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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/editorial-by-whatever-means-necessary-the-russian-people-should-replace-putin/
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President Joe Biden learned the hard way Saturday about the dangers of going off script at the end of a speech heavily criticizing Russian leader Vladimir Putin for his unprovoked war against Ukraine. At the end of the speech, Biden blurted out, “For God’s sake, this man cannot stay in power.” The words themselves were spot on. The only problem was the person speaking them.
As the United States learned during four years under Biden’s predecessor, a president who doesn’t carefully measure his words, especially in times of crisis, can easily get himself and the country into deep trouble. President Donald Trump potentially incriminated himself on a few occasions and created headaches for his aides when his off-the-cuff remarks insulted foreign leaders, wrecked alliances and inspired people to experiment with dangerous, bogus coronavirus remedies.
For all of Biden’s careful pronouncements and wartime decisions designed specifically to avert a direct superpower confrontation that could provoke World War III, he managed with a nine-word sentence to confirm Putin’s warnings that the United States seeks to dominate Russia and install a U.S.-friendly regime.
Putin warned as recently as February that “there should be no doubt that any potential aggressor will face defeat and ominous consequences should it directly attack our country.” As if to raise the specter of nuclear retaliation, he added, “All necessary decisions have been taken in this regard.”
It’s a safe bet that any American move toward regime change in Russia would, in Putin’s mind, constitute a direct attack. Biden, who insisted Monday that his words were personal feelings and didn’t reflect a policy change, had the effect of bringing the world a step closer to the very danger he most feared: a provocation that leads to World War III.
In truth, Russia is long overdue for a new leader — a sane leader who doesn’t keep a 30-foot conference table between himself and his guests, and who doesn’t concoct bizarre scenarios of “denazification” to justify invading a neighboring country headed by a Jew.
Putin took control of a nascent, far-from-perfect post-Soviet democracy in 2000 and, in the course of a few years, converted it into a full-fledged dictatorship. He has deployed Russian agents to assassinate his critics. He has banned use of the word “war” to describe the slaughter in Ukraine. Press freedoms have been annihilated. On Sunday, Russian media were banned from carrying reports from four Russian journalists who interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This madman deserves to be replaced — by his own people. The way to do it is to flood Russians with the truth about their president’s war crimes and atrocities via the internet, broadcast media, printed information and any other available means. Putin didn’t hesitate to meddle in 2016 to help put Trump in office. It’s only fair that the United States should return the favor against Putin.
— St. Louis Post-dispatch Editorial Board
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/letters-to-the-editor-redtail-ridge-vote-no-for-a-better-future/
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Grace Christian: Property tax hikes: Our seniors suffer, not landlords
Wednesday’s paper featured a guest opinion by a landlord who objects to increased property taxes to pay for the proposed library district: Karey Christ-Janer: Earth to Boulder: You need your landlords.
She “must” pass the increase onto tenants, who will suffer increased rents. Her proposed alternative is to increase sales taxes, thus taking the burden off her/landlords.
Now sales taxes are “fair” in the sense that all pay the same rates, rich and poor alike. Which, clearly, makes them deeply unfair. They are regressive, i.e. hit the poor much much harder than the rich. So my solution is: how about landlords just accept slightly lower profits?
The folks who are actually harmed by rising property values and the resulting seriously increased property taxes are seniors on fixed incomes like social security. They have seen their property taxes rise exponentially. Mine take up more than a full month’s income. No laughing matter. So let’s implore the county commissioners to take pity on retirees and increase the senior retiree exemption.
Grace Christian
Boulder
Cory Nickerson: Redtail Ridge: Yes to development, either way
It is my sincere wish to remind local voters that no matter how you vote on Redtail Ridge, it will be a yes to development. That is a fact. Louisville’s special election on April 19 is an opportunity for voters to decide if the Redtail Ridge development is a healthy extension of our community.
When you cast a “YES” vote, students, residents and businesses will be beneficiaries of a dizzying display of community improvements and amenities. These include, but are not limited to a long-overdue extension of Campus Drive from Monarch PK-12 to 96th as early as 2023 (while a vote “no” make this entirely uncertain and likely three years away). A vote “YES” will result in 93 acres of new, permanent open space, public parks and trails (but a vote “no” means we only get 38 acres). A vote “YES” brings in $25 million in property taxes (and a vote “no” drops that income down to $21 million). A vote “YES” creates 40 acres of permanent conservation easement for keystone species (and yep, you guessed it, a vote “no” means we only get 20 acres). There are more comparisons at www.yesforlouisville.com where you can also view the endorsements.
Those who claim a “YES” vote hurts those trying to rebuild from the Marshall Fires are misleading voters. Commercial development requires a different skill set and materials than those that are used to build residential homes. All votes – yes or no – will result in a development. Wouldn’t you want to vote for a development that helps Lousville? Voting “no” hurts Louisville. It won’t stop development nor will it require the developers to start over. Vote “Yes” in the special election April 19.
Cory Nickerson
Past PTSO Co-President Monarch High
Sherry Sommer: Redtail Ridge: Vote “No” for a better future
Last October, while I was collecting signatures for our Redtail Ridge referendum petition, a gentleman asked me: “What is your interest in pursuing a referendum?” His question was excellent, and I’ve thought of it often.
First, I must qualify — this resident’s question cannot be answered as worded. Personal interest did not propel me to pursue a referendum petition or to organize a special election campaign. My motivation is the wellbeing and health of our community. I believe Louisville can and must do better than the proposal before us, and that is why I’ve been working to inform residents about this important special election vote on April 19. Voting “No” on this ballot item means that Louisville will have the opportunity to do better.
What does it mean to say Louisville can do better?
A better proposal would protect the wellbeing and quality of life for all in Louisville, including wildlife. A better proposal would preserve land north of Disk Drive that has never before been developed. Of the dedicated public lands in the current proposal, only 59 acres would be recognizable as open space. The current configuration of Campus Drive would bisect this meager open space, and its intersection with 96th would cause backups from stoplight to stoplight. A better plan would preserve land north of Disk Drive as dedicated public open space, preserving critical habitat for wildlife. A better plan could result in a two, rather than four lane Campus Drive, routed away from the open space and conducive to improved traffic flow. A better plan would cluster reduced square footage of development into a smaller area.
A better proposal would reflect long term thinking: The current, car-dependent proposal would generate up to 20,000 additional car trips per day without providing alternative means of transportation, worsening already hazardous air quality. Traffic flow would slow to failing and substandard levels. A better proposal would be smaller and would generate less traffic, and would reduce car dependence for travel to the site. A “No” vote would allow City Planning staff to prioritize the needs of residents rebuilding after the fire. Residents who need to rebuild would not be in competition for City Planning staff time.
We have the community support and involvement needed to ensure that Louisville can do better: I’ve talked to hundreds of residents, first as candidate for City Council in 2019 and now, as cosponsor of the referendum petition. There is very little difference of opinion among residents — the vast majority love Louisville’s small town character. Their greatest fear is development that would change the town, making the air unbreathable, the roads impassable, and overwhelm City facilities. There is a groundswell of support for a better proposal for this site. We have the volunteer commitment and structure to ensure a better proposal emerges from this process.
If Louisville residents vote “NO” in this special election, we get the opportunity for a better outcome for this land and for our town. Any proposal submitted in this future, whether the previous 2010 plan or some entirely new proposal, is required to go through an extensive public review process with numerous opportunities for improvement and public input. Please vote “No” and Help Louisville Do Better. www.preservelouisville.org
Sherry Sommer
Citizens for a Vibrant, Sustainable Louisville
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/longmonts-newest-postmaster-is-10th-to-take-on-role-in-76-years/
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Sean Schtakleff got his start working for the post office shortly after he graduated from high school in Palmdale, Calif.
The temporary, Christmas-time job sorting packages in a processing center has led to a nearly 25-year career working for the U.S. Postal Service.
Schtakleff took on his latest role March 16 when he was inducted as the newest Longmont postmaster. He is only the 10th person to serve as Longmont postmaster since 1946.
Before the role in Longmont, Schtakleff was the station manager for the Capitol Hill post office in Denver from 2019 until he was hired in Longmont. He came to Denver after working from 2007 to 2019 for the Durango post office, where he served as a supervisor and postmaster.
The postmaster oversees the day-to-day operations of the post office. In Longmont, the role involves managing roughly 140 workers and 101 routes across Longmont, Frederick and Firestone.
On Thursday morning just before 8:30 a.m., Schtakleff moved through the back room of the post office building at 201 Coffman St. Employees bustled around their work spaces sorting mail, including several crates of peeping baby chicks, which Schtakleff noted are commonly seen at the post office this time of year.
Schtakleff said he was looking to work for a smaller post office, like Longmont, because there’s a chance to better get to know workers and the community they serve.
“I found that Longmont draws more of that rural community that I’m used to down in Durango,” Schtakleff said.
Besides maintaining universal six-day mail delivery, expanding seven-day package delivery and “spurring innovation to meet the needs of our modern customers,” Schtakleff hopes to close the Longmont post office’s hiring gap. The lack of employees is one of the biggest challenges facing the post office today, he said.
“It puts the burden on our current staff,” Schtakleff said. “It puts us delivering mail to the community at later times in the afternoon and later times into the evening. It doesn’t impact the service to the community, it’s more the time of day that we are out there.”
Schtakleff plans to tackle this problem by getting the word out through advertisements, hosting job fairs and visiting community events, such as the farmers market, to share information about hiring opportunities.
Schtakleff is hoping to hire 10 more full-time carriers and up to 40 part-time carriers. He hopes to fill a number of those roles by late summer so that he can have a core of well-trained staff that will be best prepared for the holiday rush, when the post office can see two to three-times its regular volume of mail.
Safety has always been a priority, Schtakleff said, when asked about this element of the job in wake of the fatal shooting of postal worker Jason Schaefer, who died delivering mail in southwest Longmont in October. The mother of Schaefer’s child, and a co-defendant, were arrested in connection to his death.
Schtakleff said from what he knows about the incident, the post office “did a great job handling that,” and that it was a “unique situation with those individuals.”
“Safety is always, always our concern to all of our employees every day,” Schtakleff said. “We have tons of safety programs that we have installed across the nation.”
James Boxrud, U.S. Postal Service spokesperson, said while he wasn’t involved in Schtakleff’s hiring, he worked with him in Denver.
“He is very professional, cares about his employees, community and customers which to me makes him a great fit for our town,” Boxrud wrote in an email.
Boxrud, who lives west of Longmont and has worked with every local postmaster since 1977, also added:
“The Postmaster … is a coveted position in most cities and postmasters often stay for years till they retire or move to larger cities.”
Before Schtakleff, Vicki Stephens served the Longmont post office as officer-in-charge and carried on the postmaster duties in the interim. Stephens began serving in the role after Stacey Bradley left in 2020. Stephens left her role in Longmont to take on the role as postmaster in Broomfield.
Schtakleff lives in north Denver with his wife and three children, ages 14,12 and 8. He said staying in the postmaster role for a number of years is an important part of making a positive impact.
“(The postmaster who’s here for the long run) is a stable figure in the community so that we continue to provide great service,” Schtakleff said. “When that changes, the solidity of the daily process gets hiccups.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/ncar-fire-containment-reaches-100-thursday-evening/
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Boulder-Fire Rescue reached 100% containment on the NCAR Fire, which burned 190 acres in Boulder.
According to a tweet sent about 5 p.m. Thursday, Boulder-Fire Rescue announced crews had reached full containment on the fire. However, they noted that it does not mean the fire is completely “out” because there may be smoldering areas or smoke from where it was extinguished.
Hey #Boulder! We are happy to announced that Containment of the #NCARfire is now at 100% and the acreage remains at 190. #boulder #boulderfirerescue #wildland #thanks pic.twitter.com/8oiui8Ok1u
— Boulder Fire-Rescue (@boulder_fire) March 31, 2022
On Tuesday, the fire reached 90% containment thanks to the rainy weather.
Boulder officials said the fire started about 2 p.m. Saturday in Bear Canyon.
At its largest, the evacuation area included an estimated 19,000 people and 8,000 homes before it was reduced Saturday night and then lifted on Sunday afternoon.
There have been no structures damaged and no reported injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who was on or near the trails south of NCAR around the time the fire started and may have seen anything to call 720-564-2679 or email BCSOTips@bouldercounty.org.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/photos-erie-high-school-vs-centaurus-baseball-3-31-22/
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Erie High School’s Colin Carlson (No. 1) bunts in the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s Trenton Rowan (No. 8) catches a bouncing ground ball in the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s baseball team celebrates a home run with Holden Pantier (No. 7) in the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s Dillon Alcouffe (No. 11) pitches during the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s Sam Stem (No. 18) gets a hit in the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s Taylor McMaster (No. 2) snags a ground ball in the game against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Jacob Amador (No. 2) tries to grab a ground ball hit by Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Zach Schultz (No. 18) throws to first in the game against Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Zack Young (No. 10) pitches during the game against Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Nathan Hirsh (No. 19) throws the ball in the game against Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Brandon Korn (No. 11) throws to first in the game against Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Nathan Hirsh (No. 19) gets a hit against Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Centaurus High School’s Isaiah Hirsh (No. 3) avoids the pick off attempt by Erie High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Erie High School’s Gabe Mendoza (No. 20) gets a hit against Centaurus High School in Lafayette on Thursday, March 31, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/pro-redtail-ridge-lobby-vastly-outraises-opponent-draws-big-support-from-developer/
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The special election committee formed in support of the proposed Redtail Ridge development outraised its opposition nearly 40-fold, according to campaign finance reports made public Wednesday by Louisville.
Yes for Louisville, the pro-development faction, raised a total of $55,617.23 in monetary and in-kind contributions.
Of that total, about $48,000 in in-kind donations came from Redtail Ridge’s developer Brue Baukol Capital Partners LLC, including $30,000 in marketing services from consultancy The Strategy Division.
The Denver-based developer plans to build as many as 3 million square feet of office, industrial and flexible-use buildings at the long-vacant, former Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) site off U.S. 36.
In all, Yes has spent $5,382.74, the lion’s share going toward print and digital advertising from Prairie Mountain Media, publisher of local newspapers such as the Boulder Daily Camera and Colorado Hometown Weekly. (Disclosure: BizWest has a content licensing agreement with Prairie Mountain Media)
The campaign’s largest single donors, each of whom gave $500, were former Louisville Mayor Chuck Sisk, who is married to Yes organizer Terre Rushton, and Centura Health’s Avista Adventist Hospital CEO Isaac Sendros, whose involvement is notable because Avista is seeking to relocate to Redtail Ridge. The hospital’s official position is that it is “neutral on the referendum.”
“We are thrilled that our citizen-led initiative has inspired so many Louisville residents to generously support the Yes For Louisville campaign and council’s 2021 approval of the Redtail Ridge redevelopment plan,” Yes treasurer Richard Morgan said this week in a statement. “From the beginning, we have said that we would be transparent and fact-based, and that’s why we’ve properly recorded and disclosed all contributions and expenditures.”
For its part, Citizens for a Vibrant, Sustainable Louisville raised $1,425.85, with the three highest individual donors forking over $103.48.
The group reported spending $2,107.49, apparently operating at a deficit.
The biggest expenditures for the group were yard signs, $1,010.60, and fliers, $614.99.
The special election campaign has been fierce with Yes filing a rules complaint, which was dismissed by Louisville’s City Clerk’s office (although Yes organizers claim the dismissal was in error), and Citizen’s accusing its opponents of operating as pawns of Brue Baukol.
“The developer has spent tens of thousands of dollars spreading professionally-crafted misinformation in the belief that residents can be persuaded to vote against their collective best interest. It just shows their contempt for the people of Louisville,” Citizens supporter Justin Solomon said in a statement. “Maybe this cynical strategy has worked for them in the past, but Louisville voters are a savvy bunch. They won’t be manipulated.”
The April 19 special election, which the Louisville City Council initiated after a successful petition led by Citizens organizers and other opponents of the Redtail Ridge plan, asks voters to decide: Shall Louisville Ordinance No. 1811, Series 2021, An Ordinance Approving the First Amendment to ConocoPhillips Campus General Development Plan (Redtail Ridge Master Plan), be approved?
A “Yes” vote allows Redtail Ridge developer Brue Baukol Capital Partners LLC to move forward with its plans for the property.
A “No” vote would result in the site reverting to its previous land-use designation, which is more restrictive than the plan approved by the Louisville City Council in 2021 after more than a year of debate and public hearings.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/steve-pomerance-the-east-boulder-subcommunity-plan-dont-look-up/
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I can’t resist making a reference to one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time — “Don’t Look Up.”
For those of you who haven’t seen it, its title refers to politicians telling people to avoid looking up, because if they did, they would see the huge meteor coming to destroy our planet, with obvious parallels to our climate emergency and the unwillingness of many politicians to face it. To me, the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan has the same feeling of unreality, though not as dramatic. It might be a decent start in another context, but for Boulder it simply doesn’t work, because it makes some problems worse, and avoids putting in place the regulations and finances necessary to deal with others.
Jobs/Housing Balance – Over the last 50 years, Boulder has gone from a city with a relatively reasonable balance between jobs and resident workers to one with over 60,000 in-commuters. This has resulted in massive traffic increases (and carbon emissions) and huge pressure on housing prices. The EBSCP makes this worse because all the proposed scenarios add thousands of more jobs than housing for these workers.
Transportation Planning – The EBSCP foresees a giant transit center and other facilities to attempt to address its self-created in-commuting nightmare. But the numbers are huge. Busses will take hours to deal with the full demand, and that assumes that RTD can and will pay for them, which is highly uncertain. The plan’s “last mile” solutions are unproven and unfunded. Efficient self-funding alternatives, like charging for parking and then paying people to carpool, have apparently been ignored.
