LAS VEGAS — Colorado football coach Deion Sanders walked onto the stage and confused reporters for parishioners.
“Good to see you. How are you all doing?” Sanders said from the Allegiant Field end zone stage. “I need more energy. This is horrible. If I was in church I would get up and walk out.”
Sanders wasn’t going anywhere, embracing his turn in the spotlight during the second day of the Big 12 media carwash. After shoutouts to UCF coach Gus Malzahn, who recruited Shedeur Sanders as a high school sophomore, and Texas Tech boss Joey McGuire, who coached Deion Sanders Jr. in high school, Sanders broke out stats to debunk criticism of his process.
A historic 90-acre Boulder County mountain resort with ties to Chief Niwot is up for sale.
Frequently visited by the Arapaho tribe as a summer retreat, Gold Lake has also served as a mining camp, girl’s camp, resort and mentoring center for young men since the 1800s, according to Boulder County records.
The property just east of Ward is now for sale, with Colorado real estate firm Slifer Smith & Frampton attaching a $12.5 million price tag and extensive redevelopment plans.
There are Memorial Day festivals, cookouts and a parade, the BOLDERBoulder race, a creek festival and the Denver Arts Festival. Other happenings include a new art installation at Dairy Block, Film on the Field at Stanley Marketplace and opening weekend for Water World. There’s even a Taylor Swift dance party at Summit.
Whatever you get up to, make it a great weekend!
Notes: Events with an * are taking place virtually or outdoors.
Friday, May 24
Kids and family
Little University: Garden Delights. Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library, 1498 N. Irving St. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and under, when accompanied by an adult.
*Denver Arts Festival. Conservatory Green in Central Park, 8304 E. 49th Place. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Company. Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $35-$120.
Eat and drink
*South Pearl Street Farmers Market. 1400 and 1500 blocks of Old South Pearl Street between Arkansas Avenue and Iowa Avenue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.
Music and nightlife
*A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 6:30 p.m. Prices vary.
Monday, May 27
Just for fun
*Memorial Day Parade. Starting at E. 64th Avenue and Newport Street and ending at Veterans Memorial Park, 6015 Forest Drive, Commerce City. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Orcas: Our Shared Future. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.Prices vary, this requires a timed ticket and museum admission. All ages. Advanced registration is recommended.
Art, culture, and media
Mile High Magic. History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children 18 and under), $15 (adults).
Museum of Illusions Denver. 951 16th Street Mall. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sunday and Monday).$20 (children ages five-12), $22 (seniors and active military), and $24 (adults). Advanced registration is required for timed entry.
Eat and drink
Memorial Day Weekend Rib Fest. Six Capital Brewing and BBQ, 16705 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora. Starting at 2 p.m. each day. No cover.
Worth the Drive
Friday-Sunday
*2024 SpringFree Bluegrass Festival. Vail Village, 241 S. Frontage Road, Vail. 4:30-7:30 p.m. (Friday), 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday). Free.
Saturday-Monday
*Territory Days in Old Colorado City. Colorado Springs C.A.B. Garage, 130 S. Nevada Ave. Downtown, Colorado Springs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m (Saturday and Sunday) and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Monday). Free (admission).
Monday
*BOLDERBoulder. Throughout Boulder. 5:30 a.m.-noon. Starting at $69.
All weekend*Boulder Creek Festival. Boulder Creek Path, 1212 Canyon Blvd., Boulder. 5-10 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Monday). Free.
Project Recovery prides itself on serving people of a lower socio-economic status.
Dustin Chavez, 39, said his addiction was almost predetermined by the life he was born into.
“I started struggling at a young age,” he said. “My family was heavily involved with drugs and the dealing of drugs and so I fell into that lifestyle and started dealing myself at age 13.”
Chavez started using cocaine before turning to meth, heroin and fentanyl. Then, it was pain medication after a back injury. He was in and out of jail and heading down a dangerous, potentially deadly path, but then along came Tribe Recovery Homes, a nonprofit in Denver and Boulder that takes a trauma-informed approach to addiction recovery. It was a savior of sorts for Chavez, who participated in the program in Denver last year.
“I really like how Tribe takes a holistic approach to the person, not just addiction,” Chavez said. “They meet you where you’re at and get you to where you need to be and where they feel like is a good place for you to move onto for yourself.”
Tribe recently teamed up with the City and County of Boulder to create Project Recovery.
“What we’re offering is residential treatment for men in this lovely home and outpatient clinical services for all community members,” said Clinical Director at Tribe Recovery Services in Boulder MJ Smart.
Boulder’s first-of-its-kind Project Recovery home is for people who can’t afford a high-end treatment center. It opened in early January and was modeled after Denver’s program. Smart said the home can house up to 11 people for 30 to 60 days. Right now, eight men are staying at the home. They don’t work while they live in the home because the recovery sessions are rigorous.
“Monday through Friday, folks participate in group therapy with therapists. They also participate in groups with what we call peer navigators, peer support specialists,” Smart said.
Smart said most of the people they serve are unhoused or coming from the Boulder County Jail.
According to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office most recent annual report, 51 people died in 2022 from using multiple drugs — like fentanyl, meth and over-the-counter drugs — at the same time.
Policy Advisor on Homelessness for the City of Boulder Megan Newton said Project Recovery creates a bridge for people who want to be in recovery.
“We talk about folks who are living outdoors, who are living in shelters and it’s really hard to stay sober and stay committed to those spaces and so this house and program provides them that space and meets that need,” Newton said.
Chavez now lives in a sober living house with six other people who were part of Denver’s Tribe Recovery Program. He has gotten his life back and even recently reconnected with his 20-year-old daughter.
“I hadn’t seen her in 17 years and I had seen her for the first time four months ago,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t have seized that opportunity before his recovery began.
Tribe Recovery said this will likely be the only home of its kind in Boulder County. However, they’re in the process of creating what is called step-down properties that will offer services like intensive outpatient treatment and be in a structured sober-living program.
The Follow Up
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BOULDER, Colo. — Friday marks three years since the mass shooting at a Boulder King Soopers where 10 people were killed.
Rikki Olds, Denny Stong, Neven Stanisic, Tralona Bartkowiak, Teri Leiker, Suzanne Fountain, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters and Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley were killed in the mass shooting on March 22, 2021.
Boulder King Soopers shooting suspect pleads not guilty by reason of insanity
1:34 PM, Nov 14, 2023
Olivia Mackenzie misses her mother, Lynn Murray, every day. Mackenzie spoke with Denver7 from her car on Thursday — a car that was once her mother’s.
Murray was shopping for Instacart inside the Table Mesa King Soopers at the time of the shooting on March 22, 2021.
“Really, really fun. Really easygoing. And she was the best. She was just such a wonderful person,” Mackenzie said, describing her mom. “I would say that right now, it does feel like three years, but at the same time, I’m also so shocked that it’s been three years. Because yeah, I mean, a lot has happened, but I could go back there like it was yesterday.”
Olivia Mackenzie
Lynn Murray
The loss of her mother in 2021 affected her father greatly, Mackenzie said. Her dad passed away after a heart attack in November 2022. Mackenzie believes he died from a broken heart.
“I don’t want every March 22 for the rest of my life to be about reliving that day because that was the worst day and I would rather remember her, and now him,” Mackenzie said. “I’m feeling a lot better this year. It’s not as rough. It’s not as heavy. But regardless, I mean, it has come up this week. But it comes up no matter what. Sometimes there’s just certain things that send you back to that day.”
The progress in Mackenzie’s personal life has moved much quicker than the court system.
“With it taking so long and being three years down the line, it’s kind of, sometimes it feels like a step back,” Mackenzie said about the amount of time the judicial system has taken. “When we go to court, the rest of the day kind of has that theme — and the next day too. My heart’s pretty heavy and it’s hard.”
