Joshua Maupin has known he wanted to be a teacher since elementary school. On Tuesday, he got his chance.

The Eaglecrest High School senior spent time at the Cherry Creek Innovations Campus working alongside teacher Amy Jaster before heading to Prairie Middle School to teach an 8th grade math class using Rubik's cubes.

Jaster said the experience is part of a broader mission.

"One of my missions in this program is to change how we see teaching. Teaching is a great career," Jaster said.

Watch Mike Castellucci's report in the player below:

Maupin, who started solving Rubik's cubes in 4th grade, used the puzzle to connect math concepts to students in a hands-on way. The Cherry Creek Foundation provided a Rubik's cube for every student in the class.

"I am a senior at Eaglecrest High School right now, graduating next week. I'm going to teach you Rubik's and connect it to math," Maupin told the class.

The 8th graders had mixed reactions as they worked through the puzzle.

"It's making me lose brain cells," one student said.

"It kind of makes sense, some parts of it," another student said.

Jaster said Maupin's ability to connect with students is what sets him apart.

"You got people like Josh who can bring it to real life fun and not a chore, that's when you start opening doors for students," Jaster said.

For Maupin, the day only reinforced what he has long believed about his future.

"I'm just excited to become a teacher in the future, cause it's what I wanted to do for a long time," Maupin said.

After the bell rang and the lesson wrapped up, Maupin said his plans have not changed.

"Oh, for sure," Maupin said, when asked if teaching is still in his future.

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.

Arapahoe County officials say they are beginning to make progress in combating overdose deaths, crediting Narcan kits and kiosks as key tools in the fight against a fentanyl crisis that has grown significantly over the past five years.

While official numbers for last year are not yet available, the county says its harm reduction efforts are showing results and volunteer groups working on the ground say they are seeing the same thing.

Denver7 Arapahoe County reporter Adria Iraheta spoke to community advocates about their efforts in the video below:

The work starts in places like the corner of Colfax Avenue and Dallas Street, where Auroras most vulnerable residents find food, toiletries, and connection every Friday morning.

There, they are welcomed by warm smiles from compassionate volunteers from vital community organizations like the Dayton Street Opportunity Center, who guide them toward meaningful support and resources, while Denver College of Nursing students carefully monitor temperature and blood pressure screenings.

On this particular Friday, we met folks from peer recovery organization Fresh 2 Death, who recently joined forced with the groups to meet community members where they are.

Fresh 2 Death founder Moses Jones told Denver7 the work is rooted in connection.

"There's no difference between us and them. We are them; they are us," Jones said.

Along with bags of toiletries and clothes, volunteers distribute vials of Narcan and fentanyl testing strips.

If somebody [overdoses] and we can make sure that we have a Narcan pack with them, that's a life that we could save, said Jones.

Peer support coach Dudley Thurmond said the opioid crisis is impossible to ignore.

"It's almost catastrophic right now in Colorado, because, I mean, it's running through all our communities," Thurmond said.

Thurmond said he has witnessed the life-saving impact of carrying Narcan firsthand.

"In the last year I probably saw three people ODing, and by the grace of God, I had Narcan on me," Thurmond said. "I believe that anyone working with people in today's times should have Narcan accessible. It's extremely important, and it's saving lives.

Arapahoe County has also rolled out six Narcan kiosks across the region over the last few years. Raquel Isaac, senior health educator with the Arapahoe County Public Health Harm Reduction Program, said the data is encouraging.

"We've seen a recent decrease in [overdose] numbers, and we think it's because we are giving out a lot of naloxone into the community," Isaac said.

The program is entirely grant-funded. The county has three kiosks in Aurora, two in Centennial, and one in Byers.

Though the county has additional kiosks ready to go, Isaac said limited resources are slowing expansion efforts.

"It does cost a lot of money to not only install the kiosk, but to maintain them, and we restock pretty often, depending on the location, Isaac said. Right now, we just need the funds to be able to do that, so we're kind of like a little bit, we're just a little bit hindered by the fact that we don't have the funds to actually establish them.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado overdose deaths dropped 13.9% in 2025. Fentanyl deaths in the state are down by 28.5%.

Fentanyl killed 143 people in Arapahoe County in 2023 the county's highest death toll from the drug. That number dropped to 118 in 2024.

County officials expect the downward trend to continue based on preliminary 2025 data.

Thurmond said collaboration and on-the-ground efforts are the key to making a difference in neighbors lives.

"I'm a firm believer that when people work together, more impact is made, right?" Thurmond said. "Because only one organization can do so much by itself. It has to be a collective partnership a community."

And its more than just a helping hand:

I've seen people come out of funks just because somebody's there to look them in the eyes and tell them that you love them, you're here for them, and when they're ready to do what they need to do, you will help them, you know? said Jones.

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.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. The City of Centennial turned 25 this year. While plenty has changed over the last two decades, two things have stayed the same: the 2.5% sales tax rate, one of the lowest in the region, and the fact that the city has never taken on any debt.

"We save our money until we're able to do projects," said Mayor Christine Sweetland, who was sworn into office in January after spending years on city council.

Watch: Denver7's Danielle Kreutter talks with Centennial Mayor Christine Sweetland about the city budget  and what may need to change

She said that through careful budgeting and partnerships with organizations and agencies like the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement, Jacobs for public works and South Suburban and Trails for parks and rec, they've been able to make that strategy work over the years.

"At the same time, it does take a little bit. So if people want a stoplight, it's going to take us a few years," Sweetland said.

The bridge on Arapahoe Road over Big Dry Creek Road is a recent example of this.

"It's a 75-year-old bridge," she said. "It needed to be replaced, and it took us 10 years in order to save the money to do that."

There is a fund balance that the city could use in the instance of a major health and safety issue. In that case, other projects would be delayed.

The city reports about 60% of their revenue comes from sales tax. Sweetland said sales tax revenue in the city is flattening, as more people chose online shopping and big box stores leave the area.

Sweetland also said federal and state grants the city previously counted on are becoming more scarce.

"We were shovel-ready for some federal tax dollars," she said. "Those grants have gone away. And then, as we all know, the state budget has had some difficulty this year. And so some state funding grants have gone away as well."

Centennial surveyed citizens to help create their future transportation management plan, which is around $100 million worth of projects. Those may have to stay on hold unless something changes.

"Maybe we have to tax a little bit more for when you go out to eat or when you buy some new furniture at IKEA or things like that," Sweetland said. "Those are the things that we're asking our citizens: What would you like us to do."

Centennial has launched a new website to gather that feedback from the public.

Denver7's Danielle Kreutter asked Sweetland whether it made her nervous as a new mayor that she "may be the first mayor that has to either increase these taxes or put the city in a little bit of debt to take care of these projects."

"I think that we have built such a great foundation that our citizens trust us, and they really appreciate the fact that we have been such great financial stewards of their tax dollars," Sweetland responded.

