Farmers markets are set to open across Colorado in the coming weeks, but local growers are facing a tough season marked by drought, rising fuel and fertilizer costs, and warm weather.

The City Park Farmers Market starts Saturday, May 2, and the Lafayette Farmers Market opens Sunday, May 3. Shoppers may see a different selection of goods than usual for this time of year.

Peter Wanberg, co-owner of the City Park and Lafayette Farmers Markets, noted that the weather has affected what crops are going to be available.

Normally, theres a lot of greens and theres not a huge amount of those really big harvest mid-season crops. Were going to see those come a lot earlier this year, Wanberg said. What happens at the end of the season, or middle of the season, is totally unknown.

At Speedwell Farm and Gardens in Longmont, owner Cody Jurbala grows produce and has seen the effects of the challenging weather firsthand.

80s in March for at least a steady week has triggered all of the trees and some of the flowers to go into reproduction about a month early, Jurbala said.

He noted that while his farm luckily has access to municipal water, it is expensive and not all farms have that option.

Helen Skiba, owner of Artemis Flower Farm, operates on the same property and is also dealing with the dry conditions.

This winter, weve not had any moisture to speak of. So, weve been doing winter watering, which is very unusual and very expensive, Skiba said.

The changing weather timeline can be tough on farmers whose customers expect certain products at certain times.

Our outdoor tulips are now almost finished they're about four to five weeks ahead of schedule, Skiba said. I just am going to have something for Mother's Day, but it's not going to be tulips, which is really unusual We just aren't going to have the kind of volume that we like to have for Mother's Day.

Despite the heat, drought conditions and expensive municipal water creating an uncertain future this year, farmers remain resilient. Skiba and Jurbala both love what they do for a living.

I get to work outside, Skiba said. I get to work with my hands. I get to work with my mind. Im constantly solving problems.

I think its really important to have people that are willing to face the challenges head on with a good attitude and a good heart, Jurbala said.

Wanberg encouraged consumers to go to their local farmers markets to support Colorado farmers who are likely having a difficult year.

Farmers markets are a great place to go to continue supporting people through these crazy conditions, Wanberg said. Go to farmers markets. Get to know your farmers.

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 woman, who police say was suicidal, was shot and killed by police in Longmont Thursday after police say she emerged from her house holding a gun.

The officer who fired the shot, a member of the Longmont SWAT Team, has been placed on paid administrative leave while an external investigation is completed, as is policy, officials said. The investigation will be completed by the Boulder County Critical Incident Team.

According to Longmont Public Safety, officers had responded to a call about a suicidal woman and were leaving the scene when they heard a gunshot from the garage.

Police said they tried to "re-establish contact" with the woman and negotiated with her to come out from the home unarmed. A subsequent statement from Longmont Public Safety said negotiations "were conducted by trained crisis negotiators, including officers trained in Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) response for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis."

"However, after some time and further attempts to get her to come out of the property unarmed, she emerged from the garage brandishing a firearm and was subsequently shot by an officer," officials said in the statement.

She was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Officials said after the incident that the 1500 block of East Third Avenue, where the shooting occurred, would remain closed for at least the next eight hours while an investigation was conducted.

"Incidents involving a loss of life are heartbreaking for everyone involved, including the individual who died, their loved ones, responding officers, and the broader community," a Longmont Public Safety spokesperson said in a statement. "We recognize the pain and concern these events cause, and we share in the grief that follows whenever a life is lost."

Further information about the woman or the officer was not immediately available.

"At this time, the name of the officer involved, specific body-worn camera details, dispatch details, and other evidentiary information are not being released pending the independent investigation and any related legal requirements," public safety officials said in the statement. The woman's identity will be released by the Boulder County coroner's office, officials said.

The last investigation into a fatal shooting by a Longmont officer listed in Boulder County DA records was in 2018, when officers shot Gillie Thurby after he allegedly pulled a gun while officers were arresting him on a sexual assault warrant. That investigation took about two months, and the Critical Investigation Team found officers were legally justified in their use of force.

For Skye Beck and her husband, the decision to uproot their family of five from Nebraska and relocate to Colorado for a new job wasn't easy especially when it came to the cost of living.

It was looking like it maybe was not going to be an affordable option for us to come out here, she said. We did find one eventually, but it was still just the two-bedroom apartment, and that was just a little tight for us for the year.

After a year of cramped living, the Beck family moved into a much more spacious apartment at Ascent at Hover Crossing in Longmont. The newest affordable housing development in Boulder County, which officially opened its doors on Tuesday, includes four-bedroom units a rarity in affordable housing.

"I think they only have six of those [units]," said Beck. To have that much space for the five of us is a blessing.

Katie Pung, housing development project manager for the City of Longmont, said the larger units were a deliberate priority.

"Having those larger units for families really came together in a way that we feel like is going to be meaningful for Longmont families," Pung said.

The mixed-income apartments are available for a variety of incomes, with units ranging from 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) about $31,650 to $84,400 for a one-person household.

The development also includes an early childhood education (ECE) center on site, giving families an affordable childcare option.

OUR Center, a longtime local nonprofit specializing in subsidized early education for low-income families, will operate the center. The facility is set to open later this year, with availability for both residents and the broader Longmont community.

It reflects a growing statewide push to incorporate childcare into housing projects through state funding and technical assistance for developers.

A similar effort is underway in Denver's Berkeley neighborhood, where the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is partnering with the Denver Housing Authority to develop Charity's House, a family housing development with 135 new units also with an on-site child care center.

At least 40% of the units will be reserved for families earning 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) currently $37,850 for a family of three and $42,050 for a family of four in Denver. All units will be income-restricted to those at or below 60% AMI.

Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said land partnerships help reduce both cost and construction time.

"If we can enter into a partnership with another organization that owns land, and we can build on that, that cuts our cost and time down considerably," Alderman said.

The DHA Delivers for Denver (D3) bond program, a partnership between DHA and the City of Denver, has funded 11 property acquisitions since its inception in 2019, according to Denver Housing Authority Chief Real Estate Officer Erin Clark.

It is public partnerships like that and public-private partnerships that, even us, working with a nonprofit here, that are what deliver more housing across the community, said Clark. It's just people thinking outside of the box and leveraging resources and saying, What do you do best, and what do we do best, and how can we work together to make all this happen?

Construction is slated to begin in late 2027.

Denver7 has heard from multiple experts through the years about the lack of affordable housing options for families and seniors.

Years-long waitlists and housing lottery odds often make it tougher. More than 15,000 children and youth are currently experiencing homelessness in Denver.

Colorado has been making significant housing investments since the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to more affordable housing developments across the state. But Alderman said there is still more work to be done.

"My biggest concern is that not all of that housing is being targeted for those households in the greatest need," Alderman said.

Longtime Longmont resident Karen Howerton remembers a time when rents hovered in the $600 range.

When I came back to Longmont six years ago, I was surprised at how much inflation had happened here and how big the town had grown, she said.

The last affordable housing development she lived in didnt quite fit all her needs.

Now, she joins the Becks as one of the first tenants at Ascent at Hover Crossing.

"What I wanted to come over here for was a washer and dryer I didn't have that at my other place and the little balcony, you know," she said. "I've met a few of the neighbors already, and I can't say enough about it. It's just a great place to be, for sure."

Howerton and Beck say the little comforts go a long way toward making a place feel like home.

"I mean, everyone deserves to have a space and be able to afford it without worrying about all the other parts of life," Beck said. "I feel like here we're able to finally rest a bit and able to enjoy life, but it shouldn't be limited to just a waitlist."

Despite a December windstorm that shredded its roof, Longmonts Climbing Collective is roaring back, hosting worldclass athletes for its biggest events this weekend.