She understands there are reasons for the delays in the court proceedings, but says it is still difficult to process.
“I don’t even know if the court process is going to give me closure because I’ve had to kind of find that within myself,” said Mackenzie. “Their lives deserve to be remembered, and that’s what’s helped me get through this loss and this event, and I just think they deserve that.”
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty knows how painful the delays have been for the victim’s families. He spoke with Denver7 generally about the challenges facing CMHHIP, where the shooting suspect is being held.
“The state hospital continues to have difficult and mighty challenges that impact cases, individuals who are charged, victims, and also community safety,” Dougherty said. “We need this state hospital system to have a complete overhaul for it to be better funded, better resourced and to make sure that it’s complying with all the expectations and requirements.”
Dougherty explained the difference between competency and insanity. A suspect can plead not guilty by reason of insanity while simultaneously being deemed competent to stand trial.
“Competency means whether the individual is able to assist in their defense, they understand the legal proceedings against them and they can assist the attorney in defending themselves in court. So they have to have some basic understanding of the court proceedings, what’s going on around them and the ability to assist counsel by communicating with them,” said Dougherty. “Sanity, or a claim that someone’s not guilty by reason of insanity, is on the day of the incident. So if the incident happened last year, it’s about their ability to form intent and understand the consequences on the day of the incident when the crime took place.”
A spokesperson with the state hospital provided Denver7 with background about how competency evaluations work and why the system can be lengthy.
In any court case where competency is an issue, the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health (OCFMH) is responsible for an initial competency evaluation of the defendant.
Evaluations can be performed in a number of settings, not just at the state hospital in Pueblo. They can occur in one of the two state hospitals, jails or in the community. According to the state, most evaluations happen in jails or on an outpatient basis, so the majority of defendants do not have to be admitted to a state hospital for an evaluation.
OCFMH said the evaluations are completed in compliance with statutorily mandated timeframes.
If a defendant is deemed incompetent, competency restoration treatment begins. When an individual is restored to competency, a court case can proceed.
The restoration treatment can happen in locations that include select jail-based settings, one of the two state hospitals, in a community if a defendant is out on bond, or at a private hospital that contracts with OCFMH.
According to those with the state, delays commonly occur when a defendant is ordered for restoration treatment at an inpatient location, which includes jail-based settings, private hospitals, and the two state hospitals.
State data shows that in fiscal year 2021-22, 2,997 individuals were ordered by the court to receive a competency evaluation from OCFMH. For the next fiscal year, 2022-23, 2,634 people were court-ordered to receive a competency evaluation from OCFMH.
There’s a decrease between the two sets of data, but overall there has been a “significant increase” in court orders for competency evaluations and restoration treatment. For example, in fiscal year 2017-18, only 1,686 competency evaluations were ordered.
The majority of competency evaluations occur while the defendant is in jail or the community if they are granted bond.
“Individuals do not have to be admitted to the state hospital in order to receive an evaluation, unless the court orders it, which is extremely rare,” Jordan Saenz, the communications manager for OCFMH, wrote in an email.
Saenz said when CMHHIP is operating at full capacity, there are 516 beds available to serve patients. The hospital has been hit by the nationwide healthcare worker shortage, meaning CMHHIP can only operate 474 beds currently. Recently, the hospital re-opened two additional units accounting for 43 beds “due to vigorous hiring efforts,” Saenz said.
According to Saenz, two people are waiting in jail for a competency evaluation and 349 individuals are in jail waiting for restoration treatment. Those numbers reflect people waiting for services at an inpatient location, like the state hospitals in Pueblo and Fort Logan, jail-based settings and private hospitals.
Saenz said, “OCFMH is in compliance with the statutorily mandated 21-day timeframe to complete the jail based evaluations, and this isn’t what causes delay in many cases. OCFMH is not in compliance with time frames to admit individuals for inpatient competency restoration treatment.”
Many cases are delayed because of the restoration process, not the evaluation process, according to Saenz.
The state hospital in Fort Logan is operating at full capacity, and efforts at both state hospitals to open beds have decreased the waitlist for restoration treatment from around 460 individuals to 349, according to Saenz.
Dougherty called the system “broken” in Colorado.
“The fact that they’re not being cared for and evaluated means their cases are being delayed, their treatment is being delayed. But also, importantly, they’re taking up space at a county jail that isn’t built for a population the size of Boulder County,” said Dougherty. “It’s having a very real impact on the lives of everybody involved in those cases but also on community safety.”
A critical difference between a jail and a state mental health hospital is the ability to forcibly medicate individuals. Jails cannot do that to inmates while mental health facilities can, according to Dougherty.
“Currently, the largest mental health facility we have in Boulder County is the Boulder County Jail. And I think we’d all agree that that’s a shame and that shouldn’t be the case. So that’s where that Mental Health Diversion Program came from,” said Dougherty.
The Mental Health Diversion Program (MHDP) in Boulder was the first in the state, Dougherty said. The program diverts low-level offenders out of jail and connects them with treatment.
“Now, those are on low-level offenses. But it’s been incredibly successful in helping people get treatment and medication as quickly as possible because the last place someone should be when they’re suffering from a mental health crisis is a jail cell,” said Dougherty.
THE SOLUTIONS
Competency courts are separate courtrooms that handle cases where the issue of competency is raised.
“Competency courts are one of several programs, several approaches, that have been set up, particularly with regards to trying to facilitate more effective and efficient ways to get people through the competency process, given the challenges we have with the state hospital,” said Dougherty.
According to a spokesperson with the Colorado Courts, there are nine judicial districts, plus the Denver County Court, operating competency dockets that serve more than 700 clients. The judicial districts operating competency courts are Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 18.
Two other districts are in the early stages of implementation. One of them is Boulder, where Dougherty said they are exploring the concept. Recently, a few of their judges went to Larimer County to see their competency court. Dougherty said they are starting to work on bringing a competency court to Boulder.
“A competency court that would allow mental health providers, the defense bar, prosecution and the bench, the judges, to have a docket that specializes in looking at individuals with competency issues and get them connected to treatment and hopefully have them get through the evaluation process and treatment process more quickly,” explained Dougherty. “There are other problem-solving courts that we have in Colorado, and I would put this under that same heading. And if we have people who are able to specialize in a certain area and get a focused approach and treatment, we could do better for them and also for the court dockets as a whole.”
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said their competency diversion program was started in April 2022. They also have a competency court.
“One of the goals of competency diversion is to get those people out of the system completely so they’re not waiting for an evaluation or restoration. And that will result in a reduction in that waiting time and waiting list that is backlogged,” McCann explained. “Denver is really addressing this head-on, and I think we are doing a good job of trying to get people out of the system who really are so mentally ill that they shouldn’t be in the system. And that’s what our competency diversion program is designed to do is identify these people early so they never get on a waitlist, they never even end up in court. They get wraparound services.”
Denver’s competency court is in district court, but McCann said their county court is getting ready to launch a competency court this summer.
McCann explained that only eligible defendants can participate in the competency diversion program.
“It depends on the nature of the crime. We have criteria for people to be admitted into competency diversion. So we’re not taking, you know, violent, dangerous people. These are people who just cycle in and out of our court system for very minor offenses, clearly mentally ill, and people who need that kind of support. So we’re trying to do a balanced approach,” McCann said.
McCann said people like the Boulder King Soopers defendant would not be eligible for competency diversion. She said suspects in very serious crimes like mass shootings would be able to go through competency court, where they could be evaluated and restored. The goal of competency court is to alleviate the burden of cases dealing with competency from the court dockets.
To date, in Denver’s competency diversion program, there have been a total of 441 referred cases — 145 of those have been accepted.
