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Health Savings Accounts once were a relatively staid way to set aside funds in an interest-bearing
account for future health care costs but have now morphed into a legitimate investment category on its
own. The reason is that HSAs may be the only account available to have a quadruple tax advantage.
Most widely known is that those covered by a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP) can
contribute to an HSA with funds before they are subject to state and federal income taxes. Second,
contributions made by employers and through employee payroll withholding are not subject to Social
Security or Medicare taxes. Not even a 401(k) can boast such an advantage. Third, HSAs give you tax-
free growth inside of the account. Finally, HSAs give you the power to withdraw funds tax-free to cover
qualified health care expenses, even those incurred in previous years.
In my experience, most people with HSAs tend to fund them largely through employer contributions and
use the funds throughout the year to pay for deductibles, prescriptions, and other medical costs. Many
do not realize that with HSAs you have always been able to carry the balance from one year to the next.
Lately we’ve seen more investment companies offer HSAs, helping drive down costs and increase
investment options. So instead of using our HSA balance each year, our family focuses on building this
asset that, if used correctly, can give us tax-free growth over our lifetimes.
Contributing to HSAs. If you are covered by a qualifying HDHP, then you and your employer combined
can put aside up to $3,650 a year in 2022 for a one-person plan and up to $7,300 for a family. Catch-up
contributions of an additional $1,000 are available for those who turn 55 or older this year. Another
lesser-known aspect of HSAs is that you can supplement the employer contribution from your income to
reach the $3,650 and $7,300 maximums. Very rarely will employers max out the annual contribution.
The easiest way to deposit funds in the same account that your employer has set up. You still have time
in 2022 to boost your contributions to the maximum before the year is over as the IRS gives you until
April 15 of the following year.
Two HSA hacks. For true HSA aficionados, there is one hack that could add a boost to your financial
plan. Unlike many other tax-advantaged accounts, many experts suggest that you can take a qualifying
distribution from an HSA at any time after the health care expense was incurred as long as it was after
establishing an HSA. Some very organized HSA plan participants are documenting every qualified
medical expense for tax-free distributions in the future.
Remember that HSAs are portable, meaning that you can always seek out the low-cost, high-service
provider with quality investment options. Like an IRA, you can conduct a direct rollover from one HSA
provider to another. A riskier transfer method is a so-called indirect rollover that requires you to take
delivery of a check from your existing HSA provider and within 60 days deposit the check with your new provider or else risk paying income taxes and a 20% penalty.
If you can’t tell by now, I am a fan of HSAs as an investment vehicle. With their quadruple tax advantage,
I encourage people to maximize their contributions every year and invest them for the long-term once
they have enough cash set aside to cover a medical emergency. For many who have their emergency
fund in place and are contributing enough to receive a retirement plan match, one of the next priorities
should be making a full contribution to an HSA if eligible.
David Gardner is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Mercer Advisors practicing in
Boulder County. The opinions expressed by the author are his own and are not intended to serve as
specific financial, accounting, or tax advice. They reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of
publication and are subject to change. | 2022-10-16T16:09:13Z | www.dailycamera.com | David Gardner: The four tax powers of HSAs | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/david-gardner-the-four-tax-powers-of-hsas/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/david-gardner-the-four-tax-powers-of-hsas/ |
Last day to catch ‘ShakesFear’ at CU and other…
Jude Stivers and Marisa Dinsmoor as Shakespeare and the Jailer’s Daughter. In “ShakesFear: An Autumn’s Tale” The Bard is under lock and key; will anyone come to his aid? (Heather Kelley/Courtesy photo)
ShakesFear, An Autumn’s Tale: Shakespeare’s characters have broken free of his pages and are haunting the CU Boulder campus. This is the final night to catch this immersive theatrical experience that takes over the perimeter of the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre; the 30-minute experience will have timed entry every 10 minutes from 7-9 p.m. Sunday; $16; cupresents.org.
DJ Musa Starseed at Velvet Elk: This popular Boulder musician will spin tunes in the bar; 9 p.m. Sunday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; Free; velvetelklounge.com.
Boulder Open Studios: This is the last day to go on free, self-guided tours of more than 150 artists’ studios across the county; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; Find maps and more info at openstudios.org/open-studios-tour.
Halloween Laser Magic and Scary Moons: Come to Fiske for some haunted Halloween laser magic and then enjoy a deep dive into the bizarre moons of our solar system; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Mountain Duo at BOCO Cider: Listen to this group that plays popular music from rock and country to metal, punk and pop; 4 p.m. Sunday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Sundays at Spruce: Pretend you’re in a French café, sip on coffee, eat some pastries and groove to the live tunes of gypsy jazz from local band Espresso; 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Spruce Confections, 767 Pearl Street, Boulder; Free; espressoswing.com.
Andy Newman at Boulder Comedy Show: Laugh like a fool at Boulder’s longest-running comedy show. The gig always features the funniest crop of local comedians and often brings in national stars. Sunday will feature Los Angeles-based comedian Adam Newman who’s performed on Letterman, Comedy Central and all the hot TV spots; 7 p.m. Sunday, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder; $20; bouldercomedyshow.com.
The Wrecks at the Fox: Los Angeles pop-rock band soared with the 2016 hit “Favorite Liar.” See them at the Fox with opener effervescent rock one-woman band, CARR; 8 p.m. Sunday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $25-$27.50; z2ent.com.
Role Model at Boulder Theater: Bedroom-pop singer-songwriter Tucker Pillsbury, a former rapper, known as Role Model will headline this show with indie-pop opener Claud; 8 p.m. Sunday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St, Boulder; z2ent.com. | 2022-10-16T16:09:32Z | www.dailycamera.com | Last day to catch ‘ShakesFear’ at CU and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/last-day-to-catch-shakesfear-at-cu-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/last-day-to-catch-shakesfear-at-cu-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Boulder Ballot Issue 2A: Climate Tax
What it asks: Shall the city of Boulder taxes be increased $6.5 million (first, full fiscal year dollar increase) annually and increasing annually by the consumer price index by imposing a climate tax on the delivery of electricity and natural gas as provided in Ordinance 8542; and shall the existing climate action plan excise tax set to expire March 31, 2023 and the utility occupation tax set to expire December 31, 2025 be repealed; and shall the climate tax begin January 1, 2023, and expire December 31, 2040; with the revenue from the climate tax and all earnings thereon to be used to maintain and expand climate focused programs and services, finance certain capital projects and stabilize funding for initiatives to meet the city’s climate goals; including without limitation items such as residential and business incentives to reduce energy use; accelerate building weatherization and electrification; local renewable energy generation and storage; microgrids and district systems that lead to increased system reliability and resilience; equitable investments in high performing, healthy buildings; services to support zero emissions; mobility options with an emphasis on solutions for currently underserved segments of the community; zero-waste efforts including reuse, repair and recycling; natural climate solutions to enhance ecosystems, improve air quality and buffer extreme heat events; incentives for community-based climate and resilience actions; wildfire resilience strategies such as wildfire home risk assessments, wildfire mitigation planning and implementation; outreach and education; residential and business incentives for the acceleration of undergrounding utility lines; financial assistance for low-income utility customers; matching funds or other leverage to access public or private funding sources and cost-sharing agreements to accelerate meeting the city’s climate goals?
What it means: Boulder is asking voters to repeal the city’s existing climate and utility taxes and repurpose them into one climate action tax that would raise about $6.5 million in the first year. The tax, which would sunset in 2040, designates the money for specific purposes that would help Boulder meet its climate goals. Boulder estimates the tax would result in about $7 extra annually on residential customers’ energy bills, while putting a larger burden on commercial and industrial customers with additional costs of about $200 and $800, respectively. The city plans to use $1.5 million of the annual revenue to help with wildfire mitigation.
What supporters say: Supporters say the funding is crucial to help finance efforts that will reduce Boulder’s climate impact. They argue now is the time to take steps to advance the city’s lofty climate goals, including reducing carbon emissions 70% by 2030 using a 2018 baseline. Considering Boulder and its neighboring communities experienced several significant wildfires in the past year, supporters appreciate the designation for wildfire mitigation work.
What opponents say: Some say the tax doesn’t go far enough, considering a city poll suggested 71% of the respondents would support a climate tax at an annual rate of $8 million. Some skeptics also have expressed concerns about some of the ways in which the money will be spent, including the city’s effort to acquire its streetlights from Xcel Energy and convert them to LED lights. Commercial and industrial utility customers may also have concerns about higher energy bills. | 2022-10-17T02:05:16Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Ballot Issue 2A: Climate Tax | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/ballot-issue-2a-climate-tax/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/ballot-issue-2a-climate-tax/ |
Boulder Ballot Issue 2B: Climate Tax Bond
What it asks: “Approving issuance of bonds to be paid from climate tax (TABOR) shall city of Boulder debt be increased up to $52.9 million (principal amount) with a maximum repayment cost not to exceed $75 million (such amount being the total principal and interest that could be payable over the maximum life of the debt) such debt to be issued only if the voters approve the climate tax in Ballot Issue 2A and payable from the climate tax and from other legally available revenues as determined by council; with the proceeds of such debt and earnings thereon being used for the same purposes as the climate tax in the ballot issue?”
What it means: Should Boulder voters approve a repurposed climate tax, the city also is requesting that they allow a debt issuance of up to $52.9 million, not to exceed $75 million. This would help Boulder begin projects funded through the new tax earlier. It would only happen if the climate tax is approved.
What supporters say: Supporters say the funding is crucial to help finance efforts that will reduce Boulder’s climate impact and argue now is the time to act.
What opponents say: Climate tax opponents worry it doesn’t go far enough and may be concerned about higher energy bills as a result of the tax. | 2022-10-17T02:05:23Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Ballot Issue 2B: Climate Tax Bond | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-ballot-issue-2b-climate-tax-bond/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-ballot-issue-2b-climate-tax-bond/ |
Boulder Ballot Issue 2C: Repeal Library…
Boulder Ballot Issue 2C: Repeal Library Commission and tax
What it asks: “If the voters approve the initiative to create a library district that is on the ballot of Boulder County at the November 8, 2022 election, shall Sections 65, 102 and 130 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended and Sections 69, 132, 133, and 134 be repealed from the Boulder Home Rule Charter and any remaining funds in the Library Fund used all as set forth in Ordinance 8539?”
What it means: If voters approve the Boulder Public Library District, Boulder would no longer have municipal control of the library system. Thus, the city is asking voters to repeal city charter provisions related to the library, including the Boulder Library Commission and the 0.333-mill property tax dedicated to the library. The money would be returned to taxpayers, upon voter approval and a subsequent City Council vote to adjust the budget.
What supporters say: Those who favor the library district as a means of providing stable funding for Boulder’s libraries support this more administrative step.
What opponents say: Opponents, worried about losing municipal control of the library and new property taxes, would likely not support this since it’s contingent on voter approval of the Boulder Public Library District. | 2022-10-17T02:05:29Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Ballot Issue 2C: Repeal Library Commission and tax | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-ballot-issue-2c-repeal-library-commission-and-tax/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-ballot-issue-2c-repeal-library-commission-and-tax/ |
Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C: Transportation…
Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C: Transportation sales tax extension
What it asks: “With no increase in any county tax, shall the county’s existing 0.10% sales and use tax for transportation improvements be extended for the purposes of road and bridge improvements, transportation safety improvements, commuter and recreational bike paths and trails, transit capital improvements and equipment, transit operations and maintenance, transportation demand management, and community mobility programs; and shall the revenues and the earnings on the investment of the proceeds of such tax constitute a voter-approved revenue change; all in accordance with Board of County Commissioners’ resolution No. 2022-048?”
What it means: Boulder County is hoping voters will agree to extend the county’s existing 0.1% transportation sales tax for another 15 years.
What supporters say: Those in favor say the measure would not raise taxes and is needed to fund important transportation safety improvements. The money raised also will be put toward adding regional trails to connect communities across Boulder County as well as mobility programs for those with disabilities and other underserved communities.
What opponents say: Some argue Boulder County residents are taxed too heavily and that voters might have to make choices about what’s important to them given that there are several tax-related measures on the ballot this year. | 2022-10-17T02:06:01Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C: Transportation sales tax extension | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-county-ballot-issue-1c-transportation-sales-tax-extension/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-county-ballot-issue-1c-transportation-sales-tax-extension/ |
Boulder County Coroner: Emma Hall
Name: Emma Hall
Emma Hall (Courtesy photo)
Family: My dog Risa
How long have you lived in Colorado: Lyons native, relocated to Longmont in 2013 after the flood
Professional background: Boulder County Coroner January 2011 to present, medicolegal death investigator and field training officer, Adams County Coroner’s Officer 2006-2008
Political/community experience: Boulder County Coroner January 2011 to present
Education: B.S. in criminalistics, Metro State University
How was your work as coroner made more difficult during the pandemic?: As the coroner, I faced many challenges during the pandemic, and it was with a lot of hard work, planning and cooperation with our partner agencies that we have been able to work through them. The first immediate challenge was to turn our office and staff into a remote working operation in less than 24 hours once given the notice by the county to do so. The second immediate challenge was writing new policies and procedures, and response plans on how to physically handle COVID-19-related deaths while keeping my staff, other professionals and family members as safe as possible when handling cases involving a deadly disease that we knew little about. The third immediate challenge was to prepare for the additional and ongoing medical supplies and personal protection equipment (PPE) needed to cover the possibility of a mass fatality and/or future supply chain issues.
What is the status of the accreditation process for your office? How will this/has this helped your office?: One of my top priorities for my next term is to obtain national accreditation for the office. Plans are currently underway to kick off the final push of the accreditation process in 2023. In the last 12 years, we have always strived to ensure we are meeting national standards in all areas of the office. Many structural implementations and improvements were needed when I originally took office in 2011 to meet the national standards, including building an adequate facility, implementing a case management system, obtaining proper equipment, and recruiting and training sufficient staff. Obtaining accreditation gives our community the assurance that the office is operating according to national standards.
What are your top priorities should you win another term as Boulder County Coroner?: Another top priority for my next term is the development of our new Family Assistance Division. The Family Assistance Division was created this year with the approval of a full-time Family Assistance Coordinator by the Commissioners. I look forward to seeing the success of this important division and the positive impacts it will make on the community as well as obtaining full accreditation status in my fourth term. | 2022-10-17T02:06:26Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder County Coroner: Emma Hall | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-county-coroner-emma-hall-2/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/boulder-county-coroner-emma-hall-2/ |
Colorado House District 10: William B. DeOreo
Name: William B. DeOreo
Bill DeOreo is the Republican candidate for Colorado House District 10. (Courtesy photo)
Website: bill4hd10.org
Family: Married with three children and four grandchildren
How long have you lived in Boulder: Since 1976
Professional background: Water engineer
Political/community experience: Served five-year terms on Boulder’s Open Space Board of Trustees and the Water Resources Advisory Board
Education: Biology degree from Boston University, civil engineering degree from University of Colorado
What is the biggest issue currently facing House District 10 and how will you address it if you’re elected?: There are many important issues facing Colorado and HD10: inflation, the economy, energy security, preserving businesses, industry, agriculture and natural resources are all on that list. Of more immediate concern to my constituents is homelessness, crime and especially violent crime against people and property. I will support law enforcement, cash bail, making fentanyl possession a felony and policies that get the homeless off the streets, out of encampments and into treatment and employment. I would vote to terminate Colorado’s status as a sanctuary state.
What will you do to impact climate change at the state level?: We have seen how severe weather events can disrupt the renewable energy system. We must respond to weather changes, whatever they may be, and keep the energy grid up and running. If we want to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, then make Colorado a leader in advanced nuclear power. I will vote to add nuclear power as a renewable energy source and make it part of our clean energy plan. Nuclear power is safe and reliable and should be the backbone of our future energy system, freeing up fossil fuels for more important uses.
What sets you apart from your opponent?: My opponent is a solid example of the “woke” ideology, which I oppose.
She supports, and I oppose:
• Use of state funds to support homelessness; I want to get people out of homeless encampments and off the streets;
• Rent control, and regulation of markets,
• Enshrining abortion as a “human right” and use public funds to provide “free abortion services.” I support protecting all innocent life and oppose abortion except when the life of the mother is at risk;
• Promote woke ideology into the schools, including, CRT, “gender counseling” and “gender-affirming health care”;
• Have citizens and businesses pay a ransom to minorities and low-income groups to make up for past climate injustice;
• Making Colorado safe and welcoming for “immigrants” as a top priority;
• The elimination of cash bail;
• Decriminalizing fentanyl;
• State-enforced high-density zoning;
• Social housing;
• Criminalizing semi-automatic rifles as assault weapons;
• Codifying gay marriage.
I believe the voters of HD10 have never had such a clear choice in candidates. | 2022-10-17T02:08:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Colorado House District 10: William B. DeOreo | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/colorado-house-district-10-william-b-deoreo/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/colorado-house-district-10-william-b-deoreo/ |
Colorado House District 10: Junie Joseph
Name: Junie Joseph
Junie Joseph is the Democratic candidate for Colorado House District 10. (Coverve/Courtesy photo)
Website: junie4colorado.com
How long have you lived in Boulder: 4.3
Professional background: Lawyer
Political/community experience: Boulder City Council member, former Obama Intern, UN Human Rights Officer and Boulder Shelter volunteer
Education: BA Political Science & Anthropology, MA Human Rights, Juris Doctorate
What is the biggest issue currently facing House District 10 and how will you address it if you’re elected?: House District 10 faces many challenges, including housing, homelessness, climate readiness and sustainability. I think the biggest issue of all is the climate crisis. While that will impact us all, those burdened with systemic inequities will be most impacted. We must address the root causes of climate change by reducing emissions, expanding renewable energy and regenerative agriculture and farming as a means of carbon sequestration. Many strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will make us more climate resilient, but we must focus on wildfire and flood mitigation, enhancing social infrastructure and ensuring safe places during extreme temperature events.
What will you do to impact climate change at the state level?: We need to invest more money in research and support for higher education and training opportunities. We also need to offer higher subsidies and rebates to property owners, especially lower-income property owners and renters, for retrofitting homes. We need to create affordable housing near jobs and invest in multimodal transportation so people have alternatives to cars. We need more electric vehicle charging stations across the state. Just transition is not just a theory. It can work in practice by partnering with labor unions to provide workforce training for those transitioning out of jobs negatively impacting our climate and ensuring access to free community college and technical training. We also have to support small businesses and homeowners in transitioning small, gas-powered devices to electric power.
What sets you apart from your opponent?: The contrast is clear. I want to take the district and state forward by advocating for reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights, criminal justice, climate sustainability, access to housing and stronger public education. My opponent wants to take us backward to a time when only people who looked like him could vote and had basic human rights; a time where reproductive health consisted of women using a hanger in a back alley. He wants to return to a time when nuclear power was an acceptable source of energy, even as the climate crisis worsens and severe weather events such as fires, floods and extreme wind are increasing in frequency. I am the candidate with a clear vision that includes all of us moving forward together. Our diversity is our strength. | 2022-10-17T02:12:14Z | www.dailycamera.com | Colorado House District 10: Junie Joseph | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/house-district-10-junie-joseph/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/house-district-10-junie-joseph/ |
Letters to the editor: Don’t base your vote…
Laura Spalding: Elections: Don’t base your vote on speculative messaging
Sam Weaver’s excellent Opinion Column, “Measure 2E is not ready for prime time,” explains why Ballot Measure 2E, which would change City Council elections from odd to even years, is a bad idea.
Weaver lists 18 federal, state and county candidate races, as well as 21 state, county and municipal ballot initiatives on this even-year ballot, which will be mailed out beginning October 17th. Even if you voted along party lines for the candidate races, you would come to a screeching halt if nonpartisan City Council elections were added. More importantly, ballot initiatives deserve particular attention for the decades of harm they can do.
The TABOR Amendment was passed in 1992, and we are still dealing with the consequences, while presidents, senators, congressmen and county commissioners have come and gone. Richard Valenty discusses the impact of ballot initiatives when he analyzes 2E in his impressive 2022 Election Guide.
He gives examples of initiatives that voters with no time for research have supported or rejected based on superficial campaign messages. He also references a 2021 vote on a local ballot measure that benefited from a robust community discussion of facts and information, which was possible because few other measures competed for voters’ attention in that odd year.
Nonpartisan City Council elections and local ballot initiatives deserve the time and attention we can give them in our current odd-year elections. There can be 15 to 20 Council candidates, each having different, nuanced positions on everything from Open Space, to the environment, traffic management, street maintenance, growth and development, housing, local taxes, addressing local crime, police and fire, homelessness issues, use of public funds, and more. Don’t base your vote on messaging that speculates about increasing voter turnout. Investigate this issue at savelocalelections.com.
Then Vote “no” on 2E.
Laura Spalding, Boulder
Jennifer Yee: Libraries: I want my taxes directed to the institutions I value
Almost every weekend of my childhood, my parents marched three young children more than a mile to the public library. We spent the morning climbing the historic spiral staircase, ogling the VHS tapes in their thick plastic casings, and poring over books. The library was where I was able to learn about difficult topics and current events that my immigrant parents did not have the financial or emotional resources to teach me. I’m proud to support our libraries today because of the democratic access they provide to information and resources for families.
I see the rise of censorship and book banning as critical issues of our time. It’s an issue we can’t ignore. Libraries are on the front lines of this fight, in towns all across the country. Communities that have strong libraries, and ones that believe in the importance of public education and the public commons, are going to be better equipped to fight against these anti-democratic waves.
Investing in our libraries is crucial to protecting our shared and communal access to information, not just for the wealthy among us, or for the people who have disposable incomes: for everyone, including the young family in which I grew up.
I have seen the opposition to funding our libraries, and it seems to boil down to property taxes. What good are my taxes if I cannot ensure they are directed to the institutions that I value most? I am voting “yes” on measure 6C because investing in our libraries in the long term is crucial for our democracy.
Jennifer Yee, Longmont
Ashley Wheeland: Election: Prop FF is an investment in public education
When all kids have access to free meals at schools, up to 40% more kids are able to get the food they need and avoid going hungry. It is important that all kids have access to food when they need it, but rising costs are putting a lot of families in a tough position. This November, voters can help do something about it by supporting Proposition FF.
Prop FF will provide long-term funding for healthy school meals for public school students in our state. This will have positive benefits for schools, support local farmers and food producers, increase wages for the people who work so hard to prepare and serve meals for our kids, and most of all it is a concrete and effective way to help eliminate food insecurity in our state.
Kids should not be going hungry because their families can’t afford food. The Healthy School Meals for All program is an investment in public education and in our children who need healthy food to learn. I am excited to vote yes on this measure in the fall and I hope that others will join me.
Ashley Wheeland, Denver | 2022-10-17T02:12:40Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Don’t base your vote on speculative messaging; taxes should be spent on valuable institutions; Prop FF is an investment in education | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/letters-to-the-editor-dont-base-your-vote-on-speculative-messaging-taxes-should-be-spent-on-valuable-institutions-prop-ff-is-an-investment-in-education/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/letters-to-the-editor-dont-base-your-vote-on-speculative-messaging-taxes-should-be-spent-on-valuable-institutions-prop-ff-is-an-investment-in-education/ |
Longmont City Council at-large: Mitzi Nicoletti
Name: Mitzi Nicoletti
Website: mitziforlongmont.com
Family: Husband Karl Nicoletti; son Chris Nicoletti, daughter-in-law, Genieve and Granddaughter Sullivan. Family dog, Amber Lou
Professional background: Event planning, healthcare services
Political/community experience: Served as a board member for Sustainable Resilient Longmont, Art Walk, Longmont Downtown Association, member of the Longmont Climate Community. Chaired the Renewable Energy Board for SRL, Sister Cities Chaperone to Guzman. Member of the Longmont Homeless Coalition, Co-Founder of Longmont Rowers.
Education: North Texas State University, BS. Texas Woman’s University, Graduate work.
What would you do to help address homelessness in Longmont?: I would continue to serve as a member of the Longmont Homeless Coalition in providing a solid solution for our homeless community while considering and including all stakeholders. We must address the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the required number of beds before allowing any municipal regulations. I feel it is key that the city, nonprofits serving the homeless community and local businesses work together.
Should the city of Longmont adopt new gun safety laws?: Gun safety is critical and must align with federal laws.
Do you support the installation of sound-camera technology to get a handle on excessive automobile noise throughout the city?: I do support sound-camera technology as part of a solution supporting police in being able to capture excessive automobile noise in the city. The sound cameras can determine which vehicle is making an unreasonably loud noise even if multiple cars and trucks are on the roadway at the same time. Enforcement has been difficult, if not impossible, given the lack of sound measurement devices in the city. | 2022-10-17T02:12:59Z | www.dailycamera.com | Longmont City Council at-large: Mitzi Nicoletti | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/longmont-city-council-at-large-mitzi-nicoletti/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/longmont-city-council-at-large-mitzi-nicoletti/ |
Longmont City Council at-large: Sean McCoy
Name: Sean P. McCoy
Longmont City Council Candidate Sean McCoy
Website: mccoyforLongmont.com
Family: Wife: Maureen O’Brien-McCoy, daughters: Claire & Mollie
Professional background: Social Studies teacher, Monarch HS. BVSD.
Political/community experience: Served on the Longmont Housing and Human Services Commission, Planning & Zoning Commission, Longmont Police Standards Board, BOCO Open Space Commission, and Ward 3 City Council Member from 2007 to 2011, National League of Cities Bronze level certificate. After my council term, I served on the Historic Preservation Commission.
Education: BA–Political Science, Fort Lewis College. Master’s in Education, UNC, Greeley.
What would you do to help address homelessness in Longmont?: I believe it is important to differentiate between homelessness and the unhoused, as well as address the roots of homelessness. Homelessness and substance abuse are often closely associated. When focusing on this, we need to address usage of substances in public parks and spaces, as I want to make sure these are safe places that people can take their children. So to curb this, my plan is to take a similar approach that larger cities have implemented and have sharps disposal containers on the outside of all city buildings. I also recommend that we as a city procure the unused property at Hover and Nelson that has been left in our community as blight and invest in building a community shelter with the city of Boulder like we did in Boulder for the unhoused, providing jobs for mental health and public health workers within our community. I would also like to provide community drives for information so the unhoused can hold important documents within government facilities in case those critical documents are damaged or lost. (Scanning Drives to help keep that information safe)
Should the city of Longmont adopt new gun safety laws?: Yes, we should adopt gun safety laws, right after the two cases with Boulder County and Superior are settled in the courts. We then can craft our ordinance to comply with the court’s decisions. This saves valuable tax dollars and archives the goal of making public spaces in Longmont safer.
Do you support the installation of sound-camera technology to get a handle on excessive automobile noise throughout the city?: Yes, when we moved many of our restaurant seating areas outside due to COVID and tried to model European eating styles, we put people in conflict with noisy automobile traffic. I don’t think we can change those seating areas now since they are so popular, so in all cases we need to adapt and we will have to gear our city ordinances to the times we live in. Noisy motorcycles and cars with tuned-up engines that produce a lot of unnecessary noise will have to adjust to the changing times. | 2022-10-17T02:13:05Z | www.dailycamera.com | Longmont City Council at-large: Sean McCoy | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/longmont-city-council-at-large-sean-mccoy/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/longmont-city-council-at-large-sean-mccoy/ |
Nederland Ballot Issue 2K: Retail marijuana…
Nederland Ballot Issue 2K: Retail marijuana sales tax
What it asks: “Shall town of Nederland taxes be increased $160,000 annually in the first full fiscal year beginning January 1, 2023, and by such amounts as are raised annually thereafter by the imposition of a 5.0% special sales tax on the sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products to consumers, retail marijuana stores, or retail marijuana product manufacturers as such is authorized by state law, to be in addition to the Nederland sales tax, with proceeds to be used for parks and recreation programs and services and/or other lawful municipal purposes and shall all revenues derived from such tax and the earnings thereon be collected, retained and spent as a voter approved revenue change under Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution, notwithstanding any revenue or expenditure limitations contained in the Colorado Constitution or any other law?”
What it means: The measure would impose a 5% special tax on recreational marijuana sales to help fund various town services. The measure also would grant the town permission to keep and spend any excess revenues collected through the tax.
What supporters say: The money raised from the tax would help a town facing budget issues and allow for improvements in Nederland.
What opponents say: The special tax places an unfair financial burden on recreational marijuana users and retailers and could lead to residents buying product elsewhere, hurting local businesses. | 2022-10-17T02:14:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Nederland Ballot Issue 2K: Retail marijuana sales tax | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/nederland-ballot-issue-2k-retail-marijuana-sales-tax/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/16/nederland-ballot-issue-2k-retail-marijuana-sales-tax/ |
Letters to the editor: Protect our best…
Chau McAusland: Animal welfare: Support laws to protect our best friends
Emily Reynolds: Elections: 2E is more of a power grab than a good idea
When you get your Boulder ballot, you’ll be asked to change local elections from being held in odd years to even years. This sounds like a benign proposal that will supposedly increase voter turnout by moving local elections to even years when federal and state elections are held. Clearly, no one is disenfranchised by the current odd-year elections because all registered voters receive a ballot in the mail and Colorado already has one of the highest voter turnouts in the U.S.
So what’s the real motivation behind this proposal? Pure and simple — it’s a power grab by partisan players who want to increase student participation and influence how they vote. The backers of this proposal are pro-growth and pro-density so if they get more students to vote on local issues while voting for federal and state candidates in even years, they believe it will increase the chances their pro-growth and pro-density Boulder City Council candidates will be elected.
But remember when you were college-age or maybe you’re in college right now? Did/Do you really care about the City Council in the town you lived in? Did you know much about the critical issues in your town? Would you have taken the time to learn about the 10 to 20 City Council candidates running? Or would you have been tempted to vote for a slate recommended by your political party, the college newspaper or your news feed?
I support keeping the current system of odd-year local elections so we can keep partisan politics out and focus on candidates and how they would address our critical local problems like housing, growth, climate change impacts and transportation. These are complex issues that deserve their own odd-year elections so I’ll be voting “no” on 2E.
Emily Reynolds, Boulder
Miho Shida: Libraries: Invest in Gunbarrel, vote ‘yes’ on 6C
Vote “yes” on ballot measure 6C so that Gunbarrel can have its first dedicated community space in the form of a corner library. A library has been promised to Gunbarrel for decades. This is our chance to finally have a community resource that many in Boulder enjoy. A corner library will benefit residents of all ages and be essential to help Gunbarrel residents meet and face future challenges together.
Miho Shida, Boulder
Arthur Kaufman: The Hill: This situation has got to change
Earlier this month, the Camera reported on Rosenberg’s Bagels closing on the Hill. One of the reasons? Daily cleaning of feces from the front door. Down at the Sink, criminals are firing semi-automatic assault weapons at one another. Tough going if you want a bagel or a beer and live on the Hill.
In my opinion, years of neglect by the city and University brought us to this unsavory and dangerous situation. Not sure what the citizenry is thinking; judging by the letters to the editor, they care only for CU South’s repeal, even-year elections and the parking situation on Pearl Street.
It would be cool if somebody, some entity, gave a damn about the Hill. The new hotel won’t be housing the homeless, and the thugs running around late at night with guns out won’t be discouraged until we move the police station back to 13th and College.
Life on the Hill isn’t on the ballot, it’s a low priority, and most folks avoid going there, for good reason. I live here, and I love the Hill, but this situation has got to change.
Arthur Kaufman, Boulder | 2022-10-17T14:36:56Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Protect our best friends; 2E is a power grab; invest in Gunbarrel library; Hill situation must change | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/letters-to-the-editor-protect-our-best-friends-2e-is-a-power-grab-invest-in-gunbarrel-library-hill-situation-must-change/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/letters-to-the-editor-protect-our-best-friends-2e-is-a-power-grab-invest-in-gunbarrel-library-hill-situation-must-change/ |
Colorado volleyball falls short against No. 15…
The Colorado volleyball team is a much-improved squad from a year ago. But the Buffaloes still are trying to get over the hump against the top competition in the Pac-12 Conference.
After reeling off wins in six of their previous eight matches, the Buffaloes suffered a 3-1 loss at home on Sunday against No. 15 Washington (25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 25-23).
It was CU’s 10th loss in its past 11 games against ranked foes, with the only win during that span occurring last month against a 19th-ranked Illinois team that no longer is receiving votes in the weekly AVCA top 25 poll.
“Obviously frustrated with the loss,” CU head coach Jesse Mahoney said. “That being said, Washington’s a very good team and they played at a really high level for four sets and I felt like we played at a really high level for two sets. After the match, in our quick huddle, we have that level in us, we just have to be able to sustain it throughout matches, especially against teams that put pressure on you the entire time, which Washington did, certainly from the service line and blocking and hopefully it’s something we can learn from as we as we go on the road and play a couple of really good teams next week.
“Every week is another opportunity to get better and another opportunity for us to play at the level we need to. Overall, I do think it was a good weekend for us. We feel like we’re in a really good place and we’ll go back to the drawing board and get ready to get on the road.”
The Buffs (13-5, 5-3 Pac-12) never led in the opening set, with the Huskies taking control after breaking a 10-10 tie with a 6-1 run. The Huskies scored six consecutive points during a 9-1 run in the second set, but CU was able to avoid the sweep by scoring five of the final seven points in the third set.
Although Washington jumped to a 5-1 lead in the fourth, the Buffs nearly rallied to force a deciding fifth frame after pulling into a 23-23 tie, but the Huskies ended the contest by scoring the final two points.
The Buffs finished with a hitting percentage of .213 while Washington recorded a .263 mark, the third-best total by a CU opponent this season. Maya Tabron recorded 19 kills for the Buffs while Meegan Hart posted nine kills along with seven blocks.
The Buffs hit the road this week for two games in Oregon, beginning with a date at Oregon State on Friday (8 p.m. MT, Pac-12 Mountain) followed by a Sunday visit to No. 17 Oregon.
“It doesn’t feel good right now but we are playing,” DeLuzio said. “On Friday’s match (a win against Washington State), I think that’s some of the best volleyball we played all season and it’s nice going into teams like Oregon and even Oregon State knowing that we can do it just by finding that consistency component this week with practice.”
UW 25 25 22 25
Kills — Washington: Hoffman 22, Bush 15, Grote 10. Colorado: Tabron 19, Hadrych 12.
Assists — Washington: Powell 54. Colorado: Simpson 25, DeLuzio 18.
Aces — Washington: Hoffman 1, Wilmes 1, Powell 1. Colorado: Hart 1, Schneggenburger 1, Simpson 1.
Blocks — Washington: Summers 4, Bush 3, Grote 3. Colorado: Hart 7, Tabron 3, Hadrych 3.
Digs — Washington: Powell 17, Bays 11, Hoffman 10. Colorado: Lougeay 15, DeLuzio 9, Simpson 8, Tabron 8. | 2022-10-17T20:29:30Z | www.dailycamera.com | Colorado volleyball falls short against No. 15 Washington – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/colorado-volleyball-falls-short-against-no-15-washington/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/colorado-volleyball-falls-short-against-no-15-washington/ |
Private-label food brand Cadia plants flag in…
Cadia’s products are offered only to smaller grocery stores such as Niwot Market, and not to big players like King Soopers or Whole Foods Market. (Courtesy Niwot Market)
When Naperville, Ill.-based foods company KeHE Distributors LLC bought private-label organic products brand Cadia about a decade ago, the company’s leaders looked westward for a place to nurture and grow their new asset.
KeHE executive director of brands Ben Friedland. (Courtesy OF KeHE)
“With that (addition of square footage), comes an investment in more people for this space,” Friedland said.
“We’re a natural-foods, specialty-products company, and we’re making a commitment to that by hiring more bodies here (in Boulder), creating a larger space here and connecting to the local community,” Friedland said.
“We can produce Cadia (food offerings) on behalf of the aggregate,” Friedland said. “… Now that same person who wants to support (local grocers) is shopping a bigger basket. They don’t have to (make an additional stop) at that larger retailer to get black beans at a lower price.”
Margin comparisons to the private labels offered at big chains differ depending on the individual product. “We’re not always going to be the cheapest,” Friedland said. “But we get a lot closer, and in some areas we’re at or below (the margins and prices offered by) these large retailers.”
“We’re little — we can’t buy like a Whole Foods, we can’t buy 25 cases of (branded product) at a time and sell it at a lower price.”
“Right now, we’re doing well,” Steele said. “But it is always scary with the way the world is changing. Food (prices are) going up. Everything’s going up.” | 2022-10-18T01:29:37Z | www.dailycamera.com | Private-label food brand Cadia plants flag in heart of organic industry mecca Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/private-label-food-brand-cadia-plants-flag-in-heart-of-organic-industry-mecca-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/17/private-label-food-brand-cadia-plants-flag-in-heart-of-organic-industry-mecca-boulder/ |
Guest opinion: James O’Neill: Medicare is a…
By James O’Neill,
The best thing about turning 65 might just be your eligibility for Medicare. Unfortunately, most people fail to recognize the value of this gift and end up giving it away to the private insurance industry.
With Medicare Open Enrollment season now upon us, we are being inundated with advertisements and mailings urging us to get “free information” about Medicare Advantage plans. They sound too good to be true: no monthly fees, more benefits, free health club memberships and more; in fact for 90% of us, they are too good to be true and are borderline scams. The best thing about Medicare Advantage plans, maybe the only good thing, is that they are easy to sign up for and you avoid navigating the confusing options of standard Medicare. The downsides to Medicare Advantage plans are that they limit you to in-network providers, often only within a single state or local area, they may not cover or have additional restrictions for procedures that standard medicare covers, they always have higher co-pays and deductibles and you will continue to experience the billing headaches that come with private insurance. If you are willing to spend a little bit of effort and enroll in standard Medicare you will finally experience what good healthcare is all about.
Standard Medicare is accepted by virtually all doctors, clinics and hospitals in the country. Billing is automatic, seamless and without worry. Deductibles and out-of-pocket charges are mostly insignificant. Once you experience this you will realize that our country does, in my opinion, have the best medical delivery system in the world, the problems we experience are mostly due to private insurers who need to limit coverage and reimbursements in order to earn profits for their investors. Medicare operating and administrative expenses are 2% of benefits paid. Medicare Advantage plans are allowed by law up to 20% for operating and administrative expenses. That 18% difference comes from denying coverage and limiting your care options.
Standard Medicare consists of four parts: “A” which is no-cost hospitalization coverage, “B” which covers 80% of the cost of doctor visits and out-patient care at a standard monthly rate, “D” which is optional prescription coverage at variable cost depending on the plan you choose and finally optional Medicare Supplemental or medi-gap that pays the 20% that part B doesn’t cover also at a variable cost depending on the plan. Ignore Medicare part “C”, that is Medicare Advantage private insurance. So if you are like me, sign up for “A” at no cost, enroll in “B” which has a standard monthly premium, pick an optional “D” plan to cover prescriptions and finally if you want to cover all of your expenses, pick a medi-gap Supplemental plan. The supplemental plan I chose also covers medical expenses outside of the U.S. which was attractive to me. I do not carry dental or vision (corrective lens) coverage. I could get this coverage privately, but decided the coverage versus the cost is not worth it to me.
To get started you first go to the Social Security website and enroll for medicare, then you can do all of your shopping on the medicare.gov website.
A final word of warning: be very careful that you are working on the true government websites ssa.gov and medicare.gov. There are many misleading sites offering medicare enrollment that are fronts for private insurance companies or independent brokers. Once you give them your telephone or email information they will hound you relentlessly for months. I made that mistake and I don’t wish that experience on anyone.
To all of you turning 65 or already past that milestone, happy birthday. Take a look at Medicare Open Enrollment. It’s a gift you earned. Enjoy it!
James O’Neill is an independent policy analyst living in Lafayette. | 2022-10-18T15:12:05Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: James O'Neill: Medicare is a well-earned 65th birthday gift | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/guest-opinion-james-oneill-medicare-is-a-well-earned-65th-birthday-gift/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/guest-opinion-james-oneill-medicare-is-a-well-earned-65th-birthday-gift/ |
Poetry open mic at R Gallery and other Boulder…
Grab a glass of wine and listen to some poetry at R Gallery + Wine Bar in Boulder. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Poetry Open Mic: In collaboration with Colorado Poet’s Center, R Gallery holds an open mic poetry night the third Tuesday of each month. A member of the center will present a reading, followed by an open mic where anyone is welcome to read their poetry to a fun, welcoming and supportive audience; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder; Free; rgallery.art.
