One of the Front Ranges most scenic and popular recreation destinations is expanding with the acquisition of a 347-acre parcel of land adjacent to Red Rocks Park and Matthews/Winters Park near Morrison.

Jefferson County Open Space, which owns Matthews/Winters Park, acquired the family-owned parcel known as Braun Ranch for $7.3 million last week, with The Conservation Fund serving as a facilitator in the transaction. Great Outdoors Colorado contributed $2.3 million toward the purchase.

The acquisition expands Matthews/Winters Park, which already has nearly 14 miles of trails in the Morrison valley between 7,000-foot peaks to the west and the Dakota Ridge hogback to the east. Its trails are popular with hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers, and it borders Red Rocks Park, which is owned and managed by the city of Denver. Red Rocks Park has a trail network of more than 10 miles that connects with Matthews/Winter trails.

The Braun Ranch acquisition expands Matthews/Winters to the west, topping out at more than 1,000 feet over the Morrison Valley and offering a view that includes Mount Blue Sky, 35 miles to the west. Matthews/Winters Park has two parts, north and south of Red Rocks Park. Braun Ranch is expanding the northern part.

Absolutely thrilled with the acquisition, said Hillary Merritt, who manages land conservation for Jeffco Open Space. It is such a great opportunity for us to connect two currently disconnected parts of the park, and its really a beautiful property.

Read this full story on The Denver Post's website.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre kicked off its 85th-anniversary season with a sold-out opening night and new upgrades for concertgoers.

Venue Director Tad Bowman gave Denver7 a tour of some of the new upgrades made in the off-season.

On the south side, there's a new merchandise stand. Bowman said it will not only streamline the checkout process for guests, but is also a major upgrade from the previous stand in terms of space.

"The merchandise isn't sitting outside in the weather. They can put it all away. So it's just such a great upgrade for both the staff and the concertgoers as well," he said.

On the east side, there's a new terrace to create more space for fans going through security and entering the venue.

"Hopefully, that makes the ingress part of coming to a show much better," Bowman said.

On opening day, concertgoers arrived hours early to secure their spot in line. Peyton Dremel, an EDM fan, got to the venue at 9 a.m. for the 7 p.m. show.

"There's no place I'd rather be," Dremel said.

Lily Brown was also at the venue hours before the concert.

"I've been waiting for Red Rocks since my last Red Rock Show, which was the closing of last year. And now I'm here at the opening of this year," Brown said.

The venue has nearly 150 shows planned from March to November.

"The events that we have, the revenues generated, helps to go back into taking care of Red Rocks," said Bowman.

Christmastime at Red Rocks Park. Only a powered paraglider and a bird break the stillness.

And well, so does the start of a race to the top. "Who's saying go?"

Frank Graziano looks at his friends from near the stage at the amphitheatre. Someone counts down, "3...2...1", and they're off running, jumping, hurdling up the rows of seats to their final destination on row 69.

And at the top, Olivia Tuttle is visiting cousins here from Iowa.

"I've never been here", she says.

They all start cheering as Frank and his shirtless friends make it to the top.

Frank Graziano lives in Denverbut hes never been here at Christmas

"This is very unusual. Part of me likes the sunshine but Id like a little snow around Christmastime," he says.

There may not be a concert here, but the record high temperatures means the patio is open, the parking lot full, and Frank and Nick Palgrave have lost their shirts.

Nick says, "The amphatheatre warms everything up, but you get hot in any temperature. I think this is the first year I've been here on Christmas, it's not normally this warm."

The group of friends say whether you go fast or slow, getting to the top is an accomplishment.

It took years for Nick to make it to the top. Now, he is celebrating a personal accomplishment.

"I've been coming here for years. I've seen people running up and it inspires you. I said to myself I think I'll try it and can I do it?" Nick said.

By the way, Nick is 63 years old. This year in January, he wanted to make it to 50-thousand rows before the end of the year. He did it 10 days ago.

"This is the best gym in the world", Nick said.

And today, in 70 degrees, they did it over and over and over.

It inspired Olivia from Iowa.

And cousins Sara and Justin couldnt resist either.

They all raced for a few rows.

Their family and the running family shared in each others inspiration from different parts of the amphitheater on Christmas.

For 20 years, the community has gathered at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre in the fall to raise funds and awareness in the name of lung health. On Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025 the American Lung Association in Colorado invites people from across metro Denver to come together to end lung cancer and lung disease at Run the Rocks.

Run the Rocks is a celebratory and welcoming event that provides critical funds for lifesaving lung cancer research, early detection initiatives and awareness. Participants will enjoy a 1.3-mile run/walk and 5K at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre.

Denver7 is a proud partner of the American Lung Association and Run the Rocks. Use code Denver7 to receive $7 off your registration for the event.

Thanks to all our amazing volunteers and Run the Rocks participants, we are truly making an impact on lung cancer in Colorado, said Donna Peace, executive director of the American Lung Association in Colorado. We are so proud that here in Colorado, Run the Rocks has united the community for a greater good, creating a lasting and tangible impact here in Colorado. This year is our 20th anniversary of the event, where participants have taken countless steps throughout the iconic venue to raise awareness and funds for lung cancer. Each year is a reminder of the widespread impact and legacy we are creating here in Colorado.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among people in the United States. Someone is diagnosed with the disease about every two minutes. But there is hope. More people than ever are surviving lung cancer. The survival rate has increased by over 50 percent in the past decade.

Participating in Run the Rocks supports the work of the American Lung Association to defeat lung cancer, improve the air we breathe, reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families, and eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases.

To learn more and register, visit RunTheRocks.org.

MORRISON, Colo. Red Rocks Amphitheatre hosts hundreds of shows and welcomes more than a million visitors each year, but for many, getting to and from the venue has always been an issue.

"I know it's just such a pain to drive here," said Daniel De La Corte, who was tailgating before Friday night's Atmosphere & Friends concert.

Denver7 has reported on the push to expand public transit to the Jefferson County foothills. Now, a new public transportation option is in the works, and Saturday will mark the first test run.

"I hope that tomorrow is like planting a flag in the ground, that this is coming, that we need people to use it and to participate," said Ean Thomas Tafoya, the vice president of GreenLatinos.

Bringing public transport to Red Rocks is an idea Tafoya has backed for more than a decade.

"This is a solution that, clearly, we need," Tafoya said.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, shuttle buses will conduct a trial run between the Jefferson County Government Center and Morrison, with stops at Red Rocks, according to Jefferson County.

