Morning headlines from DenverPost.com

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Today's Front Page News

Colorado Rapids' Andre Akpan knew Jeremy Lin before Linsanity
If it weren't for Jeremy Lin, Rapids forward Andre Akpan might be America's most famous Harvard economics major-turned-professional athlete.  

• Colorado hospitals warn legislators that push for pricing transparency would ruin care
• Colorado announces reforms to child-welfare system
• EPA wants further review of water-diversion project to protect Colorado River
• Colorado's swing-state status gives rise to super-PAC attack
• Double homicide rattles Monte Vista residents

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Today's Local Politics

Colorado announces reforms to child-welfare system
Colorado will overhaul how it trains child-welfare caseworkers, make more information public when a child dies of abuse or neglect and start using data to hold counties accountable for how they deal with reports of child abuse, state officials said Thursday.  

• Colorado's swing-state status gives rise to super-PAC attack
• Colorado medical-marijuana activists hope to put pressure on Obama
• Murphy: Colorado fix to hit-and-run law so sensible, yet so hard to fund
• Senate panel kills effort to tie Colorado communities' hands on oil, gas regulations
• Pot-legalization campaign makes last effort for Colorado ballot

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Today's Business

Parker: Best New Restaurants hailed in 5280 magazine
Top restaurant lists usually include 10 names, but 5280 magazine chose only eight area eateries for its 2011 Best New Restaurants.  

• Women's sporting events to be economic blockbuster for Denver
• Spirit Airlines to resume service in Denver after 8-year absence
• Job market gains steam, boosts housing and consumer spending
• Dialysis giant DaVita sees fourth-quarter income rise
• Fierce competition among Colorado youth for summer jobs in 2012

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Today's Sports Headlines

Colorado Rapids' Andre Akpan knew Jeremy Lin before Linsanity
If it weren't for Jeremy Lin, Rapids forward Andre Akpan might be America's most famous Harvard economics major-turned-professional athlete.  

• Battle Mountain's Kendall VanHee edges Nederland's Dayna Larsen to win giant slalom title
• Former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill has the talent to play at NFL level
• Carlon Brown like manna from Utah for Colorado coach Tad Boyle
• Center's Diego Pons proves that he belongs with Class 2A wrestling victory
• Shawn Ostrow steps up scoring for DU

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Today's Entertainment

At the Denver Broncos home, a Mile High victory for design
Pure architectural victories are rare in Denver, a city that reveres the natural environment on its edges while frequently neglecting the built environment on its streets. But it happened Wednesday night.  

• This weekend's theater openings
• Bar: At Denver's Trillium, classy yet casual rules
• A tale of two self-made (and TV-assisted) comedians: Kevin Nealon and Ron Funches
• The blues, straight up: Colorado bluesman Otis Taylor's take on human "Contraband"
• Denver-area Jewish, eniviro film fests kick off

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Today's Style

At Denver's Trillium, classy yet casual rules
Like many new restaurants of late, Trillium cultivates its bar scene as much as its fine-dining bona fides. The American-Scandinavian eatery, which opened in December in the always-growing Ballpark neighborhood, invites the cocktail crowd with a playful wink and a smile.  

• Look of the Day, 2/16/2012
• Look of the Day, 2/17/2012
• People & Places: MIX100 radio personality and author Dom Testa at The Bookies bookstore
• FiveTips: How best to wear color blocking
• Choosing a wedding dress is a major commitment, too

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