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08_15_2024amheadlines Greta Kerkhoff
Boulder middle school staff face sexual assault-related charges
Two Boulder middle school staffers have been arrested on counts related to sexual assault of a child.
Last week, 55-year-old Dan Greenberg – who last worked at Manhattan Middle School in March 2024 – was charged with multiple criminal offenses. Those include Sexual Assault on a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust, Child Abuse, and Harrassment.
According to an affidavit obtained by FOX31, the incidents involved a student at Manhattan Middle School, who has accused Greenberg of inappropriately touching her.
Greenberg taught at Casey Middle School from August 2001 to July 2015, as well as at Broomfield Heights Middle School, before starting at Manhattan Middle School in 2019.
Former principal John Riggs has also been arrested, on a misdemeanor count of failure to report suspected child abuse. Riggs retired at the end of the 2021-22 school year, according to BVSD.
The district is encouraging anyone with information on the case to contact Boulder Police Department Detective Matt Porter, at 303-441-3333.
Boulder experiments with funding to parents with young children
Boulder County is launching a pilot program to give low-income parents with young children cash payments as the cost of living rises.
The Nurturing Futures program will give families $300 each month, funded by $6 million in federal pandemic relief funds. The funds are designed to reach families without access to other social safety net benefits, including immigrants who reside in the country without documentation.
To qualify, families must have a child under age 4 and a household income at 30% or below the median level. According to Axios Denver, payments to 725 families picked by lottery will start in October and continue for two years.
Supporters of the program hope that after the two years, and with some fundraising, the program will become permanent.
Boulder airport ballot measures may see slight changes
Two ballot measures regarding the Boulder airport may see alterations before they go to voters in November. The citizen initiatives seek to both close the airport and turn the space into affordable housing.
Legally, both measures have garnered enough signatures to appear on the November ballot. However, city staffers negotiated with the campaign to come up with modifications that could create a little more flexibility in how the policies will be implemented if they pass.
According to the Daily Camera, the revisions would bar the city from enhancing the airport property in any way that would “further delay or increase the financial cost to the city of decommissioning” the airport.
Another potential revision includes making at least 50% of new development’s housing a part of the city’s permanently affordable homes program. Housing in this program is deed-restricted to maintain affordability for families.
City Council members will consider the original and alternative airport ballot measures for the November ballot at Thursday night’s council meeting.
Boulder County to begin designing North Foothills Bikeway
Boulder County will begin designing the highly-anticipated North Foothills Bikeway.
The 12-foot wide bikeway would stretch 11-miles from North Boulder to Lyons along the east side of Highway 36. The project has been years in the making, with proponents saying it would provide a safer alternative to one of Boulder County’s deadliest highways for cyclists.
According to Boulder Reporting Lab, the cost of the project is estimated to be $96 million. The county is expected to seek federal funding for the project.
There are many potential hurdles on the horizon. For one, the project may need to pass through the City of Boulder Open Space, which would require approval from the Open Space Board of Trustees. Project leaders may also need to get federal permits under the Clean Water Act, since it could impact several wetlands.
The project timeline is unclear. The latest report assumes construction will start in 2027, and take two years to complete.
Dog leash restrictions
Boulder rangers will begin enforcing bear-related dog leash restrictions from now until Dec. 1 in select areas.
The on-leash requirement will be in effect in portions of Gregory Canyon, Saddle Rock, Amphitheater and Bluebell-Baird Trails; Skunk Canyon up to the Mesa Trail; Shadow Canyon South from the Mesa Trail up to the intersection with Shadow Canyon North; and the upper part of the Doudy Draw Trail above Springbrook Loop. That’s all according to The Daily Camera.
The restrictions come at a time when bears are known to start consuming large amounts of food on open space land, and are intended to keep both pets and wildlife safe.
If you see a bear, officials recommend to keep your distance and slowly back away, talking aloud so that it is aware of you.
To view all open space dog regulations, visit OSMP’s interactive web map at maps.bouldercolorado.gov/osmp.
Remains from Stone Canyon fire still to be identified
The Boulder County Coroner announced yesterday that human remains found inside a building burned in the Stone Canyon Fire have yet to be identified.
The office said that due to the condition of the found remains, identifying the individual will be challenging. DNA extraction will be difficult because of damage to the skeletal remains.
The fire sparked just outside of Lyons on July 30th, burning over 1,500 acres and destroying five homes.
Tim Walz fundraiser in Colorado
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke at a fundraising event yesterday in Denver.
Democratic Vice presidential ticket holder Walz encouraged the party to maintain momentum for the upcoming election, saying registered Democrats should “sleep when [they’re] dead.”
Roughly $3 million dollars was raised at the event, according to The Colorado Sun.
In his speech, Walz attacked Republicans for supporting school vouchers, for wavering on financial support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, and for restricting abortion access.
Walz headed to Boston after his stop in Colorado.
