Cherry Creek Schools Chief Human Resource Officer Brenda Smith was put on administrative leave, the district's board of directors announced Tuesday in a special meeting.

Her husband, Cherry Creek Schools Superintendent Chris Smith, announced his resignation and retirement less than a week ago after his leadership was put under the microscope by Denver7 Investigates. His last day was Friday. The board said during the meeting that both Chris Smith and the board has obtained legal counsel.

Prior coverage:

As of Feb. 2, 2026 Brenda Smith was placed on administrative leave. Given that this is a personnel matter, the district can comment further at this time, Cherry Creek School District General Counsel Sonja McKenzie announced at the start of the meeting.

The board then moved into executive session to meet with its attorney for legal advice on the board's employment policy, including its conflict of interest policy. It was also set to discuss Chris Smith's employment and retirement agreements as well as the organizational chart for the district.

During the past several months, more than a dozen informed insiders, including current and former staff members spoke with Denver7 Investigates on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. They explained that the superintendent and chief HR officer's relationship left employees with nowhere to turn when problems arise in the district. It has created what they describe as a toxic culture within the district.

"I think people don't feel safe. You can't question the superintendent because his wife is head of HR," one of the sources told Denver7 Investigates. "I think it's a huge problem and I think it hurts our students."

Through open records requests and from inside sources, Denver7 Investigates obtained nearly a dozen complaint letters circulating inside of the school district, including several sent directly to the elected school board. Some were signed while others were anonymously written, which sources said point to the fear of retaliation.

One eight-page letter from two district principals sent more than a year ago accused Chris Smith of unprofessional conduct, retaliation against employees and misallocation of budgetary items, including expenses and salaries.

"I saw a lot of fear tactics, intimidation tactics. A lot of 'My way or no way,'" another source told Denver7 Investigates.

That letter sparked an investigation by the district.

"People need to know what the leadership in Cherry Creek looks like and how people who push back or give feedback or disagree are pushed out," the first source said. "I think the superintendent is leveraging his relationship with his wife as head of HR to make staffing and personnel decisions that benefit him."

That letter from the principals also stated that "The Human Resources Department operates with the intent that people are guilty prior to an investigation. They refer to the conference room in their office as 'the cry room.'"

"They have a room that they meet with employees that's called the crying room. It's nicknamed the crying room," the second source said, adding in her opinion, its the district's goal to make people cry when called into that room.

Last month, the school district told Denver7 Investigates that Brenda Smith reports to a deputy superintendent and not to her husband, so the relationship wasnt seen as a conflict of interest at the time of the superintendents hiring, nor is it one today.

Since Chris Smith's resignation and retirement, Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Perry is serving as interim superintendent. Denver7 Investigates has requested and interview with Perry, but that request was denied, with a spokesperson saying she needed to focus on the work of the district.

Cherry Creek is one of the largest districts in the state, boasting 53,000 students and more than 9,000 employees with a history of success in the classroom and on the athletic fields. Many of the schools have some of the highest ratings in the state on websites such as GreatSchools.org.

Five members of a swim team received medical attention Tuesday evening after an acid spill at Sundance Pool, South Metro Fire Rescue said.

The SMFR Hazmat Team responded to the facility off S. Galena Street around 6:02 p.m. Tuesday for the spill.

Firefighters worked to contain the hazardous materials and evaluate multiple people who may have been affected.

The spill was under control within an hour, according to SMFR, and there's no ongoing threat to the public.

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.

Coloradans have the chance to spread a little holiday cheer to working dogs across the state this year.

Beat the Blue K-9 Force is collecting gifts for law enforcement pups on Santa's nice list. You can find a picture of each pup and what's on their wishlist here.

Dogs from the Aurora, Denver, Greenwood Village, Hudson, Sheridan and Caon City Police Departments, as well as the El Paso, Arapahoe and Pitkin County Sheriff's Office are all eligible for donations.

Contributions to the fundraiser can be shipped directly to Back The Blue K-9 Force, dropped off to Solera Salon Centennial any time or brought to an event this Saturday at John Elway Chevrolet. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., donors are asked to bring gifts marked for each intended recipient to at 5200 S. Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113.

Back The Blue K-9 Force will distribute the presents to each good boy and girl.

The nonprofit is also listed as one of the thousands of nonprofits Colorado Gives Day is supporting next Tuesday.

Back the Blue K-9 Force has made it possible for five law enforcement departments in Colorado to get 15 working dogs. The nonprofit also assists handlers with safety gear and medical needs.

A Cherry Creek school bus crashed Friday morning at the intersection of E. Union Avenue and DTC Boulevard, AirTracker7 captured on video.

There were no kids on the bus, Ashley Verville with the Cherry Creek School District told Denver7, and the bus driver was not injured.

A small black sedan appears to have been involved in the crash around 6:45 a.m. Friday, with its front bumper smashed. Denver police and an ambulance were visible on scene.

Denver police said the black car was making a left turn when it was struck by the school bus going straight through the intersection. The black car did not appear to have the signal to make a turn, according to Denver police.

At this time, first responders did not disclose how serious the driver of the black car was injured.

