Good evening. Here's a look at how AP’s news coverage is shaping up in the Rockies. Questions about coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to:

The Denver AP Bureau at 303-825-0123 or apdenver@ap.org

The Cheyenne AP Bureau at 307-632-9351 or apcheyenne@ap.org

The Helena AP Bureau at 406-442-7440 or apmontana@ap.org

Rockies News Editor Matt Volz can be reached at 406-442-7440 or mvolz@ap.org.

A reminder: this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories and digests will keep you up to date. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org.

All times are Mountain.

Some TV and radio stations will receive broadcast versions of the stories below, along with all updates.

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COLORADO:

PHOTO FEATURE: SNOW ARTIST

SILVERTHORNE — Simon Beck carefully plots his course before shuffling through a windswept snowfield high in the Rocky Mountains. Using a compass, snowshoes and his background as a cartographer and competitive orienteer, the 61-year-old British artist and a handful of volunteers recently tromped across a frozen reservoir near the ski resort town of Silverthorne, west of Denver, to create a massive, geometrical design on a fresh canvas of snow. By Thomas Peipert. SENT: 440 words, photo gallery.

IMMIGRATION COURTS

LUMPKIN, Ga. — The nation's immigration court system is shouldering crushing caseloads, chaos and confusion. Dysfunctional for years, the system has grown worse following a surge in asylum seekers and the Trump administration’s crackdown on the southwest border and illegal immigration. The AP visited immigration courts in 11 cities during a 10-day period in the fall, observing how massive caseloads and shifting policies have increased the turmoil. By Kate Brumback, Deepti Hajela and Amy Taxin. SENT: 3,495 words, photos, video. A 1,550-word abridged version has moved.

RED FLAG-COLORADO

FORT COLLINS — A judge on Thursday denied a petition to seize the guns of a police officer involved in the 2017 fatal shooting of a 19-year-old which was sought by the teen's mother under Colorado's new red flag law. In her Jan. 9 petition for an extreme risk protection order, Susan Holmes said there was a credible risk of unlawful or reckless use of a firearm by Colorado State University police Officer Phillip Morris because he threatened and killed her son, Jeremy Holmes, and because she said he has shown ongoing violence and aggression. SENT: 500 words.

TRI STATE-RENEWABLE ENERGY

GRAND JUNCTION — Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has started contracting for new solar power projects in western Colorado as it works to end operations at a coal-fired power plant and coal mine. The utility will end its coal-fired power generation statewide to transition about half of its consumable energy to renewable sources by 2024, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports. Tri-State serves 43 electric associations in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Nebraska. SENT: 230 words.

ELECTION ATTACKS

WASHINGTON — The FBI, in a change of policy, is committing to inform state officials if local election systems have been breached, federal officials told The Associated Press. Some states have moved to address the issue on their own. At least two, Colorado and Iowa, have already implemented policies to compel local officials to notify the state about suspected breaches involving election systems. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 710 words, photos.

URANIUM MILL-LAYOFFS

SALT LAKE CITY — A Colorado energy company laid off a third of its workforce in southeast Utah, primarily at the last conventional uranium mill operating in the United States. Energy Fuels Inc. laid off 24 of its 79 employees, most of them at the White Mesa Mill, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The mill near Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands south of Blanding was built in the early 1980s and purchased by Energy Fuels in 2012. SENT: 300 words.

IN BRIEF:

— OLD HOMICIDE-SUSPECT NAMED — Colorado police have named a suspect in the stabbing death of a woman 23 years ago, although the man identified by detectives has been dead for 12 years.

— BANKERS SURVEY — A new survey of bankers suggests the economy is growing in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states.

— LACROSSE PLAYER KILLED — Authorities say a 19-year-old lacrosse player from Eaton, Colorado, has died in a car crash in Florida.

SPORTS:

CHIEFS-MONEY MAHOMES

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes was largely overshadowed this season by Lamar Jackson, the Ravens’ star quarterback. But the Chiefs' own MVP has quietly had another spectacular season, making him one of the best bargains in professional sports -- for now. By Dave Skretta. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m. Previews, matchup capsules for Packers-49ers, Titans-Chiefs for weekend use (all sent).