Boulder World Affairs Discussion Group: This free discussion group that’s open to the public, has weekly chats about international, national and state affairs, moderated so that everyone has an opportunity to speak; 10 a.m. Tuesday, Boulder Library Meadows Branch, 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder; boulder-wadg.org.
Startups & Sandwiches Hosts Katie Blomquist: Katie Blomquist wears many hats as a nonprofit founder and executive director, social media manager, college adjunct professor, nonprofit coach and speaker. She will speak about how to create impactful messaging and navigate social media for maximum fundraising results for nonprofits. Startups & Sandwiches is hosted by the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship in Leeds. RSVP quickly, seats are limited; 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, ESCEND, 1111 Engineering Drive, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Screen Printing: Screen printing is a technique where a mesh stencil is used to transfer ink onto a shirt, poster, or other material.. If you are a first-timer or a seasoned printer, BLDG 61 is a great space to experience the craft. Screens and ink will be available along with access to the equipment. Space is limited, registration is required and those ages 13 years old and under are welcome under the supervision of a responsible adult; 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder; calendar.boulderlibrary.org.
Farm tour at The Golden Hoof: Experience a local farm in person and learn about regenerative farming with animals and how it can help fix our broken food system. This 27 acre Slow Food Farm specializes in sustainable meats, eggs and dairy; Register online; 5 p.m. Tuesday, Golden Hoof Farm, 3375 N. 75th St., Boulder; thegoldenhoof.com.
Tribal Courts and Indian Country Justice: In this fireside chat, Angela R. Riley — chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma and UCLA law professor — will discuss Native Nations as the “third sovereign” within the legal framework of the United States. In conversation with Suzette Malveaux, director of the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law, she will explain the role of tribal courts in ensuring justice in Indian country; 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a reception, University of Colorado Law School, 2450 Kittredge Loop Road, Boulder; Free; colorado.edu/law/stevens.
Charlene Teters of Spokane Nation Speaks at CU: Visiting artist Charlene Teters is a member of the Spokane Nation and is well-known for her work as an artist, writer, educator and activist. She established the Racial Justice Office at the National Congress of American Indians and she rose to national prominence when she led protests, as a grad student, against the degrading depictions of American Indian caricatures used as sports team’s mascots and was the subject of the award-winning documentary, “In Whose Honor,” by Jay Rosenstein; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Visual Arts Complex, Auditorium, 1B20, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
‘Food Stars’ Book Signing: Boulder-based author Ellen Mahoney, a Metropolitan State professor, will speak about and sign her new book, “Food Stars: 15 Women Stirring Up the Food Industry,” which looks at farmers, chefs, food activists, food storytellers and food scientists who have developed fascinating careers; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; boulderbookstore.net.
Flor at the Fox: Oregon-based indie quartet Flor brings its atmospheric pop to Boulder for “The Future Shine Tour.” Nashville indie crew The Wldlfe and duo Good Problem open the show; 7 p.m. Tuesday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $20-$25; z2ent.com. | 2022-10-18T15:12:14Z | www.dailycamera.com | Poetry open mic at R Gallery and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/poetry-open-mic-at-r-gallery-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/poetry-open-mic-at-r-gallery-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Guest opinion: Joni Teter and Juana Gomez: The…
By Joni Teter and Juana Gomez,
The best way to support public libraries? Fund them.
What does it mean to support public libraries in an age of misinformation and attacks on freedom of speech and learning? In a time when social supports and neighborly ties are eroding? We have always believed in the power of libraries to defend inquiry, elevate people and strengthen communities, and that’s why we have worked for years to bring Measure 6C to the ballot.
Boulder’s public library is a beloved institution. In multiple community surveys, the library ranks amongst the most popular local services, with 88% of likely voters reporting a favorable opinion in 2022. Our library provides services many community members rely on — from story hours and homework help to adult literacy programs, small business support, and materials delivery for our homebound neighbors. And before hours were reduced during the pandemic, more than 1 million people passed through our libraries’ doors each year, while 5.2 million accessed services online.
Our libraries are more relevant today than at any time in their proud history, but funding has not kept up with community needs and expectations.
If our Boulder Public Library appears strong, that’s a testament to outstanding staff and volunteers, and not to the resources we provide them. With an inflation-adjusted budget that has been stagnant since 2002, and a steady decline in staffing, the library now struggles to provide even basic services.
Facilities like the Canyon Theater and Carnegie Library for Local History have closed or are open by appointment only, and the popular Makerspace sits locked and unused five days a week. Branch libraries have reduced hours. An annualized $2.3 million maintenance backlog threatens both buildings and collections. And private philanthropy — already the source for most library programming — is now being tapped to cover staffing needs.
Measure 6C stops this decline and puts Boulder’s library on stable footing for the future.
It does so by creating a regional library district, similar to those already operating in communities like Fort Collins and Colorado Springs. Boulder’s district would align the library’s tax base with its service area, bringing in many of the 30% of cardholders that live outside of city limits. It would also shift funding from sales tax revenues — which leave libraries vulnerable when communities need libraries the most — to more stable property taxes, which allow for long-term planning and continuity of services.
Measure 6C also increases library funding by a modest 12%, from $16.78 million in projected city spending in 2023 to $18.78 million. That additional $2 million per year will provide funds to restore staffing and hours, invest in critical programs, properly care for facilities and materials, and bring a branch library to the Gunbarrel community.
A library district is the last plan standing after years of study and input from city staff, library experts, community members, and multiple City Councils. In our many years of advocacy, no other viable approach to funding our libraries has emerged. And we think the proposition is clear: Are we as a community ready to invest what’s necessary to support the library services we’ve said — year after year — that we value?
There are costs, of course. But we’re proud to have earned the support of groups like the NAACP-Boulder County, El Centro AMISTAD, Boulder Area Labor Council and the Colorado Working Families Party — all of whom understand what libraries mean to the economically disadvantaged members of our community.
Unfortunately, opponents are working to cast doubt by denying the problem (everything is fine!), exaggerating the proposed funding increase, and suggesting district libraries will be less-than-public. Their arguments fly in the face of evidence — the budget cuts and decades of local inaction, the full cost of current city funding, and the 56 library districts across Colorado that provide reliable and relevant service to their communities. We’ll call the opposition to Measure 6C what it is: an attempt to keep our libraries underfunded.
Our calling, instead, is to lift up public libraries. More than just a vote to modernize library finances and governance, a “yes” on 6C is a vote to support literacy, equity and democracy in our community. These are values worth defending, championing, and yes, funding.
Joni Teter and Juana Gomez are co-chairs of the Boulder Library Champions/Yes on 6C campaign, and former Boulder Library Commissioners. | 2022-10-19T14:04:37Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Joni Teter and Juana Gomez: The best way to support public libraries? Fund them. | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/guest-opinion-joni-teter-and-juana-gomez-the-best-way-to-support-public-libraries-fund-them/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/guest-opinion-joni-teter-and-juana-gomez-the-best-way-to-support-public-libraries-fund-them/ |
Letters to the editor: Amendment F could hurt…
Steve Kjonaas: Election: Amendment F will grind down nonprofit revenue streams
Trust and reliability, earned respect in your community, that is what religious, charitable, labor, fraternal, educational, volunteer firefighters, or veterans’ organizations have brought over the years. Communities within Colorado benefit from the operation of nonprofits each day and in many locations around Colorado. Nonprofits are the sole community asset that is the anchor of the population that enhance the economic, social programs, the unique spirit, and the cultural well-being of their respective communities.
If Amendment F is passed, it could allow any fly-by-night operator to invade Colorado, operate and then flee as fast as they came, departing Colorado with the profits. Thereby leaving the nonprofits of Colorado without one of their larger revenue streams. According to Amendment F, starting January 1, 2025, the Colorado legislature can further reduce an important element toward obtaining a gaming license. The most important element is an organization’s stability, that is the number of years of proven stable financial management. The lobbyist who produced the legislation in the first place argues that if the amendment passes, then the nonprofits can testify against it and hope for the best when the Colorado legislature acts to reduce the three-year organizational stability requirement to zero.
Steve Kjonaas, VFW Legislative Director, Monument
Wendy Stokes: Marchman is a big plus for Colorado
Colorado Senate District 15 has a new map and a new excellent candidate, Janice Marchman. Both she and her opponent GOP Robert Woodward hail from Loveland, but the new CO SD15 includes Boulder County mountain towns (Jamestown, Nederland, Gold Hill, Ward), Estes, Lyons, west Fort Collins, from the Wyoming border to the southwestern edge of Boulder, including Marshall. It’s huge.
Unlike the incumbent who has supported the GOP/Trump agenda for his tenure, Janice Marchman has experience as an engineer, math teacher and school board member; she has excellent people skills, common sense and is an experienced negotiator. She is interested in water source protection and environmental care. She is supported by Rep. Joe Neguse, Gov. Polis, Phil Weiser, Judy Amabile and many others, including Mayor Arndt of Fort Collins, Mayor Marsh of Loveland, Mayor Rogin of Lyons, Mayor Box of Jamestown, the CEA/teachers, safe communities, woman’s choice, Pipefitters, among others. The list is long. She is such a big plus for Colorado! Please vote for Democrat Janice Marchman Nov. 8!
Shari Hack: CU South: Annexation will degrade our quality of life
Recently I visited one of my most favorite places, CU South. I sat by a creek and watched as dusk descended. I saw hawks searching for their dinner. I heard unseen animals in the tall grass chittering their welcome to the night. I intended to do some meditation, but every time I closed my eyes I immediately opened them again. I didn’t want to miss one second of the surrounding natural beauty.
I thought how sad it would be for CU to destroy these natural wetlands and build 750,000 square feet of buildings, a 3,000-seat stadium, and add roughly 7,000 daily vehicle trips to the area. CU’s plan will only exacerbate the current student housing shortage and create a traffic nightmare. If we have to evacuate for another fire like we did in March, it might be hard to leave, it could be traffic gridlock. The lure of flood mitigation promised by CU is, in my opinion, woefully inadequate at best and would serve to only protect some residences. If this land is annexed, who do you think pays for the city services (power, water) to be brought to the area which only benefits CU … we do — with higher utility bills.
The added noise, traffic and pollution from this annexation will degrade our quality of life. There are threatened plant and animal species in this area. One of which is the Preble Jumping Mouse. This mouse lives in only a few areas of Colorado and Wyoming. It’s our duty to preserve these wetlands and protect nature. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. There’s no turning back. CU doesn’t need another campus in Boulder. Let CU build another campus in an underserved Colorado community that would welcome having a campus there. Vote “yes” on measure 2F, to repeal the CU annexation!
Shari Hack, Boulder
Janet Salmons: Library district: I’m happy to pay my fair share
When I discovered that my local library card worked at the big Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, I became a rare case: a kid who cut school to sit in the library. It was my refuge, the place where I found the inspiration to keep reading and asking hard questions.
In a recent Internet search, I discovered that Mr. Pratt was a businessman who made a lot of money selling mule shoes and nails in the 1800s. He had an enviable dilemma: What could he do with his wealth to make a lasting difference? He decided to establish and endow “a free circulating public library open to all citizens regardless of property or color,” a place where people who wanted to learn could do so, whether or not they could afford to study in an academic institution. He also motivated Andrew Carnegie to establish a national network of libraries, including one in Boulder.
Apparently, Pratt anticipated that someone from a working-class home with no books would benefit from the chance to carry home armloads. I attribute my success as a writer to the learning experiences from those playing-hooky days at Enoch Pratt Library.
Today Boulder is faced with a similar dilemma. How can we make a difference to people in our community? Should we make sure that Boulder has refuges for the curious, places where we can meet, view art, listen to music, be inspired or find practical information? I’ll stand with Pratt and Carnegie, and while I lack a fortune to donate, I will happily pay my fair share in taxes. Join me in voting “yes” on the 6C Ballot Measure.
Janet Salmons, Boulder
Rebecca Morse: District would help Gunbarrel residents access vital services
The library is a vital community service and should be funded as such. It’s not just about the books (although it’s about the books, too). Early in the pandemic while Boulder Libraries closed for months, there was concern about where the senior population, many of whom use the library as one of their sole sources of connection to community, would go. I learned that library staff sought to call every senior over the age of 65 to check in and distributed over 400 WiFi routers with unlimited data to low-income families and seniors, helping them stay connected while the libraries were inaccessible.
We are residents of the city and use the library regularly. Due to decades of deprioritization in the city’s budget, the library can’t expand its services to Gunbarrel, which has been asking for a library for years. My family doesn’t use the library as much as we would if we could just pop over to a Gunbarrel branch. It is also harder for our Gunbarrel residents, many of whom pay city taxes, to access vital library services.
A library district brings more than a corner branch I will enjoy popping into between errands. A district puts the entire system on a more stable funding path, restores hours and services, and adds more books. With no sustainable funding plan in the city’s budget to do this, forming a district brings in a larger tax base of users to get it done. Using my address on the proposed tax, I’m happy to pay the $13 per month it would cost our household to give our community a strong library system. I look forward to voting “yes” on measure 6C to fund our libraries in November.
Rebecca Morse, Boulder | 2022-10-19T14:04:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Amendment F could hurt nonprofits; Marchman is a plus for CO; annexation may degrade quality of life; paying a fair share for libraries; district would help Gunbarrel | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/letters-to-the-editor-40/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/letters-to-the-editor-40/ |
Songwriter showcase in Lyons and other…
Dave Tamkin performs at Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder, in February 2022. Tamkin will perform in Lyons Wednesday. (Samuel Tomatz/Courtesy photo)
Goss-Grove Blocktoberfest: There will be live music, snacks, games and fun at this inaugural Blocktoberfest, a Goss-Grove block party spooktacular, where organizers say to “dust off your Uggs and iron out your flannels, because this party’s gonna feel like a pumpkin spice latte tastes.” Cullah and Father Sky will perform, bring shareable snacks and wear a Halloween costume; 4 p.m. Wednesday, 16th and Grove streets, Boulder; bit.ly/3s3jozN.
Community Conversations on Equity and Inclusion: Join us as we come together as a community to explore how we can move towards equity and inclusion. Living Room Conversations aim to connect people across divides through guided conversations proven to build understanding and transform communities; 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; Free; livingroomconversations.org.
Boulder Badasses Networking Event: This in-person happy hour networking event offers a chance for people to mix and mingle with “badass” people (and snacks); 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, DV8 Distillery, 2480 49th St., E, Boulder; Free; dv8.fun.
Culture Crawl at CU: This event celebrates several cultural heritage sites and groups across the CU Boulder campus. Stop by the different locations and take part in immersive activities, performances, games and shows. Every location offers a chance to win a prize. From a Lego scavenger hunt and art-making, filmmaker panel and planetarium crawl, student performances, a prop photo booth and a chocolate tasting, the Culture Crawl wraps with a screening of “This Is (Not) Who We Are” at 7 p.m. in Muenzinger Auditorium, followed by a Q&A with local filmmakers; all day Wednesday at various locations across CU Boulder campus; Find the map and info at colorado.edu/libraries/culture-crawl.
Behind-the-scenes tour of LASP: As a full-cycle space research institute, CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) poses key scientific questions — and then engineers the instruments, operates the missions and collects the data to answer those questions. Take a tour of the main building where undergraduate students help operate multimillion dollar NASA satellites and instruments. Registration required; 11 a.m. Wednesday, LASP Space Technology Building, Lobby, CU Boulder; lasp.colorado.edu.
‘La Bohème’ Sneak Peek: CU will be staging Giacomo Puccini’s famed opera “La Boheme” this weekend, but on Wednesday, catch a sneak peak as internationally esteemed pianist Jon Kimura Parker will work with students from the Roser Piano and Keyboard Program in a public master class; noon Wednesday, Chamber Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; cupresents.org.
‘The Search for Sasquatch’ Book Signing: Denver-based journalist, podcaster and author Laura Krantz will speak about and sign her new book, “The Search for Sasquatch,” at Boulder Book Store; 6 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; boulderbookstore.net.
Makaya McCraven at the Fox: See Chicago-based jazz drummer Makaya McCraven, who studied jazz under luminaries Archie Shepp, Marion Brown and Yusef Lateef, and is carving out a niche genre of next-wave composer-producers mashing up jazz and electronic music; 8 p.m. Wednesday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $20-$25; z2ent.com.
Mishka and Of Good Nature at Velvet Elk: North Carolina-based, Bermuda-born singer songwriter Mishka channels reggae-roots soul alongside bluesy folk acoustic compositions. Also based in North Carolina, Of Good Nature will open the show with a blend of alternative, soul, rock and pop; 8 p.m. Wednesday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $20-$25; z2ent.com. | 2022-10-19T14:05:05Z | www.dailycamera.com | Songwriter showcase in Lyons and other Boulder-area events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/songwriter-showcase-in-lyons-and-other-boulder-area-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/songwriter-showcase-in-lyons-and-other-boulder-area-events-for-today/ |
Boulder’s Electra emerges from stealth mode to…
Electra CEO Sandeep Nijhawan (left) and chief technology officer Quoc Pham say their company has developed a process to make iron and steel that uses less energy and more-abundant material. (Chet Strange/Courtesy photo)
Steel “is the backbone of our modern society,” Boulder serial entrepreneur Sandeep Nijhawan said, but unfortunately its creation is responsible for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The company this month stepped out of two years in stealth mode to announce an $85 million fundraising round led by Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
“Decarbonizing ironmaking is essential for a zero carbon future and an unparalleled trillion-dollar market opportunity,” Breakthrough Energy Ventures investment lead Carmichael Roberts said in a statement. “Electrifying cost-effective ironmaking without carbon emissions is a paradigm shift in how steel has been made for centuries by burning fossil fuels.”
“We are taking on one of the hardest-to-abate sectors of our economy,” Nijhawan said.
In addition to building the business, Electra’s leaders aim to spark “discussions with folks at the state level and in (Washington) to start shaping policy on carbon-free or emission-free steel,” Nijhawan said, with the hope that the company can “help flatten the carbon emission curve and the trajectory of climate change.”
If the views and the vibes brought Nijhawan to Boulder, the tech talent coming out of places like the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology kept him here and allowed him to build Electra. | 2022-10-19T23:54:08Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder's Electra emerges from stealth mode to shock steel industry | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/boulders-electra-emerges-from-stealth-mode-to-shock-steel-industry/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/19/boulders-electra-emerges-from-stealth-mode-to-shock-steel-industry/ |
Final shows of ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now…
Final shows of ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’ and other Boulder events for today
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change: This musical comedy about dating, love, sex and relationships will wrap on Saturday. Catch the production collaboration with 11 After Theatre Company and Centerstage Theatre Company at 7:30 Thursday-Saturday, CenterStage Black Box Theatre, 901 Front St., Louisville; $26-$30; centerstagetheatrecompany.org.
MESA’S 50th Anniversary Event: MESA, or Moving to End Sexual Assault, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a fundraising soiree, “Brave, Bold and Beautiful.” Boulder’s only sexual violence resource center will present an evening to honor survivors of sexual violence with a silent auction, an inspirational performance and music by the Rebecca Folsom Band; 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette; $50; bit.ly/MESA-BBB.
Date Night Dance: This evening aims to enrich relationships with an evening of fusion dancing and authentic-relating games; 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Avalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; $40; facebook.com/events/1956421934528395.
‘Walk’ Book Signing: In 2010, Jonathon Stalls spent 242 days walking across the United States and has continued to walk alongside thousands of people for thousands of miles through his ongoing organizing, programming and creative efforts. He will speak about and sign his new book of essays, *Walk: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles per Hour,” at Boulder Book Store; 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
Raised on Ronstadt: Exploring the sounds of her childhood, one woman discovers how an icon’s disregard for convention and category inspired more than her taste in music. Featuring live musical performances; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Etown, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder; $12-$40; etown.org.
Chamber Orchestra’s Fall Concert: Listen to an evening of music from the CU Chamber Orchestra — made up of members of the CU Symphony Orchestra — as it performs a diverse program including Ottorino Respighi’s “Ancient Airs and Dances,” Suite No. 1; Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s “Chokfi’” and Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 104; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Grusin Music Hall, Imig Music Building, 1020 18th St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org.
Taylor Ashton at Chautauqua: This Canadian-born singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn is influenced by the ways that pop, traditional folk, and R&B can live together on the clawhammer banjo; 8 p.m. Thursday, Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; chautauqua.com.
Highroad Comedy at BoCo Cider: Come laugh with local headliners performing alongside new comics doing stand-up sets for the first time; 8:00 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; $15; bococider.com.
Laser Stranger Things: Experience the retro vibe of season three of the hit series “Stranger Things.” Take a trip to the upside-down in the safety of the dome and enjoy the ’80s tunes and soundscapes from the show reinterpreted in our vibrant laser lights; 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Jocelyn Medina Trio at St. Julien: This group’s music fuses elements of Brazil, Spain, Africa and India with jazz harmonies, neo-soul, funk grooves and adventurous improvisations; 6 p.m. Thursday, St. Julien Restaurant Boulder, 900 Walnut St, Boulder; jocelynmedina.com.
Micki Balder at BOCO Cider: Denver-based singer-songwriter will bring her heartfelt folk music to Boulder; 5 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com. | 2022-10-20T15:22:26Z | www.dailycamera.com | Final shows of ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’ and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/final-shows-of-i-love-you-youre-perfect-now-change-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/final-shows-of-i-love-you-youre-perfect-now-change-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Letters to the editor: Standard Time is better…
Stephen Emmett-Mattox: Daylight Savings: Standard Time is better for public health
The October 13 editorial “It’s time to make Daylight Saving Time permanent” gets it half right. It is time to set our clocks for good, but changing to Standard Time will be better for public health. According to two leading scientific international organizations (EBRS and SRBR) that study sleep and biological rhythms, especially as they relate to our health, Standard Time is more in synch with our biological clocks. Fixing our clocks to Standard Time will improve our sleep, be better for our heart and weight, reduce the incidence of cancers, reduce alcohol and tobacco consumption, and improve our psychological well-being as well as our performance at work and school.
I wonder if our politicians — the U.S. Senate has already passed legislation making Daylight Saving Time permanent — mistakenly believe that DST reduces energy usage and is better for the economy — two claims that have not been shown to be true.
Yes, let’s end the twice-yearly clock changes, but let’s do it the right way, supported by sleep scientists, and choose Standard Time to benefit public health and well-being.
Stephen Emmett-Mattox, Longmont
Sue B. McMillan: Elections: School boards need strong voter turnout
Please consider this unintended consequence if city council elections were to move to even years through the passage of Boulder Measure 2E: BVSD school board elections, required by state law to be held in odd years and without city council elections, would likely see a precipitous drop in turnout.
Proponents of the measure say that’s not a problem, “we’ll change those to even years, too!” This is a promise to alter a statewide law that is mostly out of their control.
Any good planner or project manager would consider the logical order in which things should get done and plan a timeline accordingly. If that were the case, moving school board elections to even years would be placed on the ballot ahead of moving city council elections. But, alas, no logical timeline was considered in rushing this measure onto the ballot.
Regardless of how you feel about moving city council elections to even years, this error in planning should matter to you. Why?
Our country is currently experiencing a movement to dismantle public education and the idea that all Americans, regardless of background, should learn alongside one another. Evidence has established that among the reasons for pursuing elected board seats include recruitment by political and, often, extreme organizations. Individuals who run with a commitment to serving the best interests of children are becoming rarer and rarer.
School board elections with very low turnout become prime candidates for takeover. In other words, a single interest group could prevail in electing candidates, ignoring issues of great concern to parents, their children and, by extension, all of our futures.
If you care about electing school board members with a commitment to serve in the best interest of its students, please Vote NO on 2E.
Sue B. McMillan, Boulder
JoAnn Crandall: Library district: There are other means to fund libraries
Creating a library district is not the only way to fund our public libraries. There is an old adage, where there is the will, there is a way. If the city has the will, they may prioritize funding the library instead of making it the first cut. With sales taxes increasing as the pandemic decreases that should not be so hard.
Another problem I have with the library district plan is the lack of transparency about the future of the actual buildings. One report mentioned donating them to the library district (foolishness); another mentioned renting them for a small amount. Any answers?
JoAnn Crandall, Boulder | 2022-10-20T15:22:39Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Standard Time is better for public health; school boards need strong turnout; there are other means to fund libraries | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/letters-to-the-editor-standard-time-is-better-for-public-health-school-boards-need-strong-turnout-there-are-other-means-to-fund-libraries/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/letters-to-the-editor-standard-time-is-better-for-public-health-school-boards-need-strong-turnout-there-are-other-means-to-fund-libraries/ |
October Nature Walk: Birds and elk abound…
Fishermen catch rainbow trout in the Big Thompson River. (Glenn Cushman/Courtesy photo)
By Ruth Carol Cushman and Glenn Cushman |
A late-migrating mountain bluebird perched on a post beside Lake Estes. Five bull elk, exhausted from the recent rut, rested near the Visitor Center while their erstwhile harem grazed on the golf course. Backlit yellow cottonwoods insisted fall was in full swing, though red geranium leaves cradling a lone pink blossom seemed reluctant to let summer go.
On the outskirts of Rocky Mountain National Park in mid-October, you can either shiver in the wind or bask in shirt-sleeve weather. When we strolled the Lake Estes Trail through the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, it was a bit of both — a definite undecided!
The Twin Owls formation overlooks the sanctuary where real owls are sometimes spotted. (Glenn Cushman/Courtesy photo)
The 4-mile paved Lake Estes Trail circles the lake that was created when the dam was built in 1947-48. In her wonderful book A Lady’s Life in Rocky Mountains, Isabella Bird describes the sparsely populated valley where she stayed at Griffith Evans’s ranch in 1873. Now the trail and bird sanctuary offer respite from the crowded town of Estes Park. Mountain views and close encounters with wildlife are highlights of the trail, and interpretive signs along the way tell about the natural and human history of the area.
We hiked a mile out from the trailhead to a point where you could see Longs Peak and then retraced our route. The lake is very low right now, but many geese, ducks, and crows were foraging along the shore, and many fishermen were catching rainbow trout in the Big Thompson River that cascaded into the lake.
The Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, named in honor of naturalists Ted Matthews and Warner Reeser, was established in 1997 on the northwest end of the lake. More than 300 species have been recorded in the vicinity including such rarities as a painted bunting; a flammulated owl; magnolia, golden-winged, and Canada warblers; and tundra and trumpeter swans. We noted many Boulder connections to the sanctuary. Local photographer Tom Wilberding’s bird photos adorn the interpretive signs, and former Boulderites Gary Matthews, who co-compiled the bird list, and Susan Ward were active in preserving the sanctuary.
The bird sanctuary lies along the trail that encircles Lake Estes. (Glenn Cushman/Courtesy photo)
The trail through the sanctuary begins just south of the Estes Park Visitor Center, near the corner of U.S. 36 and U.S. 34, where you can park and pick up the bird list. Although it’s unlikely you’ll spot the flammulated owl, be sure to look to the north at the start of the trail for a view of the Twin Owls rock formation.
Another starting point is Fisherman’s Nook at the end of Lakefront Street. From either point, you can do the whole nine miles, or just walk through the sanctuary, or choose your own segment to explore.
Ruth Carol and Glenn Cushman are the authors of Boulder Hiking Trails, published by West Margin Press.
A bull elk relaxes on the edge of the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary in Estes Park. (Glenn Cushman/Courtesy photo)
Nature Almanac
Ruth Carol Cushman
Glenn Cushman | 2022-10-20T15:22:51Z | www.dailycamera.com | October Nature Walk: Birds and elk abound around Lake Estes Trail | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/october-nature-walk-birds-and-elk-abound-around-lake-estes-trail/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/october-nature-walk-birds-and-elk-abound-around-lake-estes-trail/ |
Opinion: Timothy Thomas: Boulder elections need…
By Timothy Thomas | For the Camera
The most important issue of this year’s election is the question of moving Boulder City Council elections from odd to even years. Voters should reject this measure. Ballot fatigue, information overload, the orphaning of Boulder Valley School Board elections and off-year ballot measures have been cited in previous guest opinions as reasons to oppose even-year elections. To these, I would add the following considerations.
Local electoral decisions are very different from state and national elections. They are more nuanced and, well, more local than votes on more distant candidates and issues. Local issues and offices are much too important to be influenced by the political partisanship of county, state and federal elections. Maybe if local elections and ballot measures were at the top of the ballot where they would receive serious consideration I would endorse this measure, but they are not.
Timothy ThomasFor the Camera
The citizens of Boulder are facing a myriad of difficult societal issues: rising crime, homelessness, education, climate change and the high costs of housing. Many governmental decisions needed to address these issues lie primarily with local governments and the people we elect to run them. For example, Colorado Public Radio recently aired an interview with Governor Polis. He was asked what his plans were for dealing with skyrocketing rental and homeownership prices. The governor acknowledged the fact that it is local governments that primarily control the amount of housing in this state.
Authors of peer-reviewed academic papers assert that more people vote in even-year elections. Given this fact, perhaps if voters had to physically show up at the polls it would make sense to move local elections to even years. However, mail ballots can be filled out in the comfort of one’s home and easily returned. As a result, odd-year elections are no real impediment to participation. Indeed, Boulder already had local voter turnouts of 51% in 2019 and nearly 48% in 2021. These are much higher than national averages for local elections. Boulder has no need to change elections simply to increase participation. There are better ways to do so.
If we want to increase the number of local voters, local groups should help organize the unengaged to be more politically active and hold elected officials more accountable. When people believe that their votes are more meaningful, they will vote in greater numbers.
Recently, current Aurora City Council member Juan Marcano wrote a guest opinion on this platform advocating for Boulder to move to even-year elections. However, the local Aurora newspaper, the Sentinel, stated that Mr. Marcono’s proposal for Aurora went further and included disclosing “candidates’ party affiliation on ballots.” Is, then, moving to even-year elections just a preliminary step toward abandoning Boulder’s nonpartisan tradition?
In defense of his position, Mr. Marcano gave examples of Parker and Castle Rock recently moving to even-year elections. His Camera guest opinion he states that:
“Municipal races did not get overshadowed by county, state and federal elections. On the contrary, candidates for all levels of government had an opportunity to campaign together and demonstrate to the electorate how they would work with their counterparts to address the challenges in their community. Intergovernmental collaboration is critical to addressing many local issues and by moving municipal races to even years this important dynamic is elevated and made an integral part of each election cycle.”
As evidence of this, a photograph was provided on Castle Rock candidate Kevin Bracken’s website of him standing next to Republican candidate Ken Buck. Castle Rock elections are supposed to be nonpartisan. Do we honestly think the same thing wouldn’t happen here?
I thought the goal was not to make local elections more partisan but to increase the number of people who vote. I don’t want to see our local candidates tying our local issues to the coattails of those running for “higher” partisan office. Boulder candidates should not be seeking endorsements, photo ops or attending events of partisan candidates.
To face up to and solve society’s most pressing issues, it will take local action and local attention. Permanently fastening local politics to “higher” and partisan elections is not the answer. Please vote “no” on ballot measure 2E.
Timothy Thomas is a former member of the Boulder County Democrats Executive Committee and a former member of the CU Environmental Center’s Environmental Justice Steering Committee.
Timothy Thomas | 2022-10-20T15:22:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | Opinion: Timothy Thomas: Boulder elections need to stay non-partisan | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/opinion-timothy-thomas-boulder-elections-need-to-stay-non-partisan/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/opinion-timothy-thomas-boulder-elections-need-to-stay-non-partisan/ |
PLAN-Boulder County announces endorsements for…
Anya Donohue walks her dog, Echo, in the background, at the University of Colorado South Campus in November 2021. PLAN-Boulder County supports the CU South referendum, which if passed, would reverse an annexation agreement between the city and the University of Colorado Boulder approved last fall (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
PLAN-Boulder County this week announced endorsements for several city and county ballot measures as well as Colorado candidates ahead of the November general election.
For city ballot measures, the local organization, endorsed the climate tax and debt authorization, according to a news release from PLAN-Boulder County.
The organization also supports the CU South referendum, which if passed, would reverse an annexation agreement between the city and the University of Colorado Boulder approved last fall, rendering the annexation agreement null and requiring the city to begin negotiations with the university again.
“A “yes” vote on 2F will repeal the poorly-negotiated, one-sided (in favor of CU) annexation agreement passed by (the) City Council last year,” the news release said.
It does not support the Boulder Public Library district ballot issue or the ballot issue that would repeal the library commission and tax, the release said.
“PLAN-Boulder (County) has long supported the development and expansion of Boulder’s library system, and we think that what we have is pretty darn good and worth protecting, but we are opposed to the formation of a library district which will be expensive and unaccountable,” the news release said.
PLAN-Boulder County said it also isn’t supporting the even-year elections ballot measure.
“This radical proposal to change City Council elections to even years (which came with barely a whisper of public discussion) was placed on the ballot by a ‘progressive’ City Council majority seeking to increase their own grip on power,” the release said.
The organization did not take a position on the mayoral race or the City Council race.
PLAN-Boulder County endorsed Ashley Stolzmann for Boulder County Board of County Commissioners in the primary and is continuing to support her in the general election, the release said.
When it comes to county ballot issues, the organization has endorsed measures including fire mitigation, emergency services, and transportation funding.
PLAN-Boulder County also endorsed Junie Joseph for Colorado House District 10; Janice Marchman for Colorado Senate District 15; and Lynn Guissinger for the Regional Transportation District Board of Directors.
The organization is hosting a memorial for longtime Boulder resident and former PLAN-Boulder County member Raymond Edwin Bridge, who died in August of a heart attack, according to the release. The memorial will be held at 1 p.m., Nov. 12 in the CU Sustainability, Energy and Environment Complex auditorium located at 4001 Discovery Drive. | 2022-10-20T23:19:00Z | www.dailycamera.com | Plan-Boulder County announces endorsements for ballot issues, candidates | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/plan-boulder-county-announces-endorsements-for-ballot-issues-candidates/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/plan-boulder-county-announces-endorsements-for-ballot-issues-candidates/ |
Boulder High theater students ready to deliver…
Senior Kian Aghili, left, has his make up applied by senior Sydney Buckman for a Thursday run through of Boulder High’s haunted house. (Amy Bounds/Staff Writer)
It’s usually seniors who take on the task of designing and running Boulder High’s annual haunted house, keeping the much loved tradition going for another year.
But this year, no seniors wanted the job. So juniors Olivia Ruzic and Calder Leland agreed to try, deciding to go more traditional after several years of more abstract themes. This year’s version is The Manor of the Damned, with the directors designing a house filled with vampires, zombies and other creepy monsters.
“It’s really cool to be in charge of it,” Calder said. “It’s a little scary, but really cool. It’s fun to be the one scaring people.”
Sophomore Holden Buckley, playing a vampire, practices twirling freshman Charlotte DeGraff, his victim, before a Thursday run through of Boulder High’s haunted house. (Amy Bounds/Staff Writer)
The student-run haunted house, now in its 15th year, opens Friday. The house will be open from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students/children. Tickets can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/fcepayzm or at the door, with cash only.
The haunted house is the theater department’s major fundraiser, helping to keep the program self-sustaining. Students promise an experience that’s on par with for-profit haunted houses in the area.
“This is their vision,” said Chris Sweeney, who retired as Boulder High’s theater director but comes back to oversee the haunted house. “It’s full of creativity.”
The house is set up on the stage and in the “bowels” of the theater, with customers led through rooms in small groups. One highlight is the ballroom, where vampires will twirl with their victims.
“The house comes more and more alive as you go through,” Olivia said. “It’s awesome.”
A couple days before the haunted house was set to open, the directors fielded a constant stream of questions: How much blood should be spattered on this white dress for a costume? Where do you want this collection of creepy dolls? Have you seen the edible blood? Where do these lights go?
“It’s one of those productions where everyone comes together and makes this beautiful thing,” said senior Julia Sittner, one of two stage managers. “It’s a very different vibe than most shows, and it’s really unique to Boulder High.”
While the directors and leads spend months refining their ideas and designing the house, the crew of about 100 students only has about two weeks to build sets, figure out costumes, design lights and sound, and create and practice makeup looks.
Junior Zoe Mertz, left, adds greenery to sophomore Benny Allen as he gets in character to play a decomposing corpse in a Thursday run through of Boulder High’s haunted house. (Amy Bounds/Staff Writer)
The haunted house is the favorite of the make up crew, giving them the opportunity to use special effects make up and learn to make prosthetics from latex. For this show, they also experimented with ways to make fangs and are making latex masks to transform the actors into monsters.
“Theater isn’t just about acting,” said make up co-lead Sydney Buckman, a senior. “With haunted house, we get to show off our skills. It’s so fun.”
Senior Karis Doxsey, the other make up co-lead, said the haunted house also is an opportunity to encourage new students to participate in theater.
“We want to make it a fun and welcoming environment,” she said. “You don’t need experience. We’re self taught. We learn from the previous leads.”
Props are another big element in the haunted house. Props co-lead Suri West, a sophomore, said all the little details help make the house realistic.
“We get to bloody all the teacups, things like that,” she said. “It’s all the fun things that you couldn’t have a production like this without. You’re trying to make sure everything is bloody and scary.”
Orion Wild-Machen, one of the set construction leads, said he loves to build and teach younger students how to use all the construction tools.
“There are two different floors and hundreds of walls we put up,” he said. “We have to build things that spin, jump out at you and collapse. It’s awesome.”
Junior Ila Parkin, left, gets bitten by vampire Julia Salomone, a sophomore, as they practice their ballroom dancing before a Thursday run through of Boulder High’s haunted house. (Amy Bounds/Staff Writer)
Sophomore Bones McDaniel, who usually sticks with set building, decided to also try acting this year in the haunted house. He’s playing a scared child who is suffocated with a pillow by a bed monster.
“It gives you a chance to scream and get your anger out,” he said. “It’s a fun job.”
Many of the students working in the haunted house say they like scaring people better than being on the other side as a customer.
“The one time I went through this haunted house, I was so terrified I couldn’t speak,” said sophomore Benny Allen, an actor playing a decomposing corpse.
Another sophomore, actor Lyra Ryerson, added she likes scaring her classmates, but doesn’t want to go through the house herself.
“I can do scary, but I can’t be scared,” she said. | 2022-10-21T02:31:08Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder High theater students ready to deliver scares with haunted house | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/boulder-high-haunted-house-2/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/boulder-high-haunted-house-2/ |
Boulder City Council approves $515.4 million…
Boulder City Council approves $515.4 million 2023 budget
Residents ask for more funding to solve homeless encampment issues, support fine arts
Boulder City Council on Thursday approved next year’s $515.4 budget, which will focus on wildfire mitigation and solutions for homelessness.
“I think it’s a well-balanced budget,” said City Councilmember Mark Wallach. “I think it is addressing a number of critical needs, (and) we’ve identified a need that may have been a little bit underfunded in terms of the arts, but we are going to be addressing that as well.”
City Councilmembers Lauren Folkerts and Nicole Speer voted against the budget after its second reading, both agreeing the budget doesn’t adequately address Boulder’s ongoing homeless encampment issue.
“The safe and managed spaces team is doing difficult work in a very compassionate manner,” Folkerts said. “It was mentioned earlier that budgets are moral documents, and I cannot support the expansion of this team when I don’t see it solving the underlying issues.”
The other six councilmembers who were present voted to approve the budget. Mayor Aaron Brockett did not attend the meeting because he is visiting one of Boulder’s sister cities.
The budget prioritizes $2 million for wildfire resilience and emergency response, about $1 million for case management and homelessness solutions, almost $1.3 million to continue Boulder’s public space management pilot program, $1.5 million for increased construction costs associated with the new Boulder Fire-Rescue Station 3 and $80,000 for trash management strategies.
Concerns presented by residents on Thursday included ongoing homeless encampments and a need for more financial support for community fine arts programs.
Boulder resident Emily Reynolds told the council that many residents and children have expressed their fears about biking on the Boulder Creek Path and urged the Council to take action on the homeless encampments in Boulder.
“We heard how residents no longer feel safe downtown on Pearl Street, at the bandshell, walking the creek path, going into the farmers market,” Reynolds said. “To sum it up, you’ve heard about residents that no longer feel safe in their own town.”
Although the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra applied for the Boulder Arts Commission’s most recent round of grant funding, it did not receive any aid, Sara Parkinson, executive director of the organization, told the Council.
“The arts commission made it clear that it wasn’t because of our worthiness, it’s because there aren’t enough funds to support our vibrant arts, so even though you already made your decision about the budget, you can still make it right and keep your campaign promises,” Parkinson said.
