Latest news with #Centennial
CBS News
10 hours ago
- CBS News
Several Denver metro area vape shops hit in coordinated burglary spree, one business owner says it's "devastating"
A small business in Centennial is facing a major setback two months after opening. Pyre Vape and Glass was one of several vape shops across the Denver metro area targeted in a string of coordinated overnight burglaries. Surveillance footage from Pyre shows thieves ramming a stolen vehicle through the storefront around 1:50 a.m. on July 17. Several masked suspects are seen entering the store seconds after the crash. They use laundry baskets to sweep up disposable vapes and flavored nicotine products before exiting through the wrecked storefront. A stolen getaway car was parked out front. "It was devastating," said owner Matthew Mikulas. "We're a small businesses. This isn't Walmart or Target. We don't have a loss retention program." The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office confirmed that at least four other vape stores in Denver, Englewood, Lakewood and Aurora were hit that same night, all using a similar method of entry and targeting similar products. Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office told CBS News Colorado the cases are believed to be linked and carried out by a group of young suspects -- possibly teens -- using stolen vehicles. They believe at least one of the individuals was armed, using the flashlight on a pistol to scan the store. Mikulas says the group appeared organized and targeted products popular with young buyers, especially flavored nicotine devices like Geek Bars. "They knew what they were doing. They knew they only had three to four minutes," he said. "And I fear they're selling it to underage users. They are probably hitting up their friends, and their groups and their clubs." Mikulas, who is also a cancer survivor, says he's trying to bring safe, compliant alternatives to adult consumers. He estimates the total damage at around $40,000, including destroyed doors, broken display cases and stolen inventory. Thieves didn't just shatter his storefront, but efforts to keep vapes away from minors. "The hardest part is that this industry already fights for legitimacy," he said. "We work hard to check IDs, follow the rules, and provide responsible options. But when criminals use our products to fuel an underground market, it makes us look like the bad guys." Despite the setback, Mikulas says he's committed to rebuilding and continuing to serve his customers. "We're still here. We've reordered product, we're fixing the damage, and we'll keep pushing forward. Owning a small business? You don't give up on it." He's also looking into improving storefront security, joining other small business owners who are now installing bollards and reinforced glass after becoming targets of similar crimes. Investigators believe the suspects may be attempting to resell stolen items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and social media using codewords and anonymous accounts. Anyone with information about the break-ins is asked to contact the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers.
CBS News
a day ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Denver Summit Football Club is the official name for Denver's NWSL
Denver NWSL now has a name- Denver Summit Football Club. The Colorado women's professional soccer club officially announced the name, crest, colors and brand on social media Tuesday morning. The football club said the name was selected after receiving the most first-place votes in the Name The Club fan vote, in which 15,000 people participated. The team will begin playing in January 2026. "We are pleased to unveil Denver Summit FC as our name and to share our crest and colors with Colorado and the world," said Denver Summit FC President Jen Millet in a statement. "It was vital for us to name our club in collaboration with our community. Our crest, colors, and brand are representative of Denver and all of Colorado. It embraces our aspirational goals and pioneering spirit to build the best soccer club in the world." Denver NWSL broke ground on its official training center last month. The 43-acre site will be built in partnership with the City of Centennial and the Cherry Creek School District. The site will feature a proposed 12,000-seat temporary stadium and an approximately 20,000-square-foot training facility that is described as "purpose-built for professional women's sports." Earlier this year, Denver NWSL announced plans for a new 14,500-seat stadium near I-25 and Broadway that is expected to open in 2028.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Daughters' testimony against accused killer dentist father a 'blow to the defense,' expert says
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Two of suspected killer James Craig's daughters took the stand Thursday afternoon in a Centennial, Colorado, courtroom and testified against their father, who is accused of killing their mother over a 10-day period in March 2023. Craig is charged with first-degree murder in the death of wife Angela, who prosecutors allege died from potassium cyanide and tetrahydrozoline poisoning after an agonizing week-and-a-half in and out of the hospital. Craig's oldest daughter testified Thursday that her mother was far from suicidal, as the defense, led by attorney Lisa Fine Moses, has suggested during the trial, according to KUSA. "She would talk to me about how fun it would be when I had kids of my own and when she could meet them," the daughter reportedly said. "She was so excited to be a grandma." She described Angela as her "best friend" and said Angela had hobbies, including woodworking and exercise. She also loved animals, and, above all, her children. Craig's daughter testified that while her mother was in the hospital, she was frustrated she could not be with her children. "She wanted to get back home," she said. "She just wanted to get back to her girls." She told the jury her parents struggled in