Police Vaccine Pushback + Denver Faces Drought + Fall Farm Guide

Morning, fellow Denverites! It's Friday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on in Denver today. We have the latest drought conditions, vaccine updates and a local pumpkin farm guide.

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Denver? Our premium local sponsorships will keep you at the top of inboxes around town every morning. Contact us here for the lowdown.

First, today's weather:

Clear throughout the day. High: 81 Low: 55. Pollution levels are expected to be in the 'good' to 'moderate' range.

Here are the top stories today in Denver:

1. The deadline for Denver city employees getting their coronavirus vaccines is closing in, and new data shows the percentage of Denver Sheriff Department deputies and Denver police officers who have presented proof of vaccination. It turns out, law enforcement is well below the number for other city employees and is far below the vaccination levels among the rest of Denverites. (CBS/Patch)
2. Drought has spread from western Colorado across much of Denver's metro area, according to a monitor released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Rainfall kept Denver's metro area drought-free throughout the summer, but recent dry conditions have increased, weather officials said. (Denver Patch)
3. Some upcoming conventions and meetings have been canceled in our city over concerns about the rapid spread of the delta variant, Visit Denver confirmed. Convention sales and services bring a lot of money into our city, so officials say they hope organizations and groups will come back in 2022.
4. One important group hasn't canceled its event in Denver — the High Plains Comedy Festival has returned this year, and it's bringing some much-needed laughter into our city. (Westword)
5. Wait, what?! It's nearly fall already? Yup. And here's the local pumpkin patch farm guide to prove it. Mid-September can be a great time to pick up pumpkins before the October rush. Plus, many pumpkin patches offer free hayrides, corn mazes and games for kids. (Patch)

Today's Denver Daily is brought to you 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:

• Meow Wolf's 'Convergence Station' officially opens. (10 a.m.)
• WCEats: Mondo Market - Westerly Creek. (12 p.m.)
• Movie Night | SING! - Brown International Academy. (6:30 p.m.)
• Christopher Titus performs at Comedy Works. (7 p.m.)

Denver Patch Notebook

• Denver Public Schools: "Today, DPS Board of Education is releasing the findings of the Investigations Law Group (ILG) independent investigation into the allegations made public against Board Director Tay Anderson earlier this year. Read the report." (Facebook)
• Visit Denver: "We’re turning up the tunes with Kaytranada and Young the Giant at the Denver Westword Music Showcase. See you there?" (Facebook)
• Denver Botanic Gardens: "Native to East Asia, maiden grass Miscanthus sinensis produces silvery tussles in late August, which gives us a hint that the end of summer is coming, soon to be followed by the arrival of fall." (Facebook)
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts: "Yesterday the casts of Hamilton, The Lion King and WICKED joined together to celebrate their return to Broadway with a special performance." (Facebook)
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: "Take a look at these gold ear spools from the Anthropology Collection. Ear ornaments such as these were worn by Calima culture elite in ancient Colombia to show power and social status." (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Add your business here

Events:

• Movies Around Town: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Sept. 18)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update! If you're enjoying 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.