The Dec. 19 storm, with gusts up to 112 mph, caused power outages, fires, and widespread damage in Boulder County, including damage to the Longmont gym's roof.

The damage forced the business to close for eight days and resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair costs and revenue losses.

Not only did we need to have the roof repaired, but we also needed to have the sign repaired, as well as the side panels, all the gutters and everything that is connected to the roof, of course, also had to be repaired and replaced, said Shauna Hylenski, the co-founder and director of programs of Climbing Collective.

But this weekend, the business is bouncing back, hosting some of its biggest events of the year, including the Ice Climbing World Cup and Winterfest.

Hylenski said that while the business was going through all the uncertainty in December, they knew in the back of their minds they had to be open to hosting this event.

We had competitors who were planning to be here. Our team had already put in countless hours of work and the financial investment to put on an event of this magnitude," she emphasized. We've been chugging away with full knowledge that we were going to be hosting this event."

Hylenski said about 100 athletes from 20 different countries are coming to the facility to participate, noting that Climbing Collective is the only stop in the United States for this competition.

This is like on par with the Olympics. It's a similar level of athleticism, she said.

Hylenski was certain they would be back on their feet soon after seeing the community's support.

It was hard, but it was also really wonderful, because we saw how much this place means to so many people in our community, she said.

Hylenski said over 350 people donated to the business's GoFundMe, which was created after the windstorm, helping cover 25% of the repair costs.

"The GoFundMe was really started because we were supposed to be hosting a USA climbing youth competition that very weekend that it happened, and all the people that were signed up said, 'We want to help. What can we do?" said Hylenski.

Additionally, she said 125 people volunteered on Christmas Eve to help clean up the area.

All of the outpouring of support just gave us hope and inspiration during the times when we were working 12, 14-hour days, that it was going to turn out OK, she said. I had no doubt that we would get to the place that we are and the team that we work with, and come together. It's, it's truly inspirational."

When Climbing Collective hosted the Ice Climbing World Cup and Winterfest last year, the event was free; however, now, as they try to break even to make this a sustainable event, tickets are $10 or $14, and anyone under the age of 12 is free.

The schedule of events can be found on their website.

Longmont Power & Communications, which does not have a pre-preemptive power shutoff program, is taking several steps to prevent a fire ahead of forecasted high winds this week.

We believe that we're taking the steps that we need to take right now to keep the lights on, but honestly, every event is scrutinized and evaluated, said Electric Utility Director Darrell Hahn. Power safety shut off is an extreme response, but it is something that makes sense in the right circumstances.

Longmont Power & Communications, or LPC, crews are temporarily modifying the system so it doesnt automatically re-energize when it detects a fault. This helps prevent a fire if, for example, the wind blows a tree onto a power line.

These are similar steps that LPC took in December during the last massive windstorm.

It really worked exactly as we planned. We had crews actually out in the outage areas where we expected to see the outages, and so when the outages came in, the line crews were responding and getting folks turned back on as quickly as possible, Hahn said.

LPC serves about 100,000 people in Longmont and Lyons with about 50,000 meters.

Hahn said about 75% of their power lines are underground expensive work they do gradually every year that provides additional protection from severe weather.

This year, LPC is also introducing new technology to detect wildfires and remote switching capabilities to speed up restoration time.

Year-round, the LPC contracts with a company to trim trees, reducing the risk of fire danger.

We understand that electricity is a critical part of everybody's lives, from charging your cell phone to keeping medical equipment on, to heating and cooling even some water pumps in some cases, Hahn said. We understand that keeping the lights on, so to speak, is a very important role.

Residents who see a downed power line should stay at least 35 feet away from it and anything touching it. Call LPC at 303-651-8386 to report the damage.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will start ticketing drivers speeding 10 mph or more on Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont, starting Monday.

This is part of the agency's Speed Enforcement Program, which kicked off in July along Highway 119, when speed cameras were set up in a construction work zone.

Since then, CDOT has issued more than 34,000 warning citations. However beginning Monday, $75 tickets will start getting handed out to anyone going over the speed limit.

There has already been a 80% decrease in speeding within the work zone. though, CDOT said. Just within the first month, average speeds dropped by about 8 mph.

Even before the Speed Enforcement Program began, CDOT said it was getting daily reports of dangerous speeding. The agency noticed a high severity of crashes with some resulting in serious injuries.

While many drivers travel this area every day, CDOT warns, work zones can change overnight, creating new traffic patterns you may not expect. With higher speeds, drivers have less time to react.

That is extremely dangerous for our workers and for the drivers, especially as you're coming up onto new alignments, which is typical with all of our work zones, CDOT spokesperson Stacia Sellers said. The program team experienced dangerous speeding each night when the infrastructure was actually being installed, so when the speed enforcement cameras were being implemented.

During 2025, CDOT data shows that work zone crashes in the state caused 532 injuries, a nearly 12% decrease from 2024.

There have also been eight work zone fatalities in 2025, a 73% decrease since the year prior.

The agency said while the data is promising, there is still work to be done on their most vulnerable roads. Since 2015, there have been 129 work zone-related crash fatalities in the state.

CDOT is also looking at adding more speed cameras to other work zones and school zones, depending on how successful this program is along Highway 119.

Fore more information on CDOT's Speed Enforcement Program, click here.

For more information on the improvement project taking place along Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont click here.

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

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

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

Haavind said consumers have reported various engine issues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The OPS released the below timeline Friday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2017-2019: Centaurus High School, Lafayette, CO

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

2019-2023: Erie Middle School, Erie, CO

2019-2023: Erie High School, Erie, CO

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

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

The Longmont ice rink is set to reopen Monday at noon after vandalism repairs shut it down Sunday, the city posted on its Facebook account.

During a private event where a group rented out the ice rink, the city said one of the attendees was seen repeatedly kicking the ice in the same place. The attendee ended up kicking through the ice causing the liquid used for maintenance to leak to the top of the ice.

That attendee also cut two of the maintenance lines with their ice skate, according a public information officer with the City of Longmont.

Originally, the city planned to have the rink closed Sunday and Monday with a reopening expected Tuesday. However, the city was able to move that up after repairs.

The city has a New Year's Eve Ice Skating Party scheduled for December 31 starting at 11:30 a.m., with a countdown to 2026 at noon for all those families who need to get children in bed before midnight on the holiday.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A jury was unable to reach an unanimous verdict in a cold case murder trial out of Boulder County, centered on a deceased woman found in South Saint Vrain Canyon in 2006.

John Michael Angerer, now 56, was on trial for second-degree murder in connection with the death of 38-year-old Angela "Angie" Wilds of Longmont. The trial began on Dec. 8.

Afterward, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said this case presented challenges, as does every cold case homicide.

So, I deeply appreciate the relentless efforts, skill, and professionalism of the sheriffs office and our team in developing the case over the years and bringing it to trial," he said. "They have done an outstanding job in fighting for justice for this victim, her loved ones, and our community. I want to recognize the jurors who worked incredibly hard, particularly during the holidays, as they attempted to reach the right verdict."

Moving forward, he said his office will determine the next steps.

"We remain committed to securing the right outcome in this murder case," Dougherty said.

Watch Denver7's coverage from opening statements in this case below.

This case started on June 4, 2006, when a pair of hikers found Wilds' nude body in Boulder County's South Saint Vrain Canyon along Highway 7, about 3.3 miles outside of Lyons. Her body was badly decomposing and had quicklime around it. She did not have any identification on her, but was wearing a ring.

Nearby, authorities also found a blue sleeping bag, pillow, pillowcase and yellow ski pants. They processed the scene for about six days and collected more than 280 pieces of evidence, said Boulder County Deputy District Attorney Nevene Hullender.

