Denver, CO
Black youths in Fort Collins, Denver among those targeted by racist post-election texts
Black Coloradans report they are among the targets of a national pattern of insulting, racist text messages that sometimes refer to recipients by name and order them to “pick cotton” on a plantation.
The author or authors of the messages were still unknown as of Thursday, according to reporting by the Associated Press, though the messages claimed to have been sent on behalf of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
In many cases, the victims have been young adults and children. On Wednesday night, two Fort Collins girls, ages 14 and 16, received messages telling both that they would soon be forced to pick cotton, describing them as “hoodlums” and “negros.”
Their mother, Monique Mance, said she felt disgusted and fearful after reading the messages, which included the 16-year-old’s name and referred to the 14-year-old using a misogynistic slur.
“I feel hurt, because I don’t feel this is what Fort Collins is,” Mance said. “People here are beautiful, and friendly, and nice, and I’ve never had to deal with this. … It was tough to explain this to my daughters. Like, I don’t even want them to walk home from school now.”
She said the incident reminded her of racist abuse endured by Black people of her grandparents’ generation.
“It’s like, really? We’re going back to this?” she said.
Denver Public Schools spokesman Scott Pribble said similar messages were reported to police in at least one Denver high school, and Denver police said they were investigating two incidents where individuals received such messages.
The texts have also spurred inquiries by federal officials, with the Associated Press reporting Thursday that the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice were looking into the matter, as was the Federal Communications Commission. Black residents of New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee have also been targeted.
Vikki Migoya, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Denver field office, confirmed the FBI is partnering with other federal agencies in response to tips about the messages.
“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country, including in Colorado,” she wrote in an email Friday. “As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has also been informed about the messages, though spokesman Lawrence Pacheco said they could not comment on the status of any investigation or complaints.
While it is unclear whether the person or people responsible committed a crime or unlawfully obtained the personal information used to tailor messages for their recipients, the texts have spread fear at a time of heightened political tensions following a presidential election that hinged on issues of immigration and race.
Omar Montgomery, president of the Aurora branch of the NAACP, said he hasn’t heard from anyone in Denver’s sister city who has received the texts. However, he said a thorough investigation by federal law enforcement was crucial in light of the national political climate.
“When we talk about the racial overtones of this election and where the country is at now where people feel emboldened to share things that target specific groups, we’ve got to hit the reset button, regardless of who’s in office, or else these things are going to continue to divide our nation,” he said.
Montgomery also said his branch of the NAACP remains concerned about the mass deportations promised by Trump, nicknamed Operation Aurora by the president-elect’s campaign. He said the NAACP plans to monitor the treatment of Aurora residents who may be subject to deportation.
“Obviously, we’re concerned about people’s civil rights being protected,” he said.
Mance said she hopes there is at least a bipartisan consensus that targeting children with hateful rhetoric is unacceptable.
“I understand we don’t all agree on things, but leave my kids alone,” she said.
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Denver, CO
Denver Barkey scores first career goal as Flyers take down Oilers
Item 1 of 33 Jan 3, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers right winger Garnet Hathaway (19) skates on the ice during the pre game warm up as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Philadelphia Flyers before the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
[1/33]Jan 3, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers right winger Garnet Hathaway (19) skates on the ice during the pre game warm up as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Philadelphia Flyers before the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images Purchase Licensing Rights
January 3 – Denver Barkey’s first NHL tally highlighted a three-goal first period for the Philadelphia Flyers, who beat the host Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Saturday.
Travis Sanheim and Bobby Brink also scored in the first, while Nick Seeler and Owen Tippett each posted a goal with an assist and Sean Couturier added two helpers for the Flyers, who finished a 3-2-0 road trip. Dan Vladar made 22 saves for Philadelphia, which allowed 13 Edmonton shots on goal in the first period, but just 11 the rest of the way.
Connor McDavid extended his point streak to 15 games with his 25th goal of the season and Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers, who have dropped two straight and three of four.
Philadelphia made its mark early in the first period. Tippett passed the puck into the slot for a streaking Barkey, who beat Oilers’ Calvin Pickard (24 saves) for his milestone goal just 7:16 into the contest.
