Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 6

Peace deal underway: Hostages freed, prisoners released

CAIRO/JERUSALEM • Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday under a ceasefire deal and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees, as U.S. President Donald Trump declared the end of the two-year long war that has upended the broader Middle East.

Hours later, Trump convened Muslim and European leaders in Egypt to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip and the possibility of a wider regional peace, even as Hamas and Israel, both absent from the gathering, are yet to agree on the next steps.

The Israeli military said it had received all 20 hostages confirmed to be alive after their transfer from Gaza by the Red Cross. The announcement prompted cheering, hugging and weeping among thousands waiting at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv.

In Gaza, thousands of relatives, many weeping with joy, gathered at a hospital where buses brought home some of the nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees to be freed by Israel as part of the accord.

“The skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace,” Trump told the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, saying a “long nightmare” for both Israelis and Palestinians was over. 

The U.S., along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

Trump at one point during the summit greeted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who spoke to the U.S. leader at length. The Palestinian Authority wants to play a significant role in the future administration of Gaza, despite objections from Israel.

The Israeli hostages freed on Monday were the last still alive in captivity from 251 seized in the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, when the group killed 1,200 people and triggered the war. 

Freed Israeli hostage Avinatan Or gestures from a van as he arrives at Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel, after he was released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Stripl, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

The ceasefire and partial Israeli withdrawal agreed last week halted one of Israel’s biggest offensives of the war, an all-out assault on Gaza City.

Since then, huge numbers of Palestinians have returned to the ruins of homes in the Gaza Strip, swathes of which were reduced to a wasteland by Israeli bombardment that killed 68,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.

Formidable obstacles remain, even to securing an enduring ceasefire, much less to bringing a wider, more durable peace. Among the immediate issues still to be resolved: recovering the remains of another 26 Israeli hostages believed to have died and two whose fates are unknown.

People react as they watch a live broadcast of Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Hamas said recovering the bodies could take time, as not all burial sites are known. Israel’s military said it had escorted four coffins containing the remains of deceased hostages to Israel and that those remains were being identified.

Aid supplies must be rushed into the enclave. U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher underlined the need to “get shelter and fuel to people who desperately need it and to massively scale up the food and medicine and other supplies going in.”

Beyond that, crucial issues have yet to be resolved, including how to govern and police Gaza, and the ultimate future of Hamas, which still rejects Israel’s demands to disarm. 

Hamas gunmen, seeking to assert their presence, launched a security crackdown in Gaza City after Israel’s pullback, killing 32 members of a rival group, a Palestinian security source said.

People wave Israeli flags and spray foam in celebration after the arrival of freed hostages at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel, following their release from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Tensions have also been rising in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Jewish settlements have expanded in land Palestinians envision as part of a future state.

Trump, speaking on his flight to the region, said Hamas had been given a temporary green light for fighters to keep order: “They do want to stop the problems, and they’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time.”

The Gaza War has reshaped the Middle East through spillover conflicts, with Israel imposing punishing damage in a 12-day war against Iran and campaigns against Tehran’s regional allies, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis.

Trump, who has presented his plan to end the war in Gaza as the catalyst for a wide regional peace settlement, said more countries would join the Abraham Accords initiative and even floated the idea of a peace deal between arch Middle East enemies Iran and Israel, telling the Knesset he thought Iran wanted one: “Wouldn’t it be nice?”

Joy and relief on both sides

Beaming with relief and joy, two released hostages waved to cheering crowds from vans on the way to an Israeli hospital, one hoisting a large Israeli flag then forming a heart with his hands. 

People greet freed Palestinian prisoners as they arrive in the Gaza Strip after their release from Israeli jails following a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Video footage captured emotional scenes of families receiving phone messages from their loved ones as they were being released, their faces lighting up with disbelief and hope after months of anguish. 

“I am so excited. I am full of happiness. It’s hard to imagine how I feel this moment. I didn’t sleep all night,” said Viki Cohen, mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, as she travelled to Reim, an Israeli military camp where hostages were being transferred.

