Home Care In Highlands Ranch, CO

A Highlands Ranch massage therapist and former high school coach is facing jail time for touching a client inappropriately during a massage.

Michael Dillon Duran, 32, was convicted of one count of unlawful sexual contact on December 3, according to the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He was found not guilty of a second count of unlawful sexual contact stemming from a different client.

Duran is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19. He faces up to 364 days in jail for the Class 1 misdemeanor offense.

Duran worked at Olive Juice Beauty Bar in Highlands Ranch when he committed the unlawful sexual contact, according to his suspension order from the Colorado Office of Massage Therapy Licensure. One female client reported Duran for massaging her breasts, touching her nipple and possibly exposing her genitals. A second woman accused Duran of touching her breasts, gluteal crease and the outside of her vagina, in addition to exposing one of her breasts.

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“[Duran] admitted to massaging [the first] client’s breast with sexual intent,” the order reads. It adds that he “admitted to massaging [the second] client’s breast tissue and that he failed to drape her breast properly causing it to be exposed.”

It is unclear which massage resulted in Duran’s guilty verdict. His arrest affidavit remains sealed as of December 8, according to the DA’s office.

The state temporarily suspended Duran’s massage license on April 2 pending an investigation.

“Ongoing proceedings will determine whether his license to practice massage therapy should be further disciplined,” says Lee Rasizer, spokesperson for the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations.

For massage therapists convicted of unlawful sexual behavior, state law permits disciplinary action that includes revoking, suspending, placing on probation, or refusing to renew the offender’s massage license.

The disciplinary actions are not permanent, however, unless the offender voluntarily agrees to permanently surrender their license, Rasizer says. If Duran’s license is revoked, he would be eligible to reapply for a new one after two years.

The sexual contact committed by Duran was not consensual, though state law also prohibits the massage of “intimate parts” in any circumstance, including the breasts, buttocks or external genitalia.

“Massage therapists are prohibited from touching intimate parts of a client, regardless of consent,” Rasizer says. “If a client feels uncomfortable during a massage therapy session, they should trust their instincts, say something and terminate the session. They may then talk to a facility manager or report the incident by filing a complaint online.”

Duran was arrested by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on December 28, 2024. He had only been a licensed massage therapist in Colorado for three months at the time of his arrest, according to state licensing records. Duran is originally from Texas.

At the time of his arrest, Duran was also employed as an assistant wrestling coach at Valor Christian High School, a private Christian school in Highlands Ranch. He resigned from his coaching position the day after the school put him on administrative leave, says Head of School Bryan Ritz.

“We were informed through local law enforcement and the flag notification system that an employee was accused of improper behavior,” Ritz wrote in an email to the Valor community in April. “The incident occurred entirely off campus and did not involve any Valor students or staff members. We followed the protocol…and immediately placed this person on administrative leave. The following day this person resigned.”

Ritz said the school conducted a “thorough” investigation into the situation, “and we have no reason to believe that any students were placed at risk.”

After seizing more than a million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in a storage unit in Highlands Ranch, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division announced it was the state's single largest fentanyl seizure.

“This seizure represents thousands of lives saved,” Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky said. “It is also indicative that the Mexican cartels continue to traffic significant quantities of fentanyl to Colorado.”

On Nov. 11, deputies and narcotics detectives with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office were called to a storage facility near Sgt. Jon Stiles Drive after an individual who legally purchased a storage unit at an auction discovered there were illicit drugs inside.

The sheriff’s office was immediately contacted and secured the area. They soon confirmed that the unit contained several kilogram-sized packages and M-30 pills.

With about 198 kilograms, or an estimated 1.7 million of counterfeit fentanyl pills and 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder seized, officials said this is the largest single seizure of fentanyl in Colorado and the sixth-largest in the U.S..

If pure, Olesky said, each of the kilograms of fentanyl powder has the potential to generate nearly 500,000 pills.

“Had this amount of fentanyl hit the streets, numerous lives could have been lost,” Olesky said at a Nov. 17 press conference.

In addition to the counterfeit pills and powder, about 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine was also seized from the storage unit.

Linked to an ongoing investigation

The first phone call from the sheriff’s office to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division — which also includes Utah, Wyoming and Montana — went to a Douglas County Task Force officer who has access to the databases, tools and resources that DEA agents have.