According to data from the Denver District Attorney’s office, there is a 68% success rate, with 27% of the cases determined as unsuccessful. Those numbers break down to:
56 successful diversions
13 unsuccessful due to receiving new charges that were ineligible
9 unsuccessful due to lack of engagement
4 cases closed
Sixty-three participants are actively being served in Denver by the program, and there are 74 pending referrals at this time. Both McCann and Dougherty mentioned work being done in the Colorado State Capitol, like House Bill 24-1355, which was introduced into the state legislature on March 4. Among other initiatives, the bill would require each judicial district to create a process that identifies and refers eligible defendants to a wraparound program as an alternative to competency proceedings.
Editor’s Note:Denver7 360 | In-Depth explores multiple sides of the topics that matter most to Coloradans, bringing in different perspectives so you can make up your own mind about the issues. To comment on this or other 360 In-Depth stories, email us at 360@Denver7.com or use this form. See more 360 | In-Depth stories here.
BOULDER — The NCAA still can’t read a room. But man, can they ever kill one.
Kindyll Wetta and her teammates on the CU women’s basketball team were belles of the ball inside the Dal Ward Center. You shoulda seen it. Balloons. Cheerleaders. Catering. One of the sweetest pep rallies to grace the Touchdown Club since Coach Prime got injected into the Buffs’ bloodstream here some 16 months ago.
As the NCAA Tournament brackets came on the screen, the party hushed. Then when Kansas State came up as a 4 seed and as a host for the first weekend of the women’s Big Dance, it sank.
“It’s definitely a bummer for me because I wanted to play at home and I wanted to be in front of my family,” Wetta, the firebrand of a Buffs guard and former Valor Christian star, told me after CU found out its first stop in Bracketville would be as a 5 seed opposite K-State in the Little Apple of Manhattan, Kan. “I thought this year we really had a great shot of doing that. It’s disappointing in that sense.”
There was a lot of that going around here Sunday night. The mood was even less jovial a few hours earlier up in Fort Collins, where the men’s selection committee decided to take its annual dose of stupid out on the Mountain West as a whole — and on the Rams in particular.
Want a laugh? Committee member Bubba Cunningham contended on CBS that teams selected from the Mountain West, save for San Diego State, got strapped to double-digit seedings because their best wins were over one another.
“(That) made it more challenging for us,” Cunningham explained.
Not half as challenging, apparently, as trying to stay up past 10 p.m. Eastern to do homework on teams west of Lincoln. Poor guy.
At least five teams — lookin’ at you, Oregon, NC State and New Mexico — “stole” bids from more worthy at-larges by winning their respective conference tourneys. But any ‘S’ curve that’s got CSU as the “last team in” gets an automatic F.
Do you watch the games, Bubba? Or do you watch “X” and Instagram and hope for the best? CSU beat Creighton by 21 on a neutral court. The Jays were slotted as a No. 3 seed Sunday. The Rammies (24-10) were unveiled as a 10.
Boise State, who’ll take on Tad Boyle’s CU men on Wednesday night, beat Saint Mary’s on a semi-neutral floor by three. The Gaels are dancing as a 5 seed. The Broncos, like CSUand CU, are a 10 seed having to scrap their way over to the Big Kids’ Bracket by winning in Dayton first.
“To be honest, I was really surprised how most of the Mountain West was seeded,” stunned CSU coach Niko Medved, who’ll face Virginia on Tuesday in Ohio, told reporters.
“But you know what? That’s fine. They always disrespect our league. And now it’s time to go out and do something about it.”
Amen. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Cavaliers (23-10), on paper, are certainly in the Rammies’ weight class. For one thing, unlike Michigan in 2022, UVa doesn’t have a Hunter Dickinson down low, taking up a duplex’s worth of space in the paint. On the surface, it’s the irresistible force (CSU’s shooters) against the immovable object (Tony Bennett’s trademark tire-iron defense), a classic Clark Kellogg “contrast-in-styles” scrum between a Rams offense ranked 42nd nationally by KenPom.com in adjusted offensive efficiency and a Cavs D that’s seventh in adjusted defense. If you’re hopping over to Dayton, take the under and take your pizza square-cut.
If the Oppenheimers on the men’s committee dinged CSU for its 4-7 mark away from Moby Madness, their counterparts on the women’s side docked the Buffs (22-9) for losing six of their last eight, including a maddening, come-from-ahead loss to Oregon State in the Pac-12 tourney.
In March, you make your own luck. The Buffs women — despite being one of the best draws in all of college basketball, male or female — didn’t.
“I mean, (it’s) definitely frustrating,” Wetta said. “But like (Coach JR Payne) said, you can’t dwell on that, because (now) it’s completely different conferences, completely different teams, styles of play.”
CU women’s basketball players react to being selected as the fifth seed for the NCAA tournament during a watch party in the Touchdown Club at Dal Ward at the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colorado on March 17, 2024. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
At least Wetta and her teammates know the drill. Payne’s Buffs got shipped to third seed and host Duke at this time last year and earned their Sweet 16 berth the hard way, stomping 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee and then shocking the Blue Devils in overtime to advance out of Durham.
“I feel like the same situation’s happened to us the past two years, where we thought we should’ve been a higher seed and we weren’t,” Wetta reflected. “So, again, it’s nothing new. Disappointing, but we’re used to it.
“I think we definitely do better with underdog mentality. So I think that’s a good thing going into the NCAA Tournament. It just adds a little bit of fuel to the fire.”
Why bust brackets when you can burn ’em? Pack your bags, kids. And your grudges. This dance just got personal.
Why the Buffs won: They kept their composure late, played solid defense throughout the night and hit some big shots when needed.
Three stars:
1. CU’s Maddie Nolan: Had a season-high 20 points, including six 3-pointers.
2. CU’s Aaronette Vonleh: Finished with only 10 points offensively, but had seven rebounds and a steal.
3. Washington’s Lauren Schwartz: Scored 18 points and hit all four 3-point attempts.
Up next: CU will host Washington State on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Pac-12 Network).
Colorado didn’t dominate in its return home, but the No. 13 Buffaloes found something it had been sorely missing: a victory.
Maddie Nolan got hot from 3-point range early and the Buffs had just enough in the tank late to hold off Washington 68-62 on Thursday night at the CU Events Center.
CU (21-7, 11-6 Pac-12) snapped a four-game losing streak and kept slim hopes alive for a top-four seed – and first-round bye – for next week’s Pac-12 Tournament.
“I was just really excited to win again,” said Nolan, who went 6-of-7 from beyond the arc and had a season-high 20 points. “After the game, I was jumping around and I was like, ‘Guys, we won!’ The season is so long and you get so caught up in different things and then the losses, it can be hard, but just remembering to celebrate every win, whether it’s against a top-five team or whoever. So just excited to be back in the win column, for sure.”
CU head coach JR Payne often expresses the idea that being great on a given day is the main goal more so than getting a win. The Buffs weren’t great against the Huskies (15-13, 5-12), but she was more than happy to celebrate the much-needed win.
“Absolutely,” she said. “We definitely needed to be in the win column again, because even though we played really well at times – we played really well offensively at USC and really, really well defensively at UCLA – it still didn’t translate into a win. Certainly we are all going to feel better with getting that sort of out of the way and now we just want to really dial in and continue to get better.”
In addition to Nolan’s big game, Frida Formann had 12 points and Aaronette Vonleh finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Buffs, however, had to thwart a late Washington rally.
CU never trailed in the final 36 minutes and led by as many as 15 in the third quarter. The lead was still 12 midway through the fourth when the Buffs went cold, failing to score a single point for 5 minutes, 23 seconds while Washington pulled within five, at 64-59.
Buffs point guard Jaylyn Sherrod, who went down with a face injury early in the third, then returned to the game with 36.1 seconds left to boost the Buffs. She was able to hit 2-of-4 free throws and help with CU’s ball control down the stretch to hold off the Huskies.
