Good morning, Denver.

Denver7 welcomes veteran journalist Jordan Chavez as its new morning anchor starting Monday, Aug.

3 — he was seen last week in Wash Park engaging with locals and learning about community issues.

On Friday afternoon the community gathered at Drake Firehouse in Big Thompson Canyon to mark 50 years since the flood claimed 144 lives and left at least five missing.

Survivors Connie Granath Hays and Terry Belair shared their memories as local emergency alerts have improved since the disaster.

Two-Spirit artists Adrian Stevens and Sean Snyder present Indigenous couture with a beaded moccasin reinterpretation of the ruby slippers.

The installation opens today at Denver Art Museum with gallery talks from 2 to 4 p.m. as part of the museum’s Indigenous Arts of North America galleries.

Aurora Public Schools will open a dual-language school named Escuela Bilingüe Betty Benavidez on Thursday, Aug.

10. The school will teach preschool and first grade students mostly in Spanish and add grades until it serves pre-K through fifth grade by 2030.

A new evaluation shows Colorado's free preschool program, in place since 2023, needs clearer standards for class size, curriculum, and teacher training.

State officials will pilot teacher assessments this year and unveil a five-year plan in November to boost quality and child outcomes.

After the Willow Fire forced evacuations at the Leadville National Fish Hatchery, biologists safely returned thousands of irreplaceable fish to their home waters (including state threatened greenback cutthroats) on July 30.

Community support and careful planning made the rescue possible.

Xcel Energy is burying 50 miles of power lines in Boulder County by 2027 to reduce wildfire risk — work will begin with a 1.7-mile segment on 75th Street as part of a $1.9 billion plan approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

Wildlife officials say early-summer bear sightings have increased around Centennial, Arvada, and Littleton due to drought limiting food; Aurora has reported no bears.

Residents are advised to secure trash and clean grills (to deter bears) and call Denver Wildlife Division at 303-291-7227 if needed.

Douglas County officials are exploring small modular reactors (SMRs) as a potential carbon-free power source.

The study is at an early stage following a June 30 meeting that tabled further discussion on creating regulatory plans to support future energy needs.

At a federal courthouse Friday, GEO Group attorneys clashed with Colorado health officials over a new state law that requires inspections at the Aurora detention facility following a tuberculosis case.

Activist Jeanette Vizguerra challenged GEO’s lack of transparency, prompting Adams County to issue a public health order for records.

Family Sports Center in Centennial now features the country’s first autonomous ice resurfacer as South Suburban Parks and Recreation partnered with GM Technics; the machine scans ice thickness and adjusts temperature to improve safety—and gives hockey players smooth rinks for practice.

Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington, 18, rose after playing for Australia at the World Cup and earning MLS All-Star Game honors, and his four year contract plus transfer rumors from European clubs signal expanding opportunities in Colorado soccer.