Next year, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the plan is to run buses from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

The pilot program will run from 2026 to 2028. It's paid for by an $840,000 grant from the Regional Transportation District (RTD).

While the service will end before the start of most concerts, Tafoya said the plan is to expand those hours in the future.

"I hear people about being critical," said Tafoya. "They want the whole tamale all at once, but we're going to phase it in, and that's the process."

Ahead of Saturday's pilot, several people at Red Rocks told Denver7 they see it as a long-overdue solution.

"Everybody needs access, everybody should have access," said visitor Adriana Jimenez.

MORRISON, Colo. It's the start of a busy weekend for Bus to Show, a shuttle service offering trips to and from shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

The culture is completely different from show to show. [The bus is] full of smiling faces, like dancing around, said executive director Amandine Aubertot.

But it's not all smiles at the moment. Aubertot told Denver7 that for the past month, scammers on StubHub have been reselling Bus to Show tickets and listing them as Red Rocks Shuttle and Parking Passes for triple the price.

Not to mention, parking at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is free to begin with.

They're scamming people. They're giving out our shuttle passes, which are $ 35 round-trip. They're selling them for up to 150 bucks, which is wild, she said. We started getting requests for refunds from people, which we can't refund - if we refund, it just goes straight back to this scammer.

Aubertot said that whoever's behind it is buying tickets from Bus to Shows website under a fake domain.

We've been trying to shut down the fake domain that they created. We've been talking to Stripe, our processor, about all the avenues, she said.

I wanted to see for myself.

Sure enough, when I went on StubHub, I found a shuttle pass for Saturdays Chris Lake show going for $109.

A separate parking pass option was available for purchase at $45.

Again, parking at Red Rocks is free.

Denver7 reached out to StubHub, and they told us they are now investigating.

In the meantime, Bus to Show is putting out this warning:

If you haven't been scammed, be aware it is free parking [at Red Rocks Amphitheater], and there are free shuttles in the park, so do not buy these parking passes, said Aubertot.

If you have purchased one of these passes, contact Bus to Show directly. They say they'll still honor your bus ticket.

To do so, you can email reservations@bustoshow.org.

They're also urging you to contact StubHub at (888) 720-9452.

We just want to get the information out there. Work together, make this stop. Our community is so awesome. We all come together and do things. So we're going to get this, said Aubertot.

One person died in a three-vehicle crash off US Highway 285 at State Highway 8 Monday morning, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) preliminary investigation, troopers believe the 33-year-old male driver of an Acura IRL had been driving southbound on northbound Highway 285 when he hit a Cadillac CTS, causing it to spin out of control and hit a Chevrolet Colorado with two people inside.

The 59-year-old man who was driving the Cadillac CTS was transported to a hospital, where he later died. His passenger, a 64-year-old woman, was brought to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Chevrolet, a 51-year-old man, was also hospitalized as a precaution for minor injuries, CSP said.

The 33-year-old in the Acura who is accused of causing the crash was transported to a local hospital for serious injuries.

The highway reopened in both directions at 11:16 a.m.

As we tracked this crash on Monday morning, Denver7's Traffic Expert Jayson Luber observed firefighters working to get people out of two of the vehicles on northbound US 285 after the crash happened around 5:19 a.m. Luber saw first responders pull one person from a car and get that victim into an ambulance.

During the closure, drivers were asked to take alternate routes.

Luber advised drivers to take Highway 8 all the way to Morrison and then back to C-470. Or they could take a right turn just after The Fort restaurant on S. Turkey Creek Road, take it under U.S. Route 285 and wind their way to W. Quincy Ave. and C-470.

State patrol is leading the investigation into what happened.

Anyone who witnessed the crash and has not spoken to investigators is asked to call CSP Patrol Dispatch at 303-239-4501.

MORRISON, Colo. Newly-published findings detail a remarkable discovery at Dinosaur Ridge, revealing how dinosaurs behaved 100 million years ago on the land that is now Colorado and showing similar traits seen in many modern-day birds.

Neffra Matthews, a retired photogrammetrist for the Bureau of Land Management, was part of a research team in 2014 that first found evidence of dinosaur mating dances at Dinosaur Ridge.

On a rocky hillside right just past the Dinosaur Ridge trailhead, an area that hundreds pass by every day, the team first noticed the peculiar markings.

The animal would stand on one foot and scrape and then alternate feet, said Matthews. It makes that very distinct pattern of scratches and two different areas in one larger bowl-shaped depression.

The evidence indicates that these carnivorous dinosaurs engaged in courtship displays, a practice still seen among bird species like Grouse, Bustards, and Ruffs. Researchers believe male dinosaurs would scrape their feet and dance to intimidate rival males and attract females.

In 2021, a research team led by Professor Rogers Buntin of Old Dominion University, believed that the site was home to more markings indicative of dinosaur courtship behavior. The team used drone photography and Matthews photogrammetry skills to create a 3-D model of the hillside, confirming their beliefs. The hillside, which was flat land before the emergence of the Rocky Mountains, contained a dinosaur lek, or mating dance arena. Their findings were published online earlier this month.

We actually have physical evidence of dinosaur behavior, not just from an individual animal, but from a congregation of animals, said Matthews. This shows that concentration of probably male dinosaurs in a very small area doing their displays, both for territory and also to attract a mate. The females would be able to congregate in a central location around them, so that they would be able to prove dominance and have mate selection somewhat simultaneously.

The researchers believe this to be the largest dinosaur lek ever found, with smaller examples found in western Colorado and Alberta, Canada. The groundbreaking research is found only a 20-minute drive from Denver.

The public can come and see this amazing area in person and understand that science can continue to unfold here on the ridge over a period of almost 100 years since the first discoveries were made here, said Matthews. That's a very valuable opportunity for folks in the Denver area, and people come from around the world to visit the site here.

Want more dino news?

scientists at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are celebrating a discovery that they have called "nothing short of magical"

MORRISON, Colo. Two unlikely visitors joined concertgoers at Red Rocks Amphitheatre Tuesday night.

A viewer captured this video of a pair of bears enjoying the view on a trail at the park.

Jon Amundson snapped this photo of one of the bears walking along a sidewalk as fans filed in to see Russ and special guest Big Sean.

"Been to Red Rocks 100 times, finally seen a bear," Amundson wrote. "And yes it's a bear. There was 2 actually. Awesome."

