From Colorado's news leader, this is the number one rated 9 news at 6.
Summer gives way to scenes more like fall or winter in the high country today.
In the metro area, overcast skies and rain followed by sunshine.
Good evening, I'm Adele Arakawa.
And I'm Bob Kendrick.
Let's head straight over to Kathy Saban for the latest on this changing weather.
Looks very nice outside right now, Kathy.
It does.
We picked up about a quarter of an inch of much needed rainfall here in the city and
over the higher terrain, accumulating snow above 11,000 feet.
These pictures really indicative of a change in seasons.
The autumnal equinox of course on the 22nd.
Lots of snow around Aspen and on the other side of the divide in the Leadville area.
And how about these pictures coming in from the Arapaho Basin ski area?
You know they opened on October 22nd of last year.
These pictures, compliments of the folks up in that area and a weather disturbance crossing
the area.
Lots of smiles up there, a lot of skiers hoping for more moisture like that on the way.
HGDOT for 9 indicating the latest round of showers moving east of the city now.
Quiet weather as we take a look outside.
We do have clearing skies now over the Denver skyline.
Still the chance of a stray shower tonight and cool temperatures.
We're in the mid-50s now.
We're only going to drop a few degrees between now and 9.
Everybody wants to know, is it going to stay cool and wet through the weekend?
We'll have the extended outlook coming up.
We will see you then.
Thanks, Kathy.
Okay.
The Delta Airways are in trouble in the airline industry.
Both Delta Airlines and Northwest filed for Chapter 11 today, joining the already crowded
list of U.S. carriers to go bankrupt since 9-11.
The two airlines blame high fuel costs, expensive labor and billions of dollars of debt.
Nine-Inch reporter Paul Johnson is following the story.
Paul, the immediate impact at DIA is expected to be minimal, at least for travelers.
Adele, while both airlines fly a schedule of flights out of DIA, neither of them have
a hub here.
And they have promised for their customers it will be business as usual.
I hate to see it happen to Delta because I use them frequently.
Just hours before his favorite airline makes a move toward the bankruptcy courts, Kevin
Sullivan checks in for a Delta flight to Salt Lake City, pondering the many reasons why
profitability seems so elusive.
Their overhead or expenses must be really astronomically high.
He's right.
Today's announcements are colossal in their scope, they come as no surprise.
Both Delta and Northwest have been drowning in billions of dollars in debt, soaring fuel
prices and high labor costs.
I think Delta almost has to.
Aviation consultant Mike Boyd is less pessimistic than you'd think, saying if bankruptcy is
used effectively, the so-called legacy carriers have the root systems and global leverage
to cut costs and boost revenue in a way that their low-cost competitors can't.
When we grew up, bankruptcy meant you went out of business.
Not today.
Bankruptcy means that you're just adjusting your costs to buy time.
Both Delta and Northwest say they'll be honoring all tickets, air miles, and flying their existing
schedules, largely following the example of United, which didn't dramatically change its
operations after it filed for Chapter 11.
Even so, passengers wonder what the future of air travel will be like, as major carriers
bet their fortunes on a wing and a prayer.
So I think that affairs are going to go up.
In case there were ever any doubters, this should put into perspective how very tough
it is to run an airline profitably.
With today's announcements, three of the world's five largest airlines are now in bankruptcy.
Adele?
All right.
Thanks a lot, Paul.
You're welcome.
Here's that list.
Delta and Northwest join Denver's largest carrier, United, in bankruptcy organization.
U.S. Airways is going through the process for the second time in three years.
Minor carriers, including Hawaiian and ATA, have also filed for bankruptcy protection.
Denver police are investigating a sexual assault that happened this afternoon in North Denver.
The victim was found wandering the street barefoot and bleeding around 1.30 today near
34th and Fillmore.
Residents came to her aid.
Her belongings were found a few blocks away in an alley near 34th and Clayton.
When detectives arrived, they began collecting her belongings as evidence.
They also went door to door, questioning neighbors about what they might have seen.
The woman is still in the hospital.
Her condition is not known.
Police say they do not believe this suspect is the same man wanted for a string of rapes
in Denver and Aurora.
And we're learning new details tonight about an award-winning chess instructor who's accused
of sexually assaulting some of his students in Fort Collins.
Reports show that Robert Snyder has faced this type of allegation before.