No specific change has been decided yet, and any tax increases would require voter approval. The mayor said there will be future opportunities to collect more public input throughout the rest of the year.

Arapahoe County's latest Point-in-Time Count shows a 35% drop in unsheltered homelessness compared to last year and for the first time as far as county leaders can remember, no families were found sleeping outside on the night of the count in January.

Watch Denver7's Adria Iraheta's report on Arapahoe County's latest point-in-time count

I love the work that we do, and I think sometimes it's hard to use quantitative data to always show the impact, but I know that it makes a difference, said Julie Hall, program director at HAAT Force, an Englewood nonprofit dedicated to getting unhoused individuals into motel rooms when severe weather strikes.

Last year's count found 14 families sleeping outside, all in Aurora. County leaders flagged the number as a major concern. This year, that number fell to zero.

Unsheltered veterans dropped 46% from 28 to 15. The number of youth found sleeping unsheltered dropped from 21 to 7 a two-thirds reduction.

Arapahoe County spokesperson Jill McGranahan credited the results to a combination of new resources and regional cooperation.

"I think that what we're seeing is what happens when we collaborate," McGranahan said.

McGranahan said the countys two new regional navigation centers, expanded outreach efforts, and a push to build more affordable housing all contributed to the decline.

Last September, Arapahoe County commissioners approved new affordable housing incentives for developers in an effort to bring some relief to the affordable housing crisis.

"We know that that is a huge concern for our constituents, and we also know that it's a huge concern for the county, so we will continue to invest, and hopefully we'll continue to see results like this," McGranahan said.

Organizations like HAAT Force in Englewood are among those working on the ground to drive those results.

Hall, program director for HAAT Force said prevention is a critical piece of keeping families housed.

"I think a big aspect of supporting families is really prevention and making sure people know before they end up losing that housing what kind of rent assistance is out there, getting them that sort of assistance during a crisis," Hall said.

She said the goal remains straightforward.

"At the end of the day, we just want to see each person able to move towards something that's more wholesome for them," Hall said.

County leaders say continued collaboration between cities and organizations will be key to keeping unsheltered homelessness numbers moving in the right direction.

Students across the Denver metro woke up to a snow day in May, just weeks before summer break.

For Harper Elam, a Cherry Creek Schools fourth grader, the day was a dream come true one she thinks she may have helped bring about herself.

"I didn't know we'd have a snow day in May, and I really did want to have one, but I didn't know it'd be May," Harper said.

WATCH: Denver7's Adria Iraheta caught up with Harper and other students on Denver's May snow day

Harper learned about snow day superstitions from her school bus driver on Tuesday afternoon.

I got home from my bus stop and my bus driver told me to get two ice cubes, flush it down the toilet, wear your pajamas inside out, and put a spoon under your pillow," Harper said. "So that's what I did.

The Cherry Creek School District ended up making the snow day announcement Tuesday night after Harper went to sleep.

I tried waking her up to let her know, but she was sound asleep, Harper's mom, Jacklin Elam, said.

"First snow day, and there's two and a half weeks left of school. It's pretty wild," she added.

A few miles away, students at Grandview High School made the most of the unexpected day off sledding and snowboarding on school grounds.

"It's a really steep hill. It's a good hill," Grandview High School student Eva Rust said.

The students summed up the morning with a smile.

"Ooh, Christmas movie in May," said one high schooler.

While the snow day disrupted AP testing and some finals, districts said those will be rescheduled.

For seniors who had already wrapped up their exams, the timing couldn't have been better.

"I'm all lucky. I'm all done with my finals, I'm just preparing to go off to college," senior Tommy Rust said. Were trying to have fun. We made a jump down there. We were sledding down it, snowboarding down it. No school, no finals. It's nice.

Fellow senior Marina Aguirre said she embraced the unexpected break.

We had finals today, and I wanted to get it over with. But I was like, I'm gonna make the most of it. So I came out sledding," Aguirre said.

The snow day raised questions from some families across the Denver metro, since road conditions were not as bad as anticipated.

Denver7 reached out to several metro school districts to find out.

We heard back from Denver Public Schools, who told us it factored in the heavy, wet snow and its potential impacts to power, which could create dangerously cold conditions for learning if a campus were to lose power.

Temperatures are expected to warm back up within a few days.

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.

Colorado Avalanche fans across the Denver metro are feeling the playoff buzz, and that energy is reaching all the way to the ice at the Family Sports Ice Arena in Centennial the Avalanche's practice facility and home to Okanagan Hockey Colorado (OHC).

The youth hockey association runs teams for players 13 to 18 years old with coaching staff comprised of former college and professional athletes, including former Avalanche players Brett Clark and John Mitchell.

"They are so dialed in to what's going on in the hockey world and the Stanley Cup playoffs. It's fun to hear every time you come to the rink, there's a different story, or they see a play, and they go, 'Hey, Coach, can we try that on the ice?'" Clark said.

During the off season, Okanagan Hockey Colorado players are still at the rink three days a week for spring development to sharpen their stickhandling and skating.

"This is really important because this is where you get all your puck touches, and where you can stick handle and get better at the game, get all your speed like MacKinnon, and it just helps, because then you can just start putting it into the game," OHC player Kipton Peacock said.

Just as NHL stars once started out as hopeful young players, these athletes are chasing their dreams of making it to the big leagues.

"It's relentless, but it's all worth it," OHC player Brock Stevenson said. "You see all the highlights, so then you just want to, like, reenact them in games and practice and stuff. So I think just like trying to learn from the best players."

"I would love to play high levels of hockey and hopefully play D1 or even NHL," OHC player Ethan Gusaas said.

Clark described how the hockey playoff atmosphere can transform a city, with fans flocking to games and stepping out in Avalanche jerseys.

"Once playoffs start, it's a whole different animal, the intensity, the drive, the commitment, the details, everything rises, and you can see it even through the community," Clark said. "It's like the whole city changes. The whole style of the play changes."

In March, OHC's 16U team won the 2026 USA Hockey National Championship, defeating the top-ranked St. Louis Blues in overtime.

On Tuesday night, the Colorado Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the second-round playoff series. The Avs will head to Minnesota for Game 3 on Saturday night.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. A woman was killed in a T-bone crash in Centennial late Wednesday night, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office.

The two-vehicle crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. at the intersection of E. Smoky Hill Road and S. Telluride Street.

Deputies said one of the vehicles involved in the crash struck the side of the second vehicle at the lighted intersection.

Its unclear what vehicle the fatal victim was in.

No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. No other details were available.

The Arapahoe County Coroners Office will release the identity of the victim at a later time.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. In dense mountain forests, wildfire risk is easy to imagine. In busy downtown Denver, the risk is extremely low. The Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control wanted to make that clear across the state with its new wildfire code.

Last summer, CDFPC rolled out its new wildfire resiliency map and code, including new rules for properties highlighted on the map that are designated as wildfire risk.