Fans seemed to keep their distance, and the bears kept going on their merry way.

Even Mother Nature can agree: there's nothing better than a Red Rocks concert on a Colorado summer night!

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. The Snow Creek Fire in 2022 was a wake-up call for Willow Springs resident Todd Houghton.

When you find out you're about to be evacuated, you start thinking, Okay, did I do enough? he recalled.

Houghton started a movement, getting neighbors on board to better prepare their homes against the threat of wildfires.

It's finding people who are interested we call them spark plugs and it just takes one or two on a street or in a neighborhood, and then they become the person that's interested in learning, he said.

Houghton told Denver7 that close to half of the residents in the Willow Springs community have taken steps to mitigate their properties by creating defensible space around their homes over the past three years. Those fire prevention efforts could soon gain momentum after the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted to fund a new Wildland Fire Management Program.

County leaders are calling the program a "holistic approach" to protect residents from wildfire threats.

Its not only staffing, it's also capital investments and equipment and gear and supplies so that we're as prepared as possible when there's an incident to respond, said Brian Keating, wildland fire program manager.

In 2024, Jefferson County voters passed Ballot Measure 1A, allowing the county to keep revenue to support public safety and infrastructure. Through that, the county is now able to invest $7 million to create 37 new staff positions, including two full wildland fire crews that will provide coverage seven days a week a first for Jefferson County.

During the core fire season, we will be able to augment the work that our fire protection districts do in terms of incident response, Keating explained.

Right now, Jefferson County is among the top 2% of U.S. counties for wildfire danger, and the second-highest at-risk county in Colorado. Denver7 asked Keating how this plan could have helped during previous fires in the county, like the Quarry Fire in August 2024.

From a county perspective, we didn't have a lot of boots on the ground to assist in that. We relied heavily on our fire districts throughout the county and from some of the neighboring counties to respond to that fire. We also had national assets. A lot of the air support we received came from all over the western United States, said Keating. By now having this capacity, it's going to help us be more self-reliant, especially with a lot of the changes that's going on at the federal level. We want to make sure we're investing at the county level and working with our state partners as well to make sure that we can be more self-reliant. 

Fire protection districts like Evergreen Fire Rescue, which rely mostly on volunteers, say it'll be a big help.

Now having this response crew from Jefferson County available to help with initial attack and extended attack, to know that they're going to deploy occasionally and get more skills by going to fires across the state, across the nation its great for all of us, said Evergreen Fire Rescue public information officer Einar Jensen.

The fire management plan also includes community education, homeowner assessments, and micro-grants to encourage more people to take that step of protecting their homes and others.

You can't be successful at mitigating risk on a home-by-home basis. We're going to be better when we have more of a collective approach, said Keating.

Four neighborhoods in the Willow Springs community were recently recognized by Firewise USA for their fire prevention efforts. County leaders say its a good start for what they hope their Wildland Fire Management Program will achieve.

It's a big collaborative effort, right? We all want to protect this neighborhood, and so seeing everybody else get involved does help a bunch, said Houghton. We're very excited about that.

Jefferson County leaders hope to have the positions fully staffed and the plan fully implemented by this fall.

A Morrison man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering after he got two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Richard Nieto, 39, applied for three fraudulent PPP loan applications, seeking a total of $1,117,903.56.

Two of his three loan applications went through, totaling $913,551.88, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado (USACO). Nieto was ordered to pay $962,438.85 in restitution.

While he committed to using the PPP loans on business expenses, Nieto put it toward personal expenditures and investments, the USACO said. He paid a home mortgage, purchased bitcoin, contributed to an investment account, bought gold and silver coins and invested in a friend's startup business.

This is another case of someone using for personal gain a program meant to help people suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting United States Attorney J. Bishop Grewell said. I want the public to know that we are aggressively prosecuting people who stole from this relief program.

Prior to any payments on the loans, Nieto requested loan forgiveness, according to the USACO. He created 87 fake payroll checks and paystubs, related to a specific pay period and employee. Nieto said his companies withheld taxes so they would qualify for loan forgiveness. And one of his PPP loans was fully forgiven.

Mr. Nieto went to great lengths to abuse a program meant for hardworking small business owners, seeking only to enrich himself. Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Denver Field Office Amanda Prestegard said.

In his first loan application, Nieto inflated the number of employees and average monthly payroll for his business, Denver Pro Painting & Contracting, the USACO said.

In his second application, Nieto requested a loan for another business DenPro that had no payroll or employees and was not operating, according to the USACO. Nieto fabricated $1,771,601.04 in annual payroll in his fourth quarter tax returns.

The USACO announced in January it was investigating dozens of COVID-19 fraud cases, worth roughly $75 million. Last month, two Colorado residents were indicted last month for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government of nearly $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

Related coverage:

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. A proposal to bring public transit to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is seeing new life.

Denver7 has reported on several attempts to expand public transit to the Jefferson County foothills, most recently in April 2024. Now, the proposal is gaining momentum again.

Our partners at The Denver Post were the first to report on the update.

We really wanted to see, is there a way of connecting Red Rocks and some of the surrounding amenities in a way that people aren't bound by just personal cars to get up here? Jefferson County Commissioner Andy Kerr told Denver7 on Wednesday.

Kerr and Denver City Councilman Darrell Watson are leading the charge. They plan to apply for a $1 million grant from RTD earmarked for municipalities looking to expand their transit options.

This is the economic driver that Red Rocks is, and getting people to and from this whole area here efficiently and safely is there's so many reasons to do it, said Kerr.

Right now, RTD's W Line ends at the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden. Under the proposal, three to four shuttles would pick people up at the center and transport them to different spots, including Morrison, Apex Park and Red Rocks. The shuttles would run every 15 minutes.

Riders would be allowed to bring their dogs and mountain bikes on the shuttle.

Kerr said they are still figuring out the best place for a shuttle stop within Red Rocks Park.

It could even be different on a nightly basis. We could move it around. It's not set in one place for eternity, he said.

However, light rail service ends too early to serve concertgoers at the end of the night. Right now, many rely on rideshare services like Lyft or Uber to get home.

If you do go for an Uber, you wait in line for, like, 20-30 minutes to get an Uber, Denver resident Wyatt Terry told Denver7. Typically, I'll just walk down to Morrison and order from there.

Though a round-the-clock transit system isnt on the table right now, Kerr told Denver7 theyd like to consider it down the line.