In the iNews reporter, Kerry McClure has more from Fort Collins.
Mr. Snyder was very cooperative.
It was just yesterday Robert Snyder, the prominent chess instructor who taught lessons to kids,
even celebrities like Will Smith and the son of Nicholas Cage, was arrested for reportedly
sexually assaulting two of his students.
We'd received complaints of alleged inappropriate touching and contact that Mr. Snyder was inappropriately
touching some boys in his chess camps.
The owner and sole teacher of Chess for Juniors, Snyder first began giving private chess lessons
in 1972.
He most recently gave lessons and hosted overnight chess camps from his home in Fort Collins.
Robert has an unbelievable passion for teaching chess.
But he also has a record of being accused of abuse by his students.
Back in 1983, an Orange County, California jury found Snyder not guilty of sexually molesting
an 11-year-old boy he was teaching to play chess.
He denies any wrongdoing.
Today Snyder was formally advised of the newest charges against him.
Two counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and two counts
of sexual assault on a child pattern of abuse.
He's really distressed.
This is extremely upsetting to him.
And upsetting to some of the students' parents, according to police.
People felt uncomfortable, felt not awkward, but just didn't feel quite right about Mr.
Snyder and there are other folks that are very supportive of him.
He loves his students.
He loves what he does.
The allegations made by students goes right to his soul.
Snyder's next court date is set for September 22nd.
In Fort Collins, Carrie McClure, 9 News.
Snyder is also a best-selling author of books on chess instruction.
According to police, he taught boys and girls ages 7 to 17.
Hurricane Ophelia is moving slowly inland along North Carolina's coast with sustained
winds topping out at 85 miles per hour.
The governor is urging residents still in low-lying areas to get out.
The storm surge is expected to reach 11 feet.
Forecasters say the northern side of the storm's eye wall will make landfall late today.
Tens of thousands of residents in two counties are without power.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent 200 workers to the state to help with
safety and relief efforts.
The mayor of New Orleans says that portions of the city may reopen to residents as early
as next week.
There is still much cleanup work ahead.
Thousands of military and relief workers remain in the city.
The official military search and rescue is over, and now recovery crews are following
the difficult process of collecting and identifying the dead.
These aren't body counts.
These are children.
These are grandparents.
These are parents.
These are brothers.
These are sisters.
These are our citizens.
There are signs of progress.
Two airlines are now making daily commercial flights in and out of the city.
Also the Port of New Orleans has reopened.
Port officials originally thought it would take months for the port to reactivate.
It's an organization that's been helping needy people in the metro area for years.
Today volunteers at the Assistance League of Denver got their first chance to help victims
from Hurricane Katrina, who are now living in Colorado through their program called Operation
School Bell.
And for the last 15 years, this program has been providing clothes to school children
who need them.
Denise, Jenny, and April Tron escaped Hurricane Katrina with their family, and they were able
to stock up on winter clothing through the program.
I kind of miss everything, like my friends and my house and my school.
We have hands-on right here.
We're able to interact with them, give them new clothes, watch them smile.
The Assistance League of Denver is a nonprofit organization.
It provides clothes from the beginning of every school year until the clothes run out.
Still ahead on 9 News at 6.
Keep an eye out for your water bill.
Rates are going up for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the metro area.
Also, one of the largest free email providers in the world is about to give customers an
upgrade.
We'll explain.
Sunny and windy early today, and now tonight, rain and snow showers across the state.
Will you see severe weather in your area?
I'm Kathy Saban.
I'll have the forecast.
And you won't believe what Dennis Rodman's in trouble for now.
Then again, I bet you will.
You're watching 9 News with the De La Rikawa, Bob Kendrick, Kathy Saban, and Drew Soysher
on KUSA, Colorado's first and only local news presented in high definition.
Get a Wendy's Jr.
Cheeseburger Deluxe with the cool, crisp toppings of your choice for just 99 cents every day.
If you're eating somewhere else, you might as well eat your dollar.
Tender, juicy, hot off the grill, great food for a great price.
The 99-cent Wendy's Jr.
Cheeseburger Deluxe.
Do Wendy's, and for just 99 cents, do what tastes right.
If you have a news tip, tell us about it.
Go to 9News.com and press the 9 News Tip button or call us at 303-871-9100.
Hey, Mom, I know you're gonna be disappointed, but I'm not gonna be able to make it home.
