fuel loaded from the HF Sinclair terminal in Henderson, Colorado.

"The Division will continue to work with station owners to test fuel samples and identify impacted retailers. Station owners are working quickly to stop sales of the contaminated gasoline and have it replaced with the right fuel," the Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety said in a statement.

The above list of impacted gas stations only includes King Soopers locations and Hope said it was expected that Sinclair would soon release a full list of stations suspected of having contaminated fuel.

I think the number is greater than 19, said Hope.

The OPS released the below timeline Friday.

Customers who were impacted can submit a complaint to the Colorado Division of Oil and Public Safety online here or call 303-866-4967 if they want state assistance.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A former Arvada High School English teacher was arrested Monday for allegedly creating and distributing sexually explicit content involving juveniles in hypnotic poses, according to the Boulder County Sheriffs Office.

Patricio Alejandro Illanes, 39, was booked into the Boulder County Jail on several charges, including 40 counts of sexual exploitation of a child creating, distributing, and possessing.

At the time of his arrest, Illanes was an English teacher at Arvada Senior High School. He was immediately placed on leave and later terminated, the sheriffs office said.

Illanes' arrest followed an investigation spanning several months, which was conducted by the countys digital forensics lab and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives began looking into the former teacher in September 2025, after they received multiple CyberTips from Meta regarding an accountlater identified as Illanesallegedly creating and selling sexually explicit content.

The sheriff's office said that a search of Illanes phone uncovered videos of apparent juveniles engaged in sexual acts, shared across encrypted messaging apps and paid pornography platforms.

Investigators say Illanes also filmed juveniles performing scripts in front of a green screen while mimicking a hypnotic state, later editing the footage for sexual purposes. Platforms have since removed the content and deactivated his accounts.

Four outofstate individuals have been identified so far, all confirming they were minors during these recorded hypnotic role-play sessions, which, according to the sheriff's office, led to them removing articles of clothing and performing sexually explicit acts at Illanes instruction.

Investigators said they also found additional hypnosisstyle images that appear to show clothed students in a school setting.

Previous employers and school programs where he had access to youthincluding facilities in Longmont, Boulder, Lafayette, Erie, Denver, and Arvadahave been notified and cooperated with the investigation.

Below is a list of programs and schools where Illanes was known to have access to students:

2010-2015: City of Longmont Children and Youth Services, Longmont, CO

2013-2025: TGTHR (formerly known as Attention Homes) in Boulder and Longmont, CO

2013-2017: New Meridian Alternative High School (formerly known as Olde Columbine) Longmont, CO

2015-2021: Longmont Library Children and Teens Section, Longmont, CO

2017-2019: Centaurus High School, Lafayette, CO

2019-2020: Mapleton School District (intern), Denver, CO

2019-2023: Erie Middle School, Erie, CO

2019-2023: Erie High School, Erie, CO

2024-2025: Arvada Senior High School, Arvada, CO

Authorities are seeking information from current or former students, coworkers, or anyone with additional details related to the case, and urge potential victims to contact the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where any suspected victimization occurred.

A man is accused of exposing himself to two women inside a Target on Friday, December 27, according to the Arvada Police Department.

Two women told police the man followed them around the store on 80th Ave. and Wadsworth Boulevard for 15 minutes touching himself inappropriately and then exposed himself before running from the store.

They described him as a 6 foot tall man with black hair and a medium build. He allegedly drove away in a gray or silver car.

Anyone who recognizes the man in the above photo is asked to call Arvada police officer Timken at 720-898-6502 or email dtimken@arvada.org in reference to case number AR25022871.

The photo is a screenshot taken from a security video obtained by the Arvada Police Department and published on social media. You can watch the full video here.

Echter's Nursery and Garden Center gave away Christmas trees Tuesday to Coloradans in need, in collaboration with Heinie's Market and Malara Gardens. This is the eighth year the Arvada business has hosted the giveaway.

Heinie's donated over 125 trees to support this year's giveaway, according to Echter's. That's grown from 2018 when Echter's gave away 60 trees at its first event.