I want to come up here for one of the movie nights. I know they're doing 'Pirates of the Caribbean' at some point soon, and that's an all-time favorite of mine, said Terry. I'll be the first on [the shuttle].

RTD told Denver7 it will announce grant recipients on August 1. If the proposal is approved, Kerr and Watson plan to host a pilot weekend or two sometime in September.

Multiple viewers reached out to Denver7 with concerns about a large pothole that appeared Friday morning on the eastbound I-70 bridge at the Morrison and Golden exit. We took their questions to the state's department of transportation.

Denver7 first learned about this when a viewer reached out to us, describing the huge, new pothole on I-70 at that exit and the damage it was causing.

"Cars were lined up on the shoulder with flat tires all the way down I-70 and on the C470 exit ramp. Check it out!" she told us.

So, we did.

Looking at city camera shots, Denver7 saw seven cars on the shoulder at 8:52 a.m., but the pothole itself was not in the frame.

A Denver7 photographer headed to the scene to get a better look.

There, we saw multiple cars loaded onto tow trucks.

They had at least one, if not more, flat tires each.

We asked Tamara Rollison with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) about the pothole, and were initially told that "maintenance crews are repairing the pothole."

Rollison later added that the large pothole had formed within about 20 to 30 minutes starting around 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. She explained it is likely due to the recent heavy rain, paired with construction in the area.

"CDOT crews immediately responded with lane closures, and contractor crews will work through the afternoon to make sustainable repairs to the pothole," she said.

The construction is part of the I-70 Resurfacing from Chief Hosa to Colfax project, which involves milling the asphalt down to the concrete surface. As of early this morning when the contractor wrapped up the shift, crews did not see any damage to the bridge deck, Rollison said.

The two right-most lanes of eastbound I-70 at the Morrison Road exit will stay closed until the repairs are complete. Drivers will be detoured to US Highway 40. Crews will repair the damage to the middle lane with the hope to reopen it soon, but this will likely take most of the afternoon, Rollison told us around 12:30 p.m.

After this report, we heard from some viewers who said dangerous potholes started forming in that same area long before the recent rainstorms.

"Ask anyone who drives this route daily, it is very dangerous due to the road construction, potholes, and cracks that pull you when driving," one person wrote to Denver7. "This road is poorly maintained and the state needs to be held responsible."

Denver7 requested a CDOT interview about the pothole and its impacts, which was denied.

To report a pothole on a Colorado interstate or highway for CDOT to check out, call the appropriate office below (note that CDOT does not repair city/local roads):

Do you drive this stretch of I-70 often and want your perspective heard? Email us at newstips@denver7.com.

The owners of Bandimere Speedway have acquired their first parcel of land in the Hudson area of Weld County this week, marking a key step toward establishing a new location for the iconic racing venue.

While our family hasnt been operating a schedule of races in Colorado, we have been working to continue the legacy of automobile racing that (was) started by my parents back in 1958, said Bandimere Speedway chief spiritual officer, John C. Bandimere Jr., in a social media video post.

Believe me when I tell you, this has not been an easy undertaking, nor has it been a quick process.

Bandimere Jr. said this highly anticipated transaction is the first piece in a complex puzzle of a planned timeline for anticipated future negotiations for the surrounding property. He previously told The Post that the family was targeting about 1,100 acres, far more than it had in Morrison.

Zoning and annexation of the new land will also be taking place soon, with the timing undetermined.

Click here to read the full story from our partners at The Denver Post.

MORRISON, Colo. Grab some popcorn and your friends the Denver Film Society has announced its 2025 Film on the Rocks lineup at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater.

This marks the 26th season that the film society has presented movies under the stars at the amphitheater. Live entertainment kicks off the evening before the movies begin.

Here is the schedule:

Tickets for these movies go on sale on April 25 at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $25 and doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the live entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. and the movie starting at dusk. To purchase tickets, click here.

Film on the Rocks is a collaborative production of Denver Film and Denver Arts & Venues.

Thousands of people filed into Red Rocks Amphitheater before 5 a.m. Sunday morning for the 77th annual Easter Sunrise Service.

It's hosted by the Colorado Council of Churches and free to the public.

The service started at 6 a.m., with the sun rising at 6:14 a.m.

"Sunrise was huge. With our Christian faith and the story of Jesus rising, we wanted to be able to see the sunrise," said Sara Huerta.

The service included prayer, worship songs, and a message led by Reverend Dr. Steve Van Ostran. He has served as the executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountains since March 2008.

"It was a great service, great preachers," said Donovan Romero. "I love the energy. I really love the energy and the impact God has. It was really beautiful coming up here. I seen the traffic. I was like, 'Oh, man, it's really going to be good.'"

Organizers said hosting the event costs $35,000, and they are accepting donations to continue providing free service and parking for all attendees.

Camille from Henderson writes,

There is no set number, Camille, and most roads in Colorado don't have an official minimum speed limit. When you do see a posted minimum speed limit, it will be on a heavily traveled section of that particular interstate. One of those sections Ive seen these minimum speed signs is along Interstate 25 in downtown Denver. I counted 23 of them between 58

Ave. and Broadway, 10 northbound and 13 southbound. The posted minimum speed is 40 mph with a maximum of 55 mph. I looked for speed limit signs along Highway 85 and Interstate 76 around Henderson and didnt see any minimum limits attached to the maximum speed limit posted on either highway.

You referred to the Colorado law stating drivers are not to impede the normal flow of traffic. That comes from Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-1103 where in part 1 it states, No person shall drive a motor vehicle on any highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable forward movement of traffic, except when a reduced speed is necessary for safe operation of such vehicle or in compliance with law.

MORE: Read more traffic issues driving people crazy

There are caveats within the law, including one that refers to what you are asking. In the second section of part 2 of CRS 42-2-1103 it reads, Local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle, except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

Again, the law never states exactly what that minimum speed is or should be leaving that decision to the local authority and to local law enforcement who need to determine if a driver is going too slowly.

There are times when driving too slowly can be dangerous for other drivers on the road, especially at highway speeds. One CDOT traffic and safety engineer told me, a driver should not be going so slow to the point of impeding the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.

The question becomes, what is normal and reasonable? If you are driving on a freeway with a posted 60 mph speed limit, and you are driving at 50 mph on the right side with multiple lanes and other drivers can easily pass you, you are not impeding the normal flow of traffic, thus you are not creating a hazard," the CDOT engineer said. "The primary goal of setting the right speed limit is to reduce differentials in speed between vehicles in the traffic stream as much as practical because large differences in speeds often correlate to higher crash frequency to a far greater degree than higher speeds overall.