“Within minutes of that phone call, they were able to link this seizure that you see here to an ongoing and active DEA investigation with tentacles along the southwest border and into Mexico,” Olesky said.

The seized drugs were associated with a Colorado Bureau of Investigation probe into a drug trafficking organization operating in Colorado.

Earlier this year, an investigation involving multiple partners identified a major drug trafficking organization linked to the Sinaloa Cartel that funneled drugs into Colorado, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Director Armando Saldate III said.

Olesky stated that the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, manufacturing thousands of pounds of deadly synthetic drugs each year.

Agents with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation conducted search warrants and identified suspects in connection with the drug trafficking ring, which led to multiple arrests and drug seizures earlier this year.

“But obviously not all the drugs the group produced were found,” Saldate said, adding that the drugs in the storage facility were sitting there for months.

Investigators discovered that the storage unit belonged to a drug courier linked to the organization and once was arrested in April, the unit’s bill went unpaid, which is why it later went to auction.

“The sheer volume of drugs found in this storage locker indicates a very sophisticated operation likely producing millions of more pills,” Saldate said.

Olesky added that the investigation into the organization has touched six different states. He also said that prior to this seizure, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division was on pace to break an annual record.

While the investigation is ongoing, Weekly said that part of the investigation is looking at the other storage units. Weekly also recognized the appropriate actions of the individual who had bought the storage unit.

“Because of his actions, we were able to remove a significant amount of dangerous narcotics out of circulation,” Weekly said. “Drugs that could have easily made it to our streets and to our communities.”

DEA demonstrates a pill press

As fentanyl poses both a public safety and public health issues, it remains the deadliest drug threat in the U.S..

Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Drug overdose deaths have declined from highs of around 110,00 deaths in 2022 and 2023 to the most recently released data of 73,690 reported deaths of the 12-month period ending April of 2025,” Olesky said. “Those numbers still equate to filling a professional football stadium on a Sunday afternoon.”

While it’s a positive sign that both state and nationwide overdose deaths are trending downward, Olesky added that Denver County is seeing an increase in overdose deaths compared to last year, with many deaths involving fentanyl.

But it’s not just Denver where fentanyl is being found, as shown by the recent seizure. Douglas County is “part of the Denver metro area,” Weekly said at the Nov. 17 press conference. “I speculate as to why they may have tried to store the drugs here. Maybe they saw that it was an opportunity in the suburbs to store their narcotics.”

Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge James Stroop said that the Drug Enforcement Administration has seized more than 39 million fentanyl pills and more than 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder this year.

“That’s enough to save over 300 million American lives,” Stroop said. “These cartels are printing these counterfeit pills to deceive Americans and to kill Americans at the same time.”

As Stroop showed the media how quickly pill presses can produce counterfeit pills, he said a machine has the capacity to print out about 4,800 pills within one hour.

In order for one machine to print 1.7 million pills — the amount currently seized in Highlands Ranch — he said the machine would have to be running 24/7 for about 15 days.

“Now imagine if you had 10 of these machines running at once, or you had 20,” Stroop said. “It can merely take days, hours to print this much poison.”

Additionally, those producing these counterfeit pills are not measuring what is being put into the machine. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, only two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage.

“Every one of these pills that comes out does not contain the same amount of substance,” Stroop said. “Each one would be different and therefore, you cannot trust anything you see out there.”

’Tis the season! Every year, zoos, gardens, parks, and even private homes throughout the Denver metro area deck the halls with elaborate displays of holiday lights that would make Clark Griswold cry tears of joy (and jealousy).

Below, we’ve rounded up a list of the best residential and public spots where you can stroll through spectacular setups, drive by flashy facades, and pose for the perfect family photo op.

Residential Displays

This sparkly scene, which features 20,000 LEDs outlining nearly every edge of Walter Hazard’s home, is beloved by those near (neighborhood kids were the ones who named it “The Gingerbread House”) and far (German magazine Der Spiegel featured it in a roundup of the best holiday displays in America). “It’s so orderly,” Hazard says. “The Germans love that.”

Ron DePoty’s love for Christmas lights started as a child, when his family would adorn his grandmother’s house each Thanksgiving. Since then, he’s decorated every college dorm room, apartment balcony, and home he’s called his own. In 2014, DePoty and his wife, Megan, bought a Star Wars inflatable for their growing display, prompting the DePotys to transform their Highlands Ranch house into one of the most colorful attractions in the galaxy.

