Author: reporter

When Lucy Nichols lived in Arvada in the 1970s, she chose Beauty Inc. as the place to get her hair done — first in Denver, then in Wheat Ridge after the business moved. She continued going to the family-run hair salon even when she lived in Watkins, nearly 30 miles away. Same story after Nichols, 71, moved to Westminster and then to Longmont, where she lives today. “This was always my go-to,” she said while sitting for a last hair appointment this week at the venerable beauty shop on West 44th Avenue, half a century after her first cut. “It’s…

By Kevin Mcgill and Stephen Smith, Associated Press, The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Olin Pickens sat in his wheelchair facing a life-sized image of himself on a screen, asking it questions about being taken prisoner by German soldiers during World War II. After a pause, his video-recorded twin recalled being given “sauerkraut soup” by his captors before a grueling march. “That was a Tuesday morning, February the 16th,” Pickens’ onscreen likeness answered. “And so we started marching. We’d walk four hours, then we’d rest 10 minutes.” Pickens is among 18 veterans of the war and its support effort featured…

Legislation that would have phased out new oil and gas drilling in Colorado and could have put former owners on the hook for cleaning up depleted wells was defeated late Thursday night after a nine-hour hearing. The legislation, Senate Bill 24-159, prompted TV ads and a rally at the state Capitol by opponents saying the measure would shut down Colorado’s oil and gas industry and eliminate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue for the state, schools and local governments. About 200 people signed up to testify before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on the bill.…

Thinking of buying a home without the help of a real estate agent? Think again. Buying a home without the help of a real estate agent may seem appealing because it avoids commission fees, but going solo can be more trouble than it’s worth. Many buyers think they no longer need an agent because they can search for homes online. Young, first-time homebuyers who want to save money are at the greatest risk. “The prospective buyer can go online and see potential houses,” said Ryan Carter with 8z. “But that’s where the technology advancement stops. Finding the house is minuscule…

ALBANY, N.Y. — Jan Jensen flashed a smile that knew it got away with a murder most shooting foul. Ain’t coaching if you ain’t poaching. “We’re trying to get in there, with (CU’s) JR (Payne winning), and trying to keep stealing them,” Iowa’s longtime associate head coach told me when I asked about the Hawkeyes recruiting Colorado. “People come into Iowa to steal. We go into Minnesota to steal. You keep working, right?” For one weekend, at least, MVP Arena in rusty, crusty downtown Albany felt like Denver Coliseum East. Five different Colorado prep products are representing the Centennial State at…

A 40-year-old woman died after she was found unresponsive in her cell at the Jefferson County Jail on Friday morning, according to the sheriff’s office. Courtney Tinker was found unresponsive in her cell at 5:35 a.m. when a deputy came to check on her because she didn’t come out for breakfast, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The deputy began CPR and jail medical staff and paramedics were also called and provided life-saving measures. Tinker was pronounced dead at 6:17 a.m. She was arrested Monday on warrants for failing to appear in court after deputies found…

PHOENIX — The Rockies claim they don’t have a hangover from Thursday night’s 16-1 loss to the Diamondbacks, but there were lessons learned for starter Kyle Freeland. Lesson No. 1: Find a way to throw a more effective changeup, which the left-hander hopes will be a big weapon for him this season. To recap the season opener at Chase Field, Freeland was ripped for 10 runs on 10 hits in just 2 1/3 innings, including a two-run homer to Lourdes Gurriel in the first inning. The 10 runs Freeland surrendered were a career-high. The third inning was 34 minutes of…

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum, the Vatican said, adding to concerns about his frail health during a particularly busy liturgical period. Francis had been expected to preside over the Way of the Cross procession, which re-enacts Christ’s Passion and crucifixion, and composed the meditations that are read aloud at each station. But just as the event was about to begin, the Vatican announced that Francis was following the event from his home at the Vatican. It was the first time he had skipped the traditional, evocative event in his 11-year papacy,…

Saturday’s pitching matchup Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (9-9, 5.50 ERA in 2023) at Diamondbacks LHP Tommy Henry (5-4, 4.15) 6:10 p.m. Saturday (MDT), Chase Field TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region). Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM Gomber got off to a bad start last season, going 0-4 with a 12.12 ERA over his first four games before he settled in and began pitching more effectively. The Rockies hope this is the year he puts together a season full of strong starts. The lefty had made 83 appearances (67 starts) since…

Low-income Coloradans with mental illnesses are poised to receive longer hospital stays after state legislators set aside money to expand a decades-old Medicaid rule. Federal law requires that Medicaid patients hospitalized in psychiatric facilities be discharged after 15 hospital days in a month or the facility doesn’t get paid. The rule was intended to prevent hospitals from warehousing patients, but advocates and psychiatrists say that it instead pushes hundreds of vulnerable Coloradans out of the facilities prematurely and into a cycle of homelessness, incarceration and emergency room visits. That may finally change. Tucked into the Colorado legislature’s budget bill for…