Affordable Housing – The EBSCP could have proposed that the area be rezoned with much more housing and many fewer jobs to the point where the housing would be more than adequate for the workers, but this never happened. And for the housing that is to be allowed, the regulations could be redone to require, say, 50% of the units to be permanently affordable; that would roughly preserve our population’s current economic distribution. But that didn’t happen either.
Affordable Business Space – It’s not clear to me how much effort was put into achieving this important outcome, but as best as I can tell, any actual regulations are left for the indefinite future. Unfortunately, there is way too much of this vagueness in almost all the implementation of the plan’s goals.
Building Energy Consumption – The EBSCP would have been a good place to implement a requirement that all new buildings be net-zero in energy consumption. Net-zero buildings have already been constructed in Boulder and could easily be done in this planning area. It would mean requiring better insulation, rooftop solar, efficient lighting, etc., plus perhaps some solar gardens with more space for PV panels. Adding in battery storage and micro-grids could create an area that would self-sustain during power failures, making it more attractive for certain businesses. But the only references to anything like this were vague and indefinite.
Expectations – When I raised these issues, one response I’ve heard is that the property owners in East Boulder had reasonable expectations about what they would be able to build, and so making drastic changes would not be fair. So, apparently, the concerns about affordable housing expressed by the city power structure do not extend to correcting the plan’s jobs-housing imbalance and insisting on a high percentage of permanently affordable housing in what gets built there. Interestingly, this level of deference to property owners’ expectations has not been granted to single family homeowners, given the constant threat of up-zoning their neighborhoods to allow multi-unit apartments. Apparently, what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander. Just saying…
Water – I should not have to keep bringing this up, but the numbers I’ve seen indicate that if the Colorado River’s Lower Basin states and Mexico get their allotted shares, the Upper Basin states, which legally are entitled to only the leftovers, will have to cut their consumption. How hard this will hit the Colorado Big Thompson Project is unclear, but it will happen, because the CBT has relatively junior rights. And we in Boulder gets a third of our water from the CBT. We really need a serious risk analysis BEFORE we push all this mass of new development. Taking the attitude of “don’t look up” and failing to do the work first is, frankly, just plain dumb.
The EBSCP clearly needs a lot of fixes for all these issues and problems. It’s time for that hard work to begin.
Steve Pomerance is a former Boulder city council member. stevepomerance@yahoo.com
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/student-voter-registration-week-kicks-off-monday/
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Student Voter Registration Awareness week kicks off on Monday.
High school students who will be turning 18 in 2022 can register to vote in the June primary or November general elections depending on when they turn 18. If you turn 18 before June 28, you can plan to vote in both elections, and before Nov. 8 for general elections.
If you have a Colorado driver’s license or state ID you can register by visiting GoVoteColorado.gov, or find out if your school has a voter registration liaison to help you get registered. If you are not yet 18, you can still pre-register by following these instructions.
In combination with Student Voter Registration Awareness week, the City and County of Broomfield is hosting an “I Voted” sticker design contest for K-12 students.
To enter you must be a K-12 student who lives or attends school in Broomfield County, and you have to use the design template available on Broomfield’s website. All entries are subject to approval and must be non-partisan.
You can submit your artwork and application in-person or by email to electionsdivision@broomfield.org.
For a full list of rules and instructions visit votebroomfield.org. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/study-boulder-second-most-popular-for-zoomer-renters/
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A RentCafe study found that Boulder is the second best city in the country for Generation Z renters.
The analysis determined the popularity of cities across the country by examining the share of total apartment applications submitted by members of each generation.
In Boulder, Generation Z accounts for 66% of applicants, followed by Millennials at 18%.
Boulder was the only Colorado city to crack the top 20 most popular cities with Zoomer renters.
“At state level, Colorado Springs boasts the second-largest share of Gen Z renters — 36%. However, when it comes to Colorado’s trending Gen Z hotspot, Denver is the new up-and-coming favorite,” the report found. “In just one year, apartment applications coming from this age cohort increased by 29%, pushing the city’s share of Gen Z renters to 28% by 2021.”
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/u-s-census-boulder-county-lost-residents-from-july-2020-to-july-2021-weld-county-sees-big-gain/
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Weld County added more new residents than any other county in the state since the April 2020 census, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The county added an estimated 11,055 residents, taking it from a population of 328,981 to 340,036, as of July 1, 2021, a growth rate of 3.4%.
The Census Bureau estimates population in counties annually, building on the latest census, earlier estimates and demographic analysis.
Douglas County ranked second statewide in terms of residents added, with 11,012 new residents taking the population from 357,978 to 368,990, an increase of 3.1%.
When looking at estimates for the one-year span from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021, Weld and Douglas reversed positions, with Douglas County adding 8,888 residents during that 12-month period and Weld County adding 8,678.
El Paso County ranked No. 3 statewide in terms of population added since the census, with 7,472 new residents taking the population from 730,395 to 737,867, up 1%.
Larimer County ranked No. 4 statewide, adding 3,467 residents, taking the population from 359,066 to 362,533, an increase of 1%.
Boulder County actually lost population according to the estimate, dropping by 1,215 residents, from 330,758 to 329,543, down 0.4%.
Broomfield County added 1,213 residents, taking the population from 74,112 to 75,325, up 1.6%.
Rich Werner, president and CEO of Upstate Colorado, a regional economic-development organization based in Greeley, said the latest population gains reflect a trend that has existed over the past decade.
Weld County communities offer more-affordable housing options than many parts of the Denver area, Werner noted, with growth of industry adding to the appeal.
“When you have an area of Northern Colorado that is tied to the metro Denver region and are seeing robust growth in industry, along with additional affordable (housing) options and a variety of communities to live in, you’re seeing (such factors) support that growth,” he said. “It’s always been an issue of housing stock and affordability that lends itself, along with the commuting patterns of the workforce.”
The Census Bureau identified net migration as the main factor in Larimer County’s one-year population growth, while Weld County showed a robust natural change of 1,993 and net migration of 6,730.
But negative net migration was cited as the key component of Boulder County’s population loss since July 1, 2020, with 1,413 residents moving out of the county, only slightly offset by natural change, or births compared with deaths.
That could be a reflection of the high housing costs in Boulder County. The median single-family sales price for the city of Boulder, for example, approached $1.6 million in February, with Longmont at $600,000. February’s median sales price in the Greeley-Evans market was only $434,850.
“We saw this happen to Longmont years ago, where Longmont’s growth was really predicated on the affordability issue of folks who worked in Boulder but could not afford to live there and so moved to Longmont,” Werner said. “And now we’re seeing the same thing as our population growth increases, as our industries continue to grow, we’re seeing more interest in living close to the workplace.”
Nationally, five of the Top 10 largest-gaining counties in 2021, were in Texas, with Collin, Fort Bend, Williamson, Denton and Montgomery counties gaining a combined 145,663 residents.
Also:
- Los Angeles County, Calif., experienced the largest population loss of any county, losing 159,621 residents in 2021. Seventy-one percent of counties (2,218) experienced positive net international migration.
- Four counties crossed the threshold of 100,000 residents in 2021: Cleveland County, N.C. (100,359); Lancaster County, S.C. (100,336); Bastrop County, Texas (102,058); and Grant County, Wash. (100,297).
- Los Angeles County, Calif. (9,829,544), and Cook County, Ill. (5,173,146), had more than 5 million residents in 2021, making them the two most populous counties in the nation.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/boulder-county-center-for-judaism-to-take-orders-for-shmura-matzo/
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The Boulder County Center for Judaism is offering “Shmura” matzo for the Jewish community in their celebrations of Passover.
“Shmura matzo is the closest thing to what our ancestors ate while fleeing Egypt 3,000 years ago,” said Rabbi Pesach Scheiner of the Boulder County Center for Judaism in a news release sent by Chany Scheiner, co-director of Boulder Center for Judaism.
The Center has been importing this “Rolls Royce of Matzo,” which is machine-made and pre-packaged matzo, for more than 30 years.
Scheiner said the word “Shmura” means to watch or guard. The imported matzo are watched closely during preparation so they do not come in proximity with the smallest speck of leavening, which is forbidden on Passover.
This year, over 100 pounds of matzo will be ordered. The Boulder Center for Judaism encourages families to order in advance. Each box contains one pound of product and is available in regular or whole wheat.
Pick up will be between noon and 2 p.m. April 10 by appointment. Purchasers will be notified when their order is ready to be picked up at the Boulder County Center for Judaism, 4900 Sioux Dr., or make arrangements for it to be delivered.
Contact Boulderjudaism@gmail.com or call 720-422-6776 or visit boulderjudaism.com/BuyMatzah to place an order.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/boulder-police-seek-publics-help-to-locate-stolen-bikes-worth-70000/
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Detectives with the Boulder Police Department are asking for the public’s help to locate bikes worth $70,000 that were stolen late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
Startup company Driven Technologies Inc., located in the 2800 block of Wilderness Place, reported the burglary Thursday morning. Police think the burglary occurred between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 8:15 a.m. Thursday, according to a news release from the Boulder Police Department.
Thursday night, Jason Smith, CEO of Driven Technologies Inc., said one of the bikes — his personal bike — was recovered by the Boulder Police Department. His bike, a blue specialized Turbo Levo mountain bike with white lettering, is valued at $12,000.
Officers were still working to locate the other two bikes stolen Thursday night.
Smith said he arrived at work about 8 a.m. When he walked to the front of the store, he noticed that a football-sized rock was thrown through the company’s glass front door. When the glass did not shatter into pieces, Smith suspects the person kicked it out until it fell out of the frame.
“The rock went through the safety glass, and we think they wanted to gain entry,” he said. “It was framed in, so they kept kicking the bottom and the frame of the window popped inward.”
At first it didn’t seem like anything was stolen, but when Smith walked to the back where the show bikes were, he realized three bikes were gone.
Besides his bike, the other two bikes that were stolen were prototypes. They are worth a combined total of $70,000.
He said he is not sure whether the person who stole the bikes knew what they were taking, adding that they were the most expensive looking bikes in the room but are not usable.
“They have their hands on these beautiful and expensive show bikes, and my fear is they can’t do anything with them and they are going to throw them in a dumpster,” Smith said.
Bike theft has been on the rise in recent years in Boulder County, according to officials.
In November, eight men were indicted by a state grand jury and accused of using stolen vehicles and large rocks to break into and burglarize bike shops across the Front Range, including several in Boulder County.
Mitch Trujillo, community service officer in Boulder, said during a police townhall last year that bike theft is a nationwide problem because bike owners are still not properly locking their bikes or are leaving their garage doors open.
Smith said his company did not have any surveillance cameras at the store but will be investing in them soon.
“I read about it all the time and now it happened to me,” he said. “We read about the bike shops, and now it is really hitting home.”
Boulder police are asking anyone with any information related to this investigation to call Detective Cody Hartkopp at 303-441-1951 and reference case 22-2976. Those who have information but wish to remain anonymous can contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at nococrimestoppers.com/.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/boulder-youth-led-healing-event-scheduled-for-saturday/
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Lila Nuttle, a sophomore at Fairview High School, volunteered to help plan an upcoming event around healing after the King Soopers shooting because she’s interested in healing through art.
Her ideas for the event included a community art project, as well as an opportunity for participants to exchange notes with “happy” messages. Between the shooting and recent wildfires, she added, her community has experienced a lot of trauma.
“We just want to put some joy out there and give people a chance to have some fun and feel safe to acknowledge any emotions,” she said. “We want everyone to get something out of this event, whether it’s being with people, finding resources and ways to cope, or just kind of escaping into a stress-free environment.”
Growing Up Boulder is hosting Saturday’s the youth-led Healing Day of Remembrance to mark the one year anniversary of the mass shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers, where 10 people were killed on March 22.
The free, all-ages event is from 10 a.m. to noon at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St. Planned by Boulder’s Youth Leadership Healing Committee, the event includes opportunities to heal through art, writing and community connection.
The high school students on the planning committee were supported by Growing Up Boulder, Mayamotion Healing and the University of Colorado Boulder’s Renee Crown Wellness Institute. The event is funded by the Community Foundation Boulder County’s Boulder County Crisis Fund.
Executive Director Mara Minzter said Growing Up Boulder received a grant from the crisis fund to determine what young people need in the wake of the shooting and help provide that support. Twenty six high school students applied to be on the planning committee, while about 18 routinely participated in the sessions.
“They’re so aware and so deeply impacted,” Minzter said. “It’s so easy for us as adults to forget about their needs because they maybe don’t express themselves the same way as adults.”
She added young people are experiencing record high levels of anxiety and depression.
“This healing event is a way for them to help themselves and help others,” she said.
Maya Sol Dansie, who founded Mayamotion Healing, said one theme for the event is fostering resilience.
“The healing of trauma is not linear, and a traumatic event can activate grief or traumas from previous experiences,” she said. “I want to help young people accept that there are heavy experiences we will likely confront again and again.”
Saturday’s event includes art for young children, a community art project, a community altar, a sensory station and a writing station, as well as support from Boulder Mental Health Partners and Natural Highs.
Minzter said the organizing team also will collect information from children and teens at the event about how they wish to heal, then use that information to help design the second part of the project.
“We see this as informing the next steps,” she said.
Josh Cochran-Holmes, a freshman at Fairview High, said he wanted a part in remembering the King Soopers tragedy.
“I didn’t feel like just sitting on the side and watching,” he said.
He said one of his ideas for the events was creating ofrendas, or offerings, on a altar at the event, then allowing participants to add to the display. The overall goal is a “peaceful place (for people) to heal from this event, express their emotions and pay their respects,” he said.
He said he appreciated the opportunity to plan an event, noting young people may think differently than adults.
“We have grown up in a different generation, and we have different ideas,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that anyone is wrong, but some fresh thoughts and healing practices would provide a welcome change.”
Fairview junior Greyson DeMarco worked on the communal art project for the event, with participants invited to paint or draw on a puzzle piece. Once completed, the puzzle pieces will spell the word “healing.”
He said the event is designed for anyone who wants to connect and express themselves, not just those affected by the King Soopers shooting.
“I feel like everybody has gone through something in their life,” he said. “I see this as a resource for people to get help if they want to. You can express yourself however you want to, no matter what you’re going through.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/cu-boulder-dedicates-tree-to-victims-killed-in-king-soopers-mass-shooting/
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One by one, each person picked up a shovel. When it was their turn, they bent over, scooped up dirt and gently buried 10 packages of seeds beneath the earth.
Written on each package — of what will soon be budding wildflowers — were the names of every victim killed last year during the mass shooting at King Soopers in south Boulder.
The seeds were buried by the family members and friends of the victims on Thursday at Farrand Field. Soon, they will root and grow adjacent to a tree recently planted to memorialize Boulder Officer Eric Talley, Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49;Teri Leiker, 51;Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61;Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65, who were killed in the shooting.
“Planting this tree cannot bind the wounds that were inflicted on our community almost a year ago, but it can serve as a memorial — a reminder of what we lost,” said Juniper Loomis, a student at the University of Colorado Boulder and former King Soopers employee. “It should also serve to remind us of the response from our community, of the love that we have shown that we hold for one another.”
Loomis said she met Stong and Olds when she started working at the Table Mesa King Soopers in November 2020.
SarahDawn Haynes, outreach and engagement coordinator with the University of Colorado Boulder, said the university has had a tree committee for 11 years. She said the campus has hosted memorial trees for alumni and faculty for years, but after the shooting, the committee discussed planting a tree in honor of all of the victims to show their support for the families and students.
“We may not fully understand how it impacted our community, but it’s very significant,” Haynes said. “It will be a way for whoever comes to school here to know it’s a part of our history. It’s touched so many of our lives.”
The tree planted is a catalpa. In the winter it loses its leaves, but soon large heart-shaped leaves will spring from it, said Stephanie Mayer, senior instructor of ecology and evolutionary biology at CU Boulder. In May or June, the tree will produce flowers, which is later than many other trees on campus, who will have lost their blossoms by then.
“This tree flowers when there aren’t other flowering trees out there,” Mayer said.
In honor of Leiker, who had a love and passion for the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band, the tree sits in view of where the band practices, Haynes said.
“(The memorial) just makes us whole and makes us recognize our wounds instead of just trying to move on with life,” she said.
Vince Aquino, CU Boulder forestry supervisor, said the university is working to add a plaque in front of the tree which will list the victims’ names.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/erie-high-senior-wins-40000-college-board-scholarship/
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Erie High School senior Ethan Cramer recently learned he was one of 25 students nationwide to win a $40,000 College Board scholarship.
College Board awarded more than $1 million in scholarships through BigFuture, its online college planning tool. Students earn entries in the scholarship competition by completing steps in the online guide.
Cramer and other scholarship winners were surprised with the news that they had won the scholarships on Good Morning America.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/macys-sales-price-revealed-32m/
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The former Macy’s building in the Twenty Ninth Street shopping center sold last week for $32 million, Boulder County property records show.
Boulder 29 LLC, a joint venture between Denver-based developer Corum Real Estate Group and New York City-based Fair Street Partners, acquired the vacant building from Macy’s Real Estate Holdings LLC.
The Boulder City Council approved plans to redevelop the department store into a three-story, 154,000-square-foot office building with 9,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Construction is set to start in May, with delivery expected by the fourth quarter of 2023.
“The adaptive reuse of this building will be an excellent example of how recycling and repurposing outdated structures can energize irreplaceable real estate,” said Eric Komppa, president of Corum Real Estate Group, in a statement. “In addition to reutilizing the building’s shell, the project will capitalize on the structure’s high ceilings, large floorplates, and Flatiron vistas to create an environmentally efficient and distinctive office environment that is ideally suited for the wide variety of tenants in and drawn to the Boulder market.”