WATCH: Denver7's Danielle Kreutter explores varying responses to the new rules across the south metro area

Solid red, orange, and yellow designate areas of high, moderate, and low intensity non-federal land, respectively.

Depending on the designation level, different wildfire-resiliency rules would apply to any new builds or major projects on those properties.

"There are a number of components that are specific to a lot of them, to the exterior structure of the home. So things like making sure that five feet around your home, there aren't combustible materials," said Kelly Campbell, a member of the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board.

She also explained that the code covers other changes, such as removing combustible fences or installing screens over vents to prevent embers from entering a home in the event of a nearby wildfire.

The complete Colorado wildfire resiliency code can be found here.

South Metro communities are in a unique position: the majority are in a dense metropolitan area, but pockets of homes are marked on the state's new map as at-risk.

"We had to look at the fuels, and where did the fuels exist? We do have these amazing open spaces in Colorado, throughout the Denver metro area, but within those open spaces, they may create a lot of fuels that can create wildfire risk in areas that we wouldn't traditionally think of as wildfire areas," said Campbell.

Littleton approved the new code within a month of the state presenting the maps. The changes would affect about 3% of the entire city. Staff said it was important to do what they could to protect their community from wildfire risk.

"As we've unfortunately seen in some recent wildfires, namely the Marshall Fire up north, and some of the recent fires in Southern California that destroyed Altadena and Pacific Palisades, it is a real risk," said Steven Salg, supervisor with Littleton's Building Division.

Similarly, Centennial also had pockets of at-risk areas on the new map. City council there approved the adoption of the new code, with local amendments.

In contrast, Greenwood Village took a different stance.

"[Greenwood Village] supports the delay in the bill, which would delay the imposition of this ridiculous bill onto communities," said Greenwood Village Mayor Pro-Tem Libby Barnacle at a recent council meeting in regards to the wildfire resiliency code.

Greenwood Village said it believes the 41 homes identified by the state as at risk were incorrectly identified.

After their own analysis of the geographic information system data, or ground-truth, the city's community development director, Derek Holcomb, determined that, "Adoption under these circumstances would create confusion, mischaracterize wildfire risk to residents, and provide no measurable public safety benefit. For those reasons, the City decided not to adopt the CWRC at this time."

Greenwood Village said it will be working with the South Metro Fire Department on solutions tailored for its community.

In a statement to Denver7, the agency said it respects Greenwood Villages decision not to adopt the wildfire code:

"South Metro Fire Rescue remains committed to being a strong and trusted partner to the City of Greenwood Village. We understand and respect the Citys decision not to adopt a Wildfire Resiliency Code at this time, and we express no opinion on the merits of that decision. Our partnership with Greenwood Village continues beyond code adoption. We value our ongoing collaboration with the City Manager and municipal leadership as we work together on wildfire preparedness, emergency response, and mitigation strategies," the agency said.

Amid these differing responses, Denver7 asked the CWRC board about the Greenwood Village decision.

"Once they do that ground truthing, [they need] to submit that map, and we can review that map. I don't believe that whole process has been complete yet, but that's absolutely part of the contemplated process," said Campbell.

Campbell added that the main goal of the code is to help communities learn best practices for creating wildfire-resilient properties.

"We really do intend this code to be educational, so folks can better understand their risk, and they can then have clear guidance on the kinds of things that they can do to reduce their risk," said Campbell.

Communities across the state must comply with the wildfire code in some way by the end of July. By September, the board will report which communities are not in compliance; it's not clear what happens then.

"As a board, we do not have enforcement authority over a jurisdiction," said Campbell, "When we release that report on September 30, as a board, we don't really have control over that. It's really intended just to be for information and to make that information available."

Edited photos of a small plane that ran off the runway at Centennial Airport are raising questions about transparency in how public safety agencies share images and whether artificial intelligence played a role.

On Sunday, South Metro Fire Rescue responded to a Cessna 172 plane that went off the runway. South Metro Fire Rescue checked out the pilot and posted several photos on social media.

Often, public agencies obscure aircraft tail numbers to protect privacy.

But in the images from Sundays incident, parts of the plane appear altered beyond simply obscuring numbers, including shapes on the tail and a shadow visible in one image but missing in another.

Watch Jaclyn Allen's full report below on the slippery slope when public safety agencies edited photos.

Christopher Jennings, chair of journalism and media production at Metropolitan State University of Denver, reviewed the images and said they raise questions about transparency.

We looked at a couple photos that had a shadow compared to others that didn't have a shadow. And I'm guessing that AI just took the liberties to make those changes, he said.

In a statement, South Metro Fire Rescue denied using artificial intelligence. The agency said the software Adobe Lightroom was used solely to remove the aircrafts identifying tail number to protect privacy. No other elements of the image were changed.

Jennings said sometimes people dont realize AI features are embedded in common editing programs.

I don't know if they knew sometimes people don't realize that AI is being used when they use a program like Lightroom, Jennings said, adding that while the alterations are minor, the issue is serious. We often take these things for granted, even minor things can end up being a major problem down the road.

Similar incidents have made headlines elsewhere.

Last year, a police department in Maine apologized after an officer used an AI tool to add the departments logo to a photo from a drug arrest, inadvertently altering evidence in the image.

In Connecticut, a state agency posted a hunting photo where AI editing added an extra finger to the subject.

And earlier this year, the White House shared a digitally altered image of a civil rights attorneys arrest, prompting renewed calls for transparency in the use of AIgenerated visuals.

Casey Fiesler, professor of information science at the University of Colorado Boulder, said incidents like this underscore why disclosure matters.

Many AI editing tools are basically designed to generate pixels that are visually plausible, but might not represent what is really there. This is similar to how language models like ChatGPT generate probable responses, not necessarily accurate ones, Fiesler said in an email.

If AI editing resulted in fabricating visual details, then thats a factual misrepresentation presumably on an official public record even if it was unintentional. This is why its important to disclose the use of generative AI even in processes like editing especially because, yes, I think incidents like this can erode public trust, she wrote.

Fiesler added that there is a reasonable chance that whoever used the editing tool had no idea that it was generating new visual content rather than simply obscuring what was there.

Denver7 Investigates has asked South Metro Fire to explain why the number was removed rather than blurred or blacked out, which would make the edit obvious to viewers.

Below is SMFR's full response:

An Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office K-9 named Rex found a missing 7-year-old girl in just 12 minutes, using her shoes to track her scent.

The girl had run off from her family during a trip to the park and had been missing for about two hours when Deputy John Gray and Rex, a 5-year-old black lab, got the call.

Watch Rex in action

"It was really essential that he not only took us to the area where she went, but he communicated to us where she didn't go. So that way we knew she was kind of contained in that area," Gray said. "Being able to deploy him and see it pay off and get a girl safely home theres not even really words you can use to describe it.

The rescue marks the first successful find for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's tracking team, a first-of-its-kind K-9 unit specifically trained to locate missing people. The team is made up of K-9s Rex, Bear and Riley, who trained for 16 months.

