Elizabeth Hernandez
@lizzy-hernandez.bsky.social
Denver Post reporter. Finding humanity in journalism. I write about marginalized groups, social justice, education, libraries, housing, youth, ghosts and general whimsy. Local news stan.
CDC says at least 345 people in 27 states came down with salmonella from jalapeños served at Chipotle and Qdoba restaurants. Colorado and Minnesota each have recorded 110 infections, together accounting for more than 60% of the cases nationwide
Colorado salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños at Chipotle, Qdoba restaurants
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 110 cases of salmonella appear to be part of the outbreak.
denverpost.com
An investor bought a Denver woman's home for $23,000 after she failed to pay HOA fines. Judge ruled it never should have been sold and ordered the investor to sell. He still had her evicted — and is now asking the Colorado Supreme Court to intervene, @thenoellephillips.bsky.social reports
Denver family’s home lost to foreclosure sits empty in legal limbo: ‘The system feels like gangsters’
Welcome to Realty LLC, who bought the house, now wants the Colorado Supreme Court to intervene.
denverpost.com
An immigration judge fired under the Trump administration in Colorado tells @sethklamann.bsky.social the immigration courts focus on rapid deportations, not due process www.denverpost.com/2026/08/04/c... via @denverpost.com
Fired judge says Colorado’s immigration courts focus on rapid deportations, not due process
In mid-December, a federal court in California ruled that the Trump administration had to provide bail hearings for a broad swath of immigrants arrested in the United States.
denverpost.com
The rock stars on stage at Red Rocks today? The Artemis II crew // Story by @laurenpenington.bsky.social
Artemis II astronauts reflect on space journey at Red Rocks: ‘It was always our hope that the mission would move people’
The Artemis II crew — mission specialist Christina Koch, commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen — launched beyond Earth’s atmosphere on April 1.
denverpost.com
New: We found 50 cops who misused Flock cameras and other license-plate readers for personal purposes, often to spy on their girlfriends or ex-wives. He "watched every single move I made. ... Who do you turn the chief of police in to?" wapo.st/3S6rTuo
She left her ex. He secretly tracked her through a network of policing cameras.
Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems.
wapo.st
"Neither the Bureau of Reclamation's news release nor the 80-page executive summary of the report mentions climate change."
Federal government implements 10-year Colorado River plan after states fail to find deal
The plan opens the door for major cuts to California, Nevada and Arizona, the three states downstream of the reservoirs.
denverpost.com
The State Department said it takes "full responsibility" for "hastily" altering and then presenting a map of Africa at a global AIDS conference that mislabeled every single country it highlighted. An analysis by Reuters found a watermark in the map image that suggests it was made with OpenAI.
IT'S NOT A PHASE, MOM. It's an emo wedding, and you're invited. This Colorado couple is having an emo wedding, and they're selling seats. A new app lets you invite wedding crashers to your big day. www.denverpost.com/2026/07/31/e... via @denverpost.com
This Colorado couple is throwing an emo wedding. You’re invited.
The Aurora couple is using the company Not a Wedding Crasher to find musical soulmates who want to help celebrate their big day.
denverpost.com
Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas, the Ecuadorian woman whose arrest by ICE agents at Denver International Airport last week went viral, was released from federal custody this afternoon, her lawyer confirms to @lizzy-hernandez.bsky.social
Woman arrested by ICE at DIA released from Aurora immigration detention
Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas will return home to Oakland while her immigration proceedings and federal habeas corpus petition continue through the courts, attorney Laura Lichter said.
denverpost.com
Woman arrested by ICE at DIA released from Aurora immigration detention www.denverpost.com/2026/07/30/c... via @denverpost.com
Woman arrested by ICE at DIA released from Aurora immigration detention
Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas will return home to Oakland while her immigration proceedings and federal habeas corpus petition continue through the courts, attorney Laura Lichter said.
denverpost.com
Investigation launched after Golden employee hangs Black doll by neck in fire station www.denverpost.com/2026/07/29/g... by @laurenpenington.bsky.social
Investigation launched after Golden employee hangs Black doll by neck in fire station
In a statement read before the Golden City Council on Tuesday night, Mayor Laura Weinberg described the incident as a “deeply disturbing and racist act.”
denverpost.com
Suncor's big orange flames and black smoke are visible across Denver this morning: www.denverpost.com/2026/07/28/s...