Denver police officers are working to get the intersection closed, the departments public information officer told Denver7 at 7:33 a.m.

A second crash happened at the intersection while first responders were still tending to those involved in the first wreck. No one had serious injuries in that crash.

UPDATE: The missing girl has been found and is safe, according to Greenwood Village police. Denver7 has removed her name from this article.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. The Greenwood Village Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 11-year-old girl who was last seen Tuesday evening.

The girl was reported missing by her parents. She left Campus Middle School after school on her Liv green mountain bike and was last seen near Tufts and Broadway around 6 p.m., according to police.

She was last seen wearing light-colored sweatpants, a blue hoodie and Ugg boots. She was also carrying a blue backpack.

Anyone with information about the missing girl's whereabouts is asked to call Greenwood Village PD at 303-773-2525.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. Two 13-year-old boys died after a crash involving six people on southbound Interstate 25 near Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre in Greenwood Village Thursday evening.

One of the teenage boys was from Henderson, Colorado, and the other was from Commerce City, Colorado.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. However Greenwood Village police said in a news release Friday morning, preliminary findings indicate no drugs or alcohol were involved.

South Metro Fire Rescue responded to the multi-vehicle crash on southbound I-25 at Arapahoe Road around 7:07 p.m. A HazMat crew was called to the area due to a fuel leak from one of the vehicles.

Six people were taken to the hospital following the crash. The conditions of the other four people in the crash are not known at this time.

Southbound I-25 was closed at Orchard. Greenwood Village police warned that the roadway would be closed for an "extended period of time." The shutdown lasted into Friday morning rush hour.

Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace performed at Fiddler's Green Thursday night.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. More construction signifies more growth in Arapahoe County.

Regional assessments that have been done recently demonstrate that we have an increased need for housing in general. They estimate about a 47,000-home need by 2032, said Katherine Smith, community resources director with Arapahoe County. With that, there is a specific need for affordable housing.

County leaders predict a need for more than 6,000 affordable units.

For nonprofits like Family Tree, the work to connect families to affordable housing options can seem never-ending.

It almost feels like, you know, the image that I have in my head is you just can't turn off the faucet, said Family Tree CEO Paolo Diaz. More investments certainly need to be done, whether it's in affordable housing, eviction prevention, things like that, to be able to keep people housed.

Now, Arapahoe County leaders are on a mission to bring some relief to the affordable housing crisis.

This month, commissioners approved the creation of two new zoning districts allowing for more mixed-use, high-density development. Its expected to encourage the development of higher-density multifamily housing near major transportation stops and business/retail centers. 

Commissioners also added incentives for developers if they designate anywhere between 10 to 50 percent of new units at an affordable rate.

Those incentives include reduction of fees, accelerated review times, maybe some reduction in other requirements, explained Bryan Weimer, Arapahoe County director of Public Works and Development.

Modular homes are now permitted within the countys housing rules.

We looked at modular housing and mobile homes, assisted living facilities, transitional housing, and provided a range of opportunities for different types of homes within Arapahoe County, Weimer added. That covers a broad range of housing types to meet the needs that we're going to see in the future.

Denver7 broke down the numbers to give you an idea of how quickly the need for affordable housing is growing in Arapahoe County.

The median household income in Arapahoe County is $98,000 a year. Anyone making 80 percent of that or below ($78,400 or less) qualifies for affordable housing in the county.

Over the last five years, we have seen that need grow in those that are accessing services through community resources and needing assistance with affordable placement - over a 100 percent increase that we have seen, said Smith.

Nonprofit leaders like Diaz said these incentives and regulations are a step in the right direction.

I do think that it's something that more communities need to focus on, whether it's at the county level or at the city level, to be able to increase the affordable housing stock, said Diaz.

A burglary suspect is in custody after police said he stole an Aurora police vehicle and led authorities on a pursuit that ended in a crash at Alameda Avenue and S. Airport Boulevard on Tuesday morning.

Police said the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Brayan Reyes-Bernal, has a lengthy criminal history and is facing additional charges of vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, burglary, and hit-and-run.

The Aurora Police Department (APD) was called around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a report of a burglary in a neighborhood off E. Exposition Avenue and S. Peoria Street, APD Deputy Chief Michael Gaskill said during a press briefing.

While officers were investigating that incident, Gaskill said Reyes-Bernal, who may not have been involved in the original burglary report, got into one of APD's patrol vehicles and drove off.

An officer who responded to the potential burglary saw Reyes-Bernal steal the car and called in backup to pursue him.

Officers chased the suspect across multiple jurisdictions until about 9:15 a.m., according to Gaskill.

The chase ended, and Reyes-Bernal was taken into custody after an APD sergeant intentionally rammed his car into the stolen vehicle.

The two were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and later released.

There were no other vehicles or people involved, according to Gaskill, and no additional injuries.

The keys of the stolen APD vehicle were not in the ignition, but Gaskill said that an anti-theft device installed in Aurora patrol cars did not activate at the time of the incident.

"It's a process that we have to initiate, and for whatever reason, that didn't happen, which is what we'll look into. It could be a variety of reasons why it didn't engage," Gaskill said.