The dogs were already scent trained, according to Gray. They learned to track the ground for any disturbances and human odors as part of their specialized training for the role.

"Once you are done training, that's kind of when the training actually starts," Gray said.

Rex is considered a triple threat for the department he was originally sworn in as a Littleton Public Schools therapy dog in 2021, where Deputy Gray serves as an School Resource Officer.

Rex later went through explosives detection training alongside K-9s Riley and Bear. Last year, the trio started the intensive missing persons tracking training.

All of these skills proved useful when Rex found the girl on April 2.

After finding her in a nearby yard, Rex immediately switched from tracking mode to therapy mode.

"They can not only smell our hormonal changes, but they can also lower our cortisol levels," Gray said. "To be able to bring some comfort to a kid in a pretty traumatic situation, I think was really important.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office told Denver7 there have been 58 missing persons cases in the county so far this year. It is why they are counting on this K-9 team to help make a difference.

"It's really cool to see an animal use such a powerful skill set to help us," Gray said. "For a missing person or somebody who's maybe even lost, you know, it's really important, because every second counts.

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.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. Centennial is weighing a proposal to replace the longvacant Macys at SouthGlenn with a 361unit apartment building, marking the next major step in the malls ongoing transformation.

The mall has existed in some form even before Centennial was a city.

"SouthGlenn is really tied up in Centennial's identity," said Neil Marciniak, Centennial's economic development director.

As is the case with so many malls across the country, SouthGlenn needed to change.

"SouthGlenn went through a master development plan amendment in 2019," said Marciniak.

Over the years, the enclosed, air-conditioned mall was replaced by an open-air main street and some residential units, now called The Streets at SouthGlenn.

The next big change could unfold at the boarded-up old Macy's Department Store.

"What's being proposed for this site on Macy's is 361 multi-family units in an apartment building with structured parking, and that will essentially take over the footprint of the Macy's building," he said.

Read more about the current proposed plan below:

The city is collecting public input and engaging residents through its virtual public comment system.

Comments from residents varied. Some celebrated the concept, while others expressed concerns about extra traffic, adequate parking, and the affordability of the rents.

"This project is what's referred to as market rate," said Marciniak. "There's no requirement for this to be affordable housing. The city remains very committed to finding ways to bring affordable housing into the city."

Watch Danielle Kreutter's report in the player below:

To address traffic concerns, the master development plan requires any proposal to submit a traffic impact study.

"A traffic impact study that really looks at how many trips are coming into the center today, as opposed to when the retail was occupied. Where do those trips get distributed throughout the site? Onto the surrounding roads? What are the mitigation things that need to be done, such as changing the timing on traffic signals?" he said.

The current proposal lists 557 spaces for the approximately 360 units in a fully structured garage.

Since the developer's final application is still pending, city staff encourages residents to share their thoughts during the public comment period.

"How likely is it that the feedback that you're collecting from citizens will be reflected in that official application?" asked Denver7's South Metro Reporter Danielle Kreutter.

Marciniak responded, saying feedback on the project has been reviewed, but how much can be incorporated depends on existing rules.

"There is a master development plan, really a zoning document, that governs what can be built in SouthGlenn: how tall it can be, what materials they need to use on the exterior, and how much parking is needed. So, provided the submittal meets all those criteria, it's an approvable project," he said.

This public comment period ends on April 22. Click here to share a comment.

Crews are wrapping up construction on a portion of County Line Road from Clarkson Street to the U-Haul business access, reopening the roadway after a 100-day closure.

The project addressed a large dip at Lee Gulch that caused safety concerns for drivers. During heavy rain events, the dip would flood and make travel difficult, according to Project Manager Benjamin Pierce.

To fix the issue, crews raised the road, lengthened an 18-inch pipe underneath and added a pond to filter out the water.

While the full closure is ending and detour signage will be removed Thursday after construction ends around 3:30 p.m., according to Pierce, construction is still ongoing in the work zone. Pierce said there will not be more full closures, but drivers should expect traffic shifts as crews complete paving, curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

"Our progress going forward is going to be working to the east and then to the west to remove the existing road and then build so we're going to be building the north side first, and then shifting traffic there, and then completing the rest of the roadway," Pierce said.

Drivers are still encouraged to find an alternative route to help with anticipated traffic buildup.

Thousands of residents across the Front Range may miss out on life-saving emergency alerts because they have not registered for new county notification systems.

Multiple Colorado counties moved off the old Code Red system after a cyberattack last year. Officials said previous registrations did not carry over to the new platforms, leaving many residents unknowingly disconnected.

Watch: Thousands missing emergency alerts after Arapahoe, Douglas system changes

In Douglas County, officials said 120,000 people were signed up under the old system. Only about 23,000 are enrolled in the new one.

"One thing that a lot of people don't realize is that when those counties made that transition, if you were previously signed up, that sign up is no longer. Essentially, you're no longer registered," Matthew Assell, South Metro Fire Rescue spokesperson, said.

Douglas County officials said they have been trying to get the word out online and on social media since making the switch to DougCoAlert several months ago, but people simply havent noticed.

"They might not even necessarily know that Code Red went down and it's kind of one of those things, like, once you sign up, it's you never really have to think about it again," Taylor Davis, division chief of support services for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, said. "I'm just hoping that the more we talk about it, the more people will start to realize how important it is.

Arapahoe County made the switch to ArapAlert around the same time as Douglas County.

The new systems offer more comprehensive features, including detailed personal profiles and specific area alerts, unlike the limited Code Red system.

Low signups are especially concerning when county leaders think about the residents in the rural parts of Douglas and Arapahoe counties.

"Out on the eastern plains, you're going to see wildfires. The sooner people can get notified of that, that that is occurring somewhere in their area, the sooner they can take action, especially with the way the winds can get going out in that area," Cathy Raley, executive director of the Arapahoe County 911 Authority, said.

"Our concern is that we might have some sort of catastrophic event this summer, and we're not going to be able to get that word out to the community in time," Assell added.

It's not just fires, according to county leaders the notifications are essential in keeping residents safe during shelter-in-place orders, severe weather or even boil water notices.

Arapahoe County resident Don Krueger told Denver7 he signed up for the county's emergency alert notifications a while ago.

"I haven't done it in a long time," Krueger said.

After learning about the system changes, Krueger said he plans to register for the new ArapAlert system.

Just with what's coming up, the drought that we're in right now, and wildfire season is coming up, the more we can get messages out to people, the better, said Raley. We're very, really wanting to the people to know we want them to be safe. We want to take care of everybody who is in Arapahoe County.

If you live or work in Arapahoe County, you can sign up for ArapAlerts here.

If you live or work in Douglas County, you can sign up for DougCoAlert here.

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.

A team of tech company founders will open a new space Thursday in the south metro to help the next generation of tech startups get off the ground or grow their businesses.

