A Denver resident has West Nile virus, and the local health department urged the public to drain standing water and take other precautions.

The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment didn’t share any information about the person, who was the first in the city with a confirmed West Nile case this year.

Typically, only people with more severe illnesses get tested for West Nile, because most infected people either don’t get sick or have general flu-like symptoms. In the worst cases, the virus invades the nervous system, sometimes causing coma or death.

The department had urged caution in early August when it found mosquitoes infected with West Nile in the city. People can protect themselves by:

• Throwing out water that gathered in items on their property, such as flower pots and toys, and cleaning those items

• Avoiding hitting sidewalks and driveways while watering their lawns, because pools can form in uneven pavement

• Using insect repellent with DEET during outdoor activities

• Making sure door and window screens are in good repair

• Avoiding outdoor activities at dawn and dusk

• Wearing long pants and sleeves when outside

Arapahoe County reported the first case in the state in late June, marking an early start to the West Nile season. The season hasn’t been particularly severe so far: 13 people have tested positive, including seven who needed hospital care, but none has died, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The state’s data doesn’t yet include the Denver case.

Jefferson, Larimer, Weld, Delta, Kit Carson, La Plata and Mesa counties have also reported cases.

Last year, 634 people tested positive for West Nile and 51 died, making it the worst year for both infections and deaths since 2003.

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After four years in various front-of-house restaurant positions, I applied at the then-Kimpton Hotel Born. I worked there for five years, with three as the beverage manager for the entire hotel property.

Denver is my hometown

I grew up in a suburb just west of the city and moved to the downtown area when I was 19. Denver has professional sports, a world-class performing arts center, a dynamic restaurant scene, and diverse cultural festivals, but the culture is still extremely connected to the natural wonders of the state. People who live in Colorado love being outdoors.

However, the secret is out. In the last 10 years, the influx of people moving to Denver has impacted traffic, the cost of living, and the sustainability of urban growth.

In November 2022, I attended one of Kimpton’s internal conferences

One night, during a social event, I sat with one of our corporate directors of restaurant openings. As I was telling him about my travel background, my fluency in Spanish, and my willingness to move, he just asked me out of nowhere, “Would you be willing to go to Roatán?” Without hesitation, I said, “Yes!”

One month later, we discussed the details of the property and the job, which offered a comparable salary to my Denver position. I would receive a relocation package, onboarding support, and work visa assistance. In February 2023, I made plans to pack up and move.

I was excited but also nervous about moving across the world, sight unseen, by myself. I was sad to be moving away from my hometown and my friends, family, and professional community. Still, I was happy and proud for taking a leap of faith.

I got rid of everything in my small apartment

What I could, I sold, gave away, or donated, and I stored the rest at my best friend’s dad’s house. I brought two suitcases and a backpack with me here.

Once I arrived, I stayed on the property for a few months, which gave me a nice landing pad and time to figure out permanent housing and transportation. The property market is geared toward vacation homes and short-term rentals, but with the help of my local coworkers and diligent prowling of Facebook groups and ads, I found something decent.

Rent in Roatán is cheaper than in Denver, but it varies. I live in a two-bedroom apartment on a quiet hill above one of the main towns, 15 minutes from work, with plenty of space for friends and family to come visit. My rent is $1,200 a month, and cable, hot water, a parking space, and a washer/dryer are included. I also bought a car.

In Roatán, life is completely different

In Denver, I would pack my days with a morning trail run, errands, a matinée at the theater, and dinner with a friend at a new restaurant. Driving 100 miles daily from one small adventure to the next wouldn’t be uncommon.

Here, the island itself is only 35 miles long. There’s no movie theater, bowling alley, or mall, but only a few discotecas and a handful of decent restaurants. My leisure time has become more slowly paced and centers on scuba diving, reading a book by the pool, or a sunset cruise on the water.

I had never been comfortable in the ocean and didn’t like seafood much before moving. I’ve overcome my fear of the water and its creatures and became someone who now compulsively jumps off boats.

When I first arrived, I struggled with loneliness and boredom

I spent many days and nights feeling alone, questioning what I was doing with my life and why I was putting myself through this. However, I have no problems sitting at a bar alone watching sports or chatting with my neighbor. Although it took longer, I’ve made some good friends outside work.

