Immigration Officer Charged with Assault

Prosecutors charged U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer Nicholas Rice with third-degree assault and criminal mischief Wednesday following a state investigation into his alleged altercation with a Durango protester.

Video of the Oct. 28 incident shows a masked agent seizing Franci Stagi’s phone and, after she touched his shoulder, placing her in what she called a “chokehold” and shoving her to the ground.

Stagi, 57, was one of several people who had gathered outside the ICE field office in Durango to protest the detention of a Colombian immigrant and his two children.

Rice is summoned to appear in La Plata County Court on May 27.

Aurora Drill Site Approved After Opposition

State regulators this week approved SM Energy’s plan to drill 24 oil and gas wells near the Aurora Reservoir, clearing the way for development after a yearslong bid by residents to block the plan.

Save The Aurora Reservoir, a grassroots neighborhood group, fought for three years to move the drilling pad farther away from the reservoir and their homes, citing health and environmental risks.

SM Energy reduced the project’s size from 32 to 24 wells, committed to a series of best management practices, and shifted the pad 100 feet eastward, about 3,100 feet from the nearest home. In a 3-2 vote, commissioners determined the plan met or exceeded state requirements.

Drilling is estimated to start by the end of the year. The site is one of several proposed locations under SM Energy’s Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan.

Conviction Overturned in Infant’s Death

A Denver judge on Tuesday vacated the conviction of Stephen Martinez, 58, a man convicted of first-degree murder in the 1998 death of 4-month-old Heather Mares, the child of his then-girlfriend.

In the 2000 trial, prosecutors argued Martinez violently shook the infant, causing her death. Martinez confessed to shaking Mares but later recanted the confession, which his attorneys claim had been forced.

New evidence presented by the Korey Wise Innocence Project suggests the child died from pneumonia, which produces symptoms similar to shaken baby syndrome, Martinez’ lawyers said. Based on expert medical testimony, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the case.

Members of Mares’ family, including her mother, asked the judge to keep Martinez in prison. He was released Tuesday after serving more than 27 years.

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➤ Jefferson County: The gunman who opened fire on tourists at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids, killing one and injuring at least 13, carried materials referencing the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School, authorities said. The attack occurred Monday, April 20, the 27th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. (See Details)

➤ Denver: An appellate court upheld a jury’s decision to award 2020 George Floyd protesters $14.75 million over claims Denver police used excessive force, rejecting the city’s appeal arguing plaintiffs lacked evidence of liability. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: Three Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners with confirmation hearings yesterday have faced vocal opposition from hunting groups, who say Gov. Jared Polis has been stacking the commission with animal rights activists. (More)

➤ Denver: A 200-pound metal sculpture created by a local man’s daughter vanished from his front yard in an apparent scrap metal heist. (More)

➤ Chaffee County: The search for 27-year-old hunter Kaden Sites, who disappeared near Mount Shavano last week, is still underway and now open to the public, officials said Tuesday. (More)

➤ Statewide: A bill introduced last week would seek voter approval to change how cannabis products are tested and taxed, aiming to increase oversight of the industry. (See Details)

➤ Arvada: An Uber driver has been charged with sexually assaulting a female passenger and driving away with her after her boyfriend left the car. Police believe there may be other victims. (More)

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➤ Avalanche fans shattered the glass panel behind the LA Kings’ bench on Tuesday night after Colorado saved a penalty shot. When asked about the mishap, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar simply said, “It felt like playoff hockey.” (More)

➤ The Nuggets head to Minneapolis for Game 3 against the Timberwolves tonight with the first-round series tied 1-1. (More)

➤ Former Colorado State track star Wendy Koenig was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class. She was a two-time Olympian in the 800 meters during the 1970s. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ A sports gambling reform bill no longer includes a provision banning proposition bets—wagers on things like individual player performance—which lawmakers voted to remove from the measure over concerns of lost tax revenue. (See Details)

➤ New electric vehicle sales are down 64%, contributing to a nearly 20% drop in the overall state car market compared to early 2025, following the Sept. 30 loss of a $7,500 federal tax credit and the Jan. 1 decrease of a state subsidy. (See Details)

➤ Mustard’s Last Stand, a Chicago-style hot dog stand in Boulder, will close in 2027 or 2028 after nearly 50 years in business because the city plans to demolish its building, which sits on a high-hazard flood plain. (See Details)

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➤ A Colorado Springs church that began services in 1901 is celebrating its 125th anniversary this Sunday, marking the occasion with a hymn festival, a silent film screening, and a performance on Colorado’s largest theater organ. (See Details)

➤ State agriculture officials warn the public to be on the lookout for the Asian jumping worm, an invasive earthworm also known as the “crazy worm,” which can degrade soil, harm plants, and worsen drought conditions. (See Details)

➤ Two coffee shops based in Denver landed on a new list of the top 100 coffee shops across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean regions. (See Coffee Shops)      

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What’s your must-have hot dog topping?

1. Ketchup
2. Mustard
3. Relish
4. Chili
5. Cheese
6. Other
7. I don’t like hot dogs

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you birdwatch?

1. Yes, sometimes: 30%
2. No, not for me: 27%
3. Yes, frequently: 23%
4. No, but I’d try it: 20%

Chaffee County is named after what historical figure?

Show me the answer