The CDOT engineer said all drivers should be driving at or below the speed limit. However, speed differential can be a problem as going slow on a higher speed roadway can increase the risk of a crash.

The expectation is 85% of drivers are traveling at speeds somewhere near the speed limit, so driving at a significantly slower speed would surprise other drivers and can create an unexpected reaction. If there is a hazard in the road or adverse weather conditions, slower speeds are encouraged for safety, the CDOT engineer said.

Another part of the minimum speed law says, "When driving on a highway at a speed less than the normal and reasonable speed of traffic so that traffic is impeded immediately behind, then such driver shall either drive in the right-hand lane or on the extreme right side of the roadway or pull off the roadway at the first available place where such movement can safely and lawfully be made until such impeded traffic has passed by."

That is often the case on mountain roads where an additional climbing lane has been added or a roadside turnouts are provided for drivers of all vehicles proceeding at less than the normal and reasonable speed of traffic.

Additionally, to the west of Denver, there is a sign posted at the Morrison exit stating the left lane minimum speed limit of 55 mph. It stems from Colorado law 42-4-1106 that sets a minimum speed for the left lane on I-70 in the mountains.

The law states, Where the average grade is six percent or more uphill for at least one mile, no person shall operate a motor vehicle in the far left lane of traffic of interstate 70 at a speed of less than the lower of ten miles per hour below the speed limit or the minimum speed set by the department of transportation.

There are a few exceptions like due to weather conditions or lane blockages.

Depending on what exactly a driver is cited for, the fines for driving too slowly vary. Driving at a speed that is not reasonable and prudent given road conditions carries a $100 fine with a $10 surcharge. Driving at such a slow speed that the normal and reasonable forward movement of traffic is impeded, carries a $50 fine with a $6 surcharge.

If you would like to really get into this topic, Victor Muchuruza and Renatus Mussa from the joint college of engineering of Florida A&M University and Florida State University published a research paper titled, Nationwide survey on the posting of minimum speed limit signs on Interstate freeways, dated November 2006. In that paper, the authors found that the most common minimum speed limit posting is 40 mph. There are few states that post 45 mph and 55 mph in some sections on interstate freeways. The survey results have also discovered that many states raised the maximum speed limits on interstate freeways as the consequence of the National Highway System (NHS) Designation Act of 1995 without revising or studying the effect of the existing minimum speed limits on traffic operation.

This is a good time to remind drivers that the speed limit high and low are limits, not the required speed you have to drive. I reminded my teenage daughter of that often when she was learning to drive saying, The speed limit is the speed you arent supposed to drive more than, not the speed you have to drive.

As CDOT advises, you should be going at about the same speed as all other traffic, whether that is above or below the speed limit because if you dont, you are disrupting the traffic flow and could be a risk for other drivers.

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GOLDEN, Colo. Jeffco Public Schools students who keep a high GPA and graduate with a STEM-endorsed diploma are guaranteed admission to any Bachelor of Science degree programs at the Colorado School of Mines starting in 2026.

The School of Mines and Jeffco Public Schools made the announcement on Thursday afternoon in a joint press release. They said the first group of Jeffco students who are guaranteed this admission to Mines will be the high school graduating class of 2026, meaning students who are currently in their junior year.

Mines and the school district said they hope this incentivizes Jeffco students to work toward a STEM-endorsed diploma, gain the direct pathway toward the Colorado School of Mines and continue their studies in the state.

"They're one of, if not the best public university in the state of Colorado," said Heather Waldron, Jeffco Public School's director for post-secondary workforce readiness. "We wanted to make sure that what we were doing to prepare our students was preparing them for the best opportunities they could have when they left us."

Eligible students must maintain a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.8 or higher, complete advanced math and science coursework and graduate with a STEM-endorsed diploma from any high school in the school district, the press release reads. To earn a STEM-endorsed diploma, students are required to take four years of college prep or advanced math and three years of lab science, plus they must complete a Senior STEM Capstone Project, which consists of a year-long course where juniors and seniors examine real challenges and then design and present a solution.

They can then gain guaranteed admission into any four-year Bachelor of Science degree program at the Colorado School of Mines. Students must apply by the Nov. 1 priority deadline.

"Our hope is that it encourages our best and brightest students within the area to stay here in Colorado for that post-secondary opportunity," said Waldron. "To have that really rich learning experience that Colorado School of Mines can offer, and then to be able to work in our local economy that we have here in Jeffco within STEM fields."

In a recent survey of senior and junior STEM students in Jeffco schools, more than 50% said they "would be more motivated to complete the STEM-endorsed diploma if it resulted in guaranteed admission to Mines," according to the release.

Luke Pisano, a Green Mountain High School graduate who is now studying computer science at Mines, said his STEM Capstone helped him prepare for the work he is pursuing at college.

Coming from Jeffco, I felt very prepared for Mines because it gave me a strong understanding of how to apply skills not only in the classroom," he said.

Staff at the school district are already hearing from students who are eager to take advantage of the opportunity.

Jeffco Superintendent Tracy Dorland said the district is currently focused on reimagining the high school experience for students, and this pathway to guaranteed admission will create "incredible opportunities" for the students.

"The opportunity for our students who are passionate about STEM to build on the current skills and experiences they develop in high school and directly transition to a prestigious institution like Mines is both inspiring and a meaningful investment in their education," Dorland added.

Paul C. Johnson, president of Colorado School of Mines, said the partnership between the school and the district rewards the high schoolers for their hard work before graduation.

By providing a guaranteed admissions pathway, we are ensuring that Jeffco students who demonstrate excellence in STEM have the opportunity to pursue a world-class education and earn a highly-valued degree while staying close to home," he said.

Jen Gagne, executive director of admissions for Colorado School of Mines, wants as many students as possible to pursue STEM fields.

"Without STEM, we don't have problem solvers. We don't have innovators. We don't have people who are discovering things," said Gagne. "There are really amazing things happening, both in industry as well as at school. And so we'd love for them to consider STEM as a whole, as well as Mines."

Gagne is excited to see more local students consider the Colorado School of Mines and wants to make the application process as easy as possible.