Since 2016, Macy’s has announced the closure of hundreds of stores, but the company’s other Colorado locations have thus far been spared. Locally, Macy’s operates in Broomfield, Fort Collins and Loveland.
Last year, the Fort Collins location at Foothills Mall was purchased by a private equity company with ties to the development firm that’s been tapped to lead redevelopment at the mall.
There have been plans in place to redevelop the Boulder Macy’s for several years.
In early 2021, the Boulder City Council decided in an 8-1 vote to approve a site plan that proposes to transform the shuttered department store into a mixed-use office and retail space.
Despite the approval, the Macy’s project remained controversial due to nagging concerns that the addition of office space will exacerbate Boulder’s jobs-housing imbalance.
That imbalance is a reference to Boulder’s ongoing challenge of providing affordable housing options for the city’s workforce while continuing to add high-wage professional jobs that push up the cost of housing.
Boulder’s concern over the jobs-housing imbalance is so acute that the council in early 2019 adopted a development moratorium across a swath of the city that includes the Macy’s site. That moratorium, inspired by Macy’s proposal, was meant, in part, to assure existing residential and retail spaces wouldn’t be gobbled up by developers and turned into office buildings. Macy’s plans were initiated prior to the moratorium, which was rolled back in October 2019.
In an effort to address these concerns, Macy’s has pledged to contribute $3 million to Boulder’s affordable housing program.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/boulder-traveler-pens-cookbook-for-the-modern-nomad-with-the-buslife-kitchen/
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When it comes to road tripping, adventurers are going beyond trail mix and jerky to fuel up.
Life on America’s highways and backroads offers satisfying views and equally fulfilling homemade meals, if you know your way around an abbreviated version of a home kitchen.
Boulder couple A.J. Forget and Ayana Otteman embarked on a journey in April 2020 and have since been posting up at national parks, campgrounds and the occasional Cracker Barrel parking lot.
Forgoing fast food and freeze-dried fare, Forget took advantage of the three burners in the duo’s refurbished, short school bus — named Sweet Bea — that they outfitted themselves.
Under pastel desert skies and by salty coasts, he crafts everything from refreshing watermelon gazpacho to stovetop nachos in less than 100 square feet of living space.
Forget fused his love of the open road and flavorful eats with a cookbook entitled, “The Buslife Kitchen.” Funded by an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, the project gained speed rather quickly with the goal of $10,000 being surpassed.
While recipes are designed to be crafted while on wheels, they truly can be enjoyed on the grid as well. Offering a mix of super-easy dishes to throw together post-hike and more elaborate ones to dive into when energy and time allow, the book offers the perfect mix of mouthwatering fare.
The e-book ($17) is currently available at TheBuslifeKitchen.com. Folks can also pre-order a paperback copy ($22), which is expected to be released in July. Also on the site is an array of “Buslife Kitchen” swag from tanks and T-shirts to enamel camping mugs.
Forget previously worked as a wildland firefighter for the National Park Service, based mostly out of Rocky Mountain National Park. During that time, he put away money that has acted as a bit of a nest egg — allowing him to devote time to this book venture.
Otteman, a jeweler, currently works as a nanny for the Venardos Circus — a troupe of acrobats and magic-makers that are set to roll into Longmont in late April. After Otteman got the unique job offer from a magician friend, she and Forget decided to follow the big top to various locales and have been doing so for the past seven months.
We caught up with the roving couple to find out more about what inspired Forget’s love of cooking, how traveling has brought about a slew of untapped ingredients and the underrated significance of sharing a meal with strangers and friends in the great outdoors.
Kalene McCort: Love the diversity of recipes this cookbook offers. What would you say sparked your interest in the culinary arts?
A.J. Forget: I have enjoyed cooking for about as long as I was able to reach the stovetop. My father and my older brothers were all great cooks, so I grew up in a household where good food was something that was really valued. Back when I could barely see the stovetop, and the only thing I knew how to cook was bacon and eggs, I was always eager to cook up a meal for whatever friends were over. For me, there is little in life as wonderful as sitting down to a really excellent meal with people I love, and it is doubly wonderful if I prepared it. But another part of why I learned to cook is that being broke is a lot more enjoyable if you have some skill in the kitchen. We love to eat, and to eat really good food, but restaurants are expensive.
Back in college, when I was really broke, I realized that it doesn’t take a lot of money to eat really well if you are willing to do the work yourself. A lot of the best dishes out there are made with simple, cheap ingredients, and all you need to make them is a willingness to play around and learn a few things. I am thankfully not as broke as I was back then, but the kitchen skills I picked up over the years still serve me well.
Living in the bus, whenever possible, we like to be way out there camping somewhere beautiful. In those settings — be it the heart of the desert or high up in the mountains — there aren’t a lot of good food options aside from what we make ourselves. Fortunately, with a bit of planning ahead of time and the recipes that I’ve put together in this book, just about anything we want to eat we can make in our tiny kitchen.
KM: Do you guys find yourselves hitting up local farmers markets and buying organic produce, meat and other goods from local purveyors and, does what’s in season play a role in what is plated up?
Ayana Otteman: As much as I love the romantic notion of hitting up a local farmers market and ogling over fresh produce…I actually hate grocery shopping. I am certainly a little embarrassed to admit this, but I find the whole process dull and overwhelming. Most times I accompany Andy to a local market or to the grocery store, I end up perusing the hot sauces, the pickles and the booze, while he does the heavy lifting.
AF: We love to shop seasonally and regionally as much as we can. Or, I guess I’m the only one enjoying the shopping part. But we both do enjoy eating regionally and seasonally, at least. Finding new ingredients to work with is my absolute favorite thing, and it is certainly one of the joys of living on the road.
While it can seem at times like the food of our country is pretty homogenous, there is still a lot of variety in regional ingredients and cuisines. No matter where you are in this country, there is something unique and wonderful to the local food scene, whether we’re talking about a known favorite like Maine lobster or more of a hidden gem like the datil peppers of St. Augustine (Florida). There is always something wonderful to discover if you know where to look.
KM: I understand you recently surpassed your Kickstarter goal that will cover the cost of printing. Congrats. Were you surprised with the level of support that poured in from folks all over?
AF: This Kickstarter campaign has truly been a life-changing experience for me. I have been working on this project for several years, and during that time I received a lot of good feedback, but there was definitely still a part of me that was afraid this crowdfunding campaign would be a complete flop. Instead, we reached our first funding goal in under a week.
By the end of the campaign, we had exceeded that initial goal by 54%. Around 300 copies of the book have already sold to people in at least 15 different countries. But, most importantly, the personal messages that I’ve received have been just so kind and enthusiastic. I really could not have anticipated this level of support and excitement, and I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude.
KM: I imagine it’s hard to narrow down, but are there a few favorite dishes in “The Buslife Kitchen” that you’d consider stand-outs?
AO: Although I don’t enjoy the shopping process, I definitely enjoy the taste-testing process. Over the last two years I have had the pleasure of tasting all the recipes in “The Buslife Kitchen” — some of them many times over. It is certainly hard to narrow down, but here are a few faves you won’t want to miss. Baking is something that I love, and figuring out how to do it in the bus was a challenge.
When Andy mastered the recipe for this stovetop focaccia, I was so excited. It’s a perfect appetizer or side dish for any meal. Rajas con crema are delightful vegetarian tacos featuring beautifully blistered poblano peppers that pack the perfect punch. I’m such a sucker for a good poke bowl, and the cubed beets in the vegan poke bowl are a perfect stand-in for raw fish. After I ate this for the first time, I said I could eat it for every meal…and although Andy wouldn’t quite sign on to that, it has certainly become a go-to in the bus.
I didn’t know much about Hawaiian cuisine before Andy started testing these recipes out, but that section — and the Huli Huli chicken — quickly became one of my faves. Something about grilled pineapple, sweet-glazed chicken and mac salad creates the perfect dinner plate. We shared this meal while on the road with some buslife friends and everyone was raving about it.
There’s also the pumpkin crème brulée –– how can you not want to blow torch a dessert? Pumpkin pie has been my favorite for a long time, but having the spiced pumpkin flavor in a custard with a caramelized sugar top is next level.
KM: What are you hoping your book brings to the lives of buyers and, can we expect any in-person book signings or cooking demos this year?
AF: One of the greatest joys of travel is sharing a drink or a meal with new friends. Living in the bus and traveling full-time, we have met some really amazing people and have had the joy of inviting them over for dinner or a rooftop happy hour and getting to know them.
My hope is that this book will create an invitation for many more such meals and friendships. There is an ancient altruism to the sharing of food, and it is one of the greatest tools we have for bridging gaps between people.
Whether we’re talking about learning about a new cuisine and culture from visiting an unfamiliar restaurant — or cooking one of their recipes — or just inviting over the new neighbors for a barbecue, the sharing of food is a universally important tradition and one that we could all probably do with a bit more of.
As far as in-person events, all that I have planned right now are a couple of vanlife/buslife gatherings. We will be at Descend on Bend in Oregon in August and Skooliepalooza in Arizona in January 2023. But the door is certainly open. I would love to do an event at the Boulder Book Store, but nothing is planned yet. And if you happen to find us in the woods somewhere, I’ll be happy to sign a book, give you a cooking demonstration and invite you over for supper. Following us on social media is definitely the best way to keep up with events that we’re planning.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/broomfield-state-officials-break-ground-on-crosswinds-at-arista/
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Broomfield and state officials celebrated the groundbreaking of the area’s newest affordable housing community, Crosswinds at Arista, on Tuesday.
Representatives from the Broomfield City Council, Broomfield Housing Authority, the developer, Gorman & Company, and the State of Colorado Division of Housing joined together to break ground on the 159-unit development.
The 6.2 acre site, located at 8710 Uptown Ave., received unanimous approval from Broomfield City Council last November after the council identified the need for more affordable housing in Broomfield.
The development will include a mix of one- to three-bedroom units, meant to serve families and individuals earning up to 60% of the area median income.
“We are incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to create Crosswinds at Arista in partnership with the City and County of Broomfield, the Broomfield Housing Authority and the State of Colorado Division of Housing. This new community responds to the goals laid out by the Housing Advisory Committee of Broomfield and will expand the spectrum of housing options available in the Arista neighborhood,” Colorado Market President of Gorman & Company Kimball Crangle said in a release. “This project could not have come to fruition without alignment with the seller of the property, the Colorado State Land Board. Our mutual goals helped put this project on the map.”
Amenities for this community include bike storage, playgrounds, laundry facilities, a picnic area and a dog park. According to the release, Crosswinds at Arista will be close to RTD Broomfield Station, with several bus routes and Bus Rapid Transit options between Denver and Boulder.
Construction on the development is expected to be finished in fall of 2023.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/climate-change-may-push-the-us-toward-the-goldilocks-zone-for-west-nile-virus/
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Michael Keasling of Lakewood was an electrician who loved big trucks, fast cars, and Harley-Davidsons. He’d struggled with diabetes since he was a teenager, needing a kidney transplant from his sister to stay alive. He was already quite sick in August when he contracted West Nile virus after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Keasling spent three months in hospitals and rehab, then died on Nov. 11 at age 57 from complications of West Nile virus and diabetes, according to his mother, Karen Freeman. She said she misses him terribly.
“I don’t think I can bear this,” Freeman said shortly after he died.
Spring rain, summer drought, and heat created ideal conditions for mosquitoes to spread the West Nile virus through Colorado last year, experts said. West Nile killed 11 people and caused 101 cases of neuroinvasive infections — those linked to serious illness such as meningitis or encephalitis — in Colorado in 2021, the highest numbers in 18 years.
The rise in cases may be a sign of what’s to come: As climate change brings more drought and pushes temperatures toward what is termed the “Goldilocks zone” for mosquitoes — not too hot, not too cold — scientists expect West Nile transmission to increase across the country.
“West Nile virus is a really important case study” of the connection between climate and health, said Dr. Gaurab Basu, a primary care physician and health equity fellow at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard’s public health school.
Although most West Nile infections are mild, the virus is neuroinvasive in about 1 in 150 cases, causing serious illness that can lead to swelling in the brain or spinal cord, paralysis, or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People older than 50 and transplant patients like Keasling are at higher risk.
Over the past decade, the U.S. has seen an average of about 1,300 neuroinvasive West Nile cases each year. Basu saw his first one in Massachusetts several years ago, a 71-year-old patient who had swelling in his brain and severe cognitive impairment.
“That really brought home for me the human toll of mosquito-borne illnesses and made me reflect a lot upon the ways in which a warming planet will redistribute infectious diseases,” Basu said.
A rise in emerging infectious diseases “is one of our greatest challenges” globally, the result of increased human interaction with wildlife and “climatic changes creating new disease transmission patterns,” said a major United Nations climate report released Feb. 28. Changes in climate have already been identified as drivers of West Nile infections in southeastern Europe, the report noted.
The relationship between lack of rainfall and West Nile virus is counterintuitive, said Sara Paull, a disease ecologist at the National Ecological Observatory Network in Boulder who studied connections between climate factors and West Nile in the U.S. as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California-Santa Cruz.
“The thing that was most important across the nation was drought,” she said. As drought intensifies, the percentage of infected mosquitoes goes up, she found in a 2017 study.
Why does drought matter? It has to do with birds, Paull said, since mosquitoes pick up the virus from infected birds before spreading it to humans. When the water supply is limited, birds congregate in greater numbers around water sources, making them easier targets for mosquitoes. Drought also may reduce bird reproduction, increasing the ratio of mosquitoes to birds and making each bird more vulnerable to bites and infection, Paull said. And research shows that when their stress hormones are elevated, birds are more likely to get infectious viral loads of West Nile.
A single year’s rise in cases can’t be attributed to climate change, since cases naturally fluctuate by year, in part due to cycles of immunity in humans and birds, Paull said. But we can expect cases to rise with climate change, she found.
Increased drought could nearly double the number of annual neuroinvasive West Nile cases across the country by the mid-21st century, and triple it in areas of low human immunity, Paull’s research projected, compared with averages from 1999 to 2013.
Drought has become a major problem in the West. The Southwest endured an “unyielding, unprecedented, and costly drought” from January 2020 through August 2021, with the lowest precipitation on record since 1895 and the third-hottest daily average temperatures in that time period, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report found.
“Exceptionally warm temperatures from human-caused warming” have made the Southwest more arid, and warm temperatures and drought will continue and increase without serious reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the report said.
Ecologist Marta Shocket has studied how climate change may affect another important factor: the Goldilocks temperature. That’s the sweet spot at which it’s easiest for mosquitoes to spread a virus. For the three species of Culex mosquitoes that spread West Nile in North America, the Goldilocks temperature is 75 degrees Fahrenheit, Shocket found in her postdoctoral research at Stanford University and UCLA. It’s measured by the average temperature over the course of one day.
“Temperature has a really big impact on the way that mosquito-transmitted diseases are spread because mosquitoes are cold-blooded,” Shocket said. The outdoor temperature affects their metabolic rate, which “changes how fast they grow, how long they live, how frequently they bite people to get a meal. And all of those things impact the rate at which the disease is transmitted,” she said.
In a 2020 paper, Shocket found that 70% of people in the U.S. live in places where average summer temperatures are below the Goldilocks temperature, based on averages from 2001 to 2016. Climate change is expected to change that.
“We would expect West Nile transmission to increase in those areas as temperatures rise,” she said. “Overall, the effect of climate change on temperature should increase West Nile transmission across the U.S. even though it’s decreasing it in some places and increasing it and others.”
Janet McAllister, a research entomologist with the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in Fort Collins, Colorado, said climate change-influenced factors like drought could put people at greater risk for West Nile, but she cautioned against making firm predictions, since many factors are at play, including bird immunity.
Birds, mosquitoes, humans, and the virus itself may adapt over time, she said. For instance, hotter temperatures may drive humans to spend more time indoors with air conditioning and less time outside getting bitten by insects, she said.
Climate factors like rainfall are complex, McAllister added: While mosquitoes do need water to breed, heavy rain can flush out breeding sites. And because the Culex mosquitoes that spread the virus live close to humans, they can usually get enough water from humans’ sprinklers and birdbaths to breed, even during a dry spring.
West Nile is preventable, she noted: The CDC suggests limiting outdoor activity during dusk and dawn, wearing long sleeves and bug repellent, repairing window screens, and draining standing water from places like birdbaths and discarded tires. Some local authorities also spray larvicide and insecticide.
“People have a role to play in protecting themselves from West Nile virus,” McAllister said.
In the Denver suburbs, Freeman, 75, said she doesn’t know where her son got infected.
“The only thing I can think of, he has a house, they have a little baby swimming pool for the dogs to drink out of,” she said. “So maybe the mosquitoes were around that, I don’t know.”
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
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1776 Musical about the birth of America, through April 3, Performance Now Theatre Company, Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood; $20; performancenow.org.
Animal Farm Stage version of George Orwell’s biting satire, through May 21, Arvada Center for the Arts, 6900 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; $45; arvadacenter.org.
The Liar Adaptation of a French farce, through May 22, Arvada Center for the Arts, 6900 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; $45; arvadacenter.org.
Murder on the Orient Express Agatha Christie’s whodunit set aboard a train, through April 16, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown; $35-$72.50; coloradocandlelight.com.
The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes An average man wakes up and discovers his life has become a musical, through April 23, BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; $65-$70; bdtstage.org.
The Other Josh Cohen Rock ‘n’ roll romantic musical comedy, through May 1, DCPA Theatre, Garner Galleria Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $45; denvercenter.org.
Stick Fly Play that explores the interconnectedness of race and class, April 2-May 19, Arvada Center, 6900 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; $45; arvadacenter.org.
Tootsie National tour of the musical based on the popular movie, through April 10, DCPA Broadway, Buell Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $35-$115; denvercenter.org.