Westbound Alameda Avenue at S. Airport Boulevard reopened around 10:50 a.m., APD said, a little over two hours after the police pursuit.

Police said Reyes-Bernal is currently on probation for an Adams County felony conviction.

Two Cherry Creek High School seniors are spearheading a proposed 2026 ballot measure that would automatically admit the top 10% of high school graduates to state colleges and universities.

Starting senior year of high school can sometimes feel like a whirlwind.

You have to write your own college applications, prep for that, get all your homework done, keep your grades up, said Cherry Creek High School senior Kiran Herz.

But Herz and his classmate Jaiden Hwang are now adding another big project to their endless list of extracurriculars and admissions essays theyre also trying to introduce a ballot initiative in November 2026 to make college applications slightly less stressful for students in the future.

Initiative 81 aims to automatically admit the top 10% of graduates from every Colorado high school to state colleges and universities based on GPA.

He approached me in class one day, asked me if I'd be willing to help him attempt to make college admissions processes easier, said Hwang, whos been working on this initiative with Herz since junior year.

Herz told Denver7 he drew inspiration from similar laws in other states, as well as seeing how stressed his peers have been since junior year.

I was just looking at different bills, just doing some random research, went down a rabbit hole and found out about the Texas 10% rule, he said.

The proposed initiative would allow up to 75% of in-state students to be automatically admitted as freshmen.

If that percentage is exceeded, schools could lower the cap for automatic admission to maintain that balance.

However, some schools may find automatic or guaranteed college admissions policies challenging, as they could impact academic standards and resources.

I think the primary and most immediate thing is it'll make stress dissipate, well, significantly reduce stress among people applying for college to know that they have that safety net, said Hwang.

Herz and Hwang would be some of the youngest in the state to put forth a ballot initiative if it succeeds.

They'll need to get past some hurdles first.

We have to get 124,000 and some signatures by then, which will be an immense challenge. But it's only with a ton of help that we'd be able to achieve it, explained Herz.

Not to mention, Herz and Hwang can't collect signatures themselves since they're not over the age of 18 yet.

So, they'll need volunteers to do that. They need to hit their goal by December to qualify.

Even though its an uphill battle, the Cherry Creek High School seniors say they want to show that anyone can speak out and take action.

It gives every high schooler from every high school across the state a chance, said Herz.

AURORA, Colo. Olde Town Arvada can be a tough place to find a parking spot.

Parking is not just parking; parking is quality of life, driver David Spitz told Denver7 on Monday after nabbing a spot on the street. When you come home from work and you really need to go home, and you're tired and you need to circle the block 100 times and you can't find a place, that's not quality of life.

Spitz is one of many Coloradans frustrated with a new state law, which aims to create more room for affordable housing by banning local governments from enacting or enforcing parking minimums for new multifamily developments.

Olde Towns parking squeeze is mentioned in a lawsuit against the state and Governor Jared Polis, which was filed in Denver District Court in May, brought by Arvada and five other Denver metro home rule cities.

In Colorado, home rule is a governing structure that gives counties and cities more control over local matters. With home rule, local ordinances that address local issues generally supersede state law. However, in matters of statewide concern, state laws may take precedence, according to a report by the Legislative Council Staff.

The cities claim two housing laws House Bill 24-1313 and House Bill 24-1304 and a 2025 executive order violate the Colorado Constitution by stripping local governments of their land-use authority.

On Monday, the mayors of the six cities Arvada, Aurora, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Lafayette and Westminster put out an open letter, saying their home rule rights are under attack" and calling Polis executive order threatening to withhold funding from cities that dont comply a bullys tactic.

I think it's really important to protect local control that's enshrined in our state's constitution, said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman in a sit-down interview with Denver7. In talking to some other mayors, they say, Well, I don't think [the new pair of laws] was so bad. But what happens when it's something you think is really bad, but you've already allowed that precedent to happen, in terms of eroding local control?

Coffman said Aurora is very committed to finding affordable housing solutions, pointing to the citys pledge to add more than 500 new affordable housing units each year over three years, in order to receive funding through Proposition 123.

We also like the idea of transit-oriented development, that kind of building density in terms of housing by, you know, in mass transit corridors, particularly by light rail stops by major bus stops, he added. So we are we've been moving in that direction for some time.

But Coffman said the state should let local leaders decide what solutions work best for each community.

The common issue amongst us, amongst the six mayors [who are part of the lawsuit], is the home rule authority, is the ability to make these decisions at the local level, he said. The governor's effectively taking away a voice by the people of this, because he doesn't like some of the decisions that have been made by some local governments."

Denver7 brought those concerns to the governors office, which responded with a statement. It also recently cited a study that shows local zoning restricts housing options and curbs the construction of affordable housing in Colorado.

One of the most common criticisms of those who oppose measures aimed at increasing housing supply is being labeled a NIMBY, which comes from the phrase "Not in my Backyard."

We're certainly not a NIMBY, and I think you have to look at it community by community or city by city, Coffman said. We are doing everything we can to foster affordable housing So we don't disagree with the governor on all these issues, but we fundamentally disagree when it comes to who ought to be making these decisions.