"What we want to do is remove barriers that students might perceive in either applying to or considering Mines, and show them that they're really welcome at Mines," she said. "We want to let them know all that we have to offer and that we really are competitive with many other amazing STEM programs throughout the United States."

Red Rocks concert season officially kicked off Saturday night, but after the show, there are few places for music lovers to stay.

That will change next concert season, with the town of Morrison breaking ground this month on its first hotelthe town's first commercial project in 60 years.

A boutique hotel designed for concertgoers is coming to Bear Creek Avenue, along the town's main street.

"Theres nothing wrong with bringing in new revenue into the town," said Michael Page, one of the town's 400 residents.

Plans show that the Red Hotel will be three stories high and have 22 rooms.

Page thinks it'll be great for new business, but he sees one big problem.

"The biggest concern is the parking," he said.

On weekends, the town's street and lot parking are already stretched thin, according to Page.

But Phillip Dotson, who was visiting Morrison on Saturday, said a shift like this was bound to happen.

"It's progress," Dotson said.

He just hopes there's a way to keep the old-school charm in a time of change.

"Hopefully, it wont take away too much from Morrison as it is," said Dotson.

Developers hope to open the hotel sometime during the 2026 Red Rocks concert season.

The City of Walsenburg has a new police chief. Mayor Gary Vezanni said the city hired Bill Vinelli as its new police chief on Jan. 2, 2025, but the mayor confirmed the chief is under investigation by his previous department.

Vinelli was placed on administrative leave from the Morrison Police Department in November. In a meeting Tuesday, citizens met Vinelli and asked questions.

Walensburg Mayor Vezanni said the hiring committee learned more about the allegations against Vinelli on Monday and decided they were not substantial enough to prevent the city from hiring him.

The mayor shared that Vinelli is not under contract, so if the city learns from Morrison that the investigation turns up something that Vinelli did not disclose, the hiring committee can still look for someone else.

Walsenburg previously relied on the Huerfano County Sheriff's Office for protection, but last year, the sheriff decided the office would no longer work in the city as his deputies were unable to do that and protect Huerfano County.

MORRISON, Colo. In early December, the Morrison Board of Trustees decided to disband the Morrison Police Department beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

The small town that Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre calls home will be policed by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) for the foreseeable future.

Morrison Mayor Chris Wolfe and Jefferson County Sheriff Reggie Marinelli sat down with reporters on Monday to discuss the new contract they have agreed upon.

We've been going through our budget since October, and we, you know just to let you know everybody knows about this but we did have to let our police chief go in November. But we did have to go through our budget, and we just said it was fiscally a better decision to move ahead with our sheriff here as the partner. And they've been with us for decades," Wolfe said. Actually, they've been covering for the last four years our graveyard shift, and it was purely fiscal.

Immediately, reporters asked more questions about Morrison Police Chief Bill Vinelli, who was placed on administrative leave in November.

We've had some concerns, and I can't say any more about that," said Wolfe. "Everybody should know that there's something in there, but we can't talk anymore about that.

Denver7's Colette Bordelon asked if those concerns were regarding Vinelli's performance or how he managed the department.

Little bit of both, possibly," Wolfe replied.

Bordelon then asked if that was at all connected to the decision to disband the Morrison Police Department.

"The decision as a board was made purely fiscally for this, but there are some implications, or, you know, something that could be tied to it. But it was primarily just a fiscal decision," Wolfe said.

Sheriff Marinelli said as they began negotiating this new contract, JCSO looked into the call for service rate within Morrison. According to Marinelli, there is an average of 1.5 calls every 24 hours in Morrison.

"That is not that much of an increase on the sheriff's office," said Marinelli. Reality is, our deputies can get there rather quickly... It all depends on the day. It all depends on the crime rate or the calls that are going on that day. There is no way to ever say how long it's going to take us to get on scene.

The contract will be revisited annually, costing Morrison roughly $476,000 a year, according to Wolfe. There is no deadline, or end date, on the contract.

"That's more than 50% savings over our current budget," said Wolfe. "We will see what we can do on allocating those funds, but we've been subsidizing it. So it's really, you know, for the last couple of years, so it's $2 million in the hole kind of thing with that. So we're going to re-look at the budget and make sure that we can allocate things properly.

An automated radar camera in Morrison issued more than 10,000 tickets in its first two weeks of operation this year. That breaks down to about a ticket a minute. For comparison, Morrison PD issued a total of 1,700 speeding citations in 2023.

Each ticket is $40, meaning the camera brought in more than $400,000 during that two-week period.

Wolfe confirmed that the camera was vandalized and removed, and said it did not generate as much revenue as was anticipated.

"Everybody thinks we're just raking it in, but come to find out, after we took care of all the receivables or not receivables, and handling all the times with the staff taking care of all this and the billing, it turned out to be really, we didn't make that much money," said Wolfe.

There are less than 20 employees both full-time and part-time within the Morrison Police Department. They will receive severance pay and will likely sign a non-disclosure agreement, according to Wolfe.

It hurts us to let these people go. It's not a fun decision to make, and especially right now at the holidays. But it is something that we decided as a board to do, and we hope they all land somewhere where they're needed," said Wolfe.

Marinelli hopes those individuals losing their jobs will apply with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

"They know the area already. So we are welcoming to that, but we are always hiring and we will continue to do so," said Marinelli. We would love to hire more deputies. We are always hiring. We are trying to get our numbers up to our staffing levels that we have on paper. And so, that's our goal.

JCSO has assisted Morrison in a number of ways over the past few decades, Marinelli said.

Those contracts have gone at very, very different times throughout the decades, depending on the call loads and depending on their ability to hire officers," said Marinelli. Right now, law enforcement is having a very difficult time hiring anybody, whether it be a large agency like ours or the small ones. There's just not enough people in society that are interested in becoming law enforcement officers.

Marinelli said JCSO is hoping to sit down with Denver to renegotiate its contract regarding Red Rocks.

"This has given us the opportunity to go back to the drawing table with Denver when it comes to Red Rocks," said Marinelli. We will be taking up what Morrison was doing, but we actually handle the crimes at Red Rocks. And so, all felonies that happen at Red Rocks [are] handled by Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, even though it is a Denver Mountain Park. So we will be renegotiating those contracts as soon as possible with Denver.

In 2024, the Morrison Board of Trustees set aside roughly $1.6 million for the police department. The 2025 budget sets aside $600,000 for policing.