"I've lost both of my grandparents, so being able to have a tree for the rest of my family to get around and celebrate with is meaningful," Sharise Jones said, getting a tree from Tuesday's event.

This year, the giveaway also included stands, ornaments, lights, decorations and toys.

On Wednesday, there will be another opportunity for anyone who could use a little extra help this holiday season, with a special visit from Santa Claus and the Arvada Fire Department.

Wednesday's event will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as long as supplies last, at 5150 Garrison Street in Arvada. There's no prerequisites for anyone to participate.

UPDATE | 1:17 p.m. This missing 14-year-old has been found safe, Arvada police say. Denver7 has removed his name and photo from this story.

...

ARVADA, Colo. A missing 14-year-old boy from Arvada was last seen on Friday around 11 a.m. and is in need of medication, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said.

In an endangered missing alert CBI issued on Saturday morning, the agency said the boy was last seen around W. 66th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada. At the time, he was wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black and white Nikes, and a black Jansport backpack.

He does not have a phone with him and he is in need of medication, the alert reads.

Anybody who has seen him is asked to call 911 or the Arvada Police Department at 303-980-7300.

The police department and family told Denver7 that there is no formal search party planned as of 10:20 a.m. Saturday.

ARVADA, Colo. On the coldest night of the season, Olde Town Arvada celebrated. It was the annual tree lighting in the square.

But then, briefly, the music stopped.

And Kristin Chayer, president of the Board of Directors for the Olde Town Business Improvement District (BID), asked the crowd to remember Joe Hengstler with a moment of silence.

Joe, 42, died from cancer in September. He leaves his wife Meg and 6-year-old daughter June.

Joe was not only the executive director for BID, but also the glue between the Olde Town board, the businesses, and the political landscape. He had lived there for about a decade after moving to Colorado from Chicago. He told Denver7 in July that he was amazed by how many people in Arvada deeply care about the place they call home and have worked to make a positive impact over the decades.

"What went through my mind during the moment of silence was how respectful everybody was, because it did fall silent," Kristin remembered after that quiet moment.

All of the celebration that night, including the tree lighting, was always in Joes hands.

"Even being the first one on stage, instead of walking behind him, was impactful for me," Kristin said.

Joe was also a person that held the community together during hard times, like the fatal shooting in Olde Town Arvada in 2021.

"This isnt going to define us, this isnt going to break Olde Town," Joe told Denver7 back then. "Olde Town in Arvada is a special community to a lot of people for a lot of reasons and this isnt going to change that."

Jake Weesner called Joe his best friend.

"We were supposed to be old men together. He was supposed to see his daughter graduate high school. He was supposed to see her grow into a woman," he said.

Jake organized a celebration of life for Joe at the School House restaurant in Olde Town. Hundreds of people showed up. The celebration spilled into the street.

"When Joe was first diagnosed in my lifetime, cancer wasn't a death sentence. And then, out of nowhere, it was, oh, he got the one that was a death sentence," Jake said. "And it was tough to wrap my head around. He was young. Forty-two years old and his daughter just turned 6. It's not something you'd expect or put into terms or understand."

They cleared a big space in the School House Restaurant and bar and remembered their times together. Joe's brother from Indiana talked and friends reflected and Joe's wife Meg and their precious daughter June were held, on a day no one thought they would have to live through.

This week, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is asking families to come to an open house to help solve missing persons cases.

CBI currently has 1,200 active missing persons cases in Colorado. Some cases involve people who have run away or cases that are resolved quickly. However each year, investigators read off nearly 700 names of people who have been missing for more than a year at an annual event to raise awareness.

The work done at events like this makes a difference, according to the CBI, though it may take time to see results.

"There have been collections made and identifications made just even in the last six to eight months on cases that would have been a little more delayed had we not had these events in place," Audrey Simkins from the CBI said. "And then I think the other thing is, it does give families an opportunity to be involved in their case."