Step One 2 Launch is opening Thursday in Centennial. The 22,000 square foot building has typical desks, offices and conference rooms, but also features space for bigger teams and workbenches to build products.

Co-founder Kenneth Geyer said the facility plans to add 3D printers and other specialized machines along with a professional podcast and video studio space all of which can be rented out by companies who need those resources.

Geyer has seen this kind of space in other parts of the country, but he said its lacking in Colorado.

The vision for the future is to go to under-serviced areas like South Denver Metro, Colorado Springs, up and down the Front Range, and have more of these, Geyer told Denver7. To where a maker or an engineer or somebody with, just an inventor with a good idea, want to come to those places because of the ecosystem around them and what they're going to get and benefits.

Geyer said he started his first company in a small house in Arvada, lacking space and guidance to effectively scale up his business. He said a space like Step One 2 Launch would have saved him and his partners from making early mistakes.

Maybe you don't have the budget to go buy a $60,000 piece of equipment? Well, we'll look at doing it ,and then renting it to you so you can offset that, Not have to spend your money, Geyer said.

Membership at the tech startup incubator will also include a team of industry veterans sharing their expertise on everything from raising capital, to managing production and supply chains, to dealing with and winning government contracts.

You're a small company, you can't afford to have a full-time CFO or a full-time head of engineering or a project manager, Geyer said. We got guys that can surge in and help you, you know, a couple hours a week, or whatever you're needing, just to get you over that hump to where you have time to look for an individual to hire for that position.

Geyer co-founded Liteye Systems, a defense technology company, which he said built small displays for defense, thermal cameras for surveillance work, and then big systems for counter-drone systems. That company sold in 2022 to High Point Aerotechnologies. Geyer said he wants to help other entrepreneurs find similar success.

As a startup, you just, you're walking into this fast world, and you've got this great idea, Geyer said. But [youre wondering] How do I do all this?

Step One 2 Launch said memberships start at $299 a month, and include a desk and consultations with the SO2L founders, with options to rent additional space and resources. The facility has room for a few dozen companies, and Geyer said there are plans to expand the space even more.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. A man who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage family member at their Centennial home fled after the second day of his trial and is now a wanted fugitive.

The 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office said the jury found Jose Del Carmen Garcia Martinez, 62, guilty of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust (two counts) and unlawful sexual contact (at-risk child).

The teen is not biologically related to the man.

Garcia Martinez had been released on a $50,000 bond when his trial started, but he only appeared for the first day. The trial continued however, and the jury found him guilty on all of the counts against him. The three counts are all class 3 felonies.

This verdict reflects the jurys clear recognition of the devastating abuse of trust inflicted on a vulnerable child, Deputy District Attorney Tory Reavis said. The defendants decision to flee during trial only underscores his disregard for the law and for the victim he harmed.

This case began on Aug. 5, 2025, when deputies with the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office responded to a sexual assault call at a home along the 5100 block of S. Truckee Street, the district attorney's office said. The mother of the victim had called 911 after the girl's grandmother witnessed Garcia Martinez's inappropriate behavior with the teen, the district attorney's office said. Investigators learned that the teen had reported a similar incident about two years prior, but that was not passed along to authorities.

Garcia Martinez was arrested that same day and booked into the Arapahoe County Jail.

He appeared for the start of his trial on March 24, 2026, but then fled. The district attorney's office did not provide any information about where he may have gone.

He is considered a wanted fugitive.

Anybody with information on Garcia Martinez's whereabouts should contact the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office at 720-874-8477.

District Attorney Amy Padden said her office and law enforcement partners will not stop searching for him.

"The victim in this case deserves justice, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring accountability," she said.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. A 5-year-old boy was killed in Arapahoe County this week and his 11-year-old brother is now under investigation for first-degree murder, deputies with the sheriffs office said Wednesday.

Little is known at this time about what lead to the childs death, but Arapahoe County deputies said they responded to a home on South Jericho Street near the intersection with South Jericho Way in Centennial at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Investigators said they later determined the suspect was the victims 11-year-old brother. The case is now being investigated as a homicide, according to a sheriffs office spokesperson.

The child suspect who will not be identified because of his age was in custody at the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services in Centennial, the sheriff's office spokesperson said.

Watch Denver7's latest update in the video player below.

"It is with great sadness that I want to share with you that one of our Kindergarten students has died unexpectedly," Timberline Elementary Principal Mary Bowens said in a letter to parents on Wednesday. "There is currently an active police investigation and law enforcement asked the District not to release the students name."

Bowens said the district would offer additional district mental health staff "to support students and staff in processing this loss" on Friday. Other resources were available on the Cherry Creek School District's website.

Our hearts go out to the family of these two young boys and to everyone in our community who is grieving this loss, said Sheriff Tyler Brown. Cases involving the homicide of children are among the most difficult our deputies and investigators face. Our team is fully committed to a thorough investigation, and we will continue working tirelessly to determine exactly what happened."

On Wednesday, Denver7 was in the neighborhood as Arapahoe County deputies investigated with drones and K-9's.

Neighbors told us they were struggling to process what happened.

"It's really hard to accept something like this," neighbor Judy Rowse said. "I've known this neighborhood for a long time, and yeah, it's very hard to hear this."

Despite the shock, long-time neighbor Meher Noorulamin said she is not rushing to judgment and instead is reaching out to the boy's family with compassion.

"I think it's so easy to say, how did the parents not know? How did this happen? But without judgment, neighbor to neighbor, we're here for you," said Noorulamin.

The 5-year-old boys cause of death remains under investigation.

The death of a 5-year-old child reported Tuesday night is under investigation by the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's deputies were called to a home near the intersection of E. Smoky Hill Road and S. Himalaya Street around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the sheriff's office said.

There is no ongoing danger to the community, according to the sheriff's office.

It's a complex investigation, according to a public information officer with the sheriff's office, and more information will be provided later Wednesday.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. A Centennial pet store that has been previously targeted by thieves had one of their puppies stolen once again, deputies with the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office said Thursday.

The theft occurred on Jan. 26 at around 4:40 p.m. at the Perfect Pets Pet Store, located at 6840 S. University Blvd.

Surveillance video shows a man and a woman entering the store and walking around for about 10 minutes. The woman is then seen picking up a Maltese/Shih Tuzi/Poodle mix puppy, crouching down, placing the puppy in her jacket, and leaving the store without paying, deputies said in a news release.

The brown and black Malshipoo puppy, pictured below, is valued at $2,200.00, deputies said.

The male suspect was described as tall, thin Black man who was wearing a black jacket, army green sweatpants, black Crocs, and a gray beanie. The second suspect is a white woman wearing a black jacket, purple-and-black pants, black shoes, a white beanie, a white scarf, and pink glasses, according to deputies with the sheriffs office. Both appear to be in their 20s, deputies added.

Deputies said they left in an unknown vehicle and remain at large.

