A road trip to Casper, Wyoming? This Western town might surprise you

The author Irene Middleman Thomas with the bison sculpture at Natrona Airport in Casper, Wyoming. (Courtesy of Irene Middleman Thomas/Special to The Denver Post) Just more than a four-hour drive from Denver or via a one-hour direct flight, there is a place that defied my expectations in a BIG way. Happily, on a recent visit, … Read more

Denver City Council rejects Gaza ceasefire proclamation in tense meeting

The Denver City Council on Monday rejected a proclamation that would have added Denver to the growing list of American cities that have called for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. That final vote — 8-4 — came via a hastily launched virtual meeting after council members vacated the council chamber at the … Read more

10 things you can only do in Tucson

If you’re looking for a quick getaway from Denver with one-of-a-kind experiences this winter, put Tucson on the list. A short two-hour flight to Arizona’s second-largest city brings visitors to a unique patch of the American Southwest, with history, food and sites that can only be seen and tasted here. When I headed to Tucson … Read more

Pressure from Denver migrant crisis shows up in City Council funding bills

The Denver City Council on Monday approved a $25 million agreement with a company that provides hotel rooms for migrants who have arrived in the city from the southern border. Most of that money — around $17.5 million — has already been spent, according to the city’s Department of Finance. The agreement modified an existing … Read more

Denver council bans homeless sweeps in freezing weather; mayor veto possible

A month after coming together to unanimously approve the final contracts that supported Mayor Mike Johnston’s House 1,000 initiative, a divided Denver City Council dug in its heels on Monday on a bill that — for now at least — will prohibit some city agencies from clearing homeless encampments during freezing weather. The measure, which … Read more

Denver airport’s new security checkpoint expected to speed up lines

Denver International Airport is about to get a boost in its oft-maligned efforts to keep up with sky-high passenger traffic when the first of two new state-of-the-art security checkpoints opens inside the main terminal in less than two weeks. The sleek 17-lane West Security Checkpoint is in the northwest corner of the terminal on Level … Read more

Does Heather Morris, Aurora’s new police chief, have staying power?

Heather Morris pulled into an Aurora parking lot not long before Christmas and eyed the snow-covered pavement with suspicion. The longtime Texan wasn’t sure how to walk through the snow. She called out to another police officer for advice. “He’s like, ‘Keep your balance, don’t lean your weight forward, take small steps and stay away … Read more

Aurora City Council approves purchase of Crowne Plaza Hotel property for homeless navigation campus

The city of Aurora plans to buy the Crowne Plaza Hotel and turn it into a “regional navigation center” that provides temporary housing and services for people who are homeless. Aurora City Council members approved the purchase Monday night 7-3 for the 255-room hotel and convention center at 15500 E. 40th Ave. near the airport … Read more

New Denver parks coming to Westwood, Globeville, Green Valley Ranch

Denverites’ decision five years ago to bump up the city’s sales tax rate, creating a wellspring of funding for parks, is finally ready to bear fruit — in the form of grass, gardens or other greenery — in neighborhoods across the city. Or in the case of a west Denver neighborhood that’s been hungry for … Read more

Denver City Council poised to limit homeless camp sweeps in freezing weather

The Denver City Council is poised to put much stricter limits on when city agencies can clear homeless encampments during the cold weather months. A bill that would prohibit the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment and other city agencies from removing shelter from public places when the outside temperature is forecast to be … Read more