Coming soon
Ann A no-holds barred portrait of Texas Governor Ann Richards, April 22-May 5, Cherry Creek Theatre Company, Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver; $26-$42; cherrycreektheatre.org.
Blue Ridge A progressive high-school teacher spends six months in a church-sponsored halfway house, April 15-June 5, Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Ave., Golden; $17-$45; minersalley.com.
Choir Boy Gospel musical about a gay student in conflict, April 22-May 29, Denver Center Theatre Company, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $30-$71; denvercenter.org.
Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull Dixie Longate shares lessons learned in this one-person comedy, June 22-July 17, DCPA, Garner Galleria Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $46-$80; denvercenter.org.
Flyin’ West Drama about Black women who forged new lives following the Civil War, April 9-May7, Firehouse Theater Company, John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1st St., Denver; $25; firehousetheatercompany.com.
Heart Richard World-premiere comedy about Shakespeare’s complicated villain Richard III and all his fans, April 8-30, Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., Denver; $(name your price); buntport.com.
Jersey Boys Musical that reveals the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, April 15-17, DCPA Broadway, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $35-$115; denvercenter.org.
Man Up: A Musical Original piece about a boy’s struggle to overcome expectations of masculinity, and the deep redemptive power of love, April 8-10, Empathy Theatre Project, Nomad Playhouse, 1410 Quince Ave., Boulder; $24.60; empathytheatreproject.org.
Quixote Nuevo Tejano musical about becoming the hero of your own story, May 13-June 12, Denver Center Theatre Company, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $30-$69; denvercenter.org.
Theater of the Mind David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar-created immersive theater piece world premiere, Aug. 31-Dec. 18, DCPA, York Street Yards, 3887 Steele St., Denver; theateroftheminddenver.com.
They Promised Her the Moon Story of Jerrie Cobb and a group of female would-be astronauts, April 15-24, CU Department of Theatre, Loft Theatre, University Theatre Building; $18; cupresents.org.
Twilight Zone, A Parody Episodes of the famed 1950s/60s TV show are lovingly recreated, April 22-May 14, Theater Company of Lafayette, Mary Miller Theater, 300 E. Simpson St., Lafayette; $18-$23; tclstage.org.
You Will Get Sick Play about learning to live in your own body, April 22-May 14, Benchmark Theatre Company, 1560 Teller St., Lakewood, benchmarktheatre.com.
To submit a new play or production, email the entry plus a high-resolution photo to features@prairiemountainmedia.com, with “theater listings” in the subject line.
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Boulder should see highs in the 50s and 60s over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Today’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high of 57 and an overnight low of 34.
Saturday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 66 and an overnight low of 39.
Sunday’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high of 58 and an overnight low of 36, with a 20% chance of rain and snow.
Five-day forecast
Check out what weather is in store for the Boulder County area here
National Weather Service
See what the National Weather service is predicting here
24-Hour satellite
Watch NOAA’s 24-hour satellite image here
Real-time conditions
See what Boulder’s weather is like now at the National Center for Atmospheric Research here
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Boulder area
15th Street Gallery Featuring work by Boston artist Nancy Simonds and Denver artist Tony Ortega; open by appointment only; 1708 15th St., Boulder; 303-447-2841; 15thstreetgalleryboulder.com
Ana’s Art Gallery Art from local, African and Caribbean artists; noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 958 Cherryvale Road, Boulder; 303-261-5936; anasartgallery.com
Art and Soul Gallery Works by Denver artist Mark Bueno on display; 10 a.m-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday; 1615 Pearl St., Boulder; 303-544-5803; artandsoulboulder.com
Art Parts “Spring Yarn Explosion,” while supplies last, get free yarn during Boulder Arts Week (March 25-April 2), make yarn creations and bring them back to the shop to yarn bomb reclaimed trees; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday; 3080 Valmont St., Boulder; artpartsboulder.org
Art Source International Gallery features antique maps, prints and vintage posters; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 1237 Pearl St., Boulder; artsourceinternational.com.
Boulder Creative Collective “Pertenecer” by Grace Gutierrez celebrates Chicanx identity, through April 2; “While I Wait” by Julia Vandenoever explores the human relationship to nature, April 8-May 1; visit website for hours; 2208 Pearl St., Boulder; bouldercreativecollective.com
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art “Once They Were Red,” fiber installations by local artist Erica Green; “³/ works,” drawing installations by Kansas City-based artist Kevin Townsend; “Inner Lining,” Natani Notah explores her Native American identity with sculpture, all three exhibits up through June 12; “El movimiento sigue” Los Seis de Boulder sculpture by Jasmine Baetz, through Oct. 23; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; 1750 13th St., Boulder; 303-443-2122; bmoca.org
BMoCA at Macky “Imaginearia,” abstract drawings, paintings and watercolors by Natasha Mistry, through May 1; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 1595 Pleasant St., CU Boulder campus; bmoca.org.
Canyon Theater and Gallery “The Continuous Line,” a drawing collaboration, through April 28; Boulder Valley School District’s annual K–8 art exhibition, April 6-May 12; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday; Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-441-3100, boulderlibrary.org/exhibits.
The Collective Community Arts Center “Ometeotl: We Are All One,” pieces from Chicano Humanities & Arts Council artists, through April 3; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; 201 N. Public Road, Lafayette; lafayetteco.gov.
Dairy Arts Center “Presentiment,” artists tap into the inner self, through April 9; “Project Worthmore,” outdoor mural by Erica Pacha creates awareness for Colorado refugees; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-7:30 p.m. Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday; 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; 303-440-7826; thedairy.org.
East Window and East Window South “Two Spirit Lakota,” photography from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by Magdalena Wosinska, April 5-July 28; “Disgust: Unhealthy Practices,” group show in East Window South explores actions that can turn harmful and damaging, opening reception 6:30 p.m. April 7, April 7-June 28; East Window open daily 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; East Window South open by appointment; 4949 Broadway, Unit 102-B and 102-C, Boulder; eastwindow.org.
Eldorado Springs Art Center Art gallery and sculpture garden in the foothills; call for gallery hours; 8 Chesebro Way, Eldorado Springs; 303-378-0454; eldoradospringsartcenter.com.
The Gallery at Bus Stop “The Continuous Line,” Renate Mairie’s print project features continuous drawings from various artists; 6-9 p.m. first Fridays, noon-4 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment; 4895 N. Broadway, Boulder; noboartdistrict.org.
HiFi Jones Studio & Gallery Jonathan Hanst’s pop-culture art mashups are made from reclaimed vinyl and books; 4-8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday or by appointment; 209 E. Simpson St., Lafayette; hifijones.com.
Louisville Center for the Arts Spring Member Show, April 14-17; 801 Grant Ave., Louisville; louisvilleart.org.
Mary Williams Fine Arts Gallery features fine art, antique maps and framing services; call for hours; 5311 Western Ave., #112, Boulder, 303-938-1588; marywilliamsfinearts.com
Museum of Boulder “Boulder Strong: Still Strong,” commemorates one year after the mass shooting at King Soopers, through April 10; “Voces Vivas: Stories from the Latino Community,” explores county’s Latino heritage, through Feb. 26, 2023; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday; 2205 Broadway, Boulder; 303-449-3464; museumofboulder.org
Naropa University Art Galleries Nalanda Campus, 6287 Arapahoe Ave.: Cube Gallery has local and international artists; Nalanda Gallery hosts guest artists and student exhibitions, Lounge Gallery operated by students. Arapahoe Campus, 2130 Arapahoe Ave.: Lincoln Gallery features local and regional artists. Paramita Campus, 3285 30th St.: Paramita Gallery has works in all media by regional artists; all open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; bit.ly/naropaart
NoBo Art Center “Mo’Print,” Month of Printmaking group exhibit, through April 16; 4929 Broadway, #E, Boulder; noboartdistrict.org/nobo-art-center.
Particulars Art Gallery “The Nature Of Colorado,” exhibit and sale celebrates the beauty of the state; through April; noon-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 401 S. Public Road, Lafayette; particularsart.com
Phil Lewis Art From T-shirts to custom snowboards and prints to laser engraving, Phil Lewis’ art is on display and for sale; noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 2034 Pearl St., Unit 102, Boulder; phillewisart.com
POP! Gallery Open Studios’ pop-up art and gift gallery; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; 1421 Pearl St.; openstudios.org/pop-gallery
R Gallery “Let it Pop!” features art inspired by pop-art movement, opening reception 6 p.m. April 1, runs through April 24; “Flatirons Beauty,” featured collection; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 2027 Broadway, Boulder; 303-447-2841; rgallery.art
Rembrandt Yard Aboriginal, local and national art; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, call for hours; 1301 Spruce St., Boulder; 303-301-2972; rembrandtyard.com
Shark’s Ink Renowned printmaking publishing studio and gallery with more than 160 national artist collaborations since 1976; 550 Blue Mountain Road, Lyons; 303-823-9190; sharksink.com
SmithKlein Gallery New watercolor landscape works by Boulder-based artist Jim Pittman, through April; noon-5 p.m. daily; 1116 Pearl St., Boulder; 303-444-7200; smithklein.com
Thistle Community Gallery Work from NoBo artists Linda Bice, Steve O’Bryan, Adderly Grant-Lord and Dan Baumbach, through April; 4871 N. Broadway, Boulder; noboartdistrict.org.
CU Art Museum “Spring 2022 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions,” April 1-23; “Hostile Terrain 94” aims to memorialize migrants who have died crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, through April 25; “The Art That Made Medicine,” anatomical illustrations, through April 29; “To Hear the Earth Before the End of the World,” light and sound installation, through July 16; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 1085 18th St., Boulder; cuartmuseum.colorado.edu
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History “Sincerely, Bud Johnson,” features objects from Bougainville Island collected by the CU student after World War II; “Antarctica: More than Meets the Eye,” explores the ancient Dry Valleys where CU conducts research; “Horses in the North American West,” Anthropology Hall; University of Colorado Henderson Building, 15th and Broadway, Boulder; colorado.edu
Longmont area
Firehouse Art Center “Mixed Grit,” inaugural showing of Gregory Santos’ exchange project during Month of Printmaking, through April 24; Capstone exhibit in the South gallery features art from Skyline High School students, through April 3; “Exquisite Connections,” a collaboration between local artists and writers in the South gallery, opening reception April 8, on display April 8-May 8; noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday by appointment, noon-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; 667 Fourth Ave., Longmont; firehouseart.org.
The Great Frame Up “Longmont Artists’ Guild Member’s Show,” through April 2; “East Boulder County Artists Spring Studio Tour Preview Show,” opening reception 5 p.m. April 8, on display April 8-May 7; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 430 Main St., Longmont; longmont.thegreatframeup.com.
Longmont Museum “Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper,” by contemporary Japanese artists, through May 15; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 400 Quail Road, Longmont; longmontmuseum.org.
Osmosis Gallery Hosts more than 45 artists in a variety of mediums; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 290 Second Ave., Niwot; osmosisartgallery.com.
Walnut Gallery Features work from more than 50 artists in a wide range of media; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, and open by appointment; 364 Main St., Longmont; thewalnutgallery.com.
Northern Colorado
Art Center of Estes Park “A Symphony Of Color,” oil paintings by Sally Richmond and photography by her son Sasha Richmond, through April 25; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; 517 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park; artcenterofestes.com
Artworks Gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a reception 6-9 p.m. April 8, RSVP required; “The Lives and Traumas of Stuffed Animals,” dark humor graphite pencil drawings by Elaine Erne, April 8-June 25; “Power,” local group show that looks at the many forms power can manifest, April 8-June 25; 1-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday; 310 N. Railroad Ave., Loveland; artworksloveland.org
Columbine Gallery More than 800 National Sculpture Guild pieces adorn a sculpture garden with local paintings on display inside; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2683 N. Taft Ave., Loveland; columbinegallery.com
Independence Gallery Features various mixed-media works from Northern Colorado artists; 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; 233 E. 4th St., Loveland; independencegallery.com
Lincoln Gallery “Regional Photo Show,” black-and-white and monochrome photography, April 8-29; noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 429 Lincoln Ave., Loveland; 970-663-2407; lincolngallery.com
Loveland Museum “In the Garden, In the Distance,” mixed media by Jennie Kiessling, through April 10; “History As Art: Cherry on Top,” Becky Hawley and Dion Weichers explore Loveland’s cherry industry, through July 10; “Ditches & Running Water,” wet plate collodion photographs by Laura Cofrin, through April 24; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 503 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland; lovelandmuseumgallery.org
Are we missing your exhibit? Please email cfantz@prairiemountainmedia.com with “art exhibit” in the subject line.
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Winter Walkabout Music Showcase — Longmont’s full day of song, where tunes by a variety of local artists can be heard billowing out of barrooms, cafes and other locales — may have recently pivoted to a “spring” rebranding, but still promises a bounty of unforgettable live sets from local entertainers.
“I’m most looking forward to the atmosphere, energy and vibe that the Walkabout brings to downtown and the Longmont Creative District,” said Colin Argys, marketing specialist and event coordinator for Longmont Downtown Development Authority. “Both 2019 and 2020 were such fun days and nights throughout the district, with tons of people out and about, laughing, smiling and enjoying all the wonderful live, local music throughout the various venues.”
Kicking off at 2 p.m. April 9, the showcase — headlined by Foxfeather and iZCALLi — will feature over 100 musicians taking stages at close to a dozen venues throughout town, including record shop Absolute Vinyl.
“We’ve got a small but mighty team of folks helping us put this together,” Argys said. “Karyna Balch is a musician who relocated to Longmont within the past year, and she has stepped in to handle the booking and putting together the lineup. She’s spent a lot of time on it and has done a great job of curating a talented, diverse lineup. We’re excited to showcase all these talented local musicians again this year.”
From Walkabout veterans to newbies, the inclusive event is a place for a myriad of genres to shine.
Many Mountains — the Louisville couple who delivers cosmic Americana — played Winter Walkabout in 2020 and will return for the long-awaited spring edition.
“Up and down — east and west — the sidewalks of Main Street were bustling with humanity,” said Dustin Moran, who founded Many Mountains with partner KR Nelson. “I saw couples strolling hip to hip, spilling over the illustrated diagram of the event like it was a newly acquired treasure map to auditory bliss — which it was.”
While some organized music fans popped in from venue to venue with a purpose, for others, the sounds of folk, blues, bluegrass and more were a welcome surprise in previous years.
“There were folks just out for an evening stroll who serendipitously stumbled upon the event, not previously aware,” Moran said. “Interested — but lacking wristbands — some would stretch their necks to get a glimpse, others ducked their curious heads in to hear. One person attempted to slip the doorman a $20 bill hoping they’d grant them below-board admission.”
Many Mountains will perform at Abbott & Wallace Distilling at 2:45 p.m. April 9.
“For our set, Many Mountains will focus on performing material from our 2021 release, ‘Endless Time’ while folding in some tried-and-true tunes from our past catalogue,” Moran said.
Walkabouts not only provide artists a chance to share their tracks with crowds, but offer cherished opportunities for musicians to revel in sets by their peers.
Moran is just as enthused to catch performances by skilled troubadours as he is to play.
The sounds of Pamela Machala, of Boulder, has tinges of Ben Folds and Sara Bareilles as she consistently delivers excellence behind the keyboard. She will perform at The Times Collaborative at 4:30 p.m. April 9.
“Pamela Machala’s last album ‘Something Simple’ is awesome,” Moran said. “Catchy, smart songwriting, tasteful, succinct piano parts. It gives me feel-good vibes when I listen.”
From solo artists to full-fledged rock bands, the amount of variety is sure to deliver something for everyone.
“I’ve been paying attention to Native Station for years,” Moran said. “It’s fun to watch the evolution of a band. Their frontman and main songwriter, Greg Benton, strikes me as a true individual — one with conviction and a steadfast vision for his art. Native Station’s live shows are overflowing with energy and I plan to be there for it. It’ll do me some good.”
At 5:15 p.m. April 9, Native Station will play Elks Ballroom.
Danny Shafer, Taylor Shae, John McKay and Megan Burtt are just a few of the familiar local names in the upcoming lineup.
Dechen Hawk, of Lyons, will perform at The Times Collaborative at 6 p.m. April 9.
“Dechen Hawk is an ambassador of the Boulder County music community, an integral figure to the scene,” Moran said. “He has a loving heart and a voice that’ll make you weep. I plan to be there for his performance, to enjoy his soulful presence and show my appreciation for all he has done for the past 10-plus years.”
Multiple venues will make way for a fun and packed day of show-hopping.
“This year I’m excited to be hosting a stage at Longmont Public Media,” said Tim Gulsrud, president of Soundpost Sessions. “Many people may be aware of this historic building at 4th and Kimbark in downtown Longmont, but I think a lot of people have not actually ventured inside to see what goes on there. The Walkabout is a great opportunity to do that.”
Gulsrud has created a listening room that hosts a roster of eclectic acts throughout the year.
“We have been producing live music events at LPM since last summer and have done a lot of work to adapt it for use as a performance space and a recording studio,” Gulsrud said. “I’m excited to share that with others in our community.”
Among the acts performing at Longmont Public Media during the Walkabout will be Boulder-based singer-songwriter Wellington Bullings who will perform at 6:15 p.m. April 9.
“Attendees can expect to hear a lot of new material — stripped down with just keys and vocals — as well as songs from my debut album ‘Because I want to.’ I will be performing with an amazing pianist, John Stenger,” Bullings said.
The sultry-voiced songstress, who has been compared to Sade, is also excited to catch sets from fellow artists.
“I’m hoping to check out as many acts as I can,” Bullings said. “The lineup is so wonderful.”
Even after musicians pack up their gear and slip well-worn acoustics back into cases, the festivities will continue.
DJ Drake will be spinning at an after-party at The Times Collaborative. Attendees can enjoy food from Rising Tiger and a cash bar. The party starts around 9 p.m. and will go until around 11 p.m. Walkabout ticketholders get free entry. A cover payable at the door will be available for those who don’t have a wristband.