A coroner who examined the body the following day noted no stab wounds or gunshot wounds, but could not rule out strangulation, Hullender said. Wilds was examined for sexual assault and the coroner found DNA of an unknown male. The coroner ruled her cause and manner of death as undetermined.

At that time, authorities did not know who the deceased woman was and issued a few press releases including photos of her ring to try to identify her.

In October 2006, a woman came forward to authorities and said her friend Angela Wilds had been missing and wore a similar ring to the one from the press releases photos. Through genetic testing with four of Wilds' sisters, investigators were able to determine the deceased woman was her, Hullender said.

Investigators learned she was 38, a transient, drank heavily and had been in several relationships with abusive men.

Male DNA found on the sleeping bag, pillowcase and in the vaginal swab were the same, and led investigators to John Angerer of Anchorage, Alaska in 2009.

Angerer was an avid camper and hiker and was largely transient. He went to homeless ministries and was known to frequent South Saint Vrain Canyon, where Wilds' body was found.

The two were reportedly seen together before her death.

In 2009, investigators contacted Angerer about Wilds' death. He denied recognizing her photo or knowing her name, Hullender said, and also denied spending time in the South Saint Vrain Canyon. When confronted with the details about his DNA at the scene, he denied it was his, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Julia Stancil said some of the items found at the scene like the sleeping bag were shared items from a local homeless shelter and DNA from previous users can stick around for a long time, so there was no way to know if Wilds was near the sleeping bag at the same time as Angerer.

Stancil explained that transient people often don't report crimes or incidents to police, and Wilds could have died naturally and her death could have gone unreported.

Two additional forensic pathologists were consulted in 2010 and 2015 and both determined the manner of death was homicide. The pathologist in 2010 said Wilds likely died of asphyxia and the pathologist in 2015 said the cause was homicidal violence, Hullender said. However, the defense said neither of them saw Wilds' body or examined it; they only looked at paperwork.

Angerer was initially arrested in 2010 and charged with second-degree murder. His preliminary hearing was held on July 12, 2010, however a judge determined that probable cause did not support the charge and the case was dismissed.

Wilds had a very serious heart condition that resulted in her left anterior descending artery being 90% accluded, the defense said. A little extra pressure standing up, having sex, assaulting somebody, being assaulted that brought stress on her heart could have caused her to die, Stancil said. She said that the woman was not in good health, but deserved to have her death investigated nonetheless.

But was it a homicide? Big, huge leap," she said.

Angerer was arrested again in connection with the case on March 9, 2023 and was charged with second-degree murder again. He pleaded not guilty on May 16, 2024, according to court documents.

The prosecutor told the jury that this case would require a "totality of the circumstances analysis."

Stancil said the case revolved around the prosecutor's best guess, and was based on speculation. She told the jury they will not hear anything about how Wilds died, where she died, when she died and if a homicide happened at all.

"This case has many holes," Stancil said, and asked the jurors to put the prosecution's evidence to the test.

Opening statements in this case began on Dec. 8.

That jury ultimately was unable to reach a unanimous verdict and a mistrial was called on Monday.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. The jury trial for a man accused in a cold case murder in Boulder County from 2006 began on Monday morning, with the prosecution saying the "totality of the circumstances" will lead jurors to a conviction and the defense arguing that prosecutors are taking a "big, huge leap."

John Michael Angerer, now 56, is on trial for second-degree murder in connection with the death of 38-year-old Angela "Angie" Wilds of Longmont.

This case began on June 4, 2006, when a pair of hikers found Wilds' nude body in Boulder County's South Saint Vrain Canyon along Highway 7, about 3.3 miles outside of Lyons. Her body was badly decomposing and had quicklime around it. She did not have any identification on her.

Angerer was initially arrested in 2010 and charged with second-degree murder. His preliminary hearing was held on July 12, 2010, however a judge determined that probable cause did not support the charge and the case was dismissed.

He was arrested again in connection with the case on March 9, 2023 and was charged with the same. He pleaded not guilty on May 16, 2024, according to court documents.

Opening statements in the case began Monday morning.

The prosecution was the first to address the jury.

Boulder County Deputy District Attorney Nevene Hullender began by describing the beginning of the investigation in 2006. On June 4, 2006, a father and his son went to South Saint Vrain Canyon outside Lyons for a hike. It is a popular area for people recreating. The boy, who was 14 or 15 at the time, ran ahead, entered a clearing and then "smelled it," Hullender said. It was the "putrid foul odor of decay," she added.

The father and son went back to the road to flag down a nearby deputy. Others with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, as well as a nonprofit called NecroSearch, were called in, Hullender said.

Hullender said the body was covered in quicklime, which was often mistakenly thought to expedite decomposition. Nearby, authorities found a blue sleeping bag, pillow, pillowcase and yellow ski pants. They processed the scene for about six days and collected more than 280 pieces of evidence, Hullender said.

The body did not have any identification just a ring and it was so decomposed, authorities were able to glean little about the situation from the scene.

The initial autopsy was completed a few days later, on June 7, 2006. The coroner at the time, who will testify in the trial, noted no stab wounds or gunshot wounds, but could not rule out strangulation, Hullender said. She was examined for sexual assault and the coroner found DNA of an unknown male. He ruled her cause and manner of death as undetermined.

A forensic entomologist was able to determine using insects at the scene that the body had been buried in that location sometime between April 12, 2006 and May 8, 2006, Hullender told the jurors.

At that time, authorities did not know who she was and issued a few press releases including photos of her ring to try to identify her.

In October 2006, a woman came forward to authorities and said her friend Angela Wilds had been missing and wore a similar ring to the one from the press releases photos. Through genetic testing with four of Wilds' sisters, investigators were able to determine the deceased woman was her, Hullender said.

Wilds was 38 at the time of her death. She had a difficult upbringing. After moving to Greeley in the mid-1990s and then later to Longmont, she was in several relationships with abusive men, Hullender said. She was transient, drank heavily and was not an outdoorsy person, the prosecutor said. She frequently visited an outreach center in Longmont for meals.

Hullender said several witnesses will speak during the trial about seeing Wilds with the same man around town in the first few months of 2006.

She said the sleeping bag found at the scene had unknown male DNA inside and around the opening. The ski pants and pillow had Wilds' blood on it. The pillowcase had the same unknown male DNA and Wilds'. The unknown male DNA in these items matched the DNA found during a vaginal swab during Wilds' autopsy, Hullender said.

During the investigation, authorities took DNA swabs from about 23 people who they believed had interacted with Wilds.

In 2009, detectives hit a lead: That unknown male DNA was linked to a man living in Anchorage, Alaska. He was identified as John Angerer, Hullender said.

Hullender shared a little bit about Angerer's life with the courtroom: He was born in Caon City. His mother died when he was young. He had two sisters. He's an avid camper and hiker and was known to frequent the South Saint Vrain Canyon area. He was largely transient and unemployed. He had ties to Longmont. He went to homeless ministries in Caon City and made bank withdrawals in Caon City a few times around the days when Wilds likely died.

Caon City is a few hours away from where Wilds' body was found.

During the subsequent investigation, multiple people reported seeing Angerer and Wilds eating together before her death, Hullender said.

That year, investigators contacted Angerer about Wilds' death. He denied recognizing her photo or knowing her name, Hullender said, and also denied spending time in the South Saint Vrain Canyon. When confronted with the details about his DNA at the scene, he denied it was his, the prosecutor said.

Two additional forensic pathologists were consulted in 2010 and 2015. Both determined the manner of death was homicide. The pathologist in 2010 said Wilds likely died of asphyxia and the pathologist in 2015 said the cause was homicidal violence, Hullender said.

She concluded by saying this case is going to require a "totality of the circumstances analysis."