Come on, it's your birthday.
But I have two papers that I have to do.
Well, you have my chase card if you decide to fly home.
No, Mom, I'm sorry.
Chase email alerts keep you on top of your checking account.
Don't pull up right in front of the house.
Surprise!
Email alerts to keep you prepared for life's little surprises.
Your choice, your chase.
The Kia Sorento's got the V6 engine, 10-year warranty, tons of cash back, five-star safety
rating, front and side curtain airbags, plus it is considered the best...
Stop.
You had me at warranty.
Just pick a pen and we'll start the paperwork.
The Kia Sorento, with lots of features and lots of cash back, it's the easiest decision
you'll ever make.
Visit your local front range Kia retailers.
Hurry, offer ends soon.
Whatever happened to Melissa, the 58-pound anorexic?
Next entertainment tonight, her new job on TV.
I'm Melissa D'Arbo.
Her dark past and the story you don't wanna miss.
Then, Don Johnson back in prime time and kissing and telling with ET.
Remember the name of the first girl you ever kissed?
Plus, everybody loves Raymond's Patricia Heaton on Hollywood's plastic surgery obsession.
You get into trouble if you try to look like you're 20 when you're 40.
Next ET.
Weeknights at 6.30 p.m. on My News.
On Lawline 9 today, we're offering free legal advice to people who have disabilities.
You can reach these Denver Bar Association attorneys at 303-698-0999.
They'll be taking your calls until 6.30 this evening.
An increase in water rates is coming for customers of Denver Water.
Mark Cobrik has more on that now in tonight's Consumer Minute.
Mark, it's a small increase per customer, but it translates to big dollars for the water
company.
Yes, it does indeed.
The rate change will generate about 12 million extra dollars a year.
The rate adjustment takes effect January 1st of 2006.
Typical residential customers will see an increase ranging from $2.92 per household
to $4.14 per household per bill.
The ceiling for high rates for the big users has been increased.
The penalty use used to kick in at 60,000 gallons in a billing period.
That's been raised now to 80,000 gallons.
Yahoo has begun testing an upgraded version of its free email service.
It's not online yet, but Yahoo says that the design has the look and feel of a computer
desktop application, such as Microsoft Outlook.
All the major search engines have been in a tug of war for subscribers, but Yahoo still
leads the pack with nearly 64 million visitors in the month of July alone.
Pretty remarkable.
And for years, German car makers have left the hybrid market to the Japanese, but that's
about to change.
The CEO of Audi has announced plans to cooperate with Volkswagen and Porsche in the development
of a hybrid.
Japanese companies have successfully offered hybrid powered cars.
Since 1997, German car makers have concentrated instead on diesel engines.
No word yet on whether a hybrid in the Chevy Vega line is on the way, Bob, although many
viewers continue to hope and send photographs.
You'll notice that one looks very fast and it had fire on the side to make it look very
fast and efficient.
Just like Adele's old one.
There you are.
Just like that.
Thanks, Mark.
Keep the pictures coming.
Automatically.
Makes it go faster.
It does, yeah.
We'll see you again in the weather forecast.
We'll check in with Kathy again.
Also a mixed day for the Broncos on the injury front.
Some good news and some not so good.
You'll have that coming up in sports.
Nine News wants to hear from you.
Use our phone, email, or go to our website at ninenews.com.
We're on.
Kaiser Permanente. Thrive.
My 2020 LASIK came with a money-back guarantee.
Call 303-2020-NOW for your absolutely free LASIK evaluation.
2020 Institute. Visual freedom delivered one guarantee at a time.
Get ready. Fashion forward is fashion for work, for fun, and now it's on sale at Kohl's Fall Fashion Sale.
Starting this Friday, get 30 to 40 percent off all men's and Mrs. Apartment 9, Mrs. Nine & Company, and Daisy Fuentes Sportswear.
And for him, all Chaps and Access Dress Apparel is 40 percent off.
Plus, get 25 to 30 percent off our entire stock of exclusive candies apparel.
All shoes and boots are on sale, too. That's Fashion Forward at Kohl's Fall Fashion Sale.
Kohl's. Expect great things.
21 grand after $1,000 customer cash savings.
When you shop for produce at Safeway, you're buying products that are grown right here in Colorado.
Your lifestyle demands the best. That's why only the freshest, highest quality fruits and vegetables make it to our stores.