“Ticket sales have been steady and pre-sales thus far seem to have outpaced the 2019 and 2020 leadup,” Argys said.
At midnight, Walkabout tickets will make the leap from $25 to $30. The morning of the event they will increase to $35.
Walkabout also has a few volunteer slots open. By signing up, folks will get a ticket to check out the shows outside of their scheduled shifts, along with other merch.
“I am eager to hear some new music from other bands and artists,” said Longmont-based singer songwriter Antonio Lopez, who will perform with his band at Firehouse Art Center at 6:30 p.m. April 9 “This year, I am on the planning committee for the festival. We made a conscious effort to present more genres of music than what has been done in the past. In addition, we are striving to have more representation and have the festival reflect Longmont’s cultural diversity.”
Dryland Distillers has crafted a special “Musicians Menu” of unique cocktails available for purchase during the event at the tasting room. Walkabout attendees can also visit Dryland — in the 500 West Breezeway — between 1-9 p.m., to purchase merch directly from Walkabout musicians.
“My wife Georgia and I moved to Longmont 10 years ago now,” Lopez said. “The most rewarding part of being part of this artist community is witnessing our collective artistic growth. When I was a young man, I moved here with little more than a dream in my heart and a guitar in my hand. I feel very fortunate to now be a middle-aged man with the flame of that same dream still burning.”
The return of the Walkabout is a taste of things to come. This summer, the beloved outdoor concert series will return to 4th and Kimbark Street, every Friday in June, from 6-9 p.m.
“The lineup is nearly set, and we expect to announce the schedule and more information after the Walkabout,” Argys said.
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When Centaurus High School chemistry teacher and prep track coach Eddie Taylor first began researching the statistics for his upcoming Everest expedition, he didn’t find many pictures of climbers who looked like him.
In fact, very few Black mountaineers out of about 6,000 individuals have completed the trek up the world’s tallest mountain since the first summit of the Himalayan peak in 1953.
“We knew one or two people have done it, but we knew that it was just not a common thing for Black people to climb Mount Everest,” Taylor said. “When you see 10,000 (total summit attempts), most pictures you see are a picture of a white person or a Sherpa. We just knew it was very uncommon and then when I started looking it up, I found four (Black) people pretty quickly and then couldn’t really find any more. By word of mouth and then just talking to people, that number is now 10, maybe 11.”
Starting next week, Taylor will join the Full Circle Everest Expedition, a team of 11 people of African descent, with the hopes of beginning to change that statistic and to inspire other people of color to embrace the outdoors and mountaineering. They will be the first all-Black team to make the trip up the 29,032-foot beast.
Eight of them, including the 31-year-old Taylor, plan to summit the mountain during the second week of May, as long as everything goes according to plan.
“A group of Black people going to Everest — how can we not talk about representation and talk about inequalities and talk about how important something like this is?” Taylor said. “Because little did I know, this is important to a lot of people outside of me and outside of the people in the group. People are excited about it. Kids are excited about it. Adults are excited about it.”
Taylor, originally from Minnesota, couldn’t say no when team leader Phil Henderson — who first attempted to summit Everest in 2012 — approached him about the project after meeting him in Ouray in early 2021. The teacher and coach in him couldn’t pass up the opportunity to not only make history but to show kids and adults everywhere that they can achieve anything if they have the passion and the drive to do so.
In the months leading up to the expedition, Taylor and his team have worked exhaustively to win over sponsors and create as much visibility for the project as possible. The North Face clothing company will be funding nearly half of the team’s costs, and Italian climbing shoe company Scarpa, as well as Microsoft, will cover much of the rest.
Even though Taylor won’t be in the classroom for the next two months, he’ll still be teaching students near and far on a topic much more exciting than equations and reactions. Langston League LLC, a consulting firm that designs culturally relevant teaching material, is helping Full Circle develop a curriculum that circulates around the project for any teachers who may want to incorporate a lesson on Nepalese people, traveling to Asia, mountaineering, the history of Everest expeditions, goal-setting and relevant vocabulary.
“A lot of schools are interested everywhere: Memphis, Tennessee, Florida, New York, Centaurus,” Taylor said. “It’s kind of everywhere. It’s kind of crazy.”
Microsoft has even helped the team set up a communication channel through Flipgrid to allow teachers and their students to submit questions via email or video to the members of the team. Full Circle plans to hold a 30-minute live event on April 21 meant to interact with the kids in real-time.
Taylor’s wife Anna, who teaches first grade at Meadowlark School in Erie, has loved seeing her young students get inspired before Taylor has even boarded his flight to Kathmandu. Taylor even stopped by to speak in front of a packed house of students and staff at Meadowlark on Thursday morning.
“What I think is going to be really cool is I’ve been working with schools in the area to develop some interactive ways that students in our district and St. Vrain and Adams 12 can follow along in the journey too,” Anna said. “Between the work I’m doing and the work that Microsoft is doing with Flipgrid, it’s going to be awesome to see our students across a couple of districts follow along and get inspired by this trip.”
The full scope of that inspiration has far exceeded the bounds of the Boulder Valley School District, and Taylor hopes it will continue to grow as the team begins their journey from Kathmandu to South Base Camp and beyond. The team will be providing updates from their expedition through @fullcircleeverest on Instagram and under the “follow” tab of their website.
Preparing for the journey
Taylor first began mountain climbing in 2013. He found the new adventure that he craved after completing his stint as a decathlete with the University of Colorado’s track and field team. It combined his passion for athletics and the outdoors and eventually led him to trips up Aconcagua and Denali, two of the Seven Summits — the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents — located in Argentina and Alaska, respectively.
But even after conquering those two, with elevations of 22,841 feet and 20,310 feet, he never had the individual aspiration to take on the biggest behemoth of them all — not, at least, until Henderson first approached him about the endeavor last spring.
The historical and social aspects of the expedition appealed to Taylor more than the climb itself, but he nonetheless bought all the way in to ensure its success and visibility.
He began to train his body for what he could expect in the most Colorado way possible, as he tried to hike as many 14ers as his busy schedule would allow. He became acquainted with his team of 11 through twice-weekly Zoom meetings, as well as through team trips to Bozeman, Montana and Mount Rainier in Washington.
Taylor will take the first step of his 29,000-foot journey when he leaves for Nepal on Saturday and lands in Kathmandu on Monday. From there, Full Circle will begin the 10-day trek up to South Base Camp, which sits at 17,598 feet, and will spend the next two months repeatedly ascending and descending the mountain to properly acclimatize their bodies as the elevations grow steeper and as the air continues to thin out.
If everything goes according to plan, and if the notoriously fickle weather at the summit cooperates, the team plans to reach the top of the world during the second week of May. If unforeseen challenges prevent them from meeting that deadline, they’ll have until the end of that month to attempt the summit.
Taylor’s nerves and excitement haven’t quite settled in yet, even as the expedition fast approaches. After months of preparation and media attention, all while continuing to teach and coach at Centaurus, he’s relieved that the day has finally come and that all of the work he and his team have put into making the dream a reality is about to come to fruition.
He’s hoping that through Flipgrid, Instagram and the film crew that will be following Full Circle’s journey, he’ll help instill a dream or two in the kids and the adults who hope to one day achieve a similar, momentous feat.
He already is.
“What’s been really amazing to see is as awareness of this expedition grows and its purpose, it’s been amazing to see the outpouring of support from the community near and far and the messages that the team is receiving,” Anna said. “People are saying like, ‘Wow, I feel like I’m ready to go on a hike now because I’m seeing that you’re doing this.’ Just that representation has been incredible to see, its impact on the community before they even go.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/boulder-county-coroner-autopsy-determines-saza-lee-died-by-suicide/
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The Boulder County Coroner’s Office says that Saza Lee, the Longmont man whose body was found near Sandstone Ranch months after he was reported missing, died by suicide.
Lee, 55, was found in a remote grassy area near a body of water with a handgun nearby, an autopsy report says. He had been missing since Sept. 10, when he failed to return from an evening bike ride along the St. Vrain Greenway. At the time that he went missing, Lee had been expressing suicidal ideation, according to the report.
A gunshot wound was located on the back of Lee’s head, the report said. At the time that he was discovered, his body had moderately decomposed.
Michelle Montonera, investigations supervisor with the coroner’s office, said the office does not track statistics on trajectory of gunshot wound deaths, so it could not say if it was irregular that the gunshot wound traveled from the back to the front of Lee’s head. She added that the coroner’s office determines time of death when someone is pronounced dead.
About 5:15 p.m. Feb. 13, a man flagged a Longmont officer down and told the officer he thought he found a body south of Sandstone Ranch and took the officer to the location.
Longmont public safety spokesperson Robin Ericson said the officer was in Longmont city limits when they were flagged down but that she didn’t know the exact location of the body.
That same day, Bobbie Lee wrote in Facebook post that the body was the remains of her husband, Saza Lee.
About 20 Longmont community members had attended candlelight vigil for Lee in November to pray for his safe return home. Attendees of the vigil were also asked to share stories about Lee, who was an executive director at the Life Care Center of Longmont. At the vigil, co-workers described Lee as having a “great sense of humor” and being “so sweet and generous.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/broomfield-pinwheels-for-prevention-going-sustainable/
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This year, a well-known symbol for Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month is going sustainable.
The Broomfield Early Childhood Council announced it is purchasing large metal blue pinwheels to plant in partner locations, as opposed to the normal smaller plastic ones as part of its Pinwheels for Prevention initiative. Some smaller plastic pinwheels will be reserved for children to take home.
There will be a public pinwheel planting at the Broomfield Public Library on Tuesday at 10:15 a.m.
Since April is Child Abuse Awareness Prevention month, BECC hopes to “celebrate the whimsical, innocent nature of children and to promote accessible resources to our Broomfield families in supporting healthy, thriving children.”
Partners for this include the Broomfield Public Library, City and County of Broomfield, Court Appointed Special Advocates and the Ralston House.
“When seeing these large pinwheels in our county, we hope it evokes the foundation of our community, every child deserves to be valued, healthy and thrive,” a release from BECC states. “Child abuse is preventable and our county and county partners are here to support our families.”
According to the release, resources promoted during this month help to reach families with concrete support in times of need, help to understand parenting skills and the development of young children, create social connections with other families, build parental resilience and know the social and emotional competence of children.
You can access these resources and find more information at broomfieldecc.org/pinwheelsforprevention.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/colorado-towing-legislation/
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Doris Morales walked to her car one day last summer to take her daughter to a critical doctor’s appointment.
But when she got to her parking spot at her Commerce City apartment building, she realized the vehicle had been towed.
Morales had expired plates. Her hours as a housekeeper had been cut during the pandemic, leaving her to decide between rent and renewing her tags, she said.
Her daughter has Down syndrome and the doctor’s appointment that day was to check whether the food she ate was going down correctly. Without a car, they missed the appointment. It took five months to reschedule.
“It was very anxious those five months to see what would happen in terms of her health and well-being,” Morales said through a translator.
It’s stories like Morales’s that prompted Colorado lawmakers to introduce a bill last week that they say would even the playing field between towing operators and the general public.
The proposed legislation amounts to what sponsors call a new towing bill of rights: It would ban the practice of towing cars for expired plates, and tow companies would no longer be able to keep someone’s car if they can’t afford to pay to get it back.
Costs for nonconsensual tows on private property — like in Morales’s apartment parking lot — would be brought down to be more in line with what a driver might pay if they got stranded on the side of the highway. Towers would have to give 24 hours’ written notice before removing a vehicle from an apartment complex or mobile home park.
The bill would also require more notice and better documentation from tow companies, and include stronger protections within the Public Utilities Commission and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.
“It’s just about creating parity between nonconsensual operators and car owners,” said Rep. Edie Hooton, a Boulder Democrat who sponsored this bill. “Because right now there is none. There is no accountability for the tow operators.”
The towing industry opposes the bill in unusually strong language, saying lawmakers don’t understand their industry and that these changes don’t ultimately address their root concerns.
“They took the towing industry and said, ‘Those are the bad guys; we’ll throw them on the ground and drive over them with a bus,’ ” said John Connolly, president of the Towing and Recovery Professionals of Colorado. “This bill is, ‘(Expletive) the towers, they’re the bad guys.’ “
What’s in the bill?
One of the biggest pieces of HB 22-1314 — which is co-sponsored by Rep. Naquetta Ricks, an Aurora Democrat, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat — would take away the ability of tow companies to seize possession of people’s cars if they can’t pay the several hundred dollars it can cost to retrieve the vehicles after a nonconsensual tow from private property.
Under current law, that “possessory lien” can happen after 30 days, and it gives the tow yard the ability to auction the car. This situation puts many low-income people in an excruciating bind: Borrow hundreds of dollars from friends or family? Take out a payday loan with crippling interest? Or just lose the car altogether.
“It’s the loss of a job, the inability to take your kids to school or get food at the grocery store,” said Zach Neumann, co-founder and executive director of the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project. “All of life’s most important tasks are taken away from you.”
Expired plates have been a common reason for tows, and the issue has only been exacerbated during the pandemic, when the Department of Motor Vehicles fell behind on its paperwork. In October, Denver’s DMV branches closed for two days so officials could chip away at a 52-day backlog in registrations and titles. The city had already stopped issuing tickets for expired tags due to the backlog.
Clara Rodriguez found herself with a $293 bill after her car was towed for expired tags earlier this month from her Aurora apartment building
“It was very difficult,” the 34-year-old said through a translator. “As a single mother, that $293 is coming from other areas that I can be using to support my daughter.”
She had to borrow the money from her sister and friend.
“This is a huge injustice,” Rodriguez said.
Lawmakers in this bill also wanted to address the cost question. Right now, the price difference between consensual and nonconsensual tows can be hundreds of dollars. The bill would mandate that carriers bring the nonconsensual tow fees in line with what they charge for consensual tows.
For someone like Morales, the $380 it cost to get her car back from the lot could have been two weeks of food for her family. Others have seen bills soar even higher.
“Paying $600 is truly life-changing,” Neumann said, citing studies that show the average American doesn’t have the savings to cover a $400 emergency.
Bringing down prices for nonconsensual tows ignores the high overhead and significant insurance costs it takes to operate these tow yards, Connolly argued, including workers’ compensation and expensive liability insurance. Consensual tows cost less because they have fewer expenses.
“All those things add up,” Connolly said. “People just don’t see that. They don’t understand how much it really costs to run a tow company.”
Greater oversight
The bill would also give both the state attorney general and the Public Utilities Commission greater oversight over towing companies that violate the law.
The proposed legislation would create an office of tow hearings to adjudicate disputes between tow carriers and vehicle owners towed from private property without their consent. Hearing officers or administrative law judges would hold hearings to determine whether a carrier violated the law or caused damages.
The attorney general would be empowered to prosecute violators under the deceptive trade practice statute.
Under current law, anyone with a claim against a tow company can file a complaint with the PUC. But a lack of staffing has caused cases to stack up, and investigators have previously told complainants that they have limited resources in adjudicating their complaints.
Former towing investigators and industry experts told The Denver Post that companies often chalk up PUC fines as a cost of doing business.
“We need to give people more channels to express concerns or to enforce their rights when vehicles are taken,” Neumann said. “We have a system right now that if you’re towed, you’re basically guilty until proven innocent.”
The towing industry didn’t immediately push back on this bill. In January, Connolly told Colorado Public Radio that his group looked forward to working with lawmakers to “close loopholes in current private property laws to help protect consumers and the integrity of the towing industry.”
But Connolly now says the legislators didn’t work with stakeholders to hash out the bill’s language and, as a result, the bill doesn’t address what they say it will address. The sponsors, he said, “are too young in the legislature and don’t know what they’re doing.”
“They said that this a consumer bill of rights,” Connolly said. “This isn’t a bill of rights. This isn’t Thomas (expletive) Jefferson here. It’s flashbangs, big headlines.”
Connolly said lawmakers are lumping all of Colorado’s 700 tow companies in with the small number of bad actors that give towing companies a bad name. Most of them, he said, are doing things the right way.
“They have some really dumb stuff in here,” Connolly said of the bill.
Bill sponsors and advocates, however, say it’s more than time for consumers to have protections in this industry. They cited a 2021 report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s Education Fund that found holes in Colorado’s towing protections. This bill is an attempt to fill in those gaps, they said.
“Tow companies have become the judge, jury and bail bondsmen,” Ricks said. “It’s weighted too heavily in their court.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/dead-company-returning-to-play-folsom-field-in-boulder/
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Dead & Company will return to play two shows this summer at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Folsom Field, the first time the band has been in Boulder since the onset of the COVID pandemic.
According to the band’s website, Dead & Company will play two shows on June 17 and 18 as part of their 2022 summer tour.
“We can’t wait to see you out on the road for Dead and Company Summer Tour ’22,” the band tweeted Thursday.
The band canceled its 2020 tour due the pandemic and then played at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater in Greenwood Village in 2021 when CU Boulder had yet to lift its COVID restrictions on campus.
Dead & Company, featuring former Grateful Dead members with singer-guitarist John Mayer, had played Folsom for four straight summers prior to 2020 and remain the only act to play there since the return of music to the venue in 2016.
“We are excited that we’re able to continue bringing the community back together for events on the CU Boulder campus,” the university said in a statement Thursday. “Among the many things missed during the pandemic has been the opportunity to host events at which the community can gather. We look to forward to CU Boulder again becoming a centerpiece for a variety of shared community experiences.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/marshall-fire-investigation-likely-to-take-several-more-months/
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The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into December’s Marshall Fire in east Boulder County could take “several more months.”
The sheriff’s office sent out a release Thursday with the updated timeline.