Defense attorney Julia Stancil then stood up in the courtroom to deliver the defense's opening statements.

This case comes down to their best guess is the best youre going to get," she said, adding that it's a lot of speculation and jumping to conclusions.

By the end of the trial, Stancil told the jury they still won't know how Wilds died, where she died, when she died and if a homicide happened at all.

She said Wilds was indeed part of a transient community, where people were often moving around, and she was severely addicted to drugs and alcohol. Nobody saw her on a daily basis, Stancil said.

She explained that the sleeping bag found at the scene included four male DNA samples, including Angerer's. However, she stressed that the sleeping bag was a shared item from the homeless center and DNA from previous users can stick around for a long time. Wilds could have collected those items from the shelter after Angerer used it. She also noted that the blood found was akin to the amount from a nosebleed.

The body was covered with a little dirt and sticks, and not well hidden, Stancil said. It doesn't look like somebody tried to cover up a homicide there, she said.

The defense also focused on the two pathologists called in to help with the case in 2010 and 2015. Their position is that naked people don't bury themselves, so somebody must have killed her, Stancil said. Neither of them saw Wilds' body or examined it; they looked at paperwork, the defense said.

She explained that transient people often don't report crimes or incidents to police, and Wilds could have died naturally and the death could have gone unreported.

Wilds had a very serious heart condition that resulted in her left anterior descending artery being 90% accluded. A little extra pressure standing up, having sex, assaulting somebody, being assaulted that brought stress on her heart could have caused her to die, Stancil said. She said that the woman was not in good health, but deserved to have her death investigated nonetheless.

But was it a homicide? Big, huge leap," she said.

John Angerer's name did not come up until almost four years after Wilds' body was found at the end of 2009, she said. Nobody mentioned any man with face tattoos, which Angerer has, she said.

That changed after DNA hit for a man in Anchorage.

However, Stancil said the prosecution has no proof that Angerer was in Boulder County around the time Wilds died. The defense also said the forensic entomologist who determined a range of weeks for when Wilds was likely buried used an entomology study from China with dissimilar geography than the South Saint Vrain Canyon.

"This case has many holes," Stancil said, and asked the jurors to put the prosecution's evidence to the test.

There will be doubts, she concluded.

The trial is slated to run through Dec. 23.

UCHealth said it's the first in Colorado to offer a kind of mammogram that could be a game changer when it comes to detecting breast cancer.

Right now its being offered at the Longs Peak Medical Center in Longmont. Dr. Elizabeth Vorhis, a breast radiologist said she uses an IV contrast during a mammogram. It's the same kind of process if you go to the emergency room and get a stomach or chest CT scan.

But when it comes to scanning for breast cancer, this can be a big difference for women with dense tissue.

"The women that we have a hardest time finding breast cancer in mammography have dense breast tissue," Dr. Vorhis said.

That's because their mammograms have a lot of background white that can hide cancer versus the new technology on the bottom that gets rid of that background white and doctors can clearly see a cancer spot, plus additional spots that would have gone undetected or required additional testing.

"That's a lot for a lot of these women to have, in addition to mammography, some women have an ultrasound, additional screening with ultrasound may be enough, but it's all more," Dr. Vorhis said. "It's all extra, and both convincing women that they need to do that, and figuring out ways for it to get paid for have been challenging."

On the flip end, this kind of imaging can give women a more definitive "all clear" that they are OK without additional testing.

"What we really want to do is reduce the medical footprint that breast screening requires for so many women," Dr. Vorhis said. "We ask them to do more than one exam, we ask them to come back for six month follow up of probably benign findings, we ask them to go through biopsies that end up not being cancer. If we can reduce some of that, then more women are going to come to us for screening. We have more time to see more women."

Dr. Vorhis said with a clear image, she can send a patient right to a surgeon and get treatment started faster. Versus before, a woman would have to go through an MRI, a potential ultra sound and then start surgery and treatment.

This new approach does come with its challenges, though. The technology was FDA approved in 2011, but it's been hard to expand because of challenges with insurance coverage.

In most cases, it's considered a diagnostic test, with a charge for the IV contrast, not a preventative screening, which is often free.

Dr. Vorhis said it would be cheaper than an MRI and treating cancer later.

Because its so limited, right now the Longmont clinic is only serving the immediate community and hope the technology expands.

LONGMONT, Colo. A hotel at the center of a lawsuit where a mother and daughter were attacked in 2023 after the daughters ex-boyfriend was given a key to their room will be offered for public sale by the Weld County Sheriffs Office.

According to a notice of sale document obtained by Denver7, the property is set for public auction on December 11 at 10 a.m.

The latest development comes after a Weld County jury in May awarded the two women more than $4 million in damages after they were attacked while staying in the EconoLodge in Longmont.

The women claimed they invited the daughters ex-boyfriend, Cody Czichos, to their room and later told him to leave after he was acting irrationally and unpredictably.

The ex-boyfriend left the room and later went to the front desk where a hotel employee gave him a key without the permission of the women, according to the lawsuit.

Czichos stabbed the daughter and assaulted the mother and later pleaded guilty in his criminal case to attempted murder, assault and trespassing. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

According to the victims civil attorney, Matthew Haltzman, the auction comes after the hotel refused to pay the $4 million judgment.

A jury heard that trial over a period of four days and awarded our clients over $4 million in a verdict, and since that date, in May, we have been working to collect that judgment for our clients from that hotel, and they have refused to pay, said Haltzman. "Not a single dollar has been made for payment on that judgment, and so we have taken action by asking the court to direct the Sheriff of Weld County to order a sale of that hotel, and that's what's going to be occurring on December 11 of this year, in order to work on compensating the victims of this horrific case.

According to the notice, funds from the sale would go towards the judgment.

This is all about the victims of the case... at the end of the day, this is about getting compensation for them and getting the judgment that they're owed that was determined by a jury of their peers, said Haltzman. "I think the idea that this hotel can change hands and be run by somebody that is not Premier Hospitality Incorporated, which is the group that was responsible for what happened, will be a huge relief to our clients... It's the opportunity to have somebody take it over and do something good with it, and it's also the opportunity to be compensated for what they fairly deserve.

Denver7 has reached out to hotel ownership which previously declined to comment.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A 23-year-old man was rescued overnight after he fell roughly two stories at the abandoned Sugar Mill property in Longmont.

According to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the man called 911 just after 11 p.m. Sunday and said he had fallen a "significant distance" at the property, located in the 11900 block of Sugar Mill Road.

The sheriff's office, Longmont Police Department, Mountain View Fire Rescue and Boulder Rural Fire Rescue responded to the scene.

First responders used a drone to locate the man, then used a saw to cut through an exterior wall and rescue him, according to the sheriff's office. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of "severe injuries" to his face and limbs.

BCSO estimated that the man fell roughly two stories.

It is unclear how the man fell. The sheriff's office said several other people were found at the property and were cited for trespassing.

A fire destroyed a two-story building on the property in March. Denver7 spoke with the property owner shortly after that fire, who said he was frustrated with trespassers and other issues over the years.

Brian Thomas told Denver7 his family has been trying to sell the property, but higher interest rates and strict regulations from the City of Longmont have scared off some developers.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A building which housed immigrant farm workers from Mexico during World War II in Boulder County has been named among a list of 13 endangered Latinx landmarks across the U.S.

Las Barracas, located on the Boulder County Golden Farm open space property near Longmont, was placed among the list of endangered, historic landmarks by Latinos in Heritage Conservation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing historic preservation in Latinx communities.

The Colorado landmark was nominated by Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff.

The site is significant because its one of the last surviving examples of agricultural labor housing in the county, offering a tangible connection to the intertwined histories of war, migration, labor, and community resilience, according to a spokesperson from Boulder County Parks & Open Space.

