Friday, October 30, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1939, Emily Howell Warner, the first woman to serve as captain of a U.S. airline, was born in Denver.

Mohamed Soliman, suspect in the deadly June 1, 2025, firebombing attack on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal hate crime charges. Find out more below.

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Soliman Pleads Guilty to Hate Crimes

Mohamed Soliman pleaded guilty Thursday to 12 federal charges, including a hate crime resulting in death, for the June 2025 firebombing on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall.

The attack targeted a weekly Run for Their Lives march supporting Israeli hostages. Prosecutors say Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen others.

Federal prosecutors and the defense are both asking for a life sentence plus 50 years. Soliman’s federal sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2027.

Soliman had initially pleaded not guilty to hate crime charges. He’s already serving life without parole after pleading guilty to more than 100 state charges, including first-degree murder.

Missing Hikers Found Dead

Searchers found the bodies of Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, in a basin of West Apostle Mountain on Wednesday afternoon.

The pair left the Leadville campus Oct. 23 planning to climb Ice Mountain, a technical peak in northern Chaffee County. College staff reported them missing Monday.

A helicopter spotted their tent near Lake Ann, collapsed under heavy snow with sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing still inside, but the students were not there.

About 60 searchers used helicopters, drones, and dogs in the effort. The sheriff’s office does not suspect foul play, and autopsies will determine the cause of death.

Ice Fest Coming to Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek is turning to its annual Ice Festival for winter visitors after Ice Castles said it won’t return to Colorado for the 2026-27 season.

The free festival fills Bennett Avenue with large ice sculptures, and elite carvers from around the country face off in live, head-to-head carving competitions.

Ice Castles drew thousands to Cripple Creek and Silverthorne each winter. Cripple Creek officials said organizers cited mild weather along with operational and business considerations.

City officials also pointed to significant water issues in Teller County as a factor. Ice Castles said it hopes to return to the Centennial State in the future.

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A Note from Cole, CEO of The Colorado Flyover

Dear Reader,

Every year, auditors count how many copies America’s biggest newspapers actually put in people’s hands. The new numbers are brutal.

Of the 25 largest papers in the country, 24 shrank last year. Average decline: 12.5%. Nearly a quarter-million daily papers, gone in a single year. The Denver Post now prints about 24,000 copies a day. The Arizona Republic, 33,000. The Houston Chronicle, 35,000. The Dallas Morning News, under 40,000. These are metros of millions. And the steepest collapse in the country belonged to The Washington Post: down 21% in a single year, to fewer than 88,000 print copies.

The industry will tell you it’s the internet. It’s a convenient story, because it means none of this is their fault.

Here’s the story they won’t tell: Americans didn’t stop caring about the news. They stopped trusting the people delivering it. Somewhere along the way, the papers stopped reporting what happened and started campaigning for what they wanted to happen—and their readers noticed. Trust in the media now sits at the lowest level ever recorded.

So no, that’s not an audience drifting away. That’s a jury coming back with a verdict.

And here’s the part the industry really doesn’t want to talk about: those readers didn’t give up on news. They went looking for someone who would just tell them the truth. More than 200,000 of them found their way to The Colorado Flyover—a morning news publication built on one simple deal:

We call things what they are.

We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts.

And The Colorado Flyover stays free.

It turns out that when you just give people the facts and trust them to think for themselves, people respond.

So today I’m asking: will you help us continue? If news that plays it straight is something you want to see thrive, will you stand behind us?

Chip in and support the news that gives it to you straight—and free, every morning.

Will you make a generous donation to support The Colorado Flyover?

While the biased legacy media is failing—will you join our movement to keep the bias out of the news, free to your inbox every morning?

I’d be grateful if you did.

Give $10
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Our promise: we answer to you. Help us keep it.

– Cole
CEO, The Colorado Flyover

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➤ Southwest Colorado: Recent flooding has damaged at least 540 homes and prompted 40 rescue missions, and officials are still assessing damage ahead of another storm this weekend. (More)

➤ Denver: Cody Flynn, 32, was arrested for investigation of possessing a hoax explosive after a suspicious device was left on the steps of the Capitol, prompting an evacuation. (More)

➤ Western Slope: Colorado’s collared gray wolves roamed watersheds from Walden to Pagosa Springs between Sept. 22 and Oct. 27, according to the latest activity map. (See Map)

➤ Larimer County: Deputies want tips on Grand Lake resident Mark Thiebaut Jr., 28, whose truck was found in an Estes Valley neighborhood in early October. The search has been suspended. (More)

➤ I-70: CDOT pauses work on the Frisco Exit 203 interchange for winter today, with all lanes open on a new bridge deck. Construction is expected to resume in April 2027. (More)

➤ Mesa County: Two people were injured Wednesday when a van slid off Highway 65 on the Grand Mesa and plunged down a steep embankment. (More)

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➤ Nikola Jokić posted his 200th career regular-season triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Nuggets beat the winless Pelicans 104-91 Wednesday. (More)

➤ Nazem Kadri and Parker Kelly scored 62 seconds apart early in the third period as the Avalanche beat the Devils 5-2 Wednesday, snapping New Jersey’s four-game win streak. (More)

➤ CU quarterback Julian Lewis was hospitalized after a medical emergency at the team facility Wednesday, his father said. He is recovering, and the family has asked for privacy. (More)

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➤ Skip the oven and grill for this genius microwave hack. Rocket Chef delivers crispy, juicy meals in minutes! Turn your microwave into a searing hot grill for burgers, grilled cheese, pizza, leftovers and more. Learn More

➤ Lamar Station Plaza, the Lakewood shopping center anchored by Casa Bonita, sold for $30.25 million to two companies that reportedly plan upgrades to the property. (More)

➤ Keystone Resort opens for skiing today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with two miles of trails on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon. Arapahoe Basin kicked off its season Wednesday. (More)

➤ The developer behind the stalled Broomfield Town Square project is suing the city and county, alleging breach of contract as officials weigh revoking its development plan. (More)

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Still Paying the Same Car Insurance Rate?

The average U.S. driver now pays about $194 a month for car insurance. If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, it may be worth checking whether you’re still getting a competitive rate.

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➤ A flock of sheep crossing the road posed an unexpected obstacle for a Lower Valley Fire District crew responding to a vehicle fire. No injuries were reported. (See Video)

➤ United Airlines released a tongue-in-cheek video sending self-described paranormal experts into DIA’s tunnels and baggage areas to investigate conspiracy theories surrounding the airport. (See Video)

➤ Colorado’s Halloween weekend lineup includes local trick-or-treat streets, concerts, Day of the Dead celebrations, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast musical. (See List)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ Protesters clashed with riot police in Madrid, demanding the prime minister’s resignation after Wednesday’s train crash killed nearly seventy people. (Hear Details)

➤ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly grew close to a suspected Chinese spy whom U.S. intelligence spent a year tracking. (Hear Story)

➤ A popular WNBA star said the FBI is monitoring roughly 20 people tied to stalking and threats against her. (Listen Now)