Colorado guard Frida Bormann drives against Washington guard Hannah Stines in Pac-12 basketball on Feb. 29, 2024 in Boulder.(Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
The close-game experience of Sherrod and other veterans played a role in holding off the Huskies.
“I don’t know how well we executed down the stretch but I mean, yeah, just trying to get the ball in out of bounds, know who to get it to, stuff like that, you kind of learn along the way and knowing how many timeouts you have,” Formann said. “We’ve been practicing some late game situations. So just being aware of clock and score and all that is super important. So it’s always good to get practice with that in a live game.”
Ultimately, it wasn’t the prettiest of games for the Buffs, who had just two days of rest before this one (Washington had three), but they got the job done after a three-game road trip.
“Just really happy to be back at home,” Payne said, “and I’m really happy with how we played in spurts; certainly not 40 minutes but we played really, really well in some spurts on both sides of the floor. Just pushing through fatigue and some injury and things like that. I knew we’d be tired. We had the longest trip, we played a day later than they did and all of that, so I was really happy with how we responded.
“A lot of people came in and really contributed at different times. Even played through frustration, maybe missing some shots we normally make, but kept their head in the game so that when the game was on the line, we were able to execute and do some good things.”
Notable
In the NCAA committee’s second Top 16 reveal on Thursday evening, the Buffs were tabbed as a No. 4 seed, and No. 13 overall. In the previous reveal, on Feb. 15, the Buffs were a No. 1 seed, and No. 4 overall. The nine-spot drop matches the largest in the eight-year history of the Top 16 reveals. In 2022, Tennessee went from No. 4 to No. 13. However, it keeps CU in line to host during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
BOULDER, Colo. — The University of Colorado women’s basketball team gathered Wednesday evening to welcome the newest member of their team — 6-year-old Bellamy Korn.
The team is having one of their best seasons in program history and hopes to make it to the Final Four for the very first time. Still, their new teammate is giving the players an entirely new perspective — both on and off the court.
Bellamy was diagnosed with leukemia in March 2023.
“It’s been difficult. It’s been really lonely. It’s been really isolating,” said Bellamy’s mom, Sarah Bailey. “She’s been kicking cancer’s booty though. She’s been doing a great job staying healthy, staying active, taking her meds and having a really positive attitude.”
TEAM Impact, a national nonprofit, works to connect children who have serious illnesses or disabilities with college athletic programs.
“I didn’t know that they would take us on in the middle of their season. I thought they might say, ‘Hey, let’s wait until, you know, March Madness is over.’ But this team is unstoppable, and they brought us right on board and haven’t missed a beat,” said Bailey. “They’re building her confidence.”
Korn signed her letter of intent in front of her new teammates on Wednesday. She also received her own jersey.
“We’re all behind her whenever she goes through hard things on her own,” said CU guard Frida Formann. “You just get some perspective on life and what really matters. And what Bellamy is going through, I think it’s just reminding us all what’s important in life, and also just to be kind to everyone because you don’t really know what people are going through… Bellamy’s definitely someone that we all want to play hard for.”
Bailey described the journey with her daughter’s cancer as horrible but said the Buffs’ impact on their family is beyond words.
“It’s a core memory for me for sure… This team is life-changing for us,” Bailey said.
Bailey said the family wants to use the opportunity to advocate for more research into childhood cancer treatments.
“It’s given us a really big purpose in life and a really big goal for advocating for childhood cancer funding. The funding is abysmal, the treatment options are horrible,” said Bailey. “What a platform we have right now with the Buffs, especially a team that’s this amazing in their journey.”
The Follow Up
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The RTD will reopen the Downtown Boulder Station lobby on Feb. 19 after over a year of renovations to replace the building’s interior ductwork, which was contaminated with methamphetamines last year.
The inside of the station at 1800 14th St. in Boulder was closed last January after an investigation into strong odors emitting from a restroom revealed levels of meth exceeding Center for Disease Control limits, according to Regional Transportation District news releases. Residue was also detected in the ductwork and was impossible to clean out, necessitating a full replacement of the ventilation system.
“The collective goal of all employees involved in this project was to ensure the station could be reopened in a safe condition,” said RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson in a Monday release. “While illicit drug abuse is a societal issue that is not unique to RTD, it is our responsibility to provide employees and the public with a space that is clean and welcoming to inhabit.”
The agency spent $295,000 on external contractors to remediate the methamphetamine contamination, including testing for contamination, repairing areas affected by replacing all ductwork and repainting the station interiors, said Project Manager Pauline Haberman.
The new ducts installed in the station have exterior insulation, allowing for the insides to be cleaned, the release noted. Additionally, restroom ventilation was improved with more powerful exhaust fans that will keep smoke within those spaces.
The RTD also gave the lobby of the station a refresh, repainting the walls, adding a new coating to the benches and deep cleaning and sealing the main tile floor.
The agency will use its police department — now made up of many sworn officers instead of a traditionally contracted security agency — to proactively reduce potentially dangerous situations, Haberman said.
Boulder, CO, is a Rocky Mountain paradise with picturesque views of the foothills and the Flatirons. With countless outdoor activities, museums, art galleries, and the CU Boulder sports teams, it’s no wonder Boulder is also home to about 104,200 people. If you’re moving to or living in Boulder, expect the median home sale price to be around $1,070,000, and the average rent in Boulder to be about $2,987.
If those prices are out of your budget, don’t worry. We’ve got options to help you find a home. Redfin has collected the 10 best affordable Boulder suburbs to consider living in. And the best part is that they’re all less than 26 miles away from the city center. That way you can live nearby without paying the price of living in Boulder.
With a median home sale price of $346,000, Federal Heights claims the first spot on our list of affordable Boulder suburbs. About a 19 mile drive away from downtown Boulder, Federal Heights is home to roughly 14,400 residents. If you’re considering moving to this area make sure to explore Camenisch Park where there are trails, sports facilities, and fishing spots.
Taking the second spot on our list is Sherrelwood. About 21 miles southeast of downtown Boulder, you can hike the Flatirons and Boulder Creek Path in just a quick drive. Living in Sherrelwood, you’ll want to check out Sherrelwood Park and the nearby water tower on Elm. When living in this suburb of 19,200 people, you can also spend time exploring the charming downtown.
Just 18 miles away, you’ll find the suburb of Shaw Heights. There’s plenty of picturesque and outdoorsy activities to take part in when living in Shaw Heights. Make sure to visit one of the many local shops and attractions if you move to the third most affordable suburb.
Only slightly more expensive than Shaw Heights is the suburb of Westminster. About 116,300 people live in this Boulder suburb, where you can explore the Butterfly Pavilion, enjoy outdoor activities at Standley Lake Regional Park, which offers boating, fishing, hiking trails, and scenic views, and visit the Westminster Promenade, an entertainment and dining district with shops and restaurants. Westminster is also a great area to consider if you’re also looking to be close to Denver.
Drive 21 miles outside of Boulder and you’ll find the suburb of Berkley, another great area to add to your list. Home to 12,600 residents, this affordable town can be a great choice for people looking to remain close to Boulder without paying the price for a home in the city. Living in Berkley, you can explore the Lowell Ponds State Wildlife Area and nearby Clear Creek Valley Park.
A recognizable Boulder suburb is Gunbarrel, where the median home sale price is about $500K less than in Boulder. With just about 9,600 people living in Gunbarrel, it’s a great suburb to consider moving to. You’ll have easy access to what makes this suburb unique, so make sure to check out the scenic hiking trails like White Rocks Trailhead and Sawhill Ponds, explore the Twin Lakes Open Space, and stop by one of the many local cafes.
Next on our list of affordable Boulder suburbs is Thornton, which is only a 26 mile drive into the city center. With a population of roughly 141,900, living in Thornton is a great alternative to Boulder. If you’re going to call this suburb home, plan time to visit the Trail Winds Recreation Center, which offers a variety of recreational facilities, including a pool, fitness center, and sports courts, check out the Thornton Arts & Culture Center, and play golf at one of the courses.