This is the latest theft at the store, which Denver7 has previously reported on. Last year, two puppies were stolen from the store by two women who were never found. In 2022, thieves struck again, stealing two puppies in December of that year, marking the third incident for Perfect Pets that year. Two puppy thieves were again caught on camera in August 2018. In January 2017, a puppy stolen from Perfect Pets was found in the possession of a suspected shoplifter.

Anyone with information about the suspects of this most recent theft or the puppy's whereabouts is asked to contact the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office Investigations Tipline at 720-874-8477. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

The power of one versus the power of many: For Arapahoe County resident Bradley Thompson, finding his community proved to be life-changing.

I've been on my own since I was 10 years old. I didn't have parents. My mom was an addict as well, so she gave up her parental rights when I was 10, and I was a ward of the judicial system through Jefferson County, Thompson told Denver7.

As a teenager, Thompson was shuffled from one group home to another across the state. That difficult time led to years of struggling with opioid addiction and living on the streets.

I literally had to go out of my way to remove myself from the neighborhood that I stayed in, and come down to a different neighborhood that I was uncomfortable, and I found positivity through doing that, said Thompson. "By the graces of God, [the Hornbuckle Foundation] was there, and just happened to put them in my life right when I needed it.

For years, the Hornbuckle Foundation has helped people in west Arapahoe County on their recovery and sobriety journey.

We're taking time to build relationships with people, to show up for people, even when they're not willing to show up for themselves, said the organizations director of outreach, Matthew Melsen.

According to Melsen, meeting people where theyre at is what makes all the difference.

We don't expect people to get it perfectly, but we're going to be there with the resource when they need it, and then we're there for the follow-up afterwards.

Since its launch in 2022, the Arapahoe County Region Nine Opioid Abatement Council has distributed more than $6 million in opioid settlement funds to harm reduction and prevention efforts, as well as to local partners like the Hornbuckle Foundation.

That $6 million stems from several opioid related lawsuits, where pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors settled with attorneys general in multiple states for their role in the United States opioid epidemic.

The number of people who are coming in to see us has definitely increased in the time since we've opened as a new health department, and especially since we've brought on the [harm reduction] mobile unit, said Arapahoe County Public Health Director Jennifer Ludwig.

Since its formation in 2023, Arapahoe County Public Healths Harm Reduction program has recorded more than 6,500 visits and served more than 2,000 participants, while distributing more than 150,000 harm reduction resources.

The council's next step is establishing withdrawal management and residential treatment services with its latest round of funding a total of $4 million.

This time theyre taking a different approach, looking for community partnerships to help them design the best solutions for the countys needs.

What's unique about that is we're saying, Are you qualified to do this? Because we want to partner with you and design a program that helps people come off opioid addiction in a way that is going to support the residents and people that we know are in Arapahoe County, said Arapahoe County spokesperson Jill McGranahan. Help us design a program that we can get more people into a treatment center and hopefully help them recover from addiction.

Its an approach that continues to build on the power of many.

Our team works really hard to build the trust in the community, which then results in word of mouth increasing the volume of people coming to see us, said Ludwig. The more people that we see, the more Naloxone we're able to get out, the more lives that we save.

Thompson is living proof of that he's now in a sober living program and attending school to become a welder.

It's these little thoughts that just warm my heart, thinking about these things, knowing that there are communities out there that are trying to help change things, said Thompson. And the only way that we're going to change things is if we help change them.

For more than 15 years, a small radio station inside the Holly Creek Retirement Community has been giving residents more than just something to listen to it's been sharing resident's stories.

This is a resident project, and so you learn a lot on the way that you can kind of prove to yourself that I can learn something new at this age, Priscilla Stenman, 89, said. She co-hosts the weekly interview program Wanderings alongside fellow resident Sandy Washington, 86.

With no radio experience at all, Stenman said, weve learned a lot.

Each Tuesday, the pair goes live from the cozy in-house studio. Their voices are carried to every television in the complex. They interview both residents and staff uncovering family histories, personal achievements and important chapters of each persons life.

I think its a wonderful way for people to learn about the other residents and staff, Washington said. Its a chance of building our community.

Recently, their guests were three Japanese-Americans Carol Furuta, Ruth Kawamura and Jane Mayeda all survivors of World War II incarceration camps in the United States.

My brother, my two sisters and I, my parents, we went to three camps, two in California and one in Colorado, and that was our last place, and thats how we ended up in Denver, Furuta said.

That last place was the Granada War Relocation Center known to internees as Camp Amache an internment camp in southeastern Colorado.

Where we lived was four walls and a floor, Furuta said.

Furutas parents never spoke about their wartime confinement.

They were probably ashamed, although the shame wasnt with them, but the fact that it happened, I think it was painful, she said. Never, ever spoke about it, and I wished I had asked them more.

After internment camps were shutdown, Furuta remembers prejudice as a constant.

A lot of prejudice. I mean, I remember words being said to me, Furuta said.

Sharing her experience with neighbors is not just personal its a call to awareness.

It is important that we all know our history, she said. I think that the younger generations, they dont. I dont know how much of it is in history books, but people who are my age dont know. So I would think that the younger kids would know even less.

The message from Furuta is clear: Lets not repeat history and lets pay attention and not judge people because they may look different from you.

For the hosts of Wanderings, these conversations exemplify the strength of the community they serve.

Its nice to get to know people you know their real stories, Washington said.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. An armed carjacking suspect reportedly opened fire on Douglas County Sheriffs Office deputies Monday night, leading to at least one deputy returning fire.

The suspect was injured, taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to survive. A sheriffs deputy was also injured and is currently being treated at the hospital, but is expected to be OK as well, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. A passenger from the reported stolen vehicle was taken into custody.

Around 8:30 p.m., the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office alerted Douglas County of an armed carjacking in the area of S. Broadway and E. Panama Drive in Centennial. Then, Arapahoe County said flock cameras identified the reportedly stolen vehicle in the area of County Line Road and Colorado Boulevard.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies tried to conduct a traffic stop on the western side of Highlands Ranch. However, the suspect refused, leading to a high-speed chase that eventually ended at Santa Fe north of C-470.

The Littleton Police Department tried to disable the suspect's vehicle, while the Douglas County Sheriff's Office tried to pin the vehicle. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the suspect began ramming the reportedly stolen vehicle into law enforcement, injuring one of the Douglas County sheriff's deputies.

Then, the suspect began firing shots at Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputies and Littleton Police Department officers through the windshield of the allegedly stolen car.

Deputies returned fire, hitting the suspect.

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Centennial on Sunday morning, waving signs and chanting as they condemned the federal agency.

"This is good, especially, as much as I love [protesting at the State] Capitol, I like being here on site," protester Alix Farley said.

Sunday's demonstration came in response to recent controversial shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis and Portland, including the death of Renee Good, and follows multiple anti-ICE protests across Colorado on Saturday.

Trump's administration has said both shootings were acts of self-defense against drivers who weaponized their vehicles to attack officers.

