Rebecca Gershten and Becca Beall Oschner know the importance of rape kits. In 2005, both women were victimized by serial rapist Brent Brents. Their rape kits helped lead to his capture. “Thankfully, our rape kits were processed in record time, which provided the proof necessary to arrest him,” Gershten said…
Last year, the Scarlet Ranch swingers club moved from its space at 424 Broadway to a place in the southern ‘burbs known for an altogether different kind of meat: the former Northwoods Inn. Owner Kendall Seifert has now rechristened this location the Squirrel Creek Lodge, and has branched out beyond…
A judge did not decide today whether to unseal the court file in the case of James Holmes, the 24-year-old charged with opening fire at a July 20 midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, killing twelve and injuring 58. Its unclear when Arapahoe County District Court Judge…
Initiative 52, which would have allowed undocumented immigrants with an individual tax identification number, last year’s tax return and a form of government-issued ID from their country of origin to obtain driver’s licenses, will not be on November’s ballot. Supporters fell short of collecting the 86,105 required signatures by Monday’s…
In June, as concerns about gun violence cropped up in the wake of several high-profile shootings, state Senator Michael Johnston co-hosted a meeting at the northeast Park Hill office space he shares with the Prodigal Son Initiative, an anti-gang organization. The attendees, which included city officials, youth nonprofit leaders and…
There is no Denver Memorial Hospital. But if there were, we’d bet it wouldn’t be in Vancouver. Sadly, that’s where the upcoming CW television series Emily Owens, M.D., set at the fictional Denver Memorial Hospital, is being filmed. The show, which stars actress Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep’s daughter) as a…
Where’s the best place to find wild asses in Denver? If you guessed Shotgun Willie’s, you’re probably right. But we would have also accepted the Denver Zoo. Why’s that? Because the zoo is now home to two 600-pound Somali wild asses named Kalifa and Kamowa. The two half-brothers recently arrived…
Fight Back Colorado, a group devoted to defeating lawmakers in November’s election who voted against a bill to legalize civil unions, is soliciting input on exactly which lawmakers to target. The campaign has launched a survey called Send ‘Em Packin’ that asks supporters to pick their three least favorite lawmakers…
Rollin Oliver, the 21-year-old accused of murdering Denver Police Officer Celena Hollis at City Park in June, was back in court this morning, where his defense attorney requested that the preliminary hearing in the case be postponed. His attorney explained that there’s a lot of evidence in the case and…
All day on Saturday, July 21 — the day after authorities say 24-year-old James Holmes killed twelve people and injured 58 others at a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora — Sergeant Cassidee Carlson couldn’t stop thinking about something the governor’s communications director had said to her…
Update below: At a hearing this morning, the 18th Judicial District DA’s office formally informed suspected Aurora theater shooter James Holmes of the charges against him — and there are 142 of them. Westword was in this courtroom this morning and will provide detailed coverage of the hearing shortly. But…
The “original” Sugar House is back for one night only — or so says an advertisement posted on Kasidie.com (tagline “Sexually Social…”), a website for swingers that offers member profiles, chat rooms and swinger party listings. Tomorrow’s Crimson Ball is being promoted as the latter — and the ads make…
Back in October, we relayed the story of one person’s battle (mine) to understand Denver’s new overnight parking meters. That quest took me to the Denver County Court Parking Magistrate’s Office to make my case to one of the magistrates: “city employees blessed with the magical power to reduce or…
Jose Luis Vazquez Campos has lost his battle to stay in the United States — for now, at least. Despite a rally and petition stop Campos’s deportation, the father of two young boys was unable to process the paperwork to request that his case be closed. Last week, Campos said…
Update:James Holmes, the 24-year-old suspect in the Aurora theater shooting, walked slowly into a packed, wood-paneled courtroom this morning to be advised of his rights. He wore a maroon jumpsuit, but the most shocking thing about his appearance was his hair, which was a bushy tumble of neon orange…
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office has released a list of the people who died in the shooting at the Century 16 theater in Aurora. Jessica Ghawi, 24, an intern at 104.3 The Fan, had already been identified by friends and family. The other names include Veronica Moser-Sullivan, age six. Here’s…
Aurora police Chief Dan Oates expressed anger today when talking about theater shooting suspect James Holmes’s “booby-trapped” apartment. “Make no mistake,” Oates said at a press conference. “This apartment was designed … to kill whoever entered it. And who was most likely to enter that location after he planned and…
James Holmes, the 24-year-old suspect in the Aurora theater shooting, legally bought four guns at metro gun shops in the last sixty days, Aurora police Chief Dan Oates said at a press conference tonight. Holmes also bought more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition off the Internet, Oates said, including a…
Update, July 20, 5:45 p.m.: There are now two vigils planned for the victims of the Aurora Century 16 theater shooting. One, at 7 p.m. tonight, is being hosted by local clergy members, according to Aurora Representative Rhonda Fields, who announced this morning that she’d be hosting a vigil tonight…
Update below: During a just-completed news conference about last night’s shooting at the Aurora Town Center Century 16 during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates was asked by numerous national reporters to confirm reports that accused gunman James Holmes had identified himself as…
The backers of Initiative 52, which would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, have been collecting signatures for months. “It’s going slow,” says Homero, a volunteer. Thus far, they’ve gotten 15,000 signatures notarized and have hundreds of volunteers trying to collect 75,000 more by the August 6 deadline. To…
Deonte Crews, an eighteen-year-old “self-admitted” gang member, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder for shooting into a group of people standing in a yard at 4490 North Dillon Street in Montbello on July 12. A probable cause statement on view below says Crews is a member of the…