After the public hearing, City Councilmember Tara Winer asked Mark Woulf, Boulder’s senior budget manager, what the plan is to better support the fine arts organizations in the community.
Woulf said the city has about $500,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act that the council may be able to use to support fine arts in Boulder.
Both Councilmembers Matt Benjamin and Bob Yates agreed that the city needs to revisit ways to use its remaining ARPA dollars to help the arts community.
“Hearing that the Boulder Phil is not eligible for a grant — one of our longstanding arts organizations is feeling left out because of the lack of funding — that’s a clear barometer for us that we are not going to hit,” Benjamin said. “I think we can do better.”
In other action, the Council approved all items in the consent agenda except one — Council rules and procedure.
City Councilmember Rachel Friend asked if it was possible to amend a portion of the policy after presenting concerns about section six in the policy which states “focus on the issue being discussed rather than disagreement of ideas by using ‘I’ statements and avoiding personal attacks or assuming motives of another both in the meeting and beyond.”
Friend expressed concerns about this portion of the policy and asked city staff if she would be violating the policy if she spoke with her husband about specific topics or people following City Council meetings.
“I think I’m going to violate the rule,” Friend said. “I love all of you, but sometimes it’s frustrating here.”
The procedure was continued and will be amended by staff before it will be brought back at a future meeting.
The consent agenda items the council greenlit on Thursday included establishing the property tax mill levy for the upcoming year and adopting a number of resolutions related to various special funds, some of which include the Boulder Downtown Commercial District Fund and the University Hill Commercial District Fund. | 2022-10-21T05:25:16Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder City Council approves $515.4 million 2023 budget | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/boulder-city-council-approves-515-4-million-2023-budget/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/20/boulder-city-council-approves-515-4-million-2023-budget/ |
Guest opinion: Bruce Dierking and Loren Touch:…
By Bruce Dierking and Loren Touch
As owners of two of Boulder’s 15 local liquor stores, we urge you to vote “no” on propositions 124, 125 and 126.
These measures are being pushed by large, out-of-state corporations, including Total Wine & More, Target, Safeway, King Soopers, Doordash and Instacart, which have spent nearly $20 million in an effort to buy a change of laws.
Our state legislature has rejected similar bills because these policies are bad for Colorado consumers, businesses and public safety. But the mega-corporations are now attempting an end-run around the legislature and trying to fool voters with grossly misleading political ads.
If passed, these propositions could result in the loss of over 850 local businesses, over 4,500 jobs and over $147 million in annual payroll in Colorado. Colorado has over 1,600 family liquor stores, over half of which are owned by women and minorities. Local stores support Colorado families and workers and are integral parts of our communities.
Local liquor stores have been key to the growth of Colorado’s craft industry because local brewers and distillers can get their products on our shelves. This is how now-famous Colorado brands like New Belgium and Avery got started — on the shelves of independent liquor stores. In contrast, national chains make their decisions at the corporate level and do not allocate shelf space to start-up producers.
Proposition 124 would effectively allow unlimited expansion of chain liquor stores, resulting in Colorado becoming a chain store state rather than an independent one. Colorado has a wide variety of local liquor stores, each one with a unique character. But if the chains have their way, Colorado will become like other states where every community has the same chain stores with the same selection.
Proposition 125 would compromise local control by automatically expanding all existing beer licenses overnight to include wine, with no application or review, no neighborhood survey and no local hearing. Existing licenses would be expanded automatically even in cases where the location does not meet the legal distance restrictions from schools, places of worship or other alcohol outlets and without obtaining any approvals from the Boulder Beverage Licensing Authority or City Council.
Proposition 126 would allow unlicensed “gig” workers to deliver alcohol. Drivers for Doordash, Instacart and other delivery apps would simply sign up on their phones, watch a short video and then start delivering alcohol. Local communities would have no say over who is delivering alcohol in our neighborhoods. Compliance checks done by the State of California found that delivery apps, when tested, provided alcohol to minors 80% of the time. Under current law, liquor sellers are liable all the way through delivery, but under Proposition 126, they would have zero liability when alcohol is delivered to minors.
Recently, King Soopers and Safeway announced they will merge, thereby effectively creating a monopoly in the local grocery market. But these chains also seek a monopoly over the local alcohol market through these ballot measures. Despite its wealth, King Soopers does not even pay its employees fairly. Earlier this year, employees had to strike for better pay, despite King Soopers racking up record profits.
For these reasons, on behalf of Boulder’s liquor stores both large and small, we respectfully ask you to vote “no” on Proposition 124, 125 and 126. Keep Colorado Local.
Bruce Dierking is an owner of Hazel’s Beverage World. Loren Touch is an owner of Gunbarrel Liquor. | 2022-10-21T12:05:04Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Bruce Dierking and Loren Touch: Keep Colorado liquor stores locally owned | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/guest-opinion-bruce-dierking-and-loren-touch-keep-colorado-liquor-stores-locally-owned/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/guest-opinion-bruce-dierking-and-loren-touch-keep-colorado-liquor-stores-locally-owned/ |
‘La Bohème’ at CU and other Boulder events…
“La Boheme” by CU’s Eklund Opera takes the stage this weekend. (Courtesy photo)
Eklund Opera Presents ‘La Bohème’: Puccini, known for his self-proclaimed ability to write the “great sorrow in little souls,” depicts the lives of struggling young artists in the throes of love, envy betrayal and heartbreak in his beloved opera. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, CU’s Eklund Opera brings the classic to stage this weekend; 7:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday; University of Colorado Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; cupresents.com.
Shawn Camden Music at BOCO Cider: An acoustic duo act, Shawn Camden Music plays originals and vocal impersonations of Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, Adam Sandler, Neil Young and the Bee Gees; 6 p.m. Friday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Black Holes, The Other Side of Infinity: Black holes are among the most mysterious and exotic objects in the universe. These dark beasts are one of a few phenomenon out in the cosmos where the known laws of physics and general relativity break down. “Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity,” narrated by Liam Neeson, explores the power and grace of these cosmic beasts; 7 p.m. Friday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Lenore Raphael Quartet at Caffè Sole: Internationally renowned jazz pianist, Steinway artist, radio host and jazz teacher will perform; 7 p.m. Friday, Caffè Sole, 637 S. Broadway St., Boulder; caffesole.com.
‘Delete – Ski Movie’ at Boulder Theater: Check out a screening of this powder and street endeavor of a film where there will be a DJ spinning tunes, free raffle, ski giveaway and more; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $20-$25; z2ent.com.
Arlo McKinley at Velvet Elk: Hear soulful tunes from this Cincinnati-based country singer-songwriter who’s on John Prine’s indie label; 8 p.m. Friday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $15-$17; z2ent.com.
Megan Burtt at Chautauqua: Singer-songwriter and Rocky Mountain Folks Fest winner Megan Burtt shares the stage with pals Gabrielle Louise and Ryan Dilts in a concert; 8 p.m. Friday, Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder; $20; chautauqua.com.
Havana Nights at The Dairy: Havana Nights bring a salsa party to town where there will be a wine and beer bar with tunes by DJ Renato who spins Reggaeton, pachanga, salsa, Latin-pop and more; 8 p.m. Friday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $12; thedairy.org/event/havana-nights.
Alpenglow at The Fox: Brooklyn-based psychedelic indie-rock band Alpenglow will headline a show with support from opening acts The Dirty Turkeys and The Dick Nixons; 8:30 p.m. Friday, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $15-$18; z2ent.com. | 2022-10-21T15:32:11Z | www.dailycamera.com | ‘La Bohème’ at CU and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/la-boheme-at-cu-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/la-boheme-at-cu-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Boulder County coroner IDs motorcyclist killed…
The motorcyclist killed in a crash near Ward on Wednesday has been identified by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office as William Hyslop, 70.
Colorado State Patrol Master Trooper Gary Cutler said Hyslop was riding a Suzuki V-Strom in the eastbound lanes on Colo. 72 when he crashed near mile-marker 44, just north of Ward.
Cutler said it appears Hyslop veered into the oncoming lane before overcorrecting and going off the right side of the road over an embankment.
Hyslop was thrown from the motorcycle and died on scene.
Cutler said speed and impairment are not believed to be factors at this time, and investigators do no think any other vehicles were involved.
The crash remains under investigation, while the Boulder County Coroner’s Office will conduct an investigation to determine the official cause and manner of death. | 2022-10-21T18:36:13Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder County coroner IDs motorcyclist killed near Ward | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/boulder-county-coroner-ids-motorcyclist-killed-near-ward/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/boulder-county-coroner-ids-motorcyclist-killed-near-ward/ |
Letters to the editor: Flatirons course is…
John Elmendorf: Golf: In divisive time, Flatirons course is worth celebrating
In a season of letters bemoaning the ills of living in the Boulder of 2022, I thought I would send a shoutout to Tom Buzbee, the director of golf at Flatirons. It has developed into a wonderful golfing experience with the caring Todd Calvin and his dedicated staff. They have made it a gem. Tee times are fully booked but believe me go and hit a bucket of balls. Enjoy a round on a course I’ve loved for 50 years-plus. The greenskeeping staff has excelled. Now maybe the wizards at Boulder Planning can get the new clubhouse going. It’ll be a true Boulder victory. One we need.
John Elmendorf, Boulder
Carol W. Napier: Gender equality: Sexism appears to permeate CU’s culture
In 2019, CU chose Mark Kennedy as its president, despite strong opposition to him by female students and faculty. In 2021, CU potentially passed up highly qualified female candidates to appoint the 22nd male to the position of president. Recently, CU Boulder released its findings on campus sexual misconduct during a town hall meeting. The survey revealed that 15% of female undergraduate students are sexually assaulted (which means about 2,000 students are directly impacted). Yet, the president of the university did not bother to show up to address this epidemic, an epidemic that falls most heavily on female students. Today, thanks to the Denver Post’s reporting, we learned that regent Glen Gallegos “repeatedly engaged in hostile and abusive behavior toward women, a pattern they said culminated this year with a problematic incident” which officials refused to disclose. Notably, the Board of Regents’ censure of Gallegos did not even indicate that his inappropriate conduct was towards women. As a parent of a female student at CU Boulder, what all this says to me is that the university has not put the people, resources and structures in place to eliminate the sexism that appears to permeate all aspects of university life. The university leadership, like Mr. Gallegos, has a pattern of behavior and it is not good news for women associated with the university. At the very least, it is a pattern of not acknowledging sexism, of minimizing it. Patterns of leadership create culture. And in that culture, violence against women thrives.
Carol W. Napier, Arvada
Matt Bissonette: Elections: Keep local elections focused on local issues
Back in the late 1800s, national political parties, which controlled local political machines, were committed to holding local city elections in conjunction with national and state elections. Why? To ensure the national parties would win local elections and control the spoils — city contracts and patronage jobs.
In 1894, the National Municipal League, a coalition of Progressive Movement organizations, sought to break corrupt local political machines. The league promoted electoral and governance reforms including nonpartisan elections, council-manager government structure, at-large elections and local elections held separately from national elections.
Passage of these reforms broke the back of the corrupt local political machines and diminished the power of national parties at the local level, in favor of local, nonpartisan candidates focused on local concerns.
If those Progressive Era reforms sound familiar, it’s because Boulder embraced all of them. Our local election processes reflect the Progressive Movement’s understanding that addressing local issues and holding local officials accountable requires nonpartisan elections conducted separately from national elections.
This commitment to local focus, good governance, and accountability is why I am opposed to Ballot Measure 2E, which would move Boulder City Council elections to coincide with national and state elections, in even years.
The primary pro-2E argument is that more people vote in national elections. This argument ignores the fact that in national elections, roughly one-third of voters don’t bother to vote down-ballot races or issues. So more voters but little focus on local races or issues. Instead, we would end up with voters focused on national issues, which would result in candidates doing the same.
I want council candidates and voters who will focus on local issues: public safety, affordable housing, CU growth, protecting our open space and mountain parks, good governance, etc. Vote “no” on 2E.
Matt Bissonette, Boulder
Jim Rudosky: Election: Libraries should be supported like other city services
Like many of you, I love our Boulder libraries, but I will be voting “no” on the library district proposal.
My reasons are simple. First, libraries are for everyone and everyone in the community should rightfully support them. The measure intends to shift the library cost to property owners, who are already struggling with dramatically rising property taxes.
Second, no one has explained where the $11 million currently in the city’s 2023 budget for libraries will go except perhaps to fund pet projects of city staff and council members.
If we are going to offload the expenses of running our community, why not offload the cost of our roads, which are expensive to maintain? We could shift the road expense to those who have a driver’s license. Think of the millions of dollars that would free up from the city budget to fund yet more pet projects.
Third, I am also voting “no” because the measure is ill-conceived. If we need more libraries we should budget for them, not use the often-cited “too many needs and too few dollars” as an excuse to yank the responsibility for libraries from the city. We should support our libraries in the same way we support fire, police, water service and other vital services in a modern city. Offloading them onto any select group isn’t wise, good public policy, fair or appropriate.
I encourage you to support our libraries and join me in putting a quick end to this bad idea by voting “no” on the library district.
Jim Rudosky, Boulder
Fran Mandel Sheets: Libraries: Boulder is already too expensive for homeowners
Boulder is too expensive now for many of us. Issue 6C will increase taxes for homeowners and renters. Issue 6C moves library costs from sales taxes (which tourists contribute a large amount of) to property taxes paid for by residents. Issue 6C will make Boulder even less affordable. In my opinion, 6C will be removing the library away from accountability to taxpayers. The board will be appointed by the city council and the county commissioners.
Fran Mandel Sheets, Boulder
Don Cote: CU South: Nine years is enough delay on flood protection
When voting, please vote “no” on the ballot measure to delay flood protection activity on South Boulder Creek. Next year is the tenth anniversary of the flood, that’s enough delay! Those asking for the delay provide no new facts, fail to identify the delay’s cost and ignore the residents’ needs in the path of the flood waters.
In 2013, South Boulder creek flood waters breached U.S. 36, and a 2-foot wall of water forced hundreds of people from their homes at night. When the flood reached Frasier Retirement Community more than a hundred seniors and bedridden patients had to be evacuated.
For the next eight years, all the issues concerning flood protection were discussed in numerous open meetings and people had ample opportunity to present their concerns. Finally, in 2021 the City Council approved the Flood Protection Plan.
The plan required negotiation with CU, the landowner. This property was offered to the city in 1996, but the city refused it. In the negotiation, CU agreed to provide the land for the construction of flood protection and additional land for open space. Over half of the CU property was exchanged for the city water and sewer service. CU further agreed to city height and traffic restrictions. It is a fair deal. And it is better to have Boulder work with CU than have CU build independently.
As one of many residents in harm’s way, I plead with you to vote “no.” There can be no more delays.
Don Cote, Boulder | 2022-10-22T05:39:21Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Flatirons course is worth celebrating; sexism appears to permeate CU's culture; keep local elections local; fund libraries like other services; Boulder is already too expensive; don't delay flood protection | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/letters-to-the-editor-flatirons-course-is-worth-celebrating-sexism-appears-to-permeate-cus-culture-keep-local-elections-local-fund-libraries-like-other-services-boulder-is-already-too-expensive/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/21/letters-to-the-editor-flatirons-course-is-worth-celebrating-sexism-appears-to-permeate-cus-culture-keep-local-elections-local-fund-libraries-like-other-services-boulder-is-already-too-expensive/ |
Members of our Community Editorial Board, a group of community residents who are engaged with and passionate about local issues, respond to the following question: Voters in Colorado are being asked to consider three ballot initiatives — propositions 124, 125 and 126 — that would expand wine sales, chain liquor stores and third-party alcohol delivery. Your take?
Liquor has a long history of intense government intervention. In 1920 the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of most liquor, went into effect nationwide and remained in effect until 1933 when it was repealed, and control of the liquor industry was left to the states.
Part of my law practice has been in the area of liquor law — primarily helping clients obtain liquor licenses. To say that it is a byzantine process is an understatement. There was an old-fashioned moralistic foundation to most states’ liquor laws that have morphed from protecting dependent wives and children from the economic ruin caused by alcohol-addicted husbands spending their paychecks at the saloon to protecting the pocketbooks of the state’s liquor industry.
For example, local liquor authorities — who must approve the granting of each liquor license after a hearing — can deny an applicant a tavern license because of “undue concentration” of already existing bars in the neighborhood. There is no other industry that has successfully codified anti-competitive regulations such as these. It is incongruous, in this day and age and in this entrepreneurial state, that there is a limit on how many liquor stores a person or a company may own.
If there has been a positive side to the last few COVID years, it has been the modernization of our state’s liquor laws to better reflect consumers’ needs and lifestyles. Emergency pandemic laws were passed to help prevent the shutdown of the restaurant industry. In addition to closing streets so restaurants could move tables outside, new liquor regulations allowed restaurants to sell “to-go” cocktails, and bars and restaurants could sell entire bottles of wine and hard liquor “to-go.”
These current propositions will further modernize how liquor is sold in Colorado and none of these is unique. Many of us have experienced the convenience of picking up a bottle of wine in a California supermarket. Those of us who have been to New Orleans couldn’t miss the many tourists walking down Bourbon Street with a Go-Cup in hand. And as members of the Amazon era, it only makes sense to have liquor delivered to our homes along with everything else we purchase.
Every industry is subject to disruption by the tides of change — just ask commercial landlords right now as their retail tenants are threatened by internet sales and office workers are not returning to the office as COVID winds down. Business is not easy, but we adapt and move on.
Fern O’Brien, fobrien@fobrienlaw.com
There was a time — cue the eye roll from my children — when a road trip outside of the county line was an opportunity to experience something a little different. Hardware stores, drug stores, diners, gas stations, liquor stores and other retail operations were independently operated. Some had better service, some had different products and supported different suppliers, some were sole proprietorships and others were run by families, some paid better than others, and they all provided an opportunity for an entrepreneur to operate a small business.
But then came “progress” through economies of scale, cookie-cutter consistency, vertical integration and a global supply chain. The new consistency felt both innovative and comforting. Lower prices, convenience and new jobs seemed to outweigh the loss of small businesses. Fast forward three decades, and now at any convenience store or supermarket across the United States of Generica, you can buy the same bag of potato chips for about the same price on about the same aisle. The ubiquity of low-paying jobs at large stores, the lack of entrepreneurial opportunity, and the concentrated power of the few have demoralized many and widened the income gap. America’s bitter political divisions are fed in part by some of these changes, and current events have placed doubt on the resilience of a global supply chain.
By fluke of Colorado liquor laws, that retail sector has been protected from some of this progress. But recent legislation expanding beer sales has chipped away at these protections. Propositions 124 and 125 will do so with respect to wine, which should be the last straw for independent beer and wine stores. Upon passage of Proposition 125, the headquarters at Walmart and Amazon will be bustling with the national wine distributors looking to seal their control of Colorado. Proposition 124 will allow concentration of ownership for anything that survives competition with supermarkets. How “convenient” do we really need to make wine purchasing, and what are the external costs of lowering the price of wine? Apparently, Two-Buck-Chuck isn’t cheap enough — Twenty-Pesos-Bezos anyone?
It’s easy to shrug your shoulders and let the inevitable happen. A few good wine merchants will survive, just as a few bison survived up in Yellowstone. But, maybe it’s time to start pushing back a little. Maybe even a lot. I am willing to walk a few extra steps and pay a few more pennies for my wine.
Andrew Shoemaker, ashoemaker@sgslitigation.com
Each one of the propositions expands our freedom, reduces regulation and lowers the cost of our beloved spirits.
Prop 124 expands the number of storefronts a company can have from three to eight and eliminates any restriction by 2037 — 15 years from now! That’s a generous sunset period. The argument against this proposition is that it could threaten single storefront operations, but why should liquor stores get special protection?
I recently retired, and I’ve always fantasized about having my own bookstore. I love books and have an extensive library — much to the chagrin of my wife. She’s resigned to the fact, though, because books are my passion. But small independent bookstores are a tough business, much more so nowadays, primarily due to Amazon. Should we enact laws to protect small bookstores? Or should we let the market, i.e. the people, decide?
Prop 125 allows grocery stores to sell wine. Yes, please. If you need any more help with this decision take it from one opponent who predicted grocery stores would only sell the most popular wines. “There’s no way they can help you,” said a small liquor store owner. Exactly, so the small store owner has nothing to worry about.
It’s not all bad for small businesses, though. Prop 126 allows delivery services to tote alcohol. Currently, only stores with enough staff to support their own deliveries can do this, protecting larger stores from small store competition. More competition equals more convenience and lower prices for all.
Protectionism is great for those being protected but worse for everyone else. The protected class is organized, vocal and influential, but they speak for a tiny percentage of us. The masses, while compassionate for small stores, don’t want to make life more complicated and expensive for themselves and everyone else. If we protect small liquor stores, why shouldn’t we protect small bookstores? And small dispensaries? And small climbing stores?
Deciding who gets protection and what goods and services are sold is the definition of socialism. While the free market can be cruel, it is efficient, and historically, has already provided for the highest standard of living. But more importantly, it has provided the highest degree of freedom. While freedom is not the end-all and be-all, it is certainly the right position to start one’s reasoning.
The main group against these measures is Keeping Colorado Local. They highlight that their members are 60% women or minorities. That is not relevant. Identity politics is the road to divisiveness. Resist such nonsense at all costs.
The world is gray and details matter, but let’s default to freedom.
Bill Wright, bill@wwwright.com | 2022-10-22T13:51:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Community Editorial Board: Thoughts on propositions 124, 125 and 126 | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/community-editorial-board-thoughts-on-propositions-124-125-and-126/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/community-editorial-board-thoughts-on-propositions-124-125-and-126/ |
Frequent Flyers’ Spooky Cabaret and other…
Jati Lindsay
Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance will host a spooky cabaret Saturday.
Frequent Flyers’ Spooky Cabaret: Get into the Halloween spirit as Frequent Flyers artists present two aerial performances that feature silks, hoop, sling, dance trapeze, stilts and more flying fun. Check out the wine tasting before each show at local winery Vinnie Fera (across from the dance studio), with some proceeds benefitting Frequent Flyers. Attendees are welcome to come in costume; 5 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday is the optional wine tasting for $20; 6:15 and 8:45 p.m. Saturday is the cabaret show for $30; Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studios, 3022 E. Sterling Circle, Suite C, Boulder; frequentflyers.org.
CU Wizards Talk Frankenstein: At this event, master storyteller Susan Marie Frontczak, playing the part of Mary Shelley, will parallel the story of Dr. Frankenstein’s creature with “Beauty and the Beast,” and how they’re related to ethical issues when scientific pursuits introduce unexpected results. Geared for youth in grades third through 12th, who can come in costume; 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Cristol Chemistry Building, Room 140, University of Colorado Boulder; free; colorado.edu/cuwizards.
Lafayette Rec’s Fall Festival: There will be a great pumpkin race, a pumpkin decorating contest, spooky stories, arts and crafts, a glow-in-the-dark dance party, balloon animals and more; 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Bob Burger Rec Center, 111 W. Baseline Road, Lafayette; free; cityoflafayette.com.
Swingin’ Spooks Halloween Ball: Toss on a costume and dance to swing-era music as The Flatirons Jazz Orchestra, featuring Deborah Stafford, belts out the tunes. Between sets, Erica the Enchantress will perform magic and mentalism at this family-friendly event where costumes are encouraged. There will be snacks and patrons can bring their own wine or beer. Get there early for a free dance lesson at 7 p.m., party starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, Avalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; $5-$20; boulderdance.org.
Halloween Silent Disco: Wear a costumes and do some dancing at this party that will have prizes for the best costume. An all-ages disco will start the party from 6-8:30 p.m., followed by the adult disco from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Saturday; The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St., Louisville; $10-$80; thelouisvilleunderground.com.
The Unconventional Convention: This Rocky Horror-themed dance party will have the costumes, the tunes and definitely the “Time Warp,” alongside Transylvanian-themed cocktails; 8 p.m. Saturday; DV8 Distillery, 2480 49th St., E, Boulder; $15-$25; dv8.fun.
Onward Workshop at eTown: Join local coach, author and speaker Susanne Menge for a day of empowerment and education at this workshop aimed at helping community members reach their new goals. Art practices, music and more are all part of the day’s mix; 1-5 p.m Saturday; eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder; bit.ly/3VLJe91.
Scary Moons at Fiske: Come to Fiske for some haunted Halloween laser magic and then enjoy a deep dive into the bizarre moons of our solar system; 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
International Baritone Public Masterclass: Boulder Opera’s artists-in-residence will perform opera arias and receive advice and tips from international baritone, the Grammy-nominated Anthony Michaels-Moore, in this public masterclass; 5 p.m. Saturday, Center for Musical Arts, 200 E. Baseline Road, Lafayette; Free; bit.ly/3DieHrX.
Indian Classical Music at the Dairy: A duet of two solo musicians will feature sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee and world-acclaimed flautist Rakesh Chaurasia; 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $7; thedairy.org.
Museum of Boulder Exhibit Reception: Featuring field photography and video, “Pikas, Prairies, and the Climate Crisis” explores the connections between Colorado’s shortgrass prairies and the American Pika. Visitors will learn about conservation efforts at this opening that will include light snacks and refreshments; exhibit runs through Jan. 8; 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday; Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder; museumofboulder.org.
Eklund Opera’s ‘La Bohème’ at CU: Puccini’s beloved opera depicts the lives of struggling young artists in the throes of love, envy, betrayal and heartbreak. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, CU’s Eklund Opera brings the classic to stage this weekend; 7:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday; University of Colorado Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; cupresents.com. | 2022-10-22T13:51:15Z | www.dailycamera.com | Frequent Flyers’ Spooky Cabaret and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/frequent-flyers-spooky-cabaret-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/frequent-flyers-spooky-cabaret-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Guest opinion: Rob Smoke: City should fund safe…
By Rob Smoke
A decision to renew spending on so-called “homeless encampment police clean-ups” by the Boulder City Council is flawed on multiple levels.
For starters, although it could possibly have been true at some indefinite point in history, the concept that people “choose to be homeless” is a non-starter in a city known, now more than ever, for its lack of affordable rental housing.
Examining the matter, we also know that sleeping outside can be hazardous and certainly lethal under certain circumstances. The proponents of “clean-ups” insist that a shelter option exists; however, that option excludes people with partners, pets or conditions related to health and safety issues.
Proponents of the measure like to vilify homeless people with drug and alcohol issues, even though we have plenty of documentation that treatment and housing, not vilification, is the thing that helps; and while it’s understandable that people don’t want to see individuals in damnable condition wandering the streets, the so-called clean-ups don’t offer that at all. People who have their tents taken will still be sighted on the streets without their tents. Also, policing someone with a tent can have other consequences; for instance, the Boulder police, on many occasions, have simply wasted valuable time and energy causing people to move around to new locations — with or without tents.
A better approach would begin with using the city funds for the creation of sanctioned encampment zones that might offer some small amount of safety for people who are outdoors (especially in the winter). That would be a small step, but a good one, also helpful to disgruntled homeowners who are perplexed to find someone without so much as a tent, sleeping in a shed, alley or backyard.
The bigger step is to stop relying on the development/real estate community for answers. With condo complex hedge fund buyouts becoming commonplace, we need something better, starting with state loan guarantees to not-for-profit agencies willing to build or purchase low-income housing, an idea used successfully elsewhere.
People advocating police “clean-ups” tend to harness the emotional negative personal experiences that, yes, do occur in Boulder. It’d be one thing if it really improved anything for anyone; what it does instead is substitute substantially bad policy — policy codifying stigmatization of those without housing — for the sake of private interests that desire the kind of financial profits that come only when the need for housing greatly outpaces supply.
Instead of using the police to continue chasing people who are already in dire straits, the city needs to restore itself as a guiding light to neighboring communities and help those who authentically need that help.
Rob Smoke lives in Boulder. | 2022-10-22T13:51:28Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Rob Smoke: City should fund safe campsite, not police clean-ups | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/guest-opinion-rob-smoke-city-should-fund-safe-campsite-not-police-clean-ups/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/guest-opinion-rob-smoke-city-should-fund-safe-campsite-not-police-clean-ups/ |
Letters to the editor: Peace springs slowly; CU…
Rishi Raj: Ukraine: Peace springs slowly, wars are abrupt
Wars are turning points in history. The Second World War changed how the world and the Russians themselves perceived their country. It brought a peace to Europe that has mostly endured. The Vietnam war, which, having lived through it, I remember well, potentially softened our view of Communism, and enhanced our nature of embracing compromise. The consequences of the Iraq war are still raw and fresh.
Makes me wonder what may be the wider implications of the Russia-Ukraine war. I cannot help thinking about why the two sides could not sit across the table and reach a compromise. They have been the same people who have been forced into a conflict by power and money. It has some similarities to the India-Pakistan conflict where people with the same culture (food, attire, poetry, literature, and music) were driven apart by the British, who believed that the division would give them greater influence in the subcontinent.
It is my hope, perhaps forlorn, that the Ukraine war will teach a lesson in the power of compromise. Carelessly hurtling insults and praises is not the way to find a solution. The loss of life and the destruction feels intense. What for, I ask?
Peace springs slowly, wars are abrupt. Sometimes wars are inevitable. But the walk towards a war usually builds slowly, with many precursors. Vigilance and a willingness to listen can, in my opinion, subvert wars. It is peoples’ movements, that grow from the ground up, that can influence the centers of power. America can be the driving force for these movements (the Vietnam war was brought to an end by the people). Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent movement endowed enduring peace and democracy, to people (that evolution still continues).
Rishi Raj, Boulder
Hilary Martin: CU South: Large campus will only add to our concerns about flooding and fire
You will hear a lot about why the CU South Annexation Agreement should remain in place. Let me share why we should repeal this bad deal.
1. If this annexation agreement stands, CU will have the ability to build an enormous campus on the CU South property. How big? Under the current annexation agreement, in addition to 1,200 dwellings, the university can build 750,000 square feet of non-residential buildings.
2. CU has done traffic studies related to their build and conservative estimates indicate they expect an additional 7,000 car trips coming and going from the CU South property each day. If you think traffic is bad now, just wait. And, this doesn’t just impact South Boulder. If you enter Boulder on 36 or 93, you will run headlong into this choke point.
3. Don’t be fooled. This is not primarily about flood mitigation. Under this agreement, the city receives 36 acres of property for flood mitigation, which, in my opinion, is not enough to prevent the sort of catastrophic flooding that occurred in 2013.
There are several helpful videos that provide more information on the enormous impact this build will have on Boulder citizens. Visit www.saveboulderswildspaces.net to learn more before voting on 2F.
Hilary Martin, Boulder
Jim Hooton: Election: Let’s keep voting an annual habit
This November, Boulder voters will be asked to change City Council elections from odd years to even years. I think the proponents are well-intentioned, but this change is a bad idea.
Last year we had ten candidates for City Council. In the previous election we had fifteen. Adding these candidates to a ballot filled with races for president, Senate, Congress, state legislators, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, CU Regents, judge retention, county commissioners and referendums will make the ballot overly complex and cause City Council races to get lost in the shuffle.
City Council candidates’ positions on local issues, from public safety and climate initiatives to growth and flood protection, would be drowned out by the noise and partisan conflict of national issues. Our limited local media won’t have the bandwidth to give City Council races the attention they deserve. Donors and volunteers who now work on state/national elections and local elections would be forced to choose between them or be stretched twice as thin.
Just as bad: School board elections, which are required by state law to be in odd years, would be orphaned. These vitally important races would certainly see reduced turnout, making them a potential target for an ideological takeover.
Colorado already leads the country in making it easy to vote with universal mail-in ballots and high voter turnout. With so many important questions facing Boulder, is this change really a priority? Let’s make voting an annual habit and preserve focused attention on City Council races like they deserve.
Jim Hooton, Boulder
Denise Montagu: Election: Marchman offers leadership we need at the state Capitol
Please vote for Janice Marchman for Senate District 15. I have known Janice for nearly two decades, having served alongside her on the Thompson Board of Education, and in numerous other volunteer capacities over the years. I am confident that Janice offers exactly the type of leadership we need in the Colorado State Legislature: She is intelligent, analytical and measured, while also being caring, compassionate and dedicated. We can count on her to listen to all voices and to make well-informed decisions. Janice supports reproductive rights, equal pay for women and a cap on the price of insulin to help families access affordable life-saving medicines, just to name a few — all things that her opponent, Rob Woodward, opposes.
Woodward has recently moderated his record, claiming to be a champion for women, children and families, when in fact he couldn’t be a bigger enemy. First-hand experience with Woodward tells me that this man cannot be trusted. A recent letter to the editor labeled him a hero for donating Subway sandwiches to sports teams, but donating a few cheap sandwiches can’t possibly repair his reputation and voting record. Elect Janice Marchman to SD15 and send Woodward back to making sandwiches.
Denise Montagu, Boulder
Steve Dempsey: Election: Woodward understands issues important to Coloradans
I am excited to see Rob Woodward running for the state senate race in Colorado. He is solutions focused, responsive and compassionate. I think he is the best candidate for the job because he has a clear vision for the future of our state, and he is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work hard to make that vision a reality.
He has also proven to be very responsive to the needs of his constituents and has shown a deep understanding of the issues facing Colorado. I can say with confidence he will be an effective senator who will fight for the interests of Colorado.
He has a proven track record of working across the aisle to get things done and I believe he will continue doing so in the Colorado Senate. He understands the issues that are important to Coloradans. I look forward to voting for him in November.
Steve Dempsey, Fort Collins | 2022-10-22T13:51:40Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Peace springs slowly; CU South will add concerns; keep voting annual; Marchman offers leadership; Woodward understands issues | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/letters-to-the-editor-peace-springs-slowly-cu-south-will-add-concerns-keep-voting-annual-marchman-offers-leadership-woodward-understands-issues/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/letters-to-the-editor-peace-springs-slowly-cu-south-will-add-concerns-keep-voting-annual-marchman-offers-leadership-woodward-understands-issues/ |
CU Buffs women’s soccer preview: No. 15 USC…
No. 15 USC Trojans at CU Buffs women’s soccer
KICKOFF: Sunday, noon, Prentup Field.
BROADCAST: TV — Pac-12 Los Angeles.
RECORDS: USC -9-2-2, 5-1-1 Pac-12 Conference; Colorado 8-5-3, 2-4-1.
KEY PLAYERS: USC — MF Croix Bethune, Sr. (seven goals, eight assists); F Simone Jackson, So. (five goals, two assists); F/D Kayla Colbert, So. (three goals, four assists); GK Anna Smith, Gr. (.830 save percentage, 0.65 goals-against average). Colorado — F Civana Kuhlmann, Gr. (10 goals, six assists); F Shyra James, Jr. (11 goals, one assist); F Kayleigh Webb, Gr. (six goals, two assists); D Hannah Sharts, Gr. (two goals, one assist); GK Dani Hansen, Sr. (.697 save percentage, 1.90 goals-against average).
NOTES: CU’s lopsided 6-0 loss against No. 1 UCLA on Thursday extended its winless streak against ranked foes to eight games (0-5-3)…Since scoring three goals in a win against Oregon State on Oct. 6, the Buffs, one of the top scoring teams in the nation early in the season, have gone three-plus games without scoring a goal during the run of play. CU posted a 1-0 win against Oregon on Oct. 9 on a penalty-kick goal from Civana Kuhlmann and is coming off consecutive shutout losses against Arizona and UCLA…The Trojans are coming off a scoreless draw at Utah on Thursday…The Buffs suffered a 4-1 loss at USC last year and have lost six of their past seven games against the Trojans…The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Buffs next week with road games at No. 25 Cal and No. 7 Stanford. | 2022-10-23T02:04:41Z | www.dailycamera.com | CU Buffs women’s soccer preview: No. 15 USC Trojans – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/cu-buffs-womens-soccer-preview-no-15-usc-trojans/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/22/cu-buffs-womens-soccer-preview-no-15-usc-trojans/ |
Boulder commercial real estate: Biotech on the…
Real estate that includes laboratory space, like this recently renovated property at 2300 55th St., flex space or light manufacturing components are buoying the Boulder commercial real estate market, according to a third-quarter report from Boulder brokerage Dean Callan & Co. (Timothy Hurst/Staff Photographer)
The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have told a tale of two trajectories for a pair of commercial real estate asset classes — traditional office spaces and biotech-centric flex spaces with office, laboratory and light manufacturing components — in the Boulder market.
Dean Callan recently released its Boulder market report for the third quarter of 2022, which provides some insight into the strengths and challenges facing the commercial real estate industry during a time of uncertainty. | 2022-10-23T15:57:17Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder commercial real estate: Biotech on the rise as office space flags | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/boulder-commercial-real-estate-biotech-on-the-rise-as-office-space-flags/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/boulder-commercial-real-estate-biotech-on-the-rise-as-office-space-flags/ |
Frankenstein Theater Hike and other things to…
Hikers head up and down Chautauqua Trail on Friday, in Boulder. The Park to Park summer shuttle service will be launched for the season on Saturday. (Timothy Hurst — File Photo)
Quantity of Life: This exhibit of artwork celebrates the richness of our natural world through painting, sculpture, printmaking, and collage. With Frank Sampson, Caroline Douglas, Jordan Wolfson, Chuck Ceraso, Cara Luneau, Jeannie DeMarinis, and Molly Mohseni. Noon, Boulder Public Library Canyon Gallery, 1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder; free; 303-906-3010.
Nightmare on Handbells: Denver’s Rocky Mountain Ringers are taking traditional handbells to a dark level. Join the group for a Halloween show that will feature an array of familiar spooky tunes right in time for the ghoulish season; 3 and 7 p.m. Oct. 23; Dairy Arts Center’s Gordon Gamm Theatre, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $20-25; www.rmringers.org.
Halloween Laser Magic & Scary Moons of the Solar System: Come to Fiske for some haunted Halloween laser magic and then enjoy a deep dive into the bizarre moons of our solar system. 2:30 p.m., Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; $8-12; colorado.edu/fiske.
Eklund Opera’s ‘La Bohème’ at CU: Puccini’s beloved opera depicts the lives of struggling young artists in the throes of love, envy, betrayal and heartbreak. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, CU’s Eklund Opera brings the classic to stage this weekend; 4 p.m. Sunday; University of Colorado Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; $15-48; cupresents.com.
The Spirituals Project Choir: The Spirituals Project is dedicated to preserving and revitalizing spirituals through musical, educational, and social justice work in our community. Families welcome. 4 p.m., First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder; free; facebook.com/FirstCongBoulder.
Live Music with Uncle Barnaby & The Jude: Classic rock, blues, folk, and Americana music. 4 p.m., BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; free; 720-938-7285 or bococider.com.
Kids Halloween Party & Haunted House: Our Unity teens are hosting a fun spooky party for the children of our community, including a haunted house, trick or treating, a costume party and pumpkin carving. Open to the public. 5 p.m., Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St., Boulder; free; unityofboulder.com/church-calendar. | 2022-10-23T15:57:29Z | www.dailycamera.com | Frankenstein Theater Hike and other things to do today in Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/frankenstein-theater-hike-and-other-things-to-do-today-in-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/frankenstein-theater-hike-and-other-things-to-do-today-in-boulder/ |
Letters to the editor: National affairs are…
Ann Cooper: Election: Geriatric leaders aren’t what we need
The current state of national affairs utterly dismays me. The possibility that come November 2024, two geriatric white males may well be vying for the privilege of leading our country scares the pants off me.
I am in my early 80s — reasonably fit and “with it,” a civically-educated citizen. I know I am not what I was at 50 or 60. Why don’t the two possible nominees for the POTUS job get that message, too?
Ann Cooper, Boulder
Kara Arnold: Libraries: This fiscal environment can’t take a tax increase
My daughter is writing her college applications. Despite advice, I asked to read her essay. I was described as a pragmatic robot person, while she is creative and amazing, like her dad. Was she right? Yes. Did I cry a little bit, feeling misunderstood? Also, yes. My pragmatism was born from the need to support myself to get through school without a safety net.
How does this impact my not supporting 6C? It is the lens through which I view this question. I do not think there is a cabal of evil librarians out there. I look at how a library district will impact my neighbors.
A few facts: Households are paying more than $400 per month for basic goods. Bloomberg announced a 100% chance of a recession in 2023. Bank of America expects the economy to shed 175,000 jobs per month through 2023. Seniors are losing their retirement savings. Renters will see an additional rent increase as this cost passes through to them.
We pay taxes for the library currently. Measure 6C will not reallocate the city’s current library line item into a separate budget for the district, with a small increase as has been suggested. The $18.78 million district budget will be a new tax, increasing property taxes permanently and in perpetuity. Where will the $16.78 million that will still be paid annually by taxpayers and is not allocated to the library be spent? I have no idea.
