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Kiszla: Why longtime Denver sportscaster Todd Romero refuses to go quietly from his dismissal at Altitude

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

Sports that were a lifeline as his escape from physical abuse as a child are now too painful for longtime Denver sportscaster Todd Romero to watch.“Sports saved my life as a kid. I had an abusive, alcoholic stepfather. From ages five through 15, I got beaten by him three or four times a week,” Romero told me, with tears turning his eyes into puddles as we sat in a local coffee shop. “What saved me was getting out of the house to play baseball, basketball and football. Those coaches mentored me, fed me and made me feel somebody cared.”Sportscaster Todd Romero. (Photo provided by Melinda Romero)Born in Denver, raised in Fort Collins and educated at the University of Denver, where he graduated in 1986, Romero has been the strongest, most consistent and recognizable Hispanic voice in the Colorado sports community for the better part of a generation.When the Broncos upset Green Bay at Super Bowl XXXII, he was the first TV journalist to conduct live interviews in the winning locker room, ...

Sara-Rose Smith relishing role with fifth-ranked Colorado women’s basketball

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

In making the move from Missouri to Colorado this past summer, Sara-Rose Smith knew she might have to sacrifice some playing time and statistics.Two months into her first season with the fifth-ranked Buffaloes, it’s been a small price to pay.“You sort of sacrifice those five to seven minutes that I was averaging a little bit higher at Missouri,” she said. “I was totally OK with that because I knew that I was going to be a part of a winning program and a successful program. In saying that, it doesn’t change my work ethic once I finally hit the court. Yeah, I’m not putting up quite as many of the numbers as what I was last season, but I think that’s, again, just attributed to the fact that I am playing with a high level of players and teammates.”The 6-foot-1 senior guard from Australia has been an extremely valuable piece of the puzzle for the Buffs (11-1, 1-0 Pac-12), who visit Arizona on Friday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network).A role player at Missouri last year, Smith averaged 21.7 minutes...

CU Buffs women’s basketball fully focused on road test at Arizona

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

As the honors kept rolling in for Colorado point guard Jaylyn Sherrod earlier this week, her teammates were thrilled.“I think everyone’s loving it,” senior Sara-Rose Smith said. “We were laughing in the locker room, like they might be making up awards at this point for how many she’s gotten. She’s just racking them up, not leaving any to anyone else. It’s so awesome. It’s just such a good feeling.”After scoring 34 points in CU’s 76-65 win against then-No. 12 Utah on Saturday, Sherrod, a fifth-year senior, was named Pac-12 player of the week, as well as national player of the week by the Associated Press, ESPN and the USWBA.True to the nature of Sherrod and the fifth-ranked CU women’s basketball team, however, there hasn’t been much basking in the glow of the Utah win or the recognition that has come with it.“You wouldn’t know that she’s gotten those awards with the way that she carries herself,” Smith said.As the Buffs’ emotional leader, Sherrod knows the Utah win, while important, ...

Loveland Pass reopens following safety closure

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

Loveland Pass reopened at approximately 8 p.m. following a nearly four-hour closure in both directions due to safety concerns, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Related ArticlesTransportation | Colorado road conditions: Crashes, snow close highways Transportation | Northbound I-25 reopens north of Mead after crash Transportation | RTD to pause downtown rail line service Thursday for National Western Stock Show Parade Transportation | Denver man saved 2-year-old daughter from oncoming car, died days after crash Transportation | Two lanes of westbound I-70 near Morrison closed for emergency roadwork The pass is closed between Interstate 70 and Montezuma Road as of 4:13 p.m., according to the agency. Cameras show snowpacked roads near the summit.Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.

Video shows man claiming to be famous bite, kick officer during arrest at bank 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

Newly released video shows the moment a man claiming to be famous bites and kicks an officer in the face while being arrested at a local bank.According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers with the Northeast Division were dispatched to the 7300 block of North Figueroa Avenue in Eagle Rock at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 on a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon.  Road rage shooting on 5 Freeway leaves SoCal father hospitalized The initial caller, identified as the bank manager, told the dispatcher that a man entered the bank and told him that if he didn’t help him right then, that he would “pick up a murder case.” Due to this interaction, the bank manager called the police fearing for his safety, authorities said.Officers responded to the Wells Fargo branch and handcuffed the suspect, who identified himself as Forrest Perry, without incident. Responding officers detaining Forrest Perry on Dec. 5, 2023. (LAPD)Perry had a backpack and appeared...

