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Guest opinion: Spense Havlick: Who has fumbled…
By Spense Havlick
It may appear to be a mystery why the city of Boulder has responded to the threat of flash floods very differently in its two major drainage basins — Boulder Creek (about 440 square miles) and South Boulder Creek (132 square miles). Both drainages have experienced at least five major flash floods as far back as 1894.
Long before the flood of 2013, the City Council and city staff implemented floodplain management for Boulder Creek using the science of risk avoidance, carried out local research regarding life safety in high-hazard zones, and implemented other proven measures to reduce loss of life and reduced property damage. The city did it right and the 2013 flood was not the disaster on Boulder Creek as was the case along South Boulder Creek.
The reader can compare the rather different flood actions or non-actions in the two major drainage basins. Along Boulder Creek critical buildings like the Justice Center and the Municipal Building were flood-proofed. Bridges were raised. Dozens of residences were removed from high-risk zones, no landfill was permitted, no earthen dams were built in city limits, no new construction was permitted in high-risk zones, bank side information signs with actual past flood photographs were installed, and other flash flood warning measures were actualized. The prudent message was and is to keep residential and business development out of the Boulder Creek flood risk areas.
Why has so little similar flash flood protection been provided to South Boulder Creek residents, especially during the nine years since the 2013 flood? Who has dropped the ball? To my knowledge, there has been no removal of high-risk structures, there are no flood evacuation routes identified, there is no streamside signage or photographs to educate the public about previous floods, there has not been the important breaching or removal of the CU gravel pit levee that could potentially reduce downstream flooding. To my knowledge there have been no annual evacuation drills to prepare residents, especially newcomers and senior citizens, nor has the Hogan-Pancost property been managed for flood reduction (for which it was purchased for $5 million), nor has there been city-funded floodproofing of homes.
Furthermore, the previous and present city council and city staff, except for holding meetings, have done little to allay the fear (or scare tactics) and misinformation, which have resulted in a badly deficient annexation agreement. The city has done nothing to prevent CU from filling the historic gravel pits with 150,000 cubic yards of earth fill so that CU can build a 129-acre campus, plus a 750,000-square-foot commercial building and, potentially, a 3000-seat stadium.
The better alternative, in my opinion, is to repeal the badly conceived annexation agreement and expeditiously implement a more efficient, more cost-effective flood mitigation plan. It would require a slightly scaled-down campus devoted to research and development, like NCAR or NIST. They are both devoid of student housing and student traffic. The future site could have increased flood retention, open space and wetland preservation.
In my opinion, it is tragic that city leaders were pressured by CU to annex the gravel quarry, which would provide CU with water and sewer and other city services for its massive campus complex. And, unbelievably, CU demanded that a safer 500-year flood design must not be pursued!
All is not lost. I urge you to recover the fumble and vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the agreement and request an immediate project that will serve the residents and community with increased safety in the South Boulder Creek area.
Spense Havlick is a former member of the Daily Camera Editorial Advisory Board, a former member of the Boulder City Council and a former deputy mayor. | 2022-11-07T14:54:11Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Spense Havlick: Who has fumbled the CU South ball? | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/guest-opinion-spense-havlick-who-has-fumbled-the-cu-south-ball/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/guest-opinion-spense-havlick-who-has-fumbled-the-cu-south-ball/ |
Letters to the editor: Protect local liquor…
Editor’s note: Throughout election season, the Camera received many more letters than were possible to publish in print. Due to space limitations, the following letters will only be published online.
Bill Butler: Election: Liquor store propositions would be negative
Propositions 124 and 125 are scams, in my opinion, intended to let big box food stores make more money at the expense of the mom-and-pop liquor stores by being able to sell wine as well as beer. Allowing grocery stores to sell 6% beer rather than only 3.2% was a disaster for small liquor stores. Props 124 and 125 will have the same negative effect. Money to support this scam comes from out of state which is a red flag as to who really benefits. No on 124 and 125.
Bill Butler, Longmont
John Tayer: Election: 1A and 1B are wise investments in our community
The Boulder Chamber supports ballot measures 1A and 1B as a wise investment for the safety and vitality of our Boulder Community.
Our community’s homes, businesses and tourist economy depend on our pristine mountains, rivers and trails. The tragedy of wildfire hit very close to home last year. After nine months, many businesses are only now reopening. Some have closed their doors forever. As people come to enjoy our outdoors, they should know they will be kept safe and that future generations can enjoy the same opportunities. This is why both wildfire prevention and our volunteer firefighters as well as our emergency response are needed.
Wildfire mitigation, ballot Measure 1A, will provide both the business community and residents of Colorado with funding to address high-risk wildfire areas, as well as help protect our grasslands from wildfire devastation. The 0.1% tax will provide families with education on making their homes more resistant to wildfires, saving homes and lives in Colorado.
The emergency responses ballot Measure 1B will provide much-needed funding to emergency services, allowing for emergencies to be better addressed in rural areas including our mountain trails. The 0.1% for the first 5 years and the 0.05% for the years after will help our firefighters with much-needed upgrades such as equipment, training, and a new facility, all things that will protect our emergency responders and our community.
Please vote “yes” on both ballot measures 1A and 1B.
John Tayer, CEO, Boulder Chamber of Commerce, Boulder
Rosemary Hegarty: CU South: Don’t increase traffic in South Boulder
I will be saying “yes” on 2F to repeal the City Council’s “emergency “ vote on the CU annexation.
In my opinion, the traffic on Table Mesa, U.S. 36, Table Mesa and Moorhead will be horrific.
They anticipate 6,300 trips a day. The trip cap has no way to actually stop increased trips only fine CU for additional trips…
The 750,000 square feet of nonresidential building could mean more housing will be needed beyond the 1,100 units for students and employees working there.
The 10% affordable housing isn’t enough.
Increasing my water bill to pay to bring dirt in so CU can build itself out of the floodplain is a big no.
We should be taking down the berm and increasing the ability of that land to absorb flood waters!
In my opinion, the 100-year flood protection isn’t enough! Why are we spending this much money for such little protection when climate change experts are telling us worse storms will come? I think that means all of this will be useless and East Frasier Meadow residents will be faced with flooding again!
Vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the CU South annexation!
Rosemary Hegarty, Boulder
Nancy Travis: Election: Combining local and federal elections is irresponsible
Our local election is upon us. Registered voters should have received a ballot asking you to change the regular municipal election for the City of Boulder to even years. This change would move our City Council elections to the ballot for federal, state and county elections. At first glance, this proposal seems inoffensive. However, if passed, it could be negative for representative democracy.
The stated purpose by proponents is to increase election turnout. The theory is that by combining local, state and national votes into one superelection in even years, more people will vote. But if we add local measures to an already crowded federal/state/county ballot it could potentially reduce the votes for local races.
This vote reduction for measures at the end of a ballot is a well-known phenomenon called “ballot fatigue.” A combined ballot would mean studying not only candidates for state and national races but also those for Boulder City Council. This is an even year. There are 46 candidates for federal and state races plus three proposed State constitution changes and eight State statute changes. So if 2E passes, that will add 10 to 20 City Council candidates to the ballot. Will you take the time to study all 56 to 66 candidates and 11 constitution and statute changes? I know I prefer to focus on our Boulder City Council candidates and their positions on our local issues without needing to study the important federal and state races and constitutional and statute proposals.
I think Measure 2E to combine our local races with federal and state races is irresponsible and will lead to lower voting on city races. I’ll be voting against it.
Nancy Travis, Boulder
Maya MacHamer: Election: Protect our watersheds with Measure 1A
Our non-profit organizations support passing ballot measure 1A to contribute to safer communities, healthier forests and grasslands, and clean water. The Nature Conservancy, Watershed Center and Boulder Watershed Collective all work to protect our watersheds. We do this by working with communities to conserve and restore land, and to plan for, and recover from natural disasters like wildfires. We know that too many in our community have experienced the impacts of wildfire and that it is inevitable that many more will also experience these impacts without concerted efforts to mitigate our collective risk.
Everyone in our community will benefit from wildfire risk reduction directly or indirectly, creating a community that is better adapted to climate change and extreme weather events. Although we are consistently making progress, the Marshall Fire and the Calwood Fire demonstrated that we still have a lot of work to do — much more work than there is currently funding to support.
We need to invest in the health of our forests, grasslands and built environment as a method of investing in the health and well-being of our communities. Measure 1A will help our communities leverage more state and federal funding to help increase the pace and scale of wildfire risk reduction projects. These projects will be advantageous to both urban and rural communities in the plains and in the mountains. The uncertainties of climate change and the rate of growth we are experiencing along the Front Range require us to take collective and bold action. Supporting 1A is a step in the right direction.
Maya MacHamer, Boulder Watershed Collective, Boulder
Jeannie Guerrero: Election: Republican agenda will not help average Americans
Historically in American politics, the party in charge loses out to the opposing party in the next election. Democrats are currently in charge albeit barely. So Republicans are pouncing on crime and inflation as their themes slamming Democrats for being weak on both fronts to take back the office. These two issues are high on voters’ minds. But the truth is that seven out of the 10 states with the highest murder rates are governed by Republicans according to the FBI database. There are a number of reasons for inflation, mostly the pandemic and Putin’s oil price gouging. Politico has a good read on this topic. Biden has been working to resolve inflation such as floating windfall profits tax on oil giants and should be given the chance to continue without the disruption of Republicans holding the majority coming into office with their agenda. They aim to impeach Biden out of revenge for the impeachment of Trump, dump Social Security and Medicare as we know it, make a Federal mandate on Roe v. Wade, stop supporting Ukraine, further amp up voter suppression, dismantle the Jan. 6 committee, create more tax breaks for the highest income earners, amongst other efforts that will not only not help the average American but will hurt them.
Jeannie Guerrero, Erie
David Brower: CU South: Let’s focus on quality over quantity.
I’m a CU graduate and Frasier Meadows homeowner whose basement flooded in 2013. In spite of this I am in favor of the repeal of the CU annexation agreement and here’s why. I’m also the son of a former state college president that looked at the declining number of college-age students and realized that either enrollment or quality would have to drop. The college chose the former and never looked back. The decision to reduce enrollment initiated a transformational rise from mediocrity that paid off.
U.S. News & World Report released its 2023 Best Colleges Rankings and the college ranked fifth overall and remains first among public colleges in the “Best Regional Universities — North” category, where it has remained every year since 1991.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times routinely publish articles detailing the continuing declining trend in college enrollment and the declining value of a four-year college degree. Do we really need to be expanding while college enrollment is shrinking? Building a third massive campus in a flood plain with potentially inadequate flood mitigation, a nightmarish increase in traffic and pollution on roads and intersections that are already a nightmare, irreparable environmental damage to wetlands — really? John McEnroe said it best “You cannot be serious!” CU South is more than just a bad deal. It is an unnecessary and avoidable mistake that Boulder would forever regret. How about a shift in focus? Prioritize quality over quantity, CU, and spare Boulder from endless growth. Vote “yes” on 2F to repeal the very unnecessary CU South annexation agreement and make Boulder better!
David Brower, Boulder
Brett Sawyer: Election: County measures will ensure safety, well-being of residents and visitors
BOLO Realtors supports county ballot measures 1A and 1B.
Boulder County is a beautiful and unique place to live and play. Regardless of where in Boulder County people chose to either purchase or rent a home, they can be assured of beautiful surroundings and unlimited recreational opportunities.
Over the past 13 years, Boulder County has endured major natural disasters ranging from floods to wildfires. Increasing numbers of visitors to our plains and mountain trails further stress our county and the resources needed to support its residents and visitors.
Ballot measures 1A and 1B ask Boulder County residents to approve limited taxes to fund the already existing Wildfire Partners and Emergency Services programs in order to continue to ensure the safety and well-being of all Boulder County residents and the millions of visitors to our beautiful area.
Ballot Measure 1A, Wildfire Mitigation, will allow Wildfire Partners to expand beyond the mountains to property owners in unincorporated Boulder County that are located east of U.S. 36. Wildfire Partners educates property owners on how to take the steps necessary to make their homes and businesses more fire-resistant. Wildfire Partners also assesses properties and provides the property owner with the tools necessary to meet Wildfire Partner’s Certification of Wildfire Resistance. The new tax is not a property tax. It is a sales tax of 0.1% (a penny on a ten-dollar purchase). This tax is not assessed on food, electricity, gas or fuel purchases.
Ballot Measure 1B, Rescue, Fire, EMS — yes! Measure 1B will provide funding for Search and Rescue, fire departments in our mountain and rural areas, ambulance services in areas not served by municipal ambulance services, as well as trail and trailhead safety services. It will also help fund additional wildland firefighting staff for a wildfire season that is now year-round. This is also a sales tax, not a property tax. It is 0.10% (ten cents on a ten-dollar purchase) for the first 5 years and then 0.05% (five cents on a ten-dollar purchase) for all subsequent years. This tax is not assessed on food, electricity, gas, or fuel purchases.
Keep our county safe! Please vote YES on both ballot measures 1A and 1B.
Brett Sawyer, chairman BOLO Realtors, Boulder
Bob Zimmerer: Election: Sign vandalization seals my vote
Last week Katie Lehr’s (Republican candidate for House District 49) campaign sign on U.S. 36 was cut down.
What sort of person removes an opposing candidate’s sign? Someone terribly afraid she will win?
Or someone aggressively unethical and willing to steal onto private property in the dead of night to vandalize?
Until recently I wasn’t certain who I would vote for. Now that the sign is cut down I’m sure Katie Lehr gets my vote.
Bob Zimmerer, Boulder
Ellen De Money: CU South: City, university haven’t adequately addressed concerns
I am going to vote “yes” on 2F, the repeal of the CU South annexation, because I have grave concerns about how major problems like increased traffic, water usage, energy usage will be handled. CU and the city have not adequately addressed these issues. Once the annexation goes through there will not ability to address them, it will be a done deal. Please join me in voting “yes,” so these questions have the chance to be answered.
Ellen De Money, Boulder
John Joseph: CU South: New campus would endanger precious wetlands
As a child growing up in a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley in the late ’60s, I lived at the end of a bucolic street buffered by 200 acres of hardwood forest. When the developers built tract homes on my former playground, a blissful part of my childhood was forever erased. As Boulder voters contemplate Ballot Issue 2F to repeal the annexation of CU South, a similar feeling of loss looms before me if the measure is rejected. This 308-acre parcel is a precious wetland, home to myriad species of flora and fauna, some of which are endangered. This parcel of land provides an urban paradise for dog walkers, joggers and cyclists. But more importantly, it is a riparian area that plays an essential role in carbon sequestration. If Boulder is truly at the forefront of climate-friendly policies, in my opinion, developing these wetlands sets a poor precedent. CU’s proposed development of 750,000 square feet of buildings could create an urban heat island effect and ruin rare and crucial wetlands within the city limits. Studies show that only 30% of the 2013 floodwaters that damaged Fraser Meadows came from the CU South property, rendering the current $66 million flood mitigation plan inadequate. This land should always have been part of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks, not owned by the university whose primary interest is to maximize revenue: Vote “yes” on 2F.
John Joseph, Boulder
Nick Grossman: Elections: Today, Boulder would never move elections to odd-years
Imagine that Boulder has always held its City Council elections on even years — on the same date as regional, state and national elections — with about 90% of registered voters casting a ballot. In that scenario, how do you think Boulder voters would react to a new proposal to switch City Council elections to odd years? That would likely be a tough sell for a democratically inclined population.
It would be challenging to convince voters that it would be better if fewer people were aware that a local election was happening. People would ask how having fewer voters participate in our local democracy would be more representative of the will of the people or how minority rule would ensure better outcomes.
Boulder voters would recognize that making participation in City Council elections more challenging by moving elections to odd years would mean that families, busy working people, renters, students and people with lower incomes would all have less representation in local decision-making. They would know that a small fraction of Boulder voters couldn’t possibly contribute as rich a diversity of viewpoints on local representation as the entire community could.
In the November 2022 election, Boulder has a real opportunity to shift our odd-year elections to even years, when the majority of people vote. If you believe that our local democracy is strongest when most voters participate, then I encourage you to join thousands of your Boulder neighbors in voting “yes” on ballot measure 2E.
Nick Grossman, Boulder
Jim Morris: CU South: Development goes against what makes Boulder special
The CU South plan shows greed. Boulder city land costs over one million dollars per acre. CU wants 129 buildable acres, worth over $129 million. Boulder’s median home price is $1.1 million. The 1,000 market-rate housing units could be worth $ 1 billion.
CU South converts wetlands, grasslands, and floodplains into office buildings, classrooms, housing and a potentially inadequate 100-year flood dam with a detention pond. CU requires Boulder to pay $64 million. Taxes and water fees would increase. This brings 10,000 truckloads of sand and gravel to fill the gravel pits and raise the land 15 feet (so CU can build on it). CU pays no sales, income or property tax. The buildings can be 55 feet high.
In my opinion, CU is refusing effective flood prevention. Good plans would protect most of Boulder and include floodproofing and early warning systems.
This trashes what makes Boulder special — its preservation of and close access to nature, wildlife and the wild.
We can save this wild place. Ask your friends to vote “yes” on Ballot Measure 2F.
Jim Morris, Boulder
Dorothy Riddle: Library district: New tax will increase cost of living in Boulder
We fund our library, as with other city services, through sales taxes. The proposed library district would fund the library through a dedicated increase in property taxes. Currently, we fund the library for some $17 million a year. The library district wants to initially collect some $20 million a year through a tax which will go up with increases to property valuation. The new tax will go on forever with no cap. There will be no decrease in sales taxes to balance the increase in property tax. At $20 million a year, $200 million will be collected in the first ten years. It’s significant. It will increase the cost of living in Boulder for both residents and tenants.
Dorothy Riddle, Boulder
Fiona F. McPherson: CU South: University needs to be treated for its Edifice complex
CU has always had an Edifice complex. Because students rarely vote in campus elections, CU was able to pass a building fee and thus they will always have money for buildings. Sometimes, as is the case with the Center For Academic Success, the buildings are so huge, I don’t think they can’t afford to staff the interior space. So even if they don’t have funds for professors and smaller classes, they will have the money to build on the land that is misnamed CU South. Only human animals can survive. With wildlife and the land itself, multiple use is multiple abuse. CU needs to be treated for its Edifice complex and you can help them by voting “yes” on 2F to repeal CU South.
Fiona F. McPherson, Boulder
Linda Erdmann: Election: Hardworking candidates deserve your vote
House Districts 11, 12 and 49 have numerous opposition campaign signs but few, if any, incumbent signs. Do incumbents believe it’s “in the bag”? Opposition candidates… Katie Lehr (49), Tara Menza (11), Anya Kirvan (12) and their teams have spent hours door-knocking and calling to discover what the constituents care about. Overwhelmingly, the answers are inflation and crime.
Since 2020, inflation has cost households thousands of dollars. Bloomberg is predicting a 100% chance of a recession.
Since 2021 Colorado law enforcement has seized 300% more fentanyl. Robberies, arson, motor vehicle and property theft are rapidly increasing.
Tara, Katie and Anya care about high inflation, safety, education and our future. Do the incumbents? Recent legislation includes reduced crime and drug possession consequences, additional homebuilder costs, and consumer fees.
Has any incumbent been to your door? Is your vote taken for granted? Do they care about what is on your mind? Perhaps common sense hardworking candidates who don’t take your vote for granted deserve your vote.
Linda Erdmann, Lafayette
Anne F. Peterson: Libraries: District would be another blow on top of increased property taxes
I take issue with one statement in Joni Teter and Juana Gomez’s October 19 guest opinion on funding the library. They stated, “We’ll call the opposition to Measure 6C what it is: an attempt to keep our libraries underfunded.”
After creeping up steadily for years, property taxes in Boulder skyrocketed last year. My husband and I have been hit with an almost $500 increase in the mortgage payment, this year alone, on the retirement home we built in 2014. We have a fixed-rate mortgage; the extra is needed to fund the escrow from which the mortgage company pays the taxes. Now, to add insult to financial injury, we will experience another blow if 6C passes.
So no, Ms. Teter and Ms. Gomez, I don’t want to keep libraries underfunded. What I want is to be able to continue to “fund” our home.
Anne F. Peterson, Boulder
Cate Lawrence: Library district: Let’s keep loving and protecting our libraries how they are
I love our libraries! We all love our libraries! We don’t need to raise our property taxes by over $200 a year for an average homeowner to love our libraries. We don’t need to make Boulder more unaffordable. Loving our libraries doesn’t mean we need to lose them to an unnecessary and unelected bureaucracy. Let’s keep loving and protecting our libraries. Let’s keep them under our democracy by voting “no” on 6C.
Cate Lawrence, Boulder
Curt Thompson: CU South: University hasn’t even shown need for another campus
The CU South Annexation Agreement is a raw deal for Boulder. Its justification is to provide flood protection for downstream residents by preventing South Boulder Creek from topping U.S. 36 as it did in the 2013 flood. But according to the city’s own flood analysis, only one-third of the damage in the 2013 flood was caused by water from South Boulder Creek. One third. So in the next flood, there will only be two feet of water in garden-level units and parking garages instead of three. In addition, the level of downstream protection in the current mitigation design is for a 100-year flood event, which in our changing environment is woefully inadequate.
The cost to Boulder is potentially more students, massive traffic congestion, increased noise and pollution and a pre-pandemic projected cost of $40 to $60 million. The city will not reveal the actual cost until after the election, and you won’t get to vote on that “tax.” It will just appear on your utility bill.
CU hasn’t even shown the need for another campus, yet our City Council has opened the door for a huge development. We can do better, a lot better. Let your voice be heard. Vote “yes” on 2F and repeal the CU South Annexation Agreement before it’s too late.
Curt Thompson, Boulder
Judy Reid: Election: Eligibility is the same no matter the year
Brian Keegan’s lengthy guest opinion from Oct. 14 is grounded on two incorrect statements of fact. First, he claims that ballot fatigue — when a voter fails to fill out lower-ranking choices — is based on “vibes, not evidence.” Plainly wrong. Look at voting records for any even-numbered year and add up the total votes cast for top lines (president, senator, governor, etc.). Compare these with total votes for local offices and ballot measures. The latter are consistently lower. Second, Keegan remarkably says we should “move municipal elections to even years when more voters can vote.” Can vote? False — voting eligibility is the same in even and odd-numbered years.
Judy Reid, Boulder
Tim Kubik: Election: Marchman represents our local values
What does “representation” mean to you? Like me, you probably feel like no politician ever represents your perspective 100%. The only way to do that is to run for office yourself! Since politicians can’t represent us individually, the best we can do is vote for politicians who represent our community’s values.
So what are our community values in Colorado Senate District 15? After living here for 15 years, I can say that Loveland and the front range of Larimer and Boulder County are communities that respect service to our country and our local communities. They are communities that care about our environment for recreation and tourism. They are also communities where hard work is valued, whether it leads to success.
Janice Marchman represents these values. She grew up on Air Force bases around the world and cares about our veterans. She knows our environment is our community’s most important resource, and she’s worked hard as an engineer and math teacher to give back to our community. If you want a true representative in the Statehouse, I urge you to vote for Janice Marchman for state Senate District 15.
Tim Kubik, Berthoud
Pete Steinhauer: Election: Kirvan has served her country before
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C. was established to honor the women who volunteered and risked their lives to serve their country in the Vietnam War. Anya Kirvan is one of those women.
For many years, Americans have watched the T.V. program, M*A*S*H, a comic portrayal of the doctors and nurses functioning in the battlefield environment of the Korean War. Anya’s yearlong tour in Vietnam is the actual story of the doctors and nurses of the 47th Evacuation Field Hospital, 101st Airborne Division in Quang Tri Province, south of the DMZ in Vietnam where many of the bloodiest battles of the war took place.
Having graduated from Nursing School in 1970, she enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Nursing Corps and volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Upon arriving in country, like all officers, she was issued dog tags, jungle boots, a flak jacket, a helmet and a pistol. As nurses, these women were confronted with serious life-threatening injuries, traumatic amputations and diseases very rarely seen in civilian life. Working long shifts in sweltering heat, monsoon rains and dangerous conditions, they ensured that these injured soldiers had the very best life-saving care. Upon returning to the U.S., Anya was stationed at the Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver. While there, she helped establish the Amputee Ski Program for injured veterans at Winter Park.
Anya Kirvan has been a Boulder resident for 50 years, a wife of a physician, a mom of an Iraq War Veteran and a grandmother. Having served her country so many years ago, she is being called on again to serve her community and the State of Colorado.
Vote Anya Kirvan for House District 12.
Pete Steinhauer, Boulder
Jeff Smith: Election: Reject Republicans at the polls to get party back on track
It’s a shame that many reasonable conservative politicians choose to remain in today’s Republican Party.
It’s a shame that today’s Republican Party is dominated by conspiracy theorists, election system dismantlers, authoritarians, usurpers of women’s rights, opponents of affordable healthcare for all and Christian Nationalists who seek to impose their religious views on everyone (though some seem void of Christian morals themselves). Reasonable conservatives no longer have a voice with, nor influence on, the Republican electorate.
The only way to get our national politics back on a path of civil discourse, compromise, and just representation of rural, suburban and urban citizens alike is for voters to soundly reject the current Republican Party at the polls, at every level, in the next several elections — so that the party will be forced change course, embrace our representative democracy and stop embracing “alternative facts” and the toxic elements within the party.
It’s a shame that also means some reasonable Republican politicians must not be elected in the short term because the preservation of America’s democracy depends on it.
Jeff Smith, Boulder | 2022-11-07T14:54:18Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Protect local liquor stores; invest in wildfire mitigation; don't increase traffic | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/letters-to-the-editor-protect-local-liquor-stores-invest-in-wildfire-mitigation-dont-increase-traffic/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/letters-to-the-editor-protect-local-liquor-stores-invest-in-wildfire-mitigation-dont-increase-traffic/ |
Ivalas Quartet brings diversity to the stage…
The Ivalas Quartet will perform at CU’s Grusin Music Hall on Monday (Courtesy photo)
Ivalas Quartet at Grusin Music Hall: The Ivalas Quartet is dedicated to the celebration of BIPOC voices and seeks to disrupt and enhance the classical music world with voices less known. By performing works for string quartet written by underrepresented composers of color, the Ivalas Quartet strives to bring together diverse audiences in musical celebration. The quartet, which spent 2019-2022 in-residence at CU Boulder under the mentorship of the famed Takács Quartet, features violinists Reuben Kebede and Tiani Butts, violist Aimée McAnulty and cellist Pedro Sánchez; 7:30 p.m. Monday, Grusin Music Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Ballot Processing Center Tours: Interested in how elections work? Take a tour of Boulder County Election’s Ballot Processing Center. See firsthand how ballots are processed and learn about election security and safeguards. Open to all. Please RSVP; slots are available for 12:30, 1, 5 (student tour), 5:30 and 6 p.m. Monday, Boulder County Clerk & Recorder, 1750 33rd St., Boulder; Free; boco.org/ElectionTourRSVP.
First Person Cinema Features James Benning: Join avant-garde filmmaker James Benning at CU Boulder as he showcases some of his work and discusses his artistic approach and intent during this in-person event. Benning’s lengthy and distinguished career goes back to the early ’70s and includes one-person shows, retrospectives and screenings at innumerable international festivals; 7:30 p.m. Monday, Visual Arts Complex Basement Auditorium, 1B20, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Modern Dance Classes at Avalon: Instructor Mary Wohl Haan, a working artist and teacher in Boulder for over 30 years, teaches classes to challenge dancers’ minds and bodies with good clean, lush movement, weight play, musicality and fun. Open to any intermediate and above dancers. Drop-ins welcome anytime; 5:15 p.m. Monday, Avalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; $15; haandances.com.
Hard-to-Recycle Event in Longmont: Bring any hard-to-recycle items — like TVs, computer monitors, cell phones, cameras, DVD players, printers, fax machines, hard-covered books, ceramic toilets and sinks, bicycle tires and tubes and more — to this City of Longmont event that runs through Friday; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, Green Girl Recycling, 21 S. Sunset St., Longmont; longmontcolorado.gov.
‘Aspens in the Fall’ Exhibit: Head to R Gallery for a glass of wine and to peruse its “Aspens in the Fall” exhibit that’s filled with the beautiful and iconic Colorado aspen trees in their most brilliant, colorful season; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder; Free; rgallery.art.
‘Water is Life’ exhibit at the Dairy: Artists examine our access to clean water in the new exhibit “Water is Life,” featuring work by Nicole Salimbene, Anna Tsouhlarakis, Zeke Peña, Theresa Clowes, JayCee Beyale (co-curator) and Kendall Rose Kippley; exhibit open through Nov. 19; 2-6 p.m. Monday; Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; thedairy.org. | 2022-11-07T19:43:36Z | www.dailycamera.com | Ivalas Quartet brings diversity to the stage through strings and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/ivalas-quartet-brings-diversity-to-the-stage-through-strings-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/ivalas-quartet-brings-diversity-to-the-stage-through-strings-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Women’s basketball: Quay Miller lead Buffs in…
As far as season openers go, JR Payne could not have asked for anything more than she got out of her team on Monday afternoon.
Senior Quay Miller had the best game of her career and the Colorado women’s basketball team cruised past New Mexico State, 85-55, at CU Events Center.
“Obviously, we’re really happy with the outcome and I’m actually really happy with how we played,” said Payne, who opened her seventh season as the Buffs’ head coach. “Sometimes you win and you think, ‘We have so much to work on,’ and of course there’s lots to work on still, but really proud of how we played.”
Miller, who was named the Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year last season, made her first start as a Buff and set new career highs with 22 points and 17 rebounds.
“I just do what JR needs me to do, whether that’s start, come off the bench; not play, play the whole game,” said Miller, who was a starter during her time at Washington before transferring to CU a year ago. “I just do what my coach asks me.”
Coaches have asked Miller to step up more than this year after the graduation of All-Pac-12 forward Mya Hollingshed and other key leaders.
University of Colorado Boulder’s Jaylyn Sherrod drives on New Mexico State’s Soufia Inoussa on Nov. 7, 2022.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff photographer)
Miller responded against New Mexico State by shattering her previous career high of 10 rebounds and knocking down 8-of-11 shots from the floor, including both of her 3-pointers.
“Yeah, definitely,” she said of having a new mindset this year. “Especially being a senior and having so many new players, like transfers and freshmen. I’m just trying to be a leader and set the tone and set the tempo and show them the type of basketball we play in practice and in games.”
The Buffs fell into a 6-0 hole early on Monday, but Miller had nine points in a 21-0 run that flipped the momentum.
“I feel like every first game of the season, people have jitters in general,” said senior point guard Jaylyn Sherrod, who finished with 11 points, four assists and four rebounds. “I think that we had that, but I think we came together well. We all stuck together. We didn’t get too frantic about it and it was just staying together as a team and knowing that it happened; teams go on runs. It’s just how we respond at the end of the day.”
After CU’s big early run, New Mexico State rallied in the second quarter, pulling within 33-28 just before halftime.
Jada Wynn then knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Buffs an eight-point lead at the break. They extended it to 12 in the first 70 seconds of the third quarter and led by at least 10 the rest of the way, finally pulling away in the fourth quarter.
“I think we definitely will watch that second quarter and really try to evaluate what exactly went wrong, and where could we have sort of stopped the bleeding and things like that,” Payne said. “They’re a really good, scrappy, gritty team and I think during that stretch, we had a couple turnovers, a couple uncontested 3s and just got kind of discombobulated. I thought the second half, we really tried to prioritize spacing, keeping things clean offensively and when we did that, I thought we got much better looks, and we were able to open it up again.”
Pulling away allowed the Buffs to get all 13 players into the game, and 11 scored.
“Everyone seemed prepared to play, came in and contributed,” Payne said. “I thought (Miller and Sherrod) did a great job of keeping us calm and keeping us in the actions that we wanted, and then new players came in brought great energy.
“It’s gonna take some time to figure out a really clean rotation but I thought everybody played really well today.”
CU is 44-4 all-time in season openers and has won the last 23. … The Buffs improved to 11-2 all-time against the Aggies. This was the first meeting between the teams in 27 years. … Miller’s 17 rebounds tied for the 10th-most in CU history and the second-most in a CU opener. Lisa VanGoor had 18 in the 1982-83 season opener against UTEP. … The Buffs were 6-for-12 from 3-point range. … Tayanna Jones stood out on both ends of the floor, finishing with eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. … All four true freshmen – Wynn, Ally Fitzgerald, Lizzie Holder and Brianna McLeod – got their first career points.
Snapshot: CU Buffs vs. New Mexico State
Turning point: CU got off to a slow start, falling behind 6-0, but then responded with a 21-0 run. NMSU rallied in the second quarter, but that big early run set the tone for CU.
Buff of the game: Quay Miller – The senior center posted career highs in points (22) and rebounds (17), dominating on both ends of the floor.
What’s next?: The Buffs will host Jackson State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Colorado 85, New Mexico State 55
Strawbridge 3-7 0-0 7, Kaiser 2-7 3-4 7, Inoussa 5-11 2-4 15, Donaldson 5-13 0-1 10, Thiam 4-16 1-2 10, Peterson 1-2 0-0 2, Yenes 1-4 0-0 2, Grays 1-2 0-0 2, Gueye 0-1 0-0 0, Shida 0-0 0-0 0, Sanchez-Oliver 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-63 6-11 55.