I cannot vote for a permanent and annually increasing tax in this fiscal environment. Given the choice to vote for more financial pain on my neighbors in order to get a supped-up version of a service we already have in a time of financial strife is an easy vote for me… Vote “no” on 6C.
Kara Arnold, Boulder
Richard Valenty: Elections: Give local voters time to make good decisions
Vote “no” on Boulder Ballot Measure 2E, moving City Council elections to be held in even-numbered years. It’s a net negative — it won’t enable anyone to vote who can’t already vote, and our local campaigns may suffer from a lack of detail and discussion.
Today, council elections are the highlight of local odd-year elections. City residents have for decades participated in a strong vetting of the candidates, along with their stances on the top specific issues facing the city.
If we switch to even years, these local campaigns will be buried beneath bigger and better-funded federal and state campaigns, including presidential races, plus the sheer volume of ballot measures.
Just look at this year’s enormous ballot — 10 contested candidate races, plus 22 ballot measures (11 state, 6 city, 3 county, 1 BVSD and the library district). Now, imagine a council race and a mayor’s race — with perhaps 15-20 total candidates — on top of all of this. It’s what we might see in 2026 if we don’t defeat 2E.
In no discipline will giving less attention to detail yield better results. The majority of humans have finite amounts of time for politics. Add more items to a ballot, and people will have less average time to consider individual issues or candidates.
I might feel differently about opposing 2E if every registered voter didn’t already get a ballot mailed directly to their registration address, whether it’s an odd or even year. But everyone does, and it’s already incredibly easy to vote in Boulder.
Almost every municipality in Colorado holds municipal elections in odd years, which gives local voters time to really focus on making good local decisions. Instead, 2E would drop council discussions to the depths of voters’ even-year priorities, risking poor decisions. Vote “no” on 2E.
Richard Valenty, Boulder
Mike Fontenot: Daylight savings: Kids shouldn’t go to school in the dark
Regarding the issue of making daylight savings time permanent:
That was tried, some years ago, and it resulted in kids having to walk to school in the dark. That’s dangerous and unacceptable.
It is true that changing times twice a year is a nuisance. But the correct answer is abolishing daylight savings time, and staying on standard time year round.
Mike Fontenot, Boulder
Linda Quigley: Libraries: Don’t cut up our government to make a district
I thought I was a library champion. What did I know? Ours keep pointing out how many towns have a Library District. My Momma used to ask if everyone jumped off a cliff would I jump? Boulder should decline to support cutting our government into pieces so one small special interest group can get its favorite toy, funded out of a new property tax of 3.5 mils, after a pandemic, during wild inflation, and within no restraining context or balance of the city government budget. Why? So that the city council of so-called progressives can have over $10 million extra to play with? So that we the taxpayers can be billed all over again for the same funds we’ve already paid for our library to the city in taxes. It is not sent to the library district, it is not refunded. Just an extra $10 million plus for the “progressives.” It is absolutely an abrogation of the duties and responsibilities of our so-called progressives (they are not) on the council to vote for this. The “champs” only had to gather 100 whole, entire signatures to get that on our ballot. Others must gather more than 3,000. Not exactly a groundswell of support. In my opinion, they’re misleading by advertising with “Fund our Libraries.” What have we been doing? Our County Commissioners could not support the 3.5 mil tax increase for one special interest. No. No on the Library District. No to the “champs.” This is not how you run a democratic government, where we vote for folks who can tax us. Or maybe not, so-called progressives, maybe we don’t vote for you ever again. Boulder, don’t let them cut our government up like the goose that laid the golden egg. It kills the whole.
Linda Quigley, Boulder | 2022-10-23T15:58:06Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: National affairs are dismaying; bad time for new taxes; give local voters time; no daylight savings all year; don't cut up government | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/letters-to-the-editor-national-affairs-are-dismaying-bad-time-for-new-taxes-give-local-voters-time-no-daylight-savings-all-year-dont-cut-up-government/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/23/letters-to-the-editor-national-affairs-are-dismaying-bad-time-for-new-taxes-give-local-voters-time-no-daylight-savings-all-year-dont-cut-up-government/ |
Letters to the editor: IRA has real benefits;…
Denise Fazio: Election: One of the Inflation Reduction Act’s many benefits
I waited six months for my 2021 federal tax refund. Calling the IRS for my refund status was a waste of time and energy. Going to the IRS website, “Check My Refund Status,” was equally useless.
So, to those on social media and elsewhere who are making false claims about the IRS’s attempts to hire staff and to improve its customer service, let’s get honest. According to Reuters:
“A Treasury official [said] … most of the new hires would go toward filling positions for 50,000 IRS employees who are on the verge of retirement and that the majority of net new hires would serve in customer service roles like upgrading IT systems or answering calls. Indeed, one piece of key context missing from social media posts is that this number budgets for an array of positions — not just auditors.”
Furthermore, The Associated Press also reports that the IRS’s roughly 79,000 current employees are close to its 1974 staffing level, despite the fact the American population has increased by more than 100 million people since then. Senator Bennet has reported that among the Inflation Reduction Act’s benefits is funding to increase IRS staffing to a level closer to where it was in 2010.
The November 8 election is the most significant test of our democracy in my lifetime. Disinformation about various provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act is being circulated. Please don’t let disinformation and the politics of fear hijack your common sense. Don’t let seconds-long political ads be your primary source of information. Take time to uncover the truth and to vote conscientiously.
Doug Hamilton: Libraries: Don’t fall for misinformation about the Library District
Measure 6C asks a clear question: “Should we create a library district to provide dedicated funding for library services the community has identified as a need?” There’s plenty to debate in that proposition: priorities, financial capacity, etc. And these are important conversations for the community to have. Unfortunately, the opposition is attempting to bypass that by spreading misinformation.
Battling the false statements made by both an elected city official, as well as a small group of NextDoor opponents, is exhausting. Opposing a tax measure is one thing, but spreading false or misleading information about a local issue doesn’t help “inform” voters, in my opinion.
Here are a few of the untrue rumors our campaign has heard:
“The library will close all its buildings and move out east.” False.
“The library will have enough money to build one new branch every two years.” False.
“The library district doubles the budget to $19M.” False.
“We will be giving away our library.” False.
“The library got a 21% (or 44%, depending on your source) budget increase next year.” False.
“The trustees will appoint themselves.” False.
Folks, let’s debate a 4% increase in your taxes to support your local library and allow it to re-open and restore services after decades of decline. But spreading misinformation like the assertions above is flat out wrong and should be roundly rejected. For more information on the facts about issue 6C, visit https://www.boulderlibrarychampions.org/faq.
Doug Hamilton, co-chair Boulder Library Champions, Boulder
Steven Haymes: Libraries: I’d rather buy groceries than fund a library district
I read a lot, and I have no need for a Boulder library district that will raise my property taxes so I am voting “no” on 6C. As a scientist, I have always read for information and not for entertainment. With an internet connection that does not need to be high speed and a few online subscriptions that cost much less than the library district property tax increase, I get more reading material than I can read in a day.
Of all my friends from over 45 years in Boulder, I know of only one who still uses the Boulder Public Library and they are a bit of a technological troglodyte. They are voting against the library district property tax increase too. Among my friends, all of whom are either retired or close to it, not one is voting for a library district property tax increase.
When I calculated the library district property tax increase for my home, it is equal to buying two weeks of groceries. The decision to pay for two weeks of groceries that I will use or a library district that I will never use is a no-brainer for me. Buying groceries wins hands down.
Polling for a property tax increase to pay for a library district was, in my opinion, lukewarm at best. City Council discussed having another poll before the library district property tax increase was put on the ballot but this never happened. If the library district property tax increase fails this year, the ballot measure says that it can come back for a few more years.
The library district property tax increase is, in my opinion, very unpopular. Let us defeat it by a big enough margin that it does not come back again next year.
Steven Haymes, Boulder | 2022-10-24T18:14:36Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: IRA has real benefits; don't fall for misinformation; district costs as much as groceries | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/letters-to-the-editor-ira-has-real-benefits-dont-fall-for-misinformation-district-costs-as-much-as-groceries/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/letters-to-the-editor-ira-has-real-benefits-dont-fall-for-misinformation-district-costs-as-much-as-groceries/ |
Michael Sandrock: National Runners Safety Month…
Running in a group is one of the safety tips for all runners to practice, especially those running in the dark or in remote areas. October is Women’s Runner Safety Month. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
By Michael Sandrock |
After Tammi Pham’s grandmother, also named Tammi, began walking by herself in Denver, Pham bought her one of the most popular running safety devices, the Nathan Be Heard ripcord siren. Pham, the store manager at In Motion Running, did not stop with the safety device. She helped her grandmother team up with fellow elders to meet at a set time and walk together on a certain day and time.
Michael Sandrock
Thus was born a new seniors walking club, a group that combines friendship with safety.
“It definitely gives both me and my grandmother peace of mind,” Pham said of the Nathan Be Heard. “It feels safer. Nine times out of ten someone will hear that loud siren and run away.”
Carrying a safety device and running and walking with a friend or friends are two of the tips Pham and other locals offered up when I talked to them about National Runners Safety Month. To promote the idea and its own initiative focusing on women’s safety, local shoe manufacturer Newton Running is giving away one of the Nathan Be Heard ripcord sirens with every shoe purchase.
Newton started the giveaways in 2018, as a one-time promotion. However, after Iowa college student Mollie Tibbitts was followed and abducted while running and later killed, Newton decided to make its October Women’s Runner Safety Month promotion an annual event, said Laura Tingle, Newton’s product manager. It includes blog posts, safety tips and partnering with law enforcement agencies on self-defense training, in addition to the free safety alarms.
Tingle’s advice for women is to be proactive, because “when you are in the situation, it is too late to figure it out. You can only rely on what you know going into a situation.”
The advent of the digital world has added something new to be concerned about, Tingle said; on-line apps such as Strava allow runners to post their exact routes, making it possible for a runner to be tracked and her running routes known. “We educate women on how to hide maps and location, especially if on a routine. These are things women have not had to think about before.”
It’s not just a women’s problem, or a men’s problem. Tingle added that the tips are “gender neutral, for everyone,” although with an emphasis on women. “Everyone should be aware of social media and what (information) they are giving away.”
Men will get the free alarm with a shoe purchase if they ask, said Tingle.
Michael Ann Colbert, manager of the Louisville Runner’s Roost retail shop, is another retail manager promoting running safety. I stopped by the store Wednesday evening just as the weekly group community run was finishing and found a plethora of reflective gear for sale. Gloves, vests, hats all give good visibility, said Colbert, which will be key for running in the darkness once Daylight Savings Time ends on Nov. 6.
Carrying a safety device such as the Nathan Be Heard ripcord siren that can emit a loud, piercing siren when activated in a dangerous situation is one of the tips offered up for safe running. Newton Running is giving away a Be Heard with every shoe purchase during its fifth annual Women’s Running Safety Month. (Courtesy photo)
Colbert encourages runners showing up for the weekly 5:30 p.m. Wednesday group run to wear some kind of reflective material once the time changes. “We want all runners to be safe out there,” she said.
Safety awareness goes for cyclists and walkers as well. One long-time local runner, Thomas Kehoe, was recently confronted by a man under the bridge at 28th Street and Baseline Road. Kehoe, who runs or bikes nearly every day, stopped, and after a bit, attempted to go around the man, who hit him on the head with a flashlight. (Kehoe was wearing a helmet). A couple of years ago another runner (who did not want his name used) was knifed while walking his dog along the Boulder Creek Path.
There are other kinds of animals besides humans to worry about in the Boulder area. Mark Plaatjes of In Motion recommends mace or another pepper spray to carry in case of an aggressive bear. A gel spray also is coming out next month.
In any confrontation, with a wild animal or person, runners must keep their wits about them and respond to what is going on and not to simply react. Carrying one of the safety alarms, or a pepper spray, gives a measure of protection, allowing some measure of control, said Katelyn Luther, manager of the Boulder Running Company.
Tricia Vieth, manager of Runners Roost Boulder, sums up the safety issues runners face by saying, “I feel like I need to be more aware and on alert. It’s unfortunate since running is like an escape for many. A time to let the mind wonder and just enjoy nature.”
Vieth recommends reflective gear, head lamps and strobe lights with flashers to increase visibility — “it allows you to be noticed and seen by many” — to those coming to her store’s weekly community runs. If you are going to listen to music or a podcast, a device called Shokz is preferred, because it does not go into your ear and allows you to hear traffic noise.
She also recommends running with a friend, or a dog.
“It’s a crazy world out there now,” Vieth said. “Runners need to be more aware and not take things for granted. If you are aware and do the right things, I think you will be fine.”
Follow Michael Sandrock on Instagram: @MikeSandrock | 2022-10-24T18:14:42Z | www.dailycamera.com | Michael Sandrock: National Runners Safety Month spotlights precaution | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/michael-sandrock-national-runners-safety-month-spotlights-precaution/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/michael-sandrock-national-runners-safety-month-spotlights-precaution/ |
Spinnaker SCA LLC, a supply-chain consulting firm formed last year with the merger of SCApath LLC and Spinnaker SCS LLC, is promoting its chief operating officer John Sharkey to the role of CEO.
“I’m honored to lead our team as CEO and look forward to continuing our client success providing critical supply chain advisory and implementation consulting expertise,” Sharkey said in a statement. “We’ve built a strong leadership team and talented group of consultants. Their passion and knowledge are what motivates me and is at the core of what makes this organization special.” | 2022-10-25T01:01:28Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder's Spinnaker SCA promotes COO to CEO | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/boulders-spinnaker-sca-promotes-coo-to-ceo/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/boulders-spinnaker-sca-promotes-coo-to-ceo/ |
Colorado State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis said at 8:25 a.m., a 2012 Ford SUV carrying three people was traveling eastbound along North 83rd Street. After stopping at a stop sign, the Ford SUV began to cross Colo. 119, where a Honda SUV traveling northbound collided with the Ford’s passenger side. | 2022-10-25T05:35:47Z | www.dailycamera.com | Two dead, two injured in weekend crash near Niwot | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/two-dead-two-injured-in-weekend-crash-near-niwot/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/24/two-dead-two-injured-in-weekend-crash-near-niwot/ |
Guest opinion: Lisa Sweeney-Miran and Raffi…
By Lisa Sweeney-Miran and Raffi Mercuri
There is a clear contest of ideas in this year’s local election: between keeping Boulder exactly as it has been for the past 100 years, or making a future that chooses the people over the past.
When we hear messages like “save local elections,” “keep our libraries” and “protect our wetlands” we have to ask ourselves: Who we are saving and keeping them for, and who we are saving and keeping them from? Who belongs in Boulder and whose voice matters? For whom should we be building infrastructure and whom should we have in mind when we structure our institutions? The answer should be: everyone.
The Boulder we live in today was built to serve the needs of the people who came here decades ago when real estate was cheap and the population was low. Our predecessors built a Boulder that is clean and beautiful and they have built a Boulder that is hostile to people without the means to compete with their generational wealth.
When we insist that the status quo cannot be improved upon and we rally against change and progress, we cease to be leaders in what a progressive democratic city can be. We concede our claims to innovation and model policy.
Boulder’s housing prices are so high that new families and young professionals cannot buy in, and the cost of living is so high that current families and workers cannot afford to stay. We have a declining birth rate coupled with an increasing exodus of middle-class families. If we do not work to make meaningful and substantial change now, we will soon be a city that works for no one.
The Boulder we have now is one in which “we believe” signs are proudly displayed in neighborhoods that can’t be joined by anyone without generational wealth or a very high-paying job. The Boulder we are building towards is one in which the university is praised but the students are unwanted, the K-12 schools are sought-after but are nonetheless being shuttered, and the stores, parks and restaurants are closed for lack of workers.
The status quo is simply not working. We cannot attempt to preserve Boulder in amber and imagine that it will continue to be the kind of thriving, vibrant city that we all know and love. We must do better and we can do better. There are three opportunities on the ballot this fall that allow us to move our city forwards rather than backwards: moving to even-year municipal elections, creating a library district and moving forward with the annexation of CU South.
Even year elections will give us a city council and a mayor that is more representative of the needs and priorities of all of Boulder, and that will ensure that our city government is focused on making sustainable choices that meet the needs of everyone in Boulder.
The library district will keep our neighborhood library branches open and restore hours and programming across our library district while ensuring that we have a sustainable funding model for our libraries going into the future.
CU South annexation will keep our neighborhoods safe from flooding and will add more needed housing for CU students and staff.
If we work together we can keep our neighborhoods safe, our community vibrant and our democracy strong, and we can create sustainable solutions for families, workers and future generations.
Join us in voting for progress this November — vote “yes” on 2E for a stronger democracy, vote “yes” on 6C to fund our libraries and vote “no” on 2F to protect our neighborhoods and to house our CU staff and students. Progress is on your ballot this November — vote for a Boulder that speaks for all of us today, vote for a Boulder that will inspire all of us into tomorrow.
Lisa Sweeney-Miran is the vice president of the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education. Raffi Mercuri is the former chair of the Boulder County Democratic Party. | 2022-10-25T19:00:14Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Lisa Sweeney-Miran and Raffi Mercuri: This November, vote for progress | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/25/guest-opinion-lisa-sweeney-miran-and-raffi-mercuri-this-november-vote-for-progress/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/25/guest-opinion-lisa-sweeney-miran-and-raffi-mercuri-this-november-vote-for-progress/ |
Letters to the editor: Liquor measures are…
Ulla Merz: Election: Liquor measures will line corporate pockets
The November 8th ballot asks for your vote on three propositions that impact all stakeholders of the alcoholic beverage industry.
1. Proposition 124 increases the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own.
2. Proposition 125 allows grocery and convenience stores to sell wine, and
3. Proposition 126 allows third-party delivery of wine, beer and spirits.
The out-of-state corporations sponsoring these ballot measures are not doing this for your convenience, but to line their pockets and gain economic advantages.
Proposition 124 initially increases the limit of the number of retail liquor licenses (liquor stores) a single owner can hold from currently four to eight. But by 2037 the number will be unlimited. Just imagine a branch of a national liquor store in every town, just like Starbucks coffee shops. Proposition 125 automatically grants all current license holders of a malted beverage liquor license for off-premise sale (grocery and convenience stores) the right to sell wine without having to apply for the newly established beer and wine license. Proposition 126 establishes a delivery permit for third parties to deliver beer, wine and spirits, but the actual online seller (Amazon or DoorDash) is not going to be held accountable for the sale, as they don’t need to hold a liquor license.
With a “yes” vote, expect a narrower selection of national brands produced by the top 10 alcoholic beverage producers, no staff in the aisles to get advice from and fewer donations to local charity events.
Support Keep Colorado Local by voting “no” on these three ballot initiatives. Current Colorado liquor laws provide generous access to alcohol through independent liquor stores that offer a diverse selection of alcoholic beverages at competitive prices and knowledgeable customer services. Support the jobs provided by importers, wholesalers, liquor stores, wineries, breweries and distilleries as their salaries and profits stay in the local economy.
Ulla Merz, Boulder
Timothy Perrin: Library district: Why should we trust the city to steward our library?
A recent letter writer in these pages suggested that it is unknown what the city might do with the freed-up funding that would be available if the library district passes (these freed-up funds amount to 3-4% of the total city budget). This was given as a reason for voting no on the library measure. But Boulder can’t have it both ways: If people say they don’t trust the city to steward our assets, why would we trust the city to steward our library?
The library must not be political, it is a necessary public good. It deserves better than the back-and-forth budget choices that each successive council makes in response to waning revenues. The library, more than other departments, is in this downward cycle, and it’s a cycle that must end if we want to have a library that has long-term stability.
The last time the City of Boulder dedicated actual ongoing funds for the operation of its library was 1918, in response to Andrew Carnegie’s condition that he would help the city build its first library only if the city developed an ongoing dedicated fund for it. Today, this mill (which will be repealed if issue 6C passes) yields $1.4M, or about 8% of the library’s needs. No other dedicated funding for the library exists. In 2022, voters can finally give the library dedicated funding. Vote “yes” on issue 6C.
Timothy Perrin, Boulder
Tom Mayer: CU South: Group pressure can misguide anyone
Sixty years ago, at Stanford University I conducted experiments, developed mathematical models and wrote a doctoral dissertation on how group pressure works. My research and analysis confirmed earlier scholarship that group pressure can induce persons to make obviously incorrect judgments. My research also established that a unified majority with high social status has a dramatically greater influence.
I am painfully reminded of my venerable research by the 318 residents of Frasier Meadows Manor who signed an advertisement in a Sunday Daily Camera earlier this month endorsing CU South. The signers include many of my friends, many people that I respect and many people that I know to be of high intelligence. This makes me think that group pressure must have been important in gaining such misguided unanimity for a deeply flawed and dangerous policy.
The CU South plan will not protect Frasier Meadows against floods from the Viele, Skunk or Bear Creek drainages. The CU South plan contradicts the advice of many floodplain management scientists. The CU South plan is directed against 100-year floods rather than 500-year floods, which have been made more likely by the ravages of climate. The CU South plan also flies in the face of the ecological priority essential for saving our planet from environmental disaster.
I find myself wondering whether there are any residents of Frasier Meadows Manor bold enough to publicly reject the poison chalice of CU South.
Tom Mayer, Boulder | 2022-10-25T19:00:32Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Liquor measures are corporate boon; don't trust the city with stewardship; group pressure can misguide | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/25/letters-to-the-editor-liquor-measures-are-corporate-boon-dont-trust-the-city-with-stewardship-group-pressure-can-misguide/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/25/letters-to-the-editor-liquor-measures-are-corporate-boon-dont-trust-the-city-with-stewardship-group-pressure-can-misguide/ |
Letters to the editor: Issue 1C support; CU…
Marc Cowell, Julie Van Domelen and Suzanne Crawford: Election: Issue 1C is an investment in transportation for all
Please join us and vote “yes” on 1C. Like everyone else in Boulder County, our participants need the ability to get to work, school and medical appointments, visit with friends and family, recreate, worship and shop for basic needs. Therefore, the Family Resource Centers in Boulder County are enthusiastically supporting Ballot Issue 1C, to invest in multimodal transportation in our beautiful county.
Boulder County’s Ballot Issue 1C, to extend the existing penny sales tax on a ten-dollar purchase, will go a long way towards addressing the challenge of mobility by making transportation more affordable and accessible to all people.
A portion of the revenue generated by Ballot Issue 1C will fund transportation mobility programs identified in the Mobility and Access for All Ages and Abilities Plan. This plan, the first of its kind for Boulder County, is an assessment of mobility needs throughout Boulder County unique to older adults, youth, people with disabilities and the under-resourced community. Twenty percent of the revenue generated will go to transit services and mobility programs. These are a lifeline for the families we serve.
If 1C passes, there will be more funding to help our participants with the cost of a bus pass. The transit ambassador program that helps people learn to use transit will have more stable funding. There will be greater access to call-a-ride services in areas not served by fixed RTD routes. With greater funding for micro-transit, lack of transportation will be less of a barrier to equity in the opportunity provided by open enrollment in SVVSD and BVSD. Investments and improvements for safer cycling infrastructure are also important benefits.
Marc Cowell, OUR Center, Julie Van Domelen, EFAA, Suzanne Crawford, SCCC
Bob Sancetta: CU South: Let’s find a suitable compromise
Fully eight years after the 2013 flooding, the Boulder City Council approved the CU South annexation project in an emergency session. The city utilized vague scare tactics that the project is essential to prevent the 2013 flooding from recurring. Conveniently downplayed, however, is that the plan does not contain adequate flood mitigation provisions that would have prevented much of the damage incurred in 2013. Some flood mitigation is better than none, of course, but the scare tactics were overstated and specious.
Traffic counts were done during the early COVID pandemic when traffic was much less than is typical. Table Mesa Drive will, in my opinion, become an increasing traffic nightmare at the Broadway intersection.
What most concerns me, however, is the location of the planned intersection with Highway 93. I have lived in Boulder for over 50 years (in Shanahan Ridge for almost 40). I drive that section of road daily. The intersection will be on a sweeping curve that is already subject to dangerous vehicle control hazards in slippery conditions.
I met with a CU transportation official, on-site, over a year ago, to express my concerns. I appreciate the time and consideration our discussions were given. He agreed with my concerns and promised to set up a meeting with other transportation officials to discuss potentially safer alternatives. Do you think that follow-up meeting ever happened?
I am not a NIMBY, I accept progress, and fully accept that some version of CU South will take place. Similar to labor negotiations, however, when each side states they have already given their “last, best and final offer,” negotiations often continue afterward until a suitable compromise is reached. I believe a better agreement on CU South is possible. Let’s find that improvement.
Please vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the existing CU South annexation. Vote for a Boulder that speaks for all today and will inspire us tomorrow.
Bob Sancetta, Boulder
Jim Podolak: Share your space, support regulations that address injustice
Not another NIMBY whine; don’t vote for 2F. There are good reasons to vote against it — if you listen to the Rotary Club archive debate between Steve Pomerance and Sam Weaver. If, that is, you want the facts.
I am a New Deal Democrat. I believe the government should intervene when there is injustice and all that, but it has been found that sometimes the good intentions of regulations can be used in nefarious ways. We in Boulder (I am a relative newcomer at 44 years) have tried to avoid the mistakes of suburbanization with somewhat restrictive building codes and we have purchased an open space moat. The results have been to restrain redevelopment. Our new developments are dull housing structures that take advantage of every cubic foot of space. We also have created a very white, non-working class enclave. We can go to seminars addressing racism and point fingers at the injustices of our history while never allowing those victims a chance to live among us. We hide behind Neo-Liberal New Speak, but NiMBYism is racism. At least Trump supporters are honest.
Don’t be a racist. Look in a mirror. Share your space by supporting regulations that address this injustice. Don’t try to defend your property values. Defend human values.
Vote “no” on NIMBY.
Jim Podolak, Boulder
Honora Quinn Burnett: District: Libraries offer a safe place for learning
I spent a large chunk of my childhood checking out every Nancy Drew book from Boulder Public Library. I received math tutoring there. I researched local history using the microfilm reader. And I spent countless hours studying on the second floor. My experience with Boulder Public Library sparked a lifelong love of public libraries as a place for reading, study and community building.
I am now a local pediatrician, and I serve children and families from all socioeconomic spectrums. It is my firm belief that libraries form the cornerstone of early literacy. As a physician, it is a magical thing to tell families that their children can get new books every week — or day even — for no cost! As a parent, I love watching my children learn about the world beyond Colorado from the books we check out. No matter the age, background or language — the library offers a safe place for learning, study and conversation. Books are a powerful tool for social justice and good in our community.
I would like to see expanded partnerships with schools and nonprofits to improve library and literacy programs for youth, seniors and underserved communities — many of whom struggled during the pandemic.
In this upcoming election, I will vote “yes” on 6C. This creation of a library district will come with the cost of increased property taxes. As a local taxpayer, I support this. I urge us all to prioritize our libraries as a place for literacy building in our youngest, and most vulnerable. Please vote to approve and provide stable funding for a Boulder library district.
Honora Quinn Burnett, Boulder
Nadine Grieshaber: Election: Republicans have been clear about their policies
To those who are on the fence this election: People are saying that the Republicans aren’t talking about policies, but they do and they are telling us. They have said they will impose a national abortion ban; they will go after gay marriage rights; they will lower social security and they will stop funding Ukraine, a Democratic country that is fighting a war — all in addition to having election deniers as their candidates on the ballot who say they will overturn elections. In other words, in my opinion, they are chipping away at democracy. But what they aren’t doing is providing solutions for the issues that the majority of voters are concerned about — they don’t have an answer for helping inflation or gas prices! If you don’t have a democracy, you can’t have a healthy economy. The Republicans are telling you what they want to do if they are back in power and it doesn’t seem to be in the best interest of the country.
Nadine Grieshaber, Louisville
Teddy Weverka: Election: Vote the future of grassroots politics
I have worked on and organized campaigns for numerous candidates and issues over the years. All of these grass-roots efforts had a limited budget and relied on volunteers to promote our campaigns. Volunteers have only so much time each year. If we move elections to even years, we will lose half of this time.
These grassroots efforts reflect the will of ordinary people. Without grassroots campaigns, the well-connected have an outsized influence. Measure 2E takes power away from everyday people.
We have better ways to increase voter turnout. Fifteen years ago, Register Renters raised money for materials and organized an army of volunteers to knock on more than 40,000 doors in Boulder County. We printed and delivered registration materials. But more importantly, we delivered the message that we want you to vote. Face-to-face, that message is much more powerful than today’s social media campaigns.
Before the era of internet influencers, talking to people face-to-face was the preferred method of convincing voters. The internet hasn’t improved on this. It is hard work, and we should embrace it. Keeping odd-year elections gives us twice as much time to work on campaigns. For the future of grassroots politics, vote “no” on 2E.
Teddy Weverka, Boulder
Kevin Stewart: Election: Woodward believes in our right to work hard
I will proudly vote for Rob Woodward for a few great reasons. First, politically we share similar ideals. We believe in the Constitution and in every American’s right to work hard to build a strong family, a strong business and a stronger America with minimal government intervention. Rob has proven to be a man who will stand up to attempts to build a nanny state, where the government feels the need to control all aspects of life and take care of the people. Rob wants the government to do its part and then get out of the way.
The second reason I will vote for Rob is more personal and more fundamental. Rob will listen, think, decide and then move forward, based on what he understands to be right. He isn’t swayed by what happens to be popular at the moment. I have seen this firsthand. He doesn’t make decisions based on emotions or on the mood of the media. He is a grounded person and a respected friend that I trust. Please join me in supporting Rob Woodward for SD 15.
Kevin Stewart, Masonville | 2022-10-26T17:32:29Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Issue 1C support; CU South compromise; sharing our spaces; places for learning; Republican policies | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/letters-to-the-editor-issue-1c-support-cu-south-compromise-sharing-our-spaces-places-for-learning-republican-policies/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/letters-to-the-editor-issue-1c-support-cu-south-compromise-sharing-our-spaces-places-for-learning-republican-policies/ |
Quantity of Life and other things to do today…
Quantity of Life: Nature/ Supernature Art Exhibit: This exhibit of artwork celebrates the richness of our natural world through painting, sculpture, printmaking, and collage. 9 a.m., Boulder Public Library Canyon Gallery, 1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder; free; 303-906-3010. (File Photo)
Lionel Young Duo: Blues. 9 p.m., Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; free; velvetelklounge.com.
Open Mic: Weekly singer/songwriter open mic, hosted by Jim Herlihy. Sign up for a three-song set, music from 6-8. 5:30 p.m., Visionquest Brewery, 2510 47th St. Suite A2, Boulder; free; 720-446-9387.
Needles and Hooks: Join us as we gather to knit and crochet while working on existing projects or learning something new. Share patterns and ideas and help each other as we converse with like-minded yarnies. A crochet mentor will be available to assist and introduce new projects. 1:30 p.m., Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie; free; mylibrary.us. | 2022-10-26T17:32:35Z | www.dailycamera.com | Quantity of Life and other things to do today in and around Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/quantity-of-life-and-other-things-to-do-today-in-and-around-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/quantity-of-life-and-other-things-to-do-today-in-and-around-boulder/ |
“We recommend a “no” vote on this ballot issue for two main reasons: First, we support the annexation of CU South (because) it aligns with key Sierra Club policies regarding infill
development, affordable housing, community resilience, improved mobility and environmental protection,” the news release said. “Second, we oppose the ballot issue because it would greatly complicate the annexation and potentially result in costly and prolonged litigation.” | 2022-10-26T17:32:42Z | www.dailycamera.com | Sierra Club Indian Peaks Group announces endorsements for city, county ballot issues | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/sierra-club-indian-peaks-group-announces-endorsements-for-boulder-area-ballot-issues/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/sierra-club-indian-peaks-group-announces-endorsements-for-boulder-area-ballot-issues/ |
Jimmy Chin, National Geographic photographer and renowned mountaineer, honored Hilaree Nelson in a eulogy on Oct. 15, 2022: “There’s a Daoist saying that goes, the greatest leaders are the ones you don’t know are leading. Thank you for showing us what it means to be a truly great leader. We will miss you Hilaree.” (Photo by Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post)
Hilaree Nelson “was an absolute force who carved a space for herself at a time when women weren’t expected to excel let alone lead the charge,” renowned climber Emily Harrington said in her eulogy during a memorial at Telluride Town Park on Oct. 15. (Photo by Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post) | 2022-10-26T17:43:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | Pioneering skier Hilaree Nelson honored at Telluride at memorial | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/skier-hilaree-nelson-memorial-telluride-manaslu/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/18/skier-hilaree-nelson-memorial-telluride-manaslu/ |
Frank’s Chophouse in Boulder closes after two…
Frank’s Chophouse has closed about two years after the former Boulder Chophouse was taken over by Concept Restaurants. (Lucas High/Bizwest)
Frank’s Chophouse, formerly the Boulder Chophouse on Walnut Street in downtown Boulder, has shuttered only about two years after it was taken over by the prominent Boulder-born restaurant group Concept Restaurants Inc.
Frank’s Chophouse’s last day was Oct. 23. | 2022-10-27T03:50:50Z | www.dailycamera.com | Frank’s Chophouse in Boulder closes after two years of Concept Restaurants ownership | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/franks-chophouse-in-boulder-closes-after-two-years-of-concept-restaurants-ownership/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/26/franks-chophouse-in-boulder-closes-after-two-years-of-concept-restaurants-ownership/ |
Editorial: Progressives make a strategic error…
Often, the far-left wing of the Democrats operates with the best intentions in mind. Other times, they come off like teenagers with irresponsible and misleading terms like “defund the police,” which are the political equivalent of tossing lit matches into wastepaper baskets.
On Monday, 30 members of the Progressive Caucus of the Democratic Party in the U.S. House sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on him to open negotiations with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine.
Unsurprisingly, the other 190 Democrats, including all of the members of our own Nevada delegation, were ready with a firehose in hand to put out the fire of this idiocy.
By Tuesday, the blowback from within the party was so loud that Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the progressive caucus, retracted the letter. She claimed the letter was from another time earlier in the summer and that the situation has changed.
“The letter was drafted several months ago, but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting,” she said.
We find it highly unlikely that congressional staff were dumb enough or bold enough to send a months-old letter from 30 members of Congress to the president of the United States without first checking that it was OK.
That’s sheer prevarication. Besides, the representatives signed on to the letter in June when the situation in Ukraine was materially the same as it is now, and Putin’s barbarism was on full display. They were disgracefully wrong when they signed it, wrong this week when they sent it, and their retraction has all the weight of a Lindsay Graham position that shifts with the wind.
Setting aside Jayapal’s unwillingness to lead by example and admit that she and the other progressives had miscalculated the response to their request, the fact remains that drafting the letter was a horrifying lapse in judgment.
The circumstances of how we got to this juncture in history continue to amaze us. On one hand you have powerful members of the GOP and leading Fox News hosts actively supporting Vladimir Putin and other tyrants. A huge chunk of MAGA-land thinks Putin is a hero, after all. And now we have the sick spectacle of some far-left leaders demanding what appears to be nothing short of appeasement of a monster.
Jayapal and other signatories should do more than try to shift blame. They should acknowledge they made a foolish decision that could extend this war — just as GOP promises to pull back on Ukraine aid put lives at risk.
Putin has been losing the war in Ukraine since the earliest days, when he envisioned sweeping into the country and capturing it within a week. And he has definitely been losing since late August, when full-scale counteroffensives began recapturing what is now more than 3,000 square miles of territory from Russian forces. He underestimated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he underestimated the resolve of the West, and most importantly he underestimated the will of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland.
Putin uses propaganda and fear to rule what could be a strong and prosperous country were it not for the inept farce of a strongman at the helm.
His increasingly direct threats of nuclear war reveal a weak leader grasping for any appearance of strength to prop himself up. His lies about Nazis in Ukraine and a secret plot by Zelenskyy to use a dirty bomb within his own territory reveal a Russian government desperate for a justification for, or at the very least a distraction from, its evil and unprovoked invasion of a sovereign neighbor.
Here in the United States, Republicans have been advocating to withdraw financial support from Ukraine — sacrificing the freedom, autonomy and lives of Ukrainian people — not to mention the national security of America and the rest of the Western world — to save a dollar at the gas pump. The GOP wants to do more than appease Putin, it wants to run away from the threat he poses.
Putin cannot be allowed to negotiate a resolution for this war that ends in anything less than a full withdrawal from all Ukrainian territory. In reality, GOP’s ‘America First’ rhetoric puts America’s security last: If Vladimir Putin wins in Ukraine, he isn’t stopping. And an unleashed Putin is a profound danger to Americans. The GOP’s growing worship of tyrants is not a strategy that places America first in any sense. It will lead to disaster for our country.
This is not a time for anyone who loves freedom to suggest negotiating with Russia for anything other than complete withdrawal. Putin is looking for cracks in America’s resolve that he can exploit, which means our resolve must be strong.
The GOP has given Putin plenty of reasons to believe that if Republicans return to power, Russia will have a free hand in the world and the Western Alliance that has kept the world safe will crumble. Now, Jayapal and her caucus have done the same, no matter how they try to claw this back.
As for the 30 members of Congress who signed this ill-conceived request, they should start by apologizing to the staff member they threw under the bus for their mistake and stop undermining important progressive ideas by lighting waste basket fires; then we’ll talk. | 2022-10-27T15:01:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Editorial: Progressives make a strategic error worse by trying to pass the blame | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/editorial-progressives-make-a-strategic-error-worse-by-trying-to-pass-the-blame/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/editorial-progressives-make-a-strategic-error-worse-by-trying-to-pass-the-blame/ |
YWCA’s Dancing with Boulder Stars returns to…
Wednesday’s full-capacity event will feature nine teams
“Most people are performing hip hop this year, and I am looking forward to the positive energy that dance form brings,” said Jill Adler Grano, who participated in 2017 and who will return to the stage Wednesday along with her dance partner Ayla Satten, an instructor at Alchemy of Movement and Streetside Studios.
Grano is the former Director of Community Affairs for Congressman Joe Neguse. She is a Boulder Housing Commissioner and chairwoman for the People for Voter Turnout campaign. | 2022-10-27T15:01:43Z | www.dailycamera.com | YWCA's Dancing with Boulder Stars returns to Boulder Theater | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/ywcas-dancing-with-boulder-stars-returns-to-boulder-theater-2/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/ywcas-dancing-with-boulder-stars-returns-to-boulder-theater-2/ |
Boulder scientists’ frequency comb breakthrough…
Scientists at Boulder’s National Institute of Standards and Technology have made improvements to frequency combs that could improve measures of distance, precision timing and atmospheric sensing, according to a new study.
Frequency combs are specialized lasers that essentially act as a “ruler for light.” These combs measure unknown optical frequencies by measuring the rate of repetition of light pulses.
Until recently, these comb lasers needed to create light pulses with metronomic regularity to achieve their effect. Now, the team at NIST working on this project has managed to manipulate the timing of pulses in a way that can help frequency combs make more accurate measurements under a broader set of conditions than previously possible.
“We’ve essentially broken this rule of frequency combs that demands they use a fixed pulse spacing for precision operation,” said Laura Sinclair, a physicist at NIST’s Boulder campus and one of the authors of the study.
“By changing how we control [them], we’ve gotten rid of the trade-offs we had to make, so now we can get high-precision results even if our system only has a little light to work with.”
Frequency combs have found a variety of uses in various applications, including finding Earth-like planets with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas, to detecting greenhouse gases and assessing urban air quality.
Outside of labs, frequency combs have their limitations. Distance measurement requires two combs whose lasers’ pulse timing is precisely coordinated. Their accuracy is limited by the amount of light the comb’s detector needs, in order to receive. A comb’s detector can only register photons from the ranging laser that arrive at the same time as pulses from the second comb’s laser.
Physicists have a term for their aspirations to negate this problem: Making measurements at the “quantum limit.” This means that they can take account of every available photon. More photons mean better accuracy in spotting fast changes in distance to a target. But current technology is far from that goal.
“Frequency combs are commonly used to measure physical quantities such as distance and time with extreme accuracy, but most measurement techniques waste the great majority of light, 99.99% or more,” Sinclair said.
“We have instead shown that by using this different control method, you can get rid of that waste. This can mean an increase in measurement speed, in precision or it allows using a much smaller system.”