The lawsuit is being led by the City of Greenwood Village. Coffman said Aurora City Attorney Pete Schulte is involved as well, but could not provide an exact number of hours Schulte has spent working on that support.

WASHINGTON, DC An Arizona man has been found guilty of crimes related to his plot to target Christian churches in several states, including Colorado.

A federal jury found Zimnako Salah, 45, of Phoenix, Arizona, guilty of the charges against him following an 11-day trial. He had been accused of strapping a backpack around a toilet in a Christian church in Roseville, California "with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release Friday.

The offense was considered a hate crime because Salah had targeted the church due to the religion of the people who worshipped there.

At the trial, evidence showed that between September and November 2023, Salah traveled to four churches with black backpacks. He planted the backpacks at two of them, causing fear that they held bombs, and was confronted by security at the other two churches. The four churches are in Arizona, California and Colorado.

According to a criminal complaint, Salah rented a storage unit about 15 minutes away from the Colorado church, stayed overnight in the unit and "stored component parts for a destructive device or a hoax device, such as a propane canister with wires taped to it, and strips of duct tape lined with nails." In addition, an antisemitic statement was scrawled on the wall of the storage unit in Kurdish, the complaint reads. The church was not identified, but is located in Greenwood Village, the complaint reads.

"While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack," the DOJ's press release reads. "During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED)."

Salahs social media showed he consumed extremist propaganda online, the DOJ said, and had searched for videos of Infidels dying" and watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists committing murder.

Salah faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $250K fine. His sentencing is scheduled for July 18.

The FBI investigated this case along with multiple other agencies, including the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in Colorado.

This Department of Justice has no tolerance for anyone who targets religious Americans for their faith, said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. The perpetrator of this abhorrent hate crime against Christians will face severe punishment.

Two people were hospitalized early Wednesday morning after an Aurora police chase ended with a truck flipped on its side in the area of southbound Interstate 25 and E. Arapahoe Road.

The pursuit began at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday when Aurora police got a call about an incident of felony menacing with a gun near 32nd Ave. and 32nd Pl.

Officers spotted the red car described in the report, going eastbound on E. Colfax Ave. They tried to follow the vehicle onto Interstate 225 southbound, but a white truck got in the way, Aurora police said.

People in the white truck began throwing things out of the vehicle, according to Aurora police, and firing a gun at officers.

The officers pursued the white truck, using a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle at around southbound Interstate 25 and Arapahoe Road in Greenwood Village, causing it to flip on its side.

The man and woman inside were injured and taken to the hospital.

Aurora police said they will both be arrested after they're cleared by doctors. Officers recovered a gun at the scene of the encounter.

They never caught up with the red car and its driver reported in the original felony menacing with a gun.

This comes as the Aurora Police Department updated its policy earlier this month, allowing officers to chase driver in situations when a crime involves a gun and there's a public safety risk.

No lanes were blocked as a result of the rollover, Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber reported, but it could cause a slowdown for the Wednesday morning commute as traffic increases.

See his full traffic report, in the video player below:

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. Two additional suspects have been arrested following the Feb. 11 homicide at a Greenwood Village light rail parking lot.

Kaleb Witt, 18, was arrested on March 7 and a 17-year-old male was arrested on March 11, the Greenwood Village Police Department said on Wednesday. The 17-year-old has not been named because he is a juvenile. Detectives found and seized multiple firearms from their residences in Denver, police said.

The announcement of these arrests came after a juvenile of unknown age was arrested in February, bringing the total number of people arrested in this case to three.

All three remain in custody. Investigators said they do not believe there are any other suspects.

This case started on the afternoon of Feb. 11, when officers responded to the parking lot of the Dayton RTD Light Rail station, located at S. Boston Street and E. Nassau Avenue. They found one person with a gunshot wound and another with injuries from an apparent assault, the department said. Both were transported to a hospital for treatment.

Witnesses said they saw several people run away from the scene.

The two victims were later identified as a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy. The 17-year-old, who had been shot, died the day afterward, GVPD said. He was identified as Abraham Steve Carranza Maravilla.

The other boy was treated at the hospital and released.

Anybody with information about this case is asked to call the GVPD at 303-486-8275 or email investigations@greenwoodvillage.com.

A Greenwood Village mental health clinic said they are the first to provide ketamine therapy that they say is affordable to EMTs and paramedics.

It's part of Colorado's Path4EMS program that helps subsidize the cost of mental health treatments for EMTs and paramedics. Sam Peterson, co-founder of Mind Spa, said what is normally $400 per infusion is reduced to $150 per infusion if processed through the state EMT program.

Ketamine therapy uses low doses of the dissociative anesthetic medication to manage various mental health conditions, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The therapy is helping people like Dillon Reid, a paramedic lieutenant for Platte Valley Ambulance Service. He's been an EMT for 7 years and knows seeing horrible things comes with the job.

"I had years of weird calls, super young people are just dying. I thought I was good with it because I understood death was a thing. Then pretty much went a year without running anything crazy. All of a sudden, I ran a call that just completely tipped the scales," he said.

He said the weight of the tragedies was adding up, taking a toll on him mentally and putting strains on his relationships.