Vonleh 4-5 0-0 8, Miller 8-11 4-7 22, Sherrod 4-10 3-4 11, Jones 3-4 2-2 8, Formann 2-4 4-4 9, Sadler 0-4 0-0 0, Wetta 2-4 2-2 6, McLeod 3-5 0-0 6, Whittaker 0-0 1-2 1, Wynn 3-5 1-2 9, Gerber 0-0 0-0 0, Fitzgerald 1-1 0-0 3, Holder 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 31-54 17-23 85.
New Mexico State 8 20 14 13 – 55
3-point goals – NMSU 5-17 (Inoussa 3-8, Thiam 1-3, Strawbridge 1-2, Donaldson 0-2, Kaiser 0-1, Peterson 0-1), Colorado 6-12 (Wynn 2-4, Miller 2-2, Formann 1-2, Fitzgerald 1-1, Sherrod 0-1, Jones 0-1, Sadler 0-1). Rebounds – NMSU 28 (Inoussa 6), Colorado 46 (Miller 17). Assists – NMSU 6 (Peterson, Shida 2), Colorado 19 (Sherrod, Formann, Wetta 4). Steals – NMSU 10 (Inoussa 4), Colorado 6 (Sherrod, Wetta 2). Total fouls – NMSU 19, Colorado 18. Fouled out – None. A – 479. | 2022-11-08T05:24:04Z | www.dailycamera.com | Women’s basketball: Quay Miller lead Buffs in season-opening win – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/womens-basketball-quay-miller-lead-buffs-in-season-opening-win/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/womens-basketball-quay-miller-lead-buffs-in-season-opening-win/ |
Acquisition boosts third quarter sales for…
Oilfield services provider DMC Global Inc. (Nasdaq: BOOM) saw its third quarter sales more than double year over year, thanks in large part to top-line additions resulting from its acquisition of architectural building product supplier Arcadia Inc.
Third quarter sales were $174.5 million, up 160% versus the third quarter of 2021.
“This is a milestone transaction for DMC and aligns with our strategy of building a diversified portfolio of industry-leading businesses with differentiated products and services,” DMC Global CEO Kevin Longe said in a prepared statement released in late 2021 when the deal was first announced. | 2022-11-08T06:13:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | Acquisition boosts third quarter sales for Broomfield's DMC Global | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/acquisition-boosts-third-quarter-sales-for-broomfields-dmc-global/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/acquisition-boosts-third-quarter-sales-for-broomfields-dmc-global/ |
Boulder’s Boss Lady Pizza closes after a…
The last slices were slung Saturday at Boss Lady Pizza’s University Hill eatery as the pizza shop closed last week after nearly a decade in businesses.
Boss Lady, representatives of which did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday, was launched on the Hill in 2012 by Whitney Hart when she was 26, who worked in a slice shop during college in Wisconsin, according to BLP’s website.
Part of the BLP’s mission is to provide opportunities for women in the pizza industry, and, according to Hart’s post, the hope is to eventually become fully employee owned.
Cost of doing business in Boulder was also a concern.
Pollack told the Denver Business Journal in June that buildout of the Boulder shop cost $1.8 million, nearly quadruple the cost of the original Five Points shop in 2013. | 2022-11-08T06:14:33Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder’s Boss Lady Pizza closes after a decade on the Hill | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/boulders-boss-lady-pizza-closes-after-a-decade-on-the-hill/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/boulders-boss-lady-pizza-closes-after-a-decade-on-the-hill/ |
Letters to the editor: Reducing use of…
Nellie Smith: Honeybees: We must reduce our use of pesticides
As a CU Boulder student, I am very glad to hear that CU is investing resources into researching bees. I love bees because they pollinate many plants that help make Colorado beautiful. It has taken us this long to only begin to understand the inner workings of bees and their innovations. Imagine what we could learn if we continued to put resources toward learning about them.
However, bees are dying at extremely high rates due to many factors, including pesticides. If we want to continue to learn from the bees it is incredibly important that bees are saved. One way to help save the bees is by reducing the use of pesticides.
I believe that it is vital Coloradans help save them now so that we don’t lose out on any more lessons they can teach us.
Nellie Smith, Boulder
Allison Tatterson: Democracy: It is important to avoid dangerous rhetoric
The Nov. 3 letter to the editor “Elected officials must be held accountable” stated that “to ensure that our city and country remain functioning democracies, our elected officials must be held accountable for their actions and the serious impact of their poor decisions on all levels.” This loaded sentence chilled me as my mind went immediately to the recent attack on Nancy Pelosi’s family.
As a democratic country, we have very clear ways of letting our elected officials know how we feel: through nonviolent open forums, writing letters and casting our ballot. We should all remember that our elected officials, regardless of how they vote, are human beings and “holding them accountable” doesn’t mean threatening them or their family members. While this may seem like common sense to some, we are witness to many examples where rhetoric from one triggers dangerous actions by others.
Allison Tatterson, Longmont
Susan Stephens: Divisions: Disagreement does not merit contempt
A recent letter from Nov. 3 seems to be contradicting itself. Though the author bemoans the fact that there is so much division in politics today, both nationally and locally, he cannot abide the fact that two elected members of Boulder’s City Council have opinions that differ from his. I assume that he expected the city council to unanimously pass the budget to increase funds for encampment clean-ups, though it did pass 6-2. The two members who did not approve the measure have their reasons and are certainly allowed to have them. Not everyone believes that all those who are without homes are dangerous and should be treated as criminals. It is the author’s opinion, not fact, that the decisions made are poor and worthy of contempt.
Susan Stephens, Boulder
Mike Sawyer: Teaching: Please consider entering public education
My recent long-term substitute teaching assignment week at my favorite “high needs” middle school paid out more than the $220.00 per day pay with no financial benefits. While eating lunch in the cafeteria with the 8th graders a handsome student who wants to be an astronaut said that he was only focusing on himself, no girlfriend. The smallest 7th-grade girl when leaving a class asked, “Mr. Mike, are you a Christian?” I wore no collar or cross. I heard boys hollering, “Mr. Mike” during the class passing. A 7th-grade girl called me “Grandpa” because she had no grandfather. A special needs student who was unable to talk reached out with both of her tiny hands to hold my 70-year-old hands. On the last day of the week, the 7th-grader, who I had disciplined earlier, ran up to my face in the rushing-to-go-home hallway and screamed, maybe crying out for help. Please consider entering our public education battlefield and or mission field as your heart may get bruised but blessed.
Mike Sawyer, Denver
William K. Terry: Economy: Pandemic and war are true cause of inflation
Most of us are hurting and worried by the current inflation, and some blame Democrats for it and hope Republicans would do better. That opinion is misguided.
The principal cause of this inflation is the pandemic. Production of goods came nearly to a standstill amid lockdowns and quarantines, and it has still not fully recovered. In China, the world’s factory, the ongoing zero-COVID policy continues to hamper production. COVID also led to constrictions in the supply chain. Meanwhile, demand has soared as people emerging from lockdowns want to make the purchases they deferred. The law of supply and demand guarantees rising prices.
On top of this, Putin’s war in Ukraine has restricted the production and distribution of many products, especially grain, which has elevated the cost of food. This inflation is a worldwide problem, and neither a Democratic nor a Republican government can single-handedly stop it.
Putin dreams of restoring Russian hegemony over the nations of the former Soviet Union and its satellite countries. If he wins in Ukraine, he won’t stop there.
William K. Terry, Niwot | 2022-11-08T06:14:56Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Reducing use of pesticides; avoiding dangerous rhetoric; it's okay to disagree; help public education; causes of inflation | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/letters-to-the-editor-reducing-use-of-pesticides-avoiding-dangerous-rhetoric-its-okay-to-disagree-help-public-education-causes-of-inflation/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/letters-to-the-editor-reducing-use-of-pesticides-avoiding-dangerous-rhetoric-its-okay-to-disagree-help-public-education-causes-of-inflation/ |
These were just everyday women, like Ella Findeisen, a German immigrant who lived on Colby Street in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Each and every one of us, regardless of political affiliation, has been bombarded with noise and spin from every angle for months.
There’s anger, weariness, and sadly, fear. So for a moment, let’s take a pause to ask ourselves this: Come Tuesday, when I walk along a sidewalk crowded with fellow voters and candidates to cast my one vote, will I consider becoming part of the solution? | 2022-11-08T13:24:01Z | www.dailycamera.com | Editorial: One vote, your vote | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/editorial-one-vote-your-vote/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/editorial-one-vote-your-vote/ |
Every Mother Counts: Boulder women run for a cause
Friends, marathoners, mothers and training partners Dr. Heather Bright Hoffmeyer, left, and Jenny Jurek were running yesterday’s New York City Marathon as a fundraiser for Every Mother Counts. (Mike Sandrock / Courtesy photo)
Jenny Jurek was finishing up a solo 12-miler in a small canyon outside of Las Vegas, Nev., when the pain in her abdomen started. She finished the run and the pain subsided, but the next day, back home in Boulder, she passed out because of internal bleeding. Jurek’s husband, the ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, found her in the bathroom and carried her into the kitchen, where she briefly came to. Then he rushed her to Boulder Community Hospital, where Jurek underwent emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. She passed out again from the loss of blood and nearly did not make it through the surgery, which resulted in the removal of part of one of her ovaries and Fallopian tube.
That experience, in March 2014, stayed with Jurek and was the impetus to get in touch with Every Mother Counts, the maternal healthcare non-profit the Jureks have supported and worked with ever since Jenny recovered from the surgery. Yesterday, Jurek and Dr. Heather Bright Hoffmeyer, a well-known Boulder obstetrician, were to run the New York City Marathon as a fundraiser for Every Mother Counts.
The friends and training partners are both passionate about women’s health, which is why they choose the world’s most visible marathon to fundraise. After their weekly early-morning Wednesday run last week on the Wonderland Lake trails, one of their last runs before heading to New York, Bright Hoffmeyer and Jurek talked about the maternal health-care crisis and why they support Every Mother Counts.
“Awareness matters,” said Bright Hoffmeyer, who, like Jurek, is a paradigm of a fit, active working mother. “I care so much I am running 26.2 miles on my limited day off” to fundraise.
During our conversation, Bright Hoffmeyer, 47, elaborated on the health-care crisis, pointing out that physicians and nurses have been leaving the profession since the Covid-19 pandemic because of burnout. And in the last year, she added, especially with the June U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, it seems that women are facing more difficulties.
Every Mother Counts, founded in 2010, “helps make pregnancy and delivery safe for moms around the world,” said Jurek, 46. She was planning to be at events over the weekend along with Scott, a former American 24-hour record holder, and formerly one of the best ultramarathoners in the world.
Now it is Jenny who is doing the competing, most recently at this summer’s Big Horn 100-Miler. Her goal for New York was a sub-four marathon.
“Heather and I are evenly matched,” said Jurek, the mother of Raven, 6, and Evergreen, 4. “We are ready to roll. This will be my first marathon where I am not breastfeeding or using a pump at the start. It’s a little crazy what women go through.”
Both Jurek and Bright Hoffmeyer are proponents of women staying active throughout their pregnancies, as they both did. Jurek ran 5K the morning of giving birth to Evergreen, and Bright Hoffmeyer ran and swam up to the births of her two children, Eleanore, 20, and Andersen, 16. “There are many benefits to staying active through pregnancies,” she said.
Boulder-based Always Up is a new line of products that includes the Cloud Belt, a running support belt for women, allowing them to run through their pregnancy. (Brendan Davis / Courtesy photo)
To help women do that, Jurek invented a new kind of support belt runners can wear during pregnancies. Called “Always Up” – an apt name that reflects Jurek’s personality and is a translation from Japanese of her maiden name, Uehisa – the belts are designed from Jurek’s experience with pregnant running, and are just being launched at local running stores (https://www.alwaysup.love/).
Jurek’s “Always Up” attitude was tested during the last stages of the Big Horn 100, when she faced the daunting task of running the last five miles of the race in 1 hour, 7 minutes or faster – after 34 hours of running and walking – or miss the cutoff, meaning she would be pulled from the race. Jurek, who focused on academics, not athletics, in high school and college, was paced by local YouTube influencer Ryan Van Duzer, with her husband and kids cheering her on. Jurek dug deep, clocking a 10-minute mile near the finish to complete the 100 miles.
“Yay! Momma still has it!” Jurek said, the fire showing in her eyes, as she recounted the race at a recent RAD (Real Athletes Diet) anniversary gathering at the A-Lodge in Lyons.
“It was special to see that,” Scott Jurek said as he listened, seemingly prouder of his wife’s 35 hour 100-miler as he was of his many wins over the distance, from Hardrock to Western States. “It was amazing.”
Dr. Bright Hoffmeyer, too, has a supportive spouse, saying she is able to keep to her full schedule of helping women with their maternal health, training and raising a family with the help of her husband, Jeff. “I could not do it without him.”
After talking with Bright Hoffmeyer and Jurek and learning about the maternal health crisis, I was left with this impression: Millions of women around the world do not have access to family support, to hospitals, trained doctors and nurses, medicine or equipment they can turn to in a crisis. This is what Jurek and Bright Hoffmeyer want to change; they are two Boulder mothers who want their running to count.
“I nearly died,” Jurek said, reflecting back to that spring day eight years ago. “When it ruptures, the clock starts ticking, and you don’t have much time. We want to help provide access to women who don’t have health care.”
To donate: https://donate.hakuapp.com/donations/new?fundraiser=01f53e252c08d955344f Details: http//:everymothercounts.org.
To follow Michael Sandrock on Instagram: @MikeSandrock | 2022-11-08T14:55:30Z | www.dailycamera.com | Every Mother Counts: Boulder women run for a cause – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/every-mother-counts-boulder-women-run-for-a-cause/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/every-mother-counts-boulder-women-run-for-a-cause/ |
Shark’s Ink exhibit at CU Art Museum and other…
Pedro Caceres, exhibitions preparator, frames prints for “Onward and Upward: Shark’s Ink.” The exhibit, at CU Art Museum, will be on display through July. (Elizabeth van der Marck-Gregg/Courtesy photo)
Shark’s Ink exhibit at CU Art Museum: This exhibit celebrates the “Sharkive,” a collection that CU acquired from Shark’s Ink, a print publisher and lithography studio directed by Bud Shark in Lyons. It includes editioned prints, production materials (drawings, mylars and proofs), shop correspondence and records. The exhibit is up through July 2023. Also on display is “Lasting Impressions,” the museum’s collection of American prints dating back to 1940; 10 a.m. Tuesday, CU Art Museum, 1085 18th St., Boulder; Free; colorado.edu/cuartmuseum.
Queers and Cakes at CU: Come by and eat a slice of cake from a local bakery and join in a discussion about LGBTQ+ life and culture; 2 p.m. Tuesday, Center for Community, N320, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
Open Studio Makerspace: See the makerspace in action, learn about equipment, or get hands-on by doing a project. Staff will be available for guidance with tools and materials. All experience levels and ages are welcome; 2:44 p.m. Tuesday, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; calendar.boulderlibrary.org/event/9852526.
Noah Kahan at Boulder Theater: Folk-infused pop As Noah Kahan is stopping by for two nights in support of his brand new album, ‘Stick Changes.” Adam Melchor will open the show; 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $29.50-$32; z2ent.com. | 2022-11-08T20:07:51Z | www.dailycamera.com | Shark’s Ink exhibit at CU Art Museum and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/sharks-ink-exhibit-at-cu-art-museum-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/sharks-ink-exhibit-at-cu-art-museum-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Fueled by ARPA funds, Boulder restaurants begin…
Outdoor dining in Boulder has been expanded through October 2027 as part of a five-year outdoor dining pilot program. (Camera file photo)
Originally developed as a response to COVID-19, outdoor dining in Boulder has been expanded through October 2027 as part of a five-year outdoor dining pilot program. A total of 24 restaurants are participating in the program.
The program, made possible by American Rescue Plan Act funds, was designed based on feedback and lessons learned from the past two years and provides current, year-round outdoor dining guidelines for restaurants. Boulder has received $20.15 million in ARPA money to help the community — including local businesses — bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.
A total of $250,000 in Boulder ARPA funds were allocated to provide either a $2,500 subsidy or 50% discount on infrastructure leasing costs for restaurants that are participating. The funding also enabled Boulder to help cover the cost of planter boxes, which are a safety requirement for outdoor dining areas placed next to streets.
Of the 24 participating restaurants, 17 will have their outdoor dining infrastructure in the public right of way and another seven will be on private property. Eight restaurants will be leasing their infrastructure through the city, while the others will be buying compliant infrastructure on their own.
Boulder made a bulk purchase of leasable infrastructure through MODSTREET, a Durango-based company that specializes in building outdoor dining structures, also known as parklets. The first are now being delivered and installed, with another delivery scheduled for next month.
More information about Boulder’s Outdoor Dining Pilot Program, is available at the city’s website. The next program application window opens Feb. 1. | 2022-11-09T01:44:20Z | www.dailycamera.com | Fueled by ARPA funds, Boulder restaurants begin installing outdoor dining structures | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/fueled-by-arpa-funds-boulder-restaurants-begin-installing-outdoor-dining-structures/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/fueled-by-arpa-funds-boulder-restaurants-begin-installing-outdoor-dining-structures/ |
Jeff Mitton: Natural Selections: Beavers have…
Beavers have constructed two dams in Boulder Canyon — this one is about five feet tall. (Jeff Mitton — For the Camera)
By Jeff Mitton |
Beavers have become established in Boulder Canyon. Dave Hoerath, wildlife biologist with Parks and Open Space, told me they have been aware of beavers in Boulder Canyon for about 10 years, but we agreed that the pond in the photos illustrating this article appeared recently. At two sites, 1.5 miles apart, aspen, cottonwoods and willows have been gnawed down to build dams and to cache branches for winter food.
Jeff Mitton/ Natural Selections
Jeff Mitton. Natural Selections
A beaver pond is the territory occupied by one family of beavers. The parents are monogamous and they mate for life — longevity has an average of 12 years, but fortunate and healthy beavers can live 19 years. They mate in January or February and usually three or four kits are born in May or June. A family consists of the adults, the kits and yearlings born the previous year. Yearlings leave their natal ponds as they approach their second birthday, and a new set of kits is imminent. They travel as far as 5 or 6 miles to establish their own territories.
Beavers are large rodents, second only to capybaras in South America. They grow to be a meter long, with a third of that being their black, flat, naked and scaly tails. They are semiaquatic, with specific adaptations for living in the water. Toes on the back feet are webbed, and beavers can close their nostrils and ears when submerged. They have clear inner eyelids they close underwater so they can see without getting sand or detritus in their eyes. They are able to control their breathing and heart rate to remain underwater for five minutes, but when a predator is skulking about they can stay down for as long as 15 minutes. To warn their family of imminent danger, they slap the water with their flat tails, producing a sharp retort that can be heard both above and below water. While they have a lumbering and ponderous gait on land, they are agile in the water.
Their primary predators are bobcats, coyotes and wolves. In Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, a collared wolf ate 36 beavers in one year. Beavers are most vulnerable when searching for new territories or when collecting logs and branches.
Today, only two species of beavers survive, our North American beaver, Castor canadensis, and the very similar Eurasian beaver, C. fiber. Adults weigh 30 to 70 pounds. Giant species of beavers evolved in Europe and North American during the Pleistocene. A beaver in North America in the genus Castoroides was as big as a black bear and weighed about 220 pounds. The giant beaver did not gnaw wood or eat bark, but fed on submerged vegetation in swamps. It went extinct about 10,000 years ago, as North America was becoming more arid and swamps became smaller and less common.
Beavers are frequently presented as nature’s engineers, for they change their environment substantially. They gnaw down aspen and cottonwoods more than a foot in diameter to build a dam. Their dam to creates a pond where they then build a den or lodge as a refuge from threatening predators and harsh weather. Dens are at the edge of the pond, while lodges are surrounded by water. Both have underwater entrances to exclude predators.
Once the pond is formed, the adjacent soils become saturated, killing some species, but making the area ideal for alders, willows, aspens and cottonwoods — all favored foods of beavers. They may excavate a canal to a nearby grove of trees so they can easily transport branches and twigs to their pond. Trout seem to flourish in beaver ponds, and muskrats, mink and ducks drop in as well. Over the years, sediment flowing into the pond makes it shallower, eventually forcing the beavers to abandon the pond as it transitions to a meadow.
Aspen, cottonwood and willow branches not incorporated into the dam or den are cached either underwater or in a storage room inside the lodge so they can eat the bark in winter. When the pond freezes over, they can safely retrieve branches from underwater caches.
Climate change has been implicated in the movement of the geographic ranges of many species of animals. Many species are expanding their ranges to higher elevations and latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Beavers might be added to this list, for they have moved farther north in the Arctic tundra of Alaska, creating more than 12,000 new ponds. In 2020 the temperature in the Alaska tundra rose higher than ever in recorded history, coincident with the invasion of the tundra by woody shrubs. This provides the building materials for dams and lodges and food to sustain beavers through the winter.
Beavers may appear to be one of the most sedentary of species, living in a secure den or lodge in a pond with all of their food within a short waddle. But it is evident that they are on the movein Boulder Canyon and Alaska.
Natural Selections
Jeff Mitton
Jeff Mitton, mitton@colorado.edu, is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado.
Ball Aerospace’s Denise Henry nets Women in Aerospace Award | 2022-11-09T01:44:26Z | www.dailycamera.com | Jeff Mitton: Natural Selections: Beavers have become established in Boulder Canyon | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/jeff-mitton-natural-selections-beavers-have-become-established-in-boulder-canyon/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/jeff-mitton-natural-selections-beavers-have-become-established-in-boulder-canyon/ |
State House District 10: Joseph scores solid win
Junie Joseph (Coverve/Courtesy photo)
Democrat Junie Joseph, a Boulder City Council member, is overwhelmingly winning the House District 10 race with 89% of the vote, based on Boulder County returns available Tuesday night.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Joseph had 16,489 votes and DeOreo had 2,107 votes, with a total of 18,596 votes counted. | 2022-11-09T06:17:00Z | www.dailycamera.com | State House District 10: Joseph scores solid win | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/state-house-district-10-junie-joseph-ahead-in-early-results/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/07/state-house-district-10-junie-joseph-ahead-in-early-results/ |
RTD Board of Directors Districts I, O:…
RTD Board of Directors Districts I, O: Davidson, Guissinger lead
Erik Davidson
Erik Davidson, the incumbent RTD Board of Director
for District I who is running unopposed, had received 22,257 combined votes from Boulder and Weld counties, following early returns Tuesday night.
District I encompass parts of Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville and Broomfield as well as portions of Weld County.
Guissinger leads RTD District O vote
Incumbent Lynn Guissinger was leading with 77% of the vote as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the race for the RTD District O seat.
Richard O’Keefe had 23% of the vote.
As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, 41,117 votes had been counted. District O covers much of Boulder County, including Boulder and parts of Louisville and Superior.
Lynn Guissinger | 2022-11-09T10:27:44Z | www.dailycamera.com | RTD Board of Directors Districts I, O: Davidson, Guissinger lead – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/rtd-board-of-directors-districts-i-o-davidson-guissinger-lead/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/06/rtd-board-of-directors-districts-i-o-davidson-guissinger-lead/ |
Boulder County Commissioner District 3:…
Boulder County Commissioner District 3: Stolzmann cruises
Ashley Stolzmann (Courtesy photo)
Louisville Mayor Ashley Stolzmann will serve as the next Boulder County Commissioner representing District 3.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Stolzmann, a Democrat, had 65,045, or about 81.5% of the total ballots counted so far, according to Boulder County Elections.
Libertarian Bo Shaffer, the only candidate to run against Stolzmann in the general election, had 14,764 votes, or roughly 18.5% of the votes processed.
During the June 28 primary, Stolzmann narrowly defeated Elaina Shively to become the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Current District 3 Boulder County Commissioner Matt Jones, who Stolzmann will replace, announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection in November.
Other county offices were settled in races that were anything but, as candidates were Democrats, running unopposed.
Curtis Johnson (Courtesy photo)
The new Boulder County sheriff will be Curtis Johnson, with 66,708 votes, as of 8 p.m. He will be the first new sheriff for the county in 20 years, as Joe Pelle was term limited after 20 years on the job.
Paul Weissmann
Boulder County Treasurer Paul Weissmann secured his third four-year term, landing 66,981 votes
Boulder County Assessor Cynthia Braddock, yet another unopposed Democrat, checked in with 66,463 votes
Finally Democrat Emma Hall was returned to another term in the position she has held since January 2011, with 66,22
Emma Hall (Courtesy photo) | 2022-11-09T13:33:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | Louisville Mayor Ashley Stolzmann will serve as the next Boulder County Commissioner to represent District 3. | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-county-commissioner-district-3-stolzmann-cruises/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-county-commissioner-district-3-stolzmann-cruises/ |
Boulder voters lean to sticking with…
Andrew Cole, left, McKenzie Watson-Fore and Michael Watson- Fore watch local election results at the watch party for the CU South ballot measure during election night in Boulder. (Cliff Grassmick — Staff Photographer)
Boulder voters on Tuesday were leaning against a measure that would overturn an already-approved annexation agreement with the University of Colorado Boulder and would force the city back to the drawing board.
After a long contentious battle, unofficial election returns Tuesday night showed a close race with 12,835 — 53.56% — votes against Ballot Issue 2F: the CU South Referendum, and 11,131 — 46.44% — votes in support of the measure, according to the Colorado secretary of state’s website.
The results as of Tuesday were trending to strike down Ballot Issue 2F, which, if it passes, would reverse the agreement approved last fall that 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.
Leslie Durgin, with No Means No More Delay, an organization against 2F, did not respond to requests for comment before deadline Tuesday.
Opponents of the measure, like Durgin, have expressed concerns that a reversal in the agreement would have further delayed necessary flood mitigation work that many have been waiting on for about a decade. The area that will be protected by the 100-year project was among the hardest hit in the 2013 flood. In addition to flood protection, the project could bring affordable housing, a transportation mobility hub and it will maintain some of the property as open space.
But supporters of the measure have long argued that the city’s deal with CU Boulder doesn’t go far enough and many have questioned the city’s decision to move forward with the 100-year flood mitigation plan rather than a 500-year measure.
“We collected signatures to get on the ballot so Boulder could learn about CU South and decide which direction to go,” said Peter Mayer, with Repeal CU South Annexation, a proponent for 2F. “We had a rigorous debate and tonight, we thank our supporters.” | 2022-11-09T13:34:03Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder voters lean to sticking with already-approved CU South annexation agreement | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-voters-lean-to-sticking-with-already-approved-cu-south-annexation-agreement/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-voters-lean-to-sticking-with-already-approved-cu-south-annexation-agreement/ |
Boulder voters support moving City Council…
Voters also support repealing existing climate and utility taxes, clarifying city charter
Future Boulder City Council elections will be held on even years after voters approved Ballot Issue 2E during the general election Tuesday night.
Unofficial election results posted at 7 p.m. show 13,012 — 58.73% — votes in favor of the ballot measure and 9,142 — 41.27% — votes against moving council elections to even years.
Beginning in 2026, City Council elections will be held on even-numbered years consistent with the state general election cycle. Councilmembers elected in the 2023 and 2025 elections will now serve three-year terms. The mayor elected in 2023 will also serve a three-year term. Local ballot measures will continue on off years.
“We had amazing endorsements (and) lots of strong supporters,” said Eric Budd, a co-lead with People for Voter Turnout, a proponent for the measure. “We feel like we ran a really good campaign.”
Chelsea Castellano, who is also a co-lead for the organization, said she is excited to continue similar work moving forward.
“We’re really excited that the majority of people (who) we have seen vote so far have voted for a stronger democracy in Boulder,” she said.
Brooke Harrison, with the opposing organization, Save Local Elections, said her group ran a great campaign.
“This is democracy at work,” she said. “We — on both sides — were looking to make democracy better than it was today.”
The last of Boulder County’s ballots will be counted Nov. 17 and will be unofficial until they are certified Nov. 30.
Climate tax and bonds
Boulder voters repealed the city’s existing climate and utility taxes and repurposed them into one climate action tax, and also supported the city’s request to allow a debt issuance to help Boulder begin projects earlier, according to unofficial election results posted Tuesday night.
Unofficial results show 16,566 votes in favor of Issue 2A: the Climate Tax, and 7,300 against. The second measure, which could only move forward if 2A passed — Issue 2B: the Climate Tax Bond — also had overwhelming support with 15,951 votes for the measure and 7,456 against.
The climate action tax will raise about $6.5 million in the first year.
The climate tax bond will allow a debt issuance of up to $52.9 million, not to exceed $75 million.
Charter clarification of candidate issues
Boulder voters agreed they want the city to clarify rules for candidates running for City Council and mayor.
Boulder Ballot Issue 2D: Charter Clarification of Candidate Issues had 18,115 votes for the ballot measure and 3,619 votes against. | 2022-11-09T13:34:04Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder voters support moving City Council elections to even years | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-voters-support-moving-city-council-elections-to-even-years/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-voters-support-moving-city-council-elections-to-even-years/ |
Chris Weidner: Jimmie Dunn and his solo first…
Jimmie Dunn repeated Cosmos with John Middendorf in 1990 to establish a 6-pitch direct finish to the line. Here, he rests in a handmade portaledge beneath the pitch that took him 18 hours to lead, 18 years earlier. (John Middendorf / Courtesy Photo)
Editor’s note: This column has been changed to correct Jimmie Dunn’s age in 1972.
Fifty years ago, in the spring of 1972, El Capitan — Yosemite’s famous 3,000-foot tall monolith — was the locus of ambition among aspiring big wall climbers, much like it is today.
Chris Weidner Wicked Gravity
But back then, fewer than 10 full-length routes graced its flanks; there were plenty more to be done.
Drawn by the allure of a new El Cap route, that particular season attracted several big-name climbers intent to claim an even more outstanding, if niche, “first:” a solo first ascent.
Whispers circulated in the valley that British climber, Edward Drummond, was on the prowl. Charlie Porter, too, had designs on a solo quest up El Cap. And local hardmen, Jim Bridwell and Royal Robbins, had already reconned the initial pitches of different lines by
And then there was 23-year-old Jimmie Dunn, on spring break from college in Colorado Springs. While fervid to climb a new route on “The Captain,” he planned to share the adventure with his friend, Billy Westbay.
Jimmie Dunn leading on the first day of his first attempt on the route that would become Cosmos, with Billy Westbay, in early spring 1972. This was taken before they were threatened by the group of climbers below. (Billy Westbay / Courtesy Photo)
Wasting no time, they launched up a route Jimmie had studied from a detailed photo he kept in his school notebook. Soon they were several hundred feet up. But then they heard something strange. “You guys come down, you’re going to die up there!” A crew of angry climbers shouted at them from the ground. “If you go up we’ll meet you on top and throw you off!” they bullied. One even threatened to shoot them with his gun.
Confused and frightened, Jimmie and Billy assumed they had eyes on the same route. Jimmie was keen to ignore them; Billy wanted down.
So Jimmie recruited Doug Snively for another attempt. A few pitches up the climbing spooked them. Plus, lingering in their minds were the death threats. And as spring break ended, they bailed. Back to Colorado they went.
But Jimmie quickly knew he’d blown it by leaving Yosemite. “Sitting through one class I realized, I’m outta here,” he told me. He quit college on the spot and rallied Doug to return. After only two days away, they backtracked 20 hours to the valley in Jimmie’s 1960 Chevy Impala.
They beelined for El Cap, despite reports that Bridwell would break the arms and legs of anyone who tried that route. But their attempt was doomed once again. Two pitches up, Doug ripped a block off that broke three of his fingers. With tears of disappointment streaming down his cheeks, they were forced to descend.
For his fourth attempt, Jimmie talked Gordie Smaill, an accomplished Canadian climber, into heading up. This time, they climbed nine pitches before Gordie took a wild, 60-foot sideways fall. Astonishingly, he was unhurt, but his spirit was broken. He told Jimmie, “I’m going down. I don’t want this anymore.”
By now Jimmie had gone through three partners, he’d quit college, he had no job, no money and no climbing partner. “I thought, this is it. I gotta do this damn thing,” he said. “I will die before I come down.”
On day one of his ascent, Jimmie dropped his sleeping bag — a portent of mishaps to come. The following day he took a massive fall, screaming 50 feet down then across the rock in a giant pendulum. On day three his hammock tore, and for the rest of the climb (6 more nights) he slept in one of his rudimentary haul bags. A bit higher — but still less than halfway up — he toiled for 18 hours leading a single pitch, on which he broke five bits trying to drill one bolt.
Jimmie Dunn on the rim of Colorado’s Black Canyon in 1978, after climbing the Russian Arete with his then wife, Martha Morris. Jimmie is an avid Black Canyon climberand pioneer. (Martha Morris / Courtesy Photo)
And by day five he began losing it. At the sight of silverfish crawling nearby, he tried to strike a conversation. “I started talking to them and asking how they were doing,” he said. “Then, I was apologizing to El Cap for thinking I could solo this route.”
Nevertheless, after nine days alone, Jimmie dragged himself over the top, then staggered down to the valley floor. He had just succeeded on what Royal Robbins would soon call the hardest climb in North America.