Ron, Megan, and their three children spend a couple of weeks setting up 50 inflatables and 20,000-plus lights. New this year, the family added an animated R2-D2 model and true-to-size Chewbacca, and on select nights, they’ll open the gate to allow onlookers access to their backyard to peep even more lights. Catch Yoda, C-3PO, and giant inflatable starships before the plug is pulled on the DePoty display on January 1.

Corey Christiansen’s decorating theory is pretty straightforward: “I want my display to be as dense as possible.” For 2025’s show, Christiansen is adorning his Aurora home with more than 200,000 bulbs, which he starts hanging the day after Halloween. This year, he’s introducing the “Tree Tree,” an 11-foot-tall Tannenbaum made from 25 mini trees. With the help of a pal, Christiansen spent three months building the structure.

Visitors are encouraged to donate to the Autism Society of Colorado, an organization Christiansen is passionate about because his two children were both diagnosed with autism.

When Mike and Jenn Onstott met more than a decade ago, they immediately bonded over their love of Christmas decorations. Now, they share their affection for all that twinkles with the rest of us via a massive display of 35,000 LED lights and colorful arches set to Christmas tunes. This year, the Onstotts are spreading their holiday cheer by hosting a virtual fundraiser for Food Bank of the Rockies.

The Rohr family has been decorating their Highlands Ranch home since 2012—and not just for Christmas. Each year, they host a ticketed haunted house event complete with live actors and jump scares, then they trade in gore for garlands once November rolls around. (But you can still catch their love for Halloween in their spooky Jack Frost and Ebenezer Scrooge animatronics!)

This year, the family is adding even more lights to their display of more than 100,000 LEDs, including a giant propeller plane inflatable on the roof.

Arvada Light Show

It’s still unclear whether the wise men followed a star or the glow of this home on 66th Avenue. Nestled on a hilltop, it shines like a beacon across the burbs. Although its elevated location gives passersby a great show even from afar, the owners allow visitors to walk up their driveway and around the yard to see it closer, which means you’ll catch a gazebo aglow with blue lights and filled with snowmen, an illuminated koi pond with a waterfall, plenty of characters like a yeti and Minnie Mouse.

Stricker’s Winter Wonderland

Joe Stricker and his family are no strangers to the holiday decorating game (swing by around Halloween to catch their aptly named Haunted Yard, filled with skeletons and jack-o’-lanterns) but their annual Christmas light display is particularly showstopping. With holiday music, a Christmas countdown, Santa and his elves working hard in the window, and a life-size Clark Griswold cutout, this whimsical wonderland is a Centennial staple.

Littles can sit on the home’s front steps to watch movies like Frosty the Snowman projected by the front door.

Greeley Holidaze House

Headed north for the holidays? Visit Adam and Jessica Artz’s Greeley home to glimpse over-the-top decorating that’s been in the family for more than 60 years (and also a selection on ABC’s last year). Characters crowd their lawn (including caroling mice and Charlie Brown and his friends), a giant Jack Skellington prop stands near the front door, and light-up birds perch on the main tree.

Public Displays

No list of Denver holiday lights would be complete without Zoo Lights, which has been spreading Christmas cheer for more than 30 years. In 2025, more than 3 million lights and 300 sculptures will illuminate the Denver Zoo’s 80 acres—a feat that requires months of preparation (staffers begin decking the halls as early as August).

While the Zoo Lights masterminds typically stick to tried-and-true displays (elephant silhouettes with moving trunks, a bright-blue whale, flashy fluorescent peacocks), they introduce something new each year. In 2025, visitors will get to see new animated light sculptures, including macaws near the Tropical Discovery indoor rainforest.

Elitch Gardens Elitch Holidays

If you’re looking for a light show that’s both theatrical and a little thrilling, this sprawling seasonal display at Elitch Gardens might even spark a smile from the Grinches in the group. At Elitch Holidays, more than 4 million lights illuminate tunnels, a 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, and a giant snowman that you can stroll through. Take a photo in front of the 300-foot-long wall of lights, and then tell Santa, who is on-site nightly, exactly what you’ll be expecting in your stocking.

This year’s fest includes more rides with your ticket than ever, so hit the Tower of Doom, Boomerang, or the Big Wheel to take in the twinkling from a new perspective.

