Denver: Local News from the Post

‘Mommy loves you!’: Boy rescued after gorilla is shot at Cincinnati zoo
The boy sat still in the water, looking up at the gorilla as the animal touched the child’s hand and back. At one point, it looked as though the gorilla helped the youngster stand up.

Woman dies in Florence apartment fire
FLORENCE — A woman died in an apartment fire early Saturday morning in Florence. According to the Florence Police Department, a report of an apartment building fire in the 1100 block of East Main Street was called in at 1:56 a.m. Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller identified the victim as Wanda Blackburn, 76. Keller said […]

Libertarians pick ex-New Mexico Gov. Johnson for president
The Libertarian Party again nominated former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson as its presidential candidate Sunday, believing he can challenge presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton because of their poor showing in popularity polls.

Gunman among at least 2 dead in Houston shooting
Authorities say a gunman and at least one other person are dead in a shooting in Houston.

Camping crisis: Homeless put Boulder County sites under siege
From persistent issues with trash to fears an abandoned campfire could spark a catastrophic blaze, the cumulative effects of homeless or transient camping on the national forest have some saying the situation has reached full boil.

Projects that could bring 400,000 new tourists to Northern Colorado still on track
The four projects, which would cost more than $330 million to build, would attract 423,000 new visitors to Colorado each year. Original estimates put possible opening dates in 2018.

Boulder councilman targets beer pong tables in front yards
They may be filthy, but, like raccoons, they are your neighbors whether you like it or not. They are the front-yard beer pong tables of University Hill. And it might just be time for them to go inside.

Rookie Alexander Rossi wins 100th Indy 500
The rookie managed to conserve fuel while the leaders pit in the closing laps Sunday, coasting across the finish line on fumes to give Andretti Herta Autosport a stunning victory in the centennial race.

Memorial Day weekend forecast: Some wet weather mixed with sun and warm temps
The sun will shine on the Front Range through the remainder of the three-day holiday, but some showers and thunderstorms are possible in afternoon and evening hours, according to the National Weather Service.

Royal Gorge train closed Sunday after conductor dies from fall
Investigators are working to determine how conductor 28-year-old Leslie Cacy may have fallen from a moving car Saturday night near Canon City.

UN: 700 migrants feared dead in Mediterranean shipwrecks
Over 700 migrants are feared dead in three Mediterranean Sea shipwrecks south of Italy in the last few days as they tried desperately to reach Europe in unseaworthy smuggling boats, the U.N. refugee agency said Sunday.

Blaze caused by hot ashes displaces Fort Collins’ family
A family of six was displaced from their Fort Collins home Sunday morning by a fire caused by hot ashes.

Obstruction in justice: Pay gap, undervalued skills quickly thin female lawyer ranks
Women typically make up 50 percent of Colorado law school graduating classes. But by the time mid-career rolls around, men outnumber women three to one.

Colorado tourism’s first family digs in as corporate concessionaires come calling
The family owned concessions at Pikes Peak, Mount Evans, Buffalo Bills Grave, Red Rocks and Rocky Mountain National Park have lasted five generations.

Denver sheriff getting down to business after six months in office
After six months on the job, Denver Sheriff Patrick Firman is beginning to take steps toward reforming the department.

Memorial effort still seeks 6 photos of Coloradans lost in Vietnam
A volunteer effort that seeks to put names to every face on the Vietnam Memorial Wall still is searching for photos of six Coloradans lost in the war.

National Park Service considers visitor caps, expects record crowds
As the National Park Service kicks off a centennial summer expected to draw record crowds, the agency is seriously considering caps on how many people pass through some of the country’s most iconic landscapes and historical sites each day.

NASA successfully inflates new space station room
NASA successfully inflated a new experimental room at the International Space Station on Saturday, producing the world’s first pump-it-up compartment for astronauts.

3 people still missing after floods in Kansas and Texas
At least three people were still missing on Sunday after torrential rain in Texas and Kansas flooded rivers, washed out roads and left four people dead.

Family of lost hiker won’t second-guess Maine over search
When she became lost in the Maine woods, Appalachian Trail hiker Geraldine Largay did what she thought she was supposed to do. She stayed put, pitched her tent and waited for help.

Day of reckoning coming for Colorado Springs illegal marijuana growers
“Afghanistan is the source country for heroin. Venezuela and Columbia are source countries for cocaine. Mexico is the source country for methamphetamines. You are the source state for marijuana,” said Tim Scott, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s resident agent in charge of the Colorado Springs bureau.

Cyclist struck by Weld County deputy
Weld County sheriff’s deputy participating in training exercise involved in accident with bicyclist.

Ohio zoo kills gorilla to protect small child in enclosure
A special zoo response team shot and killed a 17-year-old gorilla Saturday that grabbed and dragged a 3-year-old boy who fell into the gorilla exhibit moat, the Cincinnati Zoo’s director said.

Woman dies after fall from Royal Gorge Railroad
Fremont County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating after a woman fell to her death from the Royal Gorge Railroad.

Colorado runner Emma Coburn sets American record in steeplechase
Emma Coburn crushed the American record in the steeplechase on Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., running 9:10.74 to break teammate Jenny Simpson’s mark.

Music, food and carnival fun come together at Old South Gaylord Boardwalk Beach Bash
The Boardwalk Beach Bash on Old South Gaylord will offer food, live music and kids’ fun to festival goers.

NASA slowly inflating new room at space station on 2nd try
NASA slowly inflated a new experimental room at the International Space Station on Saturday, with better luck than the first try two days earlier.