Palestinians meanwhile rushed to embrace prisoners freed by Israel. Several thousand gathered inside and around Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, some waving Palestinian flags, others holding photos of their relatives.

“I am happy for our sons who are being freed, but we are still in pain for all those who have been killed by the occupation, and all the destruction that happened to our Gaza,” a Gaza woman, Um Ahmed, told Reuters in voice message.

Freed prisoners arrived in buses, some of them posing from the windows, flashing V-for-Victory signs. The appearance of armed and masked Hamas fighters at the scene underscored the difficulty of resolving Israel’s demand that they disarm. 

Israel was due to release 1,700 detainees it captured in Gaza, as well as 250 prisoners from its jails convicted or suspected of security offences, including attacks on Israelis.

People gather to greet freed Palestinian prisoners arriving on buses in the Gaza Strip after their release from Israeli jails under a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Denver’s $1 billion bond campaign faces ethics complaint

A group that is seeking to push back on government debt argued that big dollars are rolling in from funders supporting Mayor Mike Johnston’s $1 billion debt package and alleged some of those contributions may be legally prohibited.

The group said the contributors included entities that receive taxpayer funding, questioning whether public money is going to the campaign that seeks to persuade voters to support the borrowing package.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is asking residents to let the city take on nearly $1 billion in new debt as part of his “Vibrant Denver” bond initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot.

City officials have framed the bond as a “much-needed” investment in the city’s future, aimed at repairing and improving infrastructure and community spaces, including roads, bridges, parks, playgrounds, recreation centers and libraries.

On Thursday, Jason Bailey, filed an ethics complaint with both the Colorado Secretary of State and the Denver Elections Division, asserting the Vibrant Denver Bond Campaign, which supports passage of all five ballot measures tied to the bond, is “receiving public tax money while advocating for a YES vote.” 

Specifically, Bailey cited contributions made from some of the city’s most prominent arts and cultural organizations that use public tax money from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SFCD). 

This Denver-area tax district funds local arts and science organizations through a 0.1% sales and use tax.

“When that money’s coming into an organization, you can divide that up any way you want,” Bailey told the Denver Gazette on Monday. “You can say, ‘Hey, bucket A is tax money from SCFD, and bucket B is ticket sales, and bucket C is donor receipts.”

FILE PHOTO | Vibrant Denver is Mayor Mike Johnston’s proposed $1 billion long-term debt plan to repair the city’s infrastructure and community spaces.

However, Bailey said, when the money is coming in, that’s one thing, “but when it’s going out, that’s a different story.”

“You can’t make an external gift and then say, ‘Well, this is how we’re going to classify the external gift.’” He said. “I just don’t buy that at all when it’s going out. It has to be proportionally divided according to the income coming in.”

According to SearchLight, the city’s online campaign finance dashboard, the top donors supporting the Vibrant Denver Bond package included the following:

Philanthropist and Mizel Museum founder Larry Mizel: $65,000Visit Denver: $50,000Colorado Museum of Natural History: $50,000Heart of Denver: $50,000Denver Zoological Foundation: $50,000Denver Center for the Performing Arts: $50,000Denver Botanic Gardens: $50,000Denver Art Museum: $40,000

The Colorado Museum of Natural History, the Denver Zoological Foundation, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Art Museum are each listed on the SCFD website as Tier I organizations, which receive 64% of the SCFD funds.

The Denver Gazette reached out to some of the identified donors but has yet to receive a response, likely due to the city holiday on Monday.

According to the statewide campaign finance law known as the Fair Campaign Practices Act, public tax dollars may not be used to campaign for or against a bond initiative. 

However, public funds may be used to provide neutral, factual information to voters.

Both the Denver Elections Office and the Secretary of State’s Office have acknowledged receipt of the ethics complaint.

The Denver City Council voted unanimously less than three months ago to put the borrowing plan on the ballot, which will ask voters for authorization to issue general obligation bonds of up to $950 million.

Citing economic uncertainty, the city’s Department of Finance has recommended that the bond not exceed $950 million.