Incredibly, the first person Jimmie ran into was Bridwell. But rather than break his limbs, Bridwell commended him. “I’m impressed,” he said. “Let me cook you supper.” | 2022-11-09T16:59:36Z | www.dailycamera.com | Chris Weidner: Jimmie Dunn and his solo first ascent of El Capitan, 50 years ago – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/chris-weidner-jimmie-dunn-and-his-solo-first-ascent-of-el-capitan-50-years-ago/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/chris-weidner-jimmie-dunn-and-his-solo-first-ascent-of-el-capitan-50-years-ago/ |
Guest opinion: Neil Rosenthal: Life lessons…
By Neil Rosenthal
Recently I have been reflecting on what I wish I knew earlier — knowledge or insights that would have made life easier for me. In the hope of helping others to not have to go through the learning curve I did, I offer the following lessons life has taught me the hard way.
Always have goals that lie yonder.
Happiness is transient and temporary, and even happy memories fade over time. As a result, we need to continuously provide experiences that please us, that expand us, that challenge us and that deepen us: take a class that interests you, learn to play a new musical instrument, plan a trip to someplace interesting, learn a foreign language, try out pickleball. Precisely what do you want to experience or accomplish before you die? If you don’t figure this out, you will be loaded with regrets later on.
Living in gratitude is not as hard as it sounds.
Every night when your head hits the pillow but before you fall asleep, recount what you did that day, or what happened to you that you feel proud of or grateful for. This is how you can live in thanksgiving and gratitude every day.
Be your own best parent.
Whether your parents did a great job or not, once you’re an adult, you can give yourself the assistance and guidance you once looked for them to offer. You can nurture yourself, hold yourself accountable and give yourself approval and acknowledgment. I am parenting myself when I encourage me to become a participant in life rather than an observer, when I quit wasting my time on things that do not genuinely serve my best interests, when I quit blaming other people or unfortunate circumstances for my situation in life — and when I act with integrity and honor in my dealings with the world. And if I am parenting myself well, I am also a best friend to myself.
My inner critic is a friend.
Your inner critic is the part of you that regularly reminds you of your failures, mistakes and embarrassments. For years, I thought that critic inside of me was sadistic and cruel — always reminding me of my blunders and faux pas. But I have come to realize that my inner critic is actually a friend to me. He is asking me to learn from my mistakes and do better next time, and he’s trying to hold me to a higher standard. Viewing my inner critic as a friend has taken much of the sting out of his admonishments. I can now say, “You’re right. I will do better next time.”
Take care of yourself well.
Regular exercise, being in charge of how many sweets you eat, keeping up with medical appointments, good nutrition and staying in shape is not easy. But if you don’t do it, it won’t happen.
Make digital copies of all photos you value.
This may sound obvious to some, but when my house burned to the ground in the Fourmile Canyon Fire 12 years ago, I very much wish I had taken this advice.
Travel to places unknown and unfamiliar. Seize the day, and don’t let your insecurities stop you from trying entirely new activities and even new identities. Create some adventures for yourself, and leave your comfort zone at least some of the time. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Act with humility and grace.
I wish I understood the importance of those words when I was younger and more full of myself. Always be polite and respectful to other people. It gets you farther with others, and you will feel better about yourself. This means that no matter how angry you are, hold yourself accountable to still act like a gentleman or gentlewoman.
While you’re alive, make sure you’re actually living.
Don’t allow yourself to get caught in a rut where your life grows monotonous and boring. Be ambitious and go after creating the dreams and goals in life you want. You get one chance at life that we’re absolutely certain of. Make the most of it.
Neil Rosenthal is a licensed marriage and family therapist. His website is coloradomarriageretreats.com. | 2022-11-09T16:59:54Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Neil Rosenthal: Life lessons don't have to be learned the hard way | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/guest-opinion-neil-rosenthal-life-lessons-dont-have-to-be-learned-the-hard-way/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/guest-opinion-neil-rosenthal-life-lessons-dont-have-to-be-learned-the-hard-way/ |
Nordic ski gear swap and other Boulder events…
Summit Lynch rides down a run on opening day at Eldora in 2020. The Boulder Nordic Ski Swap is on Wednesday at Boulder Elks Lodge. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Boulder Nordic Ski Swap: Equip for the snow season and head to the 31st annual Boulder Nordic Ski Swap, hosted by the Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team, where there’s a chance to buy or sell new and used gear, including skis, boots, poles, helmets, packs, jackets, pants, hats, soft goods and more. Or patrons can demo equipment from various styles — like skate ski, classic ski, roller ski, backcountry cross-country ski, Telemark ski and alpine touring; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Elks Lodge, 3975 28th St., Boulder; Free; bnjrt.ski/31st-annual-boulder-nordic-ski-swap/.
CU Symphonic Band wraps season with ‘Smoke and Mirrors’: The final concert of the fall season will features piece that containing a connection to music that has been rethought, restated or recomposed. The genesis of the phrase “Smoke and Mirrors,” there will be moments in every piece that are presented in foggy iterations and manipulated, updated and orchestrated from earlier music, either in previous moments in the piece itself or from different source material; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org.
Noah Kahan at Boulder Theater: Folk-infused pop musician Noah Kahan plays his second Boulder show Wednesday in support of his brand new album, “Stick Changes.” Stephen Sanchez will open the show; 8 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $29.50-$32; z2ent.com.
Wylie at Velvet Elk: Local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist reggae-roots loop performer brings the jams to the bar; 9 p.m. Wednesday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; velvetelklounge.com.
‘Ancestral Trauma and the Deep Roots of Money Blocks’ Book Signing: Local psychologist and coach Eva A. Malanowski will speak about and sign her new book, “Ancestral Trauma and the Deep Roots of Money Blocks,” at Boulder Book Store; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
‘Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein’ film screening: This visually stunning documentary, a Boulder Jewish Film Festival exclusive, tells the remarkable story of Fred Stein’s life, whose images of 1930s Paris and 1940s New York, as well as his portraits of luminaries such as Albert Einstein and Hannah Arendt, are well-known. His son Peter Stein, a Hollywood cinematographer, set about to recapture rightful acclaim for his father in this film. On Thursday, catch Peter Stein, who has worked on more than 50 feature films and TV movies as a Hollywood cinematographer, in discussion at the Dairy; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $16; boulderjcc.org.
Norman Koren photo exhibit at JCC: Boulder photographer Norman Koren captures complex abstract designs found in the natural environment as well as the hidden life in intricate, often overlooked details of nature; open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, Messinger Gallery at the Boulder JCC, 6007 Oreg Ave., Boulder; Free; boulderjcc.org.
Museum of Boulder’s Pikas and Prairies exhibit: “Pikas, Prairies, and the Climate Crisis” features field photography and video in an exhibitthat explores the connections between Colorado’s shortgrass prairies and the American Pika. Pikas are a cold-loving species, are threatened by warming temperatures. Exhibit runs through Jan. 8; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday; Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder; museumofboulder.org. | 2022-11-09T17:00:25Z | www.dailycamera.com | Nordic ski gear swap and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/ski-gear-swap-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/ski-gear-swap-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
‘Proceeding without delay’: Boulder continues…
James Nash walks Ranger on a trail at CU Boulder South on Wednesday. Boulder voters appear to have turned down a measure that would reverse an already-approved annexation agreement with the University of Colorado Boulder (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
As unofficial votes continue to trickle in, the result has grown even more clear: The CU South annexation agreement is here to stay.
“If it holds, and I am hoping and confident it will, I am pleased with the result,” said Leslie Durgin, with No Means No More Delay, an organization against Ballot Issue 2F: the CU South Referendum. “What it says is that the citizens of Boulder have looked at the issues in great detail and have decided to vote in favor of flood protection as well as open space and affordable housing.”
Another round of unofficial election returns for the CU South referendum Wednesday evening showed 16,041 votes against Ballot Issue 2F: the CU South Referendum, and 13,736 votes in support of the measure, according to the Boulder County Clerk’s Office.
Ballot Issue 2F would have reversed the agreement approved last fall that 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 a portion of land 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.
As the unofficial election results shore up a win for CU Boulder and the city, Boulder officials said they have continued working on the mitigation project as if the agreement were already in place.
“The project team continues proceeding without delay,” said Joe Taddeucci, Boulder utilities director.
“We understand that the community is divided on this whole concept,” Taddeucci said. “The opponents of (the measure) have definitely helped shape the project. We definitely appreciate all of the different perspectives on this, and we’re trying to move forward with a project that represents the whole community regardless of how they feel.”
Taddeucci said city staff continued with the design phase of the flood mitigation project at the direction of the City Council. That work will continue into next year with permitting and construction scheduled for 2024 and construction concluding in 2026. If the annexation agreement was reversed, the project timeline could have been set back years, Taddeucci said.
The annexation agreement provides Boulder with 36 acres of land for flood mitigation and 44 acres for open space. In addition, CU Boulder has designated 119 acres for open space, though the Open Space – Other designation alone does not ensure protection for open space, but the CU Boulder South’s guiding principles, which serve as a guide for the agreement, prioritizes the minimization of disturbance to protect open space, according the annexation agreement summary. That land agreement and the open space designation, and any additional land the city may purchase from CU Boulder, will give the city about half of the 308-acre site, Taddeucci said.
A damaged CU Boulder South sign is seen near a parking area on Wednesday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
“That would give us everything we need for flood mitigation and open space to mitigate the environmental impacts,” he said.
Officials with CU Boulder declined to comment until all ballot returns have been collected and finalized by Boulder County.
Not everyone agrees with the annexation deal though. Many supporters of the measure hoped to see the agreement scrapped, expressing concerns about the city’s decision to move forward with the 100-year flood mitigation plan rather than a 500-year measure.
Peter Mayer, with Repeal CU South Annexation, a proponent for 2F, said the organization will be paying close attention as the city and CU Boulder move forward with the agreement.
“The proposed flood mitigation plan has yet to be fully permitted and approved, and we still believe better solutions that respect climate change and the natural floodplain exist,” he said. “We are disappointed in the outcome of the election but resolved to continue to work to protect wetlands and open space.” | 2022-11-10T04:54:11Z | www.dailycamera.com | 'Proceeding without delay' Boulder continues course for CU South annexation agreement as outcome moves closer to done deal | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/proceeding-without-delay-boulder-continues-course-for-cu-south-annexation-agreement-as-election-outcome-moves-closer-to-done-deal/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/09/proceeding-without-delay-boulder-continues-course-for-cu-south-annexation-agreement-as-election-outcome-moves-closer-to-done-deal/ |
Letters to the editor: Election donations; CU…
Jonathan Hoover: Election: Fortune 500 Companies donated to election deniers
Lockheed Martin: $365,500
DaVita: $139,500
Ball: $43,000
Molson Coors: $11,000
Dish: $10,000
Lockheed Martin pledged to withhold donations from election deniers. Yet after three months and two weeks, Lockheed resumed giving to candidates that denied the election outcome. DaVita made a similar pledge and resumed giving five months and two days later. Molson Coors broke their pledge seven months, three weeks and one day later. Should we applaud Dish Network for waiting 446 days to resume donations to election deniers?
Election denial leads to corruption in the short term and over time can erode the foundations of our democratic institutions. These publicly held companies should consider their fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. If American democracy crumbles, there will be a capital flight on a massive scale. Businesses and innovators will flee to freer shores. The American economy will suffer and the Fortune 500 will lose tremendous value.
Jonathan Hoover, Superior
Miriam Paisner: Rita Moreno: CU guest speaker was outstanding
Earlier this fall, I (and many others) had the privilege of seeing and hearing Rita Moreno as she spoke about herself and her history at CU Glenn Miller Ballroom.
As a 90-year-old woman, she was outstanding. She opened her soul, her history and her heart to all of us strangers (except for her daughter and grandson who were in the audience); she was vulnerable to all and it was so wonderful; we all can take a lesson from her.
Miriam Paisner, Boulder
Kate Christensen: Emissions: Oil, gas industry can no longer get off scot-free
On September 17 the Daily Camera reported that Colorado’s Front Range has moved into the EPA “severe” ozone non-attainment zone. That means our poor air quality jeopardizes public health and exacerbates climate change. Oddly, the top contributor to ozone pollution was omitted from reporting. Regional Air Quality Commission data has shown that oil and gas activities contribute 150% of ozone pollution compared to transportation. A large portion of Weld County is in the ozone non-attainment area. It is not the traffic in that rural part of the state that causes the ozone pollution, it is the fracking. Yet, Coloradans have to pay extra at the pump and the state lets the oil and gas industry get off scot-free.
We have been above the EPA threshold for 15 years and it has only gotten worse. What we have been doing hasn’t been working. We need regulators at the CDPHE and COGCC to do their jobs. That includes telling the oil and gas industry not to frack during our high ozone season. If Coloradans are moving to special extra-expensive gasoline, carpooling, switching to electric lawnmowers and weed trimmers, then the state needs to demand that the oil and gas industry do their part to address the ozone problem they helped create. Right now regulators are being the opposite of helpful. The draft state plan to address ozone does not decrease the emissions from oil and gas production. Instead, it allows the oil and gas industry to increase their emissions! It is unconscionable that the state puts all the onus on individual Coloradans and does nothing to address the most significant causes of ozone pollution: fracking and the oil and gas industry.
Kate Christensen, Lafayette
Marika Baris: COVID: The worst is behind us, but pandemic isn’t over
I understand that we are currently past the worst regarding the COVID pandemic. We don’t know what the future will bring. Many people want to forget about the trauma and live life again as if COVID is gone. We are all doing this to some degree on a continuum, including me.
Those that were afflicted and those that died from COVID have become a guide for the medical profession. Families and friends are grieving in their own ways. The stories of what happened will not be forgotten. The victims of COVID and their loved ones are the heroes of this story.
In Memory of the many worldwide that died during this COVID pandemic. May their lives be remembered by all of us for their courage and sacrifice.
Marika Baris, Longmont | 2022-11-10T15:21:25Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Election donations; CU speakers; oil industry emissions; remembering the pandemic | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/letters-to-the-editor-election-donations-cu-speakers-oil-industry-emissions-remembering-the-pandemic/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/letters-to-the-editor-election-donations-cu-speakers-oil-industry-emissions-remembering-the-pandemic/ |
Lucius at the Fox and other Boulder events for…
Indie-pop band Lucius returns to the Fox Thursday. (Max Wagner / Courtesy photo)
Lucius at the Fox: Brooklyn-based indie-pop group, led by powerhouse lead singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, just released a new acclaimed disco-tinged album “Second Nature,” which was produced by the famed Brandi Carlile and Dave Cobb. Put on dance pants, the crew will light up the Fox Thursday with Philly-based, Vegas-born singer-songwriter Shamir opening the show. Lucius plays Friday night at Denver’s Ogden Theatre with Abraham Alexander opening the show; 8 p.m. Thursday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $35-$39.50; z2ent.com.
The Drowsy Chaperone: This Tony Award-winning meta-musical pokes fun at all the tropes that characterize the Jazz Age genre. Catch the production, that’s complete with one show-stopping song and dance number after another, throughout the weekend at CU; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, CU Boulder’s Music Theatre (N1B95), 1020 18th St., Boulder; $23-$35; cupresents.org.
Behind the Camera with Peter Stein: The Boulder Jewish Film Festival centerpiece event, Hollywood cinematographer Peter Stein will discuss his three-decade career and share clips from such films as “Pet Sematary” and more. He’s worked as director of photography on more than 50 feature films and TV movies; noon Thursday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; boulderjcc.org.
David Wilcox at Chautauqua: Veteran folk singer-songwriter, with a warm baritone, won a prestigious songwriting contest in 1988 and hasn’t stopped since. Thirty-plus years and 20-plus albums later, he’s back on tour. Songwriter Justin Farren will open the show; 8 p.m. Thursday, Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; $32-35; chautauqua.com.
The Gilmore Family Duo at BoCo Cider: This Boulder-based duo has been jamming together for more than 20 years and will pump out some blues, folk, rock, bluegrass, reggae, soul and funk; 5 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; bococider.com.
Fruta Brutal at Museum of Boulder: Combining the sounds of Latin and jazz fusion, musicians Victor Mestas, Martin Better and Joseph Lukasik will crank out the cultural jams while visitors peruse the “Voces Vivas” exhibit; 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder; museumofboulder.org.
‘An American’s Grand Slam’ book signing: Boulder-based professional mountaineer, author and polar adventurer Ryan Waters will speak about and sign his new book, “An American’s Grand Slam: A True Adventurer’s Unlikely Journey” at Boulder Book Store; 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
Live Music at R Gallery: Enjoy local musicians Holly DeHoog, jazz singer, and Andy Weyl, pianist, as you browse art by Colorado artists and sip fine wine or craft beer; 7-9 p.m. Thursday, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder; Free; rgallery.art.
Warren Miller’s ‘Daymaker’ at Boulder Theater: Warren Miller Entertainment’s 73rd annual ski and snowboard film takes place on the peaks with stars like “Crazy” Karl Fostvedt, Michelle Parker, Katie Burrell, Hanna Beaman, Daron Rahlves, Ryland Bell, Cam Fitzpatrick, Connery Lundin and more; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $18-$26; z2ent.com.
CU Boulder Wind Symphony premiere: The CU Boulder Wind Symphony presents the premiere of “I Tell You Me,” written by Annika Socolofsky, College of Music assistant professor of composition. “I Tell You Me” is written for amplified voice and wind ensemble, and will feature Socolofsky as vocal soloist; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org. | 2022-11-10T15:21:31Z | www.dailycamera.com | Lucius at the Fox and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/lucius-at-the-fox-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/lucius-at-the-fox-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Opinion: Jan Burton: Let’s support accessory…
By Jan Burton | Jan.burton111@gmail.com | For the Camera
In August my cousin and his wife sold their home in Kansas City and moved to Morrison, Colorado, to live in what they call a “house within a house” with their daughter, son-in-law, and two young grandchildren. This multi-generational family housing arrangement not only benefits both families financially, but it helps my cousin and his wife “age in place,” even more important because he has Parkinson’s disease. It also supports their daughter and her young family who often need childcare.
The “house within a house” is commonly called an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), or granny suite. My cousin and his wife have their own living quarters downstairs, including a separate entrance, kitchen, laundry room, living area and two bedrooms. Their kids live upstairs in a larger self-contained space. This provides the best of both worlds for their family, wanting to be close physically, but with the independence and privacy they desire.
Jan Burton For the Camera
Many communities nationwide have revised their building codes to include ADUs over the past five years to address rising housing costs, the need for housing diversity and the desire of many homeowners to “age in place.” ADUs can be built as a portion of the main house or a separate dwelling structure on the same property.
In Boulder, we have had an ADU ordinance for many years, but like most of our building codes, it is overly complex, filled with barriers, and therefore hasn’t gotten much traction. Boulder’s code actually includes an exclusionary saturation clause, disallowing any homeowner from having an ADU if more than 20% of their neighbors within 300 feet already have one. Incidentally, this is the only known saturation clause worldwide.
City Council will be discussing changes with the planning staff in a November 10 study session. This pro-housing council has an opportunity to make comprehensive, beneficial, and common-sense changes to our housing codes.
Changes needed for Boulder’s ADU code include the elimination of barriers like saturation limits, parking requirements and minimum lot sizes. This can be done by city staff without any substantial community engagement. We all know what needs to be done. In addition, staff should revise ADU size limits and streamline the ADU review processes to make it much easier to gain approval and build.
These recommendations were all made to the Housing Advisory Board by two housing advocacy groups, the Boulder Housing Network and Better Boulder, of which I am a board member. In addition, Boulder’s Housing Advisory Board recommended that the city create pre-approved ADU floor plans as they have done in other cities like Eugene, Oregon. Though not recommended by the board, I think any new home construction should have a “by right” code to build an ADU. (This should absolutely be the case for any Marshall fire rebuilds).
The city has performed many years of community engagement since 2015, and surveys have always shown broad support for ADUs. Ninety-three percent of all ADU owners surveyed report that neighbors generally approve of existing ADUs.
Boulder has many examples of successful ADUs. My friends built an ADU when constructing their new home, even while enduring the never-ending process requirements. They now provide housing for a young immigrant family at affordable housing prices. In exchange, the young family watches out for their property and does small maintenance when the owners are traveling.
ADUs, because they are small, offer an excellent affordable housing option, with no government subsidization. They encourage social interaction, support families in need of flexible living arrangements and can provide income to homeowners. With skyrocketing property taxes and insurance costs, this income is necessary for some Boulderites to stay in their home.
Instead of restricting ADUs, City Council should set an aggressive goal for them and coordinate policy, procedures and communications to encourage this type of housing. With broad community support, our planning department should use a “consultation” level of engagement and work through the Housing Advisory Board and Planning Board to implement changes as quickly as possible.
ADUs are a democratic and free-market housing type, provided by homeowners, and ADUs are well suited for Boulder’s aging population. This one tool won’t solve our housing crisis, but it is a smart and easy solution at no cost to taxpayers and at great benefit to homeowners and occupants.
Jan Burton is a former member of the Boulder City Council. Email: Jan.burton111@gmail.com.
Jan Burton
Jan Burton is a former Boulder City Council member. Email: Jan.burton111@gmail.com.
Jan.burton111@gmail.com | 2022-11-10T19:44:19Z | www.dailycamera.com | Opinion: Jan Burton: Let’s support accessory dwelling units | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/opinion-jan-burton-lets-support-accessory-dwelling-units/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/opinion-jan-burton-lets-support-accessory-dwelling-units/ |
Returns give library district slight edge with…
After another counting of unofficial election returns Wednesday night, support to form a new property tax-funded library district has pulled slightly ahead with Boulder County voters.
Unofficial election returns Wednesday showed 24,105 votes in support of Ballot Issue 6C and 23,507 against — a 2.5% difference in support for the Boulder Public Library District Ballot Issue 6C.
This measure asked voters in Boulder and parts of unincorporated Boulder County — including Gunbarrel, Gold Hill and Eldorado Springs — if they supported a property tax-funded library district and if they were willing to pay an annual increase of $23 per $100,000 of residential property value and $97.60 per $100,000 of commercial property value.
“We continue to watch returns and are pleased to see the shift in our favor,” said Joni Teter, campaign chair for Boulder Library Champions, a proponent for the measure. “We have great confidence in the team and coalition we built to support our library and look forward to seeing additional returns as they are released.”
The second library-related measure, the Boulder Ballot Issue 2C: Repeal Library Commission and Tax, which had a majority of support Tuesday night, has gained even greater traction with unofficial returns Wednesday evening showing 21,073 votes for the measure and 10,390 against. This measure will only take effect if 6C is passed. | 2022-11-10T19:44:20Z | www.dailycamera.com | Returns give library district slight edge with Boulder County voters | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/returns-give-library-district-slight-edge-with-boulder-county-voters/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/returns-give-library-district-slight-edge-with-boulder-county-voters/ |
Guest opinion: Emily Reynolds: Boulder doesn’t…
Guest opinion: Emily Reynolds: Boulder doesn’t need density ADUs would add
By Emily Reynolds
Boulder’s City Council is on the verge of an under-the-radar, sleight-of-hand upzoning of all Boulder neighborhoods, through which they’ll all become high-density.
On Nov. 10, the council will discuss eliminating virtually all restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Currently, no more than 20% of the parcels within a 300-foot radius can have ADUs in single-family neighborhoods. Current rules strike a balance between allowing some ADUs, while still preserving the nature of single-family neighborhoods. That’s because the city code allows one house per lot in single-family neighborhoods. (Incidentally, homeowners paid premium prices to purchase homes in single-family neighborhoods. So among other things, this is a “bait and switch” by the city.)
But now the council is considering allowing not one, but two ADUs on every single family neighborhood lot, plus the original house. That could be three houses per lot — tripling the density. (And ADUs can be 900 square feet, the size of many older two-bedroom houses.)
They’re also proposing to eliminate minimum lot sizes for ADUs. So a tiny lot could be almost totally covered by three houses.
This defies another city ordinance limiting how much of a lot can be built on, in order to maintain enough permeable surfaces to absorb rain and potential floodwaters. (And so Boulder doesn’t look like Manhattan, where residential “yards” are concrete and buildings.)
Finally, the council is discussing eliminating current, important rules that ADU owners must provide an additional off-street parking space for ADU residents. This is so that additional vehicles from ADUs don’t worsen the street parking challenges many blocks already struggle with. ADU owners get 100% of their ADU profits; why should they “externalize” their ADU’s impacts onto surrounding neighbors?
And don’t believe the hype regarding ADUs “affordability.” The city defines an “affordable” one-bedroom ADU as $1,528/month rent. The average per-bedroom rent in Boulder rental homes is roughly $1,000 per bedroom — a three-bedroom house renting for $3,000. So ”affordable” is 50% more expensive than the existing market rates renters face? It could be a windfall profit scam.
Note, as far as I know, the city’s only public outreach was to ADU owners, and Boulder’s most pro-density, pro-growth groups (surprise). This happened while everyday residents’ attention was consumed with the fall 2022 election.
It’s possible they’re setting us up, by proposing allowing two ADUs per lot, so their “compromise” position can be “merely doubling” neighborhood density with one ADU per lot. Don’t fall for it, Boulder.
Most egregiously, this won’t create affordability. Boulder is one of several heavily sought-after U.S. cities with totally inelastic demand in the real estate markets. Supply increases don’t lower prices in “infinite-demand” markets like ours. (Hence the term inelastic markets.) Adding supply simply creates more expensive housing in Boulder. That’s why we cannot build our way to affordability.
What does work in inelastic markets are meaningful, mandatory affordability requirements. Boulder has two such policy levers, which this Council inexplicably ignores:
1) Boulder’s inclusionary housing law requires that 25% of all new residential developments be affordable housing. With this 25% affordable vs. 75% market rate ratio (three expensive units for every affordable unit) we’re only getting further behind. Boulder can, and should, increase the requirement to 50%, so we’re holding even, i.e., getting one affordable unit for every expensive unit. Or at least require 33% affordable.
2) Increase affordable housing fees for new commercial developments. A city-funded study showed that the costs to the city for affordable housing are $130 for every square foot of new commercial space that’s built. Why? Commercial developments draw workers to Boulder, who understandably want to live here, but can’t afford to. So they apply for the city’s affordable housing program (a public cost). But the city only charges commercial developers $30 per square foot, not even one-fourth of their real cost to the city. Commercial development contributes just 11% of Boulder’s affordable housing funding, while everyday residents fund 27% of it, through property taxes.
Why is the council okay with asking everyday residents to fund affordable housing at more than double the rate of wealthy commercial developers? And why is the council now preparing to allow Boulder’s density to double or triple — with no actual affordability gains — while ignoring its two best tools for producing real affordability: raising commercial linkage fees and inclusionary housing percentages?
Emily Reynolds lives in Boulder. | 2022-11-10T23:35:14Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Emily Reynolds: Boulder doesn't need density ADUs would add | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/guest-opinion-emily-reynolds-boulder-doesnt-need-density-adus-would-add/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/guest-opinion-emily-reynolds-boulder-doesnt-need-density-adus-would-add/ |
Boulder crews put out mobile home fire; family…
Boulder crews extinguished a small fire at a mobile home in east Boulder on Thursday afternoon.
Marya Washburn with Boulder Fire-Rescue said the fire was called in at 4 p.m. at 5505 Valmont Road. Fire crews used a water cannon to extinguish the blaze before it spread. The residents in the unit were all safely evacuated, but they are displaced for the night due to smoke damage. Washburn said the Red Cross is in contact with the family and is assisting them.
Washburn said the fire was in Boulder Rural Fire’s district, but Boulder-Fire Rescue units also responded to assist. | 2022-11-11T02:56:44Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder crews put out mobile home fire; family displaced – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/boulder-crews-put-out-mobile-home-fire-family-displaced/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/boulder-crews-put-out-mobile-home-fire-family-displaced/ |
Boulder City Council gives staff go-ahead to…
Almost a year after the Boulder City Council added 10 priorities to the city’s work plan, two of those top projects were brought back before council Thursday night for discussion and recommended updates that align with the council’s goals.
The two topics on the agenda for the Thursday study session were a presentation from the Planning & Development Services Department about accessory dwelling units and an update from the transportation department on its work to create an interconnected transportation system.
During the dwelling unit discussion, staff discussed the changes the city has seen since 1983, when it first approved an ordinance for accessory dwelling units, often called ADUs, which include livable spaces such as “granny flats” and converted garages. Since then, the city has updated ADU regulations by increasing the saturation limit, which sets a cap on the percent of properties that may have ADUs in a particular neighborhood, from 10% to 20%.
Lisa Houde, a senior city planner, said staff have been conducting data analysis on ADU uses over the past few months and learned that about one-fourth of the ADUs constructed in the city are in a district that does not have a saturation limit, and that more than 50% of ADUs in the city met the old saturation limit standard of 10%. However, 41 ADUs added in the past three years had a saturation limit between 10% and 20%. If the saturation limit had not been expanded, those ADUs would not have been approved.
“We cannot find another city in the country that has a saturation limit for ADUs,” Houde said. “I think that’s important to reflect on.”
Boulder staff Thursday night highlighted four objectives it would like to begin working on with a competition goal of 2023. The four initiatives, which the council later greenlit, are: working to eliminate Boulder’s saturation limits, reconsidering the maximum square footage in place for ADUs, clarifying codes in the city’s ADU rules and improving the city’s ADU approval process.
The City Council also heard from staff with the transportation department, who presented its latest update on three key projects the city established as priority corridors as part of the Core Arterial Network, or CAN, which aims to create a connected system with protected bicycle lanes, intersection enhancements, pedestrian facilities and transit facility upgrades.
The three top projects the city has focused on are updates to Baseline Road, Iris Avenue and Folsom Street, said Valerie Watson, Boulder transportation planning division manager. The first project, on Baseline, is currently in the conceptual design phase; Iris is in the pre-design phase; and Folsom is still awaiting approval for Denver Regional Council of Governments Transportation Improvement Program Call #4 funding, but if approved, will free up city money needed to address ongoing efforts on Baseline and Iris, Watson said.
Call #4 is one of the calls in DRCOG’s Subregional Share Call for Projects.
“We secured over $6 million in grant funding for the CAN so far this year, and are hopeful our applications for the remaining corridor segments in Call #3 and #4 are successful as well,” she said.
During the presentation, Boulder staff asked the council to greenlight a shift in project timelines, contingent on approval of the DRCOG funding. Watson said that because the DRCOG money would not be available, if approved, until the end of 2024, that pushes the project behind schedule. But if that project timeline is delayed, staff recommended a shift in timeline for the downtown mobility study, previously slated for 2024, and requested it start sooner in effort to sync up with other city planning efforts.
“We could get a head start on this toward the end of next year if our schedule of Folsom is relaxed,” Watson said. “While we don’t have funding secured for the downtown mobility study yet, that is something that we can look into, and once we have a better sense of timing, and we would need to request local funds for that in 2023 or 2024.”
City Council members eagerly agreed to move the city’s downtown mobility study up, dependent on TIF funding, thanking the transportation for its work to keep CAN not just on track but ahead of schedule.
“I think we’re just 100% on the right track and really appreciate all the amazing work being done,” said Mayor Aaron Brockett. | 2022-11-11T05:56:14Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder City Council gives staff go-ahead to work on accessory dwelling units updates, timeline shift for Core Arterial Network | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/boulder-city-council-gives-staff-go-ahead-to-work-on-accessory-dwelling-units-updates-timeline-shift-for-core-arterial-network/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/10/boulder-city-council-gives-staff-go-ahead-to-work-on-accessory-dwelling-units-updates-timeline-shift-for-core-arterial-network/ |
Boulder County voters remain split on…
Editor’s note: The story below has been updated to include the most recent election return results as of Wednesday morning.
Boulder County voters are still split between whether they want to have a property tax-funded library district, with the opposition slightly ahead as of late Wednesday morning.
Unofficial election returns Wednesday showed 19,381 — 50.73% — votes against Ballot Issue 6C and 18,820 — 49.27% — in favor of the Boulder Public Library District Ballot Issue 6C. This measure asked voters in Boulder and parts of unincorporated Boulder County — including Gunbarrel, Gold Hill and Eldorado Springs — if they supported a property tax-funded library district and if they were willing to pay an annual increase of $23 per $100,000 of residential property value and $97.60 per $100,000 of commercial property value.
Boulder County election officials will release another update at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at election.boco.solutions/ElectionResults2022G. | 2022-11-11T09:08:21Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder County voters shoot down tax-funded library district proposition | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-county-library-district-proposition/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/08/boulder-county-library-district-proposition/ |
Boulder Mountain Handmade Market and other area…
Tis the season for holiday craft markets. (Boulder County Farmers Market / Courtesy Photo)
Dairy Arts Center’s 30th Birthday Celebration: This event will honor the past, present and future of the Dairy Arts Center and will recognize “30 Under 30” — individuals who contribute to Colorado’s arts community in exceptional ways. Tickets include drinks, dessert and a fun night of entertainment; 7 p.m. Friday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15; thedairy.org.
Veterans Day Ceremony at CU Boulder: The UMC and Veteran and Military Affairs is celebrating Veterans Day with former U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz as the keynote speaker. There will be a presentation by ROTC Color Guard, a performance by CU Buffoons followed by a reception in the Veterans Memorial Lounge; 11 a.m. Friday, University Memorial Center (UMC), Glenn Miller Ballroom, CU Boulder campus; calendar.colorado.edu.