But NIST is making progress. By controlling the timing of the second comb’s pulse, the project’s scientists can make the best use of the photons available to them and eliminate dead time. Compared to standard dual-comb ranging, the team saw a 37-decibel reduction in required received power, requiring only 0.02% of photons needed previously.
“We found we can measure the range to a target fast, even if we only have a weak signal coming back,” Sinclair said. “Since every returning photon is detected, we can measure the distance near the standard quantum limit in precision.”
This innovation could enable future nanometer-level measurements of distant satellites, and the team is still exploring how it could benefit other frequency comb sensing applications, according to NIST.
Jeff Mitton: Natural Selections: Saltbush filters dust from wind to form mounds | 2022-10-28T01:04:40Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder scientists' frequency comb breakthrough boosts distance, timing measurements | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/boulder-scientists-frequency-comb-breakthrough-boosts-distance-timing-measurements/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/boulder-scientists-frequency-comb-breakthrough-boosts-distance-timing-measurements/ |
No. 25 Cal routs struggling CU Buffs women’s…
Needing a road win to keep their fleeting NCAA Tournament hopes alive, the Buffaloes instead were blasted 4-0 at No. 25 California in an afternoon matchup . CU entered the game at No. 54 in the RPI and likely needing road wins this weekend against the Golden Bears and No. 7 Stanford to keep postseason hopes alive.
“When we won the ball we were just giving it away too easy,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We didn’t have enough movement off the ball and sometimes when you need to defend for long stretches you fall into bad habits. I thought in the second half we moved the ball better and created a couple of half chances. It was going to be tough to get back in the game but we wanted to build some momentum for the weekend. I thought there were some good performances in the second half and we have to take those positives and get ready for Stanford.”
No. 25 California 4, Colorado 0
Goals — Cal: Bond-Flasza (Oke), 25th minute; Roy (Oke), 30th minute; Roy (Oke), 33rd minute; Fontana (unassisted), 64th minute. | 2022-10-28T03:05:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | No. 25 Cal routs struggling CU Buffs women’s soccer – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/no-25-cal-routs-struggling-cu-buffs-womens-soccer/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/27/no-25-cal-routs-struggling-cu-buffs-womens-soccer/ |
Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: Even-year…
By Mark Wallach
My two campaigns for City Council, in 2019 and 2021, were among the hardest things I have ever done. The obligation to be well-versed on a multitude of local issues — CU South! Public safety! Homelessness! — and to be able to articulate those positions at public forums and private parties required an enormous amount of study and effort.
The reason campaigns are so difficult is because we have an engaged and knowledgeable electorate that cares passionately (sometimes too passionately?) about those parochial and local concerns. We have plenty of state and federal elected officials to address the larger issues; we expect our council members to be focused on Boulder alone. I deal in protected bike lanes and prairie dog management, not federal tax policy or Ukraine.
Which is why I strenuously object to the current effort to move our local elections to even years, rather than the odd-year elections we conduct presently. Moving to even-year elections will ensure that the voices of those running for council will be drowned out at the bottom of a ticket in which higher offices not only take priority but completely obliterate any focus on our local concerns.
Be honest. In 2028, will you be paying more attention to the Presidential race, a contest for Senate or House, or the 10-15 individuals running for council? To which campaign will you contribute? For which will you volunteer? If you are candid, the answer to those questions will never be the race for council. If council races are run in the same year as federal elections, council aspirants will be the Invisible Men and Women of Boulder, candidates without an audience. And that is not healthy for our community.
This year’s State Ballot Information Booklet is 110 pages long; the County Notice of Election is 32 pages. These treatises, mailed to every registered voter, do not even include any information on the numerous candidates running for state, federal or county office (44 this year!). On top of this we expect voters to analyze the positions of the 10-15 candidates who customarily run for City Council? Voting should be a privilege, not a full-time job.
Some proponents of this move suggest that this is about enfranchising voters. Sorry, but there is no enfranchisement crisis in Boulder because there is no disenfranchisement crisis in Boulder. The ballot comes to you in the mail. To vote all you must do is mail in your ballot or drop it off. Forgot to register? You can do that on election day and still vote. We encourage everyone to vote and make it ridiculously easy to do so. Enfranchisement has nothing to do with it. This is Boulder, not Alabama.
Proponents have also argued that other cities, some progressive, have made the switch. So? Why does that mean we should be doing it here? Besides, those cities are outliers: the vast, vast majority of cities in this country elect their local officials in odd-year contests, and many of those are progressive as well. Simply calling something progressive is not the end of the conversation; the key is what works best for this community.
My final concern is that this move will serve to nationalize our local elections. Our contests have been non-partisan in nature and political parties have left our council elections alone. I am a lifelong Democrat, but I would not expect the Democratic Party to opine on our budget or council candidates to seek their endorsement. The job of our national parties is to focus on state and national issues. On council, our job is to act as stewards of the health and well-being of our community. And never the twain should meet.
My formative political experiences were in voter registration back in 1971 (yes, I am that old), so I am an advocate for encouraging people to vote, the more the better. But we can promote voting without destroying an electoral system that has served us well for decades, and has produced dedicated and serious individuals to serve our community (including the ones with whom I disagree). Moving to even-year elections is a solution in search of a problem. We already have one of — perhaps the most — progressive voting systems in the country. Fixing what is not broken is poor policy and the opposite of wisdom. I urge you to vote “no” on Ballot Measure 2E.
Mark Wallach is a member of the Boulder City Council, writing in his individual capacity. | 2022-10-28T13:56:06Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: Even-year elections are a disservice to Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/guest-opinion-mark-wallach-even-year-elections-are-a-disservice-to-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/guest-opinion-mark-wallach-even-year-elections-are-a-disservice-to-boulder/ |
Guest opinion: Tom Cosgrove: Limit…
By Tom Cosgrove
“Misinformation rides the greased algorithmic rails of powerful social media platforms and travels at velocities and in volumes that make it nearly impossible to stop. That alone makes information warfare an unfair fight for the average internet user.”
—Charlie Warzel, Feb. 18, 2021
We should all agree that a well-informed, information-literate population is essential for democracy. This current Age of Misinformation and Disinformation makes it difficult and often impossible to achieve that goal.
Merriam-Webster defines misinformation as “incorrect or misleading information.” Disinformation is defined as “false information deliberately and often covertly spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.” Both create problems for developing a plausible understanding of issues and challenges facing our community and our country. But disinformation has proven to be even more dangerous and deadly.
It has led to a decline in trust in the media, government, academia and public service and created a culture of toxic polarization. In the past two years, that toxic polarization has resulted in organized attacks, some violent, on public servants in public health, education and election management. It contributed to the violent insurrection at our Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Yet, there is still one institution standing unblemished in the polarization breach: libraries.
Libraries are filled with professionals — librarians — who work diligently to create an informed and engaged citizenry.
In this world of mis/disinformation, they have taken on a difficult challenge: Helping the community find common ground in shared facts and teaching the skills needed to successfully navigate a complex information landscape.
This job is more important than ever as unwitting citizens become pawns in the disinformation game. Unsuspecting individuals, believing the disinformation to be true, pass it along to their friends and social networks.
This truly is a battle for the soul of our democracy. Librarians need more support in the fight.
Voting for Boulder County Ballot Measure 6C and creating a Boulder Library District will give our librarians more resources in the fight against a monetized corporate megaphone — i.e. social media platforms — spreading disinformation and fueling hatred, bigotry and ignorance.
In 2021, New Voice Strategies, the Boulder-based non-profit I lead, used the Boulder-built peer collaboration technology WikiWisdom to conduct a project on mis/disinformation for the Library of Congress. WikiWisdom amplifies the voice and power of peer groups on the frontlines to be seen and heard by those in power.
Hundreds of librarians from every specialty — K-12, college, community, academic and research — from all parts of America collaborated to produce the report “Standing Up for Truth: The Role of Libraries in the Mis/Disinformation Age” with four recommendations and 23 proposed solutions to help librarians create an informed and engaged citizenry.
Passage of Ballot Measure 6C would give our library the resources to implement many of the solutions proposed in the Library of Congress report, including:
• Improving outreach to library patrons and the Boulder County community;
• creating new means for educating the community about mis/disinformation;
• partnering with community organizations and local media outlets to combat mis/disinformation;
• training all library staff on how to communicate accurate, fact-based information to all patrons but especially to those who have fallen victim to mis/disinformation;
• creating partnerships with public discourse organizations such as Living Room Conversations to host conversations designed to undermine the power of mis/disinformation;
• building school-based programs to give all students the skills to navigate finding the truth in this Age of Disinformation;
• creating alliances with other libraries here in Colorado and across the country to combat mis/disinformation;
It has been 189 years since the first free public library was created in America. Of course, we know that nothing of real value is ever really free. That’s why it is so important for Boulder as a community to stand up in support of the modest taxes in Ballot Measure 6c.
As individuals, we are powerless to slow the “velocity” of the algorithmic spread of mis/disinformation. But together as a progressive community we can raise new revenue and find a common purpose to limit the damage it causes to our children, our community and our country.
Tom Cosgrove is the President of New Voice Strategies and the Co-creator and Producer of the Public Television Documentary Divided We Fall: Unity Without Tragedy. | 2022-10-28T13:56:12Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Tom Cosgrove: Limit misinformation by funding our libraries | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/guest-opinion-tom-cosgrove-limit-misinformation-by-funding-our-libraries/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/guest-opinion-tom-cosgrove-limit-misinformation-by-funding-our-libraries/ |
Letters to the editor: Measure 1A’s benefits;…
Bret Gibson: Election: Measure 1A will provide resources for fire mitigation
As a 30-year veteran volunteer firefighter and 20 as a fire chief, I can honestly say we must pass 1A, the wildfire mitigation ballot initiative. Four Mile Fire Department has been actively mitigating our district for over 20 years. We have done well but have only mitigated less than 10% of our district. We simply do not have the resources to do more. Even with grants to help pay the costs, we don’t have the bandwidth or staff to do more. Measure 1A will provide a much-needed capacity to have our partner watersheds take on the management portion. This will lead to broader collaboration between districts, the county and the Forrest Service, both state and federal. Thus creating access to much larger federal and state grants. It does not matter where you live in Boulder County, a fire will affect some aspect of your life. Be it your home, or drinking watershed, property values, outdoor experience, viewshed, air quality, the list is too long for a letter. Please support Measure 1A.
Bret Gibson, Four Mile fire chief
David Jackson: Election: America’s principles are under assault
For ten years during the 1990s I wrote a senior column for the Boulder Daily Camera which ran the first Sunday of every month in the Leisure Section.
In those columns, while my political preferences were made evident on one or two occasions, l eschewed all political commentary because the focus was on matters common to my readers, namely aging.
But times have changed. And matters of age and aging have given way to matters of exceedingly serious import.
The principles that America stands for are under assault. You know this. I know this. We all know this, never mind which way the wind blows, because it isn’t news. That fact was established following the last election. The lies, the arrogance, the effrontery, the malevolence triggered in early January by a shameless president who would stoop to calling and cajoling a Georgia Secretary of State to jimmy the results made it ever so evident. As did the raids on the courts. It staggers belief.
What has happened to the heart of the Republican party over the years, primarily the men and women in positions of leadership, is shocking. Understand, I grew up Republican. I worked for the reelection of Republican Congressman William S. Mailliard in 1954 and served for a time in his office in Washington. And yes, I was a member of Young Republicans. I remember those early years; I remember them because I espoused the principles on which the party stood.
But what has happened since is ugly. And what it says about America’s future is frightening. I fear for America.
The midterm elections are critical. Lose them, and an honest, open, fair and lawfully executed national election two years hence could be seriously compromised. And lose the 2024 national election and we might just get an American president leading the aforementioned assault on democracy and openly endorsing a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
David Jackson, Colorado Springs
Cara Anderson: CU South: Annexation threatens our quality of life
The decision facing voters in the upcoming election regarding CU South is one of the most important ones in the history of Boulder. This is a time when we can truly make a difference in protecting the town that we love. The annexation of the CU South property will, in my opinion, have a huge negative impact on our future, both economically and environmentally. CU wants to add to its already massive Boulder campus by constructing 750,000 square feet of buildings and, potentially in the future, a 3,000-seat stadium on some of the last remaining natural wetlands in Boulder County. In addition, this will add enormous amounts of additional traffic (almost 7,000 more cars daily), noise and pollution to our already burgeoning town. The flood mitigation plan proposed by the city is, in my opinion, inadequate, offering protection only from a 100-year flood, whereas we need protection from a 500-year flood, which is increasingly likely with climate change. The annexation agreement benefits only CU, while the citizens of Boulder will pay for it with higher utility bills and the cost of providing city services. Vote “yes” on Measure 2F on the November ballot. Our quality of life and that of the threatened plant and animal species and wildlife who call CU South home depend on it. Have a heart and do the right thing by voting “yes” on 2F.
Cara Anderson, Boulder
Elizabeth Black: CU South: Rest of Boulder needs 100-year protection as well
Recent opinions in the Camera opposing CU South’s annexation because it doesn’t include 500-year flood protection on South Boulder Creek annoy me exceedingly.
I live in North Boulder, near Four-Mile Canyon Creek, which can maybe hold a 10-year flood (a flood of a size occurring on average once every 10 years). Anything bigger than a 10-year flood (say a 20-year or 100-year flood) will overtop my creek’s banks and flood neighborhoods.
Other city creeks with similarly puny flood capacities include, to my knowledge, Two-Mile Canyon Creek, upper Wonderland Creek, upper Goose Creek, Sunshine Creek, the Boulder Slough, Gregory Creek, Bluebell Creek and King’s Gulch. These creeks flood portions of downtown, Newlands, Melody Heights, Crestview, Githens, Northbriar, Wonderland, Columbine, Mapleton, Goss-Grove, Uni Hill and Chautauqua neighborhoods. Over 500 years, damages from 20- to 100-year floods in these neighborhoods will far exceed the damage from a single 500-year flood event on South Boulder Creek.
To my knowledge, there is currently no creek in Boulder with 500-year flood improvements.
I believe Boulder Utilities staff have said that, at current funding levels, it will take 50-100 or more years to build the necessary floodway improvements to give all Boulder citizens “adequate flood protection,” i.e., protection from a 20- to 100-year flood, depending on drainage constraints. There is just not enough money to build more or quicker. I am unlikely to be protected from a 50-year flood in my lifetime.
That’s why I’m grumpy when South Boulder folks demand chateaubriand-style 500-year flood protection when I and other Boulder residents will be waiting lifetimes for hamburger-style 20- to 100-year flood protection. Equity and decency demand “adequate flood protection” for all Boulder residents first, before any one drainage gets 500-year protection.
Please vote in favor of CU South’s annexation, so that limited resources can provide all of us with adequate flood protection someday sooner.
Elizabeth Black, Boulder
Cecilia Casey: CU South: Build a campus in a community that needs it
Please vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the annexation of CU South. CU may own the land, but they cannot build on it unless the annexation is approved. The annexation of this land should not proceed. It would be Boulder residents who pay for part of the potential annexation with higher costs for utility bills and to provide power and sewer services to this land. Our homeowners’ insurance rates may increase as well. Besides the downsides of more traffic than our streets can handle, almost 7,000 additional cars per day, the noise and pollution from developing this land will, in my opinion, have a negative effect on the environment and our quality of life. There are threatened plant and animal species on this land that are on the brink of being endangered. Once these precious plants and animals are gone, they are gone forever. And why does CU even need another campus in Boulder? All their campuses are located along the Front Range. Why don’t they build an additional campus in another Colorado town on the Western Slope that could really benefit from having a university? I know of people who live along the I-70 corridor who must leave their families to travel/live in Denver to pursue higher education or grad school. We do not need another campus in Boulder, we have two already. Building a third campus in our small town is absurd. Even though some housing is part of CU’s plan, it’s not enough to compensate for the stress it will put on our current housing shortage. It will exacerbate the problems we have now. It would be more equitable and environmentally savvy for CU to build the campus in a community that could really benefit from it. Vote “yes” for the Repeal of CU South on 2F!
Cecilia Casey, Boulder
Teresa DeAnni: Health care: Unbiased Medicare information is available
I want to thank James O’Neill for his accurate and succinct Guest Opinion from Oct. 17, “Medicare is a well-earned 65th birthday gift.” I appreciate his final word of warning about misleading websites and the aggressive actions that some insurance companies and brokers take to get individuals to sign on to their plan.
There is a way to get unbiased and accurate information on Medicare! The State Health Insurance Programs (SHIP) is a nationwide program of the Centers of Medicare and Medicare Services. In Boulder County, the SHIP is referred to as the Medicare Counseling Program of the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. SHIP staff and volunteers are trained and certified to provide unbiased guidance to future and current Medicare beneficiaries. Individuals can sign up for Medicare Basics classes and sessions with counselors. The Medicare Counseling Team has seen too many people who have unknowingly signed up for a plan that is not right for them. Sometimes the team can help but often it is too late.
Navigating Medicare choices can be stressful and confusing, so the extra guidance a SHIP counselor can provide is invaluable. A decision about Medicare can be a decision that lasts a lifetime! As the Manager of the Medicare Counseling Team I would like to encourage residents who are signing up for Medicare coverage to contact us at 303-441-1546 or visit our website at www.boco.org/Medicare.
Teresa DeAnni, Boulder | 2022-10-28T13:56:25Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Measure 1A's benefits; principles under assault; CU South hits quality of life; equal flood protection; where to build a campus; Medicare information | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/letters-to-the-editor-measure-1as-benefits-principles-under-assault-cu-south-hits-quality-of-life-equal-flood-protection-where-to-build-a-campus-medicare-information/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/letters-to-the-editor-measure-1as-benefits-principles-under-assault-cu-south-hits-quality-of-life-equal-flood-protection-where-to-build-a-campus-medicare-information/ |
‘Zephyr’ by Cirque Mechanics and other Boulder…
Cirque Mechanics performs “Zephyr” at Macky Auditorium Friday. (Kirk Marsh Photography / Courtesy photo)
‘Zephyr’ by Cirque Mechanics: Inspired by the power of wind and the tug-of-war between man and nature, “Zephyr — A Whirlwind of Circus” is the latest theatrical invention from Boulder’s Cirque Mechanics. This energetic acrobatic tale looks at the choices humans have made regarding the planet and its resources, all in the name of progress; 7:30 p.m. Friday; Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; $24-$94; cupresents.org.
Halloween at WOW: WOW! Children’s Museum is throwing a Halloween Party and all the little and big spooks are invited; 5:30 p.m. Friday, WOW! Children’s Museum, 110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette; $7-$13; wowchildrensmuseum.org.
The Gloss Tunnel of Terror: Wash your car in this car wash that’s a spooky, creepy experience filled with scary werewolves and creatures of the night. Beware and drive through if you dare; 6 p.m. Friday, Gloss Auto Wash, 3100 28th St., Boulder; $8; gloss-auto-wash.myshopify.com.
Witches Brew Rendezvous Climbing: Join Movement Boulder for a night of lights-out climbing; 6 p.m. Friday, Movement Boulder, 2845 Valmont Road, Boulder; $21; movementgyms.com.
Charlie White at BoCo Cider: Boulder-based guitarist and singer-songwriter Charlie White will perform a wide range of tunes from folk, jazz and blues; 6 p.m. Friday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
The Floozies’ Nightmare on Funk Street: Brothers Matt and Mark Hill will bring their electronic-funk beats to a town; 7 p.m. Friday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $35-$40; z2ent.com.
Homecoming Parade, Stampede and Pep Rally: Celebrate CU pride as the campus and Boulder community come together to paint Pearl Street black and gold. The stampede and parade will begin at 7 p.m. on 10th and Pearl streets. The pep rally will follow on the Courthouse Lawn; 7 p.m. Friday, Pearl Street Mall, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Bluff Street Halloween Party: Bluff Street Bar & Billiards is celebrating its 5th anniversary with a Halloween party and costume contest. There will be live tunes from local band Ravin’Wolf; 8 p.m. Friday, Bluff Street Bar & Billiards, 2690 28th St., Boulder; Free; bluffstreetbar.com.
Taarka at Gold Hill Inn: Indie-folk, gypsy jazz local group Taarka returns to the Gold Hill Inn for a magical Halloween show; 8:30 p.m. Friday, Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder; taarka.com. | 2022-10-28T13:56:37Z | www.dailycamera.com | ‘Zephyr’ by Cirque Mechanics and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/zephyr-by-cirque-mechanics-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/zephyr-by-cirque-mechanics-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Sergeant Major Kenneth Camell, U.S. Army and…
Name: Kenneth Camell
Branch: U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps
Service: May 1945 to July 1975
Rank: E-9 Sergeant Major
Job: He had several jobs throughout his career, including Infantry Counter Intelligence Corps, airborne parachutist, special forces A team, 2nd Missile Command, Army liaison, CU-Boulder ROTC instructor. He was in three conflicts; WWII, Korea and Vietnam. After he retired he headed the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 10 and VFW 807 in Boulder for several years.
Served: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, Germany, Fort Carson, Colo., Okinawa, Vietnam (two tours), Boulder, Colo.
Proud Moment: “My Family” | 2022-10-28T17:32:50Z | www.dailycamera.com | Sergeant Major Kenneth Camell, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/sergeant-major-kenneth-camell-u-s-army-and-u-s-marine-corps/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/sergeant-major-kenneth-camell-u-s-army-and-u-s-marine-corps/ |
Week in Theater: ‘Addams Family’ spooks…
Stage productions for the week of Oct. 28-Nov. 3
The Addams Family Musical: Comedy featuring the beloved creepy TV family from the 1960s, through Nov. 6, The Arts HUB Players, Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette; $15-$25; artshub.org.
Ain’t Too Proud – the Life and Times of The Temptations: Musical that follows the rise of the Motown group out of Detroit, through Nov. 6, DCPA Broadway, Buell Theatre, 14th and Curtis streets, Denver; $35-$120; denvercenter.org.
Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story: Musical that chronicles the life and tragic death of the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, through Jan. 28, 2023, BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; bdtstage.com.
Frankenstein: Arts in the Open’s “Frankenstein” takes patrons on a moderate hike, playing out scenes set in the icy polar regions where scientist Victor Frankenstein has chased the creature he brought to life. Patrons must be ages 10 years old and up; 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; $16-$21; chautauqua.com.
Futurity: New folk musical that imagines a different kind of future, through Sunday, Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 East Colfax Ave., Aurora; aurorafox.org.
Little Red – A New Musical: Family-friendly musical telling of the Little Red Riding Hood story, through Dec. 18, Denver Center Theatre for New Audiences, 13th and Curtis streets, Denver; $16-$30; denvercenter.org.
Of Mice and Men: Classic tale of friendship during the Great Depression, through Nov. 12, Coal Creek Theater of Louisville, Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave., Louisville; $23-$25; cctlouisville.org.
Peter and the Starcatcher: Musical featuring pernicious pirates and magical mermaids before Peter Pan and Hook clashed in Neverland, through Nov. 20, Cherry Creek Theatre Company, Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver; $20-$42; cherrycreektheatre.org.
The Royale: An African-American boxer is set to make history amid personal cost, through Nov. 17, Butterfly Effect Theatre, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15-$35; betc.org.
Small Ball: New musical about Lilliputians, miracles and basketball, Sunday through Nov. 19, The Catamounts, Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., Denver; $30-$35 (pay what you can performances Nov. 3, 10, 14, 17); thecatamounts.org.
The Drowsy Chaperone Loving homage to musicals from the Jazz Age, Nov. 10-13, CU College of Music, Music Theatre, 1020 18th St., Boulder; $23-$35; cupresents.org.
The Importance of Being Earnest: Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of manners, Nov. 11-20, CU Department of Theatre, Old Main Chapel, CU campus; $19; cupresents.org.
Modern Times: Actors from Buntport Theater Company read irreverent stories about contemporary times, Nov. 6, Stories on Stage, Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Dr., Denver; $24; storiesonstage.org. | 2022-10-28T17:33:02Z | www.dailycamera.com | Week in Theater: ‘Addams Family’ spooks Lafayette, ‘Frankenstein’ wraps at Chautauqua and more – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/week-in-theater-addams-family-spooks-lafayette-frankenstein-wraps-at-chautauqua-and-more/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/week-in-theater-addams-family-spooks-lafayette-frankenstein-wraps-at-chautauqua-and-more/ |
Longmont police send out shelter-in-place…
Longmont police send out shelter-in-place notices for operation on Pinon Court
Some residents on Pinon Court were told to shelter-in-place due to a Longmont police “operation.”
Longmont Public Safety spokesperson Robin Ericson said a reverse notification was sent out for those households that are impacted.
Ericson said there are some road closures and restrictions in the area, and people are asked to avoid the area if possible.
Police did not elaborate on the nature of the operation.
“Thank you for your patience,” Ericson said. “We will provide updates when they are available.” | 2022-10-28T20:43:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Longmont police send out shelter-in-place notices for operation on Pinon Court | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/longmont-police-send-out-shelter-in-place-notices-for-operation-on-pinon-court/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/28/longmont-police-send-out-shelter-in-place-notices-for-operation-on-pinon-court/ |
Guest opinion: Ann Cooper: Prop FF will create…
By Ann Cooper
As the founder and president of the board of the Chef Ann Foundation and as the previous director of Food Services for Boulder Valley School District, I know the importance of access to wholesome food for all children. It is about equity, nutrition and health, for every single person and especially for every single child. Sadly, twelve percent of the children in Boulder and Broomfield counties are facing food insecurity. For many in our community, today’s cost of living means a balancing act of paying for fresh healthy food or other needs.
This is why we need free, healthy school meals for all kids; this is why I urge you to vote “yes” on Proposition FF.
As a long-time anti-hunger activist based in Boulder, I was surprised that the editors of the Daily Camera liked the idea of “Healthy School Meals for All” but failed to support the Proposition.
Proposition FF is a deeply researched, reasonable and comprehensive effort to reduce childhood hunger in every community. The Healthy School Meals for All program Prop FF will create has several components.
By providing free meals to all kids, the program will reduce the stigma some kids feel in the lunch line. Too many kids do not eat because of the shame that their family is struggling; no child should have to skip a meal because their family can’t afford to pay for lunch.
The cost of every meal served to students will be reimbursed to school districts. And while reimbursements for every meal will make things better for districts and families, it is vital we also provide resources to districts to focus on nutrition and staffing.
Prop FF provides set grant funding for districts to buy local, healthy food from Colorado farmers and ranchers. More resources to do this would be a game-changer for our schools and in supporting our local small farmers.
It has funding for districts to increase wages or provide stipends to workers to serve and prepare food. These are the workers who are often paid the least, and positions that are often hardest to fill. This will help those workers afford to live in the communities they serve, and our districts across the state to meet their staffing needs.
Lastly, it has a technical assistance grant for districts to buy equipment and train staff on nutrition and healthy cooking. These practices work; we used them to make Boulder Unified School District one of the best school nutrition programs in our state as well as nationally.
This proposal needs stable, long-term funding that school districts and children can count on. The funding mechanism will ensure that. It is reducing tax deductions for the wealthiest Coloradans, a reasonable way to ensure funds are available. Over 100 non-profit organizations, including The United Way, have endorsed Prop FF because they understand that this is a good investment for all of us and will not affect 95% of taxpayers, yet will have a bigger impact on childhood hunger than any other single program I can imagine. Passing FF will create a school meals program that is permanent, responsive and reasonable.
We can’t wait to act. The last year school meals were available to all students, participation rates were up: More than 68,000 students ate lunch daily in Colorado. Clearly, the need is there. When the stigma is removed, and the meals are free and made fresh with ingredients from local suppliers, kids will be healthier. Kids won’t be hungry. Please join me in voting “yes” on Proposition FF.
Ann Cooper is the founder of the Chef Ann Foundation. Cooper lives in Grand Junction. | 2022-10-29T16:29:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Ann Cooper: Prop FF will create a school meals program that makes kids healthy | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/guest-opinion-ann-cooper-prop-ff-will-create-a-school-meals-program-that-makes-kids-healthy/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/guest-opinion-ann-cooper-prop-ff-will-create-a-school-meals-program-that-makes-kids-healthy/ |
Guest opinion: Lori Batcheller: CU South is a…
By Lori Batcheller
The other day as I again sat in backed-up traffic heading west from Tantra Park to King Soopers, I lamented the days when I could easily drive this stretch of road without traffic any time of the day or night. These days, I do my best to avoid the rush hour(s) traffic anywhere between the East Boulder Community Center and a friend’s house near NCAR, lest a once easy, five- to seven-minute trip take me twice as long. When the next light turned red, I had time to think of how important it is that people vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the CU South Annexation lest the traffic become more unbearable and the land at Boulder’s southern border which many citizens cherish be forever changed.
CU recently claimed that they will enforce a “trip cap” of no more than 5,550 daily vehicle trips (down from their original estimate of 7,000) in the area should a new campus consisting of housing, classrooms and, potentially, a 3,000-spectator sports stadium be built on an area as large as the university’s main campus. Anyone who drives south on Highway 93 from Table Mesa, or east or west from this intersection, will be subjected to increased traffic delays, longer commute times and, heaven forbid, more traffic heading to our glorious Rocky Mountains.
The light turned green and my car crawled toward the intersection of Table Mesa and Highway 93.
I am one of the fortunate ones who can walk to and around CU South from my home. For those who are doing their homework, this rare 308-acre parcel of land, unique in its size and existence in an urban area, was originally designated to be protected from development. Yet when CU purchased the land, instead of removing the berm that the gravel company built during their operations, as was intended, CU raised the berm and drained three of the existing five lakes. Now CU wants to fill in much of that land so it can expand its campus at a time when predictions are that college enrollment will be going down in the future, not up, due to decreased birth rates.
I finally arrived at King Soopers, did my errands and headed back in thick traffic toward the East Boulder Community Center.
I wondered if years from now we will still be able to hear coyotes howling at night. Will the bobcats, fox, meadowlarks and redwing blackbirds that call CU South home still come through our neighborhood to remind us of how interconnected man and nature really are? Raccoons, voles, foxes and deer are just a few of our South Boulder neighbors. What will happen to the federally recognized endangered Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse if more of their natural habitat is decimated by concrete? Will the contiguous pond habitat and wetlands required for the threatened Northern Leopard Frog to continue its life cycle remain intact? The Open Space and Mountain Parks created a list of 100 species of birds that nest, live full- or part-time, migrate through or forage on this precious parcel of wetlands habitat, including ground-nesting birds, which are in decline. Additionally, the land contains some wetland’s tall grass prairie habitat that is one of the rarest and fastest declining habitats in North America — dating from the last Ice Age.
I thought about the 2,300 people who believe the planned 100-year-flood mitigation will prevent their residences from flooding as they did in 2013. According to Steve Pomerance, a former City Council member who recently debated with Sam Weaver on this subject, this inadequate mitigation will only give them a false sense of security. I truly feel for everyone whose homes — throughout Boulder — were flooded, but, in my opinion, the city’s plan is inadequate.
As I finally pulled into the East Boulder Community Center, I wondered if the sounds, smells, scents and sights so many of us express extreme gratitude for will be replaced by trucks, tractors, concrete, buildings, partying students, sporting events and other sounds of man’s further encroachment into nature.
We have a choice this November to stop the deal that is being sold to us as good, which would change the “southern gateway” to Boulder forever. I urge you to vote “yes” on Measure 2F.
Lori Batcheller is a 30-year resident of Boulder. | 2022-10-29T16:29:55Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Lori Batcheller: CU South is a parcel of land worth saving | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/guest-opinion-lori-batcheller-cu-south-is-a-parcel-of-land-worth-saving/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/guest-opinion-lori-batcheller-cu-south-is-a-parcel-of-land-worth-saving/ |
Multicultural Skeleton Ball and other Boulder…
“El Baile de Matisse,” by Longmont artist Jon Fukuda is up for auction for dance studio Mi Chantli’s Skeleton Ball Saturday. (Jon Fukuda / Courtesy photo)
Skeleton Ball: Mi Chantli, a dance and arts community space, is hosting a Baile de Calaca, or Skeleton Ball, that will have a DJ spinning tunes and various dance performances from local groups. There will be live painting and sculpting as well as an online and silent art auction to benefit the studio; 6 p.m. Saturday, Mi Chantli, 1750 30th St., Unit 22, Boulder; $25; bit.ly/3zO1rcP.
‘The Royale’ Opening Night at Dairy: Set in a boxing ring, Marco Ramirez’s acclaimed play looks at Jim Crow-era racial issues while Black boxer Jack Johnson fights for a historic win; opening night 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29; runs through Nov. 19; Carsen Theatre in the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $25-$60; betc.org.
Psychedelia Blacklight Climbing: Psychedelia is a nationally recognized and immersive blacklight climbing competition that features tape art, unique boulder problems, crazy costumes, live entertainment, food and beer; youth competition 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, adult competition 6 p.m. Saturday; The Spot Bouldering Gym, 3240 Prairie Ave., Boulder; $15-$75; .thespotgym.com.
Boulder Farmers Market: Boulder’s Saturday market will end on Nov. 19, so head downtown and grab some fresh veggies, local artisan goods and listen to some live folk, blues and jazz tunes from Laurie D; 10 a.m. Saturday, Boulder Farmer’s Market, 13th and Canyon, Boulder; Free; bcfm.org.
Lafayette Fall Harvest: This marketplace will have vendors selling seasonal farm produce and artisan foods. Attendees can come in costume and there will be a petting zoo, pet parade, live music, beer, wine, hard cider, food trucks and more; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; on North Harrison Avenue between East Simpson and East Geneseo streets, Lafayette; cityoflafayette.com.
QTPOC Nature Walk: Join Ruby Lopez, from Out Boulder County, and Boulder County Ranger Jose Barrientos for a pleasant autumn hike through the Meyers Homestead Trail at Walker Ranch to talk about nature and enjoy the company of other LGBTQ+ folks; 11 a.m. Saturday, Meyers Gulch Trailhead, 6532 Flagstaff Road, Boulder; Free; outboulder.org.
Boulder Symphony’s Treasure of Sound: At this children’s concert, a pair of pirates at the orchestra are searching for the treasure on their maps. They explore the orchestra together, leaving no stone unturned, as the music reveals clues about where the treasure can be found. Kids can wear sea-faring gear while listing to sea shanties; 3 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; bouldersymphony.org.
Día de los Muertos at the Dairy: Celebrate the Day of the Dead holiday with live music from Trio Talismán, an altar exhibition, raffles, pan de muerto, lotería, a catrina costume contest, face painting, Folklórico dance, a food truck and more; 4 p.m. Saturday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; thedairy.org.
Boulder Concert Band Performs ‘Tuneful Conucopia’: Celebrate Boulder Concert Band’s 47th season opener for “A Tuneful Cornucopia” of musical styles from Eric Whitacre’s haunting “October,” Robert Buckley’s “Jitterbug” to Sousa’s “Hands Across the Sea”: 7 p.m. Saturday, First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder; $10; BoulderConcertBand.org.
Southern Sun Halloween with Rolling Harvest: Celebrate Halloween with a free Southern Sun party featuring Rolling Harvest, a Boulder-based tribute to Bob Dylan and Neil Young, featuring veterans of Gasoline Lollipops, the Yawpers, the Velveteers and Banshee Tree; 9 p.m. Saturday, Southern Sun, 627 S. Broadway St., Boulder; Free; facebook.com/events/812210759923464.
Pearl Street Paranormal Haunted History: Explore true tales of Boulder’s haunted past on a 90-minute walking haunted-history tour. Many of Boulder’s early residents allegedly fell victim to murder and mayhem, foul play and fatal misfortune — and some say not all who departed this mortal life still “rest in peace,” the tour’s site reads; 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday; book online at ramblinrosiesbouldertours.com.
Frankenstein Theater Hike: Arts in the Open’s “Frankenstein” takes patrons on a moderate hike, playing out scenes set in the icy polar regions where scientist Victor Frankenstein has chased the creature he brought to life. Due to adult themes, patrons must be ages 10 years old and up; 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; $16-$21; chautauqua.com. | 2022-10-29T16:30:07Z | www.dailycamera.com | Multicultural Skeleton Ball and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/multicultural-skeleton-ball-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/29/multicultural-skeleton-ball-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Frankenstein wraps at Chautauqua and other…
Today is the last day to see “Frankenstein” at Chautauqua. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Frankenstein at Chautauqua: This is the last day to catch Arts in the Open’s “Frankenstein,” which takes patrons on a moderate hike, playing out scenes set in the icy polar regions where scientist Victor Frankenstein has chased the creature he brought to life. Due to adult themes, patrons must be ages 10 years old and up; 3 p.m. Sunday; Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; $16-$21; chautauqua.com.
Trick-or-Treat with Tito the Cow and Friends: Join us for an afternoon of trick-or-treating with Tito the rescued cow and his friends at Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary; noon Sunday, Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary, 3470 County Road 7, Erie; $5; luvinarms.org.
Spooktacular at Mountain View UMC: Wear costumes, decorate cars and give out treats to trick-or-treaters. All are welcome to this event for the neighborhood. There’ll be games, snacks and treats and fun for all ages. Free and fun for the whole family; 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, Mountain View UMC, 355 Ponca Place, Boulder; Free; mtview.org.
Halloween Laser Magic and Scary Moons: Come to Fiske for some haunted Halloween laser magic and then enjoy a deep dive into the bizarre moons of our Solar System that are way beyond your imagination; 1 p.m. Sunday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Queer Art Organics: This variety show open mic celebrates homegrown art by LGBTQ+ folks with music makers, comics, poets, playwrights, performance artists and creatives of all kinds; 3 p.m. Sunday, OBC’s Equality Center of the Rocky Mountains, 3340 Mitchell Lane, Boulder; Free; outboulder.org.
Takács Quartet at Grusin: The Grammy-winning Takács Quartet will perform a fall concert; 4 p.m. Sunday, Grusin Music Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; cupresents.org.
Kohanna at BOCO Cider: Kohanna is a singer-songwriter from Virginia who will be joined by Baltimore’s Ryan Fleming and they’ll be playing genres ranging from classic rock to indie-folk; 4 p.m. Sunday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Rocky Horror Picture Show at Boulder Theater: This performance will feature a shadow cast — an ensemble of performers that act out the movie while it is playing. During the show you will be expected to dance, yell and throw stuff; 6 p.m. Sunday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $10; z2ent.com.
Día de los Muertos: Join Out Boulder County in honoring the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos for an evening of celebration as we remember our loved ones that are no longer with us; 6 p.m. Sunday, OBC’s Equality Center of the Rocky Mountains, 3340 Mitchell Lane, Boulder; Free; outboulder.org.
Boulder’s Story Slam at the Dairy: Boulder’s Story Slam returns to the stage for a night of true stories, community and fun. This month’s theme is “Mask”; 7 p.m. Sunday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15-$25; thedairy.org. | 2022-10-30T14:05:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | Frankenstein wraps at Chautauqua and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/frankenstein-wraps-at-chautauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/frankenstein-wraps-at-chautauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Buildings are being demolished at Flatiron Crossing Mall on October 25, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
By Katie Langford | For BizWest / Prairie Mountain Publishing
Katie Langford
Katie is a lifelong Coloradan and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2014. Currently a freelance journalist, she joined the Daily Camera in 2019 and covered the University of Colorado system, CU Boulder and higher education in Boulder County until 2021.
Follow Katie Langford @katielangford35 | 2022-10-30T14:05:54Z | www.dailycamera.com | As Broomfield builds out, officials eye infill, redevelopment | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/growing-pains-as-broomfield-builds-out-officials-eye-infill-redevelopment/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/growing-pains-as-broomfield-builds-out-officials-eye-infill-redevelopment/ |
Letters to the editor: Embrace the future;…
Laurie Albright: Election: Embrace the future with Measure 5A
As former BVSD school board officers, we’ve asked the public to approve previous bond measures. Historically, voters have approved those requests, the only source of funding for facilities. Today we urge voters to support our public schools by approving 5A.
This year a group of staff and citizens conducted an extensive evaluation of the district’s facility needs. They recommended that the board ask the public for funding to build two new facilities, New Vista High in Boulder and a new school in Erie, to fund ADA improvements in playgrounds, and to fund new high school and middle school career and technical education (CTE) programs. Additionally, the group recommended that Arapahoe Ridge High School be expanded to facilitate more site-based CTE classes. The board subsequently placed 5A on this fall’s ballot.
Facilities require periodic improvements so they will last into the next few decades. If approved, funds will also pay for routine maintenance (i.e., plumbing, HVAC repairs). Preventative maintenance is always better than paying to fix something that’s broken. BVSD relies on local taxpayers to fund these needs.