Dating back to the World War II era, Las Barracas was originally constructed as a military barrack (hence its name in Spanish, a direct translation of the English word barracks). In the mid-20th century, the building was repurposed by the Tanaka family to house immigrant farmworkers from Mexico who labored the agricultural fields of Boulder County.

County officials said the building stands as a historic landmark that reflects the contributions of immigrant farmworkers whose stories have historically been excluded from mainstream preservation narratives.

Las Barracas is more than a building it is a living testament to the generations of Latinx immigrant and later migrant laborers who played a central role in Boulder Countys agricultural history, said Elisabeth Ros-Brooks, the cultural resource program coordinator for Boulder County Parks & Open Space.

She continued, Preserving this site means honoring their stories of resilience and struggle, and ensuring that future generations understand how their work helped feed and sustain our communities.

Las Barracas is among 13 sites across 10 states that represent migration, resilience, cultural expression, and survival, which officials said now face urgent threats due to potential demolition, neglect, displacement or the effects of climate change.

Data from Latinos in Heritage Conservation show the 13 sites have an average founding year of 1927. Officials said that while many sites of similar age already enjoy federal protection, fewer than 1% of sites connected to Latino history are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Preservation is about equity, recognition, and survival, said Sehila Mota Casper, the executive director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation. Sites like Las Barracas hold the everyday stories that built this country, and naming them is the first step toward protecting them.

The other 12 sites are located in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

LONGMONT, Colo. The City of Longmont announced Saturday that a battalion chief with the Longmont Fire Department has been arrested following allegations of sexual abuse.

Troy Bohm, 49, was arrested Thursday on a sexual assault warrant after a months-long investigation, according to the city.

The city stated that it placed Bohm on paid administrative leave on June 23, following notification by law enforcement that the 49-year-old was the subject of a criminal investigation.

In addition to sexual assault, Bohm faces charges of child abuse, second-degree assault, and third-degree assault.

Further details about the case have not been released. Denver7 is seeking access to the arrest affidavit.

He is scheduled to be in court on Thursday.

Garden Sweet, a family run pick-your-own farm in Fort Collins, is in full swing with flowers, strawberries and apples, offering visitors a hands-on chance to harvest fresh produce and bouquets themselves.

Owner Amy Kafka, who started the farm in 2002, saw the draw is not just the fruit and flowers, but the act of picking, itself.

Its a really unique experience to come out and pick your own. It tastes so different, so much fresher than getting it from the store, Kafka said. There's just something magical about picking your own fruit. It's grounding. It's relaxing.

Garden Sweet is known for spring peonies and several types of berries, which can be demanding in Colorados climate. Strawberry season is in full force, and visitors can reserve spots online before visiting to make sure they have berries to pick.

There are many types of flowers still available to pick, multiple varieties of apples, and a small store front to buy produce picked either at the farm or other local providers.

If youre looking to pick your own produce or flowers, here are some options in the Denver area:

Garden Sweet

Strawberries, apples, flowers, raspberries

719 W Willox Ln, Fort Collins, CO

Berry Patch Farms

Strawberries, raspberries, pie cherries, plums, basil, flowers, pickling cucumbers

13785 Potomac Street, Brighton, CO

Ya Ya Farm & Orchard

Flowers, many varieties of vegetables, herbs, apples, cherries, plums, pears

6914 Ute Hwy, Longmont, CO

Rock Creek Farm

Pumpkins (From Sept 27 to Oct 31)

2005 South 112th Street, Broomfield, CO

Miller Farms

Many varieties of vegetables, herbs, pumpkins, chile peppers, melons, potatoes

13912 Co Rd 19, Platteville, CO

The Bee Hugger

Sunflowers, pumpkins

12590 Ute Hwy, Longmont, CO

Adams Apple Orchard & Country Store

Many varieties of apples, plums, and pears

42135 Weld County Road 43, Ault, CO

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. A Longmont man was arrested over the weekend on several counts of sexual exploitation of a child, Boulder County Sheriffs Office deputies said Tuesday.

Diego Arteaga-Gurrola, 19, turned himself in to the Boulder County Jail after being informed that an arrest warrant had been issued for him for 6 counts of sexual exploitation of a child relating to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting a child under the age of 12, according to a news release from the sheriffs office.

The investigation into the suspect began after the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information about distribution of CSAM from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Investigators learned Arteaga-Gurrola was possibly in the Boulder County area and ICAC sent the tip to the Boulder County Digital Forensics Lab (BCDFL), an ICAC Task Force affiliate, for further investigation.

An investigator in Boulder was able to identify Arteaga-Gurrola as the suspect and deputies obtained a search warrant for his home, located along Baker Street near the intersection with Longs Peak Ave. in Longmont.

There, deputies seized several electronic devices and further investigation resulted in probable cause to obtain an arrest warrant for Arteaga-Gurrola for procession and distribution of CSAM.

Arteaga-Gurrola was booked into the Boulder County Jail on several counts, including: Two counts of sexual exploitation of a child distribution depicting a child under 12; and 4 counts of sexual exploitation of a child possession of CSAM depicting a child under 12 all counts are felonies, deputies said.

The suspect bonded out of jail on Monday on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond after having seen a judicial officer, deputies said, adding his bond conditions include pre-trial supervision, no contact with anyone under 18 years of age, and he may not leave the state.

Prosecutors had requested the court for a secured bond, deputies said.

LONGMONT, Colo. The average age of a farmer in Colorado is 58. After some digging, Denver7 discovered that, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2022 census, over 17,000 farmers in Colorado are over the age of 65, while fewer than 5,000 are under 35.

This significant age gap suggests a need to support younger farmers to ensure their success as producers.

As a solution to this issue, the Flatiron Farmers Coalition a nonprofit based in Boulder has launched a program aimed at easing the transition for new farming families entering parenthood. By offering small grants and workshops, the coalition looks to help these families maintain their farming operations while navigating the challenges of parenthood.

At Artemis Flower Farm in Longmont, owners Helen Skiba and Nelson Esseveld represent the challenges faced by young farmers. Last August, they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Margot, and welcomed the joys and challenges that come with having a child. Helen took two months away from the farm after Margots birtha critical period for the familys only source of income.

"Our farm is taking a hit from us not being out here and doing all the things that we used to be able to do with the two of us," Helen said. "One of us is always with her."

The Boulder Valley Farming Families Fund, part of the Flatiron Farmers Coalitions initiative, steps in to provide financial relief during this transitional period. According to Lauren Kelso, policy chair of the coalition, the funds are typically used to hire additional help, allowing families to take necessary time away from farming responsibilities.

"The goal is to make sure that these families feel like they can step away just a little bit to go through this transition," Kelso said.

The coalition's approach is community-driven, with funding largely coming from individual donors invested in local agriculture's sustainability. The program is designed to be flexible, offering stipends based on need and family circumstances. Farmers relying solely on farm income may receive grants ranging from $4,000 to $7,000 for the year.

"Its an incredibly difficult career path, but its also a really rewarding one," Kelso said. "The whole point of programs like this is, how do we make this a career that people can survive in and, better yet thrive in?"

Skiba and Esseveld speak on the dual challenges of farm operations and parenthood. "It's not just that we're growing things; we also have to put them together and sell them," Helen explained. "Theres a whole other aspect of a farming business that maybe folks dont think about."

Despite the challenges, the couple shares a passion for farming and a commitment to their community. "Its amazing to be outside," Nelson said. "Theres something about flowers that we just cant get away from; they provide so much beauty to the world."

Helen notes that the financial support they received from the coalition allowed the couple to feel secure, especially during an uncertain time following Margots premature birth. "It felt like we had a good boost," she said. "I think farmers deserve that chanceto not have to choose between having kids and farming."

