Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2004, guards at a privately run prison in southern Colorado quelled a five-hour prison riot that had begun the previous night.

A convey of emergency vehicles traveled across the state Monday to honor the life of Nicholas Dale, a helicopter pilot who died while battling the Gold Mountain Fire. Find out more below.

For years, the diet soda felt like the smart choice. Skip the sugar, save the calories, and protect your health. But a first-of-its-kind study that followed nearly 13,000 adults over 8 years found that the low- and no-calorie sweeteners hiding in everyday products may be quietly speeding up how fast the brain ages. In today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla shares which sweeteners proved harmful, which one came out clean, and the everyday drinks and snacks they turn up in. So which of the sweeteners sitting in your own kitchen made the list? Tune in here to learn more!

Today’s sponsor, PuriProduce, offers a simple, chemical-free way to help clean your fruits and vegetables, giving you added peace of mind with every meal.

Car insurance rates have climbed for many drivers over the past few years. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Insurify, about a simple way to compare quotes and see if you could save.

Denver Falling Short of Drought Cuts

Denver Water customers have trimmed use by just 1,300 acre-feet of the 10,300-acre-foot cut needed to hit the utility’s 20% conservation goal, putting them far behind target amid a statewide drought.

Aurora says it has met its own 20% cut goal, but its reservoirs have dropped to 52% of capacity, and Mayor Mike Coffman warned the city is “teetering” toward stricter Stage II watering restrictions.

Denver’s reservoirs sit at 77% full versus a 97% average for this time of year, after the 2025-26 snowpack peaked more than a month early at some of the lowest levels seen in 40 years.

Denver Water has sent about 3,100 educational letters and made 700 in-person “field stops,” with formal warnings now escalating to fines starting at $250 and rising to $1,000 for repeat violators.

Fallen Pilot Honored

A pilot who died while fighting the Gold Mountain Fire was honored with a cross-state memorial procession yesterday.

Nicholas Dale, 56, of British Columbia, died on July 12 when his K-MAX firefighting helicopter crashed into Silver Lake Reservoir in Gunnison County.

To honor Dale’s life and service, a convoy of emergency vehicles with steady, non-flashing lights escorted his body from Montrose to DIA, passing through Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Vail, and Silverthorne.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The Gold Mountain Fire, burning north of Ouray, now spans over 37,000 acres and is roughly 13% contained.

Guanella Pass Parking Violations Pile Up

Clear Creek County deputies say they’ve been writing “A LOT” of parking tickets along Guanella Pass Road and the Naylor Lake area on recent weekends.

Guanella Pass opened six weeks early this year because of low snowpack, giving both hiking season and the parking crackdown an early start. Fines climb further for multiple violations at once.

The county says illegally parked vehicles can narrow the two-lane road to one lane, blocking ambulances and fire trucks, and warns that towed cars become the owner’s financial responsibility. Fines start at $87.50.

Deputies suggest visitors have a “Plan B,” like waiting out crowds in Georgetown, since the most common excuse from ticketed drivers is that everyone else was parking illegally too.

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➤ Golden’s tightened Stage 1 drought restrictions took effect Monday, limiting every property to just two weekly watering events. (More)

➤ San Miguel County: Cleanup continues in the wake of storm-triggered mudslides that stranded 21 people, blocked roads, and flooded parts of Telluride. (More)

➤ Commerce City: Police are investigating after a body was found burned in the backyard of a home near Ouray Court and E. 120th Avenue. (More)

➤ Steamboat Springs: The Green Ridge Fire south of town reached 100% containment Saturday after burning about 45 acres, though the nearby Fishhook Fire remains at 0% containment near 347 acres. (More)

➤ Arapahoe County: The ongoing heat wave continues to buckle roads and multi-use paths, forcing a closure of southbound S. Buckley Road. (More)

➤ Fort Collins: Community members are mourning the loss of Catherine “Cate” Withrow, 53, a beloved Boltz Middle School teacher and cross country coach. Withrow was fatally struck by a construction semi-truck while crossing E. Mulberry on Monday. (More)

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➤ Hunter Goodman hit three home runs, becoming the first Rockies player with two three-homer games in a season, but Tyler Stephenson’s two homers helped the Reds beat Colorado 9-6 at a sweltering, 98-degree Coors Field on Sunday. (More)

➤ WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown returns to Denver’s Ball Arena Oct. 2, with tickets going on presale this Thursday and general sale this Friday. (More)

➤ Broncos general manager George Paton discussed the team’s draft picks, offseason roster reconstruction, and the team’s future in an interview. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA

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➤ Denver City Council advanced an ordinance that would let nightlife venues stay open until 4 a.m. while keeping the state-mandated 2 a.m. last call for alcohol unchanged, part of the city’s first licensing overhaul since the 1980s. (More)

➤ UCHealth paid $19.4 million for two connected Greenwood Village office buildings, totaling 196,000 square feet, and plans to use them to consolidate administrative functions currently spread across its campuses. (More)

➤ Colorado’s State Land Board approved a 120-megawatt solar farm on 1,140 acres of Pueblo County school trust land, pushing renewable energy permitted on public school lands past its 800-megawatt goal. (More)

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➤ Hundreds of fans packed the Mesa County Fairgrounds as monster trucks returned to Grand Junction, with towering 12-foot-tall trucks performing wheelies, head-to-head racing, and freestyle stunts. (See Video)

➤ Nearly 5,000 people gathered at Denver’s Washington Park for Donor Dash 2026, an annual event honoring organ and tissue donors and supporting those still waiting for a transplant. (More)

➤ Camp Coletrain in Buena Vista announced a partnership with the John Hartford Foundation to teach songs from the late bluegrass legend’s rediscovered fiddle-tune journals, capping the camp’s ninth year with new fiddle and mandolin competitions. (More)

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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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ New research found the low-calorie sweeteners hiding in everyday drinks may be quietly eroding your memory. (Hear Details)

➤ Health officials are working to trace the source of a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak on New York’s Upper East Side. (Hear Episode)

➤ One of the most notorious figures in Mexico’s drug trade was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to forfeit billions. (Listen Now)