"The biggest problem that I remember was the call that tipped the scale for me, it was at night. So after that call, any time the sun would go down I would start to spiral. I would dissociate. Id feel like Id need to isolate. I couldnt be around anybody," he said.

It took a wake-up call from his fiance, who took him to Peterson's clinic.

"If someone has tried to engage with other mental health therapies and hasnt been successful, ketamine is a great way to give you some space from your symptoms, and it can also make therapy more effective," Peterson said.

Ketamine is an anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects, according to the DEA. Peterson said patients are given a small dose. It starts with .5 mg/kg.

"It's dosed by body weight," Peterson said. "Then go up by .2 mg/kg each infusion until we get around 1-1.2."

Then, patients go into rooms and can listen to music or watch things projected on a wall.

"It gives you a nice window where you have some separation from your symptoms," Peterson said.

While much remains unknown about the long-term effectiveness of ketamine, the use of the drug for therapeutic purposes has grown in popularity in recent years.

Although ketamine is not approved for the treatment of conditions such as depression or chronic pain, there has been increased interest in the use of ketamine for these types of conditions, read a notice from the Food & Drug Administration last summer.

A prescription nasal spray version of the drug was approved for treatment-resistant depression back in 2019. A Harvard study examining ketamine therapy noted the growing number of ketamine clinics hundreds or even thousands that opened after that approval was issued.

It urges people interested in ketamine therapy to consult a primary care doctor, mental health provider or other health care professional in making a final decision.

UCHealth says ketamine should be used in safe, supervised settings with a medical expert.

Research appears limited on ketamine therapy specifically in Colorado. Prehospital use of the drug was the subject of a state health department review after paramedics administered ketamine during an encounter with Elijah McClain that turned deadly. That study determined ketamine can be used safely in the field by paramedics but required more training and monitoring. It did not examine ketamine therapy.

Ketamine can be addictive, particularly for those who may be addicted to other substances, according to UCHealth. Peterson said addiction shouldnt be a concern related to the treatment at Mind Spa.

"If using ketamine in a clinical sense was causing addiction issues, we would see massive addiction issues in bariatric and pediatric patients, and we do not see that," he said.

We asked Reid what happens after the ketamine wears off.

"Neuroplasticity is better in the brain, and so youre more, I guess, susceptible to new habits and talking about those emotions," said Reid. "That therapy, man, it felt like I was on a train out of the pit. I dont know how to describe it. It was just so productive every time."

Ried said it's allowed him to stay in a career where he knows he's making a difference. Now, he can better help others because he's caring for himself, too.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. The Greenwood Village Police Department (GVPD) and South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) are responding to a four-vehicle crash involving a school bus near Cherry Creek High School.

The crash happened in the area of Campus Drive and South Yosemite Street.

The crash involved four vehicles, including a school bus. SMFR said its firefighters had to extricate a person out of a vehicle.

The HazMat Team is also responding to the scene to stop a fuel leak from one of the vehicles.

In an update, SMFR said no one was taken to the hospital, and the HazMat Team was able to mitigate the leak.

A spokesperson for Cherry Creek Schools said the bus driver is fine, and no students were onboard at the time of the crash. The bus was returning to the bus depot after dropping off kids.

The school district spokesperson said they do not believe any of the other involved drivers were high school students.

Northbound Yosemite is closed from Chenango to Union, according to GVPD.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. A juvenile was arrested in connection with a fatal shooting at a Greenwood Village light rail station earlier this month, the police department announced Wednesday morning.

The juvenile male, whose age was not available, was arrested on Feb. 20, the Greenwood Village Police Department (GVPD) said.

This case started on the afternoon of Feb. 11, when officers responded to the parking lot of the Dayton RTD Light Rail station, located at S. Boston Street and E. Nassau Avenue. They found one person with a gunshot wound and another with injuries from an apparent assault, the department said. Both were transported to a hospital for treatment.

Witnesses said they saw several people run away from the scene.

The two victims were later identified as a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy. The 17-year-old, who had been shot, died the day afterward, GVPD said. He was identified as Abraham Steve Carranza Maravilla. The other boy was treated at the hospital and released.

The arrested juvenile had been under surveillance by the GVPD and Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force members since an arrest warrant was signed on Feb. 14, the police department said. He does not have any known ties to the Greenwood Village community.

Because of the suspect's age, his name is not being released.

Anybody with information about this case is asked to call the GVPD at 303-486-8275 or email investigations@greenwoodvillage.com.

UPDATE | Feb. 13 Greenwood Village police said the second person injured in the shooting at a RTD station was a 14-year-old boy. He was treated at a local hospital and has been released.

In addition, the Arapahoe County Coroners Office identified the deceased 17-year-old as Abraham Steve Carranza Maravilla. He died of a gunshot wound, they confirmed.

...

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. A 17-year-old injured amid Tuesday's assault and shooting at a RTD station in Greenwood Village has died of his injuries.

The Greenwood Village Police Department (GVPD) said the case is an active homicide investigation and limited new details are available. They added that the Dayton RTD Station, where the shooting unfolded on Tuesday, is safe, and the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident.

The 17-year-old has not been identified.