Depending on the terms, such as the number of years to pay for the borrowed dollars, and how the debt is structured, Johnston’s bond could eventually cost the city’s taxpayers twice the proposed amount. 

City officials said they have no intention of extending the bond beyond six years. They also said they are being cautious to maintain Denver’s AAA bond rating, which keeps the cost of borrowing money low.

The maximum total cost for this bond is $1.897 billion, Laura Swartz, communications director for Denver’s Department of Finance, told The Denver Gazette on July 29.

“This total comes from the ballot questions that people will vote on in November, and the city cannot exceed it,” she said, noting “a more likely scenario based on our debt structure and low cost of borrowing is about $1.4 billion.”

Trump urges leaders to put ‘old feuds’ aside as he calls for a new era of harmony in the Middle East

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt • President Donald Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East on Monday during a global summit on Gaza’s future, as he sought to advance broader peace in the region after visiting Israel to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

“We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,” Trump said, urging leaders “to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.”

The whirlwind trip, which included the summit in Egypt and a speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day, comes at a fragile moment of hope for ending two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said, alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

Nearly three dozen countries, including some from Europe and the Middle East, were represented at the summit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday.

Trump, el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a document that Trump said would lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future. A copy was not immediately made public.

Trump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony, and he expressed a sense of finality about the Israel-Hamas war in his speech at the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero.

“You’ve won,” he told Israeli lawmakers. “Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.”

“After tremendous pain and death and hardship,” he said, “now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.”

Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

Trump’s whirlwind trip

Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected.

“They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot,” Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.

Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took roughly 250 hostage. Trump talked with some of their families at the Knesset.

“Your name will be remembered to generations,” a woman told him.

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said, “Trump, The Peace President.”

Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

Trump pushes to reshape the region

The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One.

“I think people are tired of it,” he said, emphasizing that he believes the ceasefire would hold because of that.

He said the chance of peace has been enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The White House said momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect.

“I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.”

But he said he hopes to one day visit the territory.

“I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,” he said.

The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the territory’s roughly two million residents struggle under desperate conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players.

PHOTOS: Nederland grocery store reopens during fire investigation

Zach Shepard, Assistant Store Manager at B&F Mountain Market in Nederland, shops on his day off on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. The store reopened Monday after remaining closed through the weekend while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ national response team investigates a fire that destroyed the Caribou Village Shopping Center last Thursday. “This is the only grocery store within a 20-30 mile radius” Shepard said, emphasizing the importance of the store to remain open.

(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

Nederland, and area, residents welcomed the news that the town’s only grocery store reopened after a fire last week gutted the Caribou Village Shopping Center and 18 businesses.

“Nederland is a resilient community”, said Andrew Dewitt, chair of the Nederland Downtown Development Authority, as he talked with reporters in the produce aisle of B&F Mountain Market on Monday.

Outside the store, members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives national response team continued investigation of the devastating fire.

B&F Mountain Market, which shares a parking lot with the shopping center, reopened on Monday, just days after the fire. Only a handful of parking spaces were available for the grocery store, the rest were covered in debris and investigators as cleanup begins.
“This is the largest grocery store in town,” Dewitt said, “This is the place where people do their shopping. To have this place open is important.”

Andrew Dewitt, Chair of the Nederland Downtown Development Authority, talks with reporters inside the B&F Mountain Market on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. “This is the largest grocery store in town,” Dewitt said of the store, which reopened on Monday after a fire destroyed the Caribou Village Shopping Center next door on Thursday. “This is the place where people do their shopping. To have this place open is important.” (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

Though the fire may have destroyed as much as 30% of the town’s businesses in terms of sale tax revenue, Dewitt emphasized the toll on the people of the town.

“30 percent, 40 percent, whatever it is, these people had things that can’t be replaced. That’s the real tragedy here.” Dewitt said. “I’m still in shock trying to take it in.”

Members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ national response team continue an investigation into the cause of a fire that destroyed the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland last Thursday. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

Zach Shepard, assistant store manager at B&F, came in on his day off for some groceries and to support the store. Shepard said the store’s opening was huge for the community, since it’s one of the only grocery stores in a 20-30 mile radius.