If 5A passes, an oversight committee will monitor expenditures. We are confident that this group will ensure that the will of the public is honored, just as previous oversight committees have held the district accountable.
Public education requires public support. By voting for 5A, voters will again demonstrate that we embrace the future, that BVSD will maintain these public facilities, and that students and teachers will learn and work in buildings that we are proud of.
Please join us in voting for 5A.
Laurie Albright, Bouder; Jim Reed, Erie; Stan Garnett, Boulder; Julie Phillips, Boulder; Jennie Belval, Broomfield
Maggie Merrill Brown: Election: Marchman will vote true to her word
If you want a State Senator whose vote will be true to her words, a person of integrity who will work for outcomes that benefit you, Janice Marchman is the better choice. Marchman, candidate for the new Colorado Senate District 15, is committed to equally representing the people of every town and city, and rural areas. Because of her experience as both a teacher and vice president of the Thompson Valley School Board, Janice understands the challenges facing schools, teachers and the families they serve. She is an active observer and listener. She knows the people of this district are concerned about quality-of-life issues. These range from affordability to natural disaster prevention and recovery, workers’ rights to protecting services for retirees, and air and water quality, to ensuring personal privacy. She will work to improve things for all of us in District 15. I urge you to check the voting record of Rob Woodward and compare what he says he cares about to how he votes. Then vote for Janice Marchman.
Audrey DeBarros: Transportation: Vote ‘yes’ on Ballot Issue 1C for economic vitality
Commuting Solutions encourages you to vote ‘yes’ on Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C to extend the existing 0.1% sales tax for transportation. Regional multimodal transportation connections are critical for improving the economic vitality and attractiveness of the northwest metro region. Our ability to safely and efficiently move our workforce throughout the county and beyond is contingent upon your approval of Ballot Issue 1C. Without increasing taxes, Ballot Issue 1C will allow Boulder County to continue its good work of expanding access for all — people who drive, ride bikes, transit or walk.
Our region has collaborated with CDOT, RTD, DRCOG and local jurisdictions to create a vision for moving people through multimodal transportation corridor improvements. Corridors like the Diagonal (CO 119), Arapaho (CO 7), U.S. 287 and CO 42 create a network of Bus Rapid Transit/bikeway corridors, in addition to rail. Improving regional connectivity will enhance our ability to attract and retain employers, and employees who travel farther for housing. The sales tax will provide the county with local match funds to compete for new state and federal funding and advance these important corridors.
Approving Ballot Issue 1C will continue improving road safety, provide better and more affordable access for our mobility-limited and senior residents, and improve commuting options for workers, residents, and CU Boulder students/faculty and visitors to communities throughout the county. Developing an effective transportation system that serves everyone preserves what makes Boulder County special. Connecting our county to the rest of the region is necessary if we are to accomplish our climate change, air quality, safety, equity and economic sustainability goals. For more information, please visit, yeson1c.com.
Audrey DeBarros, executive director of Commuting Solutions, Louisville
Molly Brandt: Election: Prop FF will provide lunches to all students
School meal programs can lead to improved health, better grades, higher attendance and increased graduation rates. Federal funding was provided last year, so our public schools could ensure access to school meals to any child who needed one, but the waivers expired.
Molly Brandt, president of Colorado School Nutrition Association, Highlands Ranch
Barry Aaron: Library district: Continue funding libraries from sales tax
Boulder’s 2023 budget is $515.4 million. In addition to our many necessary and worthy funded projects and resources, the City Council always manages to throw a few million bucks here and there for what I view as some frankly dubious projects. Our library is an award-winner and clearly one of the crown jewels of Boulder. Why then, I ask, is the city unable, or unwilling, to commit a rather small additional budgetary allotment to it, rather than trying to unload the entire cost onto our already overtaxed property owners (Ballot Issue 6C)? Tell the City Council to do the right thing and continue to fund the library from our very high sales tax revenues — which, by the way, are paid not only by city residents but by all shoppers in the city…
Vote “no” on 6C.
Barry Aaron, Boulder | 2022-10-30T14:06:01Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Embrace the future; Marchman true to her word; supporting economic vitality; free school lunches; keep using sales tax | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/letters-to-the-editor-embrace-the-future-marchman-true-to-her-word-supporting-economic-vitality-free-school-lunches-keep-using-sales-tax/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/letters-to-the-editor-embrace-the-future-marchman-true-to-her-word-supporting-economic-vitality-free-school-lunches-keep-using-sales-tax/ |
Flatirons Habitat for Humanity partners with CU…
(Hasan Abdul-Karim — Courtesy Photo)
From left, University of Colorado Boulder students Shreyasi Mandal, Jarod Concha, Nicholas Arvidson, Rachel Fenn, Ryleigh Taylor, Crystal Gonzalez and Kira Goo shovel dirt Friday during the groundbreaking of the Flatirons Habitat for Humanity house that will be constructed as part of Boulder’s Ponderosa Community Stabilization project. (Hasan Abdul-Karim — Courtesy Photo)
A group of University of Colorado Boulder students on Friday scooped up their first pile of dirt during the groundbreaking for the latest Flatirons Habitat for Humanity home that will be constructed as part of Boulder’s Ponderosa Community Stabilization project.
For the project, Flatirons Habitat will serve as the contractor for the project and will lead the construction while students from CU Boulder’s Solar Decathlon team provide the labor, said Hasan Abdul-Karim, community relations manager for Flatirons Habitat for Humanity. About 10 students did the design work for the carriage-style home, and about 20 students are expected to help build the home.
The foundation is slated to be set next week with framing then starting in early November, according to a news release from Flatirons Habitat for Humanity.
The stabilization project is an effort between Flatirons Habitat and Boulder, which owns Ponderosa Mobile Home Park, to minimize displacement, preserve long-term affordability, replace outdated infrastructure, reduce flood risk to the community and introduce new, energy-efficient affordable housing options, the release said. Both entities are working together to build more than 60 homes at Ponderosa over the next 10 years.
The home CU Boulder students are helping build is known as the “Canopy House” and will be the second structure built as a result of the project, the release said. The first home will be a triplex, which is expected to be complete next year.
The home will be a net-zero energy home, which the CU Boulder decathlon team will use as their entry for an international competition known as the Solar Decathlon, the release said. It will include a garage and 700 square feet of living space and is expected to be complete by March, to then be purchased by a family living at Ponderosa.
CU Boulder students, who have won the solar competition three times, will use sustainable materials and technology to build the state-of-the-art, energy-efficient carriage-style home at Ponderosa, the release said.
“Our mission is to educate the local community on sustainable and energy-efficient building practices,” said Kyle Biega, who is leading the CU Boulder effort, in the news release. “We were excited to collaborate with (Flatirons Habitat) because it gives us the opportunity to leverage their relationship with the local community to communicate our mission.” | 2022-10-30T17:10:27Z | www.dailycamera.com | Flatirons Habitat for Humanity partners with CU Boulder to construct net-zero home as part of Ponderosa Community Stabilization project | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/flatirons-habitat-for-humanity-partners-with-cu-boulder-to-construct-net-zero-home-as-part-of-ponderosa-community-stabilization-project/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/flatirons-habitat-for-humanity-partners-with-cu-boulder-to-construct-net-zero-home-as-part-of-ponderosa-community-stabilization-project/ |
Boulder voters to decide future funding for…
Boulder voters next month will decide whether they want to repeal the city’s existing climate and utility taxes and repurpose them into one climate action tax and if they support the city’s request to allow a debt issuance to help Boulder begin projects earlier if the new climate tax is approved.
On the November ballot, Boulder residents will see two climate-related measures. The first is Issue 2A: the Climate Tax, which is asking voters to repeal the city’s existing climate and utility taxes. If voters approve this measure, the taxes would be combined into one climate action tax that would raise about $6.5 million in the first year. The tax, which would sunset in 2040, designates the money for specific purposes that would help Boulder meet its climate goals. Boulder estimates the tax would result in about $7 extra annually on residential customers’ energy bills, while putting a larger burden on commercial and industrial customers, with additional costs of about $200 and $800, respectively. The city plans to use $1.5 million of the annual revenue to help with wildfire mitigation.
The second related measure voters are being asked to weigh in on is Issue 2B: the Climate Tax Bond. If voters approve Issue 2A — the repurposed climate tax — the city is requesting that voters allow a debt issuance of up to $52.9 million, not to exceed $75 million. This would help Boulder begin projects funded through the new tax earlier. This measure will only move forward if Issue 2A passes.
There are no official organizations campaigning for or against either climate measure, but the Sierra Club-Indian Peaks Group recently endorsed both the climate tax and the bond.
“The city of Boulder has set an aggressive climate strategy with its commitment to be net zero by 2035 and carbon positive by 2040,” according to a news release from the Sierra Club. “The Sierra Club supports these goals and understands that they will require significant resources and revenue. Accordingly, the Sierra Club believes this tax paradigm will be instrumental in supporting climate-resilient policymaking in the city’s future.”
Not all Boulder residents are convinced these measures are the best way to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions.
“For me, 2A triggers a response of ‘Oh no, not again,'” wrote Boulder resident Patrick Murphy in a guest opinion letter he submitted to the Daily Camera. “Fire mitigation, while important, needs a separate budget. 2B triggers the thought, ‘Are you out of your mind?’ Eighteen-plus years and 80+ million dollars of bondage to bad leadership, bad logic and an employee-packed pay roster.”
In his letter, Murphy wrote that by voting against the measures, resident dissatisfaction will be clear.
As election day looms near, Jonathan Koehn, director of Boulder climate initiatives, stressed the importance of having community trust in the way the city will invest the money to support and expand programs like wildfire resilience, air purification initiatives, renewable energy and debris removal if the measures do pass. He added that the city will also begin community engagement events next year if the measures do pass.
“It’s not just what we do but how we actually invest our critical dollars and target those among us who are the most vulnerable,” Koehn said.
A survey conducted by the city over the summer, which included 1,180 responses from Boulder residents ages 18 and older, did show strong support for the climate tax, with 78% saying they’d vote “yes” on the proposed climate tax. Even though the survey centered on Boulder’s original $5 million proposal, the survey did include a question asking whether respondents would support an $8 million proposal in which 71% said they’d potentially or certainly vote “yes.”
Another notable project the funding could support is an update to the Boulder Community Wildfire Protection Plan, said John Potter, deputy director of resource and stewardship for Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.
The plan was last updated in 2007 and includes extensive field data, a compilation of existing fire suppression documents, an analysis of fire behavior across the areas studied and collaboration with various participants including homeowners, Boulder officials and the Colorado State Forest Service.
Potter said the update will identify work the city should be doing or needs to expand such as forest thinning, prescribed grazing, weed management and managing fuels along irrigation ditches.
“With climate change and warming, we’re seeing these more catastrophic events on a more regular basis,” he said. | 2022-10-30T19:56:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder voters to decide future funding for climate-related efforts this Novemberv | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/boulder-voters-to-decide-future-funding-for-climate-related-efforts-this-november/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/30/boulder-voters-to-decide-future-funding-for-climate-related-efforts-this-november/ |
Letters to the editor: Marshall Fire destroyed…
Letters to the editor: Marshall Fire destroyed my home; district opposition didn’t solve problems; vote for America; Bennet is not a statesman
Susan Nedell: Election: Marshall Fire destroyed my home, ‘yes’ on 1A
I live in Louisville — or I should say, I lived in Louisville, until December 30, when the Marshall Fire destroyed my home, along with 1,000 other homes in a few short hours. We know the climate crisis fueled a small grass fire into a massive wildfire. In the intervening months, I’ve also learned there were other factors, such as wood fences that acted as candle wicks, spreading fires from house to house throughout neighborhoods, such as mine.
I can attest to the relatively minor financial costs and planning needed to get these measures done. They pale in comparison to the distress and huge cost of losing a home and all of one’s belongings. I urge you to vote for Ballot Measure 1A, Wildfire Mitigation, which will help make Boulder County communities safer through education, assistance and partnerships to help us understand what to do to make our homes more fire-resistant.
Regina Cowles: Library district: Opposition didn’t solve problems when they had the chance
While opposition to the library district may be small, it is notable that some council members leading the opposition effort formerly presided over the library’s budget during the same period as the library experienced steady decline. For decades, our library has undergone gradual cuts to funding as a result of having to fight for limited dollars in the city’s general fund. Yet some people who hope to block the library from finally securing stable funding did not adequately provide long-term financial stability while they were in charge.
For example, the NoBo corner library took almost 30 years to come to fruition but this year had to close its doors on Mondays due to budget constraints. Demand for our libraries is steady, but the current funding is not reliable. And here we are today.
Libraries require solid, stable funding to weather the whims of the city council, the ups and downs of sales taxes, and other demands on city funds. That’s why library districts work and why Issue 6C is on the ballot this fall.
A diverse coalition of current and former council members, school board members, state legislators, mayors and people support the library district.
Vote “yes” on ballot measure 6C.
Regina Cowles, Boulder
Jim Drevescraft: Election: Make your vote count for America
I live in southwestern Boulder County, almost in Gilpin County. For that reason, I receive the Central City Register-Call, Colorado’s oldest newspaper, when elections are coming up.
I was amused at the comparison of the two pages opposite one another, one from the Democratic Party, one from the Republicans. The Democrats stated, “Vote Democratic! Vote a Straight Ticket.” The Republicans were more sinister: “Vote as if Your Life Depended on It.”
Come to think of it, if the party that has given us Trump, McConnell, McCarthy, Herschel, Oz, Giuliani, the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and other fascist entities should prevail in the coming election, our lives and freedoms may damn well depend on it.
I encourage my fellow citizens to recall 1930’s Germany and how well that played out and stop the rightwingers from destroying our republic and our civil rights. Make your vote count for America, not autocracy.
Jim Drevescraft, Nederland
Don Tocher: Election: Bennet is a politician, not a statesman
Sen. Michael Bennet’s campaign advocates for abortion access. I completely agree with this. Mr. Bennet’s opponent, Joe O’Dea advocates abortion restrictions. To me, anyone doing so, is foisting a religious belief on his fellow citizens. And men, in particular, should clam up on abortion restriction arguments.
That said, abortion is not a major issue in the coming elections —particularly in Colorado. Democrats and this newspaper are pushing it, along with anti-Trump drumbeats to divert attention from Mr. Biden’s train wreck of a presidency. First, he declared war on our fuel industry. That’s impaired vision!
Mr. Biden then put forth inflationary bills (COVID relief, BBB and the inapt Inflation Reduction Act) and Mr. Bennet voted for all of them. The senator has been mum on the very unfair and inflationary student debt relief effort as well as the president’s nonchalant border policy.
Mr. Bennet is with most politicians and is not a statesman.
Don Tocher, Boulder | 2022-10-31T13:52:26Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Marshall Fire destroyed my home; district opposition didn't solve problems; vote for America; Bennet is not a statesman | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/letters-to-the-editor-marshall-fire-destroyed-my-home-district-opposition-didnt-solve-problems-vote-for-america-bennet-is-not-a-statesman/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/letters-to-the-editor-marshall-fire-destroyed-my-home-district-opposition-didnt-solve-problems-vote-for-america-bennet-is-not-a-statesman/ |
Munchkin Masquerade, a haunted house, Exotica…
Munchkin Masquerade, a haunted house, Exotica Erotica Ball and other Boulder events for today
Jeremy Papasso/ Staff Photographer
Josh Jackson, as the “Tin Man,” carries his son Leif, as the Scarecrow, while trick-or-treating during the Munchkin Masquerade in 2019 on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. (Photo by Jeremy Papasso/Staff Photographer)
Munchkin Masquerade: Tiny monsters, ghosts, goblins, unicorns, dinosaurs, dragons, fairies, princesses, superheroes, animals and more creatures will take over Pearl Street’s bricks on Halloween for trick-or-treating and general toddler/child/pre-teen tomfoolery. Recommended for children ages 12 and younger; 3-6 p.m. Monday, Pearl Street Mall, Boulder; boulderdowntown.com.
Foothills Haunted House: This Boulder home will be transformed by high school students into a spooky palace with an urban legend theme; 7-11:30 p.m. Monday; 4380 Snowberry Court, Boulder; $7-$8 (cash only at the door); bit.ly/3SUIfRs.
Exotica Erotica Ball: Colorado’s longest-running adult-themed masquerade party will bring the sass to the Riverside for Halloween. Encouraging “naughty” costumes, the ball will feature an evening of entertainment that includes dancing, burlesque, aerialists, kink and fetish stations and a headlining show from Boulder-based cabaret dancers The Jezzebelles; 9 p.m. Oct. 31; The Riverside, 1724 Broadway, Boulder; $35-$100; exoticaball.com.
Unity Samhain Celebration: Samhain, Galic for “Summer’s End,” celebrates the harvest of summer and honors those who have gone before us. It’s a time when the veil between the earthly world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. Participants can bring pictures, stories, letters or a special item that was dear to the loved one. Please bring a seasonal appetizer to share; 7 p.m. Monday, Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St., Boulder; Free; unityofboulder.com.
Slacker University’s Fright Fest Tour: Party like a college kid at this rager that will feature DJs, light shows, bubbles, balloons, fog and all the college party staples. Dress in costume; 9 p.m. Monday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $15-$30; z2ent.com.
Abortion and Contraception Talk at CU: CU Boulder’s Institute of Behavioral Science will present a lecture on “The past, present, and future of abortion and contraception in the U.S, from assistant professor Amanda Jean Stevenson. As a sociologist trained in demographic and computer science methods, Stevenson studies the impacts of and responses to abortion and contraception policy. Light lunch will be served with RSVP; 11:45 a.m. Monday, Institute of Behavioral Science, 155A, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu. | 2022-10-31T13:52:38Z | www.dailycamera.com | Munchkin Masquerade, a haunted house, Exotica Erotica Ball and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/munchkin-masquerade-a-haunted-house-exotica-erotica-ball-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/munchkin-masquerade-a-haunted-house-exotica-erotica-ball-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Boulder, Adams 12 marching bands place at state…
Boulder, Adams 12 marching bands place at state marching championships
The Centaurus High School marching band rehearses in Lafayette on Oct. 26. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Three Boulder Valley School District bands and one Adams 12 band placed in the finals in Saturday’s 2022 Colorado Bandmasters Association State Marching Band Championships at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Both Lafayette’s Centaurus High School and Broomfield’s Legacy High School took second place in the state, in the 4A and 5A categories respectively. Louisville’s Monarch High School won fourth place in 4A, while Boulder’s Fairview High School was awarded eighth place in 5A. | 2022-10-31T23:42:05Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder, Adams 12 marching bands place at state marching championships | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/boulder-adams-12-marching-bands-place-at-state-marching-championships/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/10/31/boulder-adams-12-marching-bands-place-at-state-marching-championships/ |
Letters to the editor: Legalize promising…
Will Van Derveer: Election: Prop 122 would legalize promising mental health treatment
As a Colorado psychiatrist who has treated people with PTSD and depression for over 20 years, I was dismayed to see state Rep. Judy Amabile suggest in her guest opinion, “For mental health, vote ‘no’ on Proposition 122,” that passage of Proposition 122 — which would create the Natural Medicine Services program — would do anything but make a positive impact on Colorado’s mental health crisis. For many Coloradans, passage of this measure could change — and even save — their lives.
Prop 122 creates a state-regulated therapeutic system for adults over 21 to access natural psychedelic medicine under the guidance of a licensed and supervised facilitator at designated healing centers and health-care facilities like palliative care. State health regulators would have the power to study, authorize and regulate treatment, and it would remain illegal to sell natural psychedelic medicines.
Johns Hopkins, NYU, UCLA, and other first-class research institutions around the world are posting groundbreaking results showing psilocybin as effective mental health treatment for those who have exhausted every treatment and lost hope. And clinical trials show that the safety profile of psilocybin is excellent.
The current treatments we have for serious mental health issues don’t work very well for too many people. Those who are struggling and have unsuccessfully tried every pill and therapy out there to cope with their depression and PTSD should have access to the kind of treatment approaches that work for them so they can heal. Fellow Coloradans and their families who are dealing with PTSD and depression, who have tried everything and still continue to suffer, know all too well: the need for access to therapeutic tools, like psilocybin, to resolve these conditions is at a crisis level.
Will Van Derveer, MD, Longmont
Michael Belochi: Library district: District could be an expensive, forced library membership
I own a small business in Boulder, BOCO Cider, and will vote “no” on 6C.
It seems to me that the public library should answer to elected officials and go through the same budget processes as other valuable services. Ballot Measure 6C seeks to make the public library system independent on the backs of renters, homeowners and businesses through increased property taxes. That unnecessarily hurts housing affordability because we already have a great library.
Right now, the public library is a City of Boulder department, similar to police, transportation, parks, etc. The City Council and its staff provide oversight, management and funding. Funding is drawn mostly from sales tax revenues. Ballot Measure 6C seeks to eliminate all that and create a self-governing board funded by a nearly $19 million property tax increase. Commercial properties end up paying 4X the increase as compared to residential properties!
What’s next, should we create an independent district for Boulder Police or street maintenance?
Boulder Library Champions aren’t just good people, they are great people with their hearts in the right place. However, their placement of the library on a pedestal over living affordability and support of small businesses does not work for me. I view it as an eternal, expensive and forced library membership.
Michael Belochi, Boulder
Lynne Popkowski: Election: Weiser has long defended women’s rights
The government doesn’t belong in the examination room with a woman and her doctor. The Dobbs decision made this okay and states have since enforced abortion bans that have put women’s and girls’ lives at risk.
Our Attorney General Phil Weiser has long defended Roe v. Wade and a woman’s constitutional right to a legal and safe abortion.
In a post-Roe world, we need Phil in the Attorney General’s office more than ever, providing an unwavering barrier against the harmful and regressive floodgates opened by the Supreme Court’s recent decision.
I am as grateful to the Colorado state legislature for passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act, and Phil’s pledged commitment to defending it, as I am afraid of his opponent’s declaration of support for the Dobbs decision and thus perhaps ending the constitutional right to legal and safe abortions and all its implications for our communities.
Phil has pledged to sue any county trying to block abortion access and defend any person sued by another state for providing or receiving an abortion in Colorado.
Our rights don’t belong on the auction block to be sold to the highest Republican bidder.
We have witnessed the travesty of forced pregnancy play out in states across the country and seen its devastating impact on girls as young as ten years of age. We must re-elect Attorney General Phil Weiser on November 8 to ensure that Colorado is never among them.
Lynne Popkowski, Littleton
Letters to the editor: Measure 1A’s benefits; principles under assault; CU South hits quality of life; equal flood protection; where to build a campus; Medicare information | 2022-11-01T13:39:08Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Legalize promising mental health treatment; district could be forced membership; Weiser defends women's rights | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/letters-to-the-editor-legalize-promising-mental-health-treatment-district-could-be-forced-membership-weiser-defends-womens-rights/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/letters-to-the-editor-legalize-promising-mental-health-treatment-district-could-be-forced-membership-weiser-defends-womens-rights/ |
Driver set for trial in connection with Pearl…
The driver accused of hitting and killing a person on Pearl Street in April is set for trial next year.
The person — who has been identified as Zachary Taggart, 21, by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office and charging documents — was declared dead at the scene with significant traumatic injuries.
Police found the victim’s cellphone and camping citations naming both Moody and the victim buried in a dirt mound next to the vehicle. Police said the Moody and the victim had reportedly been living together in the car and had been seen together by Boulder and Broomfield police several times in the weeks leading up to the incident.
Detectives applied for a warrant for Moody’s cell phone data, and detectives said call data places the phone in the 4800 block of Pearl Street two minutes before the time the vehicle is seen hitting something on the security footage. | 2022-11-01T18:15:41Z | www.dailycamera.com | Driver set for trial in connection with Pearl Street death | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/driver-set-for-trial-in-connection-with-pearl-street-death/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/driver-set-for-trial-in-connection-with-pearl-street-death/ |
Boulder officer cleared in University Hill…
Boulder police Officer Eric Stephens (Boulder Police Department)
The Boulder police officer cleared of wrongdoing in a shootout on University Hill will return to active duty Wednesday.
According to a letter released by the Boulder District Attorney’s Office Monday, Boulder police Officer Eric Stephens was involved in a shootout with two men on University Hill on Oct. 2. One of the men, Zakiyy Lucas, was shot in the arm and arrested while the second suspect, Garbriel Sharma, was later identified and also arrested.
“We are confident that Officer Stephens’ heroic actions in the face of gunfire that night saved lives and we’re proud of his swift response,” Boulder police Chief Maris Herold said in a statement. “We’re glad the District Attorney’s Office came to the same conclusion based on the facts of this incident.”
One of the officers put a tourniquet on Lucas, who was taken to Boulder Community Health’s Foothills Hospital. According to the letter, a bullet passed through Lucas’ forearm, and doctors could not determine whether Stephens or Sharma shot Lucas. | 2022-11-01T22:15:24Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder officer cleared in University Hill shooting to resume active duty | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/boulder-officer-cleared-in-university-hill-shooting-to-resume-active-duty/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/boulder-officer-cleared-in-university-hill-shooting-to-resume-active-duty/ |
Women’s basketball: Frontcourt duo dominates…
University of Colorado’s Aaonette Vonleh against Adams State on Nov. 1, 2022.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
An undersized Division II opponent in an exhibition game certainly wasn’t the most difficult task for Colorado’s new-look frontcourt.
Nevertheless, on Tuesday night Aaronette Vonleh and Quay Miller offered a glimpse into what they could be together for the CU women’s basketball team this season.
Vonleh scored 20 points, while Miller had a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) as the Buffaloes routed Adams State 75-48 at CU Events Center in the final tune-up for the regular season.
“We have different lineups that we run in practice and different things, but I think those two are really comfortable together,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “Anytime you can have that type of statistical success between two players, yeah I love it. I think our guard play is really strong; I think our post play is really strong this year. We’re still trying to figure out how to jell together. Just new roles, new people, new looks and things like that, but I love our team. I love the pieces we have. I think we have everything we need to be really successful this season.”
Vonleh and Miller will be a key to that success and they were exceptional Tuesday night.
Ten of Adams State’s 14 players are listed at 5-foot-8 or smaller, with only one listed as tall as 6 feet. Given that, it’s not too much of a surprise that the 6-foot-3 Vonleh and 6-3 Miller dominated. Still, it was refreshing for the Buffs to see the duo in action for the first time.
“So far, I think me and Quay have worked really well in practice,” said Vonleh, a sophomore transfer from Arizona. “Finally being able to put that together in a game setting, I think we’ll just keep building off of that as the season goes along.”
(Photo courtesy of Xcel Energy)
University of Colorado’s Tayanna Jones drives on Adams State’s Sharmayne Finley on Nov. 1, 2022.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Vonleh didn’t play much at Arizona last season, but it didn’t take her long to get involved in the Buffs’ attack Tuesday. She scored the Buffs’ first four points and went 10-for-13 overall from the floor.
“It was really refreshing just to finally get all the jitters out in the first game with this team,” she said. “I think (the rest of the team) did a really good job of just being intentional about looking in the post, especially since they knew we had that height advantage this game. Just doing anything to finish the easy layups.”
Miller, who came off the bench during the entire 2021-22 season, and Vonleh were both in the starting lineup, along with senior point guard Jaylyn Sherrod and guards Tayanna Jones and Frida Formann.
Payne said that lineup isn’t necessarily an indication of how the Buffs will start games in the regular season, but it was a group that got CU off to a hot start.
“We need penetrators, we need rebounders, we need defensive players, we need a shooter; things like that,” Payne said. “It’s more of a jigsaw puzzle for a starting lineup.”
Jones made the most of the opportunity, ripping down 16 rebounds (including eight offensive boards) and scoring eight points.
“I didn’t know I had eight O-boards,” she said. “That’s actually pretty impressive. It’s crazy because I was actually trying to get more (rebounds). I was trying to keep going, but it’s definitely something I’m gonna keep on going, keep striving.”
Sherrod had a solid night, with seven points, four assists and no turnovers in 18 minutes. The Buffs also got their first look at a quartet of freshmen, including Jada Wynn, who knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.
Prior to Tuesday, the Buffs had gone through a closed scrimmage against Colorado Mines and had a scrimmage against their practice guys. Now, after the win against Adams State, Payne and the Buffs feel ready for Monday’s opener against New Mexico State. That game tips off at Noon at the Events Center.
“I kept saying before the game I just really can’t believe that basketball season’s here, but it definitely is here,” Payne said. “Really proud of how we played tonight. Exhibition games are not meant to be beautiful. They’re meant to try different lineups, have people play different positions, get people into a uniform for the first time, under the lights in front of people. And I thought we did a lot of good things tonight. So I’m proud of how we played and definitely lots to build upon.”
Colorado 75, Adams State 48
Dominguez 2-6 0-0 5, Nageak 2-9 2-2 6, E. Watson 2-4 3-4 7, Reed 5-9 0-1 10, Davis 0-4 0-2 0, Rael 0-0 0-0 0, C. Watson 1-3 0-0 2, John 0-2 0-0 0, Dossey 2-3 3-4 7, Caldon 1-1 0-0 2, Anitielu 2-5 0-0 4, Finley 2-9 0-0 5. Totals 19-55 8-13 48.
Serrod 2-3 3-4 7, Jones 4-9 0-1 8, Formann 3-8 1-1 8, Miller 4-7 7-8 15, Vonleh 10-13 0-0 20, Sadler 2-8 2-2 6, Fitzgerald 0-0 0-0 0, Holder 0-2 0-0 0, Wetta 1-4 0-0 2, Wynn 2-5 0-2 6, McLeod 0-1 0-2 0, Gerber 0-0 0-0 0, Whittaker 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 29-63 13-20 75.
Adams State 13 13 12 10 – 48
3-point goals – Adams State 2-19 (Finley 1-5, Dominguez 1-4, Nageak 0-4, Davis 0-4, Anitielu 0-2), Colorado 4-15 (Wynn 2-3, Formann 1-4, Whittaker 1-1, Jones 0-2, Holder 0-2, Miller 0-1, Sadler 0-1, Wetta 0-1). Rebounds – Adams State 24 (Reed 5), Colorado 52 (Jones 16). Assists – Adams State 5 (Nageak 5), Colorado 17 (Wetta 5). Steals – Adams State 12 (E. Watson 3), Colorado 14 (Wetta 4). Turnovers – Adams State 17, Colorado 17. Total fouls – Adams State 17, Colorado 16. Fouled out – None. | 2022-11-02T04:48:13Z | www.dailycamera.com | Women’s basketball: Frontcourt duo dominates in Buffs’ exhibition win – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/womens-basketball-frontcourt-duo-dominates-in-buffs-exhibition-win/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/01/womens-basketball-frontcourt-duo-dominates-in-buffs-exhibition-win/ |
The Longest Johns bring sea shanties to the Fox…
British folk group The Longest Johns play the Fox Wednesday. (Courtesy photo)
The Longest Johns at the Fox: British folk a capella group that’s risen to TikTok (and regular) fame with sea shanties, maritime songs and traditional folk tunes play the Fox tonight. Jam to songs like “Drunken Sailor” and “Wellerman,” an a capella cover of a New Zealand whaling song from the 19th century; 8 p.m. Wednesday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $15-$20; z2ent.com.
Remembering our Dead: This event will screen two documentaries that look at the Day of the Dead traditions — “The Art of Remembrance,” by Raúl Paz Pastrana, and “Santune,” by Juan Manuel Díaz and Jorge Ramos. Following will be a panel discussion on Dia de los Muertos. There will also be live music and a performance of the ancient Mexican dance tradition, the Matachines dance. Nonprofit Latino organization El Centro Amistad teamed up with Dairy Arts Center for this event; 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; thedairy.org.
YWCA’s Dancing with Boulder Stars: Local celebrity stars are paired up with a professional dance instructor and will battle it out on the stage at this fundraising dance competition that supports YWCA Boulder County; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $35-$50; z2ent.com.
‘Cheap Land Colorado’ Book Signing: Author and journalist Ted Conover will speak about his new book, “Cheap Land Colorado: Off-Gridders at America’s Edge,” that explores life off the grid in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Boulder Bookstore’s Arsen Kashkashian and KGNU’s Maeve Conran will be in conversation for this live recording; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
Pendulum New Music Presents ‘Tales and Soundscapes’: This concert series that spotlights the creation and performance of new and original works by student composers presents “Tales and Soundscapes,” a production featuring CU Boulder’s contemporary music ensemble Boulder Altitude Directive and guest ensemble CU Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Donald McKinney; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Grusin Music Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org.
CU Archive Show Presents Vintage Films: This historic showcase celebrates film preservation by screening locally preserved films that have been housed by CU Boulder Libraries’ Rare and Distinctive Collections. The selections, primarily recorded on 16mm film, have been digitally archived. Most films are from the early 1940s and include footage of rodeos, parades, mountain excursions, educational pieces and others. There will be music from Rodney Sauer, of Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Muenzinger Auditorium, CU Boulder campus; calendar.colorado.edu.
Open Stage at Velvet Elk: Bring your axe to this open mic in Boulder’s newest lounge that’s hosted by folk-blues singer-songwriter Hunter Stone, who delivers his own songs steeped into the folk storytelling tradition. Sign up for a slot at 7 p.m. and music starts at 7:30 p.m.; 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; velvetelklounge.com.
Craft a Thanksgiving Potholder: Learn to make a Thanksgiving potholder using the Brother Pacesetter sewing machine just in time for Thanksgiving; 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie; Free; mylibrary.evanced.info.
Modern Japan, Pop Culture and Tradition: Learn about Japanese pop culture and create a nengajyo, Japanese New Year’s Card at this event with Yoko Watanabe, an outreach initiative coordinator at Japan America Society of Colorado. She will present some of the latest trends of pop culture in Japan and there will be snacks and drinks. Email Hisako Schibli (hisako.schibli@colorado.edu) with any questions; 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Eaton Humanities, Room 250, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu. | 2022-11-02T17:49:16Z | www.dailycamera.com | The Longest Johns bring sea shanties to the Fox and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/the-longest-johns-bring-sea-shanties-to-the-fox-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/the-longest-johns-bring-sea-shanties-to-the-fox-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
City to conduct several prescribed burning…
City to conduct several prescribed burning projects throughout fall, winter
Boulder Fire-Rescue firefighters conduct a prescribed burn of dense cattails around Teller Lake No. 5 on Monday, April 12, 2021, near Boulder. The prescribed burn was conducted by the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department and Boulder Fire-Rescue to both improve water delivery from the lake through agricultural-use ditches, and improve the breeding habitat for northern leopard frogs. (File photo)
The City of Boulder plans to conduct several prescribed fire-burning projects in the coming months to help improve open space agricultural properties and water-delivery ditches, the city announced in a press release Wednesday.
Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks and Boulder Fire-Rescue are planning to conduct the agricultural burns in several city open space locations, including the following:
• General area of Monarch Road and North 55th Street.
• Northwest of the intersection of Baseline Road and Bluebird Lane.
• Southeast of the intersection of Valmont Road and North 75th Street.
• Northeast of the intersection of Valmont Road and Melissa Lane.
• South of the intersection of Mineral Road and North 71st Street.
• Southwest of the intersection of Arapahoe Road and Park Lake Drive.
• South of the intersection of South Boulder Road and Cherryvale Road.
• Several other small irrigation ditch burns in locations yet to be determined.
Prescribed burns remove vegetation from important infrastructure and help to control plant growth and invasive weed species that could otherwise increase the spread of fires.
Should weather conditions allow for burning to occur, residents of the areas, open space visitors and motorists may see plumes of smoke from city open space agricultural lands. All burns will be supervised and monitored by Boulder Fire-Rescue. More information about prescribed burns can be found at bouldercoloado.gov/services/prescribed-burning. | 2022-11-02T23:01:11Z | www.dailycamera.com | City to conduct several prescribed burning projects throughout fall, winter – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/city-to-conduct-several-prescribed-burning-projects-throughout-fall-winter/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/city-to-conduct-several-prescribed-burning-projects-throughout-fall-winter/ |
CU football notes: Buffs’ DT Jalen Sami…
Colorado defensive lineman Jalen Sami (99) stops Arizona State running back Xazavian Valladay (1) in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
As an individual, however, Jalen Sami has elevated his game. A fifth-year junior defensive tackle from Colorado Springs, the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Sami continues to play high level football in the trenches for the Buffs (1-7, 1-4 Pac-12), who host No. 8 Oregon (7-1, 5-0) on Saturday at Folsom Field.
“This kind of goes to show you that football takes time because he wasn’t playing like how he’s playing now at the beginning of the year,” Chatman said. “All the techniques were new, just the details in it. It’s taken him up into this point. Now when I watch him I’m like, ‘You’ve got it.’
“Extremely humbling,” Sami said of the team honor. “I give my all to the team. I’m a Colorado native. We’ve been through thick and thin. I’ve seen a lot of adversity over my time being here and just how you react is just shows your identity, your character.
“I feel like I played my best game that game. So for this next week, I’m trying to focus on topping that, making that better, making more plays, seeing what I can do to help with this team to win football games. If that starts up front, then I’ll do what I can.”
Prior to last week, receiver Jordyn Tyson didn’t have any punt returns this season. Cornerback Nikko Reed and receivers Chase Penry and RJ Sneed had handled those duties, with Reed being the main returner.
CU loves Reed in a return role, too. In fact, Sanford said, “We feel like we have an X-factor in Nikko Reed. Nikko is a tremendous return man.”
However, Reed also has high value at cornerback and he plays nearly every snap on defense. It’s easier to rotate receivers than corners, Sanford said and it “just made more sense” put Tyson back there. | 2022-11-03T03:28:02Z | www.dailycamera.com | CU football notes: Buffs’ DT Jalen Sami elevating game in second half of season – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/cu-football-notes-buffs-dt-jalen-sami-elevating-game-in-second-half-of-season/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/02/cu-football-notes-buffs-dt-jalen-sami-elevating-game-in-second-half-of-season/ |
Letters to the editor: Colorado should ban…
Sofia Anerousis: Bees: Colorado should ban neonics to protect bees
When I read the recent article, “Colorado’s biggest corporations are investing in saving bees,” about big corporations such as IBM and Google dedicating their time and money to protecting our bee population, I couldn’t help but feel thrilled, because as the article mentions, bees are key players in our ecosystem and are needed to pollinate a lot of the food that we eat every day.
In order to fully protect this crucial species, the state of Colorado should move to ban neonics, which are bee-killing pesticides. These pesticides are widely used. For example, three-quarters of all honey on Earth contain neonics and are causing problems beyond the world of bees.
If major corporations can recognize that bees are so important to us and our everyday lives, then our state legislation should be able to recognize it as well.
Sofia Anerousis, Boulder
Scott Thomas: City Council: Elected officials must be held accountable for votes
Most citizens of our country are upset with the deep political division and the resulting extremist actions that we are seeing in our government. Members of our national congress are pushing radical measures that only serve to divide our country more. The national headlines amplify the radical positions of many, including Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia and Lauren Boebert here in Colorado, but even closer to home we have two Boulder City Council members who last week voted against the interests of our safety.
Last week our city council voted 6-2 to pass the budget to increase encampment cleanups, among other things. But Nicole Speer and Lauren Folkerts voted “no,” even after they heard the testimony of an 11th grader, and a 7th grader — who both did wonderful jobs expressing how unsafe they and their friends feel with all the encampments and the drugs that they believe are being brought to our public spaces.
To ensure that our city and country remain functioning democracies, our elected officials must be held accountable for their actions and the serious impacts of their poor decisions — on all levels.
Scott Thomas, Boulder
Carol Young: Election: Vote for candidates who believe in gun safety
Last month, more than 130 residents of Boulder County watched a very powerful and inspirational story about the life of Gabby Giffords, the Arizona Representative who was meeting with constituents in front of a local Safeway when a gunman opened fire in an assassination attempt on her life. Her story is very inspirational and she continues to this day to work toward sensible gun safety legislation through her organization, Giffords.org. I came away with the hope that every viewer would support common sense gun safety candidates this year.
Then last Monday happened — another school shooting — marking the 40th such school shooting with injuries or deaths in 2022. This is an average of four school shootings every month so far! Are we deaf to such statistics? These are our children — all over the country, in more than 20 states. How can we face our children without demanding laws that keep them safe? The survivors are our friends, neighbors, family — and yet we can offer little more than “thoughts and prayers.” Next month is our chance to act. November 8th is our opportunity to elect officials who have pledged to do their jobs related to gun safety. Please check your election information guides and vote for candidates who pledge to keep our children and our communities safe. Your vote may save the life of a child, educator, or adult who cares for your child. Then spread the word to friends and family in other states. It’s going to take more than a village, but we can make it happen.