Barkey’s marker essentially set the tempo, as the visitors made it 2-0 with 9:29 left in the first when Sanheim beat Pickard from the right circle.
Philadelphia then extended its lead a little over four minutes later when an Edmonton turnover led to the puck deflecting into the net off the heel of Brink’s skate off a shot from Cam York.
Vladar, meanwhile, was solid by stopping 12 shots in the first period. However, he couldn’t prevent McDavid from scoring on a breakaway, which came off a Sanheim turnover in the neutral zone, with 3:52 remaining before the first intermission.
The Oilers made it 3-2 on the power play with 10:06 remaining in the second period. With an assist from McDavid, Bouchard unloaded a successful slap shot from the left point to give Edmonton at least one goal on the man advantage in nine of the last 10 games.
Philadelphia found some breathing room with 10:51 remaining in regulation off Seeler’s wrister for his first goal of the season. Tippett added an empty-netter as the Flyers scored at least five goals for the third time in their last six.
McDavid, meanwhile, has 14 goals with 22 assists in the last 15 games.
–Field Level Media
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Denver, CO
A franchise quarterback is vital to winning division titles
You might respond to this headline with ‘and water is wet’ and I wouldn’t blame you, but I was looking over the Denver Broncos history and how often they have won a division title. In their 65 years, the Broncos have brought home 16 AFC West division titles. That’s not very many, but given their first winning season was almost 20 years into it then it doesn’t look so bad.
The other thing I noticed is that only those teams who had a franchise quarterback type player under center did they repeat often as division winners. 11 of those 16 titles were won while John Elway or Peyton Manning were quarterbacking the franchise. Craig Morton won two backed by the vaunted Orange Crush defense of the 70s, but the rest were one-off division winners like Jake Plummer and Tim Tebow. Now that latter list includes Bo Nix.
The craziest stat that I found researching this topic was that all but one Broncos team that did not win the division were one-and-done in the playoffs. The lone team that wasn’t was that 1997 Super Bowl winning squad. Every single other team that finished second or third in the division and made the playoffs did not win a game once they got there. That doesn’t have much to do with the franchise quarterback topic here, but I found this little tidbit too interesting to not share.
As for the division winners, there were plenty of one-and-done seasons there too, but all of their playoff wins sans-1997 are also there.
The question I meant to get to sooner before going off on that side quest regarding the playoff outcomes was whether or not Bo Nix joins Elway and Manning or ends up with the Plummer and Morton’s of history of pretty good but not all-time great. A few playoff wins over the next month would certainly move the needle some before adding more division titles down the road.
Denver, CO
Denver police report increase in street racing arrests and citations in 2025
DENVER — Street racing continues to pose threats to Colorado drivers, so Denver7 looked into the trends we saw throughout 2025.
Denver Police report 80 citations and arrests as of December 17 for 2025. That’s 20 more than last year, according to Doug Schepman, director of communications for the Denver Police Department (DPD).
There is one strip of road in Denver we asked Schepman about specifically, after hearing from business owners that it’s particularly troublesome.
We’re talking about the 2000 block of S. Santa Fe Drive in Denver.
Michael Gray, owner of Discount Fishing Tackle, said it’s a weekly occurrence to watch or hear cars and motorcycles zip past.
“Recently, we’ve seen the kids on the motorcycles coming by with the front wheel in the air, going just as dangerous as can be, and especially dangerous because so many other people are going so fast on this road,” Gray said.
He said he’s noticed that as more turnoffs are removed and the spacing between traffic lights gets longer, more drivers tend to use it as their personal raceway.
“It doesn’t affect us really too much, but you don’t like to have something as dangerous as that going on all the time,” he said.
Schepman said patrol districts are aware that street racing occurs along this stretch of South Santa Fe Drive, and that officers are directed to patrol the area during periods when reports are more prevalent.
He adds that the community plays a critical part in helping investigators curb this problem.
The Colorado State Patrol said it has received more than 1,700 reports from the community this year.
You can continue to report street racing here.
Denver7
Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Allie Jennerjahn
Denver7’s Allie Jennerjahn covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in reporting on crime, corruption and ways to protect your family. If you’d like to get in touch with Allie, fill out the form below to send her an email.
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