The B&F Mountain Market reopened on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, after being forced to close by a fire that destroyed the Caribou Village Shopping Center next door last Thursday.

(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

“It’s just devastating,” Shepard said, looking out at the destroyed shopping center. “They’re all mom and pop stores, there weren’t any chain stores, it’s all locally owned”

Prayer flags hang from a fence outside the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025 as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigates the cause of a fire that destroyed the shopping center last Thursday. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

Two men sentenced in killing of Wheat Ridge jewelry store owner

The two men convicted in the kidnapping and deadly shooting of a Wheat Ridge jewelry store owner stemming from a robbery in November 2023 have now both been sentenced.

On Nov. 29, 2023, two men entered Peter Damian Fine Jewelry & Antiques in Wheat Ridge, robbed the store, then kidnapped the store’s owner, Peter Arguello, 64.

After the kidnapping, the men assaulted Arguello, then one shot and killed him.

On Sept. 10, Charles Shay, who shot Arguello, was sentenced to life without parole with an additional 120 years on first-degree murder counts. Meanwhile, on Monday, co-defendant Michael James McCormack received 75 years behind bars on murder and aggravated robbery convictions, according to a First Judicial District news release on Monday.

During McCormack’s sentencing, family members of Arguello argued he gained the jewelry store owner’s trust in order to target his store, judicial district officials said.

Arguello’s family members described him as a “devoted family man, a proud small business owner, and a beloved member of the Wheat Ridge community.” officials said.

“Our 20-year-old business was destroyed in minutes,” Teresa Casillas, Arguello’s wife, said in a news release.

“Peter was the reason customers came to the store. After his murder, it was impossible to keep it open,” she said. “He was committed to working at least 10 more years because he loved his little shop and took so much pride in its treasures. Unlike most of us, going to work was fun for him.”

Casillas pointed blame to the justice system, arguing the two years it took for sentencing was too long.

“I am angry at the system that did not protect us from him,” Casillas said. “I am angry at the delays, the legal posturing, and the upcoming appeals. When do we get to grieve? We know that sentencing doesn’t bring Peter back, but it does keep this man from hurting other families.”

“Peter Arguello was an innocent victim and a beloved member of this community whose life was stolen in a senseless act of violence,” First Judicial District Chief Deputy District Attorney Chandler Grant said in the release. “These sentences bring accountability, honor the strength of his family and community, and reflect the tireless work of our law enforcement partners to ensure justice for Peter and his loved ones.”

Man pleads guilty to vehicular homicide in Golden officer’s death

The man who crashed and killed an on-duty Golden Police Department officer last year pleaded guilty to various charges Monday.

Stephen Geer, 43, who was out on a $250,000 bond, pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide and one count of vehicular assault in connection to the Nov. 6 crash that left 33-year-old Ofc. Evan Dunn dead, according to a news release from the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Dunn’s death was the first on-duty death of an officer in the history of the department.

The plea agreement dropped one felony and two misdemeanors of the five counts he was initially charged with. Geer is required to serve four to 18 years in prison, eliminating the possibility of probation. Geer could have received probation if he had taken the case to trial.

“This stipulation reflects the parties’ acknowledgment that a prison sentence is the only appropriate outcome in this case,” the district attorney’s office said.

Geer, a former Colorado School of Mines mechanical engineering professor,  allegedly crashed into a vehicle parked at another crash on Highway 58 around 5 p.m., pushing the parked vehicle into two officers and killing Dunn.

Dunn and another officer, Bethany Grusing, were pinned under the vehicle during the crash.

Dunn died on impact and Grusing sustained a cheekbone injury. The two drivers who were involved in the earlier crash were also injured. Both were thrown by the impact and one sustained a skull fracture and brain bleed, according to arrest documents.

Grusing has since returned to work with the department. 

Geer refused a blood and breathalyzer test at the scene, prosecutor Alexa Visscher said at a previous hearing, but Geer’s blood alcohol concentration came back at a .168 at the hospital, according to prosecutor Brian Domingues at another hearing.