Investigators are asking families to bring updated photos and medical or dental records to help with their missing persons investigations. The CBI is also requesting that at least two close relatives to the missing person provide cheek swabs for DNA samples. It will be uploaded into a database for investigators to use if there's a breakthrough. Ideally, these samples would come from parents of the missing person, followed by children and siblings.

"Sometimes missing person cases can be difficult because there's not a lot of follow up to be done. Sometimes those cases are really slow, so this gives law enforcement a chance to engage with those families again and ask for a little bit of assistance, which I think just helps them feel maybe like they're part of the process and that we're all working together," Simkins said.

CBI has been hosting events like this across the state. This week, the agency is partnering with the Arvada Police Department.

If you haven't filed a missing person report, investigators ask you do that before the event on Thursday, so you can share that information with them during the open house.

The event is from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 20, at the Lake Arbor Community Station located at 8110 Vance Drive, Arvada, CO 80003. Anyone can attend.

For over a decade, Shelley Long has witnessed the transformative power of community it has helped countless Arvada residents in need get back on their feet.

Long is the pastor and director of REACH at Grace Church Arvada which helps community members transitioning to stable housing with support, resources, and a shoulder to lean on.

Just getting to be with the people on the weekends, somebody who knows their name, said Long, That next step of somebody being there to encourage them, to chat with them every day. How's it going to walk through the discouragement and to celebrate the wins? That's huge."

But the latest numbers from Jefferson County highlight the magnitude of the task ahead for nonprofits like REACH.

Homelessness in Jefferson County increased 27% in the last year, with one in two individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time the largest jump in the metro area, according to county leaders.

This increase comes as the county faces reduced cold-weather shelter availability.

Over the past couple seasons of cold weather, there were options available for sheltering that we knew were not going to be available this season, said Jefferson County Regional Homeless Coordinator Kerry Wrenick.

Finding ways to keep the unhoused population safe during the cold-weather months became a priority for county leaders throughout the year.

If we serve somebody in Lakewood, it doesn't mean they're not going to go to Arvada that evening. We're all serving the same population and so pooling everything together seems like the most reasonable response to that, proportionally, said Wrenick.

Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, and Jefferson County recently signed a one-year intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to collaborate on cold weather shelter services this winter. Together, they have pooled just over $2 million for emergency sheltering.

The funding will pay for motel vouchers, to be distributed by homeless navigators 72 hours before severe weather hits. If temperatures drop into the single digits or lower, they'll also deploy extreme-weather mobile shelters through different parts of the county.

While the regional winter shelter response addresses immediate needs, county leaders acknowledged the need for long-term solutions.

"We need a solution to the winter season right now, but we have to have a tangent solution long-term for addressing homelessness as a region, and so I continue to work with our city and county managers on what that longer-term solution looks like," Wrenick said.

Long praised the collaborative effort among local governments.

After all, it's just another piece of the puzzle as they work together to lessen homelessness in the county.

"I think the city and county are really trying to put their finger on all of the resources that we have here in our area that can work together," Long said. "I'm so glad that they keep working at this. This next step for severe weather, I'm glad that they're figuring that out."

Childcare is one of the biggest challenges that stop women in Colorado from working, according to Colorado Department of Labor data shared with Denver7.

Tim Wonhof with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) said data from last year suggests childcare problems are at the highest point in the last 20 years. Women cite it as a reason they're not at work.

That could be availability, affordability and quality challenges.

"It is a very serious problem across the United States, and I would say more so with infant toddler care," Dr. Lisa Roy with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood said. "It's heartbreaking, because I went through it 40 years ago with my own children, and. And was fortunate enough to for United Way to assist with my child care until I could fully afford it, with three young children under the age of four, and a husband who was in working in education, so we didn't make a lot of money. "

For some perspective, CDLE said data shows women in the labor force declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as families were making tough choices.

It took through 2023 to recover. Right now, numbers are slightly down compared to 2023, but are still higher than pre-COVID rates.

The department also said women between 25 and 54 years old have a higher level of participation in the labor force in 2025 compared to 2024.