Suncor’s Commerce City refinery emits black smoke after maintenance
The company issued an alert at 10:01 a.m., Tuesday that said increased smoke may be visible at its Commerce City plant due to unit startup activities.
denverpost.com
A fun read for you this Sunday 🙂↕️ How uncovering an 1896 diary brought a Colorado woman to the grave of a DU law dean www.denverpost.com/2026/07/26/g... via @denverpost.com #history #highered
How uncovering an 1896 diary brought a Colorado woman to the grave of a DU law dean
When the Parker resident stumbled upon a faded leatherbound Excelsior Diary from 1896 in a box of old books given to her husband by family friends, she didn’t immediately realize the trip she would em...
denverpost.com
A fun read for you this Sunday 🙂↕️ How uncovering an 1896 diary brought a Colorado woman to the grave of a DU law dean www.denverpost.com/2026/07/26/g... via @denverpost.com #history #highered
How uncovering an 1896 diary brought a Colorado woman to the grave of a DU law dean
When the Parker resident stumbled upon a faded leatherbound Excelsior Diary from 1896 in a box of old books given to her husband by family friends, she didn’t immediately realize the trip she would em...
denverpost.com
A public health study found that Colorado children living within 8 miles of an oil and gas well had an increased risk of developing leukemia, and the study’s authors determined current setbacks between well sites and houses may not be enough to protect kids // Story by @thenoellephillips.bsky.social
Colorado’s oil and gas regulators studied health problems tied to drilling. Critics ask: Why will nothing change?
The report did not reach any conclusions as to whether Colorado’s rule that requires oil and gas sites to be at least 2,000 feet from the nearest home is sufficient to protect people’s health.
denverpost.com
Please share: The @denverpost.com is investigating resident care at Colorado’s 3 largest nursing home chains: the Ensign Group, Life Care Centers of America and PACS Group. If you have family in homes owned by those companies, please follow the link. Thank you...
Do you have family in these Colorado nursing homes? We want to talk to you.
The Denver Post is investigating resident care at Colorado’s three largest nursing home chains: the Ensign Group, Life Care Centers of America and PACS Group.
denverpost.com
This story is updated after interviewing the woman who filmed the encounter. "The idea they had to wait to trap her in a jetway in a Denver airport just reeks of cruelty and trying to terrorize people," she said.
Elizabeth Hernandez@lizzy-hernandez.bsky.social · 2w agoNew: 'Help us! ICE is here!': Video shows woman detained at Denver airport while boarding Southwest flight www.denverpost.com/2026/07/22/d... via @denverpost.com
Denver suspended Ultra Lounge East's liquor and entertainment licenses today and ordered the nightclub to "cease operations and close immediately." Two people fired 66 shots in the fatal mass shooting earlier this week.
Denver moves to shut down Ultra Lounge East after mass shooting at the nightclub
Ultra Lounge East has seen three violent events on its property in the last five months, including an earlier homicide just outside the club in March, city officials wrote.
denverpost.com
New: 'Help us! ICE is here!': Video shows woman detained at Denver airport while boarding Southwest flight www.denverpost.com/2026/07/22/d... via @denverpost.com
‘Help us! ICE is here!’: Video shows woman detained at Denver airport while boarding Southwest flight
A video circulating on social media Wednesday shows a woman being removed from a Southwest Airlines jetway at DIA by federal agents, then led out a door onto the tarmac as onlookers shout, “Help us! I...
denverpost.com
Farewell to John Fryar, one of Colorado's true journalism lifers, who spent nearly four decades reporting for the Longmont Times-Call
Family, former colleagues remember John Fryar
John Fryar, who covered local and state government for the Times-Call and its sister papers for 39 years, died Sunday at the age of 80.
timescall.com
New: I talked with CO researchers, scientists & academics who warned about the impacts of continued federal interference in university research funding: www.denverpost.com/2026/07/19/c... via @denverpost.com #Edcolo #HigherEd #Edusky #academicsky
Colorado academics worry about future of scientific progress amid fallout from Trump’s research cuts
More than $375 million in federal grants to Colorado schools have been terminated and reinstated — or axed altogether.
denverpost.com
New: The Trump administration terminated hundreds of millions in grant funding at CO universities. I talked with CO’s research community about the fallout & the federal admin’s continued attempts to interfere in scientific progress #HigherEd #EdColo www.denverpost.com/2026/07/19/c...