The shooting happened in the afternoon, around 3:30 p.m. In the parking lot of the RTD station which is located at S. Boston Street and E. Nassau Avenue police found one man with a gunshot wound and a second person with injuries from an "apparent assault," the GVPD said.

Denver7 is working to confirm if the 17-year-old died of injuries related to the shooting or an assault.

Witnesses saw several suspects running from the scene, investigators told Denver7. But descriptions of what those people looked like, or what they were wearing, were not available.

The Denver Police Department and Aurora Police Department was assisting in the case and the search for those suspects as of Tuesday.

The shooting forced schools in the area to keep students inside past regular dismissal times.

Denver7 spoke with the Deputy Chief of Police for the GVPD on Tuesday evening to learn the latest. Watch in our video below.

The RTD station was closed while law enforcement was in the area, but reopened before the end of the day.

No other details were released on Wednesday.

Anybody with information about this case is asked to call the Greenwood Village Police Department at 303-486-8275 or email investigations@greenwoodvillage.com.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. A shooting near an RTD station in Greenwood Village forced nearby schools to keep students inside class past regular school hours as police investigated the scene, which left at least two people injured Tuesday afternoon.

Cherry Creek High School, Campus Middle School and Belleview Elementary were under a secure status due to the shooting, which happened near the Dayton RTD Light Rail station at around 3:12 p.m. Under a secure status, students and staff are directed to move inside the building and lock all doors. No one is allowed to leave or enter without police or district approval.

Students at both Cherry Creek High School and Campus Middle School, which were still in class, were initially prevented from being picked up by their parents, according to Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman Lauren Snell. She later said the district was doing a controlled release, meaning parents who wanted to pick up their children had to talk with school officials before their children could be let go.

Snell reassured Denver7 that all students and staff were safe.

At the scene of the shooting, responding officers from the Greenwood Village Police Department found one man suffering from a gunshot wound and a second victim who sustained injuries in an apparent assault. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to a police department spokesperson.

Investigators told Denver7 witnesses observed "multiple unknown suspects running from the scene." Descriptions for any of those suspects were not immediately available.

Officers from the Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, and Greenwood Village Police Department are actively searching for the suspects, the spokesperson said. The area was processed by investigators and has since been cleared.

The Dayton RTD Station was closed for some time but has since reopened.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. Police have determined that a Tuesday report of an attempted child abduction in the area of West Middle School and Greenwood Elementary School was a made-up account.

The Greenwood Village Police Department reported on Friday that after a thorough investigation, the report was found to be false.

"It was a fictitious account and did not occur," the police department said. "The investigation is concluded at this time."

The attempted abduction report came down on Tuesday and impacted dismissal at West Middle School, according to Cherry Creek Schools. A Greenwood Elementary School student said they were approached near the school, which is about a mile south of West Middle School.

Due to the report, Cherry Creek Schools decided to release West Middle School students by parent pickup only. Students at the elementary school were released at 2:45 p.m. before the report was made, authorities confirmed to Denver7.

In an update Tuesday evening, the school district said law enforcement and district security determined the report of an attempted abduction was "not substantiated." No child was abducted, and there is no evidence of an attempted abduction, according to Cherry Creek Schools.

Police confirmed this on Friday.

UPDATE | Feb. 7 Police have determined that a report of an attempted child abduction in the area of West Middle School and Greenwood Elementary School was a made-up account. Read our updated story here.

....

DENVER A report of an attempted child abduction, which was later found to be "not substantiated," impacted dismissal at West Middle School on Tuesday, according to Cherry Creek Schools.

All students are safe, the school district confirmed. A Greenwood Elementary School student said they were approached near the school, which is about a mile south of West Middle School.

Due to the report, Cherry Creek Schools decided to release West Middle School students by parent pickup only. The school did not allow students who typically walk to school to leave on foot but instead asked parents to come pick up their students.

Students at the elementary school were released at 2:45 p.m. before the report was made, authorities confirmed to Denver7.

In an update Tuesday evening, the school district said law enforcement and district security determined the report of an attempted abduction is "not substantiated." No child was abducted, and there is no evidence of an attempted abduction, according to Cherry Creek Schools.

The school district said it initiated the release process at West Middle School "out of an abundance of caution" and to allow law enforcement to "fully investigate the matter."

Parents of sixth-graders must go to door nine on the northeast side of the school. Parents of seventh-graders must go to door 10 on the southeastern side. And parents of eighth-graders must go to door three on the southwest side of the school.

Parent-teacher conferences that were scheduled for Tuesday have been canceled.

The school district's full letter is below:

Sportsbook Bar & Grill DTC reopened Thursday, almost an entire year after it caught fire in January of 2024, the business announced on its Facebook page.

Sportsbook had hoped to reopen mid-December, but said the holidays put the business behind with construction and inspections.

The bar had to undergo extensive construction following the fire. Sportsbook posted on Facebook that it had to have new duct work installed, new framing, all new electrical, new drop ceilings for the kitchen and server area and a lot of new plumbing. The business also has a new drink and food menu.

This Sportsbook location caught fire in the early morning hours of Jan. 26, 2024. But it wasn't the only one. Fuji Hibachi & Sushi Restaurant in the same shopping mall also burned.