For the women who are still unable to join the work force, they repeatedly cite childcare as a major hurdle.

One program, designed to help lower-income families get into childcare, is going through some massive issues.

Right now, families trying to get into childcare assistance programs (CCAP) are dealing with freezes and wait lists.

That includes young moms like Rosario Chavez Avila.

She had her daughter, Yaremi, when she was 19 years old.

Yaremi is one now.

I don't know what's gonna happen to her. I'm not gonna be able to control certain outcomes, Rosario said.

Rosario is worried about the repercussions of Yaremi not having early intervention, and what it could mean for her daughters development.

She's not going to be able to be at the same level as the kids that are already in EL or have already had the opportunity to be in a classroom, Rosario said.

Shes had to put school and work on the back burner to attend to her daughter something she knows is a part of motherhood.

Now shes leaning on people like Lisa Steven, the founder and executive director of Hope House, who are able to offer programming for young moms. However, Stevens organization is feeling the problems brought on by the CCAP freeze, too.

CCAP is not accepting any new enrollment, and that means that 100 brand new teen moms to our programming next year will not be able to access childcare, which is terrible for our mission, Steven said.

Thats because under the Biden administration, rules changed. States including Colorado were told they need to pay more to cover the actual cost of childcare.

Great idea, but it didn't come with any federal funding, and so the funding got pushed down to the States. Our state last year had a $1.2 billion deficit, and they were unable to meet that federal mandate, which meant that counties simply wouldn't have the funds they needed to provide reimbursement at a higher rate. So they closed their roles to new entrants into CCAP, Steven explained.

Denver7 reached out to the Office of Governor Jared Polis.

We were told in a statement from a spokesperson in part, The Governors FY 2026-27 budget proposal is focused on shifting as much of our federal child care dollars as possible to cover CCCAP direct services to mitigate the impacts on children and families.

The statement also said, The state is focused on opposing unfunded mandates and doing all we can to protect access to these resources for families, while we wait for the administration to repeal these unfunded rules.

Thursday is Day 37 of the longest government shutdown in history, and even with the Trump administration announcing partially funding for SNAP, it's still unclear when the more than 600,000 people in Colorado who rely on the program, will receive that crucial assistance.

In a filing overnight Wednesday into Thursday, the United States Department of Agriculture informed a federal judge that it initially miscalculated the SNAP benefits that would be paid out.

"USDA performed further analysis and determined that the maximum allotments need only be reduced by 35%, instead of 50%," Patrick Penn with the USDA said in a sworn declaration.

This means the benefits will be paid out at 65% of the typical November amount, not half as previously thought.

While that's improved, it's not enough for everyone. Thats why the City of Arvada and its Resiliency Task Force launched the No Neighbor Hungry campaign the week of November 1, marking the first week that these benefits were paused.

We have nearly 4700 households right here in Arvada, that's not even including the surrounding areas that are being cut off benefits this month, and that is really painful when you already live on the edge, Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson said. Knowing we had this sort of tidal wave coming at us. We had to act.

She said even if food pantries had all the food in the world, they will struggle to serve the capacity.

That's being felt at Arvadas largest food pantry, Community Table, which is now making emergency food boxes for the people they have to turn away when they reach capacity.

We're gonna be here for the people that need us, Chief Operations Officer for Community Table Rocky Baldassare said.

To meet the need despite constraints, Arvada is calling on the community to donate grocery store gift cards.

We decided on gift cards because they are quick, they are easy to achieve, Simpson explained. It's not possible for every person to make it through these doors. There's just not the capacity. So we need those resources around.

In addition to the gift cards, Arvada is providing more freedom for people who may have sensitive diets or need something the food pantry does not provide.

The goal is to receive 2,000 $25 gift cards by November 15, totaling to $50,000.

This is our call to action, to be able to help our neighbor neighbors, because it's able to help all of our nonprofits be able to serve and have that capacity, Simpson said.

Baldassare added the campaign immensely helps them to feed the community as they continue to see the increased need.