their marriage several years before the alleged murder but said things had gotten better before Angela's death. The defense insisted that Angela was unhappy in a failing marriage, reportedly calling her a "broken" woman with mental health issues. Craig's attorneys have never disputed that Angela died by poisoning but say Craig was not responsible. The couple's eldest daughter reportedly wanted an autopsy done on Angela's body but said Craig refused. Later, the couple's second-eldest daughter testified. She also said her mother was not suicidal and had plans for the future. "We mostly talked about moving. She always talked about her forever home," she said. Angela dreamed of moving to a home on a large plot of land with a woodworking shop in five years or so, according to the testimony. She also revealed critical information about communications with her father while he was in jail, particularly a list of requests made by Craig. Upon her father's instruction, she said she bailed another inmate out of jail. That inmate then gave her a handwritten bundle of documents in her father's handwriting. The documents included instructions for her to make a "deepfake" video using a cheap burner laptop that she was to buy using a prepaid Visa gift card. Craig instructed his daughter to access the dark web to purchase the video-making service. He also allegedly ordered her to upload the video to a thumb drive and tell detectives she found the drive in her mother's bag, then to destroy the laptop. Craig told his daughter in the documents that he had been unfaithful to Angela and that she asked him to purchase the poison. He told his daughter that he and her mom were playing a game of chicken when she accidentally took too much of the poison. Craig faces a charge of solicitation to tamper with evidence related to this incident. Former Arapahoe County prosecutor and current Colorado defense attorney Eric Faddis, who is not involved with the Craig case, spoke to Fox News Digital about the crucial testimony. "It's absolutely a blow to the defense," he said. Faddis believes the children would likely have known if their mother was suicidal and that allegedly asking one of them to fabricate evidence would be unnecessary if Craig had done nothing wrong. "[Craig] reaching out and asking one of the children to do a deep fake video that supported the notion that Angela Craig was suicidal seems like a bit of an act of desperation," said Faddis. "And, also, to involve your children in such a way when you're faced with a first-degree murder charge that could even cause those children to be exposed to criminal liability, it's just a horrible look for the defense." As for the daughters' denial that their mother was suicidal, Faddis said the testimony could be interpreted by the jury in two ways. "They could interpret it as, if a person is suicidal, it's reasonable to think that the people closest to them would have a sense of that, including their children," he said. "Even if the mother didn't come out and say expressly that she was suicidal to her kids, you would think that the kids may have observed clues that a person might be suicidal, like depressive episodes, excessive crying, disengaging from life. "I guess the defense might argue that a mother could have an incentive to not disclose to her children that she is struggling with suicidal ideation because she doesn't want to worry them, and also, it's a very private, sensitive matter," he said. "So, if the jury sees it that way, that might be a little more mitigated. "But I think, overall, it's problematic for the defense." Fox News Digital reached out to defense lawyer Lisa Fine Moses.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Dentist accused of fatally poisoning wife asked daughter to create deepfake video of mom asking for chemicals, daughter says
Colorado dentist James Craig is accused of fatally poisoning his wife in 2023. (Christopher Oquendo/Pool/Daily Mail via CNN Newsource) Centennial, Colorado — A daughter of James Craig, the Colorado dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wife and the mother of their children, testified Thursday that her father asked her make it seem like her mother wanted Craig to order the ingredients which ultimately led to her death. Craig gave step-by-step instructions in a letter for how to create a deepfake video of his wife, the daughter testified. Deepfakes are inauthentic images, videos or audio recordings created by artificial intelligence that appear real but have been digitally manipulated, or faked. 'I love you … I'm sorry to even have to ask you for this help,' prosecutor Michael Mauro read in an excerpt of the letter, which the daughter testified was written in her father's handwriting. Craig is accused of poisoning his wife, Angela, in March 2023, with a mix of arsenic, cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a medication commonly found in eyedrops. Once she was in the hospital, he allegedly filled a pill with cyanide and made sure she took it, killing her, according to the prosecution. Prosecutors allege he killed his wife because of his growing financial troubles and his affair with another woman. Craig has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, solicitation to commit first-degree murder, solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence and solicitation to commit perjury. He had told several people that his wife was suffering from suicidal ideations leading up to her death, according to the probable cause affidavit. The letter's directions included buying a 'cheap' laptop, installing a private network and dark web browser and paying for the project using a pre-paid Visa gift card, the daughter testified. The video must appear to have been made in the weeks before Angela Craig's death, the daughter testified. He also asked her to burn the video to thumbdrives and let an investigator know she found them in her mother's bag, all before destroying the laptop, she testified. The letter said the second-oldest daughter out