Venus, Moon Offer Early-bird Skywatching Treat

Westminster officers are investigating a fatal Wednesday night shooting near Orchard Town Center that left one man dead, the police department said. The man was shot to death in the doorway of his Westminster home in the 147000 block of Orchard Parkway around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from the police department. Another man fled on foot from the crime scene, but investigators had not identified or found him as of Thursday morning, police said.

State transportation operators this week scanned nearly 50 screens showing vehicles crawling along highways like bugs — bracing for a holiday surge over the next three weeks that almost certainly will bring out drivers who can’t handle mountain winter conditions. The Colorado Department of Transportation increasingly focuses on traffic flow, and surveillance capacity at its Golden operations center has doubled in recent years, with links to more cameras installed along highways statewide. Crews at CDOT’s center can also connect by phone with drivers inside nearly 900 snowplows.

Xcel Energy is proposing to spend about $5 billion over the next five years to make sure the system that delivers power to homes and businesses can handle a growing demand for electric vehicles, rooftop solar and goals for moving from fossil fuels. Xcel released its new distribution system plan this week.

The Denver City Council’s members will join elected leaders in neighboring Lakewood early next year in deciding if they want to significantly clamp down on where new gas stations can be built within the borders of their respective cities. The Denver Planning Board voted 5-0 on Wednesday to recommend a proposed package of new restrictions on gas stations to the council.

Seize the opportunity to get a head start on your resolutions instead of attending a traditional New Year’s Eve party. You could indulge in a soothing beer therapy bath, learn a new skill, or give back to your community. A relaxing beer bath Oakwell Beer Spa offers Beer Therapy & Bubbles on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Over the last five years, Larimer County in northern Colorado has seen what appears to be a steady, sustained drop in its suicide rate — a potentially significant breakthrough in a state that consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally for its high rate. How the county got there was a decade-long affair in which local officials, nonprofits, private businesses and law enforcement rallied around suicide prevention, Larimer County advocates said.