Denver news in 5 minutes: What you need to know today, Nov. 3

Hi there. You might have noticed that Denver in 5 is showing up much earlier in the morning. That's because it's now synchronized with our daily newsletter. Many of these items now appear in our email blast, but I'm still throwing in some extra-special bonus stuff for the website edition. Thank you for reading, and thanks to all of our local journalists for continuing the work they do. It really matters.

An instructor leads a group of female students practicing first-aid techniques at Loretto Heights during World War I. (George L. Beam/Denver Public Library/Western History Collection/ GB-7542)

Transportation:

It could cost $1 billion to build passenger rail infrastructure between Denver and Fort Collins, part of a potential route from Pueblo through Denver and into the northern Front Range. It's far from a sure thing, Jesse Paul reports. (DP)

Businesses and landowners along East Colfax are voting on a potential 4 percent property tax increase to raise $2.5 million for streetscape changes. Some complain they hardly knew about the proposal, as Jonathan Rose reports. (DBJ)

Despite "radical" transit expansion, the share of people using Denver transit shrank. Andrew Small explores why, and it mostly adds up to, "It takes too long to get anywhere." (CityLab)

Your weekend:

It'll be in the 70s tomorrow and chillier on Sunday. There's a chance of some decent snow in the mountains starting Saturday.

Ashley's lovely list of things to do includes a Día de los Muertos party co-hosted by Museo de las Americas and the Denver Film Festival. (Denverite)

Paul Karolyi has pulled together a list of "iconic cheap eats" in Denver, from Pho Duy to Quiznos, which was born at 13th and Grant. (Eater)

Law:

A man featured on local television as an expert on family tracking apps also has been convicted of extortion and stalking, Michael Roberts reports. (Westword)

Colorado Justice Allison Eid will replace Neil Gorsuch as a federal court judge. Democratic Sen. Micahel Bennet crossed party lines to support her, while critics decried her as another extremist. (Colorado Politics)

Shooting:

Neighbors of the man arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting three people inside a Thornton Walmart described him as a "hostile loner." Several shoppers pulled their own guns, but they apparently did not confront the shooter and ultimately delayed the investigation. There's no sign of a connection among the three victims. (AP, DP, 9)

Development:

The new buyer of Loretto Heights has pledged to preserve the admin building and chapel on the campus while “bringing a renewed and exciting vision for the property’s future.” Some in the community tell Denverite they want to see the theater and other buildings preserved during redevelopment. (Denverite)

Language:

The percentage of the Latino population that speaks Spanish is going down — and it’s lower in Denver than in 24 other metro areas surveyed by the Pew Research Center. The reason? Most of them were born here. (Denverite)

Drugs:

Here's how a CU team does marijuana research: You get high in your own house, on your own weed, and then you get in their big white van and run through a battery of tests, including "remember a grocery list." Sounds legit, and it pays $150. Sam Brasch reports. (CPR)