Adam Ottavino takes major step forward from Tommy John surgery. And his timeline is becoming clear.
Adam Ottavino passed his test. The Colorado Rockies right-handed reliever threw 21 pitches at Coors Field, with his full arsenal, in a major move back toward the big leagues.

Inmate found dead in Boulder County Jail cell
A 29-year-old woman was found dead in her cell at the Boulder County Jail on Friday afternoon, according to a news release from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

US Air Guitar holds its national qualifier in Denver
US Air Guitar held its national qualifier at the Lion’s Lair in Denver. Thirteen air guitarists competed and the winner of qualifying competitions in at least 15 cities will compete in six semifinals for a chance to battle at the national finals on Aug. 6 at Empire Control Room in Austin, Texas.

Expecting worst, holiday travelers find fast airport lines
Fast moving airport security lines at the start of the Memorial Day weekend could bode well for return travelers Monday.

Bomb survivors feel both wonder and doubt after Obama visit
On Saturday, a day after Barack Obama left Hiroshima, Japan, there was gratitude — wonder, even — that he had become the first sitting U.S. president to visit the place where the nuclear age began.

Death on Mount Everest leads to risky effort to recover bodies
Nearly 300 people have died on Mount Everest in the century or so since climbers have been trying to reach its summit. At least 100 of them are still on the mountain, perhaps 200.

Inspector general’s email report lists Hillary Clinton’s misstatements of key facts
Over the months, Hillary Clinton misstated key facts about her use of private email and her own server for her work as secretary of state, the department’s inspector general reported this week.

Fear of Hillary Clinton pushes GOP voters to Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s best ally in winning over skeptical Republicans is turning out to be Hillary Clinton.

In Iraq’s battle for Fallujah, residents gird for long fight
Five days into an Iraqi military operation to push Islamic State fighters out of Fallujah, residents still inside the city are preparing for a long battle, with some saying they fear being trapped between two forces they don’t fully trust.

Dr. Heimlich, 96, uses his maneuver to save choking woman
The 96-year-old retired chest surgeon credited with developing the namesake Heimlich maneuver has used it to save a woman choking on food at his senior living center.

Judge orders Johnny Depp to stay away from estranged wife
LOS ANGELES — A judge ordered Johnny Depp to stay away from his estranged wife after she accused the Oscar-nominated actor of repeatedly hitting her during a recent fight and leaving her face bruised. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carl H. Moor also ruled that Depp shouldn’t try to contact Heard until a hearing is […]

Arvada: Where the baroque bangs into the avant garde
Classical musicians rarely perform Johann Sebastian Bach and John Cage at the same concert.

Jameson: How to divest of collectibles as you grow older
Recently, while speaking at a book event about what to do with our stuff and our loved ones’ stuff, a woman in the audience shared that she and her husband, both pharmacists, had a plan.

U.S. military restricts troops after murder in Okinawa
The U.S. military in Japan is restricting celebrations and off-base alcohol consumption in Okinawa after the arrest of a former Marine suspected of killing a woman on the southern Japanese island.

Small WWII-era plane crashes in Hudson River, body recovered
A small World War II vintage plane celebrating its 75th anniversary flew a partial loop while smoke spewed from it and then crashed in the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey on Friday, and divers recovered a body from its sunken wreckage, police and witnesses said.

Denver police vehicle hits, injures skateboarder in NW Denver
Denver police vehicle hits skateboarder who suffers leg injury and is taken to local hospital.

Denver’s Performing Arts CEO departs after one year
Chief of DCPA steps down, board chairman to take reigns are replacement sought.

Denver Mart Drive In opens this weekend — and yes, there’s beer
Drive-in movies open Friday night at Denver Mart.

Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Orlando declares emergency
A Frontier Airlines flight carrying 227 people from Denver to Orlando on Friday made an emergency landing after pilots were notified of an engine issue.

Colorado weather: Afternoon storms prompting tornado reports
Friday afternoon storms have produced reported sightings of tornadoes and rotation in severe storm clouds.

How a 17-year-old Aurora kid working, living on his own thrived academically and got accepted to college
The Boys Hope Girls Hope progam has two tracks: The first, a residential program that offers family-style housing and an academy program focused on Aurora Central High School students to offer structured academic help, college preparedness and other wraparound services.

Separation agreement between former education commissioner, state board made public
Colorado Education Commissioner Rich Crandall is to accept a lump-sum payment of $10,000 — a sliver of his $255,000 annual salary — under the terms of his resignation last week.

White supremacist gang conspired to kill Colorado prisons director, new documents allege
New documents obtained by The Denver Post quote Texas law enforcement officials saying what Colorado authorities still will not: the assassination of prisons director Tom Clements was orchestrated by a white supremacist prison gang.

National Weather Service confirms tornado touched down in Colorado Tuesday night
Damage surveys confirmed two EF1 tornado touchdowns in Washington County Tuesday evening.

Charges filed against three in Golden home invasion, stabbing where men entered wrong home
Prosecutors have filed charges against three suspects, including a juvenile, suspected in a Golden home invasion robbery and stabbing last week.

When your computer freezes and all else fails, here’s what to do
Tech+ Mailbag reader Harry Puncec writes in to share the all-purpose tip of what to do if you computer freezes.

Elitch Gardens: Water park opens, fireworks mark Memorial Day
Elitch Gardens celebrates Memorial Day weekend with fireworks and the start of its water park season.

Lager law: Attorneys’ guild formed for craft brewers, others
A legal trade group has been formed for the makers of craft beer and other alcoholic beverages, recognizing the rapid rise of the industry and a desire to deal with a thick brew of regulations across the U.S.