The gift cards will be distributed proportionately to the different non-profits and food pantries in Arvada.

If you are looking to participate, there are several locations to drop off gift cards:

The holiday spirit is starting early at BeyondHome, where kids are sketching signs and taping together cardboard booths for a kids-run holiday marketplace. Behind the designs, staff said something deeper is taking shape life lessons, community and a sense of home.

BeyondHome is a transitional housing program that pairs stable, dignified housing with classes, coaching and counseling aimed at long-term self-sufficiency. Families pay a portion of their income for rent while parents work toward new careers, financial literacy and other goals. At the same time, their children learn age-appropriate versions of the same skills.

Its a great opportunity for us to really impact two generations of families, BeyondHomes Executive Director Karen Allen said. Parents become self-sufficient through education, careers and financial literacy, and kids are learning those skills in a kid-friendly format they think theyre just having fun.

In the middle of it all is Mark Robinson Mr. Mark to the kids a retired engineer and teacher who has volunteered with BeyondHome for the past two years.

I just want to give everything Ive got to the next generation, so they can make our world a better place, Robinson said.

He drives the youth bus, tutors after school, helps with summer trips. Anything the nonprofit needs, he does. Staff members said his reliability keeps programs running; parents say his presence changes lives.

I could not do my job without Mark, and Im not sure BeyondHome could function without Mark, Jenni Kinney, a youth coordinator, said. Hes such a steady, trustworthy figure. If I could describe him in one word, it would be kind.

We love him so much hes been a big impact on us since we met him, Karie Eitel, a parent, said. Hes humble, kind and compassionate. The consistency of him showing up gives my daughter comfort.

Kayla Hanneman, who has lived at BeyondHome for five years, said the program brought security and hope and gave her tools to pursue homeownership. Her son Desmond credits Robinson with something simple but significant.

He taught me confidence how to not be scared, Desmond said.

Staff and parents said Robinsons example is especially meaningful for the children who does not have a male role model in their home.

Hes a really good, strong man for them to look up to, Allen said. He is their hero.

The youth marketplace, staff said, is one snapshot of the nonprofits approach: students design a product, plan a budget, build a booth and sell their goods learning money, time and resource management along the way.

We disguise everything as play, Kinney said, but theyre learning hard and soft skills the whole time.

For Robinson, the reward is watching growth happen day by day.

I love to see the kids become better versions of themselves, he said. You never know when youll get a chance to say something that makes a difference.

In recognition of his service, Denver7 and Levine Law honored Robinson as a Denver7 Everyday Hero.

Thank you, Robinson said. For me, the real heroes are these kids and their parents. Theyre making a difference in their kids lives, and Im honored I can make a difference in theirs as well.

Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.

A car theft suspect remains on the run after causing a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 76 in Westminster earlier in the day, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Friday.

The multi-vehicle crash was reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) at around just before 11:30 a.m. on I-76 near Berkley, and shut down the southbound lanes of Sheridan Boulevard for a while as deputies combed the scene.

Initially, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office reported the suspect was leading deputies on a chase when the multi-vehicle crash occurred, but a spokesperson with Arvada police said there was no active pursuit by law enforcement to begin with.

"The vehicle was driving recklessly at Arvada High School and then eluded police east on W. 64th Ave. at 10:47 [a.m.]," said APD detective Dave Snelling. "It appears that the vehicle crashed at 11:00 [a.m.] at I-76 and Sheridan Blvd."

The suspect, who remains unidentified, escaped from the scene on foot.

Deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the search was ongoing.

ARVADA, Colo. Students at Arvada West High School organized a town hall to address gun violence and mental health in schools following the Sept. 10 shooting at Evergreen High School.

The student-led organization Team ENOUGH A West hosted the event in the school's auditorium Tuesday afternoon to foster open dialogue about these issues and push for meaningful change.

"The real wake-up call was Evergreen with how close in proximity that was," said Spencer Robuck, one of the student organizers.

Izaiah Brees, another member of Team ENOUGH, said he knew other students shared his desire to take action.