Carol Young, Boulder
Joy Barrett: Election: A better deal could be made on CU South
The existing CU South annexation agreement provides, in my opinion, grossly inadequate flood protection for the residents of Boulder. Shockingly, the 100-year flood mitigation agreed to will cost Boulder stormwater ratepayers over $60 million! In addition, the housing that CU will provide under the existing agreement (1,100 units) will not even cover the housing needs of the students, faculty and staff that will be associated with the new CU facility (3,000-5,000).
An estimated 6,300 additional car trips per day will further congest the main highways into and out of South Boulder, U.S. 36 and Highway 93.
I’m concerned about the threatened species living on the CU property, and the noise and light pollution from the 3,000-seat stadium that could be built.
In my opinoin, there are alternatives that could have provided CU with the space they need for their facilities while assuring better flood protection, wetlands protection and less traffic burden to South Boulder. But the only way better alternatives can be analyzed and agreed upon is for voters to repeal the CU South annexation that Boulder City Council approved on an emergency basis last year. I believe that we voters can get a better deal for all, but only by passing Measure 2F. Vote “yes” to repeal this bad deal.
Joy Barrett, Boulder | 2022-11-03T13:08:24Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Colorado should ban neonics; hold officials accountable; vote for gun safety; better CU South deal awaits | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/03/letters-to-the-editor-colorado-should-ban-neonics-hold-officials-accountable-vote-for-gun-safety-better-cu-south-deal-awaits/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/03/letters-to-the-editor-colorado-should-ban-neonics-hold-officials-accountable-vote-for-gun-safety-better-cu-south-deal-awaits/ |
Bonnie and Taylor Sims at Chautauqua and other…
Bonnie and Taylor Sims will perform at Chautauqua Thursday. (Courtesy photo)
Bonnie and Taylor Sims at Chautauqua: Hear some soul-shaking harmonies and powerful songwriting from Longmont husband-and-wife duo. Folk and soul acoustic quartet Sturtz will open the show; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; $22-$25; chautuaqua.com.
Boulder Jewish Film Festival’s Opening Night: Celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary with an opening night at the Dairy, where it will screen “Hallelujah,” a tribute to Jewish singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Through Nov. 13, the festival will show dozens of Jewish films and shorts; 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder; $16; boulderjcc.org.
BETC’s ‘The Royale at the Dairy: It’s 1905, the era of Jim Crow, and African-American boxer Jay “The Sport” Jackson is one fight from making history against the reigning white heavyweight champion of the world. “The Royale” is presented by Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado (BETC); 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $25-$80; betc.org.
‘White Women’ Book Signing: Authors Regina Jackson and Saira Rao will speak about and sign their new book, “White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better,” a no-holds-barred guidebook aimed at white women who want to start dismantling white supremacy; 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
Spafford at the Fox: This jam band that blends rock, funk, jazz, reggae, ska and electro-pop into off-the-cuff extended jams. Boulder jam band Mr. Mota opens the show; 8:30 p.m. Thursday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $25-$30; z2ent.com.
Members of Deadphish Orchestra at Velvet Elk: This Colorado jam band that blends the music of Phish and Grateful Dead will have two of its members, Paul Murin and Brian Adams, performing in the bar; 9 p.m. Thursday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; Free; velvetelklounge.com.
Climate Science, Consequences and Solutions Talk: Astrophysicist and educator Jeffrey Bennett will give a brief overview of the surprisingly simple basic science behind global warming and of the consequences we can expect from this warming and how we can take the steps necessary to envision a “post-global warming” future; 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; $8-$12; colorado.edu/fiske.
Picnic Lunch at Viele Lake: Boulder Atheists are hosting a picnic at Harlow Platts Park. Bring a lunch and a chair or blanket and look for the Boulder Atheist sign. Picnics take place on the first, third and fifth Thursdays of October. Head to Tra Lings if there’s inclement weather; noon Thursday, Harlow Platts Community Park, 1360 Gillaspie Drive, Boulder; Free; boulderatheists.org.
Active Senior Support Group at Unity: Gathering the first and third Thursdays of the month in Fellowship Hall, this group (ages 60 years old and up) will gather for activities and discussions; 2 p.m. Thursday, Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St., Boulder; Free; unityofboulder.com.
Thursdays at Neptune Mountaineering: Head to the shop where speakers will share their latest adventures, staff will give insight on new products, along with training tips and more. Tickets are free but limited to 150 guests; 7 p.m. Thursday, Neptune Mountaineering, 633 S. Broadway, Boulder; Free; neptunemountaineering.com.
Zea Stallings at BOCO Cider: Denver-based musician Zea Stallings will bring his folk and roots songwriting traditions to Boulder; 5 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
CU Boulder Lab Venture Challenge 2022: This event brings the top CU Boulder high-tech ventures and breakthrough innovations to a challenge where finalists will deliver pitches to a panel of business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and intellectual property experts; 6 p.m. Thursday, The Riverside, 1724 Broadway, Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu. | 2022-11-03T18:06:07Z | www.dailycamera.com | Bonnie and Taylor Sims at Chautauqua and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/03/bonnie-and-taylor-sims-at-chautauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/03/bonnie-and-taylor-sims-at-chautauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Guest opinion: Dick Fetter: If you enjoy wine,…
By Gary Garrison | ggarrison@prairiemountainmedia.com | Boulder Daily Camera
By Dick Fetter
As someone who has been involved in many different ways with wine in Boulder since 1977, I would urge you to vote no on 124, 125 and 126, the three propositions related to the sale of wine in Colorado.
These are but the latest efforts to place wine in supermarkets, but, while convenience might be offered as an incentive, the truth is that the sale of wine in supermarkets would take the heart out of sales of the liquor stores and wine shops that have brought the Colorado wine market to the high level it has attained. Supermarkets are not interested in the promulgation of fine wines that come from small producers around the world. Their interest is in what turns over quickly and is the most profitable. This was the prediction of Phil Pringle, then the proprietor of Pringle Brothers in Fort Collins, a few years ago when supermarkets were trying to get beer in their stores and it has come true. I am familiar with many good wine stores that have found how much harder it is now to maintain good staff and interesting wines to offer. The ability for supermarkets to sell wines would further adversely affect the ability of serious wine stores to offer the more interesting wines that they do.
Proposition 124 would also lead to more chain stores in Colorado, immediately increasing the number of chain licenses allowed from three to eight per chain, rapidly increasing further until there is no limit. As pointed out by Duey Kratzer of Mondo Vino in Denver, this would convert Colorado from an independent market with mostly local stores to a chain store market with mostly out-of-state, corporate liquor stores.
Over the years I have been to many supermarkets around the country where wine is sold. While the wines offered are ok, it is hard to find the kinds of wines that make wine interesting and attract so many people to the world of wine. Colorado has come a long way since I wrote a wine column for the Boulder Daily Camera from 1977 to 1984. It has done so because good wine stores, large and small, have offered wine tastings, dinners, seminars, and even trips to wine country to introduce us to the world of wine. These stores should not be swept aside now or have their lives made more difficult by out-of-state interests whose main, if not sole, interest is a corporate bottom line. If you have come to enjoy wine, support the people who brought you here. Vote “no” on propositions 124, 125 and 126.
Dick Fetter is a former wine columnist for the Camera who has been involved with wine importing, wholesale, retail, radio and wine writing in Boulder since 1977.
Gary Garrison | Opinion Editor
I am the opinion editor for the Boulder Daily Camera.
ggarrison@prairiemountainmedia.com | 2022-11-04T12:37:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Dick Fetter: If you enjoy wine, support local shops and small producers | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/guest-opinion-dick-fetter-if-you-enjoy-wine-support-local-shops-and-small-producers/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/guest-opinion-dick-fetter-if-you-enjoy-wine-support-local-shops-and-small-producers/ |
Letters to the editor: Boost charitable…
Izzy Abbass: Nonprofits: Amendment would help organizations raise funds
For more than 70 years, Colorado’s nonprofit organizations, including the Mountain States Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America (MSCPVA), have relied on revenue generated from charitable bingo games to help fund their missions to serve others in need. Since 1973, we have used funds raised from bingo games to support our mission to empower brave men and women to regain what they fought for: their freedom and independence.
I urge everyone to vote “yes” on Amendment F this November 8 and support the important work charities like the MSCPVA do in communities all across Colorado.
Izzy Abbass, president of the Mountain States Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, Aurora
Paul Price: Election: Don’t give away your vote
As registered voters and citizens of the U.S.A., we have a constitutional right to vote. That is a power that each qualifying individual possesses. When we cast that vote, we are delegating our power to a candidate that has the task of representing us. If that candidate is an obvious liar, they should not be given that power or any other power over the citizens of our great country.
Any candidate who professes to believe the obvious lie that President Biden did not win the election in 2020 is not worthy of your vote. What they wish had happened didn’t, because their policies were not palatable to the majority of voters. They lost, and I believe they deserved to lose.
Now they want to regain control over our legislative bodies, both local and national, so that they can continue to craft a new voting system that guarantees they will always win, regardless of the will of the majority of voters. This would make our elections just a sham, not a contest of ideas and solutions for the public to assess.
The message is that we should never give the power of our vote away to liars. Any candidate that is an election denier must be kept out of the halls of government at any level, and similarly, be excluded from any position that has influence or control over the tallying of election results. Don’t give away your ability to make truth matter again.
Paul Price, Boulder
RJ Boyle: Elections: Make Boulder Elections More Accessible
During the 2021 election, I served as the co-lead of Boulder is for People, a group dedicated to tangible policy changes designed to make our community more accessible to all. The importance of this work has only increased in the past year, and today I’m urging everyone to support Ballot Measure 2E, even-year municipal elections.
Looking at Boulder’s election data from 2018 to 2021, we see that in even years, 75% to 85% of eligible voters cast a ballot, while odd-year turnout is only 48% to 50% of eligible voters. More than twice as many Boulderites vote in even years, likely in part because of the number of critical issues they’re voting for at the national level — but they vote on local issues too. And as anyone who has engaged in local elections quickly realizes, local politics can be even more impactful than national politics!
Odd-year elections are especially unrepresentative of demographics we should be seeking to engage. It has been demonstrated that people of color, renters, lower-income people and young people are consistently underrepresented in off-year elections. For example, Boulder election data shows that in the ten most racially diverse precincts in town, there was an average of 56 percentage points difference in turnout from 2020 to 2021.
Moving to even-year elections can help close turnout discrepancies for everyone — but most critically, for places of Boulder’s greatest diversity. Local elections should be taking place in even years alongside national elections to encourage turnout in greater numbers and in a way that more accurately includes and represents all the people that make up this city — especially those who have been left out in the past. Please support this important measure on the November ballot.
RJ Boyle, Boulder
Nicole Speer: Elections: Let’s include more voices in our community
If you still haven’t filled out your ballot or dropped it off at a ballot drop box, you’re in good company. If you’re a worker, caretaker, someone living with a disability, or a parent with school-age children, voting takes time that can be hard to find.
As a working mother balancing two jobs, I know that in even years like this one, the hullabaloo around state and national elections helps voting rise more easily to the top of my must-do list. This is why I convinced a supermajority of my colleagues to put Measure 2E on the ballot this fall, to move our council elections to even years beginning in 2026. With this simple change, we can make it easier for everyone in our city to vote on the leaders who have the biggest impact on our lives.
Right now Boulder elects city leaders in odd years when an average of 17,000 fewer Boulderites turn in ballots. Other Colorado communities like Parker, Castle Rock and Superior elect their city council members alongside national and state races in even years, and their turnout rates in city council races are significantly higher than ours. Turnout in other odd-year elections, like school board, doesn’t suffer one bit from this change: Last fall, Superior voters weighed in on our local school board races at the same rates as Boulder voters.
Boulder’s city council elections have been leaving out the voices of the workers, families and renters who keep our city going in impossible times. We can change that cycle in this election. As you’re juggling the demands of family, work and voting in this election season, I hope you’ll join me in voting “yes” on 2E. Our community works better when more of our voices are included at the ballot box.
Nicole Speer, Boulder
Carolyn Symsack: Senate: O’Dea is not a moderate Republican
Despite many ads portraying Joe O’Dea as a “Moderate” GOP candidate, make no mistake — he will vote the party line 100%. The GOP is throwing millions of dollars into his campaign as the race gets tighter and they would never fund someone that they could not count on to deliver all their agenda items. Look at what happens to any GOPer that defies Trump or Mitch — they are no longer in power or office. NO GOPer can defy the party line without being “canceled.”
Michael Bennet has been known as a moderate, even by George Will’s standards. The Democratic Party is big and messy and has its own fringes, but Bennet has navigated it well. And he understands that democracy allows for disagreement. Not lock step behind the party agenda at risk of being stripped of office. There is only one moderate in this race, and it is not Joe O’Dea.
Carolyn Symsack, Erie
Ali DeJohn: Libraries: Stable funding can help makerspace thrive
When I think about raising my two children in Boulder, now well into high school, our beloved public library holds a series of tender moments. Young story time was a treasured part of our weekly rhythm. (I secretly loved being read to too!) As a brand new reader, my daughter read to dogs, building up her confidence in front of a non-judgmental furry audience. Our weekly pilgrimages to the library to fill their little bags with books were always exciting days. The librarians were wonderful in helping my kids choose books to follow their current interests, which seemed to change often. When the BLDG 61 Makerspace opened, we couldn’t believe the cool workshops that were offered, and how experienced the staff was in guiding project ideas. My teenage son learned to carve logos into coffee mugs and how to use a wood router. Being a maker myself and a champion for creativity, I love seeing how much the library values hands-on learning and the cultivation of purposeful experiences through making. It’s something very close to my own heart.
Currently, our amazing makerspace equipment sits behind a closed door five days out of the week, and the only reason is the lack of stable funding from the city. This valuable resource is at our fingertips, waiting patiently to reopen its doors. This gem of a space can spark all kinds of ideas, launch new businesses and be a place to cultivate creativity for all. We need stable, reliable library funding to make it happen. Measure 6C sets the library on a path like the majority of other library systems in the state, allowing it to grow with the community it serves. Learn more about the library measure at boulderlibrarychampions.org. Let’s do this.
Ali DeJohn, Boulder | 2022-11-04T12:38:02Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Boost charitable gambling; vote carefully; even-year elections; including voices; moderate republicans; funding our libraries | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/letters-to-the-editor-boost-charitable-gambling-vote-carefully-even-year-elections-including-voices-moderate-republicans-funding-our-libraries/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/letters-to-the-editor-boost-charitable-gambling-vote-carefully-even-year-elections-including-voices-moderate-republicans-funding-our-libraries/ |
Irish comedy troupe hits Boulder Theater, a…
Foil Arms and Hog, Ireland’s top sketch-comedy group, will perform in Boulder Friday. (Courtesy photo)
Foil Arms and Hog at Boulder Theater: Ireland’s top sketch-comedy group that features Sean Finegan (Foil), Conor McKenna (Arms) and Sean Flanagan (Hog) are viral video stars who perform on stages across the world. The trio performs a mix of sketch comedy, as offbeat characters and music, with popular YouTube videos including “When Irish People Can’t Speak Irish,” “WTF is Brexit” and “How to Speak Dublin.” This is their only stop in Colorado; 8 p.m. Friday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $37.50; z2ent.com.
Boulder Chorale Channels the Middle East: “Origins: The Fertile Crescent” will highlight Middle Eastern music and Northern African music, including songs by the late Egyptian singer and icon, Umm Kulthum. The Chorale will also perform new arrangements inspired by the music of Israel, Afghanistan, Spain, Morocco and Syria. Percussionist David Hinojosa and world musicians will join. A pre-concert talk is at 3:30 p.m. both days with Vicki Burrichter, who will discuss the challenges of translating Arabic music for a western chorus. Show starts at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; boulderchorale.org
The Boulder Chorale will perform a pair of shows this weekend in Boulder. (Eugene Yen / Courtesy photo)
Cantabile Mixes Art and Song: Cantabile kicks off its new season with a choral concert and a unique collaboration with two local abstract oil painters, Betsy Cole and Melinda Driscoll, in a multimedia experience. “Expression Through Experience” will invite the audience to help create art in response to the music Cantabile sings; 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Sunday; First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder; $5-$25; cantabilesingers.org.
Ars Nova Singers Serenade the Renaissance: Singing a cappella music of the late Renaissance, this show will feature madrigals by Italian composer Carlo Gesualdo. Guest instrumentalists Sandra Wong and Ann Marie Morgan also on the bill; 7:30 p.m. Friday, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1419 Pine St., Boulder; $25; arsnovasingers.org.
Thompson Latin Jazz Ensemble at CU: This group, directed by Victor Mestas, studies music from the Caribbean and South America and its integration and ties with jazz. Hear a mix of Afro-jazz, Afro-Cuban, danzón, salsa, calypso and cha-cha-chá, as well as Brazilian forms such as samba and baião; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grusin Music Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org.
The Addams Family Musical: This is the last weekend to catch the wacky comedy featuring the beloved creepy TV family from the 1960s; 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette; $15-$25; artshub.org.
Feel Good Fridays: Learn about a work of art and then participate in a related mindfulness practice. Meet in the museum galleries in person or virtually via Zoom. No past experience with meditation required. The powerful, guided meditation can undo stress, soothe the nervous system and help you feel relaxed and revitalized; 12:15 p.m. Friday, CU Art Museum, 1085 18th St., Boulder; Free; colorado.edu/cuartmuseum.
Good Music Medicine at BoCo Cider: Boulder-based band Good Music Medicine will crank out the upbeat folk and blues with a combination of classic covers and originals; 6 p.m. Friday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
First Friday Art Walk: This monthly celebration in the NoBo Art District is full of artists, themed galleries, live bands, art demonstrations and sometimes performers and food trucks; 6 p.m. Friday, 4949 Broadway, Boulder; Free; noboartdistrict.org.
Carsie Blanton at eTown: Philly-based singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton will perform her “music with a message” at eTown. Colorado Springs-based singer-songwriter Edie Carey opens the show; 7 p.m. Friday, Etown, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder; etown.org.
Bonnie Lowdermilk Quintet at Caffè Sole: This quintet led by a jazz pianist and vocalist will blast its captivating instrumentals and ballads; 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, Caffè Sole, 637 S Broadway St., Boulder; caffesole.com.
Three Nights at the Fox with Moe: This old-school jam band is hailed for its musical synergy, high-energy live shows and solid songwriting. For three decades the band has been fueled by an impassioned fan base and will jam the roof off the Fox for three nights; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $50-$150; z2ent.com.
‘Grass Acts at Velvet Elk: Denver-based musician Jack Cloonan will bring the disco grass while Ghost Town Drifters will jam the high-energy Rocky Mountain bluegrass; 9 p.m. Friday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $15; velvetelklounge.com. | 2022-11-04T16:23:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | Irish comedy troupe hits Boulder Theater, a trio of chorale concerts and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/irish-comedy-hits-boulder-theater-a-trio-of-chorale-concerts-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/irish-comedy-hits-boulder-theater-a-trio-of-chorale-concerts-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Boulder voters to decide fate of CU South…
Anya Donohue walks her dog, Echo, in the background, at CU South in October 2021. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Boulder voters on Tuesday will decide whether an already-approved annexation agreement with the University of Colorado Boulder moves forward or if it will be tossed out — forcing the city to go back to the table to strike a new deal with CU Boulder.
After years of discussion and debate, Boulder voters will decide the fate of the agreement by voting on ballot issue 2F: the CU South referendum. If approved, this ballot measure would reverse the annexation agreement approved last fall, rendering the agreement null and requiring the city to begin negotiations with the campus again.
The agreement approved in September 2021, annexed a 308-acre site at Table Mesa Drive and U.S. 36 known as CU South, into city limits. In exchange for city services, the campus agreed to give Boulder the land it needs for the 100-year South Boulder Creek flood mitigation project that is expected to protect some 2,300 residents and 260 structures downstream in the area known as the West Valley.
The CU South annexation has long been a contentious issue between Boulder residents as some believe the agreement was rushed and feel the city got the short end of the stick. Those residents, who support this ballot measure, want Boulder to start anew to ensure the city pushes the campus and gets the best deal. Some supporters of the measure also question the city’s decision to move forward with the 100-year flood mitigation plan rather than a 500-year measure.
Other residents, who are opposing the ballot measure, worry a reversal in the agreement would further delay necessary flood mitigation work that many have been waiting on for about a decade.
Leslie Durgin is one of those opposed to the referendum.
“I think that the university and the city worked really hard,” said Durgin, with No Means No More Delay, an organization campaigning against 2F. “People say they could have gotten a better deal, I don’t think so.”
Durgin said she worries about the future of neighborhoods in south Boulder if the ballot measure passes. As the board chair for Frasier, she saw how the 2013 floods impacted clients at the senior living facility, she said. But if the annexation agreement moves forward, Durgin believes the 100-year flood mitigation will be enough to reduce the impacts that washed out homes years ago.
“It will give people time to get out of the way,” she said. “It will improve the situation.”
The organization, Repeal CU South Annexation, which is campaigning in support of ballot measure 2F, has listed reasons on its website for why voters should support the measure and reverse the agreement. The organization said if 2F fails, the agreement will mean increased traffic; larger enrollment at CU Boulder; lack of flood mitigation; loss of open space; potential endangerment of a rare orchid and jumping mice; and worsening impacts from climate change.
Margaret LeCompte, with Repeal CU South Annexation, said she lives less than a block away from Frasier, where her mom was a client during the 2013 floods. Although LeCompte’s home was not affected, she saw how it impacted clients like her mom who needed to be evacuated.
“I have personal experience with this,” she said. “In 2015, I started taking a look at the engineering proposals the city was planning and was pretty horrified that they were full of holes.”
LeCompte said the current 100-year plan is not enough to protect residents who were affected by the 2013 floods. If 2F passes, she does not believe CU Boulder will buck at a longer flood mitigation plan than what was already passed because of its need for city utilities.
If the city is forced back to the dawning board, LeCompte hopes in its next plan, the city considers wildlife at CU South and reexamines the current 100-year project. Then when that’s done, it helps CU Boulder.
“Go back to the drawing board, do it right and consider the floodplain and the best usage you can come up with and consider the gem that is the South Boulder Creek floodplain and preserve it to the best ability possible and then consider CU’s development needs,” LeCompte said.
The Sierra Club-Indian Peaks Group recently announced its endorsements for local measures and is recommending residents vote against 2F, according to a news release from the organization.
“First, we support the annexation of CU South,” the news release said. “It aligns with key Sierra Club policies regarding infill development, affordable housing, community resilience, improved mobility and environmental protection.”
PLAN-Boulder County had the opposite position in its recently announced endorsements and is supporting the ballot measure.
“A “yes” vote on 2F will repeal the poorly-negotiated, one-sided (in favor of CU) annexation agreement passed by (the) City Council last year,” according to a news release from the organization. | 2022-11-05T01:17:25Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder voters to decide fate of CU South annexation agreement | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/boulder-voters-to-decide-fate-of-cu-south-annexation-agreement/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/boulder-voters-to-decide-fate-of-cu-south-annexation-agreement/ |
Boulder voters to decide future election years…
Boulder voters will decide Tuesday whether they want to move City Council elections to even years or keep the cycle the way it is now.
Ballot issue 2E: Even-year elections asks Boulder voters if they prefer to shift City Council elections to even-numbered years to be consistent with the state general election cycle. If the measure passes, the change would begin in 2026 and result in Council members who are elected in the 2023 and 2025 elections serving three-year terms. The mayor elected in 2023 would also serve a three-year term. Local ballot measures could continue on off years.
The idea to consider a charter revision to change City Council elections to even years was a Council priority, agreed upon by the majority in the Council’s annual retreat at the beginning of the year.
Since then, two organizations have formed campaigns for and against the measure.
Proponents, People for Voter Turnout, said the measure would increase voter turnout and allow city leadership to be chosen by a broader, more diverse electorate. Voter turnout is nearly double in even years.
Jill Adler Grano, chair of the organization supporting the measure, did not respond to requests for comment. No other officials with People for Voter Turnout responded to an email sent to the organization’s general email address requesting comment.
During a Democratic Women of Boulder County panel last month, City Councilmember Nicole Speer filled in for Adler Grano and spoke about why she will be supporting the measure.
Speer acknowledged that not everyone has time to follow local elections or learn about the issues being placed on the ballot.
“Here in Boulder, 17,000 (more) people vote on local ballot measures in even years than in odd years — local measures like this one, like the library district, like the climate tax and the CU South referendum,” she said. “There is simply no better way to increase turnout on local elections than to hold them in even years so people are already voting.”
She added that other Colorado cities and towns like Castle Rock, Superior and Parker hold even-year elections for their City Council.
Contrary to Speer’s position on the ballot measure, many other Boulder residents believe the change would harm City Council races by making them “an afterthought,” according to the Save Local Elections website.
The organization argues that if the measure passes, it would ultimately take focus away from local issues and lead to more polarization.
Officials with Save Local Elections did not respond to requests for comment before publication Friday.
At the same October panel as Speer, Boulder Valley science teacher Tina Mueh spoke about why she will be voting against the measure. She told attendees the change to conduct City Council elections on even-numbered years would negatively affect school districts.
Mueh said it’s true that fewer people vote during odd year elections than even year contests. But moving City Council elections to even years would further cut the slim number of voters who do vote during odd years, she contended This could be detrimental to the BVSD school board, which will have four board seats up for election next year, she said.
“Our district stretches from Nederland to Broomfield,” Mueh said. “The reason we have a progressive majority is largely because of the voters in the city of Boulder.
“If we decreased turnout in the city in odd years, that would have dire consequences for our school board. If the overall number of voters in odd year elections goes down, that opens the door for well organized minorities to swing our elections.”
Local organization PLAN-Boulder County recently announced endorsements for local measures, but isn’t supporting the even-year elections ballot measure.
“This radical proposal to change City Council elections to even years (which came with barely a whisper of public discussion) was placed on the ballot by a ‘progressive’ City Council majority seeking to increase their own grip on power,” the organizations said in a news release.
The Sierra Club Indian Peaks Group did endorse the measure, which it said “align(s) with Sierra Club policy goals of shifting political power toward voters and volunteers and supporting equity, social, and environmental justice through the power of the vote,” the organization said in a news release. | 2022-11-05T01:17:31Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder voters to decide future election years for City Council | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/boulder-voters-to-decide-future-election-years-for-city-council/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/boulder-voters-to-decide-future-election-years-for-city-council/ |
Rooney: NCAA Tournament should be final…
University of Colorado Boulder’s Tristan da Silva comes up against Nebraska’s Juwan Gary on October 30, 2022. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
At practice earlier this week, Colorado men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle implored his team to ignore whatever hype they might see on social media following a thorough exhibition win against Nebraska.
It hardly was an unusual request, even for a team picked to finish squarely in the middle of the Pac-12 Conference. No coach wants their team obsessed with headlines before they’ve played a real game, and the Buffaloes certainly have too many question marks to puff their chests out too much heading into Monday’s season opener at home against UC Riverside (6:30, Pac-12 Mountain).
Still, Boyle might not want his guys to read this column. Because the thought here is the 2022-23 Buffs should be an NCAA Tournament team.
Not could. Should.
Despite a sizeable influx of newcomers — transfers J’Vonne Hadley, Jalen Gabbidon and Ethan Wright, two true freshmen, and two redshirt freshmen who missed all of last season due to injuries — this in many ways resembles an ideal Tad Boyle team.
The core group of returnees in the junior and sophomore classes — Tristan da Silva, Nique Clifford, Luke O’Brien, KJ Simpson, Julian Hammond III, Lawson Lovering and Javon Ruffin — all are poised to make significant jumps this season. The Buffs have length, speed and depth, particularly along the wings. Defensively, this team has a chance to be ferocious. If they play D the way Boyle so often preaches, the Buffs will be a problem.
Offensively, even after a poor start from long range last season, the Buffs ended the year as the Pac-12 leader in 3-point percentage (and second in free throw percentage, too). Even after losing the three players most responsible for CU’s long-range prowess, the Buffs could lead the league from three again.
Hadley already has played his way into a likely starting role. Gabbidon is a former Defensive Player of the Year in the Ivy League who can lock down multiple positions. Wright gives CU another long-range threat off the bench.
“The one thing I like about this team is their spirit. Their competitiveness and their energy. Their coachability,” Boyle said. “That’s the thing that really encourages me about this team. The two scrimmages we’ve had have really helped us. They really have. But I take nothing for granted.”
By no means is an NCAA Tournament berth an automatic ticket. The Buffs aren’t UCLA. A lot of ‘ifs’ must fall into place, the continued progress of the aforementioned juniors and sophomores tops among them. CU needs something closer to that entire list taking the next step, not just one or two players. Unless 6-foot-11 freshman Joe Hurlburt gets up to speed in a hurry, front line size and depth will be an issue. The Buffs can’t survive consistent foul trouble from the 7-foor-1 Lovering.
It won’t be a finished product early. Boyle already has warned this group could mirror last year’s team in the sense it may take a while for the new-look rotation to jell. Last year’s team turned in a few ugly performances early before finishing fourth in the Pac-12. This year the Buffs face a tougher early schedule, with a two-week, five-game trip after the Riverside opener that includes what surely will be a raucous atmosphere at Grambling State, a huge measuring stick sort of challenge in Nashville against No. 11 Tennessee, and three games against a tough field at the Myrtle Beach Invitational. There’s a very real chance the Buffs’ record when they return from the beach won’t exactly inspire visions of March glory.
Yet more often than not under Boyle the Buffs have improved as seasons progressed. The returning players were part of a group that did just that last year, and the potential ceiling is higher for this year’s roster — even without Evan Battey and NBA second-round pick Jabari Walker.
One of the highlights of the upcoming season will be Boyle breaking Sox Walseth’s program coaching record of 261 wins (Boyle has 254). Since taking over for the 2010-11 season, Boyle’s teams have suffered a multi-year NCAA drought just once, technically missing the tournament in four straight springs (2017-20) but in reality experiencing a three-season drought, as the 2020 squad would have landed a berth had the tournament not been canceled at the start of the COVID pandemic.
CU returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 but fell short last season. Don’t expect the program to extend the drought this year. | 2022-11-05T01:17:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Rooney: NCAA Tournament should be final destination of ’22-23 CU Buffs – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/rooney-ncaa-tournament-should-be-final-destination-of-22-23-cu-buffs/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/04/rooney-ncaa-tournament-should-be-final-destination-of-22-23-cu-buffs/ |
Guest opinion: Betsy Markey: Trust in those who…
By Betsy Markey
In Colorado, we’ve now surpassed pre-pandemic unemployment levels and our economy has had one of the fastest and strongest recoveries in the nation.
With a possible recession on the horizon and certainly more trying times, Colorado cannot afford chaotic ideas from an unproven candidate who seems to focus more on conspiracy theories than solutions.
We need a pragmatic leader who refuses to get bogged down in politics. We need a leader who gets the job done. Governor Polis is that leader. Colorado needs his no-nonsense approach to guide Colorado’s economy through these next challenges.
During the pandemic, he proved that the government can move quickly to provide critical relief while taking action to recover and grow our economy.
As businesses continue to feel real pressure from global inflation, Governor Polis is not stopping there. His administration is moving to sustain our growth and build a more resilient economy in every corner of the state.
We need aggressive action, and the Polis administration is bringing it. From healthcare to housing to education, they’ve shown from day one that they can cut major costs burdening working- and middle-class Coloradans.
In his first year as Governor, Jared Polis secured free kindergarten for every child in Colorado. Now, with free universal preschool, Colorado families will save $10,000 while kids get a great start to school.
Last year, Colorado issued more permits for new housing construction than any of the past 20 years. This year, the state built on that progress with a monumental, bipartisan $428 million investment into creating affordable housing.
Democrats also eliminated taxes on Social Security, created a child tax credit for Colorado families, and doubled a cost-of-living tax credit while closing corporate tax loopholes. This year, they worked across the aisle to double down on tax relief, saving Coloradans $1.1 billion total on their property taxes and expediting a $750 refund for every Colorado taxpayer. Anyone can make big promises on cost relief, but Democrats are delivering.
Colorado has some of the lowest income tax rates in the country and Governor Polis is ensuring that Colorado’s tax environment remains one of the best. Our 23-cent gas tax is in the bottom third of all states, our property taxes are the third lowest in the country, and overall, Colorado’s taxes on the average household are the ninth lowest in the country.
While it’s vital that Colorado leaders take every opportunity to help Coloradans keep the money they earn with short-term and long-term relief, true economic resilience also comes from good jobs and healthy small businesses.
Colorado is digging our way out of the pandemic with the second-strongest economy in the nation, but this is no time to let up. Actually, the opposite.
If the past few years have taught us anything, it is that our next challenge is always waiting just around the corner. We need resilience, and Democrats are finding it on Main Street.
Governor Polis, a businessman and an experienced policymaker, is cultivating a friendly business environment — bringing new industries, new companies, and new jobs to Colorado every year while our flagship industries continue to expand.
Colorado ranks fourth in the country for its business environment, and it’s easy to see why — our state is also ranked as offering some of the best education in the U.S.
Governor Polis knows that we need a highly qualified and dynamic workforce that companies will take advantage of. While K-12 education is critical, we must also make higher education more affordable and create more pathways to job certifications and degree programs to accelerate careers.
Governor Polis is also focused on homegrown jobs, making it free to start a new business by eliminating filing fees and putting small businesses on solid footing with crucial relief from sales and property taxes.
They also see opportunities for growth and resilience in rural communities. Rural economic development got a huge boost under the Polis Administration, helping to spur business creation and downtown revitalization. Programs like Just Transition are also helping coal communities diversify their economic opportunities as the country works to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Governor Polis’s package deal of growth and affordability offers relief, recovery and resilience to Colorado as we leave the pandemic behind. Republicans’ package deal of chaos and culture war offers nothing for Colorado families.
The future is uncertain, but Governor Polis and Democratic state leaders are determined to see us prosper through perilous times with a steady hand and innovative solutions. Whatever comes next, Colorado workers and Colorado businesses will be ready.
Betsy Markey is a business leader who has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representative for the 4th District of Colorado. | 2022-11-05T14:24:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Betsy Markey: Trust in those who have gotten us through our hardest times | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/guest-opinion-betsy-markey-trust-in-those-who-have-gotten-us-through-our-hardest-times/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/guest-opinion-betsy-markey-trust-in-those-who-have-gotten-us-through-our-hardest-times/ |
Letters to the editor: Democratic bonds;…
Mark Van Akkeren: Election: Strengthen the bonds of our democracy
What do the ACLU, Colorado Working Families Party and New Era Colorado have in common? What about Better Boulder, Boulder DSA and the Sierra Club? And Boulder County Young Democrats and CU Student Government? We can keep this theme going with NAACP Boulder County, the Daily Camera, Boulder Weekly and Yellow Scene Magazine. And what if you then threw in a host of current and former elected officials, including six current members of Boulder City Council? What do these wide and diverse voices all have in common?
They’ve all endorsed “yes” on ballot Measure 2E, an act that would move Boulder City Council elections to even years.
They’ve endorsed 2E because they understand that nearly doubling the number of voters participating in local elections creates a stronger, more representative democracy. They understand the value those additional voices add to our community discourse. They understand that voting makes citizens invested in and attentive to government and it makes government invested in and attentive to the voters. The more voters there are, the stronger the bonds that hold our democracy together.
So please join me, and join with these many progressive organizations and leaders, in supporting ballot Measure 2E. Democracy needs us.
Mark Van Akkeren, Boulder
David Stolz: Election: My idea of America has been upended
I get to this place watching an hour of Ari Melber and the first of Joy Reid. But, of course, it’s more than that. It’s reading and just taking in current events, local and otherwise.
But it’s never been so important to take in national politics. It used to be less important who was a senator or president. Now the direction of policy comes from on high, and not just policy, but culture as well; the attitudes that influence identity, health, what we read and watch, our feelings about safety and the continuity of norms and community.
In my 80 years, there’s never been such an upending of my idea of what America is as now. I could make a list of the things. Trump leads it of course, but candidates running for office on the GOP side highlight the in-your-face contempt for honesty, personal ethics and civic commitment to democratic values that I thought used to underlie even those, such as Nixon, who were criminal, but who still observed democratic standards we expected, such as the graceful transition of power.
Trump led the field of hundreds of years and 44 American presidents to be so craven and deceitful as to deny our nation that tradition of a presidential transition. His frailty couldn’t allow defeat.
And now scores of candidates in his cult running for office are openly hostile to this basic ethic of democracy: that who wins the vote takes office. This is beyond comprehension.
So I’m mindful we’re on the edge of being ruled by tyrants. What this means is beyond me. But it could mean insolvency, no medical benefits, book bannings and violence.
There’s never been a midterm I cared more about. Midterms used to be a nothing-burger.
Can you remember that?
David Stolz, Lafayette
Chris Lessard: CU South: Many reasons why 500-year mitigation wouldn’t work
Some people mistakenly believe that the existing South Boulder Creek flood mitigation plan is inadequate and needs to be redesigned. I would like to help clarify why a redesign to accommodate 500-year flooding is simply not a feasible plan.
This primarily hinges on the existing CDOT bridge which has design limits around flow rate and the clearance of water under the bridge which the 500-year design would exceed. Additional reasons 500-year flood mitigation remains next to impossible follow.
1) No project can be permitted than will increase flooding downstream. City staff has shown that the 500-year design plan would increase flows north of U.S. 36 during such a flood. To even begin down the path of the 500-year plan, the increased flows would need to be modeled, impacted landowners would need to approve and the federal government would need to certify the proposal. This approval process would add years to the project that our at-risk neighbors simply don’t have.
2) Traffic disruption. Even if the project was practical and the years-long approval process went smoothly, taking each half of the highway out of service for upward of a year will inevitably cause terrible morning and evening jams for commuters.
3) The costs of redesigning and rebuilding the bridge to increase flow capacity would, I believe, cost the city tens of millions of additional dollars.
Unfortunately, it seems they lack the understanding as to why the 500-year design is unrealistic, impractical and inequitable. We need to move forward with urgency on the existing flood mitigation plan. Lives count on it! Visit NoMeansNoMoreDelay.org to better understand the reasons why the annexation agreement and existing South Boulder Creek flood mitigation project is the best path forward. Please vote “no” on 2F!
Chris Lessard, Boulder
Debra Jensen: CU South: Campus is more than South Boulder can handle
I live in the HyView neighborhood in South Boulder, far and above any floodplain area. My house flooded in 2013 because the ground was so incredibly saturated, below ground level, that it was as if my house was on a huge wet sponge, so water seeped in anywhere it could.
There is a hot topic on the ballot this year that unfortunately combines CU developing a third campus on 308 acres of riparian wetlands called, CU South, with flood mitigation for the residents of Frasier Meadows. Many people located in the floodplain think that the only way they can receive flood mitigation is to support CU’s new campus. The problem is that the flood mitigation they will receive from this development is a large wall along a small portion of 36. The 2014 study by FEMA and the city of Boulder determined that the South Boulder Creek main stem (through the wetlands of CU South) only contributed 30% of the flooding waters. So, all Boulder residents will be paying for a wall that may only contain 30% of flood waters to Frasier Meadows. All those residents in the floodplain could still be flooded in the next big storm like we had in 2013. In my opinion, this flood mitigation plan is not sufficient. Don’t feel like your hands are tied and that you have to support CU’s third campus just because you want some flood mitigation. The plan for this third campus includes 750,000 square feet of non-residential academic buildings, a potential 3,000 person stadium and approximately 1,000 housing units, which, in my opinion, is more than the South Boulder area can handle.
Please vote “yes” on 2F for a better plan and a better future for South Boulder.
Debra Jensen, Boulder
Bonnie McDermid: Election: Woodward voted ‘no’ on things that matter most
I cannot ignore a campaign flyer in my mail from Rob Woodward’s state Senate District 15 campaign as I cannot forget he supported the Thompson School District School Board reformers.
I cannot believe that Woodward’s claims of working across the aisle are sincere. He voted “no” on the things that matter to me most, including women’s rights (abortion), free school lunches for students, equal pay for women and has not been supportive of public education here in Loveland. His voting record aligns with the conservative and religious agendas that we shouldn’t want in Colorado.