If you’ve lived in Boulder for a while, it’s likely you know of Frederick. This affordable suburb is home to roughly 14,500 residents, so you’ll have a fraction of Boulder’s population while remaining only 22 miles from the city. Be sure to check out the charming downtown Frederick, and explore Centennial Park that hosts a hot air balloon festival.
Without traffic, you’ll be in downtown Boulder in about 30 minutes, making Dacono a great place to buy a house in. Close to 6,300 people live in this suburb, but there’s always something new to explore in Dacono like watching a NASCAR race at Colorado National Speedway.
Taking the last spot on our list of affordable Boulder suburbs you’ll want to consider moving to is Longmont. Without traffic, you’ll find yourself in Boulder in roughly 16 miles. This suburb has a population of 98,900 and you can explore St. Vrain State Park, known for its lakes, fishing opportunities, birdwatching, and scenic natural surroundings. Make sure to wander through Downtown Longmont, featuring historic architecture, local shops, restaurants, and cultural events, and check out the Sunflower Farm. There’s always something to check out while living in this awesome suburb.
Methodology: Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s median home sale price or average sale price per square foot is less than Boulder and under a 26-mile drive from downtown Boulder. Median home sale price data and average rent price from the Redfin Data Center during December 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
According to the first-ever study on how legal, commercial cannabis impacts exercise, carried out by the University of Colorado Boulder, weed makes working out fun, but you’re not going to get some super-boost unless you’re some sort of cannabis superhero.
The study, which was published December 27 in the Sports Medicine journal, was a long time coming, as Colorado has now had legal cannabis for a decade, and many other states have also embraced cannabis as the norm, so it stands to reason that cannabis is also becoming normalized in the world of fitness, although it has remained a contentious topic in sports. Many well-known athletes—notably U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson—have gotten in trouble for cannabis consumption.
The research looked at 42 different runners to get information about how they used cannabis and how their use impacted their activity.
“The bottom-line finding is that cannabis before exercise seems to increase positive mood and enjoyment during exercise, whether you use THC or CBD. But THC products specifically may make exercise feel more effortful,” explains first author Laurel Gibson, a research fellow with CU’s Center for Health and Addiction: Neuroscience, Genes and Environment (CU Change).
This kind of tells us what we already know: “couch-lock” is not necessarily going to happen to you just because you consume cannabis.
“We have an epidemic of sedentary lifestyle in this country, and we need new tools to try to get people to move their bodies in ways that are enjoyable,” said senior author Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience and co-director of CU Change. “If cannabis is one of those tools, we need to explore it, keeping in mind both the harms and the benefits.”
An earlier study of cannabis users turned up a massive amount of cannabis users, as Bryan’s researchers revealed 80% of those surveyed use cannabis before or after they exercise. They asked 42 Boulder-based cannabis users and runners about when they consumed and how. They had participants consume cannabis that was high in either CBD or THC. They were then asked both under the influence of cannabis and without using it how they were enjoying their exercise during a light 30-minute run on a treadmill.
It almost doesn’t need explaining—cannabis generally enhances enjoyment of activities we like, and the folks in this study liked running. But interestingly, enjoyment was even greater in the CBD group than the THC group, suggesting some of the enjoyment came from lower pain levels during exercise.
THC users also claimed that the run felt more difficult, though also more enjoyable, and harder in intensity than when they were sober. That also tracks with the way cannabis can enhance average experiences. Bryan also posited it could be because cannabis increases heart rate.
Another study conducted by Bryan and Gibson revealed that runners ran 31 seconds slower high than sober, though they still reported more enjoyment.
“It is pretty clear from our research that cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug,” said Bryan.
Additionally, the latest research shows that only certain people will experience the “runner’s high” phenomenon. Naturally produced brain chemicals called endogenous cannabinoids often kick in after exercise for some folks to make them more euphoric and alert. In other words, cannabis and exercise will work in tandem for a pleasant experience for some, while others might just feel overly tired.
“The reality is, some people will never experience the runner’s high,” Gibson says.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason to safely consume cannabis to enhance a workout. The science behind cannabinoid receptors and the way folks consuming it during the study felt points to the fact that CBD and THC can help produce a euphoric feeling during a short workout or enhance enjoyability or take away soreness during a longer workout.
Of course, one should always be careful when pairing substance use and exercise, even if it’s just cannabis use. Weed can cause dizziness and loss of balance for some, which could make working out under the influence dangerous in the wrong conditions. And based on this data, those looking to train very seriously or participate in competitions may want to avoid cannabis entirely or only use it for recovery.
For those who simply want to enhance the occasional workout, however, or for people who want an added boost to get in the zone and enjoy moving their bodies, this could be just the ticket.
Bryan specifically underscores how powerful this discovery could be for folks who struggle with motivation for exercise or find it painful. For those people, finding something that makes exercise pleasant and inviting would be a game-changer.
“Is there a world where taking a low-dose gummy before they go for that walk might help? It’s too early to make broad recommendations but it’s worth exploring,” she concludes.
So next time you struggle with motivation to up and move, remember, healthy cannabis consumption might help you go the extra mile—but you probably won’t do it at a record-breaking speed.
With his confidence and his aphorisms, to say nothing of his coaching skills, Deion Sanders has led the University of Colorado football program to a 3-0 record and a top 20 ranking.
Just weeks into his first season at the helm in Boulder, Sanders, known as “Prime Time” when he played in the NFL — and MLB — and now called “Coach Prime,” has already made his Buffaloes the most talked-about team in college football.
Colorado was 1-11 last season, good for last place in its conference.
Last weekend’s game in Boulder, against in-state rival Colorado State, drew 9.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched late-night college football game ever on ESPN DIS, -1.55%.
It also attracted star power to Boulder, with rappers Lil Wayne and Offset, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and NBA players Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard on hand.
The success and the publicity are making many people in Sanders’s orbit wealthy.
Colorado’s top three NIL — or name, image and likeness — earners this season are coach Sanders’s sons Shedeur and Shilo, and Travis Hunter. All three players transferred to Colorado from Jackson State last season, an HBCU.
His top players have cashed in on newfound fame with NIL deals to the tune of millions of dollars.
Perhaps most notable among them is his son, junior quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The 21-year old made headlines after throwing for 510 yards and four touchdowns in Colorado’s season-opening shocker against No. 17–ranked Texas Christian. Since then, he’s thrown six more touchdown passes in two further victories.
The quarterback has more than 2 million followers on social media and has already inked several deals with big brands, including with yogurt producer Oikos DANOY, -0.84%,
Gatorade PEP, +0.21%
and Mercedes-Benz MBG, -0.15%
Through his stellar play, Shedeur attracted the attention of another noted quarterback, Tom Brady, who inked the dynamic collegian to an endorsement deal with his clothing company, Brandy Brand, last October.
“I think he needs to get his a— in the film room and spend as much time in there as possible,” Brady joked with the young quarterback during a recent recording of his podcast, “Let’s Go.”
Overall, Shedeur Sanders has an NIL value of approximately $5.1 million, according to On3’s proprietary NIL algorithm, up from $1.5 million at the beginning of the year — that’s the highest value in all of college football. On3’s algorithm considers NIL-deal data, performance, influence and exposure.
While Shedeur Sanders is the headliner at Colorado, he’s not alone in mining the NIL vein. Travis Hunter, a five-star sophomore prospect, has an On3 NIL valuation of $2.2 million, the fourth highest among all college football players. Hunter’s NIL value was $1.7 million at the beginning of the year.
Hunter plays wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense, a rarity in a high-level college program. He has 1.8 million followers on social media, a successful YouTube GOOG, +0.23%
GOOGL, +0.18%
channel, and endorsements with Celsius Energy Drink and 7-Eleven.
