Morning headlines from DenverPost.com

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Today's Front Page News

Day after Mall of America melee, heightened security greets returning crowds

The day after hundreds of youths wreaked havoc on the Mall of America during one of its busiest days, shoppers still mobbed the center Tuesday as the nation chattered online about the unruly incident.  

• Mother of three shot and killed in McDonald's parking lot in Parker
• Tough choices in 2012 to test Mayor Hancock's leadership
• Air Force Academy sees spike in reported sexual assaults
• Rep. Ken Summers joins Colorado legislative musical chairs by announcing bid for state Senate
• Colorado board suspends engineer's license until hearing on substandard work on schools

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Today's Local Politics

Tough choices in 2012 will reveal Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's leadership style
Next year will make clear one thing: how Denver Mayor Michael Hancock leads. "We're calling 2012 'The Year of Decisions,' " Hancock said in a recent interview. Matters on his plate for 2012 will be weighty, carrying with them political implications and possible controversy.  

• Rep. Ken Summers joins Colorado legislative musical chairs by announcing bid for state Senate

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Today's Sports Headlines

Krieger: Hard to make sense of Broncos releasing Orton
Five weeks later, it still doesn't make any sense.Name another instance when an NFL team in a playoff race voluntarily provided a starting quarterback to a division rival still on its schedule.  

• Fundraising can distort college athletics' mission
• Great way for Air Force football team to salute its seniors: Beat Toledo
• Broncos, beware: Chiefs are motivated
• Tim Tebow isn't using the whole field in the passing game, but someday he will
• Glennon leads wolfpack over cardinals in Belk

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Today's Entertainment

It's Ween, cubed, at the Fillmore
The joke-rock duo of Gene and Dean Ween has never been a general-audience rock act. Outside of Colorado, anyway.  

• Book review: "The Artist of Disappearance" taps India's class chasm
• Book review: "An Hoourable Englishman" gives readers an intelligent biographical treat
• People: "Captain America" Chris Evans' next challenge? Yoga

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Today's Style

Pictures of last call: 2011 was closing time for several Denver area restaurants
It was a busy year for new restaurants in Denver, but it was a busy year for closings, too. Denver Post photographer Cyrus McCrimmon visited several area restaurants shortly after they shuttered their doors to get a closer look at last call.  

• Shiplifting brother steals family's security (12/28/11)
• Sauerbraten: Circa 1976
• Make This: Ribollita; Cabbage Soup with Crispy Bacon and Thyme
• Easy-to-whip-up marshmallows make for year-round toasting
• Slow-cooker saves the day during hectic holiday schedule

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Today's Opinion

Robinson: A brainpower revolution
This is a moment when policymakers should be thinking big, not small. History will little note nor long remember that the payroll tax holiday was extended for two months rather than 12.  

• Guest Commentary: The hard task of coming home from war
• Editorial: What Brown couldn't do for Denver
• Editorial: Long time coming for mercury rules
• Dionne: Obama: The conservative in 2012
• OPINION: The most popular articles of 2011