As Colorado grapples with an aging farming population, initiatives like the Boulder Valley Farming Families Fund highlight the importance of community support in fostering the next generation of farmers. By alleviating some of the financial burdens during early parenthood.

St. Vrain State Park is a beloved spot for fishers and nature enthusiasts alike. The park features an ensemble of small ponds rather than a single lake, offering a variety of fishing experiences, along with opportunities for birdwatching and enjoying the great outdoors.

Wayne Houston, a dedicated angler, visits the park about three times a week.

Weve been coming out here for the last couple of months, and its been really good fishing, Houston shared. You just drag a night crawler around the rocks, and these walleye sniff them out. It's pretty cool.

Many of the ponds in the park are stocked with different species of fish. For example, the largest body of water in the park, Great Blue Heron Reservoir, is regularly stocked with channel catfish, black crappie, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, and walleye. Sandpiper Pond, on the other hand, has rainbow trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish and yellow perch.

Volunteer Toni Atteridge spends some of her time cleaning up the 14 picnic sites found throughout the park, removing any trash or fishing line that visitors may have left behind.

Its a beautiful park, and we like to see it clean, Atteridge said. We always like to leave it cleaner for the next person.

While fishing is the most popular activity at the park, its vital to remove hooks from any fish that are going to be put back into the water. Last week, St. Vrain State Park shared this post on Facebook, explaining how they found a juvenile osprey that had died after swallowing several feet of fishing like and hooks.

If you leave the hook in it, weve got a dead fish, Atteridge said. Then, we have dead critters. It really upsets us when that happens.

Fisherman Randal Perrin, who comes to the park nearly every day, said that bringing the right tool to remove fishing hooks is essential, and is the responsible thing to do.

I carry a pair of Leatherman pliers to take the hooks out, Perrin said. If I see any other hooks in the fish, I take them out.

Besides fishing, the park boasts 87 campsites, 7 miles of trails and opportunities to see many kinds of wildlife, especially birds. Pelicans, osprey, cormorants and heron are common sights throughout the park.

BOULDER, Colo. In backyards, parks, and natural areas across Boulder County this week, volunteers came together to harvest a fruit with deep roots, both in the soil and in tradition.

Chokecherries, small tart berries native to Colorado, have been used by Indigenous communities for centuries in food, medicine, and ceremony. But for many families on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, access to this sacred food has become limited. This is a result of displacement, overharvesting, and environmental barriers.

This week, a cross-state collaboration worked to change that. This partnership first started last year, and now, the City of Longmont, Wind River Indian Reservation, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Community Fruit Rescue, Food Bank of Wyoming and Food Bank of The Rockies has elevated this initiative to new heights.

We have to collect tons and tons of chokecherries to help with our ceremonial uses, said Patricia Goggles Shakespeare, a Northern Arapaho Tribe member. We make chokecherry gravy, chokecherry water Its a fruit thats part of our traditional foods.

Tuesday morning, volunteers with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, led by program director Morgan Crowley, harvested chokecherries at Boedecker Bluff Natural Area in Loveland.

Later that afternoon, volunteers with the nonprofit Community Fruit Rescue harvested berries from several sites across Boulder, including gardens of residents who wanted to donate their chokecherries. Community naturalist and homeowner Dave Sutherland was eager to give back.

Where my home is built is on tribal lands that belonged to the Arapaho people, said Sutherland, who grows native plants in his xeriscape garden. It makes sense that we give something back.

That community-driven harvest was supported by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Food Bank of the Rockies, and the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project. Together, they collected over 300 pounds of chokecherries, a significant increase from the 80 pounds gathered the year before.

Local harvesting efforts in Boulder were led by Melanie Hill, executive director of Community Fruit Rescue. They reached out to their partners and homeowners to find people willing to donate chokecherries from their gardens.

Theres no abundant supply of chokecherries where they are, Hill told Denver7. We felt we could really harness the power of community here people have these plants all over Boulder.

The harvesting and ongoing work to provide food for tribe members in need on the Wind River Indian Reservation was initiated by Northern Arapaho Tribe member Jacqueline White. White is the tribal relations specialist with the Wyoming Food Bank and liaison for Food Bank of the Rockies.

These are our traditional homelands of the Arapaho people, White said, referencing the lands where volunteers harvested. Our people are hunters and gatherers. Chokecherries are one of our sacred foods, and we utilize them in all of our ceremonies. Theres no substitution.

White said this growing partnership with the City of Longmont is helping correct years of disruption. Overharvesting has left many Indigenous families without the berries they need for ceremonial purposes.

People were selling them, and when our ceremonial people went to harvest, there were none left, she said. So we created this relationship.

After harvesting, volunteers reconvened at Wildlands Restoration Volunteers in Longmont on Wednesday to wash, sort, and freeze the berries for distribution through the Wind River Reservation and the Elder Home Food Delivery Program. The berries will be turned into traditional jam and shared with elders ahead of key cultural ceremonies.

It feels amazing. I dont mean to be emotional, White said, holding back tears. But my heart is so happy.

For tribal elders like Herbert Welch III, the harvest represents more than food.

In the Arapaho Tribe, food is a sacred item, Welch said. Theres no better form of showing your generousness than by sharing what you have. And if you dont have it, you gather it, and you pass that out to the people who need it.

The project is part of a broader effort to promote food sovereignty and restore access to traditional and culturally meaningful foods in Indigenous communities. That mission, according to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers program director Morgan Crowley, is why so many partners have rallied behind the cause.

Were honored to be part of this, Crowley said. Our mission is building diverse communities that care for the land. We are really committed to making sure that our community of volunteers and agency partners are making sure that our community is as welcoming and inclusive as possible.

White hopes this becomes an annual tradition, one rooted in collaboration, respect, and reconnection.

This is just the beginning, White said. We all work together to accomplish these beautiful blessings that we get to do and help people with food.

LONGMONT, Colo. John Clark from Longmont reached out to Denver7 Investigates after losing thousands of dollars in an investment-turned-romance scam.

In an email, he wrote, "I have reported the incident to the police, who have confirmed that it is indeed a scam. Two additional investigations are underway."

Clark is proud of his work, family, and the strength with which he's faced early-onset Parkinson's for the past six and a half years. However, right now, he's feeling nothing but shame.

"Why did I play into it? That's been ringing in my mind all month," Clark told Denver7 Investigates.

It all began with a phone call from someone claiming that a high school friend referred Clark for an investment opportunity.

To prove their legitimacy, the scammers sent Clark two checks, which his bank initially reported as having cleared. The would-be investor even sent a photo and a Social Security card to gain his trust.

At that point, the scam evolved from an investment opportunity to a romantic interest.

"He was going to take care of me, and that it was going to be a lifelong thing. And I had shared that I had young-onset Parkinson's, which maybe gave him more ammunition," Clark said.

Clark's bank eventually discovered the checks were fraudulent, but it was too late. He had sent two payments of $1,500 each through Apple Cash.

Despite filing multiple reports, recovering Clark's money is unlikely.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warnings about such scams, emphasizing in a video, "If an online love interest asks you for money, walk away, no matter how compelling the story."

Josh Kern, who lost over $100,000 in a similar scheme, shared the complexity of walking away from such situations. He told our sister station in Colorado Springs, "I still questioned for weeks afterwards whether or not she was actually involved. I mean, that's how good of a hook she was."

Clark hopes warning others will restore his sense of pride.

"They preyed on my loneliness. And looking back, I should have seen that and gone, 'What the hell was I doing?'" he said.

No arrest has been made as Denver's FBI office marked three years since an arson fire and vandalism at a Christian-centered crisis pregnancy center in Longmont.

The arson occurred on June 25, 2022 at Life Choices, a few hours after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned Roe v. Wade.