Authorities find 40 stolen iPhones dumped on East L.A. freeway

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

Authorities discovered 40 stolen iPhones that were found dumped on an East Los Angeles freeway Thursday.The cell phones were found on the shoulder of an off-ramp by a California Highway Patrol officer who was cruising the area.While investigating, officers discovered several owners of the phones had attended the “Countdown New Year's Invasion” event in San Bernardino.Officers found 40 stolen iPhones dumped near a freeway off-ramp in East Los Angeles on Jan. 4, 2024. (California Highway Patrol)Officers found 40 stolen iPhones dumped near a freeway off-ramp in East Los Angeles on Jan. 4, 2024. (California Highway Patrol)Photos of the discovery showed a large pile of iPhones ranging from different models and colors discarded among bushes and greenery.Several owners were able to track their phones to the CHP office and were able to retrieve their devices, officials said.“If you attended the event and feel we may have your phone, ping your phone,” said CHP.  Road rage shooting on 5 Fre...

Actor Ian Ziering Involved In Altercation With Mini Bike Gang

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

A multi-person brawl broke out in Los Angeles Sunday, involving actor Ian Ziering, 59, and a group of motorists in mini bikes.Ziering, best known for his role as Steve Sanders in the 1990s series Beverly Hills 90210, was named as the victim by LAPD and the alleged suspects being sought for battery.“Yesterday, I experienced an alarming incident involving a group of individuals on mini bikes,” Ziering said in a statement on social media. “While stuck in traffic, my car was approached aggressively by one of these riders, leading to an unsettling confrontation. In an attempt to assess any damage, I exited my car. This action, unfortunately, escalated into a physical altercation, which I navigated to protect myself.”Los Angeles – Ian Ziering. This is the event that sparked the brutal mob attack pic.twitter.com/NAZDRL7FPF— RonEnglish (@RonEng1ish) January 1, 2024Video surfaced of a portion of the incident and while not clear what led to the altercation, Ziering said his car was hit...

Mask Mandate Reinstated For Los Angeles Medical Facilities

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

With increased respiratory illnesses, Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health will now require visitors, patients and personnel to wear masks.The mandate comes as Los Angeles County has gradually seen cases of COVID-19 dip into the “medium” threshold of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) metrics. L.A. Public Health officials recorded an average of 10.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 L.A. residents, so they believed additional measures needed to be taken in healthcare settings.“During December 2023, the rate of new COVID-19 Hospital Admissions has steadily increased toward the CDC’s Medium Level,” the L.A. County order said. “For the previous 8 months, COVID-19 hospital admissions remained at the CDC’s Low Level. This current increase indicates a higher impact of serious illness from COVID-19 on the community.”In its most recent COVID-19 update, posted on Jan. 4, L.A. Public Health reported an average of 542 positive cases throughout the county, with 3.4 deaths daily....

Flash Mob Of Hundreds Causes Del Amo Fashion Center Shutdown

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance saw a heavy police presence after hundreds of juveniles allegedly created a theft flash mob on Dec. 30.A total of five minors were arrested and it is believed they all gathered after a social media call to loot stores in the mall.“We have entered a very sad state when youth visit our community and cause harm and havoc,” Torrance Mayor George K. Chen said in a statement. “Crimes committed by youth or adults that are pre-planned and organized to loot and destroy property are not acceptable. Our criminal justice system must address these crimes so we don’t have these events repeated without serious consequences. We can and must be better.”A group of “disruptive” juveniles were first spotted by on-foot Torrance Police officers around 4:30 p.m., after which the number of groups increased and came from multiple locations.Torrance PD said the juveniles continued to be disruptive and injured one of their officers on-scene. That is when help was called ...

The DC-area wine that isn’t made from grapes — it’s made from honey

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 06:00:22 GMT

Vineyards can be found all over the region, and all of them grow grapes and other fruits to make their wines. But it’s not the only way to make wine.An Ethiopian recipe dating back thousands of years for a wine called “tej” uses just three ingredients — water, yeast and honey. One of the few places in the U.S. making tej also operates the only tasting room in the country, and it’s just inside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.Gize Negussie operates Negus Winery with his wife. Ironically, it’s located on Vine Street just off Van Dorn Street in Alexandria.“Ethiopian honey wine, or tej fermented beverage, is made from honey, and dates back more than 3,000 years, the time of Queen of Sheba,” Negussie said. “And it’s part of Ethiopian meals, gatherings and celebrations.”It’s believed the Queen of Sheba brought tej back from a visit to King Solomon in Israel — yes, the one from the Bible.“She got a chance to try both wines, the grape wine and the honey wine, and ...