No one was hurt, according to South Metro Fire Rescue. While searching for any possible victims or suspects, officers found evidence of forced entry at both businesses. In Sportsbook's reopening announcement on its website, Sportsbook said the fire was "an arson event."

Catherine Kaufman isnt your typical 911 operator.

Instead of answering emergency calls, she answers mental health related calls serving as Arapahoe Countys first behavioral health dispatch specialist.

She's joining the county's growing Behavioral Health Response Team, created to expand its mental health related services to citizens.

Maybe they're just calling because they need to talk. Sometimes I just do plain old crisis counseling, Kaufman explained.

She handles the low-risk calls ones where its determined there's no risk of self-harm or harm to others.

Because I'm here in dispatch with everyone else, we don't have to use the resources to send out deputies and co-responders in the field, and it saves time, and it saves them for more urgent situations, said Kaufman.

In the event the call escalates, a co-responder steps in.

Arapahoe County has used co-responders since 2019 licensed therapists who respond to mental health calls out in the field.

The team responded to about 2,400 calls for service in 2023.

That number went up by 200 in the last year.

Last year, we were awarded a grant which allowed us to hire an additional individual to work up here in dispatch. So, Catherine was hired three months ago to be support for not only the dispatchers, but to help the co-responders, said behavioral health program manager Julie Jacobs.

Kaufmans position is a first-of-its-kind in the state of Colorado.

We have not been able to find any programs here in the state of Colorado to model after, so we just did a lot of research of looking at what other agencies throughout the country are doing, and took little bits and pieces of those models and made it out into our own, said Jacobs.

Its not just crisis counseling, though.

Say you call 911 during an emergency. If dispatchers sense youre in a panic, you may end up on the phone with Kaufman.

They get there as fast as they can, but they can't get there immediately. And I can be there immediately, said Kaufman. I'll just stay on the phone with them right then and talk to them and try to keep them calm while they're waiting for help to come.

We're really proud of this program. We know we have a lot of room to grow, but that's our goal, to keep expanding, said Jacobs.

As the behavioral health response team continues to pave the way for other agencies in Colorado, Kaufman told Denver7 its been a fulfilling start so far.

It just doesn't get old when someone thanks me for helping them, said Kaufman, I do a follow up call, and they're so grateful that we're thinking of them and that we're concerned about them, and it's just really rewarding.

Arapahoe County is currently hiring another co-responder as the team continues to grow. If you are interested in providing mental health services to the community, click here.

Thirteen-year-old Elsie Evans is unstoppable. The Greenwood Village teen just got back from the adventure of a lifetime:

I just trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal with my dad, and we've been training since May, she told Denver7.

Elsie and her dad, Chris, just returned to Colorado this weekend after spending nearly a month hiking the Himalayas, including Mount Everest.

Elsie was easily one of the youngest hikers by far on the expedition.

Coming back here, the mountains seem just like little hills compared to the Himalayas, she laughed.

They might seem small now, but Elsie told Denver7 she learned the skills she needed as she and her dad trained every weekend on a different Colorado 14er.

Mount Bierstadt, she recalled, was most comparable to the challenges of the Himalayas.

It was probably one of the most challenging hikes I did in my training, so that was really helpful to just, like, push myself to the limits, she said.

It was not just physical challenges, eitherits where she developed the grit and mental fortitude to get through the toughest moments on their journey, especially when her legs ached and the altitude started getting to her.

I had no belief inside of me, but like seeing that, I've overtaken some adults, and I've pushed through. I had a headache, but I've still done it, and I've done this multiple days. It just gave me a lot of confidence and belief in myself, which I'm sure was able to make me get there, she said.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. - This month, Greenwood Village City Council approved a ban on all future art murals in their city.

The Greenwood Village Land Development Code now lists "Murals applied directly to any exterior surface intended to convey a message or image to inform or attract the attention of the public" as a "Prohibited Sign."

"It was a little surprising to see it in a Land and Signage code. We don't view murals as signage, we view them as fine art," said Tim Vacca, Director of Programs and Communications at the Museum of Outdoor Arts.

MOA has been in Greenwood Village for 43 years and has dozens of murals on the property it shares with Fiddler's Green.

Artist Adden Joule worked on several of those murals.

"Murals have a really special voice in kind of reflecting the life of the communities in which they live in," said Joule.

Murals can be spotted at businesses around Greenwood Village as well, including one at Pindustry and several near The Landmark. One there is even highlighted on the city's website as a piece of public art that contributes to the cultural enrichment of the community.

But now, while all currently installed murals are allowed to stay, no new murals will be allowed in the city.

"We have not heard from anybody on the matter," said Vacca of MOA's desire to have been included in the decision making, " We would just like to be part of that conversation."

Greenwood Village Mayor George Lantz declined an interview with Denver7, but city council records show the conversations over murals in Greenwood Village began over the summer.

At the time, a business development was being proposed for the city, which included two murals. City leaders took issue, saying the murals did not fit the character of Greenwood Village, that the city is more reserved and that City Council should take up the mural request.

The business development was later approved without the murals attached.