Boulder Star Virtual Lighting Ceremony: The Boulder Chamber is kicking off the holiday season with the lighting of the Boulder Star on Flagstaff Mountain on Veterans Day to honor the active U.S. military and veterans. There will be a joint-service Color Guard from three Reserve Officer Training Corps Battalions at CU Boulder; 6 p.m. Friday, Chancellors Hall, 1725 Euclid Ave., Boulder; Free; cm.boulderchamber.com.
The Basement Blues Project at BOCO Cider: These band members grew up on classic rock and R&B and like to play the classics. The band is made up of bassist Chris Durand, drummer John Kemp, guitarist Dave Lewis and cigar-box guitarist Geoff Spakes; 6 p.m. Friday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
RMPJC’s ‘Envision Connection’ Art Show: This art show called on artists to show their vision for what a better world would look like, and the change that is needed to achieve that better world. Join members from Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center for light snacks and beverages; 6:30 p.m. Friday, Out Boulder County, 3340 Mitchell Lane, Boulder; $10-$50; rmpjc.org/artshow.
The Drowsy Chaperone at CU: This numerous Tony Award-winning meta-musical pokes fun at all the tropes that characterize the Jazz Age genre and now it’s on stage at CU Boulder. Catch the production, that’s complete with one show-stopping song and dance number after another, throughout the weekend; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Music Theatre (N1B95), 1020 18th St., Boulder; $23-$35; cupresents.org.
Art, Poetry and Jazz Party: This cocktail-attired party will have mixed-media works of Radna Segal will be on display, Topaz Hooper will read passages from her book, “My Mind’s Eye: Poetry and Visual Art on Social Justice, Philosophy, and Identity” and Jennifer Flynn-Davis and her band Jazzebel will perform. Tickets are required. Wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages will be served alongside light hors d’oeuvres; 7 p.m. Friday, The Mothership Boulder, 3450 Penrose Place, Suite 250, Boulder; $50-$60; mothershipboulder.com.
The Importance of Being Earnest at CU Boulder: Oscar Wilde’s infamous farce tells the hilarious story of four young lovers, their impetuous engagements and an elusive rogue (or two) named Ernest; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Old Main Chapel, CU Boulder campus; $19; cupresents.org.
Electronic Tunes at the Fox: German music producer Parra For Cuva performs with support from French electronic duo Il:lo; 8:00 p.m. Friday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; z2ent.com.
Zivanai Masango at Chautauqua: The Zimbabwean world-renowned multi-instrumentalist will bring his kind words and soulful vocals; 8 p.m. Friday, Chautauqua Community House, 198 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder; chautauqua.com.
Iced Cold Fatties at Velvet Elk: Joe and Eric will be spinning choice vinyl cuts and Wabi Caim will provide the live music; 9 p.m. Friday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $8; velvetelklounge.com. | 2022-11-11T18:45:02Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Mountain Handmade Market and other area events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/firefly-handmade-holiday-market-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/firefly-handmade-holiday-market-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Louisville’s Sierra Space in partnership to…
Sierra Space Corp. of Louisville has signed a memorandum of understanding to further its workurtherance of the company’s goal to develop its Orbital Reef commercial space station. (Sierra Space/Courtesy photo)
Louisville aerospace manufacturer Sierra Space Corp. has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Keystone Space Collaborative, a nonprofit organization aimed at boosting labor in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to work in the aerospace industry, in furtherance of the company’s goal to develop its Orbital Reef commercial space station.
“There are so many companies, people and entities across our region with the skills and technology to make incredible strides in space exploration,” Priscilla Beal, Keystone Space Collaborative founding member and board vice chairwoman, said in a prepared statement. “This partnership is one exciting step the Keystone Space Collaborative plans to take to create connections, job opportunities and ways to capitalize on our region’s assets to become a leader in developing the commercial space industry.”
“Sierra Space is thrilled to partner with the Keystone Space Collaborative to grow the commercial space sector in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia,” SSC senior vice president of space destinations Neeraj Gupta said in a prepared statement.
“As the commercial space economy continues to rapidly expand, our efforts are aligned to further develop the capabilities of Sierra Space’s innovative technologies tied to Orbital Reef and our LIFE habitat systems for our industry partners. Sierra Space aims to be the leading service provider for the region and work with the Keystone Space Collaborative to develop a pipeline of research, manufacturing, and technology payloads on our commercial LEO platforms.”
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2022 BizWest Media LL | 2022-11-11T23:52:38Z | www.dailycamera.com | Louisville's Sierra Space in partnership to boost aerospace in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/louisvilles-sierra-space-in-partnership-to-boost-aerospace-in-pennsylvania-ohio-west-virginia/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/louisvilles-sierra-space-in-partnership-to-boost-aerospace-in-pennsylvania-ohio-west-virginia/ |
Cross country: CU Buffs men third, women fifth…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – With NCAA championships only eight days away, the Colorado cross country team views regionals as a “survive and advance” type of event.
On Friday, the Buffaloes survived and they are likely to advance.
At the University of New Mexico North Golf Course, the CU men placed third and the women were fifth at the NCAA Mountain Regional.
Only the top two teams in each race earned automatic qualifying to the NCAA championships, which will be held Nov. 19 in Stillwater, Okla. CU, however, is almost guaranteed to snag one of 13 at-large bids when the championship field is announced Saturday. The CU women, fresh off a Pac-12 title, came into the week ranked No. 8 nationally, while the men came in ranked at No. 9.
“The front four or five teams are just trying to get through to next week as carefully as possible,” CU head coach Mark Wetmore said. “The NCAA has a points system for everybody all season long. Teams that don’t finish in the top two of the nine regions go into that points system. It’s a little confusing when they say there will be a selection show the next day because there isn’t really selections it’s just a calculation of the points and our men are in.”
On Friday, the Buffs’ men scored 97 points, placing behind regional champion Northern Arizona (43) and second-place BYU (54).
CU was led by Austin Vancil in the 10K men’s race. The senior placed seventh individually, with a time of 28 minutes, 8.9 seconds. Senior Andrew Kent was second for the Buffs and 12th overall, finishing in 28:17.
The duo helped CU to a strong day, including upsetting fifth-ranked Air Force. The Buffs did so without one of their top runners, Charlie Sweeney, who rested to be ready for nationals.
Northern Arizona’s Nico Young and Drew Bosley finished in the top two spots individually, with Young crossing the line in 28:01.8 and Bosley in 28:01.9.
The CU women finished with 135 points to place fifth overall. Host New Mexico won the team title, with 56 points. Utah and Northern Arizona both had 103 points, with Utah taking second place on a tie-breaker.
Senior Bailey Hertenstein led the Buffs. The Pac-12 champion two weeks ago, Hertenstein placed 11th on Friday, finishing the 6K course in 20:21.1.
Another senior, Ella Baran, placed 15th overall, posting a time of 20:32.6.
“The women’s race was not great,” said Wetmore. “Our normal leaders didn’t have good days. Emily (Covert) has been nursing the lower leg problem that we knew was not perfect. We have eight days to get it a lot better.”
NCAA Mountain Regional cross country
Men’s 10K
Team scores – Northern Arizona 43, BYU 54, Colorado 97, Air Force 104, Montana State 123, Colorado State 132, Utah State 198, Wyoming, 226, New Mexico 227, Utah Valley 269, Southern Utah 337, Nevada 341, UTEP 352, Weber State 357, Texas Tech 437, Montana 451, Idaho State 523.
Top 3 individuals – 1, Nico Young (Northern Arizona), 28:01.8; 2, Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona, 28:01.9; 3, Duncan Hamilton (Montana State), 28:06.9.
CU individuals – 7, Austin Vancil, 28:08.9; 12, Andrew Kent, 28:17; 19, Seth Hirsch, 28:19.2; 21, Brendan Fraser, 28:23.3; 38, Hunter Appleton, 28:47.6; 39, James Overberg, 28:55.3; 60, Noah Hibbard, 29:38.4.
Team scores – NewMexico 56, Utah 103, Northern Arizona 103, Colorado State 121, Colorado 135, BYU 144, Utah Valley 164, Utah State 167, Air Force 201, Wyoming 204, Weber State 363, Montana State 367, Southern Utah 378, Nevada 403, New Mexico State 409, Northern Colorado 513, Idaho State 514, Texas Tech 544, Montana 553.
Top 3 individuals – 1, Everlyn Kemboi (Utah Valley), 19:47.6; 2, Elise Stearns (Northern Arizona), 19:55.7; 3, Aubrey Frentheway (BYU), 20:04.9.
CU individuals – 11, Bailey Hertenstein, 20:21.1; 15, Ella Baran, 20:32.6; 29, Kaitlyn Barthell, 20:51.8; 37, Emily Covert, 20:59.1; 43, Gabrielle Orie, 21:05.1; 81, Whitney Valenti, 22:00.0; 85, Alisa Meraz-Fishbein, 22:04.6. | 2022-11-12T03:39:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | Cross country: CU Buffs men third, women fifth at regionals – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/cross-country-cu-buffs-men-third-women-fifth-at-regionals/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/11/cross-country-cu-buffs-men-third-women-fifth-at-regionals/ |
Foxfeather at Chautuauqua and other Boulder…
Foxfeather plays at Chautauqua Saturday.
Foxfeather at Chautuauqua: Boulder-based alt-Americana folk-rock group brings strong lyrics to its songs that are bolstered by blues-rock instrumentals in a unique mashup; 8 p.m. Saturday, Chautauqua Auditorium, 198 Morning Glory Drive, Boulder; chautauqua.com.
Holiday Bazaar at Mountain View United Methodist: Spend the morning shopping for handcrafted items, houseplants, baked goods, greeting cards, decor and more. All proceeds support women’s educational goals through grants, loans and scholarships; 9 a.m. Saturday, Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca Place, Boulder; Free; mtview.org.
Hike and Draw the Flatirons: See the land with new eyes at this hike-and-draw event where a naturalist will guide participants along the trails, interpreting aspects of the natural world for inspiration. An artist and teacher will provide art instruction; 1 p.m. Saturday, Chautauqua, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; Ask for activity code 447941 at rec.ci.longmont.co.us.
The Drowsy Chaperone: This numerous Tony Award-winning meta-musical pokes fun at all the tropes that characterize the Jazz Age genre and now it’s on stage at CU Boulder. Catch the production, that’s complete with one show-stopping song and dance number after another, throughout the weekend; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Music Theatre (N1B95), 1020 18th St., Boulder; $23-$35; cupresents.org.
Boulder Potters Guild Fall Holiday Sale: Shop for handcrafted items from more than 50 local artists who will be selling ceramics and pottery; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday; Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont; bouldercounty.gov.
Buddy Holly Musical: “Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story Musical” chronicles the life and tragic death of the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer who pumped out the hits like “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day” and more; 6 p.m. Saturday; on stage through Jan. 28; BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Road, Boulder; bdtstage.com.
Virgi Dart at St. Julien: Grab a cocktail in the lobby and listen to Colombian musician Virgi Dart perform; 6 p.m. Saturday, St. Julien Hotel & Spa, 900 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; stjulien.com.
Mountain Reverb at BOCO Cider: Jam to a unique mix of Tony Crank’s guitar solos and Carl Hager’s vocal arrangements with this instrumentally rich, guitar collaboration that draws inspiration from James Taylor, Bob Seger, Pink Floyd and Prince; 6 p.m. Saturday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Soul Rebel Festival: The Soul Rebel Festival returns for its 20th year, bringing a slew of reggae, Afro-pop, world and American roots to the music festival that promotes cultural harmony, understanding and awareness through the positive medium of music and the arts. Proceeds benefit Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA); 6:30 p.m. Saturday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $20-$25; z2ent.com.
Motus Playback Improv Theater: Patrons can share a short reflection or a story, then watch as professional improv actors enact the story on the spot using movement, music and dramatic spoken word; 7 p.m. Saturday, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15-$20; thedairy.org.
Brazilian Choro at the Dairy: Groove to this popular music genre, dubbed “New Orleans Jazz of Brazil,” that originated in 19th century Rio de Janeiro. A Colorado Brazil Fest Concert Series performance, musicians Ian Coury and Cesar Garabini will perform the fast and happy rhythmic tunes; 7 p.m. Saturday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15-$25; thedairy.org. | 2022-11-12T16:25:45Z | www.dailycamera.com | Foxfeather at Chautuauqua and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/foxfeather-at-chautuauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/foxfeather-at-chautuauqua-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Guest opinion: Julie Marshall: Humane treatment…
It was the perfect autumn day to wind through Colorado’s high-country roads and with a mountain lion in tow. Actually, we had three cubs in a cooled trailer, soon to be released in parts unknown, orchestrated by a seasoned ranger driving the car where I was a front-seat passenger.
Conversation included a lion’s ecological role and the ethics of rescuing cubs that humans left vulnerable. Our perfectly wild, hissing animals fit the description well with two orphaned by hunting and one who had a mother who was struck by a vehicle; after watching their tawny behinds disappear into the forest, we called it a good day.
Nearly 15 years later, our wildlife across the West — including the very young — are instead being thoughtlessly killed in greater numbers and disturbing ways, and in some instances, it’s called legal management. It’s become an increasingly hostile environment for wildlife, and for the humans who try to help them, to speak up.
Just weeks ago, on public lands along the Colorado-Utah border in San Juan County, 16 wild horses were illegally shot dead, along with 36 wild horses (14 still missing) from the Alpine herd inside eastern Arizona’s Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Bodies were found with bullet wounds to the head and heart. Six grey wolves of the Wedge pack in northeastern Washington were recently found dead from intentional poisoning with a similar case in Oregon months ago, where eight wolves died.
None of these crimes have been solved. Advocacy groups including my nonprofit, Animal Wellness Action in Washington, D.C., with our Colorado chapter, have joined to offer $35,000 for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators in Arizona’s illegal massacre. We can only hope someone is brave enough to step forward.
Our public lands are protected for all of us to enjoy and we need these safe spaces now more than ever. This forest of horrors should prompt us to ask why are some thugs feeling emboldened to show their hatred for animals by leaving carcasses to rot in plain sight? Along with: why are our professional managers killing the very young as accepted go-to policy? Our U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services killed eight wolf pups in their den without thought to nonlethal measures. This made news because this pack happened to be part of an ongoing and multiyear Boise, Idaho, high school study. As one student expressed so well: “It was so shocking to see that federal agents were the ones to come into a pups’ den to kill them.” The wildlife agency’s response to killing defenseless pups was just that “removal of juvenile wolves” is legal by any means necessary.
Is it any wonder that a woman in Montana around the same time proudly displayed bloody photos on her Facebook page saying she “smoked a wolf pup”? It turned out she had shot a 6-month-old Siberian Huskey. She admitted she thought the dog was part-wolf. Either way, she was grinning over a dead pup.
This summer in many states, including record numbers in Colorado, wild horses were injured badly and killed from being hazed by helicopters during Bureau of Land Management legal roundups. Another agency, the National Park Service, has long written biological treatises against burros, but it’s new to find such emotional language that says, from the Death Valley website: “Invasive burros … are NOT native to North America…” Such emphasis is designed to support burro extermination programs and policies. Is it any wonder that dozens of wild burros have recently been illegally gunned down in western lands?
When it comes to setting priorities for our public lands and who gets to use them, professionals should be able to educate and engage the public without resorting to labeling animals unworthy to exist, which only promotes hatred and demonizing of species. Nonlethal, humane methods of management exist and should be prioritized for the good of us all.
One of the most compelling reasons for tracking down, arresting and charging those responsible for illegal acts is public safety. The science is unambiguous on the fact that people who deliberately engage in violence toward animals are also dangerous to people. Congress has a chance to address the link between animal cruelty and human violence by passing the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act, a bill predicated on the idea that we need our federal law enforcement apparatus to take animal cruelty seriously and treat animal cruelty as a serious crime that warrants serious investigation.
Along with safe communities and protecting children, protecting wildlife and all animals ought to be a fundamental human right. Regardless of where we stand on politics or how we make our living, we can hopefully agree that open season on wolf cubs and killing entire families of wild creatures in their habitats is inhumane and frankly lazy management for a dominant species with self-appointed stewardship. Wildlife belongs to all; it’s very much a human right to have a healthy and safe environment that protects all lives inhabiting the landscape.
Julie Marshall is former opinion editor of the Boulder Daily Camera. She is the Colorado state director for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy in Washington, DC. Her columns on Colorado mountain lions and bison of the West won first place in the most recent year’s Colorado Press Association’s Better News Media Contest. | 2022-11-12T16:25:51Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Julie Marshall: Humane treatment of wildlife is an urgent necessity | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/guest-opinion-julie-marshall-humane-treatment-of-wildlife-is-an-urgent-necessity/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/guest-opinion-julie-marshall-humane-treatment-of-wildlife-is-an-urgent-necessity/ |
Boys soccer: Fairview loses state title game in…
Fairview’s Cole Hamilton sits on the field as Denver East Players celebrate. Denver East defeats Fairview 1-0 in 5A state soccer on November 12, 2022.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
COLORADO SPRINGS — Youth in high school sports can sometimes be a burden, but it can also be a sign of hope and prosperity.
No. 12 seed Fairview soccer may have missed out on its second Class 5A state championship in three years with a 1-0 loss to No. 2 Denver East at Weidner Field on a frigid Saturday night, but the Knights showed grit and maturity far beyond their years in a battle that many — including CHSAA’s seeding committee — didn’t think they would be at in the first place.
They had to beat No. 5 Boulder, No. 4 Broomfield and No. 8 Ralston Valley before taking on the Angels. Had Denver East’s Tayler Secrest not snuck one past senior keeper Shane Williams in the 57th minute, they just may have won the war in the end.
Williams, the lone starter from that spring of 2021 state championship team, saw the correlation between the two squads from the beginning, despite fielding almost an entirely different roster. He continued his season-long heroics in the goal box on Saturday, save for one mishap.
Fairview’s Shane Williams keeps his concentration amid chaos during Saturday’s Class 5A state championship game Saturday in Colorado Springs. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Denver East’s defense certainly didn’t make his job any easier by depriving Fairview of a number of scoring chances.
“I’m so proud, not even the 12 seed, just the whole season,” Williams said. “We’ve worked so hard. I know a lot of people didn’t believe in us and even some of ourselves at the beginning of the season didn’t believe in us but with (head coach Eric Schuler) coaching us and just all the work we put in the whole year, just coming together as a family just to get here, it’s huge.”
The team, which was comprised of eight sophomores and 10 juniors, was younger than their junior varsity team. One postseason win as the lower seed could be chalked up to pure fortune, but three make it another story entirely.
“The fact that we battled into this position — one game can be luck, two games can be luck. Going this far through the teeth of the playoffs against the second-best team in this state, I couldn’t be more proud,” Schuler said. “Our whole goal was to get into playoffs and start to climb from there. It really didn’t matter if we were one or 32nd. It was just get into playoffs and battle.”
As they do every year, the Knights had to mature quickly in 5A soccer’s toughest conference. The unforgiving Front Range League handed Fairview not only some of its toughest heartbreaks but its most thrilling victories.
They showed their wisdom, gained within just four weeks, when they turned a 3-1 regular-season loss to Broomfield into a 2-1 overtime thriller in the quarters to send them back to the title game.
No, that’s not luck. That’s a winning culture that Schuler has carefully crafted in his four years with the program.
“Exceptional teams are full of exceptional players,” Schuler said. “At Fairview, we have been fortunate to have many of Colorado’s best players wear our jersey over the past 10 or 15 years. As a coach, that makes my job incredibly easy. I simply show up prepared, set the culture, and try to execute my role to my fullest capability every day. If I do my job correctly, then the coaching staff, captains and team members drive the bus from there.” | 2022-11-13T05:58:48Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boys soccer: Fairview loses state title game in 1-0 heartbreaker – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/boys-soccer-fairview-loses-state-title-game-in-1-0-heartbreaker/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/boys-soccer-fairview-loses-state-title-game-in-1-0-heartbreaker/ |
Football notes: CU Buffs better in red zone,…
Football notes: CU Buffs better in red zone, but early missed opportunity costly
LOS ANGELES – Among the many issues the Colorado offense has had this year is its struggles when inside the red zone.
The Buffaloes went into Friday’s game at No. 8 USC ranking 126th in the country in red zone scoring, at 70.8%. Only 45.8% of those red zone trips resulted in touchdowns.
CU (1-9, 1-6 Pac-12) improved that mark in Friday’s 55-17 loss, going 3-for-3, but a missed opportunity cost the Buffs a chance to put some early pressure on the heavily favored Trojans.
USC (9-1, 7-1) got off to a slow start offensively and led just 2-0 when CU’s Alex Fontenot had a 37-yard run to the Trojans’ 18-yard line. His next run went for seven yards to set up second-and-3 at the 11.
Quarterback JT Shrout missed wide-open tight end Brady Russell for what would have been a touchdown on second down. Then, after a 1-yard Fontenot run on third down, the Buffs settled for a 28-yard Cole Becker to take a 3-2 lead.
Ultimately, it might not have made a difference in a game that got out of hand, but the missed opportunity to seize momentum epitomized CU’s season.
“I think you gotta go try to get seven in that point,” interim head coach Mike Sanford said. “We had some decent runs, but just when you’re in that position, our defense is playing the way it is, you want points on the board. … I think seven there obviously makes it a little bit different.
“(We’re) continuing to address that and find the playmakers in the pass game and I think that’s gonna be important for us our last two weeks.”
To the Buffs’ credit, they scored touchdowns on their next two trips to the red zone.
“We did run the ball well in the red zone as the game progressed,” Sanford said.
Defensively, CU had been solid in the red zone this season, holding opponents to 82.0% (56th nationally), but USC went 5-for-5 with four touchdowns.
Racking up sacks
CU continues to have a hard time preventing the opposition from scoring, but the defense has been much better at creating impact plays in recent weeks and the Buffs believe that is one of the first steps towards playing better defense.
“We’re trying to emphasize turnovers,” defensive tackle Jalen Sami said. “That gives us energy, that changes the whole game. One pick-six can change the whole game. We’re just waiting for those opportunities and we’ve got to just do our job. If we’re doing our job every time and all 11 guys are doing it, those turnovers will come to us. You’re seeing it — we’re making more (plays), getting more (tackles for loss).”
CU went into Friday with a Pac-12-worst six sacks, but got three against the Trojans. They also got a first quarter interception, by cornerback Nikko Reed.
Jamar Montgomery and Quinn Perry had solo sacks, while Josh Chandler-Semedo and Chance Main shared a sack. CU’s sacks came on two different USC possessions, and the Trojans failed to score on both possessions.
Although those impact plays haven’t been nearly enough to make up for mistakes on defense, the Buffs are encouraged by the increase of those plays.
“I think you’re also starting to see some great individual efforts, like Jamar is doing some really good things, Guy (Thomas) is doing some really good things,” Sanford said. “I think even Robert Barnes, you’re seeing some good individual efforts. … The young talent is starting to emerge and some of those fifth and sixth year seniors that probably hadn’t had the success, they’re starting to believe in themselves.”
USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu leads the country in sacks and is second in TFLs and he was dominant against the Buffs. He racked up 2.5 sacks, forced a fumble and batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage. “Tuli is as advertised,” Sanford said. “I think he’s probably the best pass rusher that we’ve seen all year.” … USC announced Saturday that running back Travis Dye, injured in the second quarter Friday, will miss the remainder of the season. Dye is second in the Pac-12 in rushing. … Next up for the Buffs is a trip to No. 24 Washington on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT in Seattle. | 2022-11-13T05:59:13Z | www.dailycamera.com | Football notes: CU Buffs better in red zone, but early missed opportunity costly – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/football-notes-cu-buffs-better-in-red-zone-but-early-missed-opportunity-costly/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/football-notes-cu-buffs-better-in-red-zone-but-early-missed-opportunity-costly/ |
Wildlife officers keep an eye on bear in…
A bear sits in a tree in central Boulder on Saturday. (Mitchell Byars — Staff Writer)
Wildlife officials are keeping their eyes on a bear that has been napping up in the same tree in central Boulder for two straight days.
The bear was initially spotted in the tree Friday about 10:30 a.m. The Daily Camera is not specifying the location to protect both the bear and residents.
Wildlife officers and volunteers kept on eye on the bear until about 8 p.m., but left when the bear did not seem ready to come down, thinking it would move on under cover of darkness.
But residents in the area reported seeing or hearing the bear in the neighborhood overnight, and when officers arrived Saturday morning it scampered up the same tree.
Joe Pagia with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the height of the tree and its location in a ditch made it hard to tranquilize the bear without hurting it, so officers for now are just monitoring it.
The bear does not have an ear tag, which means it has not been relocated before.
Pagia said it is not unheard of for a bear to be east of Broadway, but said it is a bit unusual for the bear to come back to the same tree two days in a row.
“They’re usually on the move; they’re not like birds where they say, ‘This is my tree.'” Pagia said.
Pagia said the behavior is not concerning just yet, but it is something they will need to monitor considering it is so close to the time of year when bears start looking for a place to bed down for the winter.
“It’s not what we’re seeing with the rest of the bears,” Pagia said.
CPW also responded to a report Friday night of a mountain lion that may have been hit by a vehicle on Colo. 119 near Fourmile Canyon Drive.
CPW officer Tyler Asnicar wrote in an email Saturday that a Colorado State Patrol trooper saw the lion run up the hill away from the road before CPW arrived on the scene, which might mean the animal was dazed but not seriously injured.
Staff Writer Dana Cadey contributed to this report.
Bears in Boulder | 2022-11-13T11:04:13Z | www.dailycamera.com | Wildlife officers keep an eye on bear in central Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/wildlife-officers-keep-an-eye-on-bear-in-central-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/12/wildlife-officers-keep-an-eye-on-bear-in-central-boulder/ |
A sense of uncertainty: Retailers, economists…
Owner Laurel Tate at Two Sole Sisters, a Pearl Street retailer. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
By Dan England | For BizWest / Prairie Mountain Publishing
In her 23 years of owning Art + Soul in Boulder, Debbie Klein has learned to sense uncertainty from shoppers like an old man who can tell when a storm’s coming by the pain in his knee.
“I’ve been through two recessions already, so it’s very visceral,” Klein said. “It’s a gut feeling.”
Deborah Klein, owner of Art + Soul, a Pearl Street retailer. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Her gut doesn’t have the same rumbles that it did back in 2008, when the housing bubble crashed the economy, but she still senses a shift in consumer confidence. It could not come at a worse time.
“The fourth quarter is what you prepare for all year,” Klein said. “It’s a significant part of our sales. But things have turned on a dime. I’m feeling it as a consumer, too.”
This is true even for a specialty store that evolved into one of Boulder’s most knowledgeable and unique galleries for both designer jewelry and contemporary fine art. She’s located just a half block off Boulder’s Pearl Street and changes shows every six weeks. She’s also known for engagement and wedding rings, as well as a vast collection of quirky and fun gifts.
The economy is in an historically weird place, no doubt, as inflation creeps past 8% and the feds hope to cool it by raising interest rates. But that, so far, hasn’t worked, and the job market remains strong. Therefore, most retail experts remain optimistic or hopeful. The National Retail Federation forecast that nationwide sales will grow as much as 8% over 2021. That’s despite a robust 2021, when shoppers shooed away lingering fears over the pandemic with a record-setting 13.5% over 2020.
In uncertain times, predicting the economy is tougher than predicting the weather. Brian Lewandowski, executive director of the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, said the economy has been this uncertain before: Back in December of 2007, he felt pretty good about their economic forecast — he saw the clouds gathering but didn’t predict a bad storm — until the market turned into a hurricane that was the 2008 Great Recession.
“We were wildly incorrect,” Lewandowski said and laughed. “Things can change so rapidly.”
There are signs of trouble, he said, but he also believes that a recession, if there is one, won’t happen until the first quarter of 2023.
Klein, despite her unease, isn’t expecting a bad year yet. But if the feds keep increasing interest rates, well, who knows what could happen?
“My concern is when you are trying to slow down sales, who will feel that the most?” Klein said. “Everyone has to remember that they need to support local businesses. Not only are you supporting that business, but you are putting dollars back into your community.”
A brewing storm?
This is why it’s fun to be an economist: Sometimes, there are no easy answers.
“Some variables send you mixed messages,” Lewandowski said. “Some say up, and some say down. We have to zoom out and take a look at the whole basket of economic metrics.”
Brian Lewandowski (Courtesy photo)
That’s especially true this year. Gross Domestic Product is a terrific way to measure the economy, for instance, except when it isn’t. The first and second quarters of this year contracted, or shrunk, a sure sign that there’s a recession, right? No. Lewandowski dug through his basket and found that retail sales, employment and industrial production indicated otherwise, and so did a whole lot of other factors. Sure enough, the nation’s third-quarter flipped, turning out a positive GDP.
But Lewandowski is cautious about what the good third quarter means as well: He believes the fourth quarter will remain positive but slow down from that third quarter. The fourth quarter, he said, should be sustained by job growth and rising wages, and those factors alone should carry us into a typically strong holiday season.
What follows into the first quarter of 2023, however, will be foreshadowed by the slower fourth quarter, he said.
The nation’s had good job growth, but 2022 was the slowest in two years, and 2023 should be slower than 2022. Wages are on the rise, but so is inflation, and at a much faster rate, and the higher interest rates as a result will continue to drag residential and even some corporate investment as well, Lewandowski said.
Household debt is spiking, he said, which signals to him that people are spending their savings and even borrowing to cover the rising costs of goods and maintain their lifestyle.
“That will buoy our economy this year,” he said, “but I wonder how long that’s sustainable.”
There are other disconcerting signs, besides Klein’s uneasy gut, that trouble is on the way.
Twitter announced some big layoffs. Those may not have been as a result of the economy, as new owner Elon Musk promised drastic changes, but Meta, the company that runs Facebook, also announced layoffs.
“Large employers are bellwethers for the economy,” said Scott Sternberg, executive director of the Boulder Economic Council and vice president for economic vitality for the Boulder Chamber. “So consumer confidence is somewhat challenged.”
Sternberg does think news of layoffs, the inflation and higher interest rates will have consumers holding on to their pocketbooks a bit more.
“I think people will be hesitant to spend at the rates they’ve spent,” Sternberg said. “I know I am.”
Chip, CEO of the Downtown Boulder Partnership, said things felt normal again in the downtown district and on Pearl Street for the first time since 2018.
Chip, CEO of the Downtown Boulder Partnership
“We’ve seen a lot of activity in foot traffic, even over 2018 numbers, and our tourism is really strong,” said Chip, who dropped his last name years ago to brand himself better. “More people are coming down to spend money. We have reasons to be optimistic based on the trends we are seeing. People are really excited to get back together and get back out. I’m hopeful.”
Chip acknowledges that office space remains sparse, if downright empty, as the industries continue to adjust to people working from home. But people still want to come downtown, and he believes that will carry over into Christmas. Downtown Boulder will host a slew of holiday celebrations to encourage those crowds to swell — and that usually works — and it also has a few new independent businesses to draw people in as well
“This season remains really important,” Chip said. “We hope the community remembers that in who they choose to support.”
The pandemic was horrible for many, even for those who didn’t get sick, but it is helping spur more people to get out, and it made consumers question who they support and why. Online sales remain strong — Klein said that as well — but the balance to in-person shopping is returning, if it hasn’t already.
“The pandemic brought into focus our values and priorities,” Chip said. “When businesses were shuttered, there was a lot of support. People understood the value of local businesses. I think that’s sustained to a large degree.”
Even though Klein and other retailers still see the holidays as an outsized chunk of their year, there are some who believe the retail “season” isn’t as strong in general as it once was.
Black Friday, for instance, doesn’t draw the same door-rushing crowds because of the way retail stores have adjusted their hours.
“Black Friday doesn’t dominate anymore,” Sternberg said. “Normally you do see these spikes in retail shopping, but there’s been some leveling out. It’s more of a gradual increase now than a spike.”
There may also be signs that in Colorado, residents prefer to spend their money on experiences and may gift accordingly, especially as skiing continues to become more expensive, Sternberg said.
“That’s not nationwide,” he said, “but my personal feeling here is that people spending for experiences as opposed to retail might be in play in Colorado. People are still itching to get out.”
Experience spending may fall into a luxury category that some families can’t participate in, Sternberg said. But that may not pertain to Boulder as much either. Boulder’s wealth — just look at the average housing price — and its status as a go-to destination, even among Colorado residents, helps buffer it from wild economic trends. But that doesn’t mean Boulder is immune to it.
“Remember, we do have two strong retail districts,” he said.
The Boulder buffer is real (for some)
No one is suggesting the idea that Colorado will be safe from a national recession, however, and Lewandowski cautions against that as well.
Since the Great Recession, Colorado has outperformed the U.S. in nearly all metrics. Sometimes, the state fell in the top 10, and a couple times, it ranked No. 1, Lewandowski said. But before you break out the oversized foam finger: Colorado has followed national trends 86% of the time since 2005. When the country goes down, well, so does Colorado.
Boulder could even be hurt more, as its outsized reliance on the tech industry is troubling given that layoffs are hitting the large tech companies first. That could affect startup investing, and those startups may also be expected to turn profits sooner, Lewandowski said.
“If the funding environment gets harder,” he said, “what does that mean for the ecosystem?”
Commuting remains down into Boulder as well, as tech jobs tend to draw remote workers.