“The sheriff’s office recognizes the importance of this investigation and the community’s desire to understand what happened, however, we believe a thorough investigation is always warranted,” the statement read. “Investigators have been working with experts from around the country to analyze the evidence and to identify the possible cause and origin of the fire. That work is ongoing and will take time.
“Unfortunately, the sheriff’s office cannot share specific information regarding an open investigation.”
The sheriff’s office did say it had reviewed nearly 200 tips, hundreds of videos and photos, 911 calls, executed multiple search warrants and interviewed hundreds of witnesses.
According to the release, following the investigation a report will be given to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office to determine if charges are warranted.
“Once this is complete, we anticipate conducting a media briefing to discuss the investigation outcome, release pertinent photos and videos, and answer questions related to the investigation,” the sheriff’s office stated.
The sheriff’s office in late January said the investigative portion of its quest to find the cause of the Marshall Fire was “nearing completion” and that the evidence had been turned over to experts and labs for analysis.
Officials have been looking into powerlines, human activity and even a long-smoldering coal mine as possible causes.
The Marshall Fire started as a grass fire near Marshall Road and Colo. 93 on Dec. 30 before burning 6,000 acres and destroying more than 1,000 homes. One person has been confirmed dead, and another is missing and presumed dead.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/03/31/photos-ceremonial-tree-planting-at-cu-for-king-soopers-victims/
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Tom Whittington, father of shooting victim Terry Leiker, adds dirt to the memorial tree. The University of Colorado Boulder dedicated a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Juniper Loomis, left, a former employee of King Soopers and friend to some of the victims, hugs SarahDawn Haynes, of the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Margie Whittington, mother of King Soopers victim, Terry Leiker, adds dirt to the memorial tree. The University of Colorado Boulder is dedicating a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Victim,Teri Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
BOULDER, CO, March 31, 2022: SarahDawn Haynes, of the Environmental Center, puts flowers next to the memorial tree on March 31, 2022. The University of Colorado Boulder is dedicating a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Victim,Teri Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Christopher Wood adds dirt to the tree during the ceremony on March 31, 2022. The University of Colorado Boulder is dedicating a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Victim,Teri Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Juniper Loomis, left, a former employee of King Soopers and friend to some of the victims, stands with SarahDawn Haynes, of the Environmental Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. The University of Colorado Boulder is dedicating a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Victim,Teri Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
A catalpa tree was chosen as the memorial tree, planted next to Farrand Field. The University of Colorado Boulder is dedicating a tree to the people killed in the Boulder King Soopers shooting. It was planted to be within sight of where the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band practices. Victim,Teri Leiker was a fan of the marching band. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/boulder-county-cancels-april-testing-of-outdoor-emergency-sirens/
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Boulder County will skip this month’s testing of its outdoor emergency sirens due to “the recent wildfires and community impacts.”
The sirens were scheduled to be used on Monday, as the county usually conducts two tests on the first Monday in warm-weather months.
But the county in a release today said it would not be conducting a test in April. Boulder County is still working to fully extinguish the NCAR fire in south Boulder and is only a few months removed from the Marshall Fire in December and the anniversary of the King Soopers shooting in March.
The county will still conduct weekly “silent” testing of the system.
Audible siren testing will resume on May 2. The test will occur at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. unless Boulder County experiences severe weather.
For updated information, visit www.BoulderOEM.com. To sign up for emergency alerts, visit boco911alert.com.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/boulder-death-investigation/
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Boulder police are investigating a suspicious death after a body was found in the 4800 block of Pearl Street early Friday morning.
Boulder Police spokesperson Dionne Waugh said an unresponsive person was found in the street about 6 a.m. by a passerby, and police responded to the scene and found the person dead.
Waugh said the body did have “traumatic injuries,” but no further information on the cause of death was available at this time.
The Boulder County Coroner’s Office will release the person’s identity and conduct an investigation into the cause and manner of death.
Waugh said there is no immediate public threat and that there are no details on the person’s identity yet.
The investigation still is in the “very early, early” stage, she said.
Officials have closed Pearl Street between 47th and 49th streets while the investigation is ongoing, and Waugh said it was likely police would be there for most of the day.
There is also a separate area taped off east of 49th Street that police said was also related to the investigation.
ALERT: We are currently monitoring what #Boulder police have called a death investigation in the 4800 block of Pearl Street. Incident commander is on scene. No further details at this time. Pearl is closed between 49th and 47th. pic.twitter.com/LOmnd41oz1
— Mitchell Byars (@mitchellbyars) April 1, 2022
Waugh said drones were being deployed at the scene, and evidence markers could be seen placed along Pearl Street.
Anyone who was in the area this morning or who has information about the incident is asked to call Boulder police Detective Ashly Flynn at 303-441-1850 or Detective Scott Byars at 303-441-1970 in reference to case No. 22-02957.
This is a developing story.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/broomfield-officials-issue-potential-breach-warning-to-extraction/
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Broomfield officials have issued a notice of a potential breach to Extraction Oil & Gas regarding the March 12 fire at Interchange Pad A.
An email from City and County Manager Jennifer Hoffman, which was sent Monday and released three days later on Broomfield’s Oil and Gas Snapshot, stated that city officials believe the March 12 incident shed light on a breach of the operator agreement on Extraction’s part.
“Broomfield staff, elected officials and residents are extremely concerned about fire danger from oil and gas operations,” Hoffman wrote in the email. “This concern has only increased given the incidents that occurred on Nov. 9, 2021 (fire caused by failure to maintain mud/gas separator cleanout) and Jan. 14, 2022 (smoke plume caused by a separator valve malfunction).”
The email from Hoffman requested that Extraction should confirm in writing “the steps it is taking to address the human error documented by the Root Cause Analysis.”
“Broomfield recognizes that Extraction/Civitas has modified the separator, moving the port from the bottom to the side. Although this design improvement has benefits, the original design should not plug if properly maintained,” the email reads. “It is clear to Broomfield that human failure in maintenance and monitoring caused this fire.”
The email also demands that Extraction update the 2018 Risk Management Plan to “specifically address increased wildfire risks.”
Steven Emmen, community and government affairs coordinator at Civitas Resources, said Civitas couldn’t provide comment on the matter.
“We appreciate the opportunity to address this matter, but we generally refrain from publicly discussing legal matters,” Emmen wrote in a response to the Enterprise.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/former-firestone-charter-academy-teacher-accused-of-trying-to-meet-juveniles-for-sex-in-washington/
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A former Firestone Charter Academy teacher was arrested last week in Washington and accused of trying to meet underage children for sex, but officials said there is no evidence at this time he ever targeted students while in Colorado.
Andrew Hammond, 50, was arrested by the Redmond Police Department on March 25 and is charged with four counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes, second-degree attempted rape of a child and third-degree attempted rape of a child, according to a release.
Hammond is being held at King County Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail.
According to the release, Redmond police detectives initiated a proactive undercover operation in which they used decoy profiles on location-based social networking and dating apps to meet Hammond, now an elementary school teacher in McMinnville, Ore.
Starting in October 2021, Hammond communicated with a detective posing as a 14-year-old female and another posing as a 13-year-old. Police said Hammond continued to engage in sexually motivated conversations with the detectives, believing they were minors.
After months of “sexually motivated communications,” police said Hammond proposed meeting with the minors at a hotel in Redmond to engage in sexual activity, and was arrested after checking into his hotel room. Police executed a search warrant on his vehicle and located additional evidence indicating Hammond was planning to engage in sexual acts with the minors, including condoms, lubricant, handcuffs, and duct tape.
“I’m proud of our officers and detectives for their dedication to such an important initiative in keeping our children safe,” Redmond police Chief Darrell Lowe said in a statement. “Any time we can take child predators off the streets for such egregious crimes against children is a win for our community. The important message for parents is to monitor your children’s activities on their phones and computers.”
Police did not state in the release the reason for initiating the proactive operation.
Firestone Charter Academy sent out a letter to parents notifying them of Hammond’s arrest, but said, “We do not have any information that would lead us to believe that any student at Firestone Charter Academy was harmed by Mr. Hammond.”
Hammond taught fifth grade at the school from August 2017 to May 2021, according to the letter.
“I want to take this moment to emphasize our highest priority of ensuring safe and positive learning environments for our students,” Principal Jessica Cervantes wrote in the letter. “Given the sensitive nature of this issue, we are not able to provide more information.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/from-the-community-editorial-board-rent-control/
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Rent control is a policy that has some great pros and some big cons. Among the pros is, of course, the ability of the city to control rent. With the existing housing crisis in Boulder and rents skyrocketing, this solution seems like a perfect fit for our city. However, government-based solutions tend to solve one problem, but create multiple others. There are two things I would like to see discussed before the city would move forward:
1. How will it affect investment and housing development? While rent control might be able to maintain rents at a certain level, it may discourage development investment, which would slow down the already short housing supply in Boulder in the long term.
2. Will it promote out-of-state investments rather than local landlords? The only groups that will be able to buy investment property will be the ones that have already bought property prior to the rent control enforcement. A rent-controlled property would not affect their profits much because they can average the cost basis of their investments among multiple investment properties. Therefore, I think an unintended consequence of rent control in Boulder will be that only out-of-state interests will find it profitable to be landlords in the city. Corporate landlords tend to care even less of the state of the house, and this will affect neighborhoods more so than now.
Although I oppose rent control for reasons I explained above, I believe the Colorado Legislature should give the power to enforce or not enforce rent control back to the cities. There is no reason the state should give itself the jurisdiction to be the only and final voice in this manner. It violates Boulder’s home rule authority and is an unjust infringement on our city’s ability to solve its own problems.
Hernán Villanueva, chvillanuevap@gmail.com
In thinking through the various – and loud – arguments for and against rent control (or, more precisely, rent stabilization) in Boulder, I find myself returning to the fundamental question: Does it work? Some say yes, some say no. Some point to particular successes, some point to spectacular failures. Yet no one, I think, has answered the primary logical “final cause” question (as Aristotle would define it), of what the purpose of rent control would be here?
Answering the question of “Does it work?” requires defining the intended outcomes of such proposed regulation. Is it to increase the breadth of the workforce? Is it to build diversity (cultural, racial, age, gender, etc.)? Is it to level the playing field for being a Boulder citizen? I have read elements of all of these used to promote implementation of rent control efforts, but I am also fairly certain that none of these will happened sufficiently without a whole lot of other stuff that has to happen beyond simply keeping rents in check. Like many things here, it seems that a more comprehensive plan might have a better shot at success (though, admittedly, it is a lot harder to do).
Aristotle’s thoughts on causality extended beyond just the “final cause” of what a thing is for to include origin of the thing, intent, etc. Not gonna bore you with a full exposition here, but I think it is important to understand that the fundamental fracture underlying any of the housing issues discussed in Boulder is the impossible disconnect between two different “formal causes”: housing as a human right vs. housing as a commodity. In reading the various pros and cons on both sides, it is clear to me that the vast majority of the difference in positions depends on which of these two beliefs the various authors hold. Where does Boulder stand?
Fintan Steele, fsteele1@icloud.com
My husband and I were looking for an apartment in New York 35 years ago and we jumped at a newspaper ad that was offering a two-bedroom apartment at a market-rate rent that was five times what the rent was for our university-owned apartment at the time. We called and made an appointment as quickly as we could. The apartment was in dilapidated building in a seriously rundown section of Brooklyn. We met the broker at the apartment and he gave us a tour. He showed us the first bedroom and then he pointed to a room that had a sofa and chairs and a TV and told us that was the second bedroom. We were confused. “If this is the second bedroom then that means there is no living room,” we told the broker, who looked at us like we were the crazy ones. “No, there’s no living room – you never mentioned that you wanted a living room!”
We kept thinking that something had to give, that rents could not keep increasing in New York or everyone would be priced out of the market. But 35 years later rents are at record highs, and people are making long commutes or doubling and tripling up in a single apartment.
This situation has now made its way to Boulder. Affordable housing only helps a small number of low-income families, and the rest, including middle-income families, pay an increasing percentage – sometimes as much as 70% of their income – on housing.
We, as a society, need to rethink housing. Is it a necessity like water, heat and electricity that should be available to all and regulated as such or is it simply a privilege – a perk for those who have the money – with available housing going to the highest bidder? I suspect it is the former but because of the power held by those who profit from the status quo, it will continue to be treated like the latter.
Fern O’Brien, fobrien@fobrienlaw.com
We should definitely have rent control in Boulder! In retrospect it seems so obvious. I mean, have you heard of an “affordable housing shortage?”
If we control the price of rent, then we’ll have loads of affordable housing! In fact, this could solve our in-commuter problem. With rents fixed at artificially low rates, all those people living in Louisville and Longmont and further afield will move here. We’ll lower our carbon footprint. Talk about a win-win-win-… you get the idea. Of course, we’ll need to build a boatload of more housing to accommodate these people. Oh, and the units must be “livable,” so granite countertops will be required. Duh.
What if we don’t build this boatload? Won’t the restricted rent cause some landlords to pull their units off the market? I’m way ahead of you there. If rent control is great, then mortgage control is great too. Let’s fix all mortgage payments so that all houses are affordable. Now people who own property will have no problems with rent control. Someone is going to have to talk to the banks, though…
But what about cash flow to the landlords, especially with record inflation? No problem: food control, fuel control, utility control, etc. It’s brilliant. My favorite: Tesla-price control. Who doesn’t want a Telsa? They’re electric and therefore green. Boulder is great now, hence the high demand for housing, but once we fix the rental rates and the Tesla cost, Boulder is going to be paradise. Hmmm, probably more people will want to live here, but, and this is key, we are already here! In the rent-controlled apartments!
Let’s recall JFK’s inspirational words about seeing the world as it could be and asking why not? But, make sure you don’t try to answer why not? Thinking beyond stage one of a policy isn’t wise. Let’s just imagine an ideal world and pass laws to, as Jean-Luc Picard would say, “Make it so.”
Bill Wright, bill@wwwright.com
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/lafayettes-particulars-art-gallery-offering-marshall-fire-victims-free-classes-studio-time/
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The physical devastation caused by the Marshall Fire will likely take years to repair.
Local creatives are hoping to help combat the emotional stress brought on by the destructive blaze by letting folks join in on painting sessions, leather journal making and more at no charge.
Teachers at Particulars Art Gallery & Teaching Studio in Lafayette are offering the gift of free art classes until 2023 to those impacted by the recent Marshall Fire.
“When we started Particulars 14 years ago, we built into our mission that we would look for opportunities to support our community,” said Suzanne Connolly-Howes, one of the cooperative center’s owners. “Over the years, we have done different fundraisers and community art projects. When the Marshall Fire happened, we decided that offering free classes and free studio time was something we wanted to do for our community.”
Those interested in learning more can contact Connolly-Howes at Szconnollyhowes@gmail.com.
“Art can be transformative,” Connolly-Howes said. “The process of creating can put us into a meditative state, calm our nervous system and be an outlet for processing that goes beyond words. We want to create a safe haven for people to be able to come and learn new skills and be in a supportive environment.”
Connolly-Howes said she is already seeing students return for more instruction.
“I have worked with one young man, and just the offer of support was a release for him,” Connolly-Howes said. “He will be coming to a couple of my April classes.”
So far, eight teachers are leaving spots open in their classes for those impacted.
“It’s the least I can do for my community,” said artist Molly Hargarten. “I want to give something of myself to them.”
Other instructors participating in the free classes are Laurie Adams, April Christenson, Scott Roebuck, Jeanne Hougen, Jeff Becker and Colleen Tucker.
In addition to allowing folks time to tap into their own self-expression and explore different mediums with an instructor, Particulars is also offering free studio space and time for artists who lost supplies and studios in the Marshall Fire.
The drop-in studio times are 12:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays and one Saturday and Sunday a month, from 10:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. on May 7, May 22, June 18, June 19, July 23, July 24, Aug. 13 and Aug. 21.
Those taking free classes can also come to the drop-in studio time should they want to practice outside of scheduled sessions. Some art materials will be available to use.
“Art provides the artist with an outlet for emotions that may be hard to deal with and overwhelming,” Hargarten said. “In my own case — when my mother passed away 10 years ago — I found myself sitting in my studio painting tulips. Somehow the fact that there was still beauty in the world, despite my intense feelings of loss, helped me through a difficult time. It was nice to feel pleasure in a dark time.”
From May to June and from November to December, Particulars will hold community shows where artists submit work done on 6-inch-by-6-inch boards.
The gallery plans to sponsor up to 10 Marshall Fire survivors to participate in the shows. Artists will receive 100% of the proceeds from their sold pieces.
In 2021, Particulars created a community art project called “Tree of Hope” where visitors could add to an evolving collage mural. Those who contributed were encouraged to donate $10, which was then given to Sister Carmen Community Center.
Connolly-Howes is excited to host an upcoming collaborative felted-quilt project — “Memories for the Future” — to foster healing and to help those impacted by the Marshall Fire process their trauma and grief.
The four quilt panels will be displayed at the gallery. Throughout the project, donations will be collected to provide funding for Marshall Fire victims.
The panels will eventually be donated to the towns of Superior, Louisville and Lafayette, with one panel submitted to the Governor’s Art Show in Loveland. All participants will have the opportunity to create a 12-inch-by-12-inch keepsake image for themselves.
“I hope to start the project this spring,” Connolly-Howes said. “I will be supplying all the materials and the lessons needed. People can participate one time or for as long as it takes to complete the quilt. It will be an ongoing project throughout the year, as the healing of trauma and loss comes in waves and cycles.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/letters-to-the-editor-redtail-ridge-yes-because-louisville-deserves-better/
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Caleb Dickinson: Redtail Ridge: “Yes” because Louisville deserves better
The Redtail Ridge General Development Plan has been a long, contentious, complicated process. I’ve served on City Council for 2.5 years and it has been going on for my entire tenure. Louisville is full of thoughtful, bright people who find themselves in agreement on most things, but divided by this project and its considerable pros and cons. It’s confusing and it depends a lot on one’s perspective, not just their hopes. I’ve never held a strong position “for” or “against” the development itself. Rather, I’ve been focused on the merits of the current GDP against our criteria and comparing it to the old, 2010 version. Louisville deserves better than the 2010 GDP. In nearly every imaginable way, the 2021 GDP is better, thanks to the work of all seven of our Council members and our brilliant staff and the local developer and the incredibly engaged residents.