What I love most about Roatán is the people. Their innate warmth and hospitality, love for visitors and each other, and a genuine sense of community and mutual care make me want to never leave.

I still get island fever, but making regular trips to get off the island has helped. La Ceiba is just a quick flight or ferry across the channel. Miami is also an easy direct flight away and fills my city needs with a little nightlife and shopping. I’ve also visited San Pedro Sula on Honduras’ mainland for work and events, and the culinary scene there is bustling.

Moving abroad is hard

There have been many cultural differences to navigate: communication styles differ, time is perceived much more relatively, and language and how people relate to one another are more personal. But for me, the most shocking change was environmental: going from high altitude to being at sea level, from snow to beach.

The bug bites were terrible initially, but my body has adjusted, and they don’t bother me as much anymore. Regulating my body temperature was hard at first, too, but over time, I got used to sweating and drinking more water. After a while, you get used to sand being everywhere.

The girl who spent every Sunday at the theater is now eating fried chicken on the side of the road in a faraway village, listening to punta music, and watching the sun dip far away into the horizon. My ability to adapt, grow, and change continues to surprise me.

My contract doesn’t have a set timeframe, so I’ll stay as long as there are opportunities for me to grow in my career and have a good work-life balance so I can enjoy the island life.

Want to share your relocation story? Email Lauryn Haas @lhaas@businessinsider.com

A former professional MMA fighter and Aurora community activist was charged with first-degree murder this week after police say he fatally shot a 28-year-old man during a child’s birthday party at a Commerce City park in retaliation for his son’s death.

Lumumba Sayers, 46, is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of felony menacing in the Saturday shooting death of Malcolm Watson near Paradice Island Pool at Pioneer Park.

He appeared in Adams County District Court on Thursday, where a judge increased his bail from $1 million to $5 million.

According to an arrest affidavit and witness statements made in court Thursday, Watson was carrying party supplies for his son’s birthday at the pool at 5951 Monaco St. when Sayers walked up to him and shot him multiple times, including once in the head.

After shooting Watson, Sayers went to talk with a man and a woman in a black Cadillac Escalade parked nearby before returning to Watson’s body, taking his keys and trying to place a handgun under his body, according to the affidavit.

Commerce City police officers arrived on scene to find Sayers crouching over Watson before he started to walk toward the Escalade, according to the affidavit.

Officers arrested him after witnesses began yelling that he was the shooter. Watson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses told detectives they believed the shooting was retaliation or revenge for the death of Sayers’ son, 23-year-old Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was killed almost a year ago in a shooting involving one of Watson’s friends, according to the affidavit.

Lumumba Sayers Jr., was one of two people killed in a shooting near 18th and Welton streets in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood on Aug. 19, 2023.

Denver police arrested 24-year-old Tyrell Braxton on suspicion of first-degree murder in the shooting, but no public court records are available in the case.

In response to an inquiry about Braxton’s case, the Denver District Attorney’s Office stated “no such records exist,” which is the only response prosecutors can provide under Colorado law when a case has been sealed.

Braxton is on trial in federal court in Denver this week for a weapons charge related to the August 2023 shooting, according to court records.

He was indicted by a grand jury in January on one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, court records show.

The trial is scheduled to wrap up this week, court officials said Thursday.

In the wake of his son’s death, Sayers told Denver7 reporters that Sayers Jr. was dedicated to preventing gun violence in the community and was frequently at his father’s Aurora gym, the Heavy Hands Heavy Hearts Center.

The center, which described the elder Sayers as a founder in social media posts, is “a safe place where youth and adults are provided with basic needs, educational and career support, health resources, recreational and outreach services to assist with creating jobs and a building a sustainable life,” according to a description on its Facebook page.

Defense attorneys argued Sayers was an “exceptional” man and defended his character and position in the community during Thursday’s hearing, while prosecutors argued he was a danger to the community and Watson’s family as well as a flight risk.

Adams County District Court Judge Jeffrey Ruff ordered a $5 million cash-only bail, calling it the “only bond acceptable” in the case.

Sayers’ next court date was not available Thursday.

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Originally Published: August 15, 2024 at 7:49 p.m.