Kirk Mitchell relished making sense of a mystery. It’s no secret how the longtime Denver Post reporter earned himself the nickname Kirk “Cold Case” Mitchell following years of dedicated coverage of unsolved criminal investigations across Colorado, along with writing about the state’s most sensational murders and other mayhem. Mitchell, who retired from The Post in 2020 after 22 years at the newspaper, died this week in Pennsylvania after battling prostate cancer since 2016. He was 64. His byline can be found on stories about subjects ranging from the Aurora theater shooting to therapy dogs in ..read more

Before Dr. Martin Gaudin Lockley set his sights on studying the footprints of dinosaurs, the scientific field known as paleoichnology attracted little notice or respect. The tall, talkative, Denver-based paleontologist who died of cancer on Nov. 25 at age 73 is largely credited with changing that by tracking fossilized dinosaur walkways on nearly every continent. Martin Lockley in the ’80s, wearing his love for fossils on his sleeve. (Courtesy of the Lockley family) For more than 40 years, Lockley identified and mapped Jurassic and Cretaceous period tracksites in Colorado and everywhere they’v ..read more

By LYNN ELBER (AP Television Writer) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of TV sitcoms, has died. He was 101. Lear died Tuesday night in his sleep, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said Lara Bergthold, a spokesperson for his family. A liberal activist with an eye for mainstream entertainment, Lear fashioned bold and controversial comedies that were embraced by viewers who had to watch ..read more

Lucille Ruibal Rivera’s “dynamic personality” and experience in health management were crucial as Jim Garcia worked to open what’s now known as the Tepeyac Community Health Center, which has served northern Denver neighborhoods for nearly 30 years. She simplified a complicated industry for Garcia and, as the health center grew, she joined its board of directors, eventually serving as its chair. “That was the type of person that she was,” said the Tepeyac clinic’s CEO and founder. “She was very adept at identifying a need within the community — and then not only committing herself to it, but ra ..read more

By BILL BARROW and MICHAEL WARREN, Associated Press ATLANTA — Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Jimmy Carter during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians, has died at the age of 96. The Carter Center said she died Sunday after living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. The statement announcing her death said she “died peacefully, with family by her side” at 2:10 p.m. at her home in the rural south Georgia community of Plains. It said a schedule of memorial events and funeral preparations would b ..read more

Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest-serving U.S. senator who led San Francisco through its darkest and most violent days as mayor in the 1970s and later authored a federal ban on assault weapons that lasted a decade, died Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C. At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress and the longest-serving female in the chamber’s history. During a lingering bout of shingles earlier this year and ongoing reports of her mental decline, Feinstein resisted pressure from her own party to resign. Former Speaker and fellow San Franciscan Nancy Pelosi delivered a tribu ..read more

Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest-serving U.S. senator who led San Francisco through its darkest and most violent days as mayor in the 1970s and later authored a federal ban on assault weapons that lasted a decade, died Thursday night, according to multiple reports. At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress and the longest-serving female in the chamber’s history. During a lingering bout of shingles earlier this year and ongoing reports of her mental decline, she resisted pressure from her own party to resign her seat. Her death will force Gov. Gavin Newsom to make a crucial decision he ..read more

Anna Maria Sie lived the ultimate American dream. Together, for 56 years, she and her husband, John J. Sie, both immigrants to the U.S., built a family in Colorado during his successful career in cable television. Anna Maglione-Sie Over the last 20 years, she became known as a generous philanthropist in Denver’s arts, film and academic spaces, and she built a legacy of work funding Down syndrome research. “She’s kind and compassionate and supportive,” John Sie said. “A champion to those in need.” Anna Sie died Sept. 20 at her home surrounded by her family. She was 78 years old. She was diagnos ..read more

The Dodgers left Brooklyn, but Joseph Sebastian Sinisi never did. Well, sort of. Sinisi, a Denver Post reporter and staff writer for 25 years, died suddenly Monday in his Denver home. He was 80. Known to Denver Post readers by the name in his byline, J. Sebastian Sinisi, the Brooklyn-born Sinisi was familiar to colleagues and friends as Joe. Sinisi began his long career with The Post in 1979, and through the years he never lost his heavy, characteristic Brooklyn accent. Frank Scandale, a former Denver Post city editor who also served as Sinisi’s editor at times during the 1990s and into the 20 ..read more

A publicist says popular game show host Bob Barker, a household name for a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right,” has died at his home in Los Angeles. Barker was 99. Barker — also a longtime animal rights activist — died Saturday morning, according to publicist Roger Neal. “I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” said Nancy Burnet, his longtime friend and ..read more