Home Care In Denver, CO

Anyone looking for a ride has another option now across our state. A relaunch of a local rideshare program just went live on Wednesday.

It was first created by a group of drivers looking to create a better experience for everyone, with higher pay and no surge prices.

Heriberto Alvarez has been a rideshare driver for years and was eager to join Drivers Cooperative Colorado when it launched back in September.

"For the business, to try to get a better, fair pay," said Alvarez.

The driver-owned rideshare service has a mission: "Higher wages for drivers, fair fares for riders."

Alvarez feels other rideshare companies don't pay enough, while drivers within the co-op keep 80% of each fare.

"I'm relying on this because I'm old and it's not easy to find a job in the market," said Alvarez.

The co-op began with just five drivers and quickly grew to more than 5,000 with nearly 20,000 riders throughout the state. The app was shut down in April due to technical issues.

"They could not change the destination," said General Manager Isaac Chinyoka. "But right now they can do that. Then the most important aspect, we now feature which people wanted, both riders and drivers, is to go to Denver International Airport."

Users can also now request different types and sizes of vehicles, including transportation outfitted with handicap-accessible equipment.

The co-op is just trying to get the word out.

"We really want to provide reliable, affordable transport to the Denver community and the Colorado community, and this is another opportunity for us to do that," said Chinyoka.

The company says they also make safety a top priority. Every driver undergoes a background check and dashcams are a requirement for every vehicle.

Chierstin Susel

Chierstin Susel is a reporter for CBS News Colorado. Share you story ideas with her by sending an email to [email protected].

DENVER — Time is ticking for Coloradans to participate in an online survey on whether or not a pedestrian bridge should be built at the State Capitol. The survey closes at midnight on July 21.

Governor Jared Polis proposed the CO 150 Walkway to celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday. The proposed pedestrian walkway, with a $28.5 million price tag, would connect the Colorado State Capitol and Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park.

President and CEO of Historic Denver, John Deffenbaugh, shared his concerns over the design and the impact it would have on the historical significance of the area.

"The real issue here is that the bridge is completely out of keeping of the qualities that make this park so special. It has no purpose, it serves no function, and it will not be used," Deffenbaugh said.

He also expressed concerns about an organization in Chicago designing this project when it is to represent the state's major milestone. Additionally, he explained how this bridge would fundamentally change the area and the importance of taking part in the survey.

"It will obscure views to and from the capital. It will introduce a completely alien and bizarre design element into a historic environment that's been relatively unchanged for many, many years," Deffenbaugh said.

Whether it's the first or thousandth time visiting the state capitol, people across Colorado know the significance of this area. Megan Wakefield, who moved to Colorado in 2016, enjoys the energy downtown and biking through the neighborhoods. She believes the bridge could be "a bit of an obstruction."

"I have mixed feelings," Wakefield explained. "I understand that they want to do something or Polis wants to do something for 150th anniversary, which on one hand is cool, but also, I've heard about the city's budget, the state's budget, and I know the state owns the park area, but it's just where would the money come from and, do people really want this?"

Denver7 anchor Jessica Porter spoke with Governor Polis on July 15 regarding the launch of this survey and the different questions people will answer. The survey asks whether or not the state should proceed with the proposed walkway, and if not, what alternative would Coloradans like to see.

“If the people of the state say, ‘We want to do this,’ I’ve got to get busy talking through the phone to raise the money,” Polis said. “If people say, ‘Go a different direction,’ we can deploy that elsewhere.”

Seddrik Coleman, who used to live close to the state capitol, expressed his support for the walkway and how it would be a good addition to the area.

"I think that'll be awesome, actually," Coleman said."Especially when you see how many tourists come down here just on a regular basis being downtown. I think it's going to add more attraction."

He believes a bridge could help with the busy traffic in the area, along with providing people with an easier way to access and see the capitol.

On the other hand, for people like Jay Williams, she is concerned about the price of this project and why money should be spent on a bridge when there is already groundwork in place. Williams has participated in the survey and expressed her concerns after taking it.

"I didn't really get the scope of anything," Williams said. "I didn't see any plans, nothing, so it felt like they were just trying to get some quick answers, but not anything that is like extensive."

Williams also explained that people may not be aware of this proposal, and instead suggested a parade to celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday.

"If you're going to be spending a lot of money on that infrastructure in that area, I think people should know about it. It should be way more talked about than it is," Williams said.

Besides questions on the proposed walkway, there is also a question about the excitement surrounding the state's 150th anniversary and America’s 250th.

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Firefighters battling wildfires across the Western Slope are making gradual progress slowing fire growth and increasing containment, officials said Saturday.

Four of the state’s actively growing wildfires reported minimal growth Friday into Saturday, with afternoon rain helping fire crews on Colorado’s largest wildfire, the 15,413-acre Turner Gulch fire near Gateway.

Fire crews increased containment on the 2,274-acre Sowbelly fire to 50% as of Saturday, according to federal fire maps. The fire is burning in the Dominguez Escalante National Conservation Area near Delta.

The wildfires, four of which ignited in a lightning storm last week, have burned more than 24,000 acres in western Colorado.

A Friday afternoon storm brought enough rain to dampen parts of the state’s largest wildfire, but the Turner Gulch fire is still burning along the east and southwest edges near the Mesa County community of Gateway, fire officials said Saturday.

The fire grew 127 acres Friday, bringing the blaze to 15,413 acres with 34% containment as of Saturday.

