🌱 Big Changes For South Platte Corridor + Union Station Mayhem

Up and at 'em, Denver! It's Saturday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on today in Denver. I have some big news about the South Platte River Corridor, the latest on crime at Union Station, an update on the Boulder King Soopers shooting and more on the omicron variant in our state.

First, today's weather:

Another mild day with plenty of sunshine. High: 67 Low: 44.

Here are the top stories in Denver today:

1. Around $550 million is being invested in the South Platte River Corridor, city leaders and stakeholders announced Thursday. The project is set to fix flood risk, add 100 acres of new wetland habitat and connect with 190 acres of existing habitat so birds and fish can thrive. (9News.com KUSA)
2. "There's significant risks to the public right now" at Union Station, a security guard told CBS. The transit hub has been taken over by crime and drugs, he and other workers say. More than 70 crimes were reported at the station in November, crime maps show. (CBS Denver)
3. The man accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder King Soopers store has again been deemed incompetent to stand trial. When reporters asked Boulder County DA Michael Dougherty about whether he thinks that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa could be "faking" his incompetency, Dougherty explained that the doctors who conducted the evaluations are experts, and that he has full faith that Alissa will be back in court once he's treated and medicated.
4. Another Coloradan who traveled to Southern Africa has tested positive for the omicron variant. The case was detected in Boulder County, and contact tracers are notifying close contacts, officials said.
5. Holiday nerds unite! Westword has rounded up every holiday pop-up bar in our city. (Westword)

Today in Denver:

• YouthBiz Holiday Marketplace (10 a.m.)
• Iliff arc Thrift Stores Santa Visit - Arc Thrift Store (10 a.m.)
• Denver SantaCon Crawl (1 p.m.)
• Chamber Music Concert - Denver School of the Arts HS (3 p.m.)
• Opening Reception - CO Photographic Arts Center (5 p.m.)

Denver Patch Notebook

• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: "Congratulations to the Earth Sciences Department for being awarded a BLM grant to prepare, conserve, and curate specimens collected from BLM Utah lands by DMNS curators over the past two decades." (Facebook)
• Denver Botanic Gardens: "December EcoQuest Challenge: Blooming BioBlitz - Have you noticed plants blooming now that are normally dormant? Out-of-season blooming has been noted along the Front Range with plants that normally bloom in the spring reblooming ..." (Facebook)
• Denver Art Museum: "Did you know that the Denver Art Museum is now open late on Tuesdays until 9pm? Plan a date night, family outing or solo excursion to the DAM and get inspired by art from around the world." (Facebook)
• City and County of Denver Government: "Safe Outdoor Spaces are safe, clean, and healthy. They make a positive impact on the people they serve with minimal impact to the surrounding neighborhood. The first Safe Outdoor Space on city-owned land is opening soon." (Facebook)
• VISIT DENVER: "Bundle up for Colorado’s brightest holiday tradition! 9News’ Parade of Lights returns with 40 extravagantly illuminated floats, magnificent marching bands, and more." (Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update. If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider bringing some of your friends and neighbors into the fold. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Amber Fisher

About me: I'm a Patch editor covering news in Denver's metro area and Boulder. I've spent the past nine years working for various news outlets across North America, including Chicago Patch, Global News and WBEZ. I've covered high-profile court cases, civil rights abuses, mass shootings, natural disasters and major crimes — but also countless happy news stories about kindness, innovation and resilience. When I'm not writing articles, I can be found hiking, snowboarding, debating politics with my husband and attempting to be a sci-fi and astronomy geek.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Denver Daily? You can email me at amber.fisher@patch.com.