Safeway is very proud to support our Colorado growers because it's good for our state, our local community, and you, our valued customer.
Better for you. Better for Colorado. Colorado proud.
My 2020 LASIK came with zero down and zero percent financing.
Call 303-2020-NOW for your absolutely free LASIK evaluation.
2020 Institute. Visual freedom delivered, one guarantee at a time.
Kathy joins us once again. One of those changeable days. Sun, rain, sun, snow.
Snow, hail. Yeah, just about everything in there.
But tonight, the storm that has brought all of that wet, wintry weather to much of the state is moving out, and we're really on our way to a lovely couple of days.
In the meantime, all eyes are focused on Hurricane Ophelia off the coast of Lookout, North Carolina, 50 miles offshore now.
Winds 85 miles per hour, moving northeast at 7.
The slow movement has been bringing heavy rainfall to coastal sections of North and South Carolina, 6 to 12 inches.
And we do think that persistent flooding will be a problem in North Carolina throughout the evening and across the outer banks.
Isolated tornadoes are also a possibility.
Around our area, showers moving out of the city into last chance and Lyman.
A couple of severe cells down in southeastern Colorado.
But on that persistent southwest flow, yet another weather disturbance traveling in tonight.
Snow above 8,000 feet and accumulating snow about 11,000 feet.
Snow has ended in the divide area now, and you can see that we have clearing skies up there.
It was a cold day, 54 in Aspen, 57 in the High Gunnison, 75 Denver and Lamar and 4 Grand Junction.
Just a few hours ago, looking west, the camera bouncing around.
It was windy and wet and a lot of lightning and about a quarter of an inch of rain in the 9 News rain gauge.
Skies are clearing now in the 9 News backyard.
It is crisp and breezy out here.
Here's a look outside as we bring the numbers from today.
Our low 46, our high 75, both numbers below average.
At the airport now, we've cooled to 59 degrees, high humidity value, falling pressure and light winds out of the west southwest.
Light is nice because those were blustery winds earlier today.
Our temperature in the backyard, 56 degrees.
And if you are watching us from, say, Fort Collins or Greeley, low 60s for you, mid 50s in Brighton, Broomfield, and almost 60 in the Parker area.
National radar and satellite composite will show the cold front that blew through yesterday.
And the regional view shows the next system coming in on the southwest flow.
Quickly moving out of the area.
Tomorrow is going to be a great day.
Warm it up and just about dry conditions with lots of sunshine for anywhere you go across the state.
Showers and storms along this frontal boundary and with high pressure building in and the storm track to our north.
Quiet end to the week with temperatures warming up.
Seventy nine tomorrow, 99 Phoenix and 89 in Atlanta.
Tonight showers in the form of rain for lower elevations and snow over the higher terrain.
Temperatures in the 20s and 30s in the high country tonight.
Mostly chilly, mostly sunny and warmer tomorrow.
Beautiful day anywhere you go in Denver tonight.
We'll call for an isolated shower than clear and cool conditions.
Lows in the mid 40s tomorrow morning is going to be a nippy one again.
Sunshine with 49 degrees when you head off to work or school.
Seventies by lunchtime should be a dry, quiet day and beautiful weather conditions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Not too hot and really very little chance of rain in the forecast.
If you have outdoor activities looking pretty good.
In the backyard at this hour as well back inside.
All right, just stay out there then.
Hey, you've been talking to Drew.
Maybe.
Thank you, Kathy.
Hey, good news for the Broncos on the injury front.
It would seem.
Well, kind of.
I mean, these guys may or may not play, but I can't imagine them being too effective.
Broncos running back Mike Anderson is already back at practice.
Anderson injured his ribs during Sunday's season opening loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Thought he might miss a week or two, but there he is running pass routes.
Different story for cornerback champ Bailey, a separated shoulder kept him on the sidelines.
However, Bailey says if he can walk, he'll play on Sunday.
That's when the Broncos meet the San Diego Chargers at home and we're live.
Nine new sports guy Rod Mackie is a team headquarters in Dove Valley.
Hi, Rod.
Hey, Drew.
Remember how last week we stood up here and we talked about the Dolphins game being the biggest game of the year?
The players were saying, well, it really sets the tone for the season.
Well, safe to say they didn't like the tone that was sent.
So now they're going to well, they're looking at it a different way.
You may say the Broncos now say the Chargers game is the biggest game of the season.
