🌱 Cherry Creek Crime + Median Home Prices Down + Centura Health Split

Hello again, hello! It's me, Brad K. Evans, your host of the Denver Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today. Today you'll learn about...

• Denver ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. for both auto theft and property crime.
• Centura Health will split into two separate companies.
• Median home prices in metro Denver are finally trending downward.

Thursday's weather: Mostly sunny and cold. High: 33 Low: 16.

Are you a business owner or marketer in Denver who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. In Denver's upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood, there has been a surge in property theft. Be vigilant about your car if you find yourself visiting Denver's Cherry Creek neighborhood. The area, usually regarded as one of the city's safest neighborhoods, has experienced a surge in criminal activity. Denver's crime problem has unexpectedly spread to unlikely areas, with car theft becoming more hazardous. (Axios)
2. After two years of growth, median home prices in metro Denver are finally trending downward. The median selling price of a home in the Denver metro area has finally decreased– albeit only slightly. In January 2023, the median sale price was $569,804, which is 1.4 percent lower than the previous year. The city of Denver saw a slight increase of 2.6 percent in median home prices in January, compared to the previous year. (CO Sun)
3. Colorado legislators are aiming to impose stricter regulations on out-of-state internet-based car dealerships, including Carvana. The Colorado state legislature has passed Senate Bill 23-019, which aims to address the "systematic issues" identified by state regulators with out-of-state online car retailers such as Carvana. The bill now heads its way to Governor Jared Polis's desk for approval. (7News)
4. After 27 years, Centura Health will split into two separate companies. Since their merger in 1996, Centura Health, which was composed of CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth, will be splitting into two separate companies. The two hospital operators have jointly decided that they can better serve their communities independently. (CBS4)
5. Denver ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. for both auto theft and property crime. Denver's crime rate has been increasing, in contrast to the statewide crime rate, and has continued to do so since the onset of the pandemic. The report by the Common Sense Institute suggests that Denver's crime situation is specific to the city itself, rather than reflecting a broader trend of rising crime across the state. (FOX 31)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Denver Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Denver Patch newsletter possible.

Today in Denver:

• Book Group: "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist and Our Lives Revealed" by Lori Gottlieb. (9 a.m.)
• Baby Time: Wheat Ridge Library (10:15 a.m.)
• Jackie Kashian: At Comedy Works. (7:30 p.m.)
• Things to do for free in Denver: This week (Westword)

From my notebook:

• Did you know that several Denver area hotels have museum-auality art collections? (Westword)
• RedLine Contemporary Art Center is celebrating its 15th Anniversary with a breakthrough exhibition. (303)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Discount Dumpster — (Visit website)
• The Better Mattress — (Visit Website)
• Improovy Painters Denver — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (Feb. 20)
• Estate Planning Webinar on February 20th & 22nd (Feb. 20)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (Feb. 21)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (Feb. 22)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (Feb. 23)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! See you tomorrow morning for your next update. — Brad K. Evans

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Denver Patch newsletter? Contact me at denverdaily@yahoo.com