Headlines – August 16, 2023

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First day of school for Boulder Valley schools

Many Boulder Valley School District students start their school year today. Commuters should expect traffic and pedestrians around schools this morning, this afternoon, and throughout the school year.

Two new programs launching at Colorado public schools this year: universal Pre-Kindergarten and free school meals for all students, regardless of income.

Boulder Parks and Rec. adjust pool schedules

Back to school also means changes to Boulder Parks and Recreation Hours. The Scott Carpenter pool had extended hours yesterday as a “last splash” before school. The leisure pool at Scott Carpenter will only be open on weekends until early September when it closes for the season. Spruce Pool remains open until Labor Day. East Boulder pool has age-restricted hours, not available to those under 18 at certain times. North Boulder Rec Center pool is currently closed for annual maintenance.

The detailed pool schedule can be found on the city’s website.

Longmont opens pools to dogs

As outdoor swimming pools close for the season, some communities are allowing dogs in the pools. Roosevelt Pool in Longmont hosted its annual Dog Dayz event on Tuesday. The Kanemoto activity pool will also be open to dogs this Thursday (Aug 17). Boulder skips dog dayz this year to let humans enjoy the pools. Broomfield’s Bay Aquatic Park will have Dog Dayz on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Aurora has started using radar speed cameras

Aurora begins a pilot program using radar to curb speeding. Speed detection radars along roads have only issued warnings until now. Starting Monday, drivers going 11 mph over the speed limit get citations, starting at $40 and going up to $80 in school zones. Cameras operate in speed enforcement vans and mainly in areas with speed limits of 35 mph or less.

The program was launched due to Colorado’s 2022 traffic-related deaths.

Police arrest suspect in comic book theft

Police arrested a 36-year-old man for stealing 22 comic books valued at $13,000 from Time Warp Comics on 28th Street in Boulder. He sold the comics to two Colorado Springs store owners. Police identified the suspect through video footage of him and his car along with records of his real name which he used in both Colorado Springs transactions.

Yuma County hailstone breaks record 

A large chunk of ice fell from the sky and was picked up by a storm chaser on the side of a road between Kirk and Idalia last week in Yuma County. The hailstone was a whopping 5.25 inches long on the day it fell, according to the National Weather Service and other meteorologists.

The hailstone hit the ground following a severe storm that produced several tornadoes in Yuma. It melted slightly during its journey to the nearest National Weather Service office in Goodland, Kansas, but a review of a photo taken the day it fell confirmed it was longer than the previous state record of 4.83 inches.

After meteorologists scanned the stone with a sensor to create a virtual 3D copy of it, they weighed it in at 7.29 ounces – slightly heavier than a billiard ball.

Colorado has historically been a hail hotspot due to the region’s elevation, with hailstorms costing billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses in recent years. Still, hailstones as big as this record-breaking one are extremely rare.

Cirque Du Solei performer injured and released from hospital while “Kooza” moves on to Calgary

A performer in Cirque du Soleil’s troupe has been discharged from the hospital after sustaining an injury during a Saturday matinee in Denver. Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza” production had its final run this past Sunday after six weeks in downtown Denver’s Ball Arena.

Denver police officer fatally shoots a man lunging at her with a marker

Denver police have released footage of a deadly encounter between a Denver police officer and Brandon Cole, a Black man who was holding a marker.

The Denver police officer shot the man twice in the chest, reporting that they mistook the marker for a knife. Body-cam footage shows the suspect, Brandon Cole, closing in on the officer as he brings the small object up near his chest.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas has called the shooting “a tremendous tragedy.” During a call for potential domestic violence between Cole, his wife, and his son, Cole was shot with a stun gun during an altercation with two officers on the scene.

The stun gun was ineffective in subduing Cole, who charged at the officer that shot him. The name of the police officer who shot Cole has not been released, but she has been involved in no other shootings.

Relaunch of Mountain Mobility Program in Boulder County

Boulder County’s Mountain Mobility Working Group relaunches Mountain Rides, a free shuttle route between Ward and Rollinsville, running on Wednesdays and Thursdays to address transportation gaps along Peak to Peak Highway.

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