of six children was chosen to do this favor because she is most like her mother – stoic and practical – and is technologically adept, she testified. In cross examination, she admitted the letter was disappointing, confusing and made her feel a lot of emotions. The 20-year-old daughter said she was living at home at the time her mother became sick and she drove her to and from emergency rooms to be treated, while also taking care of her younger siblings. In one instance, she found her mother 'almost fainted on the floor' of their bathroom, she was 'super tired and super out of it,' she said. Craig did not want autopsy for wife, oldest daughter says Craig's oldest daughter also testified Thursday, revealing her father did not want an autopsy to be conducted on her mother. He didn't want to 'satisfy their curiosities' and have them poking at her, the daughter testified her father said after her mother's death. When she expressed her concerns about her mother's illness being hereditary and that she might have passed it on to her youngest children, the daughter testified her father stayed quiet. During her emotional testimony, the daughter said that while her mother struggled 'like anyone else,' she wouldn't have taken her own life. 'We were making plans,' the 21-year-old woman said. With a comfort dog named Fancy by her side on Thursday, the oldest daughter testified, often through tears, that her mother was her best friend and she tried to talk to her each day. She knew her mother to be very active, loved exercising on her stationary bike and did yoga and Pilates. But in early 2023, her mother had gotten very ill and was frustrated over not knowing what was wrong with her. Her oldest daughter remembers her mother saying she felt 'dizzy' and 'heavy' before her symptoms worsened and she felt 'pukey' and 'less stable on her own two feet.' By Andi Babineau and Cindy Von Quednow, CNN
National Post
6 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Westwater Resources Supports U.S. Department of Commerce Anti-Dumping Ruling on Chinese Graphite
Article content Article content CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Westwater Resources, Inc. (NYSE American: WWR), an energy technology and battery-grade natural graphite company ('Westwater' or the 'Company'), announced today its support of the U.S. Department of Commerce's ('DOC') preliminary determination in the anti-dumping investigation of graphite-based anode materials imported from the People's Republic of China. Article content This ruling represents the second major decision by the DOC targeting practices by Chinese producers. While the initial May 2025 ruling addressed countervailing duties and determined that Chinese companies were receiving unfair government subsidies, this latest decision concludes that Chinese producers have been selling graphite-based anode materials into the U.S. market at unfairly low prices – thereby harming domestic producers. Article content 'This second decision by the DOC is even more impactful than the first,' said Jon Jacobs, Chief Commercial Officer of Westwater. 'The cumulative effect of the new anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties, and other tariffs in effect makes it economically clear that batteries built in the U.S. should use graphite made in the U.S.' Article content With the new rates layered on top of previously established duties and tariffs, total import penalties on Chinese graphite-anode material now exceed 100%, and in some cases are much higher, depending on the producer: Article content The initial May ruling was updated July 3, 2025, increasing the countervailing duty rate from 6.55% to 11.55%, further strengthening U.S. trade protections for this critical mineral. Article content 'These two rulings by the DOC are distinct from legislative-driven global trade tariffs,' added Jacobs. 'They reflect long-term support for U.S.-based graphite production. That kind of clarity and pricing stability is what's needed to finance and build a domestic graphite industry that will compete globally over the long term.' About Westwater Resources, Inc. Article content Westwater Resources is an energy technology company that is focused on developing battery-grade natural graphite. Westwater Resources' primary project is the Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant that is under construction in east-central Alabama. In addition, Westwater Resources' Coosa Graphite Deposit is the largest and most advanced natural flake graphite deposit in the contiguous United States — and is located across 41,965 acres (~17,000 hectares) in Coosa County, Alabama. For more information, visit Article content Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Article content This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words and phrases such as 'initial,' 'preliminary,' 'latest,' 'more impactful,' 'cumulative,' 'economically clear,' 'layered on top,' 'exceed,' 'updated,' 'increasing,' 'strengthening,' 'long-term support,' and other similar words or phrases. Forward looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning: the importance of critical minerals including battery-grade graphite; establishing a graphite industry in the U.S.; tariffs associated with the importation of natural graphite into the U.S. including the percentage of those tariffs and the countries for which tariffs will apply; the Company's business plans for its Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant; and efforts to manage existing off-take agreements or to put new supply agreements into place for the products from that Plant. The Company cautions that there are factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. Those uncertainties and other factors are discussed in Westwater's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent securities filings, and they could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Westwater Resources, Inc. Article content Article content Email: Article content Article content Article content