"I knew that I wasn't the only one wanting to do something in response to this," he told Denver7.

The town hall featured Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office operates Safe2Tell, a statewide anonymous reporting system for students, staff and the community. Weiser is also running to become Colorado's next governor.

Students shared personal experiences with Safe2Tell, including Robuck, who credited the platform with saving his life during a mental health crisis.

"One of the things that really helped me was one of my friends ended up calling Safe2Tell on me, and the officers came, and it helped me mightily," Robuck told the crowd.

However, some students expressed concerns about slow response times and insufficient awareness of the program within schools.

"That is one of the biggest questions we're working on," said Weiser. "When you see something, please say something. And what haunts me about Evergreen is, did anybody see something and not say something?"

The students proposed several changes, including the addition of mental health education to the school's curriculum. They are also pitching new safety measures such as clear backpacks and metal detectors.

"The more that you can have an open conversation about gun violence and gun safety, the more kids feel like they have a voice and that they can help participate in change," Brees said.

Weiser praised the students' initiative.

"One of the parts of today's conversation that I am incredibly inspired by is these kids here today at Arvada West, they're taking action," Weiser said. "They're not waiting for adults. They're developing plans to make their school safer."

Brees said he'd like to see his school hold more lockdown drills during unstructured periods, like lunch. Arvada West Principal Micah Porter said the school is planning to hold one next week, and more information will be released to students and parents soon.

Businesses in Olde Town Arvada are in high spirits after the city's recent approval of a new designated drinking area.

In the next few days, you'll be able to shop and explore with a drink in your hand.

As part of our work to create a more vibrant Olde Town Arvada and support local businesses, weve created a designated drinking area, said Kristin Chayer, president of the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District.

The Olde Town Arvada Designated Drinking Zone (DDZ) is something businesses like New Image Brewing are raising a glass to.

I think we're very positioned in a really good spot to offer a lot of different options, right? We can do cocktails. We can do really light, easy-to-drink beers all the way up to your triple hazy IPAs, said general manager Butch Gregg.

Order a drink at any participating businesses and enjoy as you walk through the pedestrian-only areas of Olde Town Arvada.

The zone's entry and exit points are clearly marked.

Beverages will come with a special Olde Town DDZ sticker and QR code.

Youll be able to sip and stroll daily between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.

New Image Brewing recently relocated to its new location on Olde Wadsworth Boulevard less than a year ago.

Gregg told Denver7 that foot traffic has already been much better with the location change and anticipates this new change will be even more beneficial for the business.

It was something that we were anxiously keeping our fingers crossed for, because when there was some form of it during Covid, it was a pretty big boon for us. Monetarily, it was almost a 40% jump for us during that time, said Gregg. I don't expect it to be quite that big, but I do expect a pretty sizable jump.

Besides the economic impact, he said hes looking forward to hopefully meeting all sorts of new customers with the implementation of the DDZ.

I think that's what I'm really, really excited about, is Olde Town Arvada becoming something that you can just really enjoy being here for a long time, said Gregg.

Karen Baskall is a lifelong Arvada resident and has seen many changes to the area over time.

It's in my blood, it's in my heart, it's in my soul. The small shops are still family-oriented. There's an aura, there's a feel: good people, good food, and good times.

According to Baskall, anything that makes Olde Town Arvada more vibrant is something to cheer about.

This is a great new change, so it's very exciting, she said, You can't beat Arvada.

A celebration to kick off the DDZ will be held on Wednesday, October 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Olde Town Square.

An inaugural community toast will take place at 6 p.m. in the Olde Town Arvada Square, and attendees can enjoy a complimentary drink pass (while supplies last) redeemable at participating Olde Town businesses.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. More than a month after the shooting at Evergreen High School, school safety remains top of mind for families across Jefferson County.

Parents voiced their concerns during a Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education meeting Thursday. Many of those parents were directly impacted by the tragedy that rocked the community on Sept. 10.

Our most important job is to protect our children, and what were doing right now is not working, said Evergreen resident Kim Halligan.