Hunter entered this season as the most highly touted NFL prospect at Colorado, and Deion Sanders contends rival schools have attempted to poach him via lucrative NIL deals.
“People offered Travis Hunter a bag — about $1.5 million to try to lure him and buy him out of the transfer portal,” coach Sanders told 247Sports over the summer. “But Travis is not the kind of guy that can be bought. He isn’t built like that. Travis is a relational young man that is built on relationships and stability. And that’s what he wanted and desired. That is why he decided to ride and stay with us.”
Sanders’s other son on the team, Shilo, is also a top NIL earner. A senior defensive back who took an interception 80 yards and into the end zone during the Buffaloes’ win over Colorado State, Shilo’s NIL value, per On3, sits at $719,000. He has NIL deals with Porsche DRPRY, +0.10%
The NCAA started allowing college athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses in 2021, ending a years-long crusade by student athletes. Football has been the college sport attracting the most NIL deals, followed by men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s basketball, according to NIL platform Opendorse.
“NIL money, that’s a real part of college football now,” former University of Colorado and NFL football player Tyler Polumbus told CBS shortly after Sanders took the coaching job at Colorado. “I never thought that Colorado would be able to live in that world and compete in that world, but with Deion Sanders it becomes a whole new land of opportunity.”
Sanders, the coach, is getting paid, too, of course.
In addition to the $33.5 million he made while playing in the NFL (to say nothing of the nine big-league baseball seasons in which he was an active player), coach Sanders is on a five-year contract with the University of Colorado worth $29.5 million, as reported by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, with various escalators tied to performance.
If Sanders continues to have success at Colorado, he’s likely to field even richer offers from bigger-time football schools. At Jackson State, his salary reportedly was just $300,000.
The wealth coming to Sanders and his top players, including his own offspring, is also accruing to the school and brands attached to “Coach Prime.”
The university has sold out all home games on the current schedule — a first in program history — and he’s selling tens of thousands of $67 “Prime 21” sunglasses, which won’t ship until December. He’s also helping sell merchandise at Colorado’s bookstore — it’s up 819% this fall vs. 2022 — and several varieties of Colorado-themed Prime gear are sold out at Nike’s NKE, -0.86%
online store.
Also on Sanders’s radar: trademarks. The six-time NFL All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer has filed for trademarks on “Coach Prime,” “Prime Effect,” “Daddy Buck” and “It’s Personal,” according to attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben Intellectual Property.
Colorado plays at the University of Oregon on Saturday afternoon. The Ducks are ranked No. 10, while Sanders’s Buffaloes, unranked in the preseason, have climbed to No. 19.
Oregon is a 21-point favorite, according to DraftKings oddsmakers, but 81% of all bets have been placed on Colorado.
Seventeen-year-old American cyclist Magnus White, who was scheduled to race at the upcoming world championships in Scotland, was killed Saturday when he was struck by a vehicle on a training ride near his home in Boulder, Colorado.
White was a rising multidisciplinary star, winning a junior national championship in cyclocross in 2021 and earning a place on the U.S. national team. He competed with the team in Europe ahead of last year’s cyclocross world championships, and he was picked to represent the U.S. again at this year’s cyclocross worlds in the Netherlands.
White began to dabble in road cycling and mountain biking this season. He was on one of his final training rides before the junior world mountain bike championships in Glasgow, Scotland, when the accident occurred.
He is survived by his parents, Michael and Jill, and his brother, Eero.
“He was a rising star in the off-road cycling scene and his passion for cycling was evident through his racing and camaraderie with his teammates and local community,” USA Cycling said in a statement. “We offer our heartfelt condolences to the White family, his teammates, friends, and the Boulder community during this incredibly difficult time.”
It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the news that 17-year-old Magnus White has passed away in a training accident.
A GoFundMe set up for White had raised over $60,000 as of Monday morning.
The incident marks the latest death in a recent flurry of crashes involving young cyclists.
Just last week, 17-year-old Italian cyclist Jacopo Venzo died after a crash during a race in Austria, the BBC reported. Earlier this month, a teen cyclist was killed in a crash at a ski resort in British Columbia, Canada, the CBC reported.
In June, Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder died after crashing and falling down a ravine during a descent at the Tour de Suisse.
In February, 18-year-old Spanish cyclist Estela Dominguez died after she was hit by a truck while training.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — New rules that require owners to register stabilizing braces for firearms will stay in place after the Senate rejected a Republican effort on Thursday to overturn them.
President Joe Biden had promised to veto the resolution overturning the rules if it had passed. In January, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finalized the new regulations on pistols with stabilizing braces, also called pistol braces, that require owners to register them and pay a fee or remove the braces. The agency found the accessories can make pistols as dangerously powerful and easy to conceal as short-barreled rifles or sawed-off shotguns.
The Senate voted 50-49 to reject the resolution, with all Democrats voting against it and all Republicans voting for it. The Republican-led House had passed the resolution earlier this month.
Republicans argue that the braces are needed for Americans who have disabilities to be able to shoot guns with one hand. Sen. John Kennedy, the Louisiana Republican who sponsored the resolution, said he believes the regulations are a “backdoor way to subject pistols to more smothering regulations” and create a national gun registry.
Democrats said that the country needs more gun regulations, not fewer, as mass shootings proliferate.
The GOP effort to overturn the rule was “outrageous and it is completely removed from the conversation that families and kids are having all across the country,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., ahead of the vote.
The new rule is also being challenged in several lawsuits by gun owners and state attorneys general who say it violates the Second Amendment by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs.
Biden mentioned the rule in a speech last week as he urged tougher gun restrictions around the country. This month marks the one-year anniversary of legislation passed by Congress that toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers, sought to keep firearms from domestic violence offenders and aimed to help states put in place red flag laws that make it easier to take weapons away from people judged to be dangerous.
Biden noted that the pistol brace rule is one of several steps his administration has taken to try and curb gun violence.
The braces are essentially turning a gun into a short-barreled rifle, he said, “which has been a weapon of choice by a number of mass shooters.”
Morning sun against the foothills of Boulder Colorado business area and campus.
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Like many cities across the American West, the origins of Boulder, Colorado, can be traced back to the gleam of gold. In the winter of 1859, the town was settled by a group of prospectors hoping to strike it rich in the rivers and streams that stretch across the mountainous landscape.
By 1877, a number of small businesses had popped up along Pearl Street and the township had established a small college for a handful of students—the University of Colorado Boulder.
The arrival of corporate offices for tech giants like Google, Apple and Amazon has pushed the wealth … [+] profile of the area.
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Although today those feed stores and saloons have now been replaced by galleries and gourmet restaurants, the university’s student body has grown to over 30,000 and you’d be hard-pressed to find a local prospector, much of Boulder has remained unscathed by modern development.
With 45,000 acres of protected open space—the largest per capita in the country—and long-standing slow-growth policies that have contained urban sprawl, Boulder has built a reputation as a world-class destination for outdoor recreation and one of the best places to live in the nation.
A trailer in a workspace at the Google campus in Boulder.
Denver Post via Getty Images
Such a reputation has drawn the attention of many out-of-state buyers looking to get closer to nature. Pair that with the arrival of corporate offices for tech giants like Google, Apple and Amazon, and the wealth profile for prospective buyers has continued to grow, pushing the luxury real estate market to new heights.
“In 2021, prices appreciated 19% and then 2022 was gangbusters,” says Marybeth Emerson of Slifer Smith & Frampton, whose recent sale of a $13 million mansion broke the record sale price for a residence in Boulder County. “This year, the ultra-luxury side—I’m going to call that $5 to $10 million— has been an extremely strong segment.”
Regardless of rising real estate prices, Emerson says the community has remained committed to preserving its green spaces and the Boulder lifestyle.
