🌱CO Omicron Case: What To Know + Should You Adjust Travel Plans?

Hey, Denver! Let's get you started this Friday with everything you need to know going on today in Denver — and of course the No. 1 news is about Colorado's first omicron variant case. Our top two stories have all the latest news about the variant.

First, today's weather:

Another mild day with plenty of sunshine is in store: High: 61 Low: 35.

Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. An Arapahoe County resident tested positive for the new omicron variant after she traveled to Southern Africa, public health officials said. Contact tracers are reaching out to everyone she may have had contact with last week at Denver International Airport. Best way to prepare for new variants: Get your booster, public health officials say. (Patch)
2. Should you adjust your holiday travel plans over the spread of the omicron variant? Fox 31 interviews aviation experts, who say you'll have to make your decision based on factors such as whether you have health conditions, and whether you're comfortable being exposed to many people. (FOX31 Denver)
3. Most of metro Denver has moved from 'severe' to 'extreme' drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. That means there's an increased risk for fires that spread rapidly, and the high country isn't getting snowpack. Our city has gone more than 200 days without measurable snow. (Denver Patch)
4. A man was arrested in connection with four sexual assaults and a kidnapping that happened in late November in Denver, 9News reports. He forced and lured women into his car, police said. (9News.com KUSA)
5. Planterra Foods is opening a manufacturing plant next week in Denver, the company announced. The plant-based protein start-up is employing around 200 people in a range of positions, Planterra said. (Denver Patch)

Today's Denver Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Denver!

Today in metro Denver:

• First Friday Art Walk - Art District on Santa Fe (5:30 p.m.)
• Student Created Show - John F. Kennedy (6:00 PM)
• Classical Guitar Concert - Denver School of the Arts HS (7 p.m.)
• Comedy Underground with Luke Gaston (8 p.m.)
• Rick Lewis Project at Buffalo Rose in Golden (8 p.m.)
• David Gborie (MTV, Showtime) at Denver Comedy Underground (8 p.m.)

Denver Patch Notebook

• City and County of Denver Government: "Denver International Airport handles a massive amount of luggage every year. What do they do when travelers leave their empty bags behind? At the Ministry Outreach Center, the abandoned pieces of luggage get a new purpose..." (Facebook)
• Downtown Denver Partnership: "Mark your calendar for LoDo Gives Back: December 5th! Join Market Station, Denver Union Station, Dairy Block, and McGregor Square for a joyful community celebration designed to bring families and individuals together ..." (Facebook)
• Denver Public Schools: "Congratulations to our new and returning Denver Board of Education Members who were sworn in on Tuesday night – Xóchitl “Sochi” Gaytán, Carrie A. Olson, Michelle Quattlebaum and Scott Esserman." (Facebook)
• Denver Broncos Community Development: "“You don’t have to let your heart slow you down.” Several heart surgeries later, Denver Broncos Jonathon Cooper is proving just that. Orange heart #MyCauseMyCleats" (Facebook)
• Denver Preschool Program: "Learning cooperation skills at a young age can help your child balance their own needs and wants with the wants and needs of others around them..." (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! See you all tomorrow morning for your next update. If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read 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? I'm all ears. You can email me at amber.fisher@patch.com.