We got:
- More Open Space
- All LEED Certified Buildings
- 3MW of on-site solar
- EV charging stations
- Parks and bike paths
- Protected habitat areas with permanent easements for keystone species
- Critical completion of Campus Drive to the east
- Zoning to enable Avista Hospital to move to this site
- Clustering of buildings to the south and Open Space to the north
So why are environmentalists against this shining example of responsible development? When you compare the development to an empty field it’s worse in many ways.
- Decades of construction and the environmental harm that comes from any building
- Increased traffic and the pollution that comes with that
- Disruption of wildlife and natural spaces
I’m also concerned by the rapid, never-ending growth in Colorado and in our surrounding communities, but the problem is that voting no doesn’t fix any of the negatives. The 2010 GDP allows for a 2.5m square foot development (RTR is 3m) and all the negatives remain without any of the positives we’ve negotiated over the past 3 years. A no vote does not stop this development, it overturns our aggressively restrictive GDP for that development.
Others have claimed that Council still has oversight to make the 2010 GDP better and fix some of the shortcomings. But, by that logic, doesn’t council have that same oversight to improve on the much better 2021 version? Why would we go backwards to try to get more?
If no prevails, it is possible that the developers will go back to the drawing board and come back with something even better and smaller, but they’ve said they won’t go down that path. It is possible that they’ll just pack up and move on and no one will ever develop this land, but that’s incredibly unlikely. If we assume that this private land will be developed in the near future, I sure hope it is to the 2021 GDP standard that we already passed.
I will be voting yes.
Given the challenges our community is facing, my hope is that regardless of the outcome of this vote, we’re able to work on coming together as a community and working together to care for our people and our planet as we rebuild and envision what we want to accomplish together.
Caleb Dickinson
Louisville City Councilor, Ward 1
John Tayer: Boulder Chamber: No, we aren’t tied to the U.S. Chamber
I was wondering how best to respond after reading the editorial swipe at me and the community organization I serve, the Boulder Chamber, by a self-styled “eco-terrorist” in response to an opinion piece I wrote about our community’s diversity efforts. (“Jeffrey Dumas: Chamber cheers development? No surprise there” March 28)
I could explain, for the umpteenth time, even referencing a previous letter to the editor that a simple fact-check in this newspaper’s archives would have revealed — www.dailycamera.com/2009/10/23/letters-to-the-editor-oct-24-2/ — that the Boulder Chamber has no affiliation with the U.S. Chamber (much due to the type of policies the editorialist condemns).
I could let the writer know that, instead of the false assertion that we take orders from an “omnipotent parent,” thoughtful dialog among local business and nonprofit leaders guides every policy position of the Boulder Chamber, which we openly share with the public in policy statements and on our website: https://boulderchamber.com/advocacy/ .
I could note, contrary to the author’s insinuations, that the Boulder Chamber actually was the only community chamber organization in Colorado to publicly support the last statewide minimum wage increase.
I could defend the Boulder Chamber’s pride in standing with the Sierra Club in support of the CU South annexation agreement, along with alignment on much of the environmental principles our two organizations share, from the value of sustainable development to climate protection.
I could comment on the irony of such a corrosive attack in response to my earlier opinion piece about our shared community efforts to address Boulder’s diversity, equity and inclusion goals, which was actually entitled, “No villains on this journey,” in an effort to promote constructive discourse (v. the more provocative title this newspaper chose).
But no . . . instead I’ll just reference what I wrote in my column:
“Those of good faith are all working hard to address historic practices and current systemic barriers to diversity, equity and inclusion in our community. At the same time, we want a thriving economy that supports businesses, their workforce and meets our need for a secure tax base. And I think we can universally agree that we want to preserve Boulder’s legacy as, in Opinion Editor Julie Marshall’s words, “the mecca of environmentalism and smart growth in Colorado.” No one individual or organization has the solution and there are no villains here . . . We’re all just on a journey and the better for it.”
John Tayer
President & CEO, Boulder Chamber
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/photos-ron-cardenas-gets-diploma-37-years-later-from-ehs/
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Ron Cardenas finally has his high school diploma. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Friends and family of Ron Cardenas give him a standing ovation at the ceremony. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Ron Cardenas tells his story on April 1, 2022. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
ERIE, CO, April 1, 2022: Erie High School Principal, Matt Buchler, talks about Ron Cardenas' devotion to the community. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Ron Cardenas shakes the hand of Principal Matt Buchler during the ceremony. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Newspaper clipping about Ron Cardenas from the mid-1960's. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Ron Cardenas finally receives his athletic letter and high school diploma. Erie High School is hosted a special graduation ceremony for Ron Cardenas, a student in the Class of 1965 who deployed to Vietnam in his junior year of high school. Cardenas never received his official diploma, despite earning all his graduation credits while in the U.S. Marines.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/regulators-approve-scl-health-merger-with-utah-based-intermountain-healthcare/
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Local care provider SCL Health and Utah-based health nonprofit Intermountain Healthcare will merge after receiving approval from the Colorado attorney general’s office.
A review conducted by the Colorado Department of Law found there would be no change to the organizations’ charitable missions and no material transfer of assets out of Colorado.
The merger between the two health groups closed March 31, and further statements on future plans will be announced April 5.
The headquarters of Intermountain Healthcare will remain in Salt Lake City, while SCL Health’s facilities in Broomfield will become a regional office after the merger. Officials from the department of law found no evidence access to health care services in communities served by SCL Health would be reduced.
SCL Health is a nonprofit Catholic health system operating in Colorado, Kansas and Montana. The merger with Intermountain Healthcare would span 33 hospitals in six states. SCL Health was founded in 1864 by the Sisters of Leavenworth, a Catholic organization offering health care across the western United States.
Intermountain Healthcare operates 25 hospitals in Idaho, Nevada and Utah. The Salt Lake City-based nonprofit employs around 42,000 workers in the region. The merger will combine staff from both organizations, employing more than 58,000 health care workers. No layoffs or transfers are expected with the merger.
Statements from the companies have pointed to the merger as a new model for secular and faith-based health organizations to operate in tandem. The secular Intermountain Healthcare will operate all facilities being merged, but allow SCL Health hospitals to retain their traditional Catholic names and community boards.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/ride-share-driver-sentenced-to-jail-probation-in-longmont-sex-assault-case/
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A ride-share driver accused of sexually assaulting a woman in his car was sentenced to jail and probation Friday.
Tyrone Rivers, 49, pleaded guilty in December to second-degree assault — drugging and invasion of privacy for sexual gratification.
Boulder District Judge Thomas Mulvahill on Friday sentenced Rivers to 90 days in jail followed by eight years of sex offender intensive supervised probation. Rivers will be allowed to serve the probation sentence in California, and he will have to register as a sex offender.
Rivers, who had been out of custody, was remanded into the custody of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office after the hearing to begin serving his sentence.
“The bottom line is, there was a woman who was not in a position of being able to consent, and you took advantage of that,” Mulvahill said.
According to an affidavit, Rivers said he was working for Lyft when he picked up a woman around 5 a.m. Jan. 1, 2021, and they had consensual sex, and she went to sleep in the back of the vehicle.
According to the affidavit, a man in Lafayette called police on Jan. 1 after he received three photos of a woman naked in the backseat of a vehicle from a number he did not recognize. The man did not recognize the woman but was worried about her safety and contacted Lafayette police. An Uber and Lyft sticker were visible in the window of the vehicle the woman was in, and police were able to track the phone number to Rivers, who lives in Longmont.
But when police tracked down the woman later that day, she said she had no memory of the ride. She said she had been drinking with her boyfriend at a friend’s house in Longmont when she ordered a Lyft alone. She told police the next thing she remembered, she woke up fully clothed in Rivers’ vehicle near her home.
The woman said she did not recall having sex and did not feel like she had sex. When police told her Rivers claimed they did have sex, the woman said it would not have been consensual.
“I’m a protector, I like to protect people; in this case I didn’t protect her,” Rivers said. “I’m truly sorry, I didn’t mean for any hurt or harm to come to anyone.”
Rivers added that at the time he thought the woman was aware and that the sex was consensual, but said “I know now that it wasn’t.”
Mulvahill said he believed Rivers thought that at the time, but said it did not excuse his actions.
“Here’s the problem, as you’ve now come to recognize: She was intoxicated to a significant degree,” Mulvahill said.
The sentence largely followed the recommendation of a pre-sentence investigation except for the jail sentence. The probation department had recommended the jail sentence be suspended, but Boulder County Deputy District Attorney Michelle Sudano said the “serious nature of what happened” deserved a punitive sanction.
Sudano pointed out that police found out about the incident when Rivers accidentally sent nude photos of the woman to a wrong number, and that person contacted police.
“The only reason this case came to law enforcement’s attention is because of the actions of essentially a Good Samaritan,” Boulder County Deputy District Attorney Michelle Sudano said.
Mulvahill said that was true, but also noted Rivers was forthcoming with police when he was interviewed.
“I’m trying to take all that into account,” Mulvahill said.
But while defense attorney Yasmin Forouzandeh said a jail sentence would be “counterproductive” to getting Rivers getting his life back on track, Mulvahill said he felt a punitive sanction was necessary.
“(Forouzandeh) is right, but I have some other things to consider,” Mulvahill said. “I’m glad we’re not standing here debating whether you need to go to prison, but I do think you need to go to county jail.”
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/business-leaders-confidence-in-national-economy-tanks-but-optimism-remains-for-state/
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Colorado business leaders are looking increasingly pessimistic about the national economy heading into the second quarter of 2022, but remain mildly optimistic about the state economy.
While the threat of COVID-19 wanes, new challenges such as inflation and the war in Ukraine have the business community on edge, according to the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds Business Research division’s quarterly Business Confidence Index released Friday.
“As we exit one crisis, of course, we enter another,” said Brian Lewandowski, executive director of the research division.
The quarterly report marks Colorado business leaders’ expectations for the state and national economies, industry sales, industry profits, hiring and business spending.
Overall, the index pinned business confidence at 53.9 ahead of the first quarter 2022, down 4.1 points from the previous quarter. A score of 50 is considered neutral and the index stood at a record low 29.7 in the first quarter of 2020 before hitting a record high of 67.3 in the third quarter of 2021.
The index rated confidence in the state economy at 51.9, national economy at 40.4, industry sales at 59.1, industry profits at 55, industry hiring at 60.4 and capital expenditures at 56.7.
Looking forward to the second quarter of 2022, the overall confidence index is 53.3
The index was developed by analyzing 195 responses to a survey conducted between March 1 and March 21.
The difference between business leaders’ outlook on the state economy and national economy is 11.5 points, the greatest gap in nine years.
Economists are noting “pretty significant drop offs” in national confidence surveys, and Colorado’s results “seem pretty consistent” with the nationwide attitude, said Rich Wobbekind, senior economist and faculty director of CU’s Business Research Division.
Inflation, which has brought with it some of the “highest headline price changes that we’ve seen in this country in the last 40 years … (and) casting a shadow of uncertainty about the near future of the economy,” Lewandowski said.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused previously unseen levels of uncertainty and volatility in the economy and that seems to have had a lasting impact on business confidence.
Business people are telling economists that they “have record breaking numbers but we’re not feeling good,” Wobbekind said.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/cu-search-for-new-president-regents-five-candidates-finalists/
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University of Colorado regents are nearing completion of their search for a new president and on Friday announced they’re mulling at least five candidates, but declined to name them or release demographic details on candidates considered so far.
One confirmed candidate for the job is CU’s interim president Todd Saliman.
CU officials last year promised a transparent process for selecting a president after the two-year tenure of the last president, Mark Kennedy, who resigned amid controversy over his conservative political positions last June after faculty censured him for “failure to lead” on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion.
A 19-member search team including faculty, staff, students, deans, alumni and donors from around Colorado this month sent the nine-member, publicly elected Board of Regents a list of at least five “highly qualified candidates.” The regents in a written “communiqué” Friday morning lauded this as a tremendous effort that drew on community talent and expertise.
They revealed that they interviewed those candidates this week. They announced they’ll now evaluate the candidates and consider all the input they’ve received. “Ultimately, the board will announce the finalist or finalists, and then there will be a two-week period when the public can meet the individuals on our campuses before the board votes publicly to elect a president,” regents wrote.
They plan to make a decision by April 29.
The Denver Post requested demographic details on the pool of candidates under consideration for the job.
“We can’t comment on candidates in the pool right now,” CU spokesman Mike Sandler said. That information is expected to be made public when regents announce a finalist or finalists.
Hispanic advocacy group Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy and Research Organization this week bristled after they say regents ruled out a favored candidate — former Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, who runs the state’s community college system.
CLLARO president Mario Carrera told the Post group officials are planning to request an investigation by Colorado’s attorney general into the fairness of CU’s selection process.
The CU Board of Regents “has not decided” who they will announce as finalist or finalists, Sandler said this week as regents met in closed executive sessions.
“They have not made that decision yet. They are not going to be making any decisions this week.”
In December, CU’s interim president Saliman confirmed he would apply for the permanent position after notifying CU’s governing regents as their team began a national search for candidates with help from the Pennsylvania-based firm Storbeck Search. Saliman has been running CU’s four-campus system since the resignation of Kennedy.
He previously served for eight years as a state lawmaker, including work on the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee from 1998 until 2002. He also served under Gov. Bill Ritter as director of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting, which involved working with lawmakers to set spending levels. At CU, he has worked as a senior vice president for strategy, government relations and as chief financial officer.
An interim presidency contract for Saliman stipulated that he wouldn’t apply for the permanent position, and a CU news release last year stated “Saliman has said he will not apply for the permanent position.” But the regents in September changed the contract to allow Saliman to seek the job. CU presidents are paid about $850,000 a year.
Courts have backed up CU’s position that it does not have to name finalists. CU administrators contend they cannot attract strong candidates if names are made public because that could hurt candidates in their current jobs.
On Friday, regents reiterated that stance in their communiqué.
“We are fully aware that some members of our university community would like a final stage when the public can view more than one candidate and provide input on a final selection. We also know that naming one candidate a finalist, which is a common practice in higher education in Colorado and across the country, enhances the possibility of attracting and hiring an accomplished leader,” the regents wrote.
“We know from conversations with other university presidents, governing boards, our search consultant and others that most top candidates for president would withdraw from the search if they had to be part of a public group of finalists. This is because many candidates believe they could lose their current job if they were publicly announced for this one but not selected. The Board of Regents is carefully weighing those dynamics as the search enters its final stages.”
In the past, CU has named single finalists before announcing presidents, including former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown and oil businessman Bruce Benson.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/florida-man-sentenced-to-jail-probation-in-boulder-child-pornography-case/
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A Florida man accused of downloading and sharing child pornography while living in Boulder in 2016 was sentenced Friday to jail and probation.
Alejandro De Varona, 35, pleaded guilty in January to sexual exploitation of a child — possession of 20 or more items, a Class 5 felony.
As part of the plea deal, attorneys agreed De Varona would be sentenced to sex offender intensive supervised probation and would not serve any prison time.
Boulder District Judge Norma Sierra on Friday sentenced De Varona to five years of probation, but also added 30 days of jail time.
While a pre-sentence investigation recommended only three years of probation, Boulder Deputy District Attorney Michelle Sudano said De Varona in interviews failed to take responsibility for his actions.
“Given the fact that he is in such a significant level of denial, the people believe he will need a longer period of treatment,” Sudano said.
De Varona’s attorney, Anna Geigle, said a jail sentence was not necessary because he was a low risk to reoffend and that his lack of contrition could be addressed in sex offense treatment.
“While he is in denial, that is not a reason to place him into custody and punish him,” Geigle said.
De Varona told the court, “I have great empathy and emotions toward other individuals.”
“I assure the court I would never do anything to harm anyone or never do anything in any capacity to damage another individual,” De Varona said.
But Sierra said she agreed with prosecutors that De Varona’s denial warranted a longer period of probation and a punitive sanction. She said De Varona’s statements indicated he “does not express an understanding of the fact that there are victims” of downloading child pornography.
“While there are varying degrees of denials in many of the (pre-sentence investigations) that come before the court, Mr. De Varona did almost entirely cast responsibility on others,” Sierra said.
De Varona will receive credit for 20 days of time served, and Sierra allowed a brief stay of the sentence so De Varona, who had traveled to Boulder from Florida for the hearing, to get his affairs in order before going into custody.
De Varona will also be allowed to transfer his probation to Florida, but will have to comply with day reporting in Boulder County after his jail sentence until his case is transferred out of state.
According to an arrest affidavit, in August 2016 a Boulder County Sheriff’s Office detective investigating online child pornography alerted Boulder police when he was able to download two files containing child pornography from a peer-to-peer network user connected to an IP address in Boulder.
Police were able to obtain a warrant and tracked the IP address to De Varona, and obtained another search warrant for his residence and electronics.
Boulder police conducted a forensic search of De Varona’s computer in April 2017 and found he had deleted the two files containing videos of child pornography that detectives had been able to download from his IP address in August.
Police also found 181 photos containing child pornography.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/gender-and-sexuality-alliance-summit-youth-to-offer-assistance-to-area-youth/
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New research shows that young adults in the LGBTQIA+ community experience poor mental health at higher rates and have a more difficult time connecting with peers.