Denver7 has been following the call for safety in the wake of the Evergreen High School shooting. Read our previous coverage below:

Emotions ran high Thursday as community members made their pleas for improved school safety measures across the district, including more school resource officers, mental health resources, and metal detectors.

On Wednesday the 10

, a trust was broken between my daughter and I," said Evergreen High School parent Matt Thompson. "The fact that when she went to school, she would be safe. That shattered promise is not easily fixed."

In response to Thompson, Board Member Erin Kenworthy made several comments that have since caused a stir within the district.

For one of the gentlemen, I wanted to say, safety is actually a privilege," Kenworthy said. "It is not a right and it cannot be guaranteed, which is incredibly hard for any parent to say to their child."

Concerned parents reached out to Denver7 after hearing Kenworthy's remarks.

The tone that we see is we need a layered approach to safety, and to have this governing member of the Board of Education shoot that down as impossible of course, no risk can be fully mitigated, but we do expect the fullest effort to protect our students, said parent Lindsay Datko.

Denver7 took those concerns to Kenworthy and Jeffco Public Schools. In a statement, Jeffco Public Schools said Kenworthy's statement was "not intended to suggest that students in Jeffco Public Schools." The school district went on to say that it "remains committed to discussing ways to enhance school safety."

According to retired SRO and school safety expert Stacey Collis, as these conversations continue to happen, keeping a culture of unity between district leaders and families will be very important.

We as a society and as a whole and as communities have to have a well-rounded plan and have everybody on board everybody understand and sit down at the table and leave our agendas behind, sit down at the table and say, 'How do we address this? How do we work as a unit, as a group?' said Collis. And I think if we did that, we'd find there is much more common ground than there are disparities that take place, and it's just a matter of setting.

Denver7 has included a full transcript of Kenworthy's comments below.

ARVADA, Colo. A student was arrested Tuesday in connection with a social media threat directed toward Ralston Valley High School in Arvada.

The Arvada Police Department said its officers and school resource officers (SROs) began their investigation after receiving hundreds of Safe2Tell reports in the hours after the Evergreen High School shooting on Sept. 10. According to the department, the reports were related to a social media threat directed toward Ralston Valley High.

A photo showing a rifle, ammunition and a magazine lying on a table was shared with multiple students via Snapchat, according to police. Text over the photo said "Be ready rv" and included a purple demon emoji.

Arvada PD said officers contacted the suspect the night of Sept. 10, but there was "no evidence at the time to substantiate criminal charges without digital evidence." According to the department, the photo originated from a French social media video posted in 2024, and there was no credible threat to Ralston Valley.

About 1,100 students chose not to attend school on Sept. 11 due to the threat, according to Arvada police.

SRO Nicole Deering continued the investigation, interviewing multiple students, parents and faculty members. Arvada PD said the investigation "ultimately focused on a current student."

A forensic exam was conducted on the student's device. Arvada police said investigators found a "significant amount" of evidence connecting them to the original threat.

The following search history was discovered on the student's device, according to Arvada PD:

The student allegedly used different digital devices to search "is if a federal offense to make a school shooting threat." Investigators also searched the student's Snapchat records and found "additional evidence."

The student was arrested on Tuesday for interference with staff, faculty or students of educational institutions, a misdemeanor. Arvada PD did not release their identity.

UPDATE | Oct. 15, 2025 | The missing 16-year-old at the center of this alert has been found safe, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday. The alert has been canceled.

Denver7 has removed the teen's name from this story.

ARVADA, Colo. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued an alert for a missing 16-year-old who was last seen in Arvada nearly one week ago.

The teen was last seen in the 9600 block of West 69th Avenue around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3. Her phone was last known to be near 6th and Federal on Oct. 4.

The girl is described as a Hispanic female, 5 feet tall and 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She has braces, a nose ring and a birthmark on the ride side of her face/eye, according to CBI.

She was last seen wearing a black top.

CBI said the teen has no access to money or transportation, and law enforcement is concerned for her safety. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Arvada Police Department at 303-980-7300.