Then on October 21, City Council did update their code, prohibiting all new murals.

Art advocates say they understand that city leaders need to control certain aesthetics in the community, but believe a blanket ban on art goes too far.

"Censorship is always an issue in the bigger art world. We're hopeful that's not what's happening here. But again, it's important to have a conversation," said Vacca.

Vacca and Joule are hoping city leaders reconsider the ban.

"I think that ultimately, they'll circle back around to wanting to support this and liven their community, rather than trying to take away art," said Joule.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies are investigating a burglary at a salvage yard near Highway 85 and Blakeland Drive that led to a pursuit and crash Wednesday morning.

The burglary suspect rammed a deputy's patrol car in an attempt to get away, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. The deputy who was in the car went to the hospital for medical evaluation.

Deputies chased after the suspect who they said fired shots at them and Englewood police officers. The suspect then crashed near Village Greens Park in Greenwood Village, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

The suspect was taken into custody, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. A construction worker was hit and killed by someone working for the same company inside a Centennial road construction zone Monday morning, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.

One construction worker was operating a yellow dump truck when the driver hit the other construction worker around 10:30 a.m. Monday, the sheriff's office said. The construction team was working in the northbound lanes of S. Holly Street and E. Arapahoe Road and E. Weaver Avenue.

"ACSO Safety Investigators say at this point, the driver is not facing any charges," the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said.

Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputies closed the roadway for several hours following the crash.

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

The sheriffs office did not call the incident a hit-and-run.

An investigation into the incident continues.

Another historic Denver movie theater Chez Artiste will close its doors after its final show Thursday night.

"They just closed the Esquire two weeks ago, another one, over 100 years that it's been in that location. What is Denver becoming? This is very, very sad for a lot of us. We care about this place," Chez Artiste patron Sheila McNally said.

Chez Artiste has been in the University Hills neighborhood for 52 years.

"This is a neighborhood theater, a theater that belongs here and should not leave this location. It is our theater. It is Denver's theater," McNally said.

It's known for its old-school charm and for screening small Indie films.

"You know, the bigger chains are nice, and you can see a lot of your 'Deadpool' and 'Wolverine' stuff there, but it feels to me like you're having kind of more of a classic Hollywood experience [than] when you go to a small Indie theater like this, where they really are about the movies and quality storytelling and adult storytelling," a Chez Artiste patron, Lilian Fuglei, said.

To that end, McNally pointed to how someone designated by Chez Artiste comes out and talks to patrons before a movie airs and Chez Artiste even hosted a DU professor to discuss classic movies before and after they aired.

The last Chez Artiste showing Thursday is "Widow Clicquot" at 7:00 p.m., according to the theater's website. Then Chez Artiste said on Facebook, its Classic Film Series will move to The Landmark in Greenwood Village.

After closing the Esquire Theatre and Chez Artiste Theatre, Landmark the parent company will still have two other historic movie theaters in the Denver metro area: The Landmark in Greenwood Village and The Mayan on South Broadway.

"I feel like it's really cool just to sit in a theater and know that 20 years ago, 30 years ago, 40 years ago, there were people just sitting around watching movies like the same way that you are in a building that was pretty much the same," Fuglei said.

Movie buffs fought hard to keep the Esquire alive, even starting a grassroots effort called #SavetheEsquire on social media.

However, the owners said they tried to lease to another theater tenant but were unable to find a partner for that opportunity.

"It's a matter of getting people to come out to the movies, and it's a habit I've had all my life, and I love and hopefully we'll have the rest of my life... I know a lot of people have fallen out of that, since covid and with other things happening, and they're just not going to the movies as much as I wish they would," Tim Fuglei, Lilian's father, said.

The Esquire Theatre will be converted into luxury office, restaurant and retail spaces. The Esquire signs will be refurbished and displayed in the new building design, according to the design plans.

Backyard landscaping can be more than shrubs, flowers and trees. Phil Steinhauer with the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado shared there are new trends emerging in residential backyard landscaping this year.

It was fire pits and outdoor kitchens about four to five years ago, and now people want actual activities to do in their yards.

Steinhauer said some of the most popular landscaping are sport courts for pickleball or bocce ball. Some Coloradans are even installing putting greens to enjoy a little golf in their own backyard.

If you don't have a large yard, Steinhauer suggests horseshoes or corn hole as alternative activities for smaller spaces.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. How do you know what plants will thrive in your yard? Denver7s Danielle Grant talked with Phil Steinhauer with the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado about putting the right plant in the right place.

Steinhauer said certain plants thrive in sunny, southern locations while others prefer shady, northern exposure spots. Some are easier to grow on slopes that are tough to hold water, and some can add a lot of color to your yard without blooming.

If your yard is south-facing, Steinhauer suggests planting manzanitas, which are drought-tolerant evergreens. Yellow gem also thrives in the sunshine along with a mix of perennials.

Japanese horse grass adds some texture and color to north-facing yards. A carol mackie daphne plant would also be a good option as its hardy and thrives in Colorados climate. It blossoms in the spring and is quite fragrant. Another option is a redbud tree that brings a lot of color to your yard but make sure to plant it in a protected corner with northern exposure.