Still, Laurel Tate, owner of Two Sole Sisters in Boulder, does believe in Boulder’s buffer, and she has proof: She started the trendy and fancy shoe store with her sister, Lindsey, back in March 2008, or exactly when the economy was crumbling into the Great Recession under sub-prime mortgages.
“We like to laugh about it now,” Tate said. “We were pretty oblivious. But we weathered that pretty well.”
By comparison, COVID-19 wasn’t as terrible, though the pandemic was powerful enough to force them to tweak their business strategy: They now offer more gifts than they have before.
“COVID made us diversify,” Tate said. “People weren’t buying nice shoes at that time.”
That decision, ironically, now makes them more vulnerable to the holiday season, as that’s the time consumers will buy items from their newer gift lines. Even so, Tate feels optimistic.
“Even with the feds trying to slow things down,” she said, “our customer base is not as affected as much as those shopping for deals at big-box stores.”
Rachel Nowicki, left, and store owner, Laurel Tate, at Two Sole Sisters, a Pearl Street retailer. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Dan England is a freelance journalist who previously worked for the Greeley Tribune for many years. | 2022-11-13T17:53:58Z | www.dailycamera.com | A sense of uncertainty: Retailers, economists ponder what comes next – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/13/a-sense-of-uncertainty-retailers-economists-ponder-what-comes-next/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/13/a-sense-of-uncertainty-retailers-economists-ponder-what-comes-next/ |
Boulder Jewish Film Festival closing night…
“Adventures of a Mathematician” is one of the films screening during the closing night of the Boulder Jewish Film Festival. (Courtesy photo)
Boulder Jewish Film Festival Closing Night: Celebrate the festival’s closing night with a reception followed by double-feature screenings of “Jews of the Wild West” and “Adventures of a Mathematician.” There will be chili, cornbread, pie and cider catered by Community Table Kitchen along with Western swing music by Greg Schochet and Little America; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $16-$50; boulderjcc.org.
‘Escape to Another Reality’ Book Signing: Unity Boulder’s longtime minister Jack Groverland is celebrating the release of his autobiography with a book signing and lunch; 11 a.m. Sunday, Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St., Boulder; Lunch is $7, book is $17.99-$34.99; unityofboulder.com.
JD Cordle and Ellen Rice at BoCo Cider: Listen to some gritty blues from guitarist JD Cordlé, who will be joined by Ellen Rice, a pop-cellist singer-songwriter; 4 p.m. Sunday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
The Drowsy Chaperone: Tony Award-winning meta-musical pokes fun at all the tropes that characterize the Jazz Age genre and it’s complete with one show-stopping song and dance number after another; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Music Theatre (N1B95), 1020 18th St., Boulder; $23-$35; cupresents.org.
Firefly Handmade Boulder Holiday Market: This holiday artisan market will have more than 80 artisans — from artists and makers to designers and crafters. There will be live music and local fare, too; 11-6 p.m. Sunday; Pearl Street Mall, 1942 Broadway St., Boulder; free; fireflyhandmade.com.
The Brook & The Bluff at the Fox: Nashville-based band will bring its vocal harmonies, indie rock, folk and soul tunes to Boulder. Sam MacPherson opens the show; 8 p.m. Sunday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $17.50- $20; z2ent.com. | 2022-11-13T17:54:00Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Jewish Film Festival closing night party and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/13/boulder-jewish-film-festival-closing-night-party-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/13/boulder-jewish-film-festival-closing-night-party-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Letters to the editor: Camp Hale is perfect…
Edwin Hoey: Veterans: Camp Hale is a perfect national monument
In the spring of 1945, my father nearly lost his life during the battle of Riva Ridge. He and other members of the 10th Mountain Division trained for this battle at Camp Hale, learning to ski, snowshoe, rock climb and survive the cold. They went on to battle Axis forces in the Italian Apennine Mountains — scaling what was considered an “unclimbable” mountain face at night to surprise sleeping German soldiers on Riva Ridge.
Camp Hale-Continental Divide is a perfect national monument. The Antiquities Act of 1906 states that the president can protect land if it holds historic or scientific significance, which is what Biden did. For years the 10th Mountain Division trained in unforgiving mountainous conditions at Camp Hale. During the battle of Riva Ridge and the ensuing months in Italy, the 10th Mountain Division and other troops amassed 1,000 casualties and 4,000 injuries.
The sacrifices of the veterans of Camp Hale’s 10th Mountain Division are worth memorializing.
Edwin Hoey, Denver
Bob Boerger: Taxes: Small fees make everything more expensive
Colorado has gone fee crazy! My plate renewal cost on my four-year-old Camry is $228. Only $110 is the tax and 16 different fees add $118.
What does the tax money pay for? What is reasonable? I suggest zero fees.
My senior fishing license went from $5 to $12 thanks to fees. There is now a home delivery fee on Amazon, Uber and food of $0.27 per visit. On January 1, 2023, Colorado will be given a fee of $0.10 per bag at the grocery store. Some bigger fees will not be as visible like the new HB 21-1266 called the Environmental Justice Bill on our electricity, oil and natural gas. This is also a bill that has a racist component. TABOR was not enough. Now we need to cap fees. Call a tax a tax.
Bob Boerger, Loveland
Melissa Pharr: Climate: Show elected officials climate change is a top priority
We need our elected officials to prioritize climate change.
Are Colorado summer temperatures in the 90s here to stay? Taking my 18-month-old daughter outside on those days only happens once I’ve packed everything needed to lower her chances of heat stroke, as children overheat three to five times faster than adults.
Unless we cut our CO2 emissions by 50% of 2003 levels by 2030, climate science clearly shows that summers like these will become the new normal.
What we need are elected officials on both sides of the aisle who are willing to prioritize climate change and find solutions that stick, even when administrations and Congress change.
As Coloradans, we’re affected not just by hotter temperatures, but by air pollution, flash floods and wildfires. We must show our elected officials that climate change is a top priority.
Melissa Pharr, Fort Collins
Sharon Montes: Energy: Xcel rate increase is contrary to energy goals
I write as a physician working and living in Loveland, Colorado. I am also a mother, concerned human being, rate-payer, and chair of the Board of PSR (Physicians for Social Responsibility) Colorado.
Over the past several years, the local media has covered numerous Xcel rate hikes.
In April, Governor Polis spoke in Loveland about the state’s plans to become 100% powered by renewable energy by 2040. Approving this Xcel rate increase was contrary to those goals. It is contrary to Colorado Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Roadmap and would lock in our dependence on fossil fuels when cities such as Denver, Louisville and Fort Collins are putting in place net-zero plans that will increase the electrification of buildings and greatly reduce or prohibit methane (natural) gas infrastructure.
As a physician, most important, are the impacts on the health of our children and most vulnerable populations. Production and burning of gas results in exposure to nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, small particulate pollution, volatile organic compounds like benzene and ozone. These exposures are associated with respiratory complications including increased episodes and severity of asthma, decreased lung growth in children, and a higher risk of strokes and heart attacks for the elderly. Benzene is associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemias and birth defects.
Sharon Montes, Loveland | 2022-11-14T15:58:04Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Camp Hale is perfect monument; small fees add big costs; climate change is top priority; rate increase is contrary to goals | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/14/letters-to-the-editor-camp-hale-is-perfect-monument-small-fees-add-big-costs-climate-change-is-top-priority-rate-increase-is-contrary-to-goals/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/14/letters-to-the-editor-camp-hale-is-perfect-monument-small-fees-add-big-costs-climate-change-is-top-priority-rate-increase-is-contrary-to-goals/ |
CU Leeds economist Rich Wobbekind: Boulder made…
BOULDER — Boulder’s economy has made rapid recovery from the COVID-inspired recession, but it still ranks behind other metropolitan statistical areas in certain categories. Job growth is not among those trailing categories, according to Richard Wobbekind.
AAron Ontiveroz / The Denver Post
Richard Wobbekind, executive director of the Leeds Business Research Division, speaks in 2014.
Wobbekind, the senior economist in the research division of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder, gave an economic snapshot of the state of the economy in Boulder and the Boulder MSA, which includes all of Boulder County, at the annual Boulder Economic Summit on Monday.
Industries showing the biggest changes in employment in the Boulder MSA are topped by the leisure and hospitality industry, with a 13% year over year growth as the industry continues its recovery from the pandemic shutdowns. Since 2020, the sector with the biggest change is the professional and business services sector, he said.
“All categories since 2020 are in positive territory, except government, which has declined in jobs” (during that period), he said. | 2022-11-15T06:18:08Z | www.dailycamera.com | CU Leeds economist Rich Wobbekind: Boulder made rapid recovery from pandemic – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/14/cu-leeds-economist-rich-wobbekind-boulder-made-rapid-recovery-from-pandemic/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/14/cu-leeds-economist-rich-wobbekind-boulder-made-rapid-recovery-from-pandemic/ |
Letters to the editor: Students deserve time to…
Tiffany Gengelbach: School lunches: Students deserve more time to eat
Dietary research recommends elementary children receive a minimum of thirty minutes to effectively consume a meal at lunch. Yet, to my knowledge, many BVSD elementary students are only allocated twenty minutes. It is appalling that our school district, with a nationally recognized lunch menu, fails to provide its students with an adequate amount of time to consume a meal.
Recently, I witnessed a BVSD first grader hiding in order to finish eating a hot dog to avoid being forced to throw it away and feel hungry. This is a tragedy! Why isn’t there enough time for a child to consume a needed meal?
I call on the School Board to mandate a minimum thirty-minute lunch period in our elementary schools.
Currently, students have twenty minutes to travel to the cafeteria, wait in line, pay, eat and clean tables, effectively leaving five to fifteen minutes for meal consumption. I have observed that my children have eight to thirteen minutes to consume lunch. Federal labor law defines a meal period for an employee as “ordinarily thirty minutes or more.” Children deserve the same.
A thirty-minute lunch period is vital to the development process — socially, physically and emotionally. It is not merely time “taken away” from learning, but a necessary part of the school day that should be respected as such. As a result of shorter lunch periods, some learn to eat quickly, sacrificing proper digestion. Others cannot eat quickly enough, causing insufficient caloric intake. Both outcomes are detrimental to effective learning and body attunement. Additionally, a school-provided meal is often the only guaranteed meal of the day for some students.
Our future leaders deserve the dignity of an adequate meal period, time to nourish their brains and develop healthy dietary habits.
I plan to present this issue at the December BVSD School Board meeting; supporters are encouraged to attend.
Tiffany Gengelbach, Boulder
Matty Van Heuit: Dutch proverbs: Trump’s lies are coming back to bite him
There is a Dutch proverb, “He who burns his butt must sit on the blisters.” In my opinion, this fits Donald Trump exactly. He has been accused of committing so many outrageous lies and false statements that I cannot help thinking and hoping that sitting down must be extremely painful for him.
Matty Van Heuit, Boulder
Richard Eggers: City repairs: Diagonal lights, vandalism among pressing problems
Boulder has two multimillion-dollar projects as top priorities in the near future. One expands more bike trails with more tunnels; the other a major redo of the Diagonal highway. Assuming the city is willing, there are two much smaller immediate pressing needs: 1) Dangerous Diagonal traffic light problems. 2) Protecting religious property from vandalism.
Need number one: As reported on Nextdoor website, traffic light problems exist at Jay Road and 119, another at SH52 and 119, and a third at Niwot Road and 119. The latter, in my opinion, may have contributed to a recent fatal incident. According to a recent Nextdoor post, CDOT’s response to an “alert call” by a resident was that the Diagonal lights are on a “fix” list but this area only has 4 CDOT employees and is not sure when it will be addressed. C’mon Boulder, flex your political influence!
Need number two: Our fair Boulder is being besmirched by a subset of its population. Namely, the vile pro-abortion segment that recently desecrated Sacred Heart of Mary property for the third time. With Colorado continuing as an abortion-welcoming state both legally and philosophically, what doesn’t this Boulder subset understand (Boulder residents being “ the smartest people on the planet” ) about SCOTUS’ recent decision? It simply restored 184 years of Constitutionally protected “States’ Rights” that Roe v. Wade had usurped. And why am I the only person calling out these hoodlums? Paraphrasing NATO’s motto, an attack on one Church, Temple or Mosque is an attack on all religions. Yet Boulder Police can’t find and prosecute these hoodlums. Perhaps in their eternal resting place such vandals will feel differently.
Richard Eggers, Niwot | 2022-11-15T15:18:24Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Students deserve time to eat; Trump's lies are biting him; Boulder's pressing problems | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/letters-to-the-editor-students-deserve-time-to-eat-trumps-lies-are-biting-him-boulders-pressing-problems/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/letters-to-the-editor-students-deserve-time-to-eat-trumps-lies-are-biting-him-boulders-pressing-problems/ |
Clela Rorex given posthumous Colorado Mountain…
Clela Rorex given posthumous Colorado Mountain Leader Medal award
Former Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Clela Rorex in 2018 in front of the Boulder County Courthouse. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
Former Boulder County Clerk Clela Rorex was awarded a posthumous Colorado Mountain Leader Medal for her advocacy for LGBTQ rights.
Gov. Jared Polis and CiviCo on Tuesday announced the six recipients of the 2022 Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medals. The recipients will be honored Jan. 26 as part of Colorado Leadership Month.
The Colorado Mountain Leader Medal is given to community leaders who have made significant contributions to Colorado through their legacy. Rorex, who died in June, was given the medal as a pioneering ally of the LGBTQ community, according to a press release.
In 1975, as the Boulder County Clerk, she issued marriage licenses to six same-sex couples. The move garnered widespread media attention, pushing gay marriage into the national public discourse, according to the press release. She later volunteered at OUT Boulder County, supporting the LGBTQ community as an ally. | 2022-11-15T23:50:58Z | www.dailycamera.com | Clela Rorex given posthumous Colorado Mountain Leader Medal award | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/clela-rorex-given-posthumous-colorado-mountain-leader-medal-award/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/clela-rorex-given-posthumous-colorado-mountain-leader-medal-award/ |
Boulder declares library district ballot…
A patron enters the Boulder Public Library main branch on Thursday. A city news release on Tuesday declared Ballot Issue 6C a winner. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
As has been expected for several days, Boulder voters have approved ballot item 6C voting in favor of forming a library district, a news release from the city of Boulder reported late Tuesday.
Preliminary results show that support for ballot issue 6C has about a 6% lead, according to the release. Votes are still being counted, and final results will be made available by the county in the upcoming month.
“The campaign around this issue, on all sides, underscored the love our community has for its libraries,” City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde said. “There are many steps involved in making this transition. Our staff will work diligently with appropriate partners to ensure the process of creating a library district happens carefully and swiftly.”
Next steps, she said, include appointing a Library District board of trustees,
amending the current city property tax mill levy to eliminate the portion dedicated to the library and negotiating an intergovernmental agreement outlining the process to a district
The move to a library district should take more than one year to complete. Library staff will continue to be city employees with the same salaries and benefits, the release stated, until the transition is finished. | 2022-11-16T03:16:12Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder declares library district ballot measure a winner | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/boulder-declares-library-district-ballot-measure-a-winner/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/boulder-declares-library-district-ballot-measure-a-winner/ |
Study finds wild animals are more sensitive to…
CSU researcher notes variation in species response
SPOKANE, Wash. >> We have a people problem.
That was the message Laura Prugh received from the U.S. Park Service in Glacier Bay, Alaska, several years ago. For Prugh, who studies human-wildlife interactions in the relatively crowded state of Washington, the claim seemed a bit overstated. After all, only 40,000 people visit the 3.2-million-acre park annually — absurdly low numbers for anyone accustomed to recreating in the Washington or Oregon Cascades, for instance.
In fact, Glacier Bay is only accessed by boat or plane and 94% of visitors come via cruise ship. Yet, park service employees reported increasing numbers and they wanted to know how — or if — that trend was impacting native wildlife.
So Prugh, an associate professor in the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, visited.
“I was just shocked at how few people there were,” she said. “And I thought, ‘Wow, these people have really lost perspective on what a lot of visitors are.’“
The question of how, or even if, outdoor human recreation of the nonhunting variety impacts wildlife is “kind of an emerging field,” Prugh said. Despite its relative youth, numerous recreation ecology studies have shown that animals do change their behavior in response to human presence. Some mammals have become more nocturnal, forgoing their normal daytime routines in hopes of avoiding human presence. In Montana, wolverines and bighorn sheep avoid areas where backcountry skiers shred. Wild reindeer flee farther and longer from backcountry skiers than from snowmobiles, according to another study. | 2022-11-16T03:16:37Z | www.dailycamera.com | Study finds wild animals are more sensitive to human presence than previously thought, raising questions about trail management | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/study-finds-wild-animals-are-more-sensitive-to-human-presence-than-previously-thought-raising-questions-about-trail-management/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/15/study-finds-wild-animals-are-more-sensitive-to-human-presence-than-previously-thought-raising-questions-about-trail-management/ |
Guest opinion: Jerry Greene: Boulder should…
By Jerry Greene
A couple of evenings per week I ride my bike near the RTD station and there is a homeless guy curled up in the same spot under an awning next to the sidewalk. I gave him some money once, he was really polite and seemed about 40 years old.
On a related encounter, a couple of years ago me and a friend needed the side of an office building painted, so we approached two guys on a corner with a cardboard sign. They agreed and worked really hard for about four hours. They painted the whole thing, were really friendly and said it was the best day they had had in a long time.
This points to the two key issues surrounding homelessness:
A. Trash etc. from homeless camping, potentially related low-level crime, especially stealing bike parts, and the sapping of police time for homeless issues.
B. The long-term loneliness, depression, lack of purpose and useful activity of a human life that has, in some cases, essentially given up trying to compete in normal society.
Let’s see what the city is doing about it according to its dynamic community “Homelessness Strategy,” which has a goal that “Boulder community members should have the opportunity for a safe and stable place to live … new thinking and approaches and innovative solutions.”
Here is a quote from the city’s plan:
“Homelessness Strategy goals include initiatives planned or in progress to achieve the strategy vision. As a living document, Homelessness Strategy initiatives will be added or modified as efforts are evaluated and new ideas and opportunities arise to reach goals. Local and regional evaluation plans are in development to measure the success of these efforts, as baseline data is collected and metrics are established. The Homelessness Strategy is a partnership with local and regional organizations and the community overall, with a vision of transparency and continuous quality improvement through joint assessment of outcomes and community needs.”
Is their plan to evaluate and modify efforts with new ideas to reach goals? Impressive for sure.
For the council and city staff, the only thing that will work, and solves the above issues A and B, is a sanctioned camping site, say 50 stacked cabins on a half acre with a cooking and restroom area. Any person willing to put in 10 hours per week maintaining the facility could get a cabin and food. There would be no on-site staff, but residents could apply for management positions at the site. And it would be cost-effective since it just requires the construction of cabins and the delivery of food.
I proposed this to the council, and one council member said they were not going to do it because similar ideas have failed too many times. I asked for an example of a similar idea failing somewhere and got no reply.
Let me ask this to the council and staff: How exactly would it fail? You have a spot to move ad hoc campers to, you basically eliminate homeless issues from impacting the rest of society, and you provide human compassion and the benefit of a purpose and a home, and it hardly costs anything. What exactly would failing look like?
Jerry Greene lives in Boulder. | 2022-11-16T15:14:18Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Jerry Greene: Boulder should consider sanctioned camping site | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/guest-opinion-jerry-greene-boulder-should-consider-sanctioned-camping-site/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/guest-opinion-jerry-greene-boulder-should-consider-sanctioned-camping-site/ |
Intimate supper club show with Josiah Johnson…
Josiah Johnson, formerly of The Head and the Heart, will play an intimate show at Rayback Wednesday. (Courtesy photo)
Bluebird Supper Club with Josiah Johnson: This founding member and former frontman for The Head and the Heart has been soaring in a solo career for the past few years. He’ll stop by this quarterly dinner and concert series, born from the Bluebird Music Festival, that brings an intimate live show and dinner to The Rayback; 4 p.m. Wednesday, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder; bluebirdsupperclub.com.
‘Lived Experience’ Exhibit at Canyon Gallery: This exhibit that launches Wednesday, is an analog photography project in which 25 unhoused participants captured glimpses of their lives on the Boulder streets with single-use cameras. It will be on display through Jan. 14. Also on exhibit: “Quantity of Life: Nature/Supernature,” work from seven artists that celebrate the natural world, through Nov. 27; 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. Wednesday; Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; boulderlibrary.org/exhibits.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ at CU Boulder: Oscar Wilde’s infamous farce tells the hilarious story of four young lovers, their impetuous engagements and an elusive rogue (or two) named Ernest; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; Old Main Chapel, CU Boulder campus; $19; cupresents.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.
‘White Horse’ Book Signing: This event that will be recorded live in the book store with host Arsen Kashkashian, of Boulder Book Store, and KGNU’s Maeve Conran, as part of the KGNU Radio Book Club. Denver-based author Erika T. Wurth will discuss her literary-horror debut novel “White Horse”; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; boulderbookstore.net.
‘It’s Personal’ Dance Performance at CU Boulder: Trapeze artist, CU Boulder dance teacher and master’s candidate Anna Pillot will perform on aerial apparatus along with running, dance, fitness equipment, endurance, biometric data and technology to create an intermedia performance; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Roser ATLAS Center, Black Box Experimental Studio, CU Boulder; calendar.colorado.edu.
CU Symphony Orchestra’s Second Fall Concert: The CU Symphony Orchestra will present the first performance of Irene Britton Smith’s “Sinfonietta.” Also featured on the program will be Emilie Mayer’s “Faust-Ouverture” and Jean Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 2 in D Major”; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder; Free; cupresents.org.
Shawn Cunnane at Velvet Elk: Boulder-based Americana singer-songwriter will perform for free in the bar; 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; Free; velvetelklounge.com. | 2022-11-16T15:14:24Z | www.dailycamera.com | Intimate supper club show with Josiah Johnson and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/intimate-supper-club-show-with-josiah-johnson-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/intimate-supper-club-show-with-josiah-johnson-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Letters to the editor: Cloud seeding may be…
Anyll Markevich: Environment: Cloud seeding has promise, but may be harmful
A recent permit application by the St. Vrain and Lefthand Water Conservancy District promises to address the water crisis in the Boulder area using a technology known as cloud seeding, a form of weather modification. This project hopes to increase snowfall from pre-existing storm clouds by spraying silver iodide into the atmosphere. This chemical compound creates a “seed” on which ice crystals can grow, increasing the chance that atmospheric moisture will form snowflakes heavy enough to fall to the ground. Proponents claim that this technology can result in a 10% increase in snowfall while leaving plenty of moisture for downwind areas. However, despite decades of research, the evidence concerning the effectiveness of this technology is sparse. At most, cloud seeding will only help alleviate the Colorado water crisis over time by slowly building additional snowpack.
While a single atmospheric application of silver iodide may not harm the environment, studies suggest repeated applications could seriously impact aquatic organisms. Cloud seeding will only be effective against the Colorado water crisis if managers employ such frequent and potentially dangerous applications of weather-modifying compounds. Additionally, overuse and overreliance on artificial cloud seeding could unexpectedly change weather patterns, leading to unknown ecological and social drawbacks.
The biggest problem with weather modification is that it ignores much safer and more effective alternatives to cloud seeding. Native vegetation, especially trees, produce water vapor and aerosols that, like silver iodide, encourage the formation of clouds. Agricultural practices that integrate a diversity of plant species and utilize careful water management require little irrigation. Converting parks to native vegetation will massively reduce local water needs. The solution to the water crisis is not spraying questionable compounds into the atmosphere. Instead, building resilient ecosystems across the county will increase rainfall while protecting the landscape from drought.
Anyll Markevich, Nederland
Ajent Tenten: Homelessness: Boulder’s camping ban is a form of cruelty
Camping bans are cruelty. Can’t stay. Can’t work. Why is it so hard to make places along the trails where camping is allowed? “Here’s your concrete block in case you need it to survive. We will be by to monitor littering.” Why is an all-inclusive world like that so hard to complete?
Ajent Tenten, Hotchkiss
Sue E. Dean: Election: Now we know women’s rights are important to everyone
Wow, the 2022 election had a comforting result, at least for me. Now we know for sure women’s health and right to decide are important to Americans of every stripe.
Michal Duffy: Catholic schools: Archdiocese’s guidance is harmful, reinforces stigmas
I am deeply concerned about the impacts of the Denver Archdiocese’s guidance to Catholic schools to not enroll transgender students and to treat gay students and parents differently. The disregard for LGBTQ+ individuals’ humanity in this harmful guidance will have untold damage to LGBTQ+ individuals and families in our Front Range community.
It is evident, in my opinion, that the Archbishop is unaware that sex, gender and sexuality diversity have always been a part of humanity, across cultures, societies and time. We have new terms now but diversity is not new; it’s an inherent part of humanity and reflects the incredible diversity of creation. Sex, gender and sexuality diversity are natural.
Rather than relishing in the abundant diversity of creation, the Denver Archdiocese is codifying division and hostility that will reverberate into families and disrupt family structures. Equally as callous, this guidance disregards the deadly impact it will have on LGBTQ+ youth mental health. LGBTQ+ youth experience disproportionate rates of mental illness and self-harm, not because there is anything wrong with being LGBTQ+ but rather because of the stigma, discrimination and mistreatment from society, here painfully exemplified by the Denver Archdiocese.
It is clear that LGBTQ+ youth and families are not only not welcome in Denver Catholic schools, but they are not safe. I cannot begin to imagine the amount of religious trauma that will come from these regressive policies. I can only hope that families with LGBTQ+ members will find safer, affirming schools and communities, and not let this hateful poison infiltrate their families.
To Catholic LGBTQ+ youth and families: There is nothing wrong with you, you are deserving of love and support. Don’t let the Archbishop taint your relationship with your faith or your family. There are so many Catholics who support their LGBTQ+ brethren. You are not alone.
Michal Duffy, Boulder | 2022-11-16T15:14:30Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Cloud seeding may be harmful; camping ban is cruel; women's rights are important; Archdiocese’s guidance is harmful | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/letters-to-the-editor-cloud-seeding-may-be-harmful-camping-ban-is-cruel-womens-rights-are-important-archdioceses-guidance-is-harmful/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/letters-to-the-editor-cloud-seeding-may-be-harmful-camping-ban-is-cruel-womens-rights-are-important-archdioceses-guidance-is-harmful/ |
Boulder County officials to present proposed…
The Boulder County Courthouse at 1325 Pearl St. in Boulder. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff will be presenting an overview of proposed Environmental Resource Maps changes on Thursday.
The department’s staff with working with Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting to update the mapping information associated with the Environmental Resources Element of the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan.
According to a news release, Parks & Open Space staff will present an overview of proposed map changes during a public meeting of the Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Attendees may join either through Zoom or do so in person at the downtown Boulder County Courthouse, on the third floor at 1325 Pearl St.
In-person registration can be made at tinyurl.com/2zph297f. Zoom webinar registration is available at tinyurl.com/4p76pjwp. Registration is only required for those who want to provide public comment. Meetings are streamed live through eSCRIBE.
County staff is not proposing any change to the policies of the Environmental Resources Element of the Comprehensive Plan, but there are map modifications under consideration, related to the Comprehensive Plan. | 2022-11-16T18:36:42Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder County officials to present proposed Environmental Resource Maps changes | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/boulder-county-officials-to-present-proposed-environmental-resource-maps-changes/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/16/boulder-county-officials-to-present-proposed-environmental-resource-maps-changes/ |
Boulder Library’s fundraising gala and other…
The Boulder Public Library is hosting its fundraising gala Thursday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Boulder Library Foundation Fundraising Gala: Help support Boulder Public Library’s programming at this gala that will feature music by Cultural Caravan, a special appearance by the Boulder BeeChicas and an emcee performance by LeeLee James, aka the Twirling Tech Goddess, who will introduce patrons whose lives have been transformed by the Boulder Public Library; 6 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Public Library Canyon Theater, 1000 Canyon Blvd., Boulder; $59-$75; eventbrite.com.
Allergy-Friendly Holiday Baking: Often food allergies leave people feeling like they have to live without something they loved. Indulge in all the favorites without guilt or gut pain by learning a collection of gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, wholesome, low-sugar holiday recipes; 6 p.m. Thursday, Growing Gardens, 1630 Hawthorn Ave., Boulder; $60; growinggardens.org.
Arc’teryx Films with Special Musical Guest Goth Babe: Celebrate tales of big mountains and backcountry lines, cold-air inspiration and powder-forged friendships with this special presentation; 7 p.m. Thursday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $25; z2ent.com.
Barefoot in the Bathroom at the Fox: Boulder-based Barefoot in the Bathroom is a four-piece rock ‘n’ roll cover band that draws inspiration from all over the country but has been rocking the Hill for the past three years. The Dick Nixons and The Dirty Turkeys open the show; 9 p.m. Thursday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $15-$18; z2ent.com.
Boulder Lifestyle Magazine’s 10th Anniversary Party: This local magazine is celebrating 10 years by throwing a party with live music, all ticket proceeds benefiting There With Care. Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille and Dragondeer will perform; 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $20; velvetelklounge.com.
Chamber Music Showcase – Fall Concert: Join the CU College of Music students for an exhilarating marathon of chamber music performances. Featuring string, wind, brass and piano groups, this evening of performances represents the culmination of work this semester and will feature a wide variety of music; 4 p.m. Thursday, Chamber Hall, 1020 18th St., Boulder; Free; calendar.colorado.edu.
LAA Fall Members Fine Art and Crafts Show and Sale: The Louisville Art Association is hosting its Fall Members Fine Art & Crafts Show and Sale where there will be fine art, photography, crafts, jewelry and much more. All pieces are available for purchase. The Reception and Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; 11 a.m. Thursday, Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave., Louisville; Free; louisvilleartassociation.org.
Bonnie Lowdermilk at R Gallery: Attend a night of jazz with Bonnie Lowdermilk, a vocalist, pianist, instructor and composer based in Boulder. Her clear vocals, unique arrangements and deft piano playing guarantees listeners a captivating performance. Enjoy a glass of wine or craft beer and support talented local artists and musicians; 7 p.m. Thursday, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder; Free; rgallery.art.
David Booker at BOCO Cider: Denver-based David Booker is a three-time Best of Westword winner. Originally from Manchester, United Kingdom, he channels Chuck Berry, has backed Bo Diddley and opened for Los Lobos. Booker loves rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and American folk blues; 5 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
‘The Royale’ at the Dairy: In playwright Marco Ramirez’s visceral, rhythmic world, it’s never just about boxing. 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. But, before The Sport can step into the limelight and duke it out for the title he’s dreamed of, he’ll have to face the personal costs of this battle; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $25-$80; betc.org.
Senior Group at Unity: This group, for seniors ages 60 years old and up, welcomes new attendees seeking resources and support; 2 p.m. Thursday, Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St., Boulder; Free; unityofboulder.com. | 2022-11-17T14:41:07Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder Library’s fundraising gala and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/boulder-librarys-fundraising-gala-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/boulder-librarys-fundraising-gala-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Letters to the editor: Context for ‘forever…
Ronald L. Rudolph: Colorado River: Context for ‘forever chemical’ guidelines
The U.S. EPA’s recent guidance is to reduce contamination of the “forever chemical” perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in drinking water to 0.004 parts per trillion. To put that into context, it equates to roughly 2.1 ounces of water in the total annual flow of the Colorado River, which the U.S Geological Survey estimates averaged about 4 trillion gallons a year (12.4 million acre-feet) during the 20th century.
Ronald L. Rudolph, Golden
Stan Gelb: Firearms: Gun control ordinances can save lives
On average in America now 100 people die every day from gunshots. Every day! Many of our nearby cities (Lafayette, Boulder, Lyons and Superior) have responded by enacting gun violence prevention (GVP) ordinances. Our Boulder County Commissioners then followed their lead. These are common-sense reactions to the mass shootings that have been plaguing America. We have firsthand experience of the full horror of such events from the Boulder King Soopers shooting.
These GVP measures have the potential to save many lives while not infringing on anyone’s rights. Our Colorado State Legislature last year passed SB 21-256 which grants local control of firearms to Colorado’s cities and counties.
No knowledgeable person claims gun violence prevention laws will stop all gun violence. Nevertheless, caring officials should take all reasonable steps to minimize gun violence.
The City Council of Longmont is now looking into similar life-saving ordinances. Such measures should include: 1) A ban on the sale or possession of all military assault weapons like the AR-15; 2) having a minimum age of 21 for all firearm purchases; 3) a ban on concealed carry in sensitive public places; 4) a ban on open carry in all public places, and 5) a significant waiting period before firearm purchases are completed.
Unfortunately, there are Coloradans who seem much more devoted to their death-dealing devices than they are to the safety and lives of our children. Shall Longmont follow the lead of the caring communities of our county? Or shall Longmont be dictated to by the least caring and most violence-prone people among us?
Everyone: Contact our Longmont City Council to demand that they continue working toward enacting city ordinances for gun violence prevention. Know that the lives to be saved might be those of your neighbors, your family and yourself.
Stan Gelb, Longmont | 2022-11-17T14:41:32Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Context for 'forever chemical' guidance; gun control ordinances can save lives | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/letters-to-the-editor-context-for-forever-chemical-guidance-gun-control-ordinances-can-save-lives/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/letters-to-the-editor-context-for-forever-chemical-guidance-gun-control-ordinances-can-save-lives/ |
Here’s Boulder County’s Holy Grail to finding…
From pop-ups to long-term boutiques, the Front Range is teeming with options
Wooden vases by Hollow & Form can be found at The New Local. The Gallery that features work by a number of female creatives has moved to 741 Pearl Street in Boulder. A grand opening will kick off at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18. (The New Local/Courtesy photo)
The holidays are swiftly approaching, and that means prioritizing getting gifts for everyone on your list.
