Denver, CO
‘It’s never been this bad’: Trash, encampments concern families in west Washington Park
DENVER — For months, Norman Brown has been watching homeless encampments and rubbish piles accumulate simply down from his Denver residence on the I-25 off-ramp to Lincoln Road and beneath the I-25 overpass of Broadway. He reached out to Denver7, saying he has turn out to be more and more involved for his household’s well being and security.
“During the last yr, there was loads of buildup of rubbish and trash, which is basically affecting the neighborhood right here,” mentioned Brown, who has lived within the space for seven years. “It’s by no means been this dangerous. And with the wind, there’s loads of particles that flies into the realm. I’ve received a younger household, and during the last yr, it has been troublesome to cope with. [There’s] drug use, crime.”
Brown says every day now, he wakes as much as trash in his yard, and has seen automobiles get flat tires from particles strewn throughout the highway. He says he has been reporting the difficulty to each the town of Denver and the Colorado Division of Transportation (CDOT) for months, however has not seen lasting enchancment.
“If this isn’t resolved, I do know loads of households right here would possibly transfer away, which isn’t going to assist,” Brown mentioned.
Trash and encampments alongside streets, highways, and interstates is a rising downside in Colorado — one which prices greater than $2 million annually to deal with, based on CDOT.
A spokesperson for CDOT advised Denver7 that the company can not filter out encampments till native regulation enforcement has safely eliminated the folks residing there. Even with that, CDOT clears out two to 3 encampments every week, including as much as a number of tons of trash and particles.
“CDOT’s primary precedence is the protection of the touring public and the crews who preserve and construct roads for the thousands and thousands of people that use the transportation system every single day,” mentioned Tamara Rollison, a spokesperson for CDOT. “Crews additionally clear up trash from roadways that automobiles go away behind. Quite a lot of coordination with different companies is required for CDOT to take away homeless encampments on CDOT property.”
Even when an encampment is cleared and trash is eliminated, it’s common for the issue to return shortly after. Brown says metropolis crews cleared one of many camps he had reported on Broadway in late January. Inside every week, the trash had returned and was as soon as once more blowing into his yard.
“Each morning you simply discover, you understand, packets of cigarettes and simply trash in your yard. And when you’ve got your youngsters, toddlers, strolling round and simply choosing it up — it is simply gross,” Brown mentioned. “All this site visitors, the very first thing they see once they meet Denver from the freeway is principally all of the trash. So it’s considerably embarrassing to say I stay in Denver in the mean time as a result of each time I invite somebody, that is the very first thing they see… This isn’t consultant of Denver.”
Experiences of trash or particles alongside state roads, highways, and interstates could be made to CDOT by means of the company’s web site. For metropolis streets inside Denver, experiences could be made by means of pocketgov Denver.
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Former Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson is taking a visit to the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, per The Denver Gazette. Ferguson is a Littleton, Colorado native and has a rising 2025 NFL Draft stock after an impressive NFL combine and Pro Day in Eugene.
Ferguson and Denver quarterback Bo Nix also have exciting chemistry already, as the duo shined at Oregon. Ferguson was a favorite target of Nix’s during the 2022 and 2023 season – finishing with 74 receptions for 805 yards and 11 touchdowns in those two seasons.
Ferguson turned heads at the combine with the fastest 40-yard dash from a tight end (4.63-seconds) and highest vertical leap (39-inch) from a tight end.
Ferguson and Nix are very close friends, who maintained their relationship through Nix’s rookie season in Denver.
“Yeah, I’ve been able to talk to Bo,” Ferguson told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus during the 2024 season. “He had some things to ask me where to go to eat… It’s really cool to see his career take off. I’m super proud of him. I played with Bo for a couple of years and we were close off the field as well. He’s a great friend, great person off the field. So it was just really cool to see his dreams come true. All my family’s cheering for him as Denver Bronco fans.”
Does Ferguson dream Payton calling him during the 2025 NFL Draft to join the Broncos?
“Honestly, anywhere would be the best team for me. But yeah it’d be cool to play back in front of my family again and reunite with some teammates,” Ferguson told Amaranthus.
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Ferguson is fresh off his best season yet, breaking multiple Oregon records to become the Ducks’ most decorated tight end of all time. The fan-favorite broke the Oregon all-time records for career receptions (134) and receiving touchdowns (16) by a tight end, and finished second all-time in career receiving yards (1,537) by a tight end.
The 6-5, 255-pound Ferguson is grabbing the attention of many NFL Draft scouts, including New York Jets tight ends coach Jeff Blasko, who attended Oregon Ducks Pro Day in Eugene.
Ferguson is a great fit for Denver and coach Sean Payton’s offense. Ferguson is tough, experienced and a mismatch nightmare that has drawn comparisons to NFL legend Travis Kelce .
“It is really a blessing and really cool to be put in the same sentence as that guy,” Ferguson told Amaranthus. “He’s done a lot for the game and a lot for the position as tight ends go. But I’ve definitely watched a lot of his tape. He’s a special, special player and he’s really revolutionized tight end play.”
Denver did sign veteran tight end Evan Engram to a two-year deal in NFL free agency. The 30-year-old Engram is coming off a shoulder surgery, so possibly the Broncos are looking to add depth and options to their tight end room.
Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan Wolverines’ Colston Loveland are expected to be the first tight ends taken off the board in the upcoming NFL Draft while Ferguson has solidified himself as a great third option. Ferguson is projected to be a Day 2 pick (second or third round).
Ferguson has a chance to further etch his name in Oregon history books. When drafted, Ferguson will become the first Oregon tight end taken in the NFL Draft since David Paulson was selected by the Pittsburg Steelers with the 240th pick in the seventh round of the 2012 draft.
The NFL Draft will take place from April 24 to April 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
DENVER — The Denver Police Department has lifted a shelter-in-place order for neighbors near the 140 block of Emerson Street following a shooting.
The department said it responded to reports of shots fired around 4:37 p.m. A shelter-in-place order was then issued for the surrounding neighborhood just before 5 p.m.
In an update at 7:24 p.m., Denver PD announced that a suspect was taken into custody and the shelter-in-place order was lifted.
No injuries have been reported at this time. Details about the circumstances that led up to the shelter-in-place have not yet been released.
This is a developing story.
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