Hudson Gardens Hudson Holidays

At Littleton’s Hudson Gardens, stroll the trails to catch plenty of lit-up trees, projections, holiday mazes, and scenes from Santa’s workshop. Visit on special theme nights throughout the season for extra activities, like a sleigh ride pulled by Clydesdales on December 4 and 14, or the invitation to dress your crew up in Christmas garb on Ugly Sweater Night on December 19.

Adults can grab cocktails at the on-site bar, and hot chocolate and food concessions are also available for purchase.

Ride your sleigh up north for the annual Garden of Lights—a half-mile stretch at the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins where nearly every square inch is covered in Christmas lights. Santa Claus touches down nightly, and you can sip on a holiday cocktail from the on-site bar. Check the online calendar for additional entertainment like a cappella carolers and the Sugar Plum Furries Dog Troupe.

For more than 40 years, locals have flocked to Denver Botanic Gardens each holiday season to see 1 million LED lights illuminate the property’s 23 acres. From the glowing snowflakes that appear to float on the water or the innovative show where glowing rods of light change color in sync across a massive lawn, it certainly seems like Santa sprinkled some extra magic here in the Mile High City.

And don’t forget to grab a cup of loaded hot chocolate—a warm cup of cocoa topped with marshmallows, whipped cream, and drizzled chocolate—to keep you cozy as you stroll.

In these two over-the-top creations, you can stay warm and cozy while enjoying holiday lights from your vehicle. Drive the mile-long corridor through light-up tunnels, singing Christmas trees, and waving reindeer—all of which sync to music you stream through a radio station.

To keep the 1.5 million lights bright and colorful, the crew replaces about 40 percent of the LEDs each year. But new technology has allowed Christmas in Color to push the boundaries even further. “The ability to control every bulb really makes it into a screen like your TV, where each bulb is a pixel,” says Todd Glover, CEO of Christmas in Color.

Although the Mile High Tree was honored with Denver’s nickname, the tree itself was built an ocean away. The Denver-commissioned, seven-story-tall wonder was created by 75-year-old ILMEX Illumination in the small southern city of Puente Genil, Córdoba, Spain, but now it stands as the seasonal crown jewel of Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus. Adorned with 110 feet of lights and set to a medley of classic holiday tunes, it turns on nightly this month for free shows. Visitors can even sprawl out on the ground inside the tree to catch the show from a different perspective.

Stop by on New Year’s Eve (9 p.m.) for a New York City–style ball drop to ring in 2025 and to say farewell to the tree for another year.

Denver’s holiday drone show returns for a second year, this time casting 600 machines into the sky for 41 nights. Created by Denver-based Brightflight Drone Shows, the nightly performance features 15-minute animations of everything from Santa riding his sleigh to an aerial version of the Mile High Tree. Select nights feature tributes to Colorado’s professional sports teams.

The show is free to watch and can be seen above the sky just west of downtown, although top viewing spots include the Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus, Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and the 54thirty Rooftop.

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Scottsdale, AZ, Nov. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Rock Coffee Bar, the Oregon-born boutique coffee company known for its specialty coffees, teas, smoothies, and popular Fuel® energy drinks, is expanding its footprint in the Denver area with a brand-new location.

The store, located at 9215 S Broadway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129, will officially open its doors on Saturday, November 22. This opening marks Black Rock’s eleventh Colorado location and reinforces the brand’s steady expansion across the region. Guests can enjoy the following specials during opening week:

“We're looking forward to more expansion in Colorado, and this new location marks the beginning of that growth,” said Mark Davis, CEO of Black Rock Coffee Bar. “We've experience great warmth and energy from the communities we’re in, and we’re excited to welcome our new neighbors with great drinks and genuine hospitality.”

Guests can also take advantage of the Black Rock Rewards app, where every purchase—whether in-store, online, or through the app—earns “bolts” that can be redeemed for free beverages. Recent menu additions, like Black Rock’s protein-packed Egg Bites, are also included in the program.

In addition to Black Rock menu staples, guests can indulge in festive winter menu favorites like the Peppermint Bark Blondie, White Chocolate Milano Breve and Tangerine Strawberry Pomegranate Fuel. Whether imbibed hot, iced, or blended, these seasonal drinks are crafted to capture the flavors of the season.