Jewelry by The New Local founder Marie-Juliette Bird of Blackbird and the Snow. (Marie-Juliette Bird/Courtesy photo)
While Amazon has risen in popularity due to its ease and convenience, nothing really compares to tracking down a one-of-a-kind treasure made by a talented human.
The Front Range is teeming with creatives that have been busy crafting everything from small-batch clothing to fine jewelry.
Markets are popping up all over town, and we’ve compiled quite the list to meet local purchasing needs. Consider this article your holy grail to a successful holiday season.
Say goodbye to buyer’s remorse and hello to fabulous finds. Who knows, you may just find a little something for yourself.
The New Local, a gallery featuring work by a number of female creatives, has secured a new spot within the Montgomery House, at 741 Pearl Street in Boulder. The grand opening kicks off Friday at 10 a.m. (The New Local/Courtesy photo)
The New Local — a nonprofit art cooperative made up of all female makers — has found a new home at 741 Pearl St. in Boulder.
The group once operated out of a former janitorial supply store downtown, but recently set up in the most idyllic Victorian dwelling that was built in the 1870s. The Montgomery House is a charming Queen Anne with climbing vines and a vibrant color palette.
“I’ve been looking for the right long-term venue,” said Marie-Juliette Bird, founder of The New Local. “COVID aside, it’s been a Goldilocks-type of situation — too hot, too cold, too expensive, too far away, too small, too sterile, etcetera. But the Montgomery House was just right.”
In 2021, Boulder Small Business Development Center awarded The New Local a spot in its marketing incubator.
“Director Suzi Bahnsen referred me to Terri Takata-Smith, at Downtown Boulder Partnerships,” Bird said. “Terri introduced me to Molly Bayer, a broker who loves working with women small-business owners. Molly found us The Montgomery House and Tebo Properties made everything possible.”
The interior of the historic gem has received new coats of paint and plenty of TLC, resulting in a truly inviting shop. The New Local’s grand opening will take place on Friday, kicking off at 10 a.m.
Boots by Underhill Leather Studio, a vendor whose work can be found at The New Local. (The New Local/Courtesy photo)
“We received a seed grant from The Radical Waves foundation, which empowered us to sign the lease,” Bird said. “So many individuals and local institutions helped us find our way. We feel extremely privileged to breathe creative life into this special Boulder venue and into the broader community.”
Bird is a jeweler who operates under the moniker Blackbird in the Snow. Her delicate and luxurious pieces — that feature precious stones and designs ranging from bees to birds — have been featured in high-end publications, such as Vogue, Elle, Vogue Italia and W.
One of the artists of The New Local is Beth Naumann, a creator who crafts shiny brass wall hangings.
“I had been working in architecture before making art and wanted to be doing something creative with my hands instead,” Naumann said. “Around 2010, I started playing with shapes made out of steel wire and immediately took a liking to the feel and scale of it.”
Her eye-catching pieces remain popular among collectors.
“That year when I wanted to make a mobile for my mom that looked more refined, I tried brass, which was a familiar material from when I had made architectural models,” Naumann said. “As I worked through a lot of ideas, I eventually developed a style of hand-bending loops as a way to connect everything.”
A brass wall hanging by The New Local’s Beth Naumman. (Beth Naumann/Courtesy photo)
For Naumann, creating art is much more about the process and not so much the end result.
“My art practice has evolved into a more spiritual one that feels like a homage to craftspeople before me,” Naumann said. “That love of craft is a sentiment I think I share with my clients.”
Naumann has shown work on The New Local’s website through the pandemic, but she is excited to be displaying her alluring pieces amid fellow artists in a charming brick-and-mortar locale.
“In 2019, just before the pandemic, I went to a party at The New Local pop-up space and thought, ‘this is the kind of community I’d like to have here,’” Naumann said. “So I’ve been awaiting the day. I can’t wait to see the work all together and spend time with the other creators.”
Inside the new digs, an impressive body of artwork and products by over 50 women can be found.
“You’ll find work from painters, jewelers, clothing designers, print-makers, ceramicists, textile artists, chocolatiers, sculptors, weavers and more,” Bird said. “Within the walls of The New Local, we have multiple artists working in private studios.”
Botanically dyed pillows by The New Local’s Edie Ure. (The New Local/Courtesy photo)
Bird and fellow artists now refer to The New Local’s historic space as “the hive,” and it is certainly much more than a store filled with unique treasures. The New Local hosts ongoing classes for children and adults. Interested folks can find our more by visiting the group’s site.
“The most rewarding part of The New Local is meeting all of the extraordinary creators in this community and cultivating something bigger than ourselves, together,” Bird said.
No longer just a holiday pop-up, The New Local will be open every day and has an extended lease on West Pearl. Buyers can explore the inviting space 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
“The Montgomery House intrigues most every person who walks by,” Bird said. “It’s integral to the cultural landscape of Boulder. It’s also personally meaningful to me. My mother, Diana, was an active member of the Historic Boulder Society for many years. By stewarding this special property alongside The New Local, I hope to continue her legacy.”
Healing Energy Mountain Rings, hand-stamped in sterling silver, by jeweler Nina Brandin. Brandin will have work at Pop! Holiday Market and The Holiday Gallery at The Village. (Nina Brandin/Courtesy photo)
Open Studios is currently hosting Pop! Gallery at a location on 11th Street between Walnut and Pearl Street, just south of Fjällräven. Folks can visit the space, teeming with paintings, ceramics and more, noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
“Most recently, I began incorporating fossils into my pieces, specifically ammolite,” said Nina Brandin, a jeweler who has work at Pop! Gallery. “These stunningly vibrant fossils are from as far back as 71 million years ago. Their physical beauty and strong, energetic essence somehow transcended the test of time. I’m honored that I have an opportunity to preserve these fascinatingly beautiful fossils and share their unique and unusual allure with people.”
Brandin will also have pieces for sale at Holiday Gallery at The Village, located at The Village Shopping Center at 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. Visitors are encouraged to enter from Arapahoe between Folsom and 28th Street. The gallery is located across the parking lot on the east side of Sprouts.
In November, it is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. In December, folks can shop 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
Ammolite Fossil Perfection Necklace in sterling by jeweler Nina Brandin. Brandin will have work at Pop! Holiday Market and The Holiday Gallery at The Village. (Nina Brandin/Courtesy photo)
“Shopping locally has a tremendous ripple effect,” Brandin said. “Artists are supported, allowing them to continue making personal and meaningful pieces. Buying art through the Holiday Market and Open Studio’s Pop Gallery is a particularly fantastic way to support artists since the majority of profits go directly to the artist.”
Both Pop! Gallery and Holiday Gallery at The Village hope to be open into the new year.
The Found Collective is hosting a fabulous Winter Marketplace from 11a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 4 at 3550 Frontier Ave., Suite A2, Boulder.
Over 35 talented vendors will have everything from vintage pieces to hand-crafted art and jewelry for sale.
Admission is $14, but the day also includes speakers, live music from local gypsy-jazz group Espresso! and DJ sets.
Pieces from Good Hearted Woman Ceramics, which is one of the vendors of The Found Collective. On Dec. 4, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The found Collective will host a Winter Marketplace at the Studio in Boulder, located at 3550 Frontier Ave., Suite A2, Boulder. (The Found Collective/Courtesy photo)
Eats from FED food truck and Ghanaian cuisine will fuel the day of retail therapy.
“I’m mostly looking forward to seeing the community connect,” said Emmy Swenson, owner of The Found Collective. “At my last event it was so incredible to see friends coming together and new friendships being born. The joy in all of the guests and vendors was just remarkable. It was noticeable.”
The day will also include significant fundraising efforts.
Swenson has teamed up with El Central Amistad — a Boulder-based organization dedicated to helping children, families and the Latino community with programs focused on health, education and human development.
“I feel like donations and fundraisers this time of year get focused on families in need and toy drives,” Swenson said. “I plan to do those additionally on the side, but with a large-scale event such as this, I wanted to bring awareness to our underserved local community.”
All ticket sales will be matched and donated by local philanthropist The Radical Waves Project, directly benefitting El Centro Amistad. In addition, all alcohol sales will benefit the organization.
Jewelry by The Found Collective vendor Avery Lee Design. (The Found Collective/Courtesy photo)
A tarot reader, a tea lounge, kombucha, wine and more will be a part of the intoxicating mix.
“I’m also looking forward to people being exposed to new things,” Swenson said. “I’m looking forward to people not having a need to be on their phone or to shop online. Being amongst the tangible is just so refreshing.”
East Boulder County Artists, a group of creators who normally open their individual studios for sales, is holding Arts Extravaganza at 380 Main St. in Longmont on 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Nov. 26 and 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Nov. 27.
A vase by Julia Zúñiga. Zúñiga will have work at EBCA’s Arts Extravaganza on Nov. 26-27. (Julia Zúñiga/Courtesy photo)
“I’ve been a member of EBCA for about three years now, and what I’m looking forward to the most is having so many wonderful artists in the same space,” said potter Julia Zúñiga. “It’s the first time EBCA has hosted an event like this.”
Zúñiga’s pieces range from ornate coffee mugs to large salad bowls.
“I have had my hands in clay my whole life,” Zúñiga said. “My grandmother is also a ceramic artist and has been for over 50 years. She taught me how to hand build in clay, and eventually I took my first wheel throwing course in college and fell in love with the process.”
Like many creatives, she finds inspiration in the surroundings that shaped her.
Pottery by Julia Zúñiga. Zúñiga will have work at EBCA’s Arts Extravaganza on Nov. 26-27. (Julia Zúñiga/Courtesy photo)
“My cultural background drives a lot of the patterns in my work,” Zúñiga said. “I’m always looking at textiles and architecture from Colombia and Ukraine, as well as my hometown Miami. I also find that working in clay is a way for me to reclaim parts of my identity that have been lost to colonization and help me stay grounded in my art practice.”
The same weekend (Nov. 26-27), also in Longmont at Firehouse Art Center — 667 4th Ave. — shoppers can find over a dozen artists’ work on display and for sale from noon-5 p.m. both days.
Among the pieces at the Holiday Market will be Betsy Anderson’s colorful and vibrant embroideries.
An embroidery by Betsy Anderson. Anderson is one of the artists featured in Firehouse Art Center’s Holiday Art Market happening Nov. 26-27 from noon- 5 p.m. (Betsy Anderson/Courtesy photo)
“In this work, I am drawing attention to the stunning natural beauty that is all around us,” Anderson said. “My pieces are celebrations of the delicate ecosystems which we need to protect. I am looking forward to participating in this group art market, as it is always full of unexpected and original artistic expressions.”
Museum of Boulder is hosting a Community Holiday Gift Market, presented by Natural Highs, where vendors of all ages will be selling their wares from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Shoppers can explore museum exhibits, sample offerings from a Yerba Mate & Herb Bar and visit a free AcuDetox station. There are opportunities to make ornaments and learn about self-care practices; $8-10; 2205 Broadway, Boulder; museumofboulder.org.
BMoCA`s museum shop take over, running through Dec. 5, will feature a selection of art ranging from printmaking to ceramics and jewelry. Artists featured include Eleonor Boström, Miriam Dubinsky, Katalin Messing, Paula Nylen, Tom Olejar, Jeff Osgood and more; 11-a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, 1750 13th St., Boulder; free; bmoca.org.
First Friday Art Walks are always great to visit to score some extraordinary pieces. Head to NoBo Art District from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 2 to stroll into an array of galleries filled with eclectic works; free; noboartdistrict.org.
Art by The New Local’s Abby Jacobs. (The New Local/Courtesy photo)
ARTastic Holiday Market, happening 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 3, will feature work by over 40 vendors. From ornaments to bath products, the selection remains vast; Horizons K-8, 4545 Sioux Drive, Boulder; horizonsk8school.org.
Boulder Holiday Gift Festival will feature over 100 local vendors at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. The 17th annual event, happening from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 11, will feature a free concert starting at noon; free; 2850 Mapleton Ave., Boulder; coloradoevents.org.
At Chautauqua WinterFest Market, folks can shop a variety of work by artists and vendors at the foot of the majestic Flatirons. Head to Chautauqua Community house, from noon-5 p.m. Dec. 10-11, to discover unique treasures while sipping hot cocoa and taking in the festive sights of WinterFest; 900 Baseline Road, Boulder; no admission to shop the market; chautauqua.com/winterfest-22.
Pick up a new artful mug or dynamic salad bowl at the Holiday Ceramics Sale put on by Studio Arts Boulder from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Dec. 10-11. Those who can’t make it to the in-person sales can buy online; 3036 Sterling Circle, Boulder; studioartsboulder.org/holiday-sale.
Green Gifts at Art Parts, a nonprofit creative reuse center, is hosting a consignment shopping experience where shoppers can find unique gift options featuring recycled and reused materials from 19 local makers. Meet the makers, get first dibs on cool gifts and take advantage of the alternative gift wrapping station from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 2. Runs through Dec. 23; 3080 Valmont St., Boulder; artpartsboulder.org.
Procrastinators will want to hit up The Last Chance Gift Fest happening from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 17 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 18. Shop toys, home décor, crafts and pieces of art from over 150 vendors. This is the biggest holiday craft fair in Colorado. Live music starts at noon. The free event will be held inside the Exhibit Hall at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont; coloradoevents.org.
Particular’s is hosting its second-annual Holiday Faire from Dec. 3-11 in the gallery. Artists are working hard to create beautiful handmade items for special holiday gifts; 401 S. Public Road, Lafayette; particularsart.com.
The Great Frame Up will host The Holiday Art Show and Bazaar, featuring art from 15 local artists. An opening reception will take place 5-8 p.m. Friday. Work will be on display through Dec. 30; 430 Main St., Longmont; longmont.thegreatframeup.com.
Midtown Handmade, a vending machine filled with gifts from local makers, can be found at 921 Kimbark St. in Longmont. Items include magnets, stickers, earrings, cards, ornaments, handcrafted soap, hand balm, ceramic chimes and more. (Kalene McCort/ Courtesy photo)
Midtown Handmade, a literal vending machine filled with artisanal items, is open 24/7. Whenever the mood strikes, folks can visit this unique mini-shop to purchase jewelry, cards, ceramic chimes and even wrapping material; 921 Kimbark St., Longmont; facebook.com/MidtownHandmade.
Lyons Holiday Artisan Market features locally made art, crafts and handmade items. Head to Lyons Elementary School, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 3-4, to shop the unique finds. There will be nearly 60 vendors and visits from Santa both days, 338 High St., Lyons; townoflyons.com.
While Black Friday still draws folks to the mall and big-box stores, shoppers should make note of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26. With so many independent shops featuring local gifts throughout the Front Range, such as Bricks in Longmont, you are sure to score a deal or two. | 2022-11-17T18:41:54Z | www.dailycamera.com | Here’s Boulder County’s Holy Grail to finding unique, local gifts – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/heres-boulder-countys-holy-grail-to-finding-unique-local-gifts/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/heres-boulder-countys-holy-grail-to-finding-unique-local-gifts/ |
CU Boulder, United Nations Human Rights add…
In this Aug. 6, 2021 file photo, smoke spreads over Parnitha mountain during a wildfire in the village of Ippokratios Politia, Greece. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Organizers with the upcoming Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit have announced a wide-range of new, community-focused events as part of the inaugural affair aimed at bringing international leaders together in Boulder to address climate change as a human rights crisis.
“These sessions give an even wider audience the ability to engage more deeply and in a localized way with the pressing global discussion around climate change and its impact on human rights,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano in the news release. “This is a prime example of thinking globally and acting locally.”
The summit will be held Dec. 1–4 and will offer some in-person panels and also be live streamed. | 2022-11-18T01:15:58Z | www.dailycamera.com | CU Boulder, United Nations Human Rights add community-focused series to climate summit | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/cu-boulder-united-nations-human-rights-add-community-focused-series-to-climate-summit/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/17/cu-boulder-united-nations-human-rights-add-community-focused-series-to-climate-summit/ |
‘Adaptation: A New Love Story’ by 3rd Law dance…
Members of 3rd Law Dance will perform at the Dairy Friday. (Annabelle Denmark/ Courtesy photo)
‘Adaptation’ by 3rd Law Dance/Theater: “Adaptation: A New Love Story” is a satirical exploration of humanity’s obsession with convenience and its role in our planet’s climate crisis. Boulder’s 3rd Law Dance/Theater approaches this provocative topic with passion and humor. Featuring the choreography of Katie Elliott with the dancers of 3rd Law and original music by composer Paul Fowler; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $16-$33; 3rdlaw.org.
Polytoxic’s ‘Last Waltz Revisited’ at Boulder Theater: A Thanksgiving tradition for many, Denver-based Polytoxic is back for its 18th year to re-enact The Band’s final performance, “The Last Waltz.” This year marks the 18th anniversary of Polytoxic’s annual show and will feature over 70 guest musicians and a full horn section performing over 30 songs from The Band’s catalog, focusing primarily on songs played at The Last Waltz; 8 p.m. Friday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $17.50-$25; z2ent.com.
Alex Wirth at BoCo Cider: Boulder-based musician Alex Wirth writes and performs conscious alt-indie music in the style of Jason Mraz and Trevor Hall. He channels music from sweet requiems to rowdy protest anthems; 6 p.m. Friday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; 720-938-7285; bococider.com.
Beaujolais Nouveau Jazz Celebration: Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine meant to be consumed young; it is not allowed to be released before midnight of the third Thursday in November of each year. Celebrations for its release are held throughout the world. This event will boast French music with an American jazz feel and plenty of Beaujolais to go around; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Caffè Sole, 637 S. Broadway, Boulder; Free; bandsintown.com.
Boulder Magic Show: Catch some magic at the Dairy with the host and curator Braden Carlisle. Far from the tackiness often associated with magicians, Carlisle will leave people laughing. Magician Zach Alexander will be featured in the show; 7 p.m. Friday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15-$20; thedairy.org.
‘Drifting North – Into the Polar Night’ at Fiske: In this fulldome film, step onto the middle of the Arctic Ocean and watch as scientists race the fading light to set up one of the most ambitious international climate collaborations ever, the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate, which launched in 2019. Led by the German Alfred Wegener Institute, the mission froze an icebreaker to better understand the remote region and the role it plays in global climate and weather patterns; 7 p.m. Friday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder; $8-$12; calendar.colorado.edu.
Fall Craft Fair at Senior Services: Discover artistically crafted items that senior craft groups and community members have created. A delicious Thanksgiving Feast accompanied by music will also be held on this date from noon-2 p.m. in conjunction with the craft fair; 10 a.m. Friday, Senior Services, 103 S. Iowa Ave., Lafayette; Free; lafayetteco.gov.
‘Finding Common Ground’ Exhibit Opening Reception: This new exhibit is curated by the Women’s Art Caucus. The artists will attend the opening reception. Complimentary light snacks will be provided, with wine available for purchase; 6 p.m. Friday, The Collective Community Arts Center, 201 N. Public Road, Lafayette; Free; lafayetteco.gov.
High Lonesome at Mother Tucker: Partake in good brews and good tunes to get your weekend started with this Atlanta-born, Longmont-based newgrass, bluegrass band led by Chuck Sitero; 5 p.m. Friday, Mother Tucker Brewery, 1132 W Dillon Road, #4, Louisville; highlonesomenewgrass.com.
Hunter James and the Titanic at Velvet Elk: Hear some sounds from the Denver-based band that belts out folk, Americana and rock ‘n’ roll from the heart. Inspired by southern R&B and folk rock, this band has released two full albums to date; 9 p.m. Friday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $10; bandsintown.com.
Jon Gauer Octet at Muse: Trombonist Jon Gauer will present a set of original, modern jazz, rock and funk music, alongside talented young musicians in Denver; 7 p.m. Friday, Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette; $10-$20; museperformancespace.com.
‘Mary Poppins’ at The Spark: Catch the infamous nanny on a local stage as one of the most popular Disney movies of all time is capturing hearts in a whole new way with this musical; 7 p.m. Friday, The Spark, 4847 Pearl St. Ste. B4, Boulder; $18-$34; thesparkcreates.org.
Opera Colorado Does Musical Theater: Opera Colorado’s artists-in-residence will belt out musical theater’s finest moments — including Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro,” “Oklahoma!” and “Les Misérables,” among others — with a show; 7:30-9 p.m. Friday, Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts, 200 E. Baseline Road, Lafayette; $7-$15; boulderoperacompany.com.
Thanksgiving Feast at Senior Services: Join Senior Center staff and friends at a Thanksgiving luncheon, with turkey and all the fixings. Bring friends and give thanks; noon Friday, Senior Services, 103 S. Iowa Ave., Lafayette; $3-$5; cityoflafayette.com. | 2022-11-18T17:37:49Z | www.dailycamera.com | ‘Adaptation: A New Love Story’ by 3rd Law dance troupe and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/adaptation-a-new-love-story-by-3rd-law-dance-troupe-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/adaptation-a-new-love-story-by-3rd-law-dance-troupe-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Boulder tapped as climate action leader by…
The Penfield Tate II Municipal Building in Boulder. (File photo by Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Boulder has again been recognized as a global leader on environmental action and transparency by the Carbon Disclosure Project, the city announced Friday. The international nonprofit reviews environmental data provided by local governments to evaluate how well they are responding to the climate crisis while being transparent about their progress.
Boulder is among 122 cities around the world ranked on CDP’s 2022 Cities A List, marking the fourth year the city has received the highest ranking for “bold environmental action and transparency,” according to a news release.
To score an A, cities must have a rigorous community-wide emissions inventory, set ambitious climate goals, show progress toward achieving those goals and publish plans that demonstrate a path toward climate resilience. Boulder reports its detailed emissions inventory and scientifically aligned targets, together with city plans and actions that address the climate crisis.
“Thoughtful tracking of our local progress in emissions reductions and building resilience is essential in determining where we need to expand or accelerate our efforts to prepare for the challenges ahead,” Jonathan Koehn, director of the city’s Climate Initiatives Department, said in a statement.
The community’s 2021 greenhouse gas emissions data will be made available on the city’s Boulder Measures webpage next month. | 2022-11-18T20:29:20Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder tapped as climate action leader by Carbon Disclosure Project | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/boulder-tapped-as-climate-action-leader-by-carbon-disclosure-project/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/boulder-tapped-as-climate-action-leader-by-carbon-disclosure-project/ |
“This case involved terrible conduct against animals,” Dougherty said. “Given his prior conduct and the cruel acts involving his partner’s pets, the defendant clearly presented a risk to others. That’s why we have a prosecutor who specializes in cases
“With this lengthy prison sentence, this defendant is
being held responsible for his conduct.” | 2022-11-18T21:59:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | ‘Sexually violent predator’ sentenced to 12 years in prison | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/sexually-violent-predator-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/sexually-violent-predator-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison/ |
Nederland man sentenced to 66 years to life for…
Michael Czeponis (Boulder County Sheriff’s Office / Courtesy photo)
A Nederland man convicted of sexually assaulting and abusing multiple girls over the course of several years was sentenced to 66 years to life in prison.
Salomone ordered the sentences all be served consecutively. All of the sexual assault counts fall under Colorado’s indeterminate sentencing law for sex offenses, which means Czeponis will have to finish sex offense treatment before he can apply for release, even after his 66-year term is up.
“The court has fear for the community if you are to be back in the community anytime in the foreseeable future, and the court has to acknowledge that,” Salomone said.
While the judge who presided over Czeponis’ actual trial has since retired, Salomone said she reviewed the trial material and testimony described Czeponis’ actions as “harrowing.”
“You didn’t only abuse these children who trusted you sexually, you didn’t only abuse them physically,” Salomone said. “You abused them emotionally. You isolated them from folks who could find help for them and keep them safe.”
Investigators began looking into Czeponis in August 2019 for “allegations of sexual assault involving multiple female victims.” The Daily Camera is not specifying Czeponis’ exact relation to the victims to protect their identities, but Czeponis was an “authority figure.”
Salomone also noted that due to a variety of circumstances, each child made them especially susceptible to Czeponis’ threats and manipulation.
“All kids are vulnerable, but the court observes specifically that these kids were as vulnerable as they come,” Salomone said.
“He creates this situation and then he spent years and years taking advantage of it,” Sudano said. “It’s going to have a drastic impact on them going forward.”
Sudano, one of the prosecuting attorneys during the trial, said watching the young victims testify was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever seen.” But she said they have also been “incredibly resilient” and that she has seen them come out of their shells as they put distance between themselves and Czeponis.
“It is only your own strength that brings you to the place that you are,” Salomone said. “When you have hard days, I hope you remember your strength.” | 2022-11-19T01:55:16Z | www.dailycamera.com | Nederland man sentenced to 66 years to life for sexually assaulting, abusing multiple girls | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/nederland-man-sentenced-to-66-years-to-life-for-sexually-assaulting-abusing-multiple-girls/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/18/nederland-man-sentenced-to-66-years-to-life-for-sexually-assaulting-abusing-multiple-girls/ |
Black female composer’s piece in spotlight for…
Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra will perform its season opener in Boulder Saturday. (Glenn Ross/ Courtesy photo)
Pro Musica Colorado Presents ‘Apotheosis of the Dance’: The season opener for the orchestra will pair Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 (“Apotheosis of the Dance”) with Florence Price’s “Piano Concerto in One Movement.” Price, well-known in the ’30s and ’40s, was the first African-American female composer to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra, and Pro Musica will regionally premiere it with soloist Jennifer Hayghe. The show will also feature the world premiere of “The Hill of Three Wishes,” by Ben Morris, the 2021 CU Composition Competition winner; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca Place, Boulder; $5-$25; promusicacolorado.org.
Covet at Fox Theater: Covet started in 2014 as a bedroom project by guitarist Yvette Young. The band has released, “Currents,” an acoustic EP, and two full-length albums, “Effloresce” and “Technicolor.” The band has a new album in the works, which it will play songs from at the show; 8 p.m. Saturday, The Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder; $22-$25; z2ent.com.
Gilmore Family Band at Kettle and Spoke: Grab a craft beer and check out this acoustic duo show featuring Shannon and Jason Gilmore; 5 p.m. Saturday, Kettle and Spoke Brewery, 2500 47th St., #12, Boulder; bandsintown.com.
Holiday Gallery – Art & Gifts: Featuring local artists, this pop-up art and gift gallery will be open for the holidays. Stop by to find unique, handcrafted items, like paintings, ceramics, sculptures, jewelry, ornaments, cards and more; 11 a.m. Saturday, The Village Shopping Center, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; 303-579-6777.
Joe Hertler and The Rainbow Seekers at Roots: Michigan-based soul, funk and pop band Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers will get anyone on their feet and dancing. Boulder singer-songwriter Dave Tamkin, who has created his own unique style of rhythmic, acoustic sounds, will open the show; 8 p.m. Saturday, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder; $22; rootsmusicproject.org.
Jocelyn Medina Trio at St. Julien: Check out this jazz trio featuring vocals by Jocelyn Medina, Dawn Clement, on piano, and Jim Fricker, on bass; 6 p.m. Saturday, St. Julien, 900 Walnut St., Boulder; Free; bandsintown.com.
Lafayette’s Poet Laureate Presents ‘Tales of a Jaguar’: Attend this workshop, presentation and poetry reading on the Native experience as told by Lafayette poet laureate and Indigenous Maya Chief, ZBassSpeaks. Learn and reflect upon the struggles of the First Nation, and celebrate the resiliency of culture and how it pushes the movements for Indigenous rights; 3 p.m. Saturday, Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Road, Lafayette; Free; cityoflafayette.com.
‘Mixed Tape Trilogy – Stories of the Power of Music’ Screening at eTown: “Mixtape Trilogy: Stories of the Power of Music” explores relationships between people who rarely meet — musicians and their fans. The director unpacks the music of folk-rock icons Indigo Girls, composer and pianist Vijay Iyer and rapper and activist Talib Kweli; 7 p.m. Saturday, eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder; $15; etown.org.
Community Holiday Gift Market at Museum of Boulder: Join Natural Highs, a substance abuse prevention peer mentor program, for its community craft fair; 1 p.m. Saturday, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder; $8-$10; eventbrite.com.
Ninja Sex Party at Boulder Theater: This popular comedic band has performed sold-out shows across the world, released over 50 music videos and 10 albums, garnered over 1.35 million YouTube subscribers and was Billboard’s top-selling comedy artist of 2018; 8 p.m. Saturday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $42-$45.50; z2ent.com.
Plant-Based Thanksgiving Cooking Demo at Luvin Arms: Chef Donna Marino and Cathy Schmelter, a registered dietitian nutritionist, will demonstrate how to make a delicious, plant-based Thanksgiving feast. Sample some of the prepared roasts available in stores, as well as some homemade favorites. This demo will be offered both in person and online; 4 p.m. Saturday, Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary, 3470 County Road 7, Erie; Free-$10; luvinarms.org.
The River Arkansas at Velvet Elk: The River Arkansas is a band made up of some top-notch musicians living along the Front Range. Fronted by Mike Clark, the band delivers a mixture of heartfelt country, blues, folk and Americana, inspired by the Arkansas River; 9 p.m. Saturday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; $15; bandsintown.com.
Intergalactic Peace Jelly at BOCO Cider: Boulder-based rock band Intergalactic Peace Jelly will play as a duo set, bringing eccentric rock sound to BOCO Cider. The band will cover a lot of classic rock and current indie rock tunes; 6 p.m. Saturday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Rocky Mountain Chorale Presents ‘Simple Gifts’: After the struggles of the last two years, the Chorale, under the direction of Jimmy Howe, will present a concert of diverse music that brings into focus things taken for granted before the pandemic, as well as the things people were forced to see from new or different perspectives. “Simple Gifts” is a celebration of shared human experience; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; $10-$50; rockymtnchorale.org.
Sphere Ensemble Presents ‘Kaleidoscope’: Sphere Ensemble’s “Kaleidoscope” concert will focus on the wide range of American music, with composers from diverse backgrounds performing genres from classical to pop and arrangements written by Sphere musicians specifically for the group; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Boulder Public Library Canyon Theater, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; $5-$40; sphereensemble.org. | 2022-11-19T19:36:00Z | www.dailycamera.com | Black female composer’s piece in spotlight for Pro Musica opener and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/black-female-composers-piece-in-spotlight-for-pro-musica-opener-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/black-female-composers-piece-in-spotlight-for-pro-musica-opener-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Community Editorial Board: Thoughts on the…
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: While no ‘red wave’ materialized, the results of the midterm elections are still likely to bring about change both nationally and here in Boulder. Your take?
The best immediate post-election change is fewer fundraising texts. Although I still do get daily texts from Raphael Warnock and Adam Schiff (the latter of whom thinks my name is John) no matter how many times I write “STOP.” Another change that should occur, but hasn’t yet, is a moratorium on all stories about Donald Trump. Stick a fork in him. But as I write this, three of the top headlines in the New York Times online edition are about him, and its editorial board just wasted additional ink on the guy. I guess stories about Trump sell papers and clicks, but the press is largely responsible for giving him more than nine lives. Hopefully, the press can find something else really important to write about. Elon and Twitter? Tom and Giselle?
The big question of the day is whether Biden is going to run. Can he win again? The pundits and polls say no, but they have pretty bad track records. Perhaps the more important question is whether he should run again. He’s certainly not all with it on the news interviews. Never has been, really; but it’s gotten worse. Should giving a good press conference be the standard for being president? He seems to make the right calls in the back room, even if he does call out to deceased former colleagues.
Another variable is Vice President Harris. I was a big fan of hers when she ran for the presidential nomination, and I thought she provided a huge bump to Biden’s campaign in 2020. She was the hedge against his age. But she now seems to be a liability — she is the reason many people are worried about Biden’s age and health. Granted, Biden hasn’t given Harris the spotlight that Trump gave Pence on Jan. 6, and I seriously doubt he will, but both Biden and Harris should have found a way for her to shine.
If not Biden or Harris, who? Colorado names keep coming up in those discussions. Hickenlooper and Bennet ran in 2020, but they didn’t seem to catch on. Now Polis’s name is being thrown out as a potential contender.He may be progressive enough for the left, and his live-and-let-live views on personal freedoms and responsibility should appeal to swing voters and distance him from the dogmatic “woke” crowd that is the Achilles’ heel of the Democrats. I like him. It’s going to be an interesting two years.
Republican hubris and Democrat’s creativity turned an expectant red wave into barely a ripple. And the Dems did this while shackled to a historically unpopular president. Kudos to their political acumen. Radical anti-abortion candidates worried moderate Republicans and independents alike while the Democrats cleverly invented and sold the idea that “Democracy was on the ballot.” It was not. Nowhere was democracy ever threatened.
Tarring Republicans with the Pelosi hammer attack is as illogical as saying the attack proves that all illegal immigrants, of which the attacker was, are violent criminals. Yet, this allegation wasn’t made by a naive gen-Zer, it was in an editorial published in this paper. What drives people to use such hyperbole?
Over $16 billion dollars was spent on the midterm elections. That’s obscene, but it pales compared to Biden’s half-trillion-dollar, vote-buying scheme. In what is in my opinion the most authoritarian move in the history of the presidency, Biden unilaterally canceled $500 billion in tuition debt.
