While the snowstorm has dried out in metro Denver, up to another seven inches will fall in Colorado’s mountains on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Just over 2 inches of snow fell in Denver and the surrounding metro area on Monday, according to NWS snow totals.

The light snow across Denver created slick roads for the morning commute and covered sidewalks with ice and snow, NWS forecasters said.

Sawpit, a small town in southwestern Colorado’s San Miguel County, saw the most snow in Colorado on Monday at nearly nine inches, according to NWS snow totals.

According to Tuesday morning forecasts, expected totals for fresh snowfall as the storm continues in the mountains include:

• Up to 5 inches in the Rocky Mountains, including along Berthoud Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass and Cameron Pass;
• Up to 5 inches in the Park Range Mountains;
• Up to 2 inches near Loveland;
• Up to 3 inches at the Eisenhower Tunnels;
• Up to 7 inches along Buffalo Pass, near Steamboat Springs.

Snow is forecast to continue through 9 p.m. Tuesday and wind chill could drop mountain temperatures into the negative 20s, according to NWS forecasters. Elevations above 9,000 feet could see wind gusts of up to 40 mph Tuesday.

Denver will see temperature highs in the mid-30s on Tuesday before dropping to 24 degrees overnight, forecasters said. Slightly warmer weather returns Wednesday and will continue through the rest of the week with temperature highs in the low 50s.

Light snow will return to the mountains and higher-elevation foothills overnight Thursday, NWS forecasters said.

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Originally Published: December 10, 2024 at 7:13 AM MST

The Denver City Council on Monday awarded the Caring For Denver Foundation a one-year contract to continue administering grants funded through a dedicated city sales tax stream amid questions about the organization’s transparency and efficacy.

The council was originally slated to consider a five-year agreement with the foundation that since 2019 has been tasked with distributing funding collected by the 0.25% Caring for Denver sales tax that voters adopted in 2018. Those dollars are earmarked to fund public and nonprofit programs that are focused on providing Denverites with mental health support including substance use treatment, suicide prevention and programs that present an alternative to jail.

But council members worked with Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration to draft the shorter-term agreement to manage the fund, according to Councilwoman Jamie Torres, who delayed the contract vote last week. Over the course of the one-year deal, city officials plan to examine all of the city’s existing dedicated sales tax contracts with an eye toward improving and standardizing those agreements, council leaders said.

“We’re working closely with the mayor’s office and the Department of Finance to review and assess dedicated sales tax entities such as Caring for Denver,” Council President Amanda Sandoval said Monday. “Our goal through this review process will be to implement consistent ordinance language across the board. By focusing on process and transparency, we aim to provide a solid framework for responsible governance and equitable outcomes for our city.”

The delayed vote and shorter-term agreement come after Colorado Public Radio published a series of stories that examined Caring for Denver’s track record in delivering on its promises to combat substance use and mental health challenges in the city.

CPR’s reporting also scrutinized the qualifications and highlighted the criminal records of some grant recipients. It also raised questions about Caring for Denver’s transparency after the organization declined to provide records that the news organization requested under the Colorado Open Records Act.

Despite the shorter contract, council members defended Caring for Denver and many of its grantees at Monday’s meeting. Councilwoman Sarah Parady, a lawyer, supported the organization’s argument that not all of its documents were subject to the state’s open records laws because Caring for Denver is a nonprofit, not a government entity.

The council approved the contract unanimously as part of a block voter with other legislation. During a public comment session later in the meeting, representatives of several organizations that have worked with Caring for Denver spoke in support of the foundation.

“Denver faces a mental health crisis marked by rising rates of what public health (officials) call the diseases and deaths of despair. The best antidote for this is often the type of empathy and human connection that no licensure or certification can provide,” said Jason Vitello with the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition.

The Caring for Denver tax was projected to bring in $50.5 million in revenue by the end of 2024, according to city finance officials. It had collected $209.2 million as of the end of 2023.

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Originally Published: December 9, 2024 at 8:12 PM MST

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is already a three-time NBA MVP, but is somehow still getting better. Amid his best season yet, Jokic is averaging 32.3 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 10.2 assists. Doing this on 56.3% from the field and 50.6% from three-point range, Jokic is truly putting up unprecedented numbers.

These statistical averages are bolstered by the 104 points Jokic scored over the last two games. Scoring 56 points against the Washington Wizards, Jokic followed that with 48 points in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

On Monday, the Nuggets announced that Jokic is the first player in NBA history to have at least 100 points, 30 rebounds, and 15 assists in a two-day span. This is just one of several ways Jokic has made history this season, as the 2023 Finals MVP continues to dominate.

With their win over Atlanta on Sunday, the Nuggets improved to 12–10 on the season. This is not where they want to be, as that record is good for just seventh in the Western Conference, but there is still a lot of season left to make up ground. With Jokic playing at this level, Denver will always be in the mix.

The Nuggets now have a few days off before hosting the LA Clippers on Friday. The Clippers are 2-0 against the Nuggets this season, as Denver will look to hand them a loss on Friday. 

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