MORRISON, Colo. Starting January 1, 2025, the Morrison Police Department will be no more. The decision was made during the town's board of trustees meeting Tuesday night.

"At the December 3 meeting of the board of trustees, they adopted the budget for 2025 and that budget was with a reduced amount for the police department that will result in us working with Jefferson County for their sheriff's office to provide law enforcement coverage," said Mallory Nassau, the town manager.

Currently, there are 8 full-time officers a part of the Morrison Police Department. That includes the police chief, who is currently on leave.

There are another 9 part-time officers who are a part of the department.

"It's obviously hard news and a hard time of year, so we we definitely want to do right by them," Nassau said.

Nassau told Denver7 the decision to disband the Morrison Police Department, and allow Jefferson County Sheriff's Office to take over, because of financial reasons.

In 2024, Morrison's Board of Trustees set aside roughly $1.6 million for the police department. The 2025 budget, which was approved Tuesday, only sets aside $600,000 for policing.

"I would say approximately a million dollar decrease," Nassau said.

According to the 2025 budget breakdown, the money is expected to be allocated toward what the budget refers to as "outside services" and JeffCOM/RMS, which dispatches services.

"I think it's just a lot of money for the town with 400 people, and we don't have a ton of tax revenue," Nassau said.

For those who've done business in Morrison for decades, losing the police department isn't too alarming.

"Morrison hadn't changed too much over the years. Geographically, we can't expand too much," said David Killingsworth, who owns Morrison Holiday Bar. "I really don't think that the disbanding of the police department will be a major impact to the town."

He told Denver7 he believe the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will be able to take on the policing of the town.

"We'll also have Jeffco for any quick responses, if needed for anything real serious," he said. "I don't think it'll be a big I don't think a lot of people miss having Morrison PD in the future."

Both Nassau and a spokesperson with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office told Denver7 they're still working on the contract that will ultimately allow JeffCo deputies to take over for Morrison PD. They expect that to be finalized in the next week.

MORRISON, Colo. A team of three works together at Honest Hands Ring Co. in Morrison to make custom rings for people all over the country and the world. Customers will send significant items or memorabilia to be put into a ring.

Recently, the team was challenged with putting a piece of Kapton mylar foil from the Apollo 11 spacecraft into a ring.

"There's not like a guide online to figure out how to put Apollo 11 space material into a ring. You kind of have to do a lot of testing and figure out," said Honest Hands Ring Co. owner Ben Bosworth. "Obviously with such valuable materials that we're working with, when people send us sentimental materials, there's no more of that. So you have one shot to get it right, and it's a lot of pressure."

It started as a hobby for Bosworth. He wanted to make his own wedding ring, and shortly after, his friends were asking him to make rings for them.

Bosworth started his business in his garage in January 2018. As sales increased, the team realized they needed to get their own space.

"At a certain point, I was like, 'All right, I have something here. Let's start a website and let's just see what happens.' Then, kind of word spreads, and you get to a point where it's like, 'All right, now I'm too busy to actually do my full-time job and build rings at the same time.' So it's like, at a certain point, you kind of have to pull the trigger," Bosworth said.

Located inside a 720-square-foot facility are specialized machines, along with several drawers filled with precious items that will soon be put into custom rings.

"I would say there's no idea too big. That's kind of what makes this job fun is when customers bring us really wild ideas, and then it's up to us to try to engineer a solution and figure out how to make that. Because a lot of times, no one has done things that we're doing," Bosworth said.

Jon Mesick waited months for an auction where he was able to bid on the piece of Apollo 11.

"I was nervous. I got in a little bit of a bidding war and probably overpaid a little bit, but it was definitely worth it. And especially, it's a much larger piece than I needed for the ring, but I'm gonna frame it in my house and it's something I always treasure," he said.

Mesick wanted to be an astronaut growing up but ended up taking a more traditional path through engineering, eventually becoming a planning manager at Lockheed Martin for commercial civil space. When it came time to pick out a wedding band, he wanted a piece of a meteorite in it and was also able to add the piece from Apollo 11.

"The rings are made out of zirconium for the metal, then the outside bands are lunar meteorite, so meteorite that came from the Moon and landed on Earth. And then the middle strip is that Kapton foil. That's the gold foil you see on the spacecraft a lot of times," said Mesick. "So this was actually flown in space on the Apollo 11 mission as part of that spacecraft."

Bosworth said the ring took weeks of planning but only four or five days to complete.

There's an immense appreciation, both from Bosworth and the Mesick for making this one-of-a-kind ring.

"We really try to create rings that just mean something more than just like a dollar value associated," Bosworth said. "We want to build rings that people actually care about and that are sentimental."

MORRISON, Colo.  Morrison town trustees voted to disband the municipalitys police department, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wednesday.

According to a press release, the Tuesday evening vote to dissolve the part-time department was based on financial concerns.

The department has eight full-time officers headed by Police Chief Bill Vinelli, who was placed on administrative leave last month amid an undisclosed investigation.

The departments previous chief resigned after only three months, citing a lack of resources and officer vacancies.

The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said it would take over policing duties. A timeline for the transfer has not been provided.

MORRISON, Colo. Morrison town officials on Tuesday released few details about an investigation into Police Chief Bill Vinelli, who was placed on administrative leave last week.

The investigation was confirmed by Town Manager Mallory Nassau, who provided a two-sentence news release.

While the investigation takes place, the town will refrain from any additional comment on this matter, Morrison officials said in the release.

Vinelli was placed on leave on Nov. 4 and Morrison Police Department Cmdr. Jon Manna is the acting chief, Nassau said.

Morrisons previous police chief, Misty Siderfin, resigned after three months on the job because of lack of resources and officer vacancies, the Canyon Courier reported. Vinelli was hired in January 2022, Nassau said.

Read the full story from our partners at The Denver Post.

UPDATE: The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office lifted the shelter-in-place order after a person was taken into custody overnight Saturday.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has issued a shelter-in-place order for a half-mile area near Morrison as deputies work to get two roommates out of a home.

In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, the sheriff's office warned of activity in the area of Taft and Temple streets near Morrison.

Karlyn Tilley, public information officer for the sheriff's office, said a neighbor called 911 after hearing two roommates "menacing." The two are refusing to come out, and one has a lengthy criminal history, according to Tilley.

The sheriff's office issued a shelter-in-place order for a half-mile area around the home. Those outside of the order are urged to avoid the area.

Several people on social media reported hearing an "explosion" in the area. Tilley said the noise was a flash-bang used by the department.