"This one's real close to home, so that's why we're here," Amanda Reyes said.

Among the protesters was Nathan Ducasse, who came out to peacefully protest alongside the Denver protest marching band "Notes of Dissent."

"We don't approve of, you know, abuses of power like the murder of Renee Good," Ducasse said.

Just three weeks ago, in another incident that resonated with many protesters, activist Jeanette Vizguerra was released from ICE detention after spending nine months at a facility in Aurora.

On Sunday, she spoke to demonstrators as Federal Protective Service officers stood watch.

"Please, not only stand up in this moment, but also stand up every time," Vizguerra told the crowd.

Meanwhile, four days after the shooting, questions about federal agents' legal immunity continue to arise. President Donald Trump said the FBI should not share evidence with Minnesota state officials following Good's death.

"Well, normally I would [share evidence], but they're crooked officials," Trump said.

Minnesota leaders are pushing back against that stance.

"But the law is clear. We do have jurisdiction to make this decision. We cannot make any decision, however, if there is no evidence submitted to our office," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.

As these legal debates unfold, protesters in the Denver metro area are maintaining their call for action.

"I think right now is the time that we should all speak out and actually fight for what we believe in," said Reyes.

Tuesday is day one of a 100-day closure for a portion of County Line Road from Clarkson Street to the U-Haul business access. Crews are filling the dip at Lee Gulch to help with overall public safety.

"The main purpose of this is so that we can move about 40,000 cubic yards of dirt into the famous last big dip on county line," Douglas County Project Engineer Cori Cowan said.

Douglas County is working with the City of Littleton, City of Centennial and the Denver Regional Council of Governments to widen and reconstruct the road from University Boulevard to Broadway.

Neighbors told Denver7, the construction is a long time coming.

"County Line Road has been, basically in the state of disrepair for many, many years," Rob Sweet said. "It should have been converted from a two lane many years ago, just like the rest of it was."

Cowan said another travel lane will be put in each direction. New sidewalks will be added to make it safer and easier for pedestrians to get around, and crews will build a traffic signal at the intersection of Clarkson Street and County Line Road.

"In conjunction with just raising the grade to improve sight distance and obviously, the steep slopes in there. We're also going to relocate a Denver Water line and improve drainage through the Gulch by the church right there," Cowan said.

The entire project costs about $30 million, and is anticipated to be done by September 2027.

Kiarra Jones, a former Littleton school bus aide accused of abusing three nonverbal children with autism in 2024, pleaded guilty to 12 of 13 charges in a plea agreement Monday.

Jones agreed to plead guilty to 10 felonies and two misdemeanors in exchange for a more serious felony charge being dropped. It is still possible, though, that Jones moves forward with the trial as scheduled.

The case surfaced in March 2024, when school bus footage was released that appeared to show Jones repeatedly hitting 10-year-old Dax, a nonverbal boy with autism. In the footage, Dax at times tries to protect himself with his hands.

After the footage emerged in March 2024, Daxs parents, along with the other affected families, soon spoke at a press conference. They discussed their reactions to watching the video.

The most sacred thing I can do is trust someone with my children, especially when my son isnt capable of telling me hes being abused, Daxs dad said.

How could someone that I trusted, someone that I was so friendly with, do this to my little boy? Jess Vestal, Daxs mom, said.

A statement from the legal team noted to Denver7: "For the past two years, Jones has walked freely despite video evidence of her inflicting unconscionable abuse on the most vulnerable members of our community. The families look forward to taking a step toward closure."

Jones is represented by the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender. The office does not comment on active cases.

Prior coverage:

CENTENNIAL, Colo. While families across Colorado hang up Christmas lights, the Baird's in Centennial fill their front yard with magic featuring 99 inflatable holiday helpers.

Once the sun set, Marissa Baird got to work plugging in the correct cords as the inflatables buzzed and puffed up to life.

"We change it up every year where they're placed, so even people who have seen the display year after year always see something new that maybe they missed last year," Baird said.

Bringing this seasonal sight to life is something Baird looks forward to each year. She explained the passion first started when she was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base.

"2010 was the first year that we started," said Baird. "It was a competition while I was active duty military for a display, and it set off my love of inflatables, and it's been 16 years, so this is our 16th year of setting it up."

The display grows bigger each year, with Baird pumped up to spread joy to all who stop by. As a nurse, Baird also sees the deeper meaning in bringing these gentle and glowing friends to life.

"I am not the biggest fan of lights that flash lot, and I'm in the medical field, so you just know that there's a lot of people who can't handle those things. Although I do have some things that flash, it's not the whole display, and so it allows people who have seizures and other things to come by the display and be able to enjoy it," Baird said.

Those of all ages came to see the display, with seven-year-old Jackson Lycan eagerly pointing out all the inflatables to his mother, Kylie. This was their first time seeing the display and experiencing the pure joy that comes with seeing the 99 inflatables.

While it takes a whole lot of dedication, seeing the joy on faces, both young and old, is a reminder to Baird that this display truly lights up the heart.

"Oh, it makes me so happy. I just I love it, and for the amount of time we put into it, we have to love it," Baird said.

The display is located at 19875 E Belleview Place in Centennial, which is inflated daily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as long as weather permits.

Andrew from Centennial writes,

When I went out to look at the way, first thought was, I think the striping could be clearer with how the left turn lane is configured. However after I talked to the engineering department with Aurora Public Works, I can understand why they have the lane laid out the way they do.

City engineers told me they designed that lane to have two functions one, as a left turn lane for northbound drivers on Reservoir Road to go left at Quincy Avenue; Two, as an acceleration lane for drivers turning left from eastbound Rice Drive onto northbound Reservoir. City engineers told me this dual-function lane configuration really helps drivers turning left from Rice Drive make the turn safer by making it two stages first, turning into the acceleration lane, then merging right to continue northbound on Reservoir when safe. I never saw anyone using it that way. They all turned left into the regular left lane going north.

MORE: Read more traffic issues driving people crazy

This same Rice Drive acceleration lane also acts as the left-turn lane for drivers on northbound Reservoir Road at Quincy Avenue. Thats why, engineers told me, there is a continuous solid white line from Rice Drive to Quincy Avenue. It was designed as a single, continuous lane line to serve both functions.

I think part of the confusion with this double functioning lane is the solid white line that separates the left through lane from the turn/acceleration lane. As I wrote in a story about white lines five years ago, there is a common misconception that drivers are not allowed to cross a solid white line. It is legal to cross a single, solid white line. Although it is "discouraged" depending on the situation. It is not legal to cross double white lines on or off the interstates. Aurora traffic engineers told me in this case, since the line separating the through lane from the left-turn lane is a single solid white line, drivers are legally permitted to cross it to enter the turn lane for Quincy Avenue.

I asked the traffic engineer if the City of Aurora would consider changing the markings to dashes to indicate that drivers are free to merge in or out of that lane. I was told yes, the city will consider future changes to the turn lane configuration but that wont come until the city resurfaces the roadway and there are no immediate or short-term plans for that.