The building was vandalized with pro-choices messages, including one that read, "if abortions aren't safe, neither are you." The building also had fire and smoke damage.

FBI Denver was still offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Life Choices, according to its website, describes itself as a "Christ-centered ministry providing education, support, healing, and limited medical services for sexual life choices." It offers client support, sex and pregnancy education, free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, abortion pill information, post-abortion support and healing. It specifically outlines on its website "Life Choices does not perform or refer for abortions or emergency contraceptives."

Anyone with a potential tip is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit online here.

Editor's note:

increased to $17,000 in November of 2022

Prior coverage:

It's a question Coloradans have been asking for decades: Will there ever be a train connecting Denver's Union Station to Fort Collins?

Theres no shortage of interest from potential passengers.

"You have traffic for hours on I-25," said William Barton.

"I think a lot of tourists would use it, commuters for school would use it," said Gayle Orman.

Now, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors is joining the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Front Range Passenger Rail District (FRPRD) to explore the feasibility of the project.

On Tuesday, the RTD Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve an intergovernmental agreement between RTD, CDOT, and FRPRD to develop a plan for Front Range Passenger Rail from Denver's Union Station, through Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins. The vote was first reported by our partners at The Denver Post.

Julien Bouquet, chair of the RTD Board of Directors, said the goal is to determine whether the project makes financial sense.

"This really allows us to take the first step into investigating, is it a feasible project or not?" said Bouquet.

Denver7 asked Bouquet about how much the project could cost and how it would be funded. The chairman said he hopes the board will have a better idea of the cost by early 2026.

Jack Wheeler, president of the Colorado Rail Passenger Association (ColoRail), believes RTD's cooperation signals that the plan for Front Range Passenger Rail could be in motion sooner rather than later.

"They are the cog in this wheel that needs to be in place for it to advance," he told Denver7.

While RTD wouldnt comment on a specific timeline or cost, Wheeler hopes the rail line could be operational by 2029.

"An alternative to I-25, US 36, that is what the public is really wanting and voicing their opinions for," said Wheeler.

According to Front Range Passenger Rail's website, the estimated cost for the project ranges from $3 billion to $3.5 billion. Potential funding sources could include fees on rental cars.

Bouquet has not ruled out asking voters for additional financial support.

"We might have to have a conversation, go back to the voters and say, 'Hey, if we want to continue to expand our transit system, we're going to have to be looking at healthier funding models,'" he said.

Read our previous coverage on the project below

As work is done to figure out if the line is feasible, riders told Denver7 they hope transit officials can come up with a plan to get trains on track.

"That's just the hard part, voters realizing what their tax dollars are going to," said Orman.

"I think it'll pay for itself over time," Barton said.

The Front Range Passenger Rail District is set to meet on Friday to discuss the intergovernmental agreement and vote on whether to join.

LONGMONT, Colo. Denver7 has been flooded with messages from Eight Black Airport Shuttle customers who say they were left in the lurch after the company's sudden closure.

Felipe Reyes and his family travel often, and until recently, the family of five had pretty reliable airport transportation.

"It's a necessity, you know? My oldest daughter is wheelchair bound and we need something bigger," he said.

Like many families in the Longmont area, Eight Black was their go-to airport shuttle service.

"It was great. Good service, good people, good drivers," Reyes described the last two years as a customer.

Reyes stocked up on pre-paid vouchers to use on future rides, including one for a family trip scheduled for Tuesday. However, Eight Black suddenly closed its doors earlier this month.

"I was in shock. I tried to call them, contact by phone, text, email several times and got no answers," said Reyes.

Several fellow customers reached out to Denver7, saying they had recently bought vouchers during a sale that was promoted not long before the company shut down.

Denver7 dug into the background of the business owner, Simon Chen.

In 2024, a judge determined that Chen and Eight Black owed $109,984.76 to a small business funding company in New York. Then, on May 5, a judge in Boulder ordered him to pay back $153,947.73 to a different lender.

The following week, on May 17, Eight Black posted a voucher sale online, encouraging customers to pay ahead for future rides. The sale was extended on May 27, with the company closing on June 13.

Denver7 stopped by the offices, but no one was there. Chen has not returned our request for comment via email or voicemail as of the publication of this article.

On the company's website, the owner claims to offer refunds for the vouchers with a possible 12-month wait time. Customers told Denver7 they're hopeful for a refund, but they aren't holding their breath.

"What they did, not only to me but to many people, it's wrong. Just wrong," said Reyes.

Denver7 checked in with the Colorado Attorney General's Office about this situation. A spokesperson said the office cannot comment on whether they are investigating a specific business, but Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser did provide advice on what you should do if you find yourself in a similar situation.

"Whenever you're buying a voucher, or even a gift card, be careful because they're only going to be good as long as the company is in business. If you buy a voucher or a gift card from a company that's not a well-established, let's call it upstart or a newcomer, that's a risk that you're taking. So be careful," said Weiser. "If you buy a voucher or a gift card from some type of new company who's not been in the market long, that's a sign. The second point I would say if you use a credit card, there might be ways to protect you."

Carin in Boulder County writes,

article regarding Blissway traffic cameras

The new cameras you spotted on the Diagonal Highway, Carin, between Boulder and Longmont are not set up to catch weaving drivers, but speeders. I assure you, this is legal.

I drove the Diagonal several times and spotted the new Blissway cameras set up mainly between 55

and 63

. There is a pair close together, then a single camera and then another pair about a half mile away from the first pair. These cameras are from the same company, Blissway, as the ones set up along the express lanes to monitor drivers weaving in and out of the lanes. I was told this is the Colorado Department of Transportations (CDOT) first contract with Blissway for speed enforcement.

The cameras on Highway 119 arent designed to take photo radar tickets. They instead are set up where when a vehicle passes the first pair of cams the clock starts. When the same vehicle passes the second set of cams the clock stops. The system then calculates the average speed of that vehicle between each camera by dividing the distance between the cams by the travel time. It doesnt matter what lane the driver is in, as the cameras are capable of monitoring multiple lanes at the same time.

Drivers going an average speed of 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit will be issued a $75 civil penalty. The speed limit, as of the publishing date of this story, is 55 mph eastbound and 45 mph in the narrowed section westbound. I saw a similar system set up on some highways around Dublin, Ireland, and outside London, England, except the cameras there are set many miles apart in order to deter speeding over longer distances rather than short areas like in construction zones.

The average speed camera system were installed by CDOT as part of its Colorado Speed Enforcement Program. CDOT said in a news release that this new program deploys camera technology along CDOT-owned corridors with active construction work zones aiming to reduce speed-related crashes and fatalities on Colorado roads and improve safety for all motorists, including drivers, road workers, vulnerable road users and law enforcement.

CDOT told me the money collected from the civil penalties will cover the operational costs of the system, and any funds collected in excess will be allocated to vulnerable road user projects.

MORE: Read more traffic issues driving people crazy

There is still some time before this program will become active in the construction zone on Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont. Starting July 21, CDOT will first issue warnings before civil penalties are sent out later this fall. In 2025, CDOT said its focus will remain on construction work zones, but the program is expected to expand into school zones and other high-risk corridors in the future. Warnings and notices will be mailed to the vehicles registered owner within 30 days of the violation.

CDOT said it's emphasizing transparency in this initiative. The agency created a dedicated webpage, listing all active enforcement zones and will add to it as more are added. Each new location will include a warning period of at least 30 days. As per state law, Camera Speed Enforcement Ahead signs will also be posted at the entrance to every active work zone.

In 2023, the Colorado General Assembly passed Revised Statute 42-4-110.5, expanding the use of Automated Vehicle Identification Systems. CDOT said these systems are designed to specifically enforce speed compliance. Many local government agencies have already implemented cameras and sensors along high-risk driving corridors in efforts to make their communities safer for pedestrians and motorists.

