Friday, December 5, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1920, The Mark of Zorro, a silent swashbuckling film, was released in theaters. Denver native Douglas Fairbanks starred in the film, making him the first to portray the masked vigilante and one of the first Coloradans to appear on the silver screen.

Some major names fill out the musical lineup for an upcoming Denver festival. Meanwhile, Spotify Wrapped sheds some light on the city's music taste. Find out more in Et Cetera, and test your rock-and-roll knowledge with today's Trivia.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Trump Defends Peters, Slams Polis

President Trump took to social media Wednesday to criticize Gov. Jared Polis and repeat his call for the release of former county election clerk Tina Peters from state prison.

In a Truth Social post, Trump described Peters as an elderly woman and cancer survivor who was unfairly convicted of election interference, and called Polis a "SLEAZEBAG" for refusing to let her out of jail.

Peters, 70, renewed her request to be released on bond Saturday after learning her 97-year-old mother "suffered catastrophic, life-threatening injuries" and is in intensive care.

State prison officials last month rejected a request from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to transfer Peters to federal custody. Polis affirmed that decision this week.

Wildfire Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

A Loveland man accused of starting the Alexander Mountain Fire and impersonating a wildland firefighter in the aftermath pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday.

Jason Alexander Hobby, 50, was arrested in September 2024 for allegedly igniting the fire, which burned nearly 10,000 acres in Larimer County. The fire caused more than $30 million in damage, with firefighting efforts costing an additional $11 million, according to court documents.

Investigators found Hobby had impersonated a police officer and firefighter before and during the fire, entering restricted areas to assist firefighting efforts. His arrest affidavit states he acted as a "self-proclaimed fire manager" and wanted to be seen as a hero.

Hobby's six charges include first-degree arson and impersonating a peace officer, both felonies. His trial is scheduled to begin in July 2026.

Colorado's Drivers Among Best: Report

Colorado's drivers are some of the safest in the nation, ranking No. 3 with only 23.7 incidents—accidents, DUIs, speeding, or citations—per 1,000 drivers in 2025, according to a new report.

Trailing only Florida (23.1) and Michigan (20.9), Colorado also has the second-lowest accident rate and one of the lowest DUI rates. North Dakota's drivers rank worst overall. See a map here.

A separate report found that Colorado is the No. 8 most dangerous state for winter driving, scoring 49.7 out of 100 based on fatal-crash data.

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➤ Statewide: An initiative to replace Colorado's uniform tax rate with a graduated income tax moved forward Wednesday after a state board approved a rewritten ballot proposal. (See Details)

➤ Statewide: The Drug Enforcement Administration's Rocky Mountain Field Division ranked third for fentanyl seizures in October, with Colorado accounting for the largest share among the division's four states, officials said. (See Details)

➤ DIA: Transportation Security Administration officers at Denver International Airport are credited with saving a man's life after he collapsed and stopped breathing shortly after passing through security. (Read Story)

➤ Loveland: Family says 20-year-old Kaylee Russell has been found dead after her car was discovered overturned near the Larimer–Weld Canal. She vanished Nov. 30 after leaving a park‑and‑ride. (More)

➤ Western Slope: Colorado Parks and Wildlife began its annual wildlife surveys this week, flying low to the ground to gather population estimates for deer, bighorn sheep, moose, and other animals. (More)

➤ Adams County: The sheriff's office says it has no leads on who may have stolen more than $20,000 worth of equipment from a Thornton cow sanctuary. (More)

➤ Genesee received the most snowfall in the state during Wednesday's snowstorm, recording a total of 10.3 inches. (See List)

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➤ The Colorado Rockies hired Josh Byrnes as their new general manager. Byrnes spent the last 11 years with the LA Dodgers and previously served as the Rockies' assistant GM from 1999 to 2002, making the move a homecoming of sorts. (More)

➤ The 8-0 Colorado Buffaloes basketball team travels to Fort Collins tomorrow to face 6-2 Colorado State at Moby Arena. Despite Colorado's perfect start, ESPN's matchup predictor favors the Rams at home. (More)

➤ Top Colorado football recruits signed Division I deals on Signing Day Wednesday, with Cherry Creek, Mullen, and Valor Christian leading a strong 2026 class headed to programs like USC, Michigan, and Kansas State. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer | PGA

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➤ Powderhorn Mountain Resort east of Grand Junction opens for the ski season today after receiving 10 inches of snow earlier this week. (See Details)

➤ Wayfair, an online furniture retailer, will open a new brick-and-mortar store—its third announced and first in the Western U.S.—in a former Macy's at The Shops at Northfield in Denver. (See Details)

➤ A new study found that immigrants account for 27.7% of the construction workforce in the Denver area, exceeding the nationwide industry figure of 26%. (See Report)

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➤ The Parade of Lights in Grand Junction kicks off Saturday at 5 p.m. It's the city's biggest parade of the year, featuring around 80 glowing floats and drawing tens of thousands of spectators. (See Details)

➤ Denver's Outside Days announced the musical act lineup for its upcoming three-day festival in May. Death Cab for Cutie, My Morning Jacket, and Cage the Elephant headline, with The Flaming Lips also on the bill. (See Lineup)

➤ Spotify released a Spotify Wrapped data compilation for Denver, revealing the city's top five artists, songs, and albums based on 2025 user data. (See Wrapped)

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