Located in the Newlands neighborhood of Boulder, this 1940s home has been extensively reimagined but … [+] still retains its original stone facade.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
Homes in Boulder
Having over 150 years of township means that Boulder is supplied with its fair share of historical homes. Thanks to their seniority, many older properties are located in desirable neighborhoods, like Mapleton Hill, Chautauqua and Old North Boulder.
Although a number of restrictions have been placed on development, new construction homes still pop up on the market every so often. These modern products are often outfitted with top-of-the-line amenities, including retractable walls of glass for indoor-outdoor living, spas and saunas and home automation systems.
Architectural styles are varied, however, a thorough line of natural accents, particularly stone, can be seen in a majority of homes, reflecting the Boulder landscape. With flat irons and mountain crests all around, a premium is placed upon windows and outdoor spaces to maximize scenic views.
Custom properties in choice neighborhoods come at a premium. This estate in Boulder’s foothills is … [+] listed for sale at $3.75 million.
At that price point, buyers can expect to find three- to four-bedroom detached homes or ultra-luxury condos.
With sizable well-appointed homes found across the city, location is largely what dictates pricing—properties in proximity to parks and hiking trails, along with those featuring exceptional views or elevated positioning make up the highest end of the market.
Overlooking the 17th hole of the golf course at Boulder Country Club.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
The Vibe of Boulder
An outdoor lifestyle and appreciation for nature coupled with the active presence of CU Boulder has given the city a reputation as “granola,” a badge that residents seem to wear with honor.
Events sponsored by the university and open to the public include educational talks, concerts and performances by the world’s leading artistic and scientific minds.
Colorful boutique shops and restaurants line Parl Street Mall in downtown Boulder.
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While the city may often be associated with its natural landmarks, it still offers all the comforts, convenience and culture of an urban setting. Known for its food scene, breweries and nightlife, Boulder embodies the best of the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle, says Emerson.
“The lifestyle here attracts the kind of people who within the same day can wake up at five o’clock in the morning for a hike, go to the office, watch their kid’s soccer game and that night go out with friends for dinner and drinks.”
The University of Colorado Boulder is considered one the best public schools in the country
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Schools in Boulder
Regularly ranked among the top school districts in the state, Boulder Valley School District serves around 30,000 students across 56 schools throughout Boulder County.
The University of Colorado Boulder, known for its extensive research programs, is considered one the best public schools in the country, with such distinguished alumni as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, South Park co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, to name a few.
An elevated city view of Boulder from Flagstaff Mountain.
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Surrounding Boulder
Often considered a suburb of Denver, Boulder resides 25 miles northwest of the state capital.
For skiing enthusiasts, Breckenridge is less than two hours away and Aspen is slightly less than four hours by car.
Denver International Airport, the second-largest airport in the world, serves 25 different airlines to over 215 destinations around the world.
I never pictured myself living in a tiny home, but now I can’t imagine my life without it.
In 2018, my marriage of 18 years ended. I had been living in a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 3,000-square-foot house near Boulder, Colorado with my now ex-husband, our two kids and dogs.
I was ready for a change of scenery. But the houses for sale in my area were out of my budget, so I had to get creative. When I saw a trend of tiny houses on social media, I was immediately intrigued and decided to go for it.
Today, I live in a 520-square-foot house with a modern farmhouse interior, and I have a community of 160,000 followers on Instagram, where I share tips about the tiny house lifestyle.
In 2019, I bought a tiny house shell from a local builder for $45,000. I paid $3,000 for a floorplan that he could work off of.
He gave me a price quote (that ended up being very unrealistic) and told me everything would be done within six to eight months. But eight months later, there was no progress. I knew it was time to move on.
So I reached out to a different builder, MitchCraft Tiny Homes, to take over the project in June 2020. Their estimate was a little higher than my budget, but they seemed knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Me in front of my tiny home on move-in day!
Photo: Jen Gressett
Due to the pandemic, there were supply chain delays and increased cost of materials. And the shell needed a lot of exterior repair work before the builders could finish the inside.
But in January 2021, it was finally ready for me to move into.
Natural light and space for art add harmony and balance.
Photo: Jen Gressett
I spent almost double what I had planned, but it was still significantly less than the traditional houses that I initially looked at.
Overall, it cost me around $175,000 to build the home, which included the prefabricated shell structure, labor and material costs.
To pay for everything, I used the $85,000 I got from the sale of my home (my husband and I split the profits) and a $90,000 loan from a close friend.
I pay $725 a month in housing costs, which covers a parking space (in the backyard of someone’s home, which I found through a local Facebook group), internet, water and electricity.
This is the smallest place I’ve ever lived in. Luckily, I had a great architect who helped maximize storage space.
The wood ceilings and floors give the home continuity and definition.
Photo: Jen Gressett
We installed pull-out cabinets in the kitchen and added lots of hidden compartments in the loft stairs.
Each massive dresser can fit several containers that can easily be stacked and moved around.
Photo: Jen Gressett
To be efficient with space, I have a rule where I don’t buy anything unless I know exactly where I’m going to put it.
I put most of my clothes in the built-in dresser in the bathroom, and hang my sweaters and coats in the storage stairs.
The soaker tub is one of my favorite parts of this tiny home.
Photo: Jen Gressett
The bathroom, which has a soaker tub and washer-dryer, is the crown jewel of my tiny home. The natural light and white finishes make the space feel huge.
I have a waterless composting toilet, which makes it easy to find a parking spot because it doesn’t require a sewer or septic line.
I don’t buy anything unless I know exactly where it is going to live in the house.
I love to cook and entertain, so it was important that my kitchen be the centerpiece of my home. It features quartz countertops and a mix of open shelving and glass front cabinets.
If you have smaller appliances like blenders, mixers or coffee makers, consider downsizing. But if they are must-haves, I suggest measuring each one and figuring out exactly where it’ll sit.
Photo: Jen Gressett
My kitchen counter extends into a round, built-in dining table, where I also do my work as a freelance designer. There’s even a pull-out shelf under the cabinets for my printer.
I have a rounded peninsula table in my kitchen. From a safety standpoint, it eliminates the pointy edges you might hit as you pass through the space.
Photo: Jen Gressett
The sleeping loft is like a little cocoon, especially in the wintertime. My Casper king-sized bed, jersey knit sheets and double duvet inserts make it quite dreamy.
Making the bed takes less than a minute. I just sit up, straighten the pillows, and fluff up the comforter.
Photo: Jen Gressett
My daughter is a college freshman and is commuting for her first year. She lives with me part of the time, and sleeps in the second loft. She’ll be moving in with a roommate this fall, so I’ll be a true empty nester then, but she won’t be far.
Adding windows up high allows me to let sunlight in without sacrificing privacy or valuable wall space.
Photo: Jen Gressett
Your tiny space can be whatever you want it to be. My best advice is to start by asking yourself where you spend most of your time, and focusing on that first.
I never pictured myself living in a tiny home, but now I can’t imagine my life without it.
Photo: Jen Gressett
I could honestly live here forever. It has given me the affordable housing option I needed, plus the luxury I always wanted — a fireplace, soaker tub, quartz countertops and a massive bed.
More importantly, I have the option to move my home wherever and whenever I want. My kids constantly tell me, “Mom, you’re happier than we’ve ever seen you.”
It’s never too late to start a new chapter in your life. I can’t wait to see where mine takes me next.
Jen Gressett is a Colorado-based graphic designer, copywriter, photo stylist and content creator. During her free time, she enjoys trail running, hiking, and training for races. You can find her on Instagram, where she shares her tiny house living experience.
The rare 1-acre estate has set a new high sales price in Boulder, Colorado.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
Forbes Global Properties
When it comes to the world of luxury real estate, closing a deal can be as nuanced as it is cutthroat. Here’s a look at how Boulder’s premier luxury specialist eclipsed the top sale ever recorded in Boulder County, Colorado.