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Kerry from Englewood writes,

There are several ways to discourage and prevent drivers from making any poor driving behavior including those illegal lefts. The most obvious way is to eliminate access but the city could add roadway barriers and police could increase enforcement.

When I went out there to take a look for myself, it didnt take long for me to see some illegal lefts. Most of the ones I saw happened on the north side of E. Arapahoe Road coming out of the Toyota dealership. I saw a fair number from the two spots south of Arapahoe, including one driver who initially turned right but then almost immediately made a U-turn right in front of the no U-turn sign.

I talked to both the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office (ACSO) and to the Centennial Public Works Department about solutions to this problem. Traffic engineers with the City of Centennial told me they initially instituted these prohibited left turns along S. Havana Street for several reasons. The main reason is the proximity to busy Arapahoe Road. Both private right-in, right-out driveways are only 180 feet and 270 feet respectively from the intersection. They were constructed over 25 years ago which was prior to the incorporation of Centennial as a city.

MORE: Read more traffic issues driving people crazy

The private driveway north of Arapahoe into the dealership is only 265 feet from the intersection. Traffic engineers told me allowing full movement accesses from these short distances presents significant safety and crash concerns.

The city told me all three driveways are currently equipped with raised channelizing islands and supplemental signage. This is the way they will stay for the foreseeable future. I asked the city if they would look at adding stanchions or some other kind of barriers to further discourage or prevent these illegal left turns. I was told that the city is not planning that type of work at this time and that such projects would involve a substantial amount of design and construction along with associated costs and public impact.

The city suggests accessing the businesses to the south of Arapahoe from the full movement access points on Briarwood/Costilla, slightly further to the south. The dealership to the north of Arapahoe can be accessed from a right-in right-out to the east on Arapahoe and from a full movement access on Ironton Street connecting to Havana slightly further to the north.

As far as getting people to stop making illegal lefts right now, the ACSO told me it's aware of the illegal left turns and deputies do look for the illegal turns when they have time to do enforcement. Of course, deputies will pull someone over if they happen to be in that area and happen to see a violation, but thats why there is that old adage there is never a cop around when you want one. The ASCO told me even though you might be seeing drivers making these illegal lefts, it's not aware of any crashes due to those illegal turns.

The city said drivers who choose to make unpermitted movements are responsible for those choices and associated violations and that enforcement is the appropriate means to address this deliberate behavior. By the way, if someone is pulled over for making an illegal left, the offense in Centennial is Left Turn When Prohibited and is a four-point ticket with a $125 fine.

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A licensed massage therapist turned himself into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility for allegations of sexual assault on a child, the sheriff's office announced Thursday.

Christopher Ost, 39, is suspected of secretly videotaping clients both adults and minors without their consent. Ost gave massages out of his home in Centennial mostly, but occasionally visited client homes and provided services to children with special needs in the Denver metro area.

He faces two felony charges of sexual assault on a child and three misdemeanor charges of invasion of privacy for sexual gratification.

Ost has been released from jail and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) suspended his massage therapist license on November 21, pending further investigation.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office is asking for anyone with information on Ost or believes they may be a victim to call the tipline at 720-874-8477 or file a complaint with DORA here.

Mesa County Valley School District 51 said three students and one coach from Central High School's boys wrestling team are still recovering in the hospital after the team's bus was involved in a crash with an SUV in Lakewood on Saturday.

The school's athletics schedule shows the team was competing in a tournament at Arapahoe High School in Centennial on Saturday.

Lakewood police said the crash happened near Kipling Street and W. 6th Ave. around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. West Metro Fire said a total of 14 people were taken to the hospital, including all four people in the SUV, eight students on the bus and two wrestling coaches.

D51 school leaders said they would not share information about the medical conditions of the team members still in the hospital out of respect for their privacy.

Denver7 spoke with Javier Quintana, head wrestling coach at Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, who said he went to visit some of the team in the hospital over the weekend. Quintana said he has formed close relationships with Central High School's coaching staff through wrestling tournaments over the years.

"I really respect the connections they have with their community and their kids," Quintana said. "They just really care about whole child development and their well-roundedness of the kids is at the forefront of their programming."

He said he has been communicating with about a dozen other wrestling coaches since the crash to figure out ways they can support the team during their recovery.

"I want those kids to get back and healthy and be back and be normal high school students as soon as they can, and whatever we could do to provide that. As a lifelong educator... I would just kind of reflect back on how that would have impacted my community," Quintana said.

Denver7 is still working to get an update on the conditions of the four people in the SUV who were taken to the hospital.

LITTLETON, Colo. Arapahoe County wants to hear from you as it develops a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan to improve road and pedestrian safety in unincorporated areas.

By 2030, Arapahoe County is likely to be the metro areas largest, underscoring the urgent need to improve its transportation infrastructure.

Covid changed the way that we travel within the Denver metro area the peak volumes in the morning and the PM are a little less, and they're spread out through the day, said Arapahoe County transportation division manager Jim Katzer. We're looking to address those [issues].

The CSAP will analyze crash data from 2018 to 2024, along with public input, to pinpoint high-risk areas and prioritize strategies to keep the community safe.

This could mean anything from pothole-riddled roads and missing crosswalks to intersections where you've barely avoided getting into an accident.

An interactive comment map is available for the public to identify areas of concern through Dec. 21, 2025.

Just one week in and several issues are already becoming evident on the map.

Denver7 ventured out to various parts of the county on Sunday to hear your concerns directly.

Multiple residents living near the Windsong Condominiums and Miramar Apartments on East Arkansas Avenue have reported speeding as a primary concern.

I don't know how fast they get, maybe up to 40 or something, people fly by, said former resident Justyn Myers. There's a turn that's kind of a little bit more blind, you could say. And when you fly around the corner, you can't really see until somebody is like, right there.

Further south, near Dove Valley, neighbors have noted bumpy roads and pedestrian safety issues.

Longtime resident Candice Bishop told Denver7 shes observed drainage issues causing significant sidewalk damage near her home.

In The Farm at Arapahoe County neighborhood, visibility and drainage issues are of concern to residents.

Homeowner Lori Snider told Denver7 shes worried about speeding near Fox Hollow Elementary School.

County leaders plan to implement solutions in problem areas once the plan is finalized, but they can't do so without your voice.

The public input is critical. We don't have eyes and ears everywhere in the county, said Katzer.

Though the input focuses on unincorporated parts of the county, Katzer said theyre not turning a blind eye to other areas in need of improvement.

If there's significant data that's collected just outside of the county boundaries, we'll communicate that to our partners in the surrounding jurisdictions, he said.

In the meantime, these proud Arapahoe County residents are looking forward to the changes the process might bring.

I really don't know the last time they came through and redid any of this, so them coming out to check it, see if there's things that can be fixed that would be fantastic, said Bishop.