Tilley urged the community to remain calm and said the situation is not like the one seen in Broomfield Thursday that left one woman dead.

Hundreds of Coloradans along with dozens of firefighters from across the state climbed the stairs at Red Rocks Amphitheatre early Wednesday in remembrance of the lives lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks 23 years ago.

A moment of silence was held at 8:46 a.m., when the first plane hit the North Tower, then the climb started at 9:02 a.m., when the South Tower was hit by the second plane on that fateful day in New York.

James Einbodens brother was on the 32nd floor of the Second World Trade Center when it began to collapse. He survived, but Einboden and his family came out to Red Rocks Wednesday to honor those that did not.

Just remembering everybody we lost that day, including a lot of my brothers coworkers. So just thankful for him still being alive and remembering those that are not, he told Denver Wednesday at Red Rocks.

Firefighters across the state showed out in full gear, climbing 110 stories with oxygen tanks and gear on their backs, symbolizing the heroic efforts of first responders in New York nearly a quarter of a century ago.

They woke up that morning not knowing what they were going into and its kind of the lives that firefighters live... you never know, said Robert McCarty, a firefighter and paramedic with the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District.

A total of 343 NYC firefighters lost their lives that day, with the number who've died from 9/11-related injuries now surpassing those who were killed in the attack.

Organizers of Wednesdays climb encouraged participants to pause and reflect on the sacrifices they made.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. The Elkins family is working to pick up the pieces nearly a month after losing their home and dog in a house fire on Ward Way in Jefferson County.

The fire broke out before 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 14. Flames started on the back porch and made their way inside the home, burning through the floor in the family room and causing extensive damage to the first and second floors, West Metro Fire Rescue said.

According to the family, their beloved dog Cuddles alerted them to the fire while they were sleeping.

"She put her paws on my chest and started barking in my face. That's what woke me up," said Victor Elkins.

Initially, the whole family and dog were able to run out of the burning home safely. Just afterward, Cuddles disappeared.

"I realized Cuddles had gone back in the house, or at least she was nowhere to be found," Victor said. "We both saw her come out with us. She was at our feet the whole time (she was) out. So I went back in to try to find her, and it didn't take long for the flames to get in the house and chase me out, so I couldn't find her."

Despite all of the family's efforts, including help from firefighters and community members, they came to the devastating conclusion that Cuddles did not make it back out.

"She had gotten under a bed upstairs to get out of the smoke," Victor said. "And that's where they found her under the bed."

She was not burned, he added.

An investigation by West Metro Fire found that the fire was caused by a propane grill too close to a wood-frame structure. The grill was used about six hours before the fire started, firefighters said. The heat from the fire also melted a portion of the vinyl siding on a neighbor's house.

The Elkins family is now having to start all over after losing all of their belongings. Their biggest needs are clothing and furniture.

"We're gonna need everything," said Suzanne Elkins.

Denver7 Gives is collecting money to help the family. If you would like to donate, visit Denver7 Gives and select Help Elkins Family After Losing Home And Dog In Fire from the drop-down menu. You can also use the form below.

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MORRISON, Colo. A now ex-member of Red Rocks Country Club was sentenced to probation and official registry as a sex offender after a jury found him guilty of unlawful sexual contact without consent and harassment, stemming from a decades-long culture of complaints from the club.

The sentence for club member Jason Falco was handed down by a Jefferson County judge on Friday.

In-house video footage captured the event and was described by the judge in court.

"The defendant told the jury he did not remember it... that he had given the victim a bear hug and a coach-player butt tap," the judge said. "This was not a coach-player butt tap. This was not a pat. This was a grope."

Denver7 Investigates shared the stories of seven other women who resigned from the club after a bar employee said she was sexually touched by a member without her consent. The former staff said their exit was prompted by the clubs inaction and failure to keep its employees safe for years.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Jenny Fulton reviewed all information related to the investigation.

"You can't ignore this," she said. "This is unlawful. It's illegal and no owner should allow illegal activities to occur at their business."

Christina Wabshal, former manager at the club, told Denver7 Investigates the issues at the club stemmed from decades of inaction.

"I've seen gentlemen accosting staff, sexually harassing them, touching them," she said. "It's just absolutely crazy there. It just is."

In court, the judge also gave credit to the 18-year-old victim, calling her "strong" and "determined."

"I want you to know how impressed this court has been with you," the judge said. "You are strong despite the power differential. You are determined despite the embarrassment. You are caring of others, when others were not caring of you."

In court, Falco also addressed the victim, apologizing for the hurt she experienced.

"I'm deeply remorseful and truly sorry to [the victim] for my actions on July 21, 2023. I'm aware of the seriousness of the pain and suffering I caused," Falco said.

Falco also admitted he was drunk the night of the incident, and told the court he has been alcohol-free since that day.

"I'm very ashamed of the behavior that I exhibited that night far more than anything in my life," Falco said.

The judge agreed, saying Falco has done more than most to mitigate his risk to the community.

"But I think it's important for you, Mr. Falco, to admit to yourself that this happened," the judge said.

The judge sentenced Falco to three years probation and required the ex-country club member to undergo sex offender treatment and registry.

The club, when asked about their reaction to the latest development in court, sent this statement: "Our top priority at Red Rocks Country Club is to foster and maintain a family-friendly atmosphere. We have taken action to address the unfortunate events of last summer. We will continue to respond swiftly and appropriately to any misconduct, to ensure that our Club is a safe and comfortable place for our staff, our members, and guests."

The dog who alerted its family of a house fire Wednesday morning is now missing, West Metro Fire Rescue said.

West Metro Fire Rescue is trying to figure out what started the fire before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Firefighters know the flames started on the back porch and made their way inside the home. The fire burned through the floor in the family room and caused extensive damage to the first and second floors, West Metro Fire Rescue said.

The heat from the fire also melted a portion of the vinyl siding on a neighbor's house.

Firefighters said the family dog woke everyone else up in the house, allowing them to get out safely.

However, now the dog is missing, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.

Firefighters searched the home several times for Cuddles, West Metro Fire Rescue said, but there is quite a bit of debris that makes it hard to know for sure at this time if she is still inside.

"We do not know if she was able to get out, but after the fire, neighbors put some dog food and a dog bed nearby just in case," West Metro Fire Rescue said.

The family said Cuddles is microchipped, and if found, an animal shelter should be able to verify her identity.