That’s where groups such as the Open and Affirming Sexual Orientation Support (OASOS) program at Boulder County Public Health comes in. OASOS and its related programs are a big part of a widespread initiative to combat mental health issues through support and guidance for LGBTQIA+ youth.
The group puts on several community events each year, including the biannual Gender and Sexuality Alliance Summit. This year’s spring event will be from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the St. Vrain Community Hub, 515 Coffman St., in Longmont.
The event offers an opportunity to build connections, cultivate positive mentorship, and improve mental, behavioral, and physical health for area youth, according to a Boulder County Public Health news release.
Within OASOS, high school students across Boulder County comprise YAC, or Youth Advocating for Change, a group that was youth-created and is led by teens. The student group is the driving force behind these community events.
“The GSA Summit is an opportunity for us, the YAC members, to get involved in community organizing and leadership and to unite our community under shared experiences and knowledge,” said organization member and Silver Creek High School student Julia Wall. “It has a nice educational focus and this year, we’re going to do a focus on the culture of Black, Indigenous, and people of color with a panel of speakers.”
Wall also said the event will focus on African American queer culture and that a “Know Your Rights” presentation will be given as part of their educational efforts for attendees.
Jax Gonzales, who serves as the OASOS program coordinator, said it is more important than ever for youth to have positive and accepting adult mentors, and that many adults within the LGBTQIA+ community will speak at the event.
“What we utilize in our programming and with the YAC is a focus on queer and trans joy. We ask ourselves, how do we create space to celebrate queer and transness among youth and create community with each other in support and in celebration of that?” Gonzales said. “Having adults who are positive mentors is really important to our programming and what we’re doing. The Gender and Sexuality Alliance Summit helps us build community around this primary idea of a celebration of queer and trans joy.”
Registration remains open for the event, and the sign-up link can be found at bit.ly/3K3MPZB. Following the workshops and activities, dinner will be served to all attendees, and students are invited to participate in a “Kiki Ball” competition from 6-9 p.m.
The application period for a spot in the 2022-2023 Youth Advocating for Change group also will open Saturday and closes near the end of April. Participants receive a stipend and serve a yearlong term with the group. Students who are interested in applying should contact Jax Gonzales at jgonzalez@bouldercounty.org for more information.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/longmont-man-sentenced-to-jail-work-release-and-probation-in-child-abuse-case/
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A Longmont man accused of sexually and physically abusing a child was sentenced to three years in jail followed by work release and probation Friday.
Chad Basnett, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, child abuse and violation of a protection order in March.
As part of the plea deal, attorneys agreed on a stipulated sentence in which Basnett would serve three years in jail on the child abuse and protection order counts followed by seven years of sex offender intensive supervised probation with one year of jail work release for the assault count.
Boulder County Deputy District Attorney Michelle Sudano said Friday that the victim’s family advocated for the sentence, even though a pre-sentence investigation noted the facts of the case could have warranted a prison sentence.
“I want to start by acknowledging the huge impacts this had on (the victim),” Sudano said. “(She) went through something no child should ever have to go through.”
Sudano said that since Basnett will not be getting credit for the nearly two years he spent in custody prior to pleading guilty, the victim’s family believed the lengthy jail sentence followed by work release would actually keep Basnett off the streets longer than if he were to be sent to prison.
“I absolutely understand why probation is saying this is somebody who deserves to go to the Department of Corrections” Sudano said. “This resolution is not to minimize the conduct. He is going to be getting treatment and has a significant sentence hanging over his head should he not take advantage of probation.”
Basnett’s attorney Emily Briggs did not state in open court the reasons she felt the stipulated sentence was appropriate, though Sudano said she had received information from Briggs and the two attorneys had a bench conference with Sierra.
Basnett also issued an apology in a brief comment to the court.
Sierra said she had some “concerns” about a jail sentence, especially given that Basnett recently picked up a third-degree assault charge while in custody. But she went with the stipulated sentence, acknowledging avoiding “the traumatic experience of facing the defendant” at a trial was a “valuable consideration.” She also noted the sentence was in line with the wishes of the victim and the family.
“The court values the input of the named victim heavily,” Sierra said.
According to an affidavit, a person called Longmont police to report a possible child abuse on May 16, 2019, prompting an investigation into abuse that was believed to have occurred between April 2018 and August 2018.
During interviews, the named victim told a forensic interviewer Basnett had touched her inappropriately and also smacked her back, legs and butt “out of nowhere” multiple times, sometimes causing her so much pain that running or sitting hurt.
The girl also said Basnett watched her when she was unclothed. She said once when she got out of the shower, he was standing there and pulled away her towel and struck her on the butt, according to the affidavit. She also described him watching her while she was trying to get dressed and that it made her feel “uncomfortable.”
In a second interview, the girl said Basnett would wake her up and force her to watch porn by physically holding her head in place and smacking her if she started to fall asleep, according to the affidavit.
The Times-Call is not specifying how the girl knew Basnett, to protect her identity.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/longmonts-dyer-realty-merges-with-structure-property-group/
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Two longtime Longmont real estate companies have merged, effective Friday.
Dyer Realty Inc. will merge into Structure Property Group. The combined operations will work from the former Dyer Realty office at 515 Kimbark St., Suite 103, but take on the Structure Property name.
“Doing this by myself was not as much fun anymore,” said Deanna Dyer in reference to the passing four years ago of her father, Marvin Dyer, and the more recent retirement of her mother, Lois.
She said in a press statement that “operating a successful real estate company was more about teamwork than retaining the Dyer family name on the door. Structure Property Group was chosen after many suitors extended substantial offers.” Reid Williams will be managing broker of the new company.
Dyer selected Structure Property because it permitted the company to continue on without “losing control of the cornerstone elements that made Dyer Realty successful: customers, relationships, and trust.”
Dyer Realty was formed in 1988 after Marvin Dyer worked 20 years as a loan officer at Longmont National Bank. His first real estate sale was the land to build the Taco Bell on Colorado Highway 119 near Interstate 25. Numerous commercial deals followed, including Vista Commercial Center, Milky Way Business Park, Highland Development in Mead; Meadowlark Business Park in Frederick, along with others.
Structure Property Group, established in 2008, is a real estate and property management company. Its seven agents cover nearly all facets of the real estate spectrum from residential resale, commercial sales and leasing, property management and leasing, water and farmland sales, commercial and multi-family development. Principals are Williams and Mike Baucom. Realtors are James Graham, Jerry Schlagel, Michelle Snyder, Patrick Weyand and now Deanna Dyer.
Deanna Dyer and Williams are former board chairs of the Longmont Association of Realtors and have both won the
Realtor of the Year Award in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
“They do more property management. I do more vacant land sales,” said Dyer in describing how the merger brings together skill sets to benefit the new company.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LLC.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/marshall-fire-debris-removal-program-set-to-begin-later-this-month/
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The post-Marshall Fire debris removal program will begin in mid-April with the areas of Eldorado in Louisville, Sagamore and Original Town in Superior and Marshall in unincorporated Boulder County up first on the schedule.
According to information from Boulder County, it developed the cleanup schedule by analyzing imminent environmental hazards, including proximity of homes to waterways as an effort to protect area water supplies and efficiencies of removal with input from DRC Emergency Services, the contractor conducting the work.
It also considered demographic factors using the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice screening and mapping tool to identify areas with low-income residents, people of color and those age 64 or older.
Each jurisdiction — Superior, Louisville and unincorporated Boulder County — prioritized the schedule for neighborhoods within their community.
The areas were divided into 48 runways throughout Superior, Louisville and unincorporated Boulder County. Runways correspond to a list of streets within a specific area that will be included in that runway’s cleanup.
Property owners can opt in or out of the program until work commences on the runway that includes their property, county officials confirmed in an informational meeting earlier this week.
Thirty crews will work on the regional project, including 15 in Superior, nine in Louisville and six in Boulder County.
Boulder County will soon be contacting property owners by email to verify the right of entry form, where people either opt in or out of the program, and to obtain final permissions and an official assignment of benefits authorization allowing the county’s team to work directly with insurance providers.
At that point in the process, people can share what they’d like to be removed and what they’d prefer to keep.
Homeowners will be notified when debris removal is set to begin at their home. When this happens, people can request a site visit and walk-through to discuss the planned work.
As the project proceeds, the county plans to develop an online map so people can track the progress.
The debris removal program, expected to last about four months, includes a variety of steps such as removing the remaining ash and structural debris, the foundations and the driveways, sheds and detached garages that were damaged or destroyed.
Boulder County earlier this month signed a $60 million contract with DRC Emergency Services to conduct the work. The county as well as Superior and Louisville approved an intergovernmental agreement that guides the program.
In Tuesday’s meeting, there were hundreds of questions from residents who are participating in the private property debris removal program, including many about the specifics of the program and the way the county would work with varying insurance providers.
Participating property owners will contribute the amount of money dedicated for debris removal in their homeowners’ insurance policy. Those who are underinsured or uninsured will be covered through the program.
Some were curious to know how much the county intended to charge their insurance for the contractor’s work and whether a person would be considered uninsured or underinsured if their policy did not cover debris removal work.
“My understanding is that it’s actually pretty rare that there is no debris removal proceeds in your policy,” Assistant County Attorney Carrie Doyle said.
However, policies vary in terms of where the debris removal insurance proceeds can be found. The county is researching the question with an intention to provide more information soon.
For more information about the debris removal program, including a recording of the meeting from earlier this week, visit bit.ly/3qSiVjp.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/photos-fairview-vs-fruita-monument-girls-lacrosse-4-1-22/
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Fairview High School’s Camille Johnson (No. 6) shoots and scores past Fruita Monument High School’s Maryn Brown (No. 3) and Emily Acosta (No. 50) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Allie Hartmann (No. 2) drives toward the net while covered by Fruita Monument High School’s Addie Stehman (No. 7) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Allie Hartmann (No. 2) drives toward the net while covered by Fruita Monument High School’s Addie Stehman (No. 7) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Abigail Day (No. 10) looks to make a move around Fruita Monument High School’s Heather Starkweather (No. 13) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Mia Reinke (No. 17) looks to pass in the game against Fruita Monument High School on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Camille Johnson (No. 6) shoots and scores against Fruita Monument High School on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Allie Hartmann (No. 2) and Emerson Massimino (No. 24) celebrate a goal by Ava Welty (No. 5) against Fruita Monument High School on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Abigail Day (No. 10) looks to get around Fruita Monument High School’s Sarah Mathwig (No. 9) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Emilia Brown (No. 18) collides with Fruita Monument High School’s Heather Starkweather (No. 13) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Tessa McCollester (No. 27) shoots between Fruita Monument High School’s Heather Starkweather (No. 13) and Aleah Danner (No. 15) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Finnley Dancy (No. 11) tries to move between Fruita Monument High School’s Maryn Brown (No. 3) and Cloie Carmosino (No. 4) on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Fairview High School’s Emilia Brown (No. 18) looks to pass in the game against Fruita Monument High School on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/photos-the-left-hand-artists-groups-absurd-april-fools-day-parade/
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The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. More than 100 people participated in the parade. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Patty Fabian makes an impressive peacock in the parade. The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Residents at Saint Vrain Senior Manor came out for the parade. The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Anand Sharma, left, tries to get his son, Aalansh, 9, in the spirit of things before the parade. The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. More than 100 people participated in the parade.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Mike Bentley adds bubbles to our world during the parade. The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Two women get a "Karma Wash" before the parade. The Left Hand Artist's Group hosted an "Absurd April Fools Day Parade" in Longmont on April 1, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/water-main-break-closes-street-in-northeast-longmont/
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A water main break on Friday afternoon has closed part of Mountain View Avenue in northeast Longmont while crews make repairs, according to the city.
Mountain View between Lashley Street and Martin Street is closed to traffic, according to a news release. Work to repair the break is expected to continue into the evening, with updates provided on the city’s Facebook page.
Crews also are spot flushing the water distribution system in the area. Residents may notice low water pressure, discolored water or no water for short periods of time. The water will remain safe to use, according to the city.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/wayne-pacelle-and-tamara-drake-rep-neguse-is-on-the-right-side-of-animal-welfare-sen-hickenlooper-should-join-him/
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By Wayne Pacelle and Tamara Drake
It wasn’t your typical highway crash.
Surely, there was a dazed and injured driver after his speeding truck flipped on a four-lane highway on a Pennsylvania highway in January. But the truck had a very large group of passengers in the rear. Nearly 100 monkeys, on their way to a research laboratory.
Some were injured inside their cages. The crash broke open other enclosures, and the hapless animals spilled onto the pavement. Those who didn’t die from blunt force trauma escaped into the brush. Law enforcement chased down and shot the confused and injured animals who simply sought cover in an alien world.
While truck crashes with monkeys are rare, the trade in wild primates for lab use is an everyday event. In 2019, researchers used 69,000 non-human primates in the U.S., importing half from 13 different countries that capture them from the wild. Cambodia has become, by a long shot, the biggest trafficker of the wild monkeys.
In many cases, there are scientifically valid alternatives to using these cognitively complex, social animals. Yet putting these alternatives to use for drug development isn’t an option because the FDA is bound by a Depression-era statute mandating animal testing.
That’s precisely why the Center for a Humane Economy and dozens of animal welfare, pharmaceutical, patient advocacy, and medical groups want a change in the law. The animal testing mandate is archaic, and the FDA Modernization Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., as S. 2952, and by Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Elaine Luria, D-Virg., as H.R. 2565, would lift that mandate. Colorado Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow are cosponsors.
When the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act (FFDCA) was enacted in 1938, animal models seemed like the best way for drug developers to study how therapeutics might act in humans. But it turns out animals don’t perform very well in forecasting the human reaction to drugs. Ninety to 95 percent of drugs that pass animal trials fail during human clinical trials due to toxicities not predicted by traditional animal tests or because of lack of efficacy.
The animal testing paradigm hasn’t dramatically helped our ability to cure the worst afflictions that cause suffering and death. For example, despite billions in funding for animal research into Alzheimer’s disease and cancer over several decades, the failure rate in drug development remains 97 percent for cancer and 99 percent for Alzheimer’s.
And even when drugs clear regulatory checkpoints and hit the market, there’s no assurance they are safe. Adverse reactions to drugs, taken as prescribed, are the 4th leading cause of death in the United States, causing 1.9 million hospitalizations per year and 128,000 fatalities.
The average time to market for a new drug is 10 to 15 years – a sharp contrast to the one-year, successful sprint drug developers made on the SARS CoV-2 vaccine.
The FDA Modernization Act won’t produce any immediate cure for diseases and conditions that strike down so many people and cause grief and loss for countless families. But by allowing the use of the most promising testing methods, we may be able to develop drugs that palliate pain and other symptoms and cure more diseases, at a lower expense, with quicker delivery of life-enhancing medications, and with fewer side effects and more effectiveness.
Human-relevant cell-based assays, organs-on-a-chip, human-on-a-chip (microphysiological systems), and computer modeling have been developed to more accurately predict human response to new drugs.
“We are at the tipping point of the modernization of drug discovery,” according to the co-founder of Moderna, Robert S. Langer. We are entering the era of personalized and precision medicine in health care, and that trend further exposes the defects of our regulatory framework. Here again, animal models will have little value since other species can hardly be expected to capture biological variation among humans. Nonclinical tests or studies using human cells and tissues can, however, portray biological variation among the human population.
Holding onto a Depression-era testing standard makes little sense when it comes to patient well-being, animal welfare, or drug pricing. Democrats and Republicans are finding common purpose in the FDA Modernization Act, and Sen. John Hickenlooper and Rep. Diana DeGette, given their health committee assignments, can play a role in getting this legislation over the finish line.
Wayne Pacelle is president of Animal Wellness Action Tamara Drake is Director of Research and Regulatory Policy for the Center for a Humane Economy.
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https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/04/01/xcel-energy-marshall-fire-cause-lawsuit/
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Xcel Energy failed to maintain and monitor its power lines and did not immediately contact authorities in December after sparks from its downed lines were a “substantial factor” in the ignition of the devastating Marshall fire, a group of Boulder County businesses and homeowners allege in a new lawsuit.
The class action complaint, filed Thursday in Boulder County District Court, lists an unnamed married couple — “John and Jane Doe” — as well as Eldorado Liquor and Eldorado Enterprises as plaintiffs.
“Defendants’ powerlines and energy utility equipment were a substantial factor in the cause, origin and continuation of the deadly Marshall fire,” according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges that Xcel “unreasonably failed to maintain, monitor, and/or supervise its property in a manner so as to prevent an arcing event from causing a fire.”
The married couple is remaining unnamed in the lawsuit because of the trauma they are still dealing with just three months after the fire, their attorney, James Avery, told The Denver Post.
“The victims are marginalized, put on the sidelines,” Avery said. “But they’re not spectators in a football game — they’ve lost homes, lost business effects, personal effects. They’ve been put out in the cold.”
Michelle Aguayo, an Xcel Energy spokeswoman, said in an email: “Our own investigation shows that our equipment in the area of the fire was properly maintained and inspected, consistent with our high standards, and we have not seen evidence that our equipment ignited the fire.”
Boulder County officials have not determined the cause and origin of the fire, and on Thursday announced their investigation is expected to take several more months.
In the Dec. 30 wildfire’s immediate aftermath, officials said they believed the fire was likely sparked by power lines downed by heavy winds, which reached gusts of more than 100 mph. The following day, Boulder emergency management officials said Xcel Energy “inspected all of their lines within the ignition area and found no downed powerlines.” Instead, the utility company found “compromised communication lines that may have been misidentified as powerlines.”
Later, however, investigators said they were looking into a number of potential causes that could have started the fire, including power lines, a long-smoldering underground coal mine and human activity.
The Marshall fire killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses in Superior, Louisville and unincorporated Boulder County, becoming the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history.
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