At the previous arraignment, Geer’s lawyer, Megan Downing, said she had just received the plea deal offer from the district attorney’s office and was still taking time to discuss it with the victims. Downing also claimed Geer was planning on coming to a resolution without a jury trial.

That resolution came Monday.

Geer is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 21.

Denver-area cafe bans unsupervised teens after ‘repeated incidents’

Known for serving up food to hungry patrons for 45 years, The Apple Ridge Cafe in Wheat Ridge has recently been having problems with unsupervised teenage diners and it’s prompted some major policy changes.

Per a notification from the popular restaurant, unsupervised middle school and high school students are no longer allowed to eat inside of the establishment. Students are still allowed to place take-out orders, but must pay prior to receiving food and eat that food off-property. Students may also still eat at the restaurant if they’re accompanied by an adult.

The banning of teens not under adult supervision follow what was described by the business as “repeated incidents of disruptive behavior and theft.”

“We’ve always enjoyed being a place where young people can gather, but recent actions by a few have made it necessary to make this change,” reads a statement from The Apple Ridge Cafe. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to keep Apple Ridge Cafe a safe, respectful, and welcoming place for everyone.”

“It only takes a few to ruin it for everyone else,” reads a social media post from the restaurant. “Hopefully this can be short-lived.”

Fans of the restaurant seemed to show widespread support for the decision in online commentary related to the announcement.

“If parents would only teach boundaries and respect,” wrote one commenter, with many others who chimed in sharing that sentiment.

Man survives 300-foot plunge off of Colorado’s ‘Million Dollar Highway’

A man escaped a dangerous vehicle crash with his life in recent days, after his vehicle plunged off the side of Colorado’s ‘Million Dollar Highway.’

According to Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, the crash happened on October 9 at about 12:20 p.m. when a man’s pick-up truck traveled off the road in the area of US Highway 550’s mile markers 88 and 89. The scene of the crash is located between Ouray and Silverton along a stretch of the road where a large drop-off is present. The reason the vehicle left the road was not noted in a press release on the matter.

As seen in images published by the rescue group, it appears as if the pick-up truck landed on its roof, with the group describing the fall as a 300-foot plummet into the Uncompahgre River Gorge. Somehow, the driver sustained only minor injuries. He was the lone occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

After first responders arrived at the scene, the rescuers used a technical rope rescue to bring the driver to safety.

In recent weeks, three people have died in crashes on the same stretch of road where this accident occurred. Deaths include that of a motorcyclist who crashed on August 23, as well as two people who died in a crash on August 5. In the August 5 crash, a juvenile passenger survived.

‘Unprecedented’ flooding prompts evacuations in southwest Colorado; Polis issues disaster declaration

LA PLATA COUNTY — Flooding brought on by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Priscilla is damaging homes and prompting evacuations in southwest Colorado.

The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management Monday afternoon issued a flood warning for the county until 3 p.m. Wednesday.

A local disaster was declared in unincorporated La Plata County Saturday after hundreds of homes north of Vallecito Lake were evacuated due to flooding.

The Springs Resort and Spa as pictured Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. The San Juan River escaped its banks over the weekend, prompting evacuations in downtown Pagosa Springs. (Courtesy photo, Gwen Dunn Sherpa Real Estate)

On Sunday, Gov. Jared Polis issued a verbal disaster emergency declaration to aid response and recovery efforts after the floods, according to a release from his office.

Vallecito Creek and Grimes Creek — both of which feed into Vallecito Lake — breached their banks Saturday morning, leading to the evacuation of more than 390 homes, according to La Plata County spokesperson Sarah Jacobson. The Upper Pine River Fire Protection District reported levee breaches on the west side of Vallecito Creek earlier in the day.

Vallecito Creek and Grimes Creek have had “unprecedented” flooding with a high of 7,200 cubic feet per second captured for Vallecito Creek, Jacobson said, which is more than double what a significant spring runoff event would produce.

Downtown Pagosa Springs had to be evacuated Sunday morning, but residents were allowed to return Monday.