And this really makes sense.
After all, San Diego is a division rival and you don't want to start the season at 0 and 2.
In fact, the phrase must win is even being thrown about.
I think everybody looks at an AFC West game as a must win.
If you don't look at it that way, I don't think you're very realistic.
I think we all understand that it's not.
But if you don't look at it that way, I think probably not going in the right direction as an organization, especially at home.
Regardless of when the game is, when you play against your division rivals, you have to win.
They're all must wins because down at the end of the season, if you win your division, you've got home field.
So, you know, it doesn't matter what's happened prior to this game.
This is a big, big win.
We must get real good football teams in this league.
You know, may trip themselves up and have a bad week, but you come right back.
You know, you don't want to be a team that's going on losing streaks.
You know, the important thing is it's in front of us right here.
It's the present.
It's a division game.
There's so many reasons why this is an important football game.
We've got to come out and play like it.
And the Broncos have history on their side.
They have beaten San Diego the last five times.
The Chargers have come to Colorado.
And Mike Shanahan is 9-1 against San Diego in Denver.
Drew, we'll send it back to you.
But who's counting?
Thanks, Rod.
The Rockies wrap up a three-game series in Los Angeles tonight.
First pitch with the Dodgers is at 8-10.
Houston Astros pitcher Roger Clemens will throw tonight against the Florida Marlins.
What's so unusual about that?
Well, Clemens' mother died of complications from emphysema early this morning,
and Roger insisted on pitching in her honor.
San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds came off the bench as a pinch hitter today.
Bonds entered the game against the San Diego Padres with the Giants trailing by one run.
In the bottom of the eighth inning.
Think he did it?
Hernandez moves away.
One-two pitch.
Strike three called.
Ooh, looked low to me.
Padres win 5-4.
We are going to play Drew's Clues.
Clue number one, he was charged with speeding and reckless driving,
going 98 miles an hour during a charity auto rally near Breckenridge in July.
Clue number two, he failed to appear for an arraignment
on those two Colorado traffic citations today.
And clue number three, as a result,
Clear Creek County issued an arrest warrant for him this afternoon.
The answer is, hey, it's his third grade picture.
Former NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman.
Authorities say they won't go searching for Rodman,
but the next time he shows up in Colorado, they will arrest him,
which means there's very little chance he'll play for the Nuggets this season.
At least not without a court appearance.
Yeah, if he does, he won't have his name on his back, I'm sure.
Exactly. We'll be right back.
What else do you speak?
Cantonese.
For Alamosa High School teacher Larry Zaragoza, it's simple.
What do I enjoy about teaching?
Bar none, the children, the students, the kids.
Now, nobody has conflict with Saturday's meat, right?
Why do I think I've never burned out? It's the coaching.
Mr. Zaragoza has been teaching and coaching runners for 30 years.
Success or winning is doing the very best you can with what you've got.
He's my hero. He'll always be.
9 News and College Invest congratulate Larry Zaragoza, a 9-teacher-who-cares.
U.S. stock prices were lower on Wednesday, weighed down by oil prices
and troubles in the airline industry.
The Dow off 52.5, the NASDAQ down 22.5, and the S&P 500 off 4 points.
Race-inspired handling, responsive acceleration, and a four-wheel independent suspension
are all things you expect from Honda.
What you don't expect is all that in a truck.
A four-door truck with a 247 horsepower engine
and the highest government crash test rating possible, the new Ridgeline.
Above all, it's a Honda.
Call Amica today for a free no-obligation quote.
Colorado is in trouble.
A glitch in Tabor is penalizing us for the recession and slowing our economic recovery.
After a billion dollars in cuts, we still face a budget crisis.
That's why referring to C&D are so important.
They fix the glitch in Tabor by earmarking dollars the state already collects
for education, roads, and health care without a tax increase.
Vote yes on C&D. Move Colorado forward.
It's the life of the party for everyone who plays.
Available at Target.
Diminishing rain showers in the metro area, still a little bit of snow coming down over the high country above 11,000 feet.
And tomorrow, sunny and warmer, how about that, 79 degrees, back to the 80s by the weekend.
And Drew knows all about the 80s. Loves that music.
Thank you, Kathy. That's all for now. Entertainment tonight's next. See you for 9 News at 10.
We'll see you then.
Hi, News.com. It's all right here.