Colorado academics worry about future of scientific progress amid fallout from Trump’s research cuts
More than $375 million in federal grants to Colorado schools have been terminated and reinstated — or axed altogether.
denverpost.com
New: Immigrants in Aurora’s ICE detention center not receiving original mail, facing long correspondence delays Advocates say ppl are missing legal mail they need for their immigration court cases & are being denied things like birthday cards or drawings www.denverpost.com/2026/07/20/a...
Immigrants in Aurora’s ICE detention center not receiving original mail, facing long correspondence delays
For example, someone who received a birthday card was presented with a black-and-white print-out of the front of the card.
denverpost.com
New details via @katielang.bsky.social: Geo Group employee told cops he acted impulsively after confrontation, "is ‘a better shot’ than demonstrated and that if he had intended to hit someone, he would have.” Yet he did shoot woman in back of foot — then realized “he had done some dumb (expletive)"
Matt Sebastian@mattsebastian.com · 3w agoNEW: An employee of private-prison contractor Geo Group is facing attempted-murder charges after police say he shot a protester near a Colorado ICE detention center as she walked away following a "verbal confrontation"
New: The Trump administration terminated hundreds of millions in grant funding at CO universities. I talked with CO’s research community about the fallout & the federal admin’s continued attempts to interfere in scientific progress #HigherEd #EdColo www.denverpost.com/2026/07/19/c...
Colorado academics worry about future of scientific progress amid fallout from Trump’s research cuts
More than $375 million in federal grants to Colorado schools have been terminated and reinstated — or axed altogether.
denverpost.com
“So our message is: Please don’t do it.”
Stuck in one of Colorado’s abandoned missile silos? This fire department will now charge $5,000 to rescue you.
The Sable Altura Fire Department plans to start charging people who trespass and get trapped in the deserted nuclear complexes after a rise in break-ins and rescues.
denverpost.com
NEW: An employee of private-prison contractor Geo Group is facing attempted-murder charges after police say he shot a protester near a Colorado ICE detention center as she walked away following a "verbal confrontation"
Geo Group employee at Aurora immigration detention center shot woman after protest, police say
Aurora Police Department officers arrested Brandon Booth, 42, on suspicion of attempted murder, assault, attempted assault, felony menacing and a weapons charge.
denverpost.com
As Lizzy reported in March, this is at least the second time this year that ICE/Geo have blocked local health officials’ access to the detention center amid an investigation into a potential outbreak: www.denverpost.com/2026/03/27/a...
Adams County admonishes ICE detention center over poor access, communication during public health investigation
The Adams County Health Department did not identify anyone meeting the case definition of an outbreak during the on-site investigation.
denverpost.com
Elizabeth Hernandez@lizzy-hernandez.bsky.social · 3w ago"Adams County health officials confirmed they are investigating an active case of tuberculosis at the Aurora immigration detention center, but they say facility officials’ withholding of information has frustrated the inquiry." www.denverpost.com/2026/07/14/t... by @sethklamann.bsky.social
i love when a press release headline sounds like it was written by an aggrieved fish
"Adams County health officials confirmed they are investigating an active case of tuberculosis at the Aurora immigration detention center, but they say facility officials’ withholding of information has frustrated the inquiry." www.denverpost.com/2026/07/14/t... by @sethklamann.bsky.social
Adams County says ICE resistance has slowed investigation into tuberculosis case at detention center
Adams County health officials confirmed they are investigating an active case of tuberculosis at the Aurora immigration detention center, but they say withheld information has slowed the inquiry.
denverpost.com