“The Pagosa Springs Police Department is requesting the public to use caution when accessing any parks near the river,” according to a PSPD Facebook post Monday. “It may be necessary to close these areas due to flooding.”

The San Juan River full past its normal banks as seen on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Courtesy photo, Gwen Dunn Sherpa Real Estate)

Colorado Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass closed Sunday but re-opened Monday. Authorities warned it might have to close again.

“Road closures may be necessary on Highway 160 at 1st Street and other low lying areas,” according to the PSPD post.

The Pagosa Springs Community Center is operating as an emergency shelter.

“The rivers are rising and could affect property and structures,” according to the ACSO Facebook post. “Be aware of your surroundings and rock and mud slides. A weather warning indicates a confirmed, current and present danger to this area. Take necessary safety precautions. All low lying areas near rivers and water courses are in a pre evacuation status.”

The mayor and town manager of Pagosa Springs declared a local disaster emergency that went into effect at 7:50 p.m. Saturday. It is expected to remain in effect for seven days.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, Interim La Plata County Manager Kevin Hall signed a declaration of local disaster to access additional funds and resources to tackle the floods there. Hall is recommending that the state of local disaster continue for at least seven days, according to a release from the county. The board of county commissioners will consider the recommendations on Tuesday.

The Springs Resort and Spa as pictured Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. The San Juan River escaped its banks over the weekend, prompting evacuations in downtown Pagosa Springs. (Courtesy photo, Gwen Dunn Sherpa Real Estate)

Residents of the La Plata County area can find information about evacuations here. 

“This has not happened in the 25 years I’ve worked for the county,” La Plata County spokesperson Sarah Jacobson told 9NEWS. 

According to her, 37 people were at the evacuation center. More than 100 homes have water damage, some with as much as two feet of water inside.

The floods did not damage any critical infrastructure, according to Jacobson, but a CenturyLink line shutoff caused some people east of Vallecito Lake to lose their phone service.

Drivers are asked to travel slowly and carefully due to debris and mud on the roads. People should also avoid driving into areas where water is covering the roadway.

For more on this and other stories, visit The Denver Gazette’s partner at 9News.com.

Denver area events for Oct. 13

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to  carlotta.olson@gazette.com  at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.

Monday

Downtown Denver Food Tour — 1-4 p.m., Denver, $60 and up. Registration required: deliciousdenverfoodtours.com.

Monday Movie Madness – “Monsters Inc.”: Family-friendly movies, gates open at 4:30 p.m., Infinity Park, 4890 S. Quebec St., Glendale; infinityparkatglendale.com/events.

Johnny Stimson — 7 p.m., Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver, $24 and up. Tickets: marquisdenver.com.

Acid Mothers Temple — 7 p.m., Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver, $25.14. Tickets: hi-dive.com/events.

La Paloma Presents: Songs for the Earth — 7 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events.

Cautious Clay — 8 p.m., Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $49.42. Tickets: axs.com.

Addison Rae — 8 p.m., Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver, $112 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

Skeleton Crewe — With Featuring Jay Lane, Rob Barraco, Pete Sears, 8 p.m., Cervantes’ Other Side, 2635 Welton St., Denver, $33.82. Tickets: cervantesmasterpiece.com.

Superchunk — With Case Oats, 8 p.m., Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood, $41.45-$78.20. Tickets: axs.com.

Halloween Cocktails & Witch Please Pop-Up Bar — Through Nov. 2, Wonderyard Garden + Table, 2200 Larimer St., Denver; wonderyard.com.

“Deborah Jack: The Haunting of Estuaries…an (After)Math of Confluence” — Through Feb. 15, MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St., Denver, go online for admission prices; mcadenver.org.

“Ms. Destiny” — Through March 29, Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St., Denver, go online for prices: historycolorado.org/exhibit/ms-destiny.

38th Star: Colorado Becomes the Centennial State” — Through Sept. 26, History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver, $15; historycolorado.org.

“Guest of Honor: Rembrandt” — Through Feb. 6, 2027, Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver, go online for prices: denverartmuseum.org.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette