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Apple Blossom will close after two years in downtown Denver hotel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

When siblings Paul and Aileen Reilly debuted a new restaurant inside the Grand Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver hotel two years ago, it felt like a real win for the fans of their old Uptown farm-to-table spot Beast + Bottle.Beast + Bottle, which highlighted seasonal Colorado ingredients, had closed its doors in June 2021, but Apple Blossom, at 822 18th St., was a way for the Reillys to carry on its legacy.Goodbyes are never easy, especially a second time around. The sibling duo announced on Tuesday that they have decided to close their hotel restaurant on Friday, Dec. 8.“The Beast + Bottle Group is working with the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver team to pass on the beautiful restaurant space to hotel operators, who will transition it to a new, more casual dining concept for hotel guests,” the owners wrote on Instagram.They didn’t reveal the name of the upcoming restaurant, however, which won’t be affiliated with the Beast + Bottle Group.Related ArticlesRestaurant...

Colorado legend Darian Hagan leaving Buffs to coach at San Diego State

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

Assistant coach Darian Hagan during the University of Colorado Boulder Spring football game on April 23, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)Colorado Buffaloes legend Darian Hagan is leaving Boulder.According to BuffZone sources, Hagan has accepted an offer to coach running backs at San Diego State, joining the staff of former Buffs offensive coordinator Sean Lewis.Hagan, who quarterbacked the Buffs to their only national title in 1990, has coached running backs at CU for 12 years in two different stints, from 2006-10 and from 2016-22.When CU hired head coach Deion Sanders a year ago, Hagan was the only assistant coach retained, but not as a coach. He moved into an ambassador role under Sanders, but has desired to get back on the field in a coaching capacity. He will now have that opportunity with Lewis, who was the Buffs’ offensive coordinator this past year and was hired as San Diego State’s head coach last week.Hagan, 53, is a native of the Los Angeles area and will have an...

6 Ways to Improve Your Website’s Google Ranking

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

Google gets approximately 99,000 search queries every second, resulting in about 8.5 billion searches daily and roughly 2 trillion global searches annually!As such, Google commands 92% of the mobile search engine market share worldwide, along with 72% of the desktop market.All those zeroes are also why it’s critical to have a website that can compete — the first five organic results on a search page get 67.60% of all clicks, and the next five account for only 3.73%. It’s all downhill from there.To get web traffic, you need to be near the top — and that starts with search engine optimization (SEO).What is SEO?The higher you rank in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) for your target keywords, the more people will visit your website or webpage. That’s where SEO comes in.The goal of SEO is to increase the quantity of organic (non-paid) traffic your website content receives from search engines.On-page SEO factors like content, tags, internal links, and e...

Erie police chief addresses internal investigation, firing of four sergeants and one officer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

The Erie Police Department has announced four sergeants and one officer have been fired following an internal investigation that confirmed misconduct within the department.According to a Dec. 4 release, an Oct. 10 internal complaint led to the investigation. Chief Lee Mathis said the misconduct was not criminal and did not involve any member of the public.“I recently became aware of incidents involving misconduct by some members of our department while on duty,” Mathis said in the release. “This misconduct was not criminal in nature, however, it did not reflect the values of our department and could have been damaging to our work environment.”Mathis said in the release that the department still has adequate staffing to respond to calls for service and will be moving to fill vacant positions as soon as possible.The Erie Police Department did not immediately respond to request for comment. In the release, the department said no further information will be provi...

Lake Estes drained for dam maintenance and tunnel inspections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

On Monday, Nov. 27, the Bureau of Reclamation started the process of draining water from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project (C-BT) tunnels and reservoirs in preparation for safety inspections and maintenance work.The temporary drawdown reduced levels in Lake Estes from its typical level of 7,472 feet in elevation. The reduced levels also affect Marys Lake.“Every five years, an upper C-BT water conveyance inspection must be completed,” said Ronnie Rogers, Power Plant Supervisor for the Estes Park and Marys Lake power plants. “Engineers come down from Montana and Denver to evaluate and inspect concrete every five years. They check to make sure the condition of the pipes is up to standard.”In addition to the inspections, seal replacements will be performed on the radial gate on Olympus DamAccording to Rogers, the process to prepare the system and reduce the water levels so inspectors can safely walk the tunnels takes about a week. Starting with shutting off West Portal in Grand Lake, th...

COVID fraudster stole $2.8M, gets 3.5 years in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

A Riverside County woman was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for scamming more than $2.8 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits.Sasha Lizette Jimenez, 26, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and will have to pay $2.3 million in restitution, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a press release.She pleaded guilty in May to a count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud after she "admitted that she fraudulently obtained UI benefits from the EDD, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits intended for individuals who were unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic," the release said.Jimenez and her confederates stole identities from people who were dead, lived outside California or were otherwise ineligible for those benefits.While $2.8 million was issued to these fake beneficiaries, Jimenez withdrew about $2.3 million, resulting in the restitution amount she must repay, prosecutors said.Jimenez also participated in a separate check fraud scam wit...

Gloria Barajas and Brenda Quinonez Fatally Injured in DUI Crash on Road 56 [Tulare County, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

43-Year-Old Man Arrested after Fatal Head-On Collision near Avenue 430TULARE COUNTY, CA (December 5, 2023) – Gloria Barajas and Brenda Quinonez were pronounced dead Sunday night after a DUI collision on Road 56 and Avenue 430. The incident occurred around 6:00 p.m., near Reedley.According to reports, the southbound driver of a Ford pickup truck drifted into oncoming lanes, resulting in a head-on collision with a northbound Nissan Rogue SUV. Medics later pronounced the occupants of the Nissan, identified as 55-year-old Barajas and 35-year-old Quinonez, dead at the scene.Simultaneously, two other family members were urgently transported to Community Regional Medical Center. The 43-year-old Ford driver, Blake Benham of Dinuba, was apprehended by paramedics and faces charges of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter.The team at Sweet James offers their warm and sincerest sympathies to the friends and families of Gloria Barajas and Brenda Quinonez. May you find comfort and strength ...

George Pitman Hospitalized after Hit-and-Run on Highway 46 East [San Luis Obispo, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

33-Year-Old Bolinas Man Injured in Truck Vs Cargo Van Crash on Highway 46SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (December 5, 2023) – Friday morning, a hit-and-run collision on Highway 46 East sent George Pitman to a hospital for serious injuries.The crash was reported around 5:10 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the highway near the Shandon Rest area.According to CHP, an eastbound 2018 Nissan 2500NV transit van collided with a tractor-trailer pulling out of the area.Reports said the truck driver did not stop and continued traveling westbound on Highway 46.Responding medical personnel airlifted the Nissan driver to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in critical condition. The van driver was later identified as 33-year-old George Pitman of Bolinas.Additionally, a portion of the highway was temporarily shut down to allow for cleanup and preliminary duties.At this time, officials are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact the San Luis Obispo CHP at 805-593-3333.Thousands of people are inju...

Zach Muckleroy, Judson Muckleroy, Lindsay Muckleroy Killed in 3-Vehicle Accident on Highway 281 [Forth Worth, TX]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

Muckleroy & Falls Construction CEO, Two Children Killed in Three-Vehicle Accident near Johnson CityFORTH WORTH, TX (December 5, 2023) – Wednesday, a three-vehicle accident claimed the lives of Zach Muckleroy, Judson Muckleroy, and Lindsay Muckleroy. The incident unfolded around 6:40 p.m. on November 22nd, on Highway 281 near Johnson City.Responding authorities reported that the collision involved a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, a Chevrolet SUV driven by Lauren Muckleroy, carrying 44-year-old Zach, 12-year-old Judson, and 9-year-old Lindsay, and a Nissan Versa car.According to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s findings, the Toyota, initially traveling northbound, crossed into the southbound lanes, resulting in a head-on collision with the Chevy. Additionally, the southbound Nissan collided with the Chevy, causing it to overturn. Zach, Judson, and Lindsay succumbed to their injuries at the scene.The Toyota’s driver was transported to the hospital but later pa...

With 32nd tie-breaker, VP Harris breaks nearly 200-year-old record

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:25 GMT

By Chris Megerian and Lisa Mascaro | Associated PressWASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris broke a nearly 200-year-old record for casting the most tiebreaking votes in the Senate when she voted Tuesday to confirm a new federal judge in Washington, D.C.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called Harris’ 32nd tiebreaking vote a “great milestone.”Related ArticlesNational Politics | Mathews: Come home, Kamala Harris, and run for governor National Politics | VP Harris heads to Dubai with challenging tasks ahead National Politics | I-10 reopens in Los Angeles in time for Monday commute The previous recordholder was John C. Calhoun, who cast 31 tiebreaking votes during his eight years as vice president, from 1825 to 1832. Harris, a Democrat, tied Calhoun’s record in July.Casting tiebreaker votes is among the only constitutional duties for vice presidents, and Harris has been repeatedly called ...