The Who: A longtime resident of Boulder, Marybeth Emerson of Slifer Smith & Frampton is one of the city’s most passionate fans. After falling in love with the central Colorado town during her graduate education at the University of Colorado, the Georgia native planted her roots full time in Boulder, eventually beginning a distinguished career in luxury real estate that has amounted to almost half a billion in total sales. With a diverse resume that includes residential development, tech startup marketing and even creating a successful sports accessories company, Emerson was well-equipped to manage Boulder’s most expensive real estate deal.
The open-concept plan connects dining, food prep and lounging areas.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
The What: Like the closing price of $13 million, the Sunset Boulevard home is unparalleled. Completed in 2001, the six-bedroom, six-bathroom home had recently gone through an almost complete renovation. The result was a modern mansion with top-tier amenities including the addition of an elevator, heated patio and custom copper hot tub and plunge pool. Covering 7,300 square feet, the spacious home is bright and airy thanks to an open floor plan and automated retractable doors. The degree of high-end finishes and fixtures as well as the desirable location quickly attracted buyers with enough capital to afford the listing’s significant price tag, Emerson says. “It has the perfect combination of what ultraluxury buyers are looking for—location, views, space and move-in ready. It checks everybody’s boxes.”
Outdoor features include the expansive deck space with a firepit, pool and spa.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
The Where: Once noted as “Lovers Hill” on city maps, Sunset Hills has grown from an undeveloped parcel of land on the edge of town to one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Boulder in a matter of 70 or so years. The area is known for sizable hillside plots of land and stately homes. The far-reaching views found in this part of town may imply a removed position, but the neighborhood is less than a mile away from Pearl Street, the center of Boulder’s historic downtown and the site of many of the city’s most popular shops and restaurants.
A distinctive amenity is this indoor-outdoor counter.
Slifer Smith & Frampton
The How: This wasn’t the first time Emerson had broken a record in Boulder nor the first time she had facilitated the sale of 1489 Sunset Boulevard. In 2020, Emerson represented the buyers who purchased the home for $7 million, the first to sell for that level at the time. The price tag almost doubling in such a short period of time had a lot to do with the extensive renovations, says Emerson, who added that the increase was also in response to the market in Boulder seeing a considerable influx of money coming in from locales, such as Chicago, New York and California. “People have really been searching for places with a healthy way of living. When they visit Boulder, often because of the university, they want to live here and they’re willing to pay top dollar.” Marketing for the property included a lavish “Selling Sunset” inspired launch party complete with champagne, a red carpet and a McLaren parked outside. After being on the market for only a month, the listing closed at the asking price.
Views take in downtown Boulder and the mountains beyond.
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
The Right Now: Despite a slowdown in the middle of the market, Emerson says that the entry-level and ultraluxe markets have remained steady as a result of low inventory. “People want that Boulder address, so those segments continue to be extremely strong as things get more competitive because of a tight supply.” Emerson adds: “But I think sellers are going to be more realistic this spring with pricing. Pricing is going to reflect the current market instead of what was going on last year when sellers were factoring in appreciation to their listing prices and it wasn’t working.”
Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate is an exclusive member of Forbes Global Properties, a consumer marketplace and membership network of elite brokerages selling the world’s most luxurious homes.
A Trader Joe’s store in Louisville, Kentucky, has become the grocery chain’s third to vote to unionize.
Workers at the store voted 48-36 in favor of the union Thursday evening, according to the National Labor Relations Board, which conducted the election.
Workers from the Louisville store will now join those from two other unionized Trader Joe’s stores at the bargaining table, where they are trying to hammer out a new labor agreement. In July, a Trader Joe’s in Hadley, Massachusetts, was the first in the country to unionize; a store in Minneapolis unionized in August.
The unionization effort at Trader Joe’s comes amid a larger wave of organizing largely led by younger workers. In 2020, a then 31-year-old Chris Smalls organized a walkout to protest the lack of face masks and other COVID-19 gear at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island. Jaz Brisack, a barista who began working at Starbuck in 2020 at the age of 22, helped lead the unionization of a store in downtown Buffalo, New York — the first Starbucks to form a union.
Employees have unionized hundreds of Starbucks stores over the last year, as well as Apple stores and an Amazon warehouse.
In the years since the pandemic, workers have increasingly flexed their muscle to demand better pay and treatment. Last year saw the biggest number of strikes in 15 years, with the ranks of unionized workers swelling by 273,000.
Not all workers on board
But Trader Joe’s United hasn’t convinced workers at every store where it has campaigned. A Trader Joe’s in Brooklyn, New York, voted against unionizing in October. And the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which is also trying to unionize Trader Joe’s stores, withdrew a petition for a union election from a Boulder, Colorado, store after failing to garner enough support.
Connor Hovey, an employee and union organizer in Louisville, said the vote is “a step in the right direction for not only our store, but for the company as a whole.” Workers are seeking higher pay, improved benefits and safer working conditions, among other things.
Trader Joe’s didn’t respond Friday to a message seeking comment on the vote. The company has said in the past that it already offers higher starting pay and better benefits than other grocers.
Monrovia, California-based Trader Joe’s is privately held by the families that also own Aldi Nord, a German grocer. Trader Joe’s operates around 530 stores in the U.S.
BOULDER, Colo. — A man charged with killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket last year is still incompetent to stand trial, a judge ruled Friday, keeping his prosecution on hold.
Court proceedings against Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 23, have been paused since December, when a judge first found him to be mentally incompetent. The rulings mean he is unable to understand legal proceedings or work with his lawyers to defend himself.
Alissa remains at the state mental hospital, where he is receiving treatment, and was not in the Boulder courtroom Friday.
Relatives of those killed sat in the courtroom for the brief hearing while others watched online. District Court Judge Ingrid Bakke said Alissa’s latest evaluation on Oct. 10 showed he that there was a substantial probability that he could be treated to be made competent in the “forseeable future,” echoing an outlook she first shared in March.
When District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the victims’ families were frustrated with the state hospital and the doctors there, Bakke expressed sympathy, noting that there was not much either the defense or prosecution could do as Alissa underwent treatment.
“It understandably is a very frustrating process,” said Bakke, who set another hearing to review Alissa’s condition for Jan. 27.
Alissa is accused of opening fire outside and inside a King Soopers store on March 2021 in the college town of Boulder. He killed customers, workers and a police officer who tried to stop the attack. Alissa surrendered after another officer shot and wounded him, according to authorities.
Investigators have not made public information about why they believe Alissa carried out the attack.
Robert Olds, the uncle of one of the 10 people killed, front-end manager Rikki Olds, said he tends to “build up a wall” before each review hearing to avoid getting his expectations and hopes up. But he said he would keep showing up in his quest to get justice for his niece.
The others killed in the attack were Denny Stong, Neven Stanisic, Tralona Bartkowiak, Teri Leiker, Suzanne Fountain, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters and Eric Talley, who rushed into the store with an initial team of police officers.
Alissa is charged with murder as well as multiple attempted murder counts for endangering the lives of 26 other people.
Alissa’s lawyers have not commented about the allegations. He has not been asked yet to enter a plea.
Reports about his mental health evaluations have not been made public. But court documents that addressed one of them last year said he was provisionally diagnosed with an unspecified mental health condition limiting his ability to “meaningfully converse with others.”
After Friday’s hearing, Dougherty, who said his office has been receiving records on Alissa’s treatment, said he has at times shown improvement but declined to elaborate.
Competency is a different legal issue than a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, which involves whether someone’s mental health prevented them from understanding right from wrong when a crime was committed.
Alissa lived in the nearby suburb of Arvada, where authorities say he passed a background check to legally buy the Ruger AR-556 pistol six days before authorities say he used it in the shooting.
