I've got some very interesting Casa Bonita news. I've obtained a trove of images, blueprints, plans and documents outlining what's planned inside our beloved Mexican fiesta-themed mini universe.
Brace yourselves.
Hold on to your sopapilla.
I've got news to serve. 1/
A records request to the City of Lakewood has yielded interior photos from December. I've got renovation cost and goals.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker bought the restaurant for $3.1.
Renovations are expected to cost $12 MILLION, according to docs. 2/
There is A LOT in these documents that outline repairs to floors, major renovations to the kitchen and bathrooms, upgrading sound systems, lighting, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical...it goes on and on. But let's dive into the stuff you care about...like the pool. 3/
The pool will be rebonded. It's also going to get new steps with artificial rock to match the original.
And CHECK THIS OUT:
We know the size of the pool!
It holds 48,000 gallons. 13.5 feet deep!
(I've always wondered.) 4/
And some relief here:
Black Bart's Cave/Hideout will NOT be messed with, according to plans.
There's a lot more....so much more. I'm probably missing some stuff...but here's what I can take away from these docs... 5/
The plans seem to tell us the spirit of Casa Bonita will absolutely remain, with major upgrades to the accessibility of the restaurant.
New ramps and railings are planned.
And a new vertical lift is also planned for people who use wheelchairs. 6/
I get the strong indication from these plans the kitchen and the bathrooms will undergo the most change.
Maybe the food will be a big improvement as we know there's now a new head chef!
That stuff will cost $1.3 MILLION according to plan documents. 8/
This caught my eye. A demo to the stage for more room? 9/
I've got to get ready for the 4pm show in which I'll be broadcasting this news. But in the meantime, here's an article we have summarizing what I was able to gather. We have a slideshow of the restaurant like you've never seen it. 10/10
And I'll add one more bonus post from a few years ago. A personal, terrifying experience I had at age 12 at Casa Bonita. Enjoy! jeremyjojola.com/2018/06/26/the…
And here's the broadcast version of my reporting. Thanks for following along!
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BREAKING: We have obtained an 8 minute video clip showing when a train hit a Platteville Police cruiser with a suspect inside. The suspect is alive and in the hospital with multiple injuries. We are reviewing the video now. Here's a 40 second portion of the video. 1/
I obtained this video after I filed a records request with the Fort Lupton Police Department. Yareni Rios-Gonzalez has nine broken ribs, a broken arm, a fractured sternum, and numerous other injuries to her head, back and legs. 2/
Rios-Gonzalez was pulled over after someone called about a road rage incident with a gun.
Rios-Gonzalez has an attorney.
Earlier this week, I found this particular crossing in Weld County had four PRIOR crashes, which included four prior fatalities.
Today I met the new executive chef of @CasaBonita.
Let’s just say Dana Rodriguez has a lot on her plate as she’s responsible for making Casa Bonita’s food into something people will like. 1/
As @CasaBonita undergoes restorations and renovations, employees have been taking Spanish & English classes so they can communicate better when it finally opens.
They are receiving certificates today. The classes were free for the employees.
¡Órale!
Alex Perez has been working at @CasaBonita for 30 years. He took English classes and says he can now understand the language better. He told me he’ll make me a special margarita when it opens. Saving this tweet for notes! Haha.
NEW: We hear from two bystanders who were shot by @DenverPolice on Sunday morning. Yekalo Weldehiwet still has an officer’s bullet lodged in his shattered arm. Bailey Alexander was shot in the back, with the bullet exiting through her arm. 1/
Yekalo came to US at age 10 from Ethiopia with his parents to escape violence. He’s got a remarkable story. His dad was a janitor at the University of Denver. Yekalo graduated from the same school with a full-ride scholarship. He finds it ironic he was shot in the US.
Bailey and Yekalo are angry. They learned the bullets that hit them came from @DenverPolice by watching news reports about Sunday’s shooting.
Finally! I can talk about this. Some of you remember this tweet. I found something that made my heart race when I was going through government databases. A case of fraud involving $2.3 million in COVID funds. Follow this thread... #9NEWS@9WantsToKnow
Weeks ago I was scrolling through government databases that show all the Colorado businesses that received COVID dollars. Money that was supposed to help small businesses pay employees during the pandemic. I found a strange pattern. 2/
I found 33 businesses that trace to ONE Denver address. They were all approved for COVID monies. When I looked closer at the business licenses...BOOM! Fraud. Someone took expired businesses and revived them on paper. Days later, the entities were approved for loads of money. 3/