🌱 Fatal Drug Overdoses On The Rise + Aurora Shooting Update

Happy Monday, Denverites! And Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate! Let's get you all caught up on what's happening locally to start today off on an informed note. Along with other important news, I have the latest on the angry, heartbroken community of Aurora, which is trying to come to grips with the latest shooting of local teens.

First, today's weather:

You can expect a partly sunny sky and warm weather, with a high of 70 and a low of 40.

Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. Multiple teenagers were shot again in Aurora, for the third time in the past two weeks. All are expected to survive. The level of violence the city is facing is staggering — a violence prevention specialist told 9News, "I don't know how much longer I can do this." (9News)
2. More Americans are dying from drug overdoses than ever before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were an estimated 100,306 fatal overdoses in our country over the 12 months through April 2021. In Colorado, drug overdose deaths are rising at a faster pace than they are nationwide. (24/7 Wall St.)
3. Just as high school seniors are starting to apply for federal financial aid for college next year, nationwide figures that show applications are down about 3.1 percent compared with the same time last year. Colorado is seeing a 3.7 percent decrease. (Patch)
4. 'Tis the season: In a new report, Denver was ranked the worst city in the country for porch thefts. The Denver Channel has rounded up tips for keeping your packages safe. (The Denver Channel)
5. Yesterday I brought you a local good news roundup, well why not expand our horizons? Here's a good news roundup from across the country. (Patch)

From our sponsors:

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Denver Patch Notebook

• VISIT DENVER: Sugarplum fairies and toy soldiers galore, the holiday classic “The Nutcracker” returns to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. With a dazzling new production from the Colorado Ballet, this magical tale is slated to be "dreamier than ever," Visit Denver says. (Facebook)
• Denver Botanic Gardens: Behind the Scenes of Blossoms of Light: It takes year-long planning, designing, installing and de-installing to bring this event to life every holiday season. Learn some fun facts and enjoy beautiful scenes. (Facebook)
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts: The center has been celebrating the life of Stephen Sondheim by listening to its Sondheim Spotify playlist on repeat. (Facebook)
• Denver Art Museum: The Ponti restaurant—spearheaded by Jennifer Jasinski, James Beard award-winner and consulting chef, along with chef de cuisine Ben Love—is now open at the Denver Art Museum. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow for another update! If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow along. 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 reach me at amber.fisher@patch.com.