If I imagine the electorate as one hive mind, then it strongly rejected Trumpism (wouldn’t he be happier in Russia or North Korea with his buddies?), but it reigned in the hypocritical Biden administration by turning over the House to the Republicans. The hive mind did this despite the radical and unreasonable stance that many Republican candidates took on abortion, which was despite the popular and reasonable view of most Republicans for abortion to be legal (up through 20 weeks or so), safe, and rare.
Locally, I was surprised and disappointed that the library got its own tax district. What’s next? The police department? Parks department? While our property taxes went up markedly, city officials are now licking their chops over the $16.8 million they just freed from their budget.
CU South is apparently settled, right? I doubt it. It seems that no losing side ever accepts the outcome of an election. The forces aligned against this project will continue to fight it. Does that make them threats to democracy?
And Colorado? It appears the influx of Californians, fed up with how they ruined that state, are doing the same here, as we are now firmly blue. At least for now. At least until Republican candidates become more mainstream on abortion and guns. NYT columnist David Brooks put it well: “Voters have given Republicans clear marching orders — to do what Democrats did and beat back the populist excesses on their own side.” If that happens, we’ll blush violet again.
Whew! Democracy is a lot of work. But we did it. We brought it back from the brink of the abyss.
This election cycle was a big win for civility and practical solutions and recognition that women — like men — have the right to make health care decisions for themselves.
It was a big defeat for idol worship, conspiracy theories and election denialism. People shuddered at the thought of election deniers taking over the secretary of state offices that control voting security. They were all defeated in favor of the candidates who promised to be plain old bureaucrats and make sure that elections were safe, secure and untainted.
It was a big win for the peaceful transfer of power. Both Republicans and Democrats readily conceded their election losses and wished their winning opponents well. This may seem like a small thing, but it is the cornerstone of our democracy and what makes our country stand out as a model to the rest of the world.
We realized how close we came to losing this emblem of our self-governing principals when we witnessed thousands of Trump supporters, hyped up on false claims of a stolen election, charge our nation’s capitol and rampage through the halls injuring police officers and screaming for Nancy Pelosi and chanting to hang Mike Pence as newly erected gallows stood outside. It was chilling. It was a vivid foreshadowing of what can happen when extreme politics takes the place of rational debate and mutual respect.
This election cycle saw every state where abortion was on the ballot turn in favor of respecting women as citizens fully vested with the rights that all citizens must have, including the ability to seek needed medical help that is unimpeded by a doctor’s fear that providing that critical care may be illegal.
This was a big win for the vast majority of us on both sides of the political aisle who are sick and tired of what congressional challenger Adam Frisch called “angertainment.” The derogatory nicknames for opponents, the denigrating insults about people like John McCain who spent years in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war. We are done with all of it.
We ultimately want to be able to spend Thanksgiving with our families and feel good about being with everyone despite our political views.
Republicans won the House. Democrats won the Senate. All of us voting Americans righted the ship — for now. | 2022-11-19T19:36:07Z | www.dailycamera.com | Community Editorial Board: Thoughts on the results of the midterms | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/community-editorial-board-thoughts-on-the-results-of-the-midterms/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/community-editorial-board-thoughts-on-the-results-of-the-midterms/ |
Letters to the editor: Boulder diligent in…
David Ensign: Midterms: Boulder County diligent in ensuring election integrity
Kudos to Gary Garrison and the Editorial Board of the Daily Camera for the November 6 commentary about attempts by the Boulder County Republican Central Committee to cast aspersions on the integrity of our elections. Chairperson Theresa Watson’s complaints of lack of bipartisan election judge representation at polling stations are predictable and sad coming from a party that is failing to inspire Colorado voters.
I worked as a “tech judge” for the recent election, and Ms. Watson’s accusations are worlds away from what this judge witnessed first-hand. Boulder County elections staff, with the leadership of Molly Fitzpatrick, performed at a top-notch level. Election judges were well-trained, and county staff was thorough in assigning bipartisan teams to each shift. Critically, there were always Democratic and Republican lead poll workers at each location assuring tasks that require bipartisan tasks were properly performed.
Sadly, I was only able to fully experience a bipartisan team in three out of the five shifts I worked because the assigned Republican tech judges were no-shows. As far as I could tell these judges never notified the county that they would be unable to fulfill their shifts. In spite of last-minute scrambling and obstacles, Republican leads were knowledgeable, patient and responsive in assuring bipartisan requirements were consistently met or exceeded.
The absence of these Republican judges also deprived me of one of the most rewarding aspects of being an election judge: collaborating side-by-side with people of diverse political views.
Involvement in our election process goes a long way in helping us disregard the misinformation and erroneous complaints coming from extremists. Republican leaders like Theresa Watson should focus on what policies and solutions their broken party can offer to Colorado voters, rather than inventing conspiracy theories that damage our democracy.
David Ensign, Boulder
Dan Thomas: Alzheimer’s: Congressional action can help fight to end Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are the most expensive diseases in our country — costing $321 billion a year, of which almost two-thirds is paid by the federal government through Medicaid and Medicare. It is also the only disease of the top ten killers with no effective treatment or cure. I lost my father, an aunt and an uncle to this horrific disease that affects over 6 million U.S. residents, including over 70,000 in Colorado. Additionally, it is truly a family disease taking a toll on the caregivers attending to their loved ones. The disease also disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic Americans versus white Americans which is addressed in the ENACT Act currently in the U.S. Senate HELP committee.
Thankfully, Congress has taken action to address this growing crisis by significantly increasing research funding and passing the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). Senator Hickenlooper, as a member of the HELP committee, has the opportunity to ensure our nation renews this commitment.
Please join me in urging Sen. Hickenlooper to support the committee work to take action on both the NAPA Reauthorization Act and the ENACT Act this year.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and to join the fight to end the disease, please visit alz.impact.org.
Dan Thomas, Nederland | 2022-11-19T19:36:37Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Boulder diligent in insuring election integrity; Senate can help fight to end Alzheimer's | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/letters-to-the-editor-boulder-diligent-in-insuring-election-integrity-senate-can-help-fight-to-end-alzheimers/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/19/letters-to-the-editor-boulder-diligent-in-insuring-election-integrity-senate-can-help-fight-to-end-alzheimers/ |
Guest opinion: Michael Carolan: Story of turkey…
Despite turkey’s having tails, most birds are sold without tails in the U.S. But, rather than letting turkey tails go to waste, the poultry industry saw a business opportunity. The target: Pacific Island communities, where animal protein was scarce. In the 1950s, U.S. poultry firms began dumping turkey tails, along with chicken backs, into markets in Samoa. (Saed Hindash / TNS)
By Michael Carolan
Intensive livestock farming is a huge global industry that serves up millions of tons of beef, pork and poultry every year. When I asked one producer recently to name something his industry thinks about that consumers don’t, he replied, “Beaks and butts.” This was his shorthand for animal parts that consumers — especially in wealthy nations — don’t choose to eat.
On Thanksgiving, turkeys will adorn close to 90% of U.S. dinner tables. But one part of the bird never makes it to the groaning board, or even to the giblet bag: the tail. The fate of this fatty chunk of meat shows us the bizarre inner workings of our global food system, where eating more of one food produces less-desirable cuts and parts. This then creates demand elsewhere — so successfully in some instances that the foreign part becomes, over time, a national delicacy.
That includes a quarter-billion turkey tails, also known as the parson’s nose, pope’s nose or sultan’s nose. The tail is actually a gland that attaches the turkey’s feathers to its body. It is filled with oil that the bird uses to preen itself, so about 75% of its calories come from fat.
American Samoa is a U.S. territory covering seven islands in the South Pacific.
Turkey tails also come up in discussions of the health epidemic gripping these islands. American Samoa has an obesity rate of 75%. Samoan officials grew so concerned that they banned turkey tail imports in 2007.
But asking Samoans to abandon this cherished food overlooked its deep social attachments. Moreover, under World Trade Organization rules, countries and territories generally cannot unilaterally ban the import of commodities unless there are proven public health reasons for doing so. Samoa was forced to lift its ban in 2013 as a condition of joining the WTO, notwithstanding its health worries.
Author Michael Carolan cooks turkey tails for the first time.
Michael Carolan is a professor of sociology and associate dean for Research & Graduate Affairs in the College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University. | 2022-11-20T16:29:57Z | www.dailycamera.com | Guest opinion: Michael Carolan: Story of turkey tails speaks volumes about our globalized food system | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/guest-opinion-michael-carolan-story-of-turkey-tails-speaks-volumes-about-our-globalized-food-system/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/guest-opinion-michael-carolan-story-of-turkey-tails-speaks-volumes-about-our-globalized-food-system/ |
In Retrospect: Oil refineries short-lived in…
McKeen motor cars, with their distinctive round windows, ran on gasoline refined in Boulder. (Courtesy Carnegie Library)
By Silvia Pettem |
Imagine filling up your car with gasoline for 10 cents a gallon. Motorists paid that amount in 1908, when oil was refined in and near Boulder. Boulder’s oil field was in its infancy, but the industry barely got off the ground.
Silvia Pettem, In Retrospect
A newspaper writer at the time laid the blame with the Boulder City Improvement Association. 1908 also was the year that the association hired renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. to develop a plan for the beautification of Boulder. Olmsted told the city’s residents that they should not welcome any industry that produced “noise, dirt, disorder, or annoyance.”
Only a few years earlier, in 1901, sentiments had been quite different. The locals, at the time, were practically giddy with excitement when a farmer near today’s Boulder airport drilled for and found oil. Within a month, the county boasted of 117 oil companies that were promoted in a Daily Camera column titled “Drippings of the Oil Flow.”
Initially, most of the county’s crude was shipped by rail to a refinery in Canon City, near the site of Colorado’s first commercial oil discovery. But William R. Rathvon, President of the Boulder Commercial Association (forerunner of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce), wanted to bring profits closer to home.
Rathvon incorporated the Inland Oil & Refining Company, located off of “old” Pearl Street near 50th Street on land occupied today by the City of Boulder’s Municipal Service Center. In addition to gasoline, the refinery produced ether used as an anesthetic, fuel for streetlamps, and petroleum used in the manufacture of oilcloth and varnish.
A railroad spur connected the industrial site to the Union Pacific’s railroad tracks that connected downtown Boulder with Brighton. At the time, the Boulder-produced gasoline fueled McKeen “motor cars” (trains) that shuttled passengers to Brighton where they boarded trains to Denver or Cheyenne. Later the McKeen cars ran on diesel.
The Inland Oil refinery and several other refineries did a good business, but they only lasted a few years. As to Boulder pulling up its welcome mat to new industries, its residents also nixed a sugar beet processing plant for north Boulder.
As the newspaper reporter wrote in the post-Olmsted era, “If this [natural gas and oil] was available in almost any town in the middle west, its people would not rest until the gas was piped into the town and utilized in supplying the city with cheap light and fuel.”
The reporter blamed the Improvement Society for its “general apathy to the development of the natural resources of this county” and added that if Boulder had been any other town, it would have supplied the fuel needs of Denver and all of northern Colorado.
Meanwhile, Rathvon moved to Boston where he became a high official in the Christian Science Church. Rathvon left his brother in charge as company manager, with each of their sons also part of the family business. But it only lasted a few years.
In all fairness, there only were a handful of automobiles on the road at the time, and the 10 cents per gallon gas wasn’t that great of a deal. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, when adjusted for inflation, the gallon from 1908 would cost $3.23 today.
Silvia Pettem can be contacted at silviapettem@gmail.com. She and Carol Taylor alternate the “In Retrospect” history column.
Silvia Pettem
Silvia Pettem writes about Boulder County history. She can be contacted at silviapettem@gmail.com. She and Carol Taylor alternate the “In Retrospect” history column. | 2022-11-20T16:30:09Z | www.dailycamera.com | In Retrospect: Oil refineries short-lived in Boulder | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/in-retrospect-oil-refineries-short-lived-in-boulder/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/in-retrospect-oil-refineries-short-lived-in-boulder/ |
Switch on the Holidays on Pearl Street and…
Boulder Children’s Chorale members sing holiday carols after the holiday lights were turned on at Boulder’s Switch on the Holidays event in 2015.
Switch on the Holidays: Kicking off the holiday season, join Downtown Boulder, Freezie the Snowman and Santa to countdown to the grand illumination of the Boulder County Courthouse and the Pearl Street Mall; 5 p.m. Sunday, Pearl Street Mall, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; boulderdowntown.com.
Boulder Comedy Show: Laugh out loud at Boulder’s longest running comedy show featuring national and local comedians seen on Netflix, Comedy Central, HBO, late-night shows and more; 7 p.m. Sunday, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder; $20; BoulderComedyShow.com.
‘The Importance of Being Earnest ‘at CU Boulder: Oscar Wilde’s infamous farce tells the hilarious story of four young lovers, their impetuous engagements and an elusive rogue (or two) named Ernest; 2 p.m. Sunday, Old Main Chapel, CU Boulder campus; $19; cupresents.org.
Bass Extremes at Boulder Theater: Victor Woodten and Steve Bailey formed Bass Extremes in 1992, releasing their self-titled debut, which remains one of the top-selling musical/instructional bass products of all time. They are also known and respected as the dynamic teaching duo who continue to teach together at events, colleges and universities around the world; 7 p.m. Sunday, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder; $30-$40; z2ent.com.
Boulder ENOFF Screening of ‘Buried – The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche’: Attend a screening of the film that chronicles the 1982 Tahoe avalanche and subsequent unrelenting storm and unimaginable tragedy; 4 p.m. Sunday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $15; boulderenoff.org.
DJ Matty Schelling at Velvet Elk: Grab your friends and visit Velvet Elk Lounge for drinks and a live DJ; 9 p.m. Sunday, Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder; Free; velvetelklounge.com.
Kokedama Workshop: Terracotta’s own Kokedama expert, Bekah, will guide participants through creating their very own Kokedama — a form of Japanese garden art that is tied to the practice of bonsai and displays a moss ball fixed to a platform or suspended from string with a plant growing out from the sphere; 1 p.m. Sunday, Terracotta, 2005 Pearl St., Boulder; Free; topterracotta.com.
Boulder B-Sides at BOCO Cider: The Boulder B-sides are long-time friends and music lovers who live in Boulder. With instrumentation of mandolin, acoustic guitar and electric bass, they play an eclectic mix of covers, from Django Reinhardt to Red Hot Chili Peppers, with some originals thrown in; 4 p.m. Sunday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder; Free; bococider.com.
Transgender Day of Remembrance: Join in community for Transgender Day of Remembrance. The gathering will hear from a few speakers and performers, hold a names ceremony and provide space for attendees to gather and find strength in community; 6:30 p.m. Sunday, OBC’s Equality Center of the Rocky Mountains, 3340 Mitchell Lane, Boulder; Free; outboulder.org.
Thanksgiving at Bramble & Hare: Feast at a true farm-to-table restaurant for Thanksgiving Day with a feast that includes turkey basted with lemon and thyme, almond-crusted rockfish, roast beef, honeynut squash with polenta and a parade of traditional sides, all served family-style — including lots of ambrosial gravy. Book a spot online, click on the “reservations” link and select a time between 11:30 and noon on Nov. 24; Bramble & Hare, 1970 13th St., Boulder; $85 per person, plus tax, gratuity and alcohol; brambleandhare.com. | 2022-11-20T16:30:39Z | www.dailycamera.com | Switch on the Holidays on Pearl Street and other Boulder events for today – Boulder Daily Camera | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/switch-on-the-holidays-on-pearl-street-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/switch-on-the-holidays-on-pearl-street-and-other-boulder-events-for-today/ |
Michael Sandrock: Graduate transfers find happy…
University of Colorado Boulder associate head coach Heather Burroughs, left, Kaitlyn Barthell, Emily Covert, Carley Bennett and Bailey Hertenstein talk with head coach Mark Wetmore after a recent cross country practice. The team’s season finished with the NCAA championships Saturday. (Mike Sandrock — For the Camera)
When Bailey Hertenstein finished her undergraduate career at Indiana University with her degree and two runner-up Big Ten cross country finishes in hand, she looked for a school to get a graduate degree and use her remaining year of eligibility, seeking, she said when we chatted after a workout earlier this month, a school where she could “run happier.”
Mike SandrockOn Running
Hertenstein found her happy place at the University of Colorado Boulder, as did seven other graduate transfer student athletes — Gabrielle Orie, Ella Baran, India Jones, Charlie Sweeney, Andy Kent, Seth Hirsch and Brendan Fraser. The graduate transfers came from different schools, backgrounds and undergrad success, but all were united by the common theme of finding the best place to pursue educational and running success.
This is by far the largest number of grad transfers Colorado coaches Billy Nelson, Heather Burroughs and Mark Wetmore have brought in, due mainly to the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled many collegiate sports’ seasons and gave athletes extra eligibility. “We are pleased with all of them,” said Wetmore, CU’s longtime head coach. “Everyone has made a special contribution.”
One reason for the transfers’ success, several said after a session of 500-meter repeats on the football practice field — “fun hard” is how Wetmore described the presumptive pace as he went over the workout with his runners — is the supportive atmosphere they found on the team.
“I am running much happier here,” said Hertenstein, the Pac-12 cross country champ who sped to a fifth-place individual finish at Saturday’s NCAA championship. “I love the team; I love the coaches.”
Hertenstein smiled as she described how after one not-so-stellar workout — yes, even conference champs have off days — her teammates boosted her spirits, saying, “You’ve helped us so much, let us help you.” The “safe, positive” environment fostered by returning runners such as Emily Covert helped make her more outgoing, Hertenstein added.
Another of the supportive teammates is Orie, who is working on her master’s degree in Integrative Physiology. After graduating from Cornell University, “I wanted to go somewhere where I would have the best chance of chasing my dreams,” she said, “and this was the program that would let me do that.”
Orie added that being in Boulder, in the mountains and in nature, was part of the appeal of joining the Buffs. Now, she said, looking over at her teammates changing back into training flats after the workout, “These women are my best friends. We work hard to lift each other up.”
One of CU’s key runners this season, Brendan Fraser, matriculated at Notre Dame. Sitting in front of the Indoor Practice Facility after cooling down with his teammates, Fraser said that when it came time to transfer, he looked for a school that would let him find “a balance with everything, running and enjoying life.” At CU, he said, “I’ve found happiness and success at the same time. I wish I had more time.”
Don’t we all, Brendan, don’t we all.
Listening in was CU’s top runner this fall, Andy Kent, who finished his collegiate career Saturday. (The other transfers have 2023 track eligibility remaining, including Jones.) Kent’s reason for transferring to Colorado after completing his undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech was simple — the chance to train under Wetmore. “Mark has so much experience and knows exactly what workout is right for us. We might be feeling good, and he’ll have us run an easy day, instead of a workout. He knows what’s best.”
Before and after the set of 500-meter repeats, the Colorado runners exchanged easy banter. There was, a visitor could sense, a feeling of quiet confidence and satisfaction, the kind you get from sharing “hard fun” with your peers. That is what Sweeney found here after finishing his undergrad at Western State Colorado University in Gunnison.
“Everyone here is like family,” said Sweeney. “I really enjoy the team and always have since I got here. The older guys look out for the younger guys more than I personally have ever known on a team. The younger guys are never afraid to reach out and ask questions or for anything from the older guys.”
Added Sweeney, who is working on a master’s of science in Organizational Leadership, as is teammate Fraser, “I look forward to going to practice every day and just being able to catch up with my best friends who also happen to be my teammates.”
CUBuffs
Colorado’s Deion Smith doing well after being injured in Buffs’ win | 2022-11-20T21:48:56Z | www.dailycamera.com | Michael Sandrock: Graduate transfers find happy place with CU cross country | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/michael-sandrock-graduate-transfers-find-happy-place-with-cu-cross-country/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/20/michael-sandrock-graduate-transfers-find-happy-place-with-cu-cross-country/ |
By Chip | For the Camera
Last night, with an appropriate dose of pomp featuring the Boulder Philharmonic, the Boulder Ballet, Downtown Boulder’s own Freezie (the snowman), and the jolly man himself (Santa, not me), hundreds of thousands of colorful and dramatic lights were “switched on” along Pearl Street for Light Up the Holidays. A little over a week earlier, we joined the Boulder Chamber in a Veterans Day celebration, illuminating the Boulder Star on Flagstaff Mountain, kicking off a season of holiday traditions.
ChipFor the Camera
It’s no mistake that these two events center around light, like the menorah in the Jewish tradition, the end of fasting during Ramadan in Islam and the Hindu celebration of Diwali among many others.
These winter holidays serve as a reminder that the sun will eventually return the warmth we once knew. The symbol of light ties us to something bigger than the moment. Connection to the past and future — seasonally or generationally — is an important part of holiday traditions.
Such rituals are a form of self-care and are important to our mental health. Reliability and repetition can provide a salve against the anxiety of an unpredictable world. Holiday traditions can anchor us to family and provide a sense of belonging. Many traditions include an element of remembrance at the end of a natural, or calendar, cycle. This reflection can help us create a coherent autobiographical narrative — a hallmark of mental health. Even the tradition of gift-giving has proven psychological benefits, maintaining networks of reciprocal relationships.
The strong sensory components of the holidays — the decorative lights, the smell of pine and gingerbread, the sound of “The Nutcracker, and the taste of eggnog — are all indicators that this is a special time of year.
Of course, at times holiday traditions do have a dark side. The stress of obligation and expectation, the reminder of loss and the passing of time. Just as traditions can create a sense of belonging, they can also highlight or expose a lack of connection to family or community.
Of course, the first holiday season after the loss is acutely painful. The pandemic, increased social media use and other isolation factors have only compounded these negative impacts. Though many time-honored traditions have been altered or lost in recent years, it is important to remember that every tradition had a beginning. The Boulder Star was not a thing in 1946, but it was in 1947 — and it has been every year since.
The important post-pandemic conversation about rebuilding in more intentional and thoughtful ways can certainly apply to our holiday traditions, as individuals and as a community. Traditions ideally express our values. The holidays can reconnect us to belonging, community, compassion, generosity, joy and spirituality.
Everyone will find meaning in different traditions for unique reasons. For many, a powerful aspect of holiday traditions is gratitude. Expressing a thankful appreciation for what we have is a reminder that much of the goodness in our lives is at least partially outside ourselves. This can strengthen one’s connection to community, nature or a higher power. There is a well-documented link between gratitude and well-being that can also extend to the object of grateful appreciation.
Many of our longstanding traditions have now returned, and some future traditions are finding their origin stories. I invite you to come make some of your own memories and traditions downtown this holiday season through a multitude of free community events.
And I wish you all the meaning, gratitude and joy that this magical time of year has to offer. Learn more at DowntownBoulderHolidays.com.
Chip’s Tip
If you or a loved one need mental health support this holiday season, you can connect with Mental Health Partners’ Community Health Worker team by calling (303) 545-0852 or emailing CommunityOutreach@mhpcolorado.org. You can also visit MHP’s website, mhpcolorado.org, for a few simple holiday stress management tips. Mental Health Partners is the community behavioral health provider for Boulder and Broomfield counties, serving the community for 60 years.
Chip,the CEO of Downtown Boulder Partnership, is passionate about co-creating better places and spaces, and is fascinated by the important intersection of the private sector and the public realm. The opinions expressed by Chip do not reflect those of anyone else, and frankly, he may have changed his mind by now. And yes, he only has one name. | 2022-11-21T14:52:26Z | www.dailycamera.com | Chip: Traditions light up winter holidays | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/chip-traditions-light-up-winter-holidays/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/chip-traditions-light-up-winter-holidays/ |
Letters to the editor: Commissioners ‘step up’…
Bob Westby: Firearms: Commissioners ‘step up’ for public safety
Citing significant safety concerns for community members, the Board of County Commissioners voted at a public hearing on November 15 to expand an existing no-firearm discharge area shooting closure in the Sugarloaf community. The original closure was previously designated by the Board in 1980 under Boulder County Resolution No. 80-52. The closure prohibits the discharge of all firearms including for hunting. The closure protects the safety of residents, recreationists, etc.; and critically school children as they travel between their homes and school buses. For details, refer to Daily Camera story from November 16, “Boulder County commissioners ban sport shooting, hunting in Sugarloaf neighborhoods.”
The residents of Sugar Loaf have sought this protection for over 10 years through the then-current Boards. The current Board, commissioners Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin and Matt Jones, took the initiative and provided the leadership to address and act to put this closure in place. The residents of Sugar Loaf want to acknowledge and publicly thank the Commissioners for making public safety a priority.
A lesson learned from the implementation of the original closure was the need for effective enforcement and compliance. The expansion not only adds contiguous areas in critical need of protection but will also significantly enhance enforcement and compliance by providing readily identifiable, “on the ground” area boundaries. The Sugar Loaf residents have volunteered to cooperatively work with the county in a “neighborhood watch” like capacity to help assure optimal implementation of the expanded closure.
Thank you again to the Commissioners!
Bob Westby, Boulder
Barry Aaron: GOP: Republican political priorities make no sense
I see where Kevin McCarthy and his merry band of House Republicans, exultant in their razor-slim victory in retaking the House (despite a historically poor performance by the minority party), have carefully examined all the most important and concerning issues facing Americans, including climate change, inflation, the economy, energy and reproductive freedom, and have now formally announced their number one priority in the coming session: Hunter Biden’s employment by a Ukrainian company several years ago. (As if this hasn’t been rehashed dozens of times already.) Their next priority, I’m guessing, when that fiasco’s done: investigating Hillary Clinton’s email server.
And they wonder why there was no “red wave.”
Barry Aaron, Boulder | 2022-11-21T14:52:27Z | www.dailycamera.com | Letters to the editor: Commissioners 'step up' for public safety; Republican political priorities make no sense | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/letters-to-the-editor-commissioners-step-up-for-public-safety-republican-political-priorities-make-no-sense/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/letters-to-the-editor-commissioners-step-up-for-public-safety-republican-political-priorities-make-no-sense/ |
Boulder announces Thanksgiving holiday closures
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include additional information provided by the city of Boulder.
Boulder has announced city office closures for Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday, and for Friday as well.
All city administrative offices, city recreation facilities, Boulder Public Library locations
and All Age Well Centers will be closed on Thursday, according to a city news release.
In addition, the following facilities and services will be closed to the public on Friday: City Manager’s Office; Planning and Development Services; Public Works; Transportation and Mobility; Utilities; Community Vitality; North Boulder Recreation Center; South Boulder Recreation Center.
Climate Initiatives facilities will be closed to the public, but services will be available via phone and email.
On Thanksgiving Day, parking will be free on city streets and in all city-owned lots and downtown parking garages, the city announced
City buildings and facilities not listed above will be open on their typical schedule. For more information, visit bouldercolorado.gov. | 2022-11-21T23:06:50Z | www.dailycamera.com | Boulder announces Thanksgiving holiday closures | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/boulder-announces-thanksgiving-holiday-closures/ | https://www.dailycamera.com/2022/11/21/boulder-announces-thanksgiving-holiday-closures/ |
CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — Officials said the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is filing rules to simplify the cannabis dispensary license application process, remove barriers for social equity applicants and expand opportunities targeted to the communities most impacted by the failed war on drugs.
IDFPR is required by the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA) to issue at least 50 new adult use cannabis dispensary licenses by the end of 2022.
“From day one, Illinois has been dedicated to leading the nation in an equity-centric approach to legalizing cannabis, and these proposed changes to the application process will make it much easier for social equity applicants to pursue licenses,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “I appreciate all the feedback we have received from stakeholders since the start of the cannabis program, whose work informed this proposal and is continuing to make Illinois’ growing cannabis industry the most equitable in the nation.”
According to officials, 100% of craft grow, infuser, and transporter licensee applicants managed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture qualified as social equity applicants. 67% of said applicants live in areas disproportionately impacted by the failed war on drugs, 15% have been personally involved with the justice system and 5% have a family member involved with the justice system.
Under the new proposed rules, applicants will be able to apply online with certain basic information (such as the name of the organization, list of principal officers, contact information and a $250 fee). IDFPR plans to issue 55 conditional licenses to be distributed across the existing 17 BLS Regions detailed in the CRTA. During the license lottery process, principal officers cannot be included on more than one lottery entry and applicants cannot have more than one lottery entry across all 17 regions. If deemed eligible for a conditional license, applicants will need to meet certain social equity criteria before the conditional license is issued.
o have been arrested for, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for any offense that is eligible for expungement under the CRTA, or
o is a member of an impacted family. | 2022-03-15T17:51:17Z | www.wcia.com | Pritzker Administration to propose new, simplified approach to cannabis dispensary applications | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/pritzker-administration-to-propose-new-simplified-approach-to-cannabis-dispensary-applications/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/pritzker-administration-to-propose-new-simplified-approach-to-cannabis-dispensary-applications/ |
FORD COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Country fans rejoice…Chris Janson is coming to the Ford County Fair.
The platinum-selling artist will headline on June 17 at the fairgrounds in Melvin. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. on Friday. You can buy them online. The tickets include fair admission, parking, and carnival rides, according to fair officials. | 2022-03-15T19:32:37Z | www.wcia.com | Chris Janson to headline Ford County Fair | https://www.wcia.com/news/chris-janson-to-headline-ford-county-fair/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/chris-janson-to-headline-ford-county-fair/ |
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Tim Hassinger, a Livingston county farm boy, has been named agribusiness leader of the year by the National Agri-Marketing Association.
“We lived three miles outside of town. Family farm, very typical back then, corn, soybeans, we had livestock,” Hassinger said. “Two brothers, mom and dad, and I have very fond memories of that farm.”
And then becoming the CEO of Dow AgroSciences, what did you learn on the farm that allowed you to rise to such a lofty position?
“Learning the basics of agriculture is important. In the end, all of the companies that I have been involved in, whether it is Dow Agrosciences, Lindsay and now Intellinair, your customer is that farm, that farmer,” Hassinger replied. “And so my key learnings from growing up was one, understanding who eventually became my customer, I think that was a key factor. Another one is, I think the collaboration and teamwork dynamic for me growing up on a farm.”
A speaker at the recent U of I Ag Tech summit, Hassinger has served as CEO of all those companies and was named Agribusiness leader of the year by Publisher Lynn Henderson of AgriMarketing Magazine.
“Tim’s a naturally born leader and was a natural choice to be our agrimarketer of the year,” Henderson said. “So he’s had just a fantastic career and as a result, NAMA honored and recognized him for his excellence and his leadership and give back to the industry. So congratulations Tim on a really well-deserved award.”
Agriculture is the foundation for a very successful corporate career.
That’s what I know,” Hassinger said. “I’ve started with ag, I went to school here at the University of Illinois for an ag degree and I have been in ag my entire career.” | 2022-03-15T22:07:56Z | www.wcia.com | Harvest Heritage: Tim Hassinger | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-tim-hassinger/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-tim-hassinger/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The 18-year-old suspect in shooting near Centennial High School six months ago will be tried as an adult, according to Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz.
Students react to shots fired outside school
Montres Reed was 17 years old at the time of the incident, which happened on Sept. 15. Police officers responded to shots-fired incident near the school that day and found 13 shell casings in two separate spots, which led them to believe there were multiple shooters. After interviewing witnesses and finding surveillance footage, they identified Reed and Novodny Lemons as suspects. Reed was identified as having fired the two shots officers found in one spot.
Champaign Police arrest 16-year-old boy in connection to shots fired near Centennial High School; search continues for other suspect
Rietz said that witnesses reported an argument between Reed and Lemons in the parking lot of Piccadilly Beverage Shop prior to the shooting. The argument was due to apparent disrespect of a shooting victim from Danville.
Reed and Lemons are both charged with one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, a class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison. Lemon’s case was already transferred from juvenile to adult court. Both are being held on $250,000 bonds.
Reed is set to appear in court on April 19. | 2022-03-15T22:08:08Z | www.wcia.com | Centennial High shooting suspect to be tried as adult | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/centennial-high-shooting-suspect-to-be-tried-as-adult/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/centennial-high-shooting-suspect-to-be-tried-as-adult/ |
MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign County Forest Preserve District was recently awarded $726,900 in grant funding by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Museum Capital Grant Program.
This will support the construction of an improved Discovery Garden, replacement greenhouse and program facility at the Museum of the Grand Prairie, located in the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve.
According to officials, the new facility will provide plant production space for the Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden, conservatory space open to the public and for programs, restrooms for preserve patrons and indoor/outdoor classroom space for garden interpretation programs.
The facility will improve energy efficiency by replacing the existing 52-year-old, inefficient greenhouse.
Accessibility will also be improved in both the garden and the greenhouse space.
“The funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Museum Capital Grant Program will have a significant impact on our ability to provide services and amenities in the Museum of the Grand Prairie and Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden for Champaign County residents and all preserve patrons,” officials stated.
Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Champaign County Forest Preserve District. | 2022-03-15T22:08:14Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign County Forest Preserve District receives $726,900 | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county-forest-preserve-district-receives-726900/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-county-forest-preserve-district-receives-726900/ |
MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder has identified the woman who was killed in a crash on U.S. Route 24 Monday morning.
Yoder said that the woman is 44-year-old Elsie L. Sizer of Chenoa. Preliminary autopsy results indicate that Sizer died from multiple blunt injuries caused by the crash. Toxicology testing is pending.