CDOT said the program is starting first on Colorado Highway 119 but it plans on installing these in more construction work zones. The program is expected to expand into school zones and other high-risk corridors like possibly Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon.

Facebook, Twitter

Instagram

iTunes

iHeartRadio

Spotify

Podbean

YouTube

LONGMONT, Colo. As Pride month kicks off, Denver7 is highlighting community celebrations for you to check out, including Longmont Pride on Saturday, June 7.

Small-town Prides are, in my opinion, just as important as big town Prides, said Davis Dunbar, Rocky Mountain Equality's community activities and events manager. I'm super excited that towns like Longmont have Pride and that Rocky Mountain Equality gets to help make them happen.

Rocky Mountain Equality was formerly known as Out Boulder.

Longmont Pride is Saturday, June 7 at Roosevelt Park and runs from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

It is a completely free event and a fun, family-friendly day. We have activities for people of all ages, said Dunbar.

You can check out a full line up of the schedule, including a list of performers, on Rocky Mountain Equalitys website.

I think right now, the most important thing we as LGBTQ people need to know is that we're not alone, and we're all in this together, added Dunbar. When you're visible at an event like Longmont pride, you see people who are like you and are going through some of the same struggles that you're going through, and you get to celebrate with them and have a fun day, and hopefully that makes the world a little more inclusive.

Most roads in downtown Boulder reopened Monday morning after the attack on Pearl Street Sunday afternoon.

While business owners along Pearl Street between Broadway and 15th St. have access to their storefronts through alleyways to the north and south of Pearl Street, that does not apply to customers. Any business owner who can't get in via an alleyway can contact Boulder County police dispatch at 303-441-3333 to request a law enforcement escort to enter.

Boulder County government offices on Pearl Street and 13th St. remain closed, including the assessor's office. Real property valuation appeals can be filed in person at the assessor's offices in Lafayette or Longmont, as well as online.

The Boulder County Treasurer's Office, Boulder County Commissioner's Office, Community Planning and Permitting Office, County Administrator Office, Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience (OSCAR) Office are also closed. All other county buildings were expected to open for regular hours Monday, the Boulder Office of Disaster Management said.

The Boulder County Commissioner's Office said, in part, about the attack Sunday night:

"The Boulder County Commissioners strongly condemn the heinous act of terror carried out today (June 1) on the Boulder County Courthouse lawn. Violence and hatred have no place in our community."

Read the full statement in the post below:

To receive updates on the incident and closures, text "BOCOinfo" to 888777.

There was an emergency shelter established Sunday at the East Boulder Community Center. That closed at 9 p.m. Sunday. Temporary flight restrictions were also put in effect over downtown Boulder 2 miles around 14th and Pearl Streets, 5,000 feet above the ground.

All evacuation orders were lifted Monday morning, according to the Boulder Office of Disaster Management.

Continuing coverage:

BOULDER, Colo. To promote sustainability and reduce air pollution, Boulder County has introduced a new grant program aimed at helping food truck and mobile business operators switch to electric power.

This initiative utilizes the county's Refrigeration and Restaurant Equipment Grant and partners with the City of Boulder and a state program called Engines Off for Food Trucks to help make the transition more affordable for mobile business owners licensed in Boulder County.

Bradford McDevitt, co-owner of McDevitt Taco Supply, has long utilized electric power for one of his taco carts. Now, hes poised to go off the grid entirely by installing solar panels at his food truck.

"If I'm off the grid, then it's better for me, it's better for the environment," McDevitt said.

McDevitt often has a taco cart at Sanitas Brewing in Boulder, which he plugs into their power. He hopes the move will not only cut his operating costs but also allow him to pass those savings onto customers.

"We wouldnt have to pay electricity anymore here, which, in turn, we could turn savings onto the customers, and everybody loves cheaper tacos," he said.

The newly established Food Truck Electrification and Efficiency Program covers 80% of the costs up to $20,000 for food truck and mobile business owners in Boulder County looking to transition to electric power.

According to Christi Knudsen, owner of Rush Coffee Boulder, the switch to electric has significantly improved her business operations. When asked about her daily preparations, she said, "It was much easier. I'm not running to get gas all the time. I'm not checking a generator to make sure its full."

Knudsen made the complete switch earlier this year and plans never to return to gas-powered equipment in her mobile coffee shop. The burden of managing a loud generator, particularly in intimate settings like weddings, made her apprehensive and limited her business opportunities. With electric equipment, she said the experience is better for her employees and customers.

Air pollution has caused concerns among both business owners and local residents. Norma King, community relations specialist for Boulder County's Partners for a Clean Environment (P.A.C.E.), said the initiative aims to address the public health issue of air pollution.

"Traditional food truck engines emit CO2 and affect the quality of the air, which is becoming a public issue, she said.

The initiative aims to combat such pollution and improve the overall customer experience.

"Customers can enjoy a nice meal, avoiding the smells and terrible noise that generators produce," King added.

The Boulder County program is designed to cater to the varied energy consumption needs of different food trucks, recognizing that a coffee vendor and an ice cream truck utilize energy in different ways. To qualify for the grant, applicants must provide a professional quote that details their electrification plans.

Both Knudsen and McDevitt are optimistic about the future of electric food trucks, seeing the transition as beneficial for their businesses and the environment.

"For them covering 80% of solar panels on this taco cart, why wouldnt I switch to that?" McDevitt said.

To showcase the new program, PACE is holding a Food Truck Electrification Rally on June 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Latino Chamber of Commerce, located at 1925 Pike Rd, Suite 202 in Longmont. The event will include demos of electric equipment and advice from experts to help business owners make the switch. Interested parties are encouraged to RSVP online.

LONGMONT, Colo. A new community for veterans experiencing homelessness is almost complete in Longmont, but the project is already making a difference.

From the National Guard to the Army, Roy has dedicated years to serving our country. However, his transition from military service to civilian life has not been easy.

"Just trying to connect with civilians is hard," he said.

Things took a turn for the worse when Roy struggled to find housing.

"Was living with my mom for a little bit, but that never goes well," he told Denver7.

That all changed thanks to Veterans Community Project (VCP) Longmont, a tiny home village providing safety, stability and privacy to veterans experiencing homelessness.

"It's literally fixed in my whole life," Roy said. "I can't even put it in words."

There are 26 homes on the two-acre site. Final touches are being added to the last few homes ahead of an official grand opening set for June 12.

"We stock the cabinets full of things that they will need when they are staying with us," said Jennifer Seybold, executive director of Veterans Community Project (VCP) Longmont.

Seybold said the homes were largely privately funded and are standing thanks to the hands of thousands of volunteers. Ten veterans already live in the community, with the average stay being 14 months.

"Colorado, as a whole, has a large veteran population, generally speaking, and many of our veterans live on the brink of, you know, one missed paycheck can mean real disaster for them," she said.

Unlike other housing sites, veterans aren't responsible for rent or utilities. Instead, they will invest their time with a case manager.

"We really want veterans to be able to take control of their own well-being and their own lives and kind of chart a path forward with some support," said Seybold.

Longmont is one of six VCP sites across the country. While there aren't plans for another site like this in Colorado, Longmont City Councilmember Matthew Popkin hopes it sets an example.

"There's no one-size-fits-all approach for housing, especially transitional housing," Popkin said.

Since moving to the village in April, Roy said he is already making strides.

"I've got my car caught up, some of my debt paid off," he said. "I started a new job today, actually."

Roy said he owes his success to the village of veterans standing alongside him.

"It's gonna turn my whole life around. I've already fixed a whole bunch of it," he said.