Woodward’s opponent, Janice Marchman, an educator and former Thompson School District board member, understands students and families, their needs, school finance, curriculum and laws. She wants what is best for all students, not conservative and restrictive political agendas like her opponent does.
Please vote for Janice Marchman, Senate D15, a senator that will represent all students & teachers.
Bonnie McDermid, Loveland | 2022-11-05T14:25:22Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Democratic bonds; American ideas; mythical flood mitigation; a big new campus; Woodward's voting record | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/letters-to-the-editor-democratic-bonds-american-ideas-mythical-flood-mitigation-a-big-new-campus-woodwards-voting-record/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/letters-to-the-editor-democratic-bonds-american-ideas-mythical-flood-mitigation-a-big-new-campus-woodwards-voting-record/ |
Upslope’s 14th anniversary party and other…
Jeremy Papasso / File photo
Gabe Moreno laughs with friends while enjoying a craft beer at Upslope Brewing in 2018 in Boulder. The brewery will celebrate its 14th anniversary with a party Saturday.
Upslope Brewing Anniversary Party: Celebrate the local brew pub’s 14th birthday at the Flatiron Park brewery’s back parking lot, tap room and patio for a big bash full of live music, games, food trucks and lots of beer (including vintage favorites); 2-8 p.m. Saturday, Upslope Brewing Company, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Boulder; upslopebrewing.com.
Boulder Chorale Channels the Middle East: “Origins: The Fertile Crescent” will highlight Middle Eastern music and Northern African music, including songs by the late Egyptian singer and icon, Umm Kulthum. The Chorale will also perform new arrangements inspired by the music of Israel, Afghanistan, Spain, Morocco and Syria. Percussionist David Hinojosa and world musicians will join. A pre-concert talk is at 3:30 p.m. both days with Vicki Burrichter, who will discuss the challenges of translating Arabic music for a western chorus. Show starts at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; boulderchorale.org.
‘A Life of Giving’ Book Launch: Narayan Shrestha, a local author and owner of the Old Tibet store on Pearl Street, is celebrating the release of his autobiography. The book tells the true story the man from Nepal who arrived in the U.S. with limited English and $500. Through struggles of prejudice, possible deportation and family matters, he fought through barriers to find success; 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Superior Community Center, 1500 Coalton Road, Superior; superiorcommunitycenter.com.
Sugarloaf Craft Fair: This fair benefits the volunteer Sugarloaf Fire Protection District and will have goods from local artisans, silent suction and bake sale; 10 a.m. Saturday, Sugarloaf Fire Station 2, 1360 Sugarloaf Road, Boulder; slfpd.org.
‘The Story of Us’ Book Signing: National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins will speak about and sign her new book, “The Story of Us,” a retelling of the biblical redemption story; 11 a.m. Saturday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; boulderbookstore.net.
Mount Sanitas Hike: Join a naturalist on a hike to discover Mt. Sanitas’ follies, falcons, flakes and formations. Over three rocky miles, participants will gain about 500 feet and learn some of the history, traditions and geology of one of Boulder’s most interesting parks; 1 p.m. Saturday, Centennial Trailhead, 301 Sunshine Canyon Drive, Boulder; bouldervalley.augusoft.net.
Graphic Novel Launch: Join comics creator R. Alan Brooks, along with artists Kevin Caron and Jolyon Yates, to celebrate the release of the new graphic novel, “Anguish Garden Book II.” The creators will do some live drawing, answer questions and talk about how they created this book. First 50 people get a free copy; 6 p.m. Saturday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; thedairy.org.
Grant Livingston at VisionQuest: Jam to some folk Americana tunes while sipping on beers like Soccer Mom Hibiscus Pale Ale or Highland Hillbilly; 6 p.m. Saturday, VisionQuest Brewery, 2510 47th St., Suite A2, Boulder; visionquestbrewing.com.
Singer-songwriter Trio at BOCO Cider: Boulder-based singer-songwriters Jon Leopold, David Yun and Spencer York each pull from various musical influences, including Chris Martin, Thom Yorke, Jeff Buckley, Matt Healy, Eddie Vedder and The Beatles; 6 p.m. Saturday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
The Sweet Lillies at Velvet Elk: Hear the sweet sounds of this Boulder-based Americana bluegrass trio, made up of classically trained musicians; 8 p.m. Saturday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $15; velvetelklounge.com.
Cory Wong at Boulder Theater: This Grammy-nominated jazz-rock-funk musician headlines the stage with bluegrass singer-songwriter Sierra Hull and Robbie Wulfsohn, frontman of Ripe, opening the show; 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $32.50-$37; z2ent.com.
Francis and the Wolf at Southern Sun: Longmont-based rock band brings the live tunes to the Southern Sun; 9 p.m. Saturday, Southern Sun, 627 S. Broadway St., Boulder; mountainsunpub.com. | 2022-11-05T14:25:34Z | www.dailycamera.com | Upslope’s 14th anniversary party and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/upslopes-14th-anniversary-party-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/upslopes-14th-anniversary-party-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Power outage: Fairview football’s wild…
Fairview nearly erased three-touchdown deficit in final 9:02
Fairview’s Josh Zhang makes a tackle against Chatfield Friday, November 4, 2022.
The power went out at Christian Recht Field midway through the second quarter of Fairview’s first round playoff game against Chatfield Friday night.
Later, the lights went out on its desperate comeback bid in the fourth.
The No. 19 Chargers surged after the 22-minute delay, but needed a late stop to upset No. 14 Fairview in the Class 5A opening round, 28-20.
Before that, the Chargers had looked squarely in control.
After the power outage, the reigning 4A champs were rolling. They’d forced a punt immediately after the pause and scored twice in the final 33 seconds before halftime to take a two-touchdown lead.
They ran off 28 straight after star linebacker/running back Zach Lewis rushed for his 14th TD of the season with 11:16 left in the second. And it almost wasn’t enough.
A rough opening round loss concluded a stellar season for the Knights, who lost their elite sophomore quarterback Bekkem Kritza to California but responded with a 9-1 regular season and a 5A League 3 title.
Fairview’s Zach Lewis runs through Chatfield defenders Friday in Boulder. (Brent W. New/BoCoPreps.com)
Lewis was a big reason why. He crossed 1,000 yards on the ground Friday, finishing with 98 on 21 carries. At the same time, he showed why he’ll continue to be a sought-after linebacker at the next level. Setting up the TD drive, he busted through the Chatfield line on third-and-short, forcing a punt.
Lewis came into the night as the only player in the state with more than 100 tackles and 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He currently has offers from Coastal Carolina and San Diego.
A happier sendoff would have been fitting. Tied at 7, Brock Narva caught a 54-yard touchdown from Jake Jones to cap off a 50-second, 96-yard drive to give Chatfield its first lead.
After an onside kick recovery, Jones had a 1-yard TD rush around the right edge with 5 seconds left in the second and the quarterback threw his third TD of the night on the first possession of the third.
During the previous power delay, fans that’d braved the icy temperatures scrambled for their camera flashlights. The away side chanted over to the home students, who accurately replied “We can’t see you. We can’t see you.”
It was fun in the dark for the Knights. Then nearly a party under the lights.
Nearly.
Chatfield will travel to No. 3 Ralston Valley next week. | 2022-11-05T18:38:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | Power outage: Fairview football’s wild comeback ends in first round loss – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/power-outage-fairview-footballs-wild-comeback-ends-in-first-round-loss/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/power-outage-fairview-footballs-wild-comeback-ends-in-first-round-loss/ |
Rooney: No. 8 Oregon toys with CU Buffs in…
Oregon’s Bo Nix scores a touch down against Colorado in Pac-12 football on Nov. 5, 2022.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Last week’s home loss against Arizona State gave the Colorado football team a sense of the sizeable gap between the Buffaloes and even the other also-rans in the Pac-12 Conference.
Saturday’s loss against No. 8 Oregon showed the Buffs are barely playing the same game as the top college football programs in the nation.
The penultimate home game of the season unfolded predictably, with the Ducks dominating all facets of the game while handing the Buffs a 49-10 defeat at Folsom Field. The result was no surprise. The Grand Canyon-like chasm between the Buffs and the nation’s elite, however, was jarring.
Oregon was so confident in its status as 31.5-point favorites that the Ducks reached deep into the playbook to cap easy touchdown drives with trick plays, getting a touchdown catch from an offensive lineman, a running back-to-quarterback touchdown pass and handing off to a linebacker for another.
Colorado, meanwhile, couldn’t even execute a snap consistently, putting the ball on the ground five times in the standard short-shotgun formation. Losing by 39 points probably was a result Buffs fans could stomach against the No. 8 team in the country, ugly as it was. Yet watching the team devolve into a comedy of Pee Wee-level mistakes isn’t what anyone wants to see down the stretch of a lost season.
Even if the results haven’t been there since the Buffs somehow managed to eke out a lone win against California three weeks ago, CU indeed had played better in general since firing former head coach Karl Dorrell on Oct. 2. The defense has hit harder and made more impact plays. The offense has functioned more efficiently, even if that comparison is from an incredibly low bar set during CU’s 0-5 start.
Saturday’s effort was a step backward.
A season-high total in yards (367) was offset by the snap miscues, three turnovers, and ill-timed penalties. CU racked up just 47 penalty yards but, in typical Buffs fashion, they managed to pick up almost half of that total at a critical juncture. Oregon led 28-7 at halftime, but CU put a march together to start the second half, getting a 27-yard run from Alex Fontenot to set up a first down on the Oregon 17-yard line.
However, a post-play personal foul on Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, followed by a false start, pushed the Buffs back to the 37-yard line and left them lucky to salvage a field goal. CU’s next two offensive possessions ended in interceptions by old friend Christian Gonzalez, and the rout quickly escalated.
Granted, in this case that sequence may not have been as consequential as a similar scenario would have been against, say, Cal. The Ducks had the feel of a team simply toying with the Buffs for most of the afternoon. Yet it illustrated the expansive gulf between the reeling Buffs and a team trying to play its way into consideration for the College Football Playoff.
Saturday’s effort also showed the good vibes that briefly surrounded the Buffs when Mike Sanford took over as interim head coach quickly are dimming. Gonzalez showed the Buffs what they lost out on when he hit the transfer portal. To add insult to injury, freshman receiver Jordyn Tyson — a breakout star of the past few weeks — suffered what Sanford said was a significant left leg injury late in the second half.
That erosion certainly isn’t the fault of Sanford, who has done a commendable job of keeping an overmatched football team together in downtrodden times. But those times only get tougher down the stretch, with the Buffs hitting the road the next two weeks to face No. 9 USC and Washington, which could be ranked this upcoming week as well, before finishing at home against No. 12 Utah.
Football traditionally is a copycat sport. But unless one of those marquee foes starts taking a page out of the Buffs’ attack by consistently fumbling snaps, CU will keep inching closer to its second one-win campaign in the past 10 full seasons. | 2022-11-06T03:56:52Z | www.dailycamera.com | Rooney: No. 8 Oregon toys with CU Buffs in predictable rout – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/rooney-no-8-oregon-toys-with-cu-buffs-in-predictable-rout/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/05/rooney-no-8-oregon-toys-with-cu-buffs-in-predictable-rout/ |
Boulder Chorale channels Middle Eastern music…
Boulder Chorale performs Sunday. (Boulder Chorale / Courtesy photo).
Boulder Chorale Performs Middle Eastern Music: “Origins: The Fertile Crescent” will highlight Middle Eastern music and Northern African music, including songs by the late Egyptian singer and icon, Umm Kulthum. Percussionist David Hinojosa and world musicians will join. A pre-concert talk is at 3:30 p.m. with Vicki Burrichter, who will discuss translating Arabic music for a western chorus. Show starts at 4 p.m. Sunday; First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; boulderchorale.org.
Managing Houseplant Pests: This free educational workshop will teach attendees the basics of identifying and treating houseplant pests; 1 p.m. Sunday, Terracotta, 2005 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; topterracotta.com.
‘Mary Poppins’ at The Spark: One of the most popular Disney movies of all time comes to stage as a musical. Nanny Mary Poppins takes children Jane and Michael on many magical and memorable adventures; 1 p.m. Sunday, The Spark, 4847 Pearl St., Suite B4, Boulder; $18-$34; tickettailor.com/events/thespark.
Boulder Friends of Jazz Jam Session: Come listen, dance or play at this event that will feature vintage jazz from the 20s, 30s, and 40s; 1 p.m. Sunday, Avalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; $2-$10; 303-449-1888.
The Beloved Invaders at BOCO Cider: Colorado instrumental surf band plays originals and covers of classic and modern surf tunes; 4 p.m. Sunday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Cantabile Mixes Art and Song: Cantabile kicks off its new season with a choral concert and a unique collaboration with two local abstract oil painters, Betsy Cole and Melinda Driscoll, in a multimedia experience. “Expression Through Experience” will invite the audience to help create art in response to the music Cantabile sings; 3 p.m. Sunday; First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder; $5-$25; cantabilesingers.org.
Hawaiian Hula Classes: Boulderite Miriam Paisner, who lived in Hawaii for 20 years and holds a master’s in dance ethnology, with a Polynesian dance focus, teaches a weekly hula class where drop-ins are welcome; 5 p.m. Sundays, Boulder Ballet Studio 3 at Dairy Arts Center; $20-$75; hulamaunakomohana.weebly.com.
Raised on Ronstadt: Catch the final performance of this show that Colorado creative GerRee Hinshaw wrote and performs in that follows one woman’s journey to self discovery through the sounds of her childhood; 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Local Theater Company, eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder; $12-$40; localtheaterco.org.
Moe at the Fox: This old-school jam band wraps its three-night stand in Boulder Sunday with a 6:30 p.m. show, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $50-$150; z2ent.com.
Lapompe at Chautauqua: Groove to some vintage swing with this Denver-based group that combines rustic gypsy swing with vintage blues. Boulder native and virtuosic alto-sax player Jeremy Mohney will also perform; 8 p.m. Sunday, Chautauqua Auditorium, 198 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder; $17-$20 chautauqua.com.
Dave Abear at Mountain Sun: Sip on a local craft and listen to some Jerry Garcia Band favorites from this local musician; 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, 1535 Pearl St., Boulder; mountainsunpub.com. | 2022-11-06T18:58:22Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Chorale channels Middle Eastern music in concert and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/boulder-chorale-channels-middle-eastern-music-in-concert-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/boulder-chorale-channels-middle-eastern-music-in-concert-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
By Stacy Cornay |
I found myself doing it again. Staring at a shelf trying to decide what to buy. The clock was ticking in my head as I tried to make a decision, any decision. Recognizing that I wasn’t getting anywhere I spun around only to find another person right behind me. Also trying to see the shelf. I quickly apologized and noted that I’m a Libra. She laughed and said she was too. Then we laughed and laughed together. Why?
Stacy CornayCommunication Concepts
Because Libras know that making decisions, for a Libra, is often fraught with anxiety.
It’s an insider’s joke. Had I turned around and confronted a Taurus, for instance, the response wouldn’t have been the same.
Insider jokes, phrases, words and references link people together. It is comforting to know that we are connected to others through common experiences. It shows that we are related in some fashion. But, should you use inside jokes in your marketing? It depends.
One of the most common examples is generational. Music, certain references, celebrities and others will remind particular generations of times past, or times present. They are designed to connect with pleasant memories and good experiences. However, audiences may not get the references, and thus fail to connect with your messaging.
I know I am missing the point of some advertising, but that’s because I’m not familiar with the references.
I do enjoy one of the auto-maker’s Heisman House campaign. I recognize the players featured and like the way they’ve created an ongoing storyline that highlights their product. It’s entertaining. Some of my friends don’t think they’re so great though. They don’t recognize the Heisman players, and a few don’t really even like football. They are not amused.
The key factor to successful campaigns of this nature is having an affinity for your target audience(s). If you are using a laser focus to reach specific groups, then this may be a good tactic to get attention. If not, remember that you could lose part of your audience if your insider knowledge isn’t recognized. For instance, the auto maker runs these particular commercials during football games. They have other ads in other places designed to connect with different audiences.
Many businesses don’t have that type of budget. What do you do? Keep abreast of current trends as they impact your customers and clients. Know what is relevant to them and what isn’t. Do your market research to understand where your audience(s) are, how to most effectively reach them, and how they are wired (as much as possible). Ask them. Seek feedback through focus groups, surveys, stakeholder meetings, evaluations and simply conversation where possible.
Recent studies indicate that successful marketers are more than 200% more likely to report conducting audience research at least once per quarter. So, researching your target audience is a must.
It’s a gateway to relating to your audiences in a more meaningful way.
Really, it comes down to the idea that Jay Baer explored in his book, Youtility. “What if instead of trying to be amazing, you just focused on being useful? What if you decided to inform, rather than promote?”
Target audience research is a way of turning the spotlight away from your interests and on your audiences’ needs. Surveys, customer interviews, and other forms of feedback help to laser-focus on the connection between your audiences’ problems and desires and your ability to help solve them.
How you conduct your research depends upon your overall goals, needs, timing and budget. If you’re engaged in this already, good for you. If you aren’t, start small. But start.
And to my fellow Libras, I get you. Really.
Stacy Cornay is the owner of Communication Concepts Public Relations & Advertising. She may be reached at 303-651-6612; scornay@comm-concepts.com; www.comm-concepts.com; Facebook.com/Communication Concepts; Twitter @CommConceptsPR; or LinkedIn.
Communication Concepts
Stacy Cornay | 2022-11-06T18:58:28Z | www.dailycamera.com | Communication Concepts: Maybe you had to be there | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/communication-concepts-maybe-you-had-to-be-there/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/communication-concepts-maybe-you-had-to-be-there/ |
Editorial: Don’t let fear, misinformation set…
Last week, the ugly side of this election season was put front and center once again. It was reported that a political nonprofit led by a former top adviser to President Trump was producing Spanish-language mailers and radio ads with anti-transgender messaging.
According to the Colorado Sun, the mailers, which are targeting Latino voters across Colorado, falsely claim that President Biden and other Democratic leaders “are pushing radical and irreversible gender experiments on children,” like blocking puberty and removing genitalia.
It is an outrageous lie aiming to prey on people’s fears, and one that is incredibly harmful to members of the LGBTQ community.
Worse still is that the goal doesn’t even seem to be to try to incentivize people to vote for any particular candidate or ballot measure, but rather to simply discourage people from voting at all.
“This is rich, white conservatives from out of state that are targeting Hispanic communities with lies trying to get them not to vote,” Colorado Democratic Party Chairwoman Morgan Carroll told the Sun. “Even if just 10% of them believe this, that can change the outcome of an election.”
It is hard to understand what would drive someone to produce such blatantly false and harmful messaging. But it is telling that these political organizations are resorting to such a tactic. In essence, it is an admission that they know full well that their politics don’t appeal to these voters and that if the entirety of the electorate were to vote, they’d lose.
A similar but not quite so egregious drama has been playing out in Boulder County’s various voting centers.
The group Boulder County Republicans has been raising concerns about the lack of Republican election judges being scheduled at polling centers. Per state statute, each major political party “is entitled to one-half of the number of election judges” working in voting centers.
Looking simply at the numbers, the county Republicans have a point. Of the 245 judges currently scheduled to work at Boulder County voting centers on Nov. 8, 81 are Republicans; 126 are Democrats; 44 are unaffiliated voters; and one is a member of the Libertarian Party.
On Nov. 7, the numbers are similar: There are 203 election judges scheduled to work including 63 Republicans, 105 Democrats, 41 unaffiliated voters and one Libertarian.
From the county Republicans’ point of view, this has been a strategic effort to prevent Republicans from being represented at polling centers. Boulder County Republicans Chairperson Theresa Watson told the Times-Call that “a lot of Republicans (are) sitting home not working. They’ve been vetted. They’ve done their training, but they’re not being scheduled.”
Viewed in this light, the disparity in judges could appear vaguely like the conspiracy some are claiming it is. But believing in such an outlandish scheme would require overlooking the fact that Boulder County just doesn’t have that many registered Republicans. As of Oct. 1, there were more than 92,000 active registered Democrats and just 26,000 active registered Republicans in the county. And according to the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, it really is that simple: Not enough registered Republicans opted to work as election judges.
Both of these situations — false and inflammatory mailers and disingenuous claims of a lack of representation — are designed to do the same thing: undermine our democratic process. Spreading harmful lies to disincentivize voting cuts at the core of a representative democracy, which requires the participation of all citizens in order to function at its best. Similarly, eroding trust in the voting process is a way to delegitimize an unfavorable outcome.
And both are efforts to elicit fear — the fear of something different and misunderstood, and the fear of a stolen election. And fear is a powerful motivator. But it should not be what motivates us to vote.
In a perfect world, we would vote because we believed in something. Because a leader’s vision had inspired us. Because we saw the potential of a ballot measure to better our community. In a perfect world, this is what our political machine would aspire to: to inspire us.
But instead, candidates and political parties and dark money groups and PACs seem content to do their best to scare us. To claim the election is rigged. To demonize members of the LGBTQ population. To rave about crime and the crisis at the southern border. To pin the blame for inflation and gas prices entirely upon political leaders.
Of course, some of these things are real problems. Violent crime is higher than it was in 2019, but it has been going down since 2020, when it hit a two-decade high. There is a crisis at the border, but it is one of a humanitarian nature, not one of violent criminals coming to steal our jobs. And inflation and gas prices are having a real impact on everyone — especially on the record profits of oil companies and food businesses that have capitalized on consumer confusion to jack up prices way beyond cost and rake in the returns.
Fear, though, is no basis for a democracy. And building a platform on division and hateful misinformation will never unite us. We must condemn efforts to stoke fear and polarize us. We must condemn lies and misinformation — especially that which targets our most vulnerable. And we must condemn the shameful attempts to sow mistrust in our democratic process.
Together, we have to hold on to hope. We have to vote for candidates who share our values, for ballot measures that align with our ideals, and for the future we desire for our community. | 2022-11-06T18:58:35Z | www.dailycamera.com | Editorial: Don’t let fear, misinformation set the course of our future | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/editorial-dont-let-fear-misinformation-set-the-course-of-our-future/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/editorial-dont-let-fear-misinformation-set-the-course-of-our-future/ |
Letters to the editor: Pushing for library…
Gina McAfee: Libraries: We can’t simply pressure council for more funding
I support ballot Measure 6C to fund our Boulder libraries. It has been suggested by those opposing 6C that the city can simply close the funding gap for the library. However, the city does not even fund the library at the basic level it costs right now. If the library had what it needed right now, we wouldn’t see weekly closures like those at the George Reynolds branch, the NoBo branch, the Bldg 61 Makerspace, and the Carnegie branch. If the library had what it needed right now, its mounting maintenance needs would be addressed.
The library has been underfunded for decades, and the idea that “we can simply pressure the council to give the library more money” is an empty election season message.
If you play out that scenario, you’ll see why it doesn’t work. If we were to create a $2 million dedicated library tax, the city would just reduce the amount it gives to the library by $2 million, and our library would continue to beg for General Fund dollars for the other 80% of its needs.
Because its budget is not dedicated, the library is often the first to be cut and the last to have its funding restored. Other departments have not suffered the dramatic budget swings like our library has, year over year. It’s not sustainable. In 2020, the library took 17% of the permanent cuts, despite only representing 3% of the budget. I’m voting “yes” on 6C to finally put our library on a stable funding path. Library district law exists to protect our vital assets from the political whims of the City Council. If we do nothing, it will continue to operate with unstable — and gradually declining — support.
Gina McAfee, Boulder
Rebecca Davies: Election: Not everyone can focus on odd-year elections
Not all of Colorado’s voters can count on a ballot arriving in their mailbox year after year. I moved frequently in my late teens through my mid-20s due to changing schools, jobs and living arrangements. I lived in five states within two years, and in one particularly difficult period, I moved four times within six months while trying to find decent housing within my budget. Amidst all that change, it’s ridiculous to think that I could keep track of every local election and its unique rules and timeline. I’m sure that I missed voter registration deadlines and elections.
It’s so much easier for me now, having lived at the same address for five years and in the same city for longer, to know all the details of our local elections. But I empathize with those for whom our odd-year city council elections are not obvious or intuitive. In odd years, there are fewer election events happening at other levels of government and so fewer campaigns doing voter outreach. It’s unsurprising that many people aren’t aware elections are happening in odd years, and unrealistic to expect that a few relatively low-budget city council campaigns are going to get everyone’s attention.
Let’s hitch our wagon to the increased voter engagement that already happens in even years to ensure that people like my younger self are aware that they have the opportunity to shape their city council. Please vote “yes” on 2E.
Rebecca Davies, Boulder
Britta Singer: Election: 2E is not the way to increase turnout
In an opinion piece published in this paper on Oct. 27, Zoltan Hajnal argued for adding municipal elections to even-year election ballots (Ballot Question 2E). He wrote, “Citizens who are already voting for higher-level offices need only check off a few more boxes further down the ballot.” Come on. Surely he doesn’t think that voting is no more than checking off a few more boxes.
Finishing my ballot this year left me exhausted. I’m not happy with the idea of additionally having to study up on a hefty handful of City Council candidates. There were 10 Council candidates in 2021, 15 in 2019, 14 in 2017, and a startling 17 in 2015. It turns out that there are generally more ballot issues in even years as well as more candidates. Do you know anybody who thinks voting is no more serious than checking off boxes? For them, a longer ballot might sound promising. For the rest of us, it’s a good idea to even out the length of ballots between odd and even years.
Even-year elections for City Council certainly wouldn’t help turnout for the School Board (BVSD) elections that are held in odd years. That’s probably why so many of BVSD’s most prominent educators and advocates oppose 2E.
I enthusiastically agree that it would be a good idea to increase turnout in odd-year elections. Our mail ballot system works best when the County Clerk knows your current address. Requiring landlords to remind new tenants to update their voter registrations would result in more people receiving their ballots in the mail after a move. That would be a start.
Moving City Council elections is a bad idea. Vote “no” on 2E.
Britta Singer, Boulder
Karen Goubleman: CU South: Potential changes to South Boulder can’t be undone
I feel fortunate to live in Boulder for many reasons, but at the top of the list is our Open Space with trails to exercise and unwind and a university where I can attend stimulating lectures and cultural events. Boulder is fortunate to have CU, but we should not let it take over our town. That’s why I’m voting “yes” to repeal the annexation of CU South.
This is a city-wide issue. The view arriving in Boulder on 36, when you hit the crest and see the open space and mountain views, is stunning for all of us. Now CU plans to take that away by changing much of that by developing an area large as downtown Boulder. Our City Council is allowing this even though the area now known as CU South was originally zoned as open space and was subject to mining reclamation requirements when CU acquired it. CU’s current approach honors none of those commitments and impacts us all through: increased utility costs to all of us as we fund more than $64 million in new utility infrastructure to support the new campus; potentially significant increases in traffic congestion throughout town; a reduction of this important wetlands area and ecosystem that provides flood protection and a habitat for endangered species; and a potential loss of a cherished view as we drop into Boulder Valley from the east.
This can never, ever be undone if the annexation proceeds.
Karen Goubleman, Boulder
Cameron Wobus: CU South: Protect residents from hazards we can quantify
The CU South annexation agreement is a compromise that will preserve 119 acres of open space, chip away at our affordable housing problem and protect thousands of downstream residents from a 100-year flood on South Boulder Creek. Opponents of the annexation agreement argue that this level of flood protection is insufficient because climate change will increase the severity of flooding in the future. As a scientist who has been publishing on climate change and hydrology for over a decade, I understand these concerns. But broad generalizations about future flood risk cannot drive policy on their own. Instead, policy must weigh costs, benefits, risks and practical considerations — all things that the City Council considered before voting overwhelmingly to annex CU South.
By definition, a 100-year flood has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, or roughly a one in four chance of happening over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Also by definition, a 500-year flood is 5 times less likely than a 100-year flood. Protection from these larger, less common flood events would be nice, but this level of flood protection has already been determined to be infeasible from environmental, cost and logistical standpoints. This means that repealing the annexation agreement would leave South Boulder with no flood protection at all, indefinitely. I believe we should do what we can to protect downstream residents from the hazards we can quantify, rather than leaving South Boulder with no flood protection at all. I will be voting “no” on 2F.
Cameron Wobus, Boulder | 2022-11-06T18:58:47Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Pushing for library funds; focusing on odd-year elections; how to increase turnout; campus couldn't be undone; create quantifiable protections | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/letters-to-the-editor-pushing-for-library-funds-focusing-on-odd-year-elections-how-to-increase-turnout-campus-couldnt-be-undone-create-quantifiable-protections/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/letters-to-the-editor-pushing-for-library-funds-focusing-on-odd-year-elections-how-to-increase-turnout-campus-couldnt-be-undone-create-quantifiable-protections/ |
Ski resorts, snow-sport retailers ready for new…
Owner Matt Burditt organizes skis at Angles, an outdoor shop in Longmont, on Wednesday.
By Rich Sheehan | For BizWest / Prairie Mountain Publishing
Ski resorts across Colorado are preparing to open, and local skiers and snowboarders can look forward to special celebrations at Eldora and Vail, along with expanded efforts across the state to make snow sports more fun and less hassle.
Skiing and snowboarding have recovered from the pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 season, when 92% of resorts across the country closed early, said Adrienne Saia Isaac, director of marketing and communications for the National Ski Areas Association, the Lakewood-based trade association that represents more than 300 alpine resorts nationwide.
“The trend over the last couple seasons has been really positive,” she said, noting that both total visits to resorts and the number of unique guests had increased.
“It has been especially encouraging to see people returning to outdoor recreation as a relatively low-risk way of addressing their physical and mental wellness,” she said. “We’re always conscious that there are other activities that can take time away from skiing, especially kids’ sports at times, so it’s been encouraging to see participation increase.”
Celebrating anniversaries
Eldora and Vail will celebrate their 60th anniversaries this upcoming season, and both resorts are planning a host of special activities.
Eldora wants to actively involve the local snow-sports community in its celebration, said Sam Bass, director of marketing for Eldora.
Snowmaking at Eldora on Oct. 27. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
“Being greater Boulder County’s local community mountain is central to what Eldora is,” Bass said. “We’ve been the venue for so much fun with family and friends over the years that we want to celebrate all of that fun and those great memories and just allow people to reminisce and talk about the good times they’ve had at Eldora.”
While details are still being finalized, anniversary activities will include:
• Pop-up booths on the mountain where visitors will be able to pose for photos with a commemorative anniversary logo or vintage equipment.
A public party.
• An online platform for people to share their Eldora memories, such as family photos of skiing in the 1970s or ’80s.
• A social media option for sharing memories through Instagram.
• Publishing of a book outlining the resort’s history and development, with archival photos from the last six decades.
For its anniversary, Vail will resurrect a unique amenity from 1965, bringing “ice bars” back to its slopes. Two distinctive party spots will offer music, food and signature cocktails at bars sculpted out of ice and snow, said John Plack, senior communications manager for the Vail and Beaver Creek resorts. Vail hopes to have those cocktails flowing by its anniversary on Dec. 15.
Along with the open-air ice bars, there will be four snow bungalows, called the Igloo Village, that guests will be able to reserve for a personal retreat on the mountain.
Vail is also working with 10th Mountain Whiskey, a local craft distillery, to create two limited-edition 60th-anniversary bourbons that will be available on the mountain and at Vail lodging locations.
Enhancing the guest experience
Snow-sports resorts across the state are taking a range of steps to make skiing and snowboarding more fun and less complicated for guests, especially those new to the sports, Isaac said.
“Simplifying the guest experience is going to be critical for bringing people to the sports,” she said. “Really smart ski areas are going to embrace making that purchase and first-time visitation experience less intimidating and less complicated. Anyone who’s doing that is really ahead of the game.”
Skiers walk from their car to the chairlifts at Eldora in January of 2020. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Just getting to some resorts can be aggravating, she noted. Eldora has addressed a chronic access issue by investing $7.7 million to expand its parking by about 50%. The new spaces will help ease the congestion that sometimes happened in the past on high-demand days, such as Saturdays and Sundays from mid-December through mid-February, Bass wrote in an email message. The resort will also expand its alternative transportation program that provides free Regional Transportation District tickets and free shuttles to and from Boulder, Bass said. The free shuttles leave from the Boulder County Justice Center parking lot at 1777 Sixth St.
Resorts have also focused on ways to improve the experience once guests are on their property. Several resorts upgraded their snowmaking equipment to improve conditions on their slopes. Vail made the largest snowmaking investment in North American history in 2019, and the benefits will pay off this season — Vail is slated to open on Nov. 11, the earliest opening day in its history, Plack wrote in an email.
Investments in new lifts are also being made. Vail added two lifts, and Breckenridge replaced the double lift to its ski and snowboard school with a new high-speed quad lift, providing those guests with quicker access to lessons and beginner terrain, Plack wrote in an email.
Eldora also took steps to make lessons easier to access, moving its ski school closer to the Indian Peaks Lodge where beginners often rent equipment, Bass wrote in an email.
Many resorts have recognized they need to diversify their activities beyond just skiing and boarding, Isaac said.
“More and more across the country we see ski areas not just focusing on that core skier or snowboarder because there’s everyone else in the family, too,” she said. “From a trends perspective, we see a lot of investments in food and beverage and non-skiing amenities every year.”
Traditionally family-friendly Keystone resort will provide fun off the slopes by building the world’s largest mountain-top snow fort, said Sara Lococo, senior communications manager for Keystone and Breckenridge resorts. The fort’s grand opening on Dec. 23 will feature fireworks and refreshments.
Retailers of snow-sports attire and equipment can also play a role in expanding enjoyment of winter activities. REI in Boulder sent eight employees for 20 hours of specialized training to improve their ability to provide a comfortable fit for customers seeking ski, cross-country and snowboard boots, said Adam Wolford, action sports sales lead.
“It’s a certification we go through as boot-fitters to make sure we know how to properly modify boots to really get everybody in the exact fit for them depending on their foot shape and size and any foot issues they might have,” Wolford said.
REI also broadened the range of sizes it stocks for jackets, ski pants and ski bibs as a conscious effort to expand access to winter fun for people of all shapes and sizes, Wolford said. Sizes available this season range from x small to xxx large, he said.
“We’re making sure everybody has the opportunity to get outside and not displaying a bias on someone’s size,” Wolford said.
Pursuing sustainability
Individuals and companies in the snow-sports industry are very aware of their vulnerability to climate change, Isaac said, so there is a lot being done on multiple fronts to improve sustainability.
Owner, Matt Burditt, sets up ski poles at Angles, an outdoor shop in Longmont, on Wednesday. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
Angles Sports Ski Board and Fly Shop in Longmont has moved aggressively to stock clothes, equipment and other products developed by environmentally responsible manufacturers, said co-owner Matt Burditt.
“We’re focusing on brands that are eco-friendly and environmentally conscious, everything from their manufacturing practices to the materials they’re using,” he said, adding that Angles had “dropped lines we had used for years if they weren’t using sustainable practices.”
The heavy emphasis on sustainability across the snow-sports industry has fostered the growth of a new generation of suppliers, making it possible for a store such as Angles to go fully green, Burditt said.
The store switched over its entire ski-pole line to Goode Ski Technologies, a Utah company that Burditt said manufactures poles using recycled ocean plastics and other sustainable materials.
“The pole is made with completely recycled materials and it’s completely compostable at the end of its life cycle,” he said.
Eldora’s parking lot renovation included the addition of 30 charging stations for electric vehicles. That investment and the expansion of Eldora’s alternative transportation program providing free RTD tickets and free shuttles to and from Boulder demonstrates its commitment to sustainability, Bass said.
One climate-related action being taken by Eldora likely will be unpopular among some guests. Eldora will begin charging a $10 parking fee for single-occupancy vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, as well as weekdays with 10 or more inches of snow in the forecast, Bass wrote in an email, pointing out that Boulder County required the fee as one of its conditions for approving Eldora’s parking expansion.
Skipping the lift
Skiers riding a lift up the mountain are increasingly likely to peer down and see other skiers walking up the slope. Uphilling — hiking to the top of a run and then skiing back down — continues to grow in popularity.
Many Colorado ski resorts including Snowmass, shown, allow uphill skiing on their slopes. Rules across the state vary greatly. (The Denver Post)
“What we’ve seen nationwide is a major shift in the number of ski areas that either allow uphill access or have created some sort of policy around it because it has gotten so popular,” Isaac said.
Ten years ago, 57% of resorts did not provide uphill access, she said. That has fallen to 33% now.
Isaac attributes much of the growth in uphilling to equipment improvements that make the experience easier and more fun.
“We saw a lot of endurance athletes up in Summit County — cyclists, runners and triathletes—- that maybe didn’t consider themselves skiers but saw uphilling as the best way to stay in shape during the winter,” Isaac said.
Colorado even has a ski area devoted to uphilling. Bluebird Backcountry, located outside Kremmling, has zero lifts.
“Bluebird Backcountry is a prime example of how much the sport has exploded in the last few years,” Isaac said, “the fact that they can actually manage a full-time winter operation that’s built on human-powered skiing.”
Rich Sheehan | 2022-11-06T18:59:02Z | www.dailycamera.com | Ski resorts, snow-sport retailers ready for new season – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/ski-resorts-snow-sport-retailers-ready-for-new-season-eldora/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/ski-resorts-snow-sport-retailers-ready-for-new-season-eldora/ |
Guest opinion: Linda Shoemaker and Ilana…
By Linda Shoemaker and Ilana Spiegel
As current and former members of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, we’re writing to strongly urge a “no” vote on Boulder Ballot Issue 2F. If passed, this measure would reverse the 2021 annexation of the CU South property, thereby obstructing a much-needed flood safety project, blocking permanent protection for 119 acres of riparian habitat, and preventing development of sought-after affordable housing.
The annexation capped a multi-year public planning process that balanced community and CU needs. The agreement adopted on a 6-1 Council vote is fair to city residents and CU stakeholders and requires the university to provide substantial community benefits to qualify to bring this property into Boulder. A “no” vote on 2F ratifies this robust collaborative process, its resulting adoption, and its many enduring community benefits.
Proponents of repeal focus some objections on CU development, so we will respond. Regarding growth, opponents’ assertions that annexing CU South will worsen CU impacts on Boulder housing couldn’t be farther from the truth. Of the property’s 308 acres, development of buildings can occur on only 129 acres, with limited athletic fields subject to occasional flooding. Of 129 potentially buildable acres, five will be used for affordable housing resulting in 100-plus units of permanently affordable homes. Those homes would be run by city partners and open to all community residents. Two acres will be used jointly by CU and Boulder for emergency response, leaving only 40% of the property available for CU development.
Since annexation is legally binding, city staff requested a development height limit similar to standards applied to the rest of the city, and CU agreed. All buildings at CU South will have a maximum height of 55 feet, and even lower limits will apply near existing neighborhoods.
The agreement prevents sale to a third party (except the city) for 10 years, and it subjects any potential future buyer to 45% affordable housing requirements. Throughout the negotiations, CU made it clear that we never intend to sell this property, but the city requested first-offer and future development requirements out of an abundance of caution, and CU agreed.
CU and Boulder share one major community benefit from development that could occur at CU South: much-needed housing. The baseline plan calls for 1100 units of what we term “attainable” housing for students, faculty and staff, meaning they have access to enough resources to afford their housing expenses. Since the situations are so varied among these different groups, dedicated criteria will determine attainability for each group. This housing will not be “market-rate.” The amount of housing that CU can build for its community is not limited.
There will be some classrooms and services provided at CU South, however those are capped at half or less of the housing baseline. All construction will adhere to, at a minimum, the state building standard of Gold LEED certified (CU has attained LEED Platinum for all construction in the last five to seven years). Additionally, the recently developed Strategic Plan includes Sustainability within one of its four pillars with specific goals and metrics focused on Energy Usage Intensity and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Development of this site can be a showcase for sustainable development for future projects.
Finally, we fully support the carefully crafted flood mitigation plan that will protect the lives of our community members. There is no alternative plan for flood protection if voters reject 2F and annexation does not move forward. A “no” vote means no more delay for flood safety.
Please vote “no” on 2F to protect the members of our community and to provide critical housing.
Linda Shoemaker is a former CU regent for CD-2. Ilana Spiegel is a current CU regent for CD-6. | 2022-11-07T14:54:05Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Linda Shoemaker and Ilana Spiegel: Annexation balances needs of community and CU | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/guest-opinion-linda-shoemaker-and-ilana-spiegel-annexation-balances-needs-of-community-and-cu/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/guest-opinion-linda-shoemaker-and-ilana-spiegel-annexation-balances-needs-of-community-and-cu/ |
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