The crash and death remain under investigation by the McLean County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police.
$86.4M to support mental health of students & educators | 2022-03-15T22:08:26Z | www.wcia.com | Coroner names victim from deadly crash | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/coroner-names-victim-from-deadly-crash/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/coroner-names-victim-from-deadly-crash/ |
State’s Attorney: Teen to be tried as adult in armed robbery investigation
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — 17-year-old Ontario Walls agreed to prosecution in adult court and pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of weapon for possessing a fully automatic firearm on January 14.
Pursuant to an agreement between Walls and the State’s Attorney’s Office, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Due to his age, Walls will begin serving that sentence in the Department of Juvenile Justice and then be transferred to the Department of Corrections when he turns 18.
On January 14, Champaign Police investigated an armed robbery in which the victim reported he was selling a phone and the suspect stole the phone from him at gunpoint. Officers located Walls in the area and found a 9mm handgun in his front pocket.
Police said the handgun had no serial number and was the type of gun in which the buyer completes the building process by drilling holes to make it functional, colloquially known as a ghost gun. The gun was also fitted with a switch rendering it fully automatic, fitting the legal definition of a machine gun. The gun was loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition.
State’s Attorney Julia Rietz stated Walls had previous juvenile delinquency adjudications for aggravated unlawful use of weapons and unlawful possession of firearms. Walls had been sentenced to the Department of Juvenile Justice in the past and was released on parole on September 2, 2021. | 2022-03-15T22:08:50Z | www.wcia.com | State’s Attorney: Teen to be tried as adult in armed robbery investigation | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/states-attorney-teen-to-be-tried-as-adult-in-connection-to-armed-robbery/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/states-attorney-teen-to-be-tried-as-adult-in-connection-to-armed-robbery/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois House of Representatives approved on Monday a resolution to name part of a road in Decatur after fallen Champaign Police officer Chris Oberheim.
Upon adoption by the Illinois General Assembly, a portion of South Side Drive between Routes 51 and 48 would be designated as the “Officer Chris Oberheim Memorial Highway.” Oberheim was born in Decatur and began his career in law enforcement there in 2000.
State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) sponsored the resolution.
“Officer Oberheim served and protected central Illinois for over twenty years, he made the ultimate sacrifice for our safety,” Caulkins said. “Dedicating a portion of Route 51 in Decatur will honor the sacrifice he made for the people of Illinois and let us not forget his bravery and commitment to central Illinois.” | 2022-03-16T01:50:05Z | www.wcia.com | Illinois House approves resolution to name road after Chris Oberheim | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/illinois-house-approves-resolution-to-name-road-after-chris-oberheim/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/illinois-house-approves-resolution-to-name-road-after-chris-oberheim/ |
‘I’ve seen the airstrikes’: U of I grad reports from Ukraine
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Two journalists were killed in Kiev, Ukraine this week when their vehicle came under fire – demonstrating how dangerous this war has become for people living there, including the reporters who cover it.
Terrell Jermaine Starr, an American freelance journalist who once called Champaign-Urbana home, is in Lviv now. He said the first three days after the conflict broke out were the hardest.
Starr never planned to be a war correspondent, but now – he’s committed to telling people’s stories.
“This is my first war as a reporter. And it’s hell. It’s inhumane,” he said.
Starr has been living in Ukraine part-time for about 12 years. When he most recently flew there, it was to start a tourism business.
Now, every day – he’s reporting on the ground, sometimes helping refugees escape Russia’s invasion.
“Obviously, the war has reconfigured my my activities here. Fortunately, no one I know has died. I’ve seen people get killed. I’ve seen the airstrikes – I missed one by 200 meters.”
Starr graduated from the University of Illinois with master’s degrees in Journalism and Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies in 2009. He said documenting what’s happening in Ukraine has become part of his mission.
“It’s just awful to look at people’s anguish, and there’s, you know, people’s lives being destroyed. And you’re just there covering it.”
Starr said when the conflict first broke out, he was paranoid. He had trouble eating. But, he pushed forward, and tries bringing as much dignity as possible to a dark reality we can’t understand from half a world away.
“I don’t think anyone should be able to comprehend what it’s like to be in a warzone, because it’s not humane… Part of my day is waking up in the morning and hoping that none of my friends died.”
The rest of his day is full of writing, interviewing on the street and helping people leave the country whenever he can. He posts his experiences on social media and has grown a considerable following.
“Being independent has really been an immense benefit in how I’ve been able to show this war Ukraine. And the more independent journalists you have out there, telling their story, the better people will have a more in-depth understanding of what was happening,” Starr said.
Starr is also the host and founder of the “Black Diplomats” podcast. He posts updates to his Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. He plans to release a newsletter called “Ukrainian Warship” starting the week of March 21.
He said monetizing his social media pages has helped support his independent reporting. For those interested in helping out from overseas, he posts links to organizations he has donated to. | 2022-03-16T01:50:23Z | www.wcia.com | ‘I’ve seen the airstrikes’: U of I grad reports from Ukraine | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/ive-seen-the-airstrikes-u-of-i-grad-reports-from-ukraine/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/ive-seen-the-airstrikes-u-of-i-grad-reports-from-ukraine/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office said one person has been arrested in connection to an armed robbery that happened Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff Jack Campbell said that a male suspect walked into the J and A Convenience Store at 2532 North Grand Avenue East just before 5 p.m. and displayed a handgun. The suspect took an unknown amount of cash, a cell phone and a wallet.
Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate the car the suspect fled in at a nearby house and arrested Justin D. Shavers, 30. Nothing was recovered when Shavers was arrested; a search warrant for his home will be executed at a later time. | 2022-03-16T01:50:48Z | www.wcia.com | Sheriff’s Office: Armed robbery suspect arrested | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/sheriffs-office-armed-robbery-suspect-arrested/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/sheriffs-office-armed-robbery-suspect-arrested/ |
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Urbana Fire Department was called to a house Tuesday afternoon after a fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom.
The fire happened at 807 Hawthorne Drive at approximately 4:13 p.m. Firefighters were able to contain the fire in the bedroom where it started and had it controlled within 10 minutes.
All of the occupants of the house were able to escape after being altered by a working smoke detector. None of them nor any firefighters were hurt.
There is moderate damage to the bedroom of origin and adjacent areas of the house as well as smoke damage throughout the second floor and stairwell. The damage, estimated at $10,000, will result in the occupants being displaced. Assistance is being provided by the Emergency Services Support Team. | 2022-03-16T05:03:10Z | www.wcia.com | Urbana Fire battles house fire | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/urbana-fire-battles-house-fire/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/urbana-fire-battles-house-fire/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — An 18-year-old is suffering life-threatening injuries after a car landed in a pond early Wednesday morning.
At around 1:15 a.m., Sangamon County Deputies were dispatched to the area of Toronto Road and North Lake Road in Springfield after they received a report of a car in the lake. Officers said the area was searched for about 35 minutes before the car was located in a pond in the 5800 block of North Lake Road.
According to officers, the car was not fully submerged and had been occupied by an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old at the time of the crash. The 19-year-old occupant was out of the vehicle and the 18-year-old occupant was found unresponsive and partially in the vehicle, officers stated.
The 18-year-old was taken to an area hospital with life threatening injuries.
Initial reports show that the vehicle, a gray 2005 Chevy Tahoe, was traveling west on Toronto Road. In approximately the 200 block of Toronto Road, the vehicle crossed into the eastbound lanes and left the roadway. The vehicle traveled around 2000 feet, through a field, before going into the pond. | 2022-03-16T18:53:06Z | www.wcia.com | 18-year-old hurt after crash | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/18-year-old-hurt-after-crash/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/18-year-old-hurt-after-crash/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Knowing what direction our health is going in can be scary, especially for those facing life-changing diseases like kidney disease or diabetes. But one not-for-profit organization made entirely of women is stepping in to help. Although it’s a national group, we have a local chapter as well.
This collection of women is called The Links, Incorporated. Locally, they’re called the Central Illinois Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Still, the mission remains the same. To enrich, ensure, sustain and educate the African-American communities throughout the world. For today’s interview, we chose to focus on health.
Two members of the Central Illinois Chapter of The Links, Incorporated joined me this morning. Denise Poindexter and Dr. Danita Brown-Young. Together, they want to champion an effort to rally the African-American community in addressing their health. Especially if they experience kidney disease and diabetes.
“It’s near and dear to my heart because my father has chronic kidney disease and he’s a Dialysis patient. So it’s very important that you know your numbers. Your body mass index, all of those things. Also, try to have access to healthy foods and healthy living,” says Dr. Brown-Young.
African-Americans account for 35% of kidney disease in the U.S. and diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney failure in their communities. Which is why Denise and Dr. Brown-Young have a goal of getting at least 100 people screened at their event on March 31st.
We will have more on the Champaign screening and others in Central Illinois next week, so stay tuned to the Morning Show at 6:00. | 2022-03-16T18:53:24Z | www.wcia.com | Community Counts: Central Illinois Chapter of The Links, Incorporated | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/the-morning-show/community-counts-central-illinois-chapter-of-the-links-incorporated/ | https://www.wcia.com/the-morning-show/community-counts-central-illinois-chapter-of-the-links-incorporated/ |
Ask Angi: Emergency Repairs
Burst pipes, overflowing toilets and power outages can be stressful, overwhelming and scary. Bailey Carson, a home care expert at Angi, is here to offer tips on when and how to tackle home emergencies by yourself and how to know when it’s time to call in an expert.
Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, it’s likely you’re going to come upon an unexpected home issue or project. It could be something really minor, like a shower rod that has fallen down, or it could be something major, involving a power or plumbing issue. It’s important to know what to do in the case of an emergency. If it’s something you can’t fix yourself, be sure to have a few pros’ numbers on hand, so you don’t feel like you’re starting from scratch.
Clogged toilets can lead to leaks and water damage if left unresolved. Plus, they can be a real hassle if you need that toilet in use. Start by turning off the water valve behind your toilet bowl. This will prevent any overflow. Next, try a traditional plunger. If that doesn’t work, head to your hardware store to pick up a drain snake. If that’s still not solving the issue, it’s probably time to call in a pro.
If your power suddenly goes out, check your electric box and see if you’ve simply blown a fuse. It could be a really easy fix of just flipping it back on. However, if that doesn’t work, or you know the power outage could be due to weather, call your electric company to see how long they estimate before the power might be back. If it’s going to be a while, you might want to consider heading somewhere else. If you decide to stay home, make sure you have flashlights and candles on hand, and use it as a great excuse to eat all that ice cream in your freezer before it melts.
There are a few tools that are helpful to have around in case of a home emergency. For cleaning up messes or leaks, have a 5-gallon bucket, duct tape, rubber gloves and heavy-duty rags on hand. To shut valves or tighten bolts, have an adjustable wrench, slip joint pliers, screwdrivers and Allen keys along in your toolbox.
If an emergency hits your home and you don’t know what to do, don’t guess, call a pro. Remember that the longer issues are left unresolved, the more damage they can cause, so don’t delay. By example, a simple leak can turn into flooding. If the situation is dangerous, definitely leave your home for somewhere safer before trying to handle it. However, if it’s not too dangerous, stay home and try to keep the issue under control until the expert arrives to truly fix the problem.
https://www.angi.com
https://www.angi.com/articles/5-tips-dealing-home-repair-emergency.htm
https://www.angi.com/articles/what-do-plumbing-emergency.htm | 2022-03-17T00:23:41Z | www.wcia.com | Ask Angi: Emergency Repairs | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ask-angi-emergency-repairs/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ask-angi-emergency-repairs/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed that bird flu was recently found in a non-commercial backyard flock of birds in McLean County.
Anyone who owns birds or is involved with poultry production should be aware of this finding and is advised to take precautions to protect their flock. The Illinois Department of Agriculture quarantined the affected premises and the birds on that property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.
Birds from these flocks will not enter the food system.
The CDC said the recent detections do not present an immediate public health concern and no human cases of bird flu have been detected in the United States.
Flock owners, managers or veterinarians should report any unusual findings in domestic poultry, such as increase in mortality, decrease in water consumption, decrease in egg production or respiratory signs like coughing and sneezing to the IDOA at 217-782-4944 or the USDA at 866-536-7593. | 2022-03-17T00:24:31Z | www.wcia.com | Bird flu cases confirmed in Illinois; no human infections detected | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/bird-flu-cases-confirmed-in-illinois-no-human-infections-detected/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/bird-flu-cases-confirmed-in-illinois-no-human-infections-detected/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — VFW Post 99 will be hosting a community outreach on Saturday to provide information that can help prevent suicides within the veteran communities.
The Danville Veterans Administration, The Macon County Veterans Assistance Commission, The Department of Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars Service Office, Post 99 VFW Auxiliary and The Water Street Mission will be presenting and answering questions.
The community outreach will take place at 1 p.m. in the VFW Post 99 banquet room, located at 3920 North Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
“I am a 100% disabled veteran,” said VFW member and event organizer Kevin Lockhart. “I know the struggle that veterans go through so I want to give back and help others get through tough situations.”
According to Lockhart, suicide is a big concern among veterans.
He stated, “In 2019, the number is 22 veterans a day. That is over 8,000 (veterans) a year. It has now come down to 17 (veterans) a day but that is still over 6,000 veterans a year that commit suicide.”
On Saturday, five speakers will give information about suicide prevention and ways to help intervene and delay the decision of suicide. They will also explain the benefits that veterans are entitled to.
“The goal is to talk to the community because they are the first ones that interact with veterans,” said Lockhart. “If we can get somebody who is at the front line, so to speak, to intervene on the veterans’ behalf, it may prevent more suicide.”
“This event is very important to me. It is dear to my heart,” said Lockhart. “I have been through a lot myself and I think this is something that can very much help veterans.”
There are a variety of things that VFW provides.
Photo courtesy: Facebook page of VFW Post 99. | 2022-03-17T00:24:37Z | www.wcia.com | Community outreach to prevent veteran suicides | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/community-outreach-to-prevent-veteran-suicides/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/community-outreach-to-prevent-veteran-suicides/ |
Illinois House honors Kay Clabuagh McGuire for longtime community service
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois House of Representatives recently passed a resolution honoring a woman who contributed a great deal of service to the state of Illinois during her life.
Kay Clabaugh McGuire was involved in many different organizations throughout her life, including the Board of Directors at Paxton Community Hospital, Salt & Light Ministry and on committees with local Chambers of Commerce, Parkland College, the University of Illinois and many mental health and women in business initiatives. She was a social worker, business and leadership consultant, national speaker and trainer. She passed away on Feb. 25
State Representative Sandy Hamilton (R-Springfield) sponsored the resolution.
“Like many young women over the years, Kay McGuire was a mentor of mine through our common connection at the University of Illinois,” Hamilton said. “I think it is fitting that we honor her good work and her impact on the community during this Women’s History Month.” | 2022-03-17T00:24:55Z | www.wcia.com | Illinois House honors Kay Clabuagh McGuire for longtime community service | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/illinois-house-honors-kay-clabuagh-mcguire-for-longtime-community-service/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/illinois-house-honors-kay-clabuagh-mcguire-for-longtime-community-service/ |
SHELBY COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A Shelby County jury recently found a man guilty of hurting a prison officer.
Shelby County State’s Attorney Nichole Kroncke announced that a Shelby County jury returned a guilty verdict against Defendant Joshua D. White for the offense of aggravated battery to a Correctional Institution Employees, resulting in bodily harm.
The jury deliberated only seven minutes before returning its unanimous verdict.
White was an inmate in the Shelby County Jail on July 27, 2021 and became angry when corrections officers directed him back to his cell following dinner. He initially complied but when officers were trying to shut the cell door, White charged one of the officers, grabbed and struck him forcefully on the left side of his head with a closed fist and threatened to kill him.
The injured officer received medical treatment, suffered a concussion and missed several days of work following the attack.
White’s $100,000 bond was revoked after the verdicts were read. He will remain in the Shelby County Jail until his sentencing hearing on May 16. | 2022-03-17T00:25:07Z | www.wcia.com | Man found guilty of hurting prison officer | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/man-found-guilty-of-hurting-prison-officer/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/man-found-guilty-of-hurting-prison-officer/ |
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — March is truly unpredictable and that’s what makes filling out a bracket so fun and also frustrating.
70 million people submit NCAA tournament brackets each year. No one has ever filled out a perfect bracket, but one U of I professor is trying to help by starting a website and dedicating a lot of research and time to try and get it right.
“The website is basically an opportunity for sports fans like you to have some fun with the analytics and see how it works,” Professor Sheldon Jacobson said.
Sheldon Jacobson is a hockey fan, but when the computer science professor came to the U of I more than two decades ago, he came up with an idea to use data to predict March Madness.
“People want to know what’s the secret sauce,” Jacobson said. “What is analytics when it comes to picking a bracket? And we try and uncover that and at least shed some light on how advanced analytics can help people put together their brackets in an informed way.”
Jacobson started Bracketodds in 2006, using analytics and data to create a winning bracket.
What started as a class project evolved into a website in 2011. It’s gained national traction with hundreds of thousands of visitors.
“We’ve taken the data since the tournament went into current form in 1985 and compiled it in a way that people can be informed,” Jacobson said. “For example, how far does a certain seed advance in the tournament? What could you expect them to do?”
The website helps you make your bracket using data, or you can have one created for you through their simulator.
“The Illini. a 4 vs. a 13,” Jacobson said. “Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news. It’s better to be a 4 then a 13, but in the last three tournaments the 4’s have only won 7 of those 12 games. The 13s have won 5 of them, but the three tournaments before that the 4s have won 11 of the 12. So is this going to be an 11 of 12 kind of year or is it going to be a 7 out of 12 kind of year? And we won’t know until they take the court on Friday.”
After an upset last year for the then number 1 seed Illinois, Jacobson says odds may be in their favor.
“The laws of averages say there’s reverence of the mean, that when you lose on one side, you gain on another,” Jacobson said. “With that, let’s hope that things go well on Friday for the Illini.”
So how far does professor Jacbonson have Illinois going? In the south bracket, he projects them beating Chattanooga in the first round, with Houston advancing as well. So it’ll be the Cougars and Illini in the second round with a chance to go to the sweet 16 on the line.
He’s got the Illini playing in the second weekend for the first time in 17 years taking on Arizona in a rematch from earlier this season, that game was in Champaign, this time they will play in San Antonio.
Even the Illini professor can’t pick Illinois to beat Arizona, he has the top seeded Wildcats taking down Illinois in the Sweet 16 with Villanova getting past Tennessee.
But this is just math, that’s why they play the games. | 2022-03-17T00:25:44Z | www.wcia.com | Illinois professor uses analytics to fill NCAA tournament bracket | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/illinois-professor-uses-analytics-to-fill-ncaa-tournament-bracket/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/illinois-professor-uses-analytics-to-fill-ncaa-tournament-bracket/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Coroner Duane Northrup is releasing the name of a man who died of injuries sustained in a shooting incident on Wednesday.
Northrup said the person was 25-year-old Brandon McClendon. He was pronounced dead at around 7:30 p.m. in the Carle Foundation Hospital Emergency Room. McClendon died from a gunshot wound that he received during the shooting, Northrup stated.
On Wednesday, at around 7:00 p.m., Champaign Police were dispatched to an area on Ginger Bend Drive for a report of a shooting with injury. When they arrived at the scene, officers found a man with life-threatening gunshot wounds to the torso outside of an apartment.
Officers rendered medical aid on-scene until the victim could be taken to an area hospital. There, the victim succumbed to his injuries.
A canvass was conducted of the surrounding area which led officers to a nearby apartment building in the same block, where a crime scene was located. | 2022-03-17T20:21:10Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Police: Man dies after shooting | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-man-dies-after-shooting/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-man-dies-after-shooting/ |
The House Agriculture Committee heard witnesses this week testify about how farm programs should respond to climate change. And Chairman David Scott said, “The important role that Farm Bill and USDA programs play in addressing climate change cannot be overstated; these programs are vital to ensuring that our agriculture sectors and rural communities are protected. This includes the protection of farmers, ranchers, producers, and rural areas from the oftentimes devastating impacts that natural disasters wreak.”
University of Illinois farm policy specialist Jonathan Coppess—a staff member of the Senate Ag committee agreed.
“I think the climate change challenges, the crisis that is coming at us very quickly, is going to play a very big role in this discussion,” Coppess said. “We invest $6 billion a year through conservation programs, all of which could be helpful if they wanted to be, or used in that way they could help farmers invest in practices like cover crops, nutrient loss reduction and management, they can help along the way. They can also set the stage for creativity around new programs, new ideas, new policies, that help us address the pending climate change-based challenges, but also the risks, the risks to our food supply, the risks to our productive capabilities in this country. All those things are going to be very important. How it plays out I don’t know because there is going to be a lot of limits and challenges for the committees in writing a bill.”
The current Farm Bill expires in 18 months, but typically Congress does not get a new one in place until after the old one expires. | 2022-03-17T20:21:28Z | www.wcia.com | From the farm: Climate Change | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/from-the-farm-climate-change-2/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/from-the-farm-climate-change-2/ |
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup released the identity of a
Bloomington man who was hit by a car on Tuesday.
Northrup said the person was 54-year-old Darrin R. Walker. Walker was pronounced dead at Carle Foundation Hospital at 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday from a traumatic head injury he received during that
No autopsy will be performed. However, toxicology results are pending.
The circumstances surrounding Walker’s death are under investigation by the Bloomington Police Department and the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
Bloomington Police said they were dispatched to an area on South Main Street Tuesday afternoon in response to a report of traffic accident with injury. When they arrived at the scene, officers found Walker with life-threatening injuries.
He was taken to an area hospital then transferred to an Urbana hospital where he was pronounced dead by emergency room staff. | 2022-03-17T20:21:52Z | www.wcia.com | Pedestrian dies after traffic accident | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/pedestrian-dies-after-traffic-accident/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/pedestrian-dies-after-traffic-accident/ |
MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) — The Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3 Board of Education recently announced the hiring of Dr. Kenny Lee as the new superintendent of the Mahomet-Seymour Schools.
Dr. Lee is currently in his sixth year of serving as superintendent of the Minooka Community High School District #111. Prior to being in this position, he served as the superintendent of Iroquois County CUSD #9 in Watseka for six years. Dr. Lee began his career in public education in McLean County Unit 5, serving in a variety of positions, starting as a business teacher at Normal West High School up through serving as principal of Parkside Jr. High School.
Dr. Lee holds a Bachelor’s degree and an Ed.S. degree from Eastern Illinois University, a Master’s degree from Illinois State University and a doctorate from the University of St. Francis.
Hailing from Paxton, Illinois, Dr. Lee is deeply familiar with central Illinois and the Mahomet-Seymour schools.
He stated, “I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve as the next superintendent of Schools for Mahomet-Seymour Community Unit School District #3. Having grown up in nearby Ford County, I appreciate the rich history and great reputation of the school district and community. I am more than excited to begin building relationships with all stakeholders, and looking forward to becoming a Bulldog!“
Dr. Lee added, “Through the interview process, it was evident that Mahomet -Seymour schools is an excellent organization within a very supportive school community. To be chosen to serve the families of Mahomet-Seymour in this capacity is truly humbling.”
“Throughout the interview and selection process, Dr. Lee emerged as an experienced and highly respected leader in Illinois. He is a tremendous match for our school district,” said Board President Max McComb. “We are thrilled to welcome him to Mahomet-Seymour Schools as our new superintendent.”
Dr. Lee’s contract will be approved at the March 21, 2022 Board of Education meeting. A reception welcoming Dr. Lee will be held prior to the Board of Education meeting from 6:15 p.m to 7:00 p.m. at Middletown Prairie Elementary School. The public is invited to attend. | 2022-03-17T20:21:58Z | www.wcia.com | School district introduces new superintendent | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/school-district-introduces-new-superintendent/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/school-district-introduces-new-superintendent/ |
MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — State Police said a man is dead after a crash Thursday morning on I-55 near Bloomington.
At around 9 a.m., a car hit the back of a semi-truck as it was slowing down, according to a news release from troopers.
The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not seriously hurt. | 2022-03-17T20:22:16Z | www.wcia.com | Troopers: One man dead after crash on I-55 | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/troopers-one-man-dead-after-crash-on-i-55/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/troopers-one-man-dead-after-crash-on-i-55/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A champaign bar is celebrating 75 years of service today. The Tumble Inn opened its doors in 1947 and it’s still going strong. After former owner, Toby Herges died in November his Wife and son Tobin Herges took over. Tobin says they have some special events planned for the day with t-shirts and food. He said every year is a reason to celebrate but this year just feels special.
Tobin said, “My father toby Herges was really excited for this anniversary. Well, it’s a celebration every year but for years like 50, 75 and all those makes it just a little bit sweeter. It sucks that he’s not here but he’d be happy with what we’re doing here.”
He said the only reason they are still around is because the community continues supporting them. | 2022-03-18T00:09:20Z | www.wcia.com | Celebrating 75 years | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/celebrating-75-years/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/celebrating-75-years/ |
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Ever since she was little, Danville High School senior Kyra Dudley has wanted to be a teacher so she can, one day, make a difference in a child’s life.
Now, thanks to a recently awarded $20,000 scholarship, Dudley is one step closer to achieving her goal.
Next year, Dudley plans to attend her dream school, Illinois State, and major in elementary education.
As she was applying for college scholarships, she decided to apply to be a National Dell Scholar. She did so following the suggestion of her AVID teacher, Taylor Heston. In addition to being awarded $20,000 for college expenses, the scholarship also includes a new Dell laptop.
This scholarship was only awarded to 500 seniors across the country.
“It kind of feels unreal because I’ve worked so hard for what I’ve accomplished,” Dudley said.
Dudley believes what set her apart from other applicants was her personal essay.
“I’ve been through a lot in my childhood, and I’ve used that as motivation instead of being upset about it,” Dudley said. “I am where I am because I’ve done everything I can to be successful.”
Dudley’s favorite class is history. Aside from her schoolwork, Dudley also runs cross-country, plays soccer, partakes in community service and is a member of “Advocates Club,” a school group dedicated to “advocating friendship for everyone.” | 2022-03-18T00:09:26Z | www.wcia.com | Danville senior uses scholarship to influence future generations | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/danville-senior-uses-scholarship-to-influence-future-generations/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/danville-senior-uses-scholarship-to-influence-future-generations/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – A 25-year-old Champaign man was shot and killed in the city on Wednesday. Champaign Police said it happened in the 400 block of Ginger Bend Dr. around 7 at night.
This is the first homicide in Champaign in 2022. There have been several shootings, but no one has died from those.
The Champaign County coroner said the victim is 25-year-old Brandon McClendon.
Champaign Police said they found McClendon outside an apartment, shot in the torso. They said they helped on scene, and he was taken to Carle Hospital. That’s where he died from his injuries.
We’ve been gathering shooting and gun violence statistics from years past. Last year, the first murder in Champaign didn’t happen until April.
Murders, shootings in Champaign hit all-time high in 2021
In 2020, the first one happened in February. In total, that year there were 10 homicides. That was up 400% from 20-19.
Meanwhile, in 2021 there were 16. That’s up 60 percent from 2020.
The investigation of the most recent shooting is ongoing. | 2022-03-18T00:09:32Z | www.wcia.com | First homicide in Champaign this year | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/first-homicide-in-champaign-this-year/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/first-homicide-in-champaign-this-year/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — The Macon County Health Department announced that it will be holding three COVID-19 vaccine clinics next week.
The clinics will be held from Tuesday to Thursday with hours and vaccines available depending on the clinic.
Tuesday and Thursday’s clinic will be held at the MCHD building, 1221 East Condit Street in Decatur, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines will be offered for people aged five and older.
Wednesday’s clinic will be held at The Lucy Loft and Company, 1165 North University Avenue in Decatur, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Only Pfizer and Moderna will be offered and the clinic is for people aged 12 years and older.
Appointments are preferred for all three clinics and can be scheduled by calling 217-423-6988 ext. 1100. However, walk-ins will be accepted. People should bring their insurance card if possible.
People are eligible for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they are five months removed from their second Moderna dose (for people aged 18 and older) and their second Pfizer dose (for people aged 12 and older). People aged 18 and older who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for a booster if they are two months removed from their last dose.
Appointments for second vaccine doses, if needed, will be scheduled with appointments for first doses. | 2022-03-18T00:09:38Z | www.wcia.com | Health Department announces upcoming vaccine clinics | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/health-department-announces-upcoming-vaccine-clinics/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/health-department-announces-upcoming-vaccine-clinics/ |
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR, Ill. (WCIA) – The search for a new superintendent for the Mahomet-Seymour school district is over. The board has hired doctor Kenny Lee.
He’s currently superintendent at Minooka Community High School. Lee also served in that role for Watseka public schools, and started his education career in McLean County schools.
Lee will be replacing Dr. Lindsey Hall as superintendent.
He says he’s on cloud nine with the new position.
“I look forward to being in Mahomet, and cultivating those relationships, and look forward to staying there for a very long time,” Lee said.
The meeting introducing his new role takes place on March 21st from 6:15 to 7 at Middletown Prairie Elementary School. | 2022-03-18T00:12:19Z | www.wcia.com | Mahomet-Seymour school welcoming new superintendent | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/mahomet-seymour-school-welcoming-new-superintendent/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/mahomet-seymour-school-welcoming-new-superintendent/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A Springfield man pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court to distributing methamphetamine.
Michael Bale, 44, admitted that on two occasions in August and September of 2019, he knowingly distributed meth and the following December, he possessed more than five grams of meth with the intent to distribute said meth.
Bale has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest and will remain in custody pending sentencing on July 20.
Bale faces up to life in prison, up to an $8 million fine and lifetime parole for the offenses he pleaded guilty to. | 2022-03-18T00:12:37Z | www.wcia.com | Man pleads guilty to meth distribution | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/man-pleads-guilty-to-meth-distribution/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/man-pleads-guilty-to-meth-distribution/ |
LINCOLN, Ill. (WCIA) – The National Weather Service Office in Lincoln is looking for volunteer weather observers to report routine weather conditions across Central Illinois.
The volunteers will join a grassroot network of individuals who provide weather reports from their home and/or community. That network is called CoCoRaHS, or the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.
The National Weather Service Office in Lincoln says there are some specific counties they are looking for weather observers, but they will accept observers from anywhere.
Those counties they are especially interested in finding new volunteers include Macon, Moultrie, Cumberland, Clark, Piatt and Edgar counties. Other counties with a need for more volunteers includes Douglas, Coles, Shelby, Christian, Livingston, Ford and Fayette counties.
The CoCoRaHS Network is a grassroots organization that works together to measure and map precipitation across the United States. Observers use low-cost measuring tools and are trained on proper ways to measure, how to report and how to utilize the digital reporting system.
Anyone can be a part of the network, as long as they have an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and have a desire to learn more about how weather can affect and impact our lives.
The network is active whenever there is inclement weather, providing measurements any time a rain, hail or snow storm crosses the area.
If you are interested in learning more about the CoCoRaHS program visit their website.
If you wish to apply to become a CoCoRaHS observer for your community, you can complete an application here. | 2022-03-18T00:12:50Z | www.wcia.com | National Weather Service looking for volunteer weather observers | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/national-weather-service-looking-for-volunteer-weather-observers/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/national-weather-service-looking-for-volunteer-weather-observers/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) – The bird flu is making its way through flocks across the country. A few days ago, the first case popped up in Illinois.
This week, a case was found in a backyard flock in McLean County. Several bird farmers, and others in charge of birds, are taking precautions. Including the Scovill Zoo in Decatur.
Since the bird flu started spreading in the country, they took their birds inside, and are being extra cautious with them.
“The animals in your care, you want to keep them safe and healthy as possible. I mean, there are always risks out there, but you want to minimize the risk that you are putting the animals into. If we can keep them healthier by keeping them indoors, that’s what we’ll try to do,” Ken Frye, director of the Zoo, said.
Frye said they’ll keep the birds inside and protected until they get the all-clear from the people monitoring the situation.
The zoo isn’t open for the season yet, they open April 2nd. But he asks people in the community to be patient as they protect their birds. | 2022-03-18T00:14:11Z | www.wcia.com | Scovill Zoo taking precautions for Bird Flu | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/scovill-zoo-taking-precautions-for-bird-flu/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/scovill-zoo-taking-precautions-for-bird-flu/ |
MONTICELLO (WCIA) — Ben Cresap is the WCIA3 Athlete of the Week. The Monticello senior is a captain for the basketball team. He led the Sages to their best season in school history with a runner-up finish at the Class 2A Boys’ Basketball State Tournament, finishing the season 33-4. Cresap averaged a team high of 15 points per game this season, shooting 60% from the field and 43% from beyond the arch.
“Looking back at our whole season and how much we accomplished, it’s just an amazing experience for us all,” says Cresap. “Getting to have all success that we did, just to do that with all my best friends, it’s senior year that’s kind of been perfect.”
Cresap is now eligible for a 500 dollar scholarship we’ll give to one boy and one girl this summer. If you know a deserving high school student who should be our next weekly winner, fill out the nomination form here: https://www.wcia.com/athlete-of-the-week/#// | 2022-03-18T00:18:28Z | www.wcia.com | Cresap wins Athlete of the Week | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/high-school-sports/cresap-wins-athlete-of-the-week/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/high-school-sports/cresap-wins-athlete-of-the-week/ |
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