Although fire growth has slowed considerably since flames roared across thousands of acres this week, firefighters are still trying to figure out how to access the most remote sections of the Turner Gulch fire and nearby Wright Draw fire, which is burning on 448 acres to the west, on the other side of Unaweep Canyon.

Both fires are burning through a mix of extremely dry trees, brush and grass, including gambel oak, which fire officials said is particularly volatile.

The fires have damaged at least one outbuilding and a U.S. Forest Service building.

Fire crews will continue building and strengthening fire lines with bulldozers, hand tools and strategic burning, officials said Saturday. Crews planned to fly over the most treacherous terrain on both fires to try to develop a containment plan.

The U.S. Forest Service on Saturday closed a section of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests to the public for safety concerns. The forest is closed from Divide Road to the north to County Road 24.4 to the west and along Forest Road 408 to the south and east.

Homes along Colorado 141 remain on pre-evacuation status, and the highway is still closed in both directions between 7.40 Road and 16.10 Road at mile marker 124, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The wildfire in Utah and Colorado has burned 15,892 acres as of Saturday, with 17% contained — up from 6% Friday. While most of the fire has burned across eastern Utah, more than 1,800 acres of Colorado land have been torched.

Federal maps show the east edge of the fire is burning along Montrose County Road T2 and County Road U2, about 3 miles west of Paradox.

Fire crews continue to focus on building fire lines west of Paradox to create a fire break around the community, officials said Saturday.

There is a community meeting at the Paradox Community Center, 21665 600 Road, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Utah Fire officials said. The meeting will focus on evacuation zones in the Paradox Valley.

More than 500 firefighters and experts responding to the South Rim fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park kept the fire from making any large runs Friday, with the fire’s footprint growing just 27 acres as of Saturday.

The lightning-sparked blaze is burning on 4,251 acres in Montrose County, and containment remains at 14%, fire officials said Saturday.

Fire crews are focused on building and strengthening fire lines by removing vegetation, extinguishing hot spots and strategic burning. The wildfire is still burning in the Black Canyon, which is too steep for firefighters to access directly.

When weather allows, pilots will use drones to drop pingpong-size balls of chemicals to ignite small fires around the perimeter, which helps reinforce fire lines. Using drones limits the risk to firefighters, officials said.

The fire has damaged or destroyed several buildings and other infrastructure in the national park, including the facility management building, Western National Parks warehouse, welding shop, some heavy equipment and the South Rim campground.

The national park is closed to the public until further notice. None of the previously issued evacuation orders has been lifted, and several areas west, south and southeast of the fire — including the Bostwick Park area — remain under evacuation orders, according to the evacuation map.

Colorado 347 is remains closed at the junction of U.S. 50. and the Blue Mesa Reservoir is closed west of Middle Bridge. The Lake Fort Boat Ramp is closed for boat launches.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Colorado's ultimate frisbee team will give its name to Denver's new women's soccer team, now called Denver Summit FC.

DENVER — Colorado’s professional ultimate frisbee team announced it will give up its name to Denver's new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion club.

The Colorado Summit said Tuesday it will "pass the torch" and relinquish its name to Denver Summit FC, which will begin play next year.

"This is more than a handoff — it’s a collaboration built on respect, teamwork, and growing our Colorado sports community for everyone," said Sal Pace, co-owner of the Colorado Summit. "It’s a huge honor to see the Summit name live on in professional women’s soccer, and we’re excited to take our fans with us into a new era for Colorado ultimate frisbee."

Colorado's newest sports franchise will be called Denver Summit FC, the team announced Tuesday. The NWSL team will begin their inaugural season in 2026.

"The partnership represents a rare and refreshing show of sportsmanship in the Colorado sports world — where a team from the fast-growing sport of ultimate frisbee is enthusiastically supporting the rise of Denver’s new professional women’s soccer team — the globe’s most popular sport," Colorado Summit said in a statement.

The Colorado Summit announced it is launching a fan-led naming contest to determine the team's new identity.

Fans can submit and vote on names, and finalists will be chosen in the weeks ahead. The winning name will be revealed this fall, in advance of next season, the team said.

The playoffs start for the Colorado Summit on Saturday in Oakland. Fans can attend the official Colorado Summit watch party in Denver at Crimson & Gold Tavern on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

A jury on Friday ordered AdventHealth Porter in Denver to pay a Castle Rock man nearly $3.2 million after he sued the hospital for allegedly dropping him after surgery.

Christopher Muckerman, 82, filed a lawsuit against the hospital — formerly known as Porter Adventist Hospital — in Denver District Court in February, which alleged employees dropped him when attempting to move him from a CT scanner platform to a bed.

“The jury demonstrated their concern over Porter’s failure to thoroughly investigate Chris Muckerman’s complaint about being dropped in the CT room,” said his attorney Jerome Reinan. “That of course is a serious complaint and the fact that the complaint never seemed to be fully resolved appears to have weighed heavily on the jury decision.”

AdventHealth Porter issued a statement Monday afternoon, saying “Patient safety remains a top priority, and we are committed to providing safe, compassionate whole-person care to everyone we serve.”

The hospital treated Muckerman in March 2024 for a spinal fusion surgery and he struggled with anesthesia afterwards, according to the lawsuit.

Muckerman’s surgeon ordered a CT scan. But when staff moved him, they dropped Muckerman “a considerable distance,” the lawsuit alleged.

The fall fractured Muckerman’s spine and required an additional surgery that same month, according to the lawsuit.