BKN-NUGGETS-WARRIORS

SAN FRANCISCO — The Denver Nuggets visit the Golden State Warriors. Game time is 8:30 p.m.

BKC-T25-COLORADO-ARIZONA ST

TEMPE, Ariz. — No. 20 Colorado travels to face Arizona State on Thursday night. The Buffaloes have won six of their past seven games. By David Brandt. Game time is 7 p.m.

SHARKS-AVALANCHE

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are 1-4-2 at home over their last seven games. They're hoping to break out of the funk Thursday night against San Jose.. Game time is 7 p.m.

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MONTANA:

SPORTS WAGERING-MONTANA-LAWSUIT

HELENA — An investment group from Billings has filed a lawsuit against the Montana Lottery over rules that require businesses wishing to offer sports gambling to have specific alcohol licenses. The lawsuit, filed in Lewis and Clark County by the Arete Group, argues legislation that authorized sports wagering did not include the alcohol license requirement. SENT: 250 words.

DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT-FIREFIGHTER

KALISPELL — A former firefighter filed a complaint with the Montana Human Rights Network saying she was a victim of discrimination and was wrongfully terminated. The Dec. 30 complaint by Presley Pritchard said other Evergreen Fire Rescue employees harassed her about photos she shared on social media, The Flathead Beacon reported. The fire department denied the allegations. SENT: 240 words.

PEACE CORPS SERVICE

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The state of Vermont is continuing to be among the top states in the country in the per capita production of Peace Corps volunteers. Rounding out the top five are the District of Columbia, Montana, Virginia and Maryland. SENT: 200 words.

RAPE ACCOUNTABILITY

HELENA — A Montana woman pleaded guilty to a charge alleging she took a young girl to a convicted sex offender with the knowledge the girl would be molested, court records show. Kim Feigert of Helena pleaded guilty earlier this month to one felony count of accountability to sexual intercourse without consent, The Independent Record reported Wednesday. SENT: 240 words.

IN BRIEF:

— OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING-DEATH — A robbery suspect shot by Missoula police officers has died of his injuries, police spokesman Sgt. Travis Welsh said Thursday.

— MISSOULA CHILD CARE — A vacant school building in Missoula is being remodeled into a child care facility.

SPORTS IN BRIEF:

— MONTANA ST-BINFORD — Montana State women's basketball coach Tricia Binford has signed a three-year contract renewal, athletics director Leon Costello said.

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WYOMING:

CONGRESS-CHENEY

WASHINGTON — Rep. Liz Cheney, a junior but rising GOP leader in the House, is opting to stay on that chamber's leadership track rather than run for a Senate seat in her home state of Wyoming. The move keeps the combative second-term lawmaker positioned to advance in the House GOP hierarchy. By Andrew Taylor and Alan Fram. SENT: 360 words, photos.

SUICIDE CALL CENTER-FUNDING

CHEYENNE — Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has recommended providing $400,000 to fund an in-state call center for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Gordon changed course on the issue after initially rejecting the request. Wyoming is the only state that lacks a local call center for the national suicide hotline, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. SENT: 270 words.

SUFFRAGE MEMORIAL-OHIO STATEHOUSE

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposal to erect a memorial to Ohio women who fought for voting rights would add the Statehouse to a small group of state capitols with monuments to actual female figures from U.S. history. A statue of Esther Hobart Morris, Wyoming's first female justice of the peace, stood for years in front of the state Capitol but was moved inside after last year's renovation. By Andrew Welsh-Huggins. SENT: 740 words, photos.

CONDOMS-STATE SLOGANS

SALT LAKE CITY — An HIV-awareness campaign featuring condom wrappers with cheeky slogans that put a sexy spin on state pride met a quick end in Utah as the governor ordered the health department to stop distributing them. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert's intervention came hours after the designs became public on Wednesday. Herbert, a Republican, he understands the importance of educating residents about HIV prevention, but he does not approve of using sexual innuendo as part of a taxpayer-funded campaign. SENT: 220 words, photo.

IN BRIEF:

— BANKERS SURVEY — A new survey of bankers suggests the economy is growing in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states.

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