For more information, visit https://br.coffee/ and follow @blackrockcoffeebar on Facebook and Instagram, and @blackrockcoffeeofficial on TikTok for updates on new locations, promotions, and seasonal offerings.

About Black Rock Coffee Bar

Black Rock Coffee Bar is a national boutique coffee shop that is known for its premium roasted coffees, teas, smoothies and flavorful Fuel® energy drinks. Founded as a family owned and operated business in Oregon in 2008, Black Rock Coffee Bar has grown to over 160 retail locations in seven states. The Black Rock culture prides itself on not only being a positive force for the communities it serves, but also the team members that fuel their locations day in and day out. An important aspect of their team mission is to recognize those that go above and beyond by displaying the 4G’s of Black Rock - grit, growth, gratitude, and grace. For more information, visit https://br.coffee/.

Attachments

The Highlands Ranch Community Association is requesting a major amendment to the Highlands Ranch Planned Development. They want to create equestrian and outdoor education facilities on land that is currently open space.

It's located east of U.S. 85 along Ron King Trail next to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, about 20 miles south of Denver.

The Highlands Ranch Community Association wants to modify zoning for part of the Backcountry Wilderness Area. While it could expand recreational opportunities for Highlands Ranch residents, some neighbors are worried about a loss of open space.

"We wanted a view of the mountains, and this is very Colorado," said Monte Moore, longtime Cherokee Ridge Estates resident.

Moore built his Littleton home for the views, nature and open space.

"This is an elk migration corridor, and we see elk and deer on a weekly basis in our yard, in the street, and it's awesome, and that's one of the main draws," Moore said.

He lives right next to a more than 8,000-acre Open Space Conservation Area, which was established in 1988 and is owned by the Highlands Ranch Community Association.

The HRCA is proposing an amendment to allow a 20-acre equestrian center and a 45-acre area for outdoor education preschools, camps, community events, administrative offices and more.

"You're doing away with the original intent of what the conservation agreement was, and the impact to the elk herds that are native to this area," Moore said.

Moore worries about the impact on wildlife and safety. Parts of the area are in a floodplain, and there's little to no infrastructure in place.

"There's only one egress in and out, which is a safety concern for South Metro Fire," Moore said. "This neighborhood, believe it or not, has had five wildfires in five years."

According to a report from county staff on the proposed amendment, "South Metro reviewed the request and noted a conditional non-objection to the application. South Metro notes site infrastructure does not currently support new structures or expanded uses without approved improvements to site access and fire protection water supplies. South Metro indicates its comments need to be adequately resolved prior to approval of any future site improvement plans."

The report notes "Douglas County Wildfire indicated wildfire danger is considered moderate based on existing fuel types and topography," but does not include a detailed wildfire risk study.

The area that could house a preschool is next to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, which offers firearms and other training to many law enforcement agencies.

"What it sounds like to us is pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!" Moore said. "It bothers me when you're going to put children next to an area where they use live ammunition on a daily basis."

The HRCA told CBS Colorado, "HRCA has submitted a petition to modify the zoning regulations for the current Basecamp area of the Backcountry Wilderness Area. In conjunction with this petition, we have developed a conceptual plan that contemplates the potential future construction of a facility dedicated to supporting HRCA's environmental and outdoor education initiatives.

This proposed facility is intended to enhance safety measures and substantially expand educational opportunities for Highlands Ranch residents as well as for the broader community. It represents HRCA's continued commitment to offering enriching, accessible, and sustainable nature-based learning experiences."

The plan includes a land swap of sorts. HRCA wants to reduce 65 acres of developable land from an area on the east end of the OSCA and "relocate" it to the area in question to maintain the same development footprint in the OSCA.

But it is little comfort to neighbors like Moore.

"It impacts the people, the land, the conservation agreement, which has been in place for well nearly 50 years," Moore said.

Moore says he and his neighbors have voiced their opposition to the plan, but feel their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

"It's basically David and Goliath," he said. "I would say half our neighborhood has been to their planning meetings, and for the most part, they just sort of shut anyone down, saying, 'Well, you're not part of Highlands Ranch. You don't have a voice, because you're just the neighbor.'"

Many plan to try again on Monday, when the Douglas County Planning Commission will take up this item at 6 p.m. in the Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third St. in Castle Rock. The Board of County Commissioners public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 2:30 p.m. at the same address.