Daily Briefings (pre-Feb. 15)

News items from local media, and some not so local, about Boulder

| Feb 14, 2010

For more recent Daily Briefing items, go to the new Index Page, which replaces this page

Sunday, Feb. 14

GUILTY MURDER PLEA: A tearful Tracy Housman, accused of fatally stabbing her husband in their Boulder home last Aug. 2, pled guilty in a Boulder courtroom Friday, the Daily Camera reported Saturday. Read it in Daily Camera

POT GROWER STILL PERPLEXED: The marijuana grower arrested Friday in Highlands Ranch by DEA agents is being held in jail, and may face formal federal charges Tuesday. He told 9news.com Saturdy he ran his business openly, and permitted a TV crew to shoot him, because he thought his activities were perfectly legal. Read it on 9news.com

Saturday, Feb. 13

MEDICAL MARIJUANA RESTRICTIONS COMING? The City of Boulder may impose a variety of restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries, including licenses, insurance and limited hours of operation, Heath Urie reported in the Daily Camera Friday. Read it in Daily Camera.

THAI RESTAURANT OWNER INDICTED The owner of several Thai and Japanese restaurants in Boulder and Broomfield, including Sumida’s, Siamese Plate and Siamese Plate On-the-Go, was indicted for a variety of alleged violations of employment and tax laws, the Daily Camera reported Friday. Read it in Daily Camera

Friday, Feb. 12

RAVES FOR BEAVER CREEK SKIING: The ski-area reviewer at Boulder Weekly enthuses about Vail’s down-the-road neighbor: 149 runs, diverse terrain, crowds so sparse that “you feel like you’re skiing on a private mountain.” Read it in Boulder Weekly

“GREEN GARAGE” STARTUP UNVEILED: Green Garage, a planned chain of eco-friendly auto service centers, has opened offices on Pearl St. Its concept includes “greener” parts and fluids — and even valet service, Boulder County Business Report said Thursday. Not reported but we heard: heavy-hitter investors are involved. READ IT IN BCBR

MICRO-DISTILLERY MOVING TO BOULDER: Also in BCBR Thursday, Roundhouse Spirits, a micro-distillery that produces a smooth gin and a coffee liqueur, will move from Longmont into 4,700 square feet on Western Ave. in Boulder. READ IT IN BCBR

Thursday, Feb. 11

CONOCO BUILDING PLANS DRAW CONCERN Louisville residents are concerned by plans of ConocoPhillips for buildings on its planned R&D and training campus, on the former StorageTek site, that exceed height limits, the Camera reports Thursday. Read it in Daily Camera.Thursday, Feb. 11

POLICE INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE SEXUAL ASSAULT Police are investigating an alleged sexual assault by an intruder who visited a college-age girl and her boyfriend early Thursday morning, Boulder police said. READ IT ON CITY WEBSITE

Wednesday, Feb. 10

SCHOOL LUNCH SALES DRAGGING Ann Cooper, the nutrition expert at Boulder Valley Schools, is turning to taste-testing to improve recipes and sell more hot food to kids, the Camera reported Wednesday. Read it in Daily Camera.

POLIS RAISES FUNDS FOR DEM COLLEAGUES Rep. Jared Polis is helping his fellow freshman Democrats with fundraising efforts unprecedented for a new Congressman, the Post and Camera reported in identical stories Tuesday. Read it in Denver Post

MEADOWS SHOPPING CENTER SOLD A Honolulu firm has bought the Meadows Shopping Center at Foothills Parkway and Baseline for $31 million, the Boulder County Business Report said Tuesday. Read it in BCBR

Tuesday, Feb. 9

MEDIANEWS GROUP TO TEST PAID ONLINE CONTENT: The Denver-based publisher of the Denver Post and Daily Camera will test charging online readers of two of its newspapers for “premium” content such as columns and investigative reporting, reports the Denver Business Journal. The test begins in May at papers in NY and Calif. Read it in Denver Business Journal.

NEW HOPE PARENT GOES CHAPTER 11: Penton Media, owners of Boulder-based New Hope Media, will refinance through a “pre-packaged” Chapter 11 filing designed to “eliminate” some $270 million it owes creditors, it was reported. Penton is owned by two private equity companies. Read it in BtoB Online

MAYDAY CALL: More details are emerging about Saturday’s plane crash. It’s been learned the glider pilot made a “Mayday” call as the horrific crash unfolded. Read it in Daily Camera.

BRRR: Front Range weather started the week snowy and cold. A warmup, to about 30, is underway today. Read it in the Denver Post.

Monday, Feb. 8

THREE CRASH VICTIMS IDENTIFIED: Two brothers — one from Boulder — and a 25-year-old pilot were officially identified Sunday as the fatalities in Saturday afternoon’s plane crash just north of Boulder. Read it in Denver Post.

FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS: The Boulder International Film Festival runs this Thursday through Sunday. Daily Camera highlights most promising films, has video highlights of some. Read it in the Camera.

Sunday, Feb. 7

PLANE CRASH KILLS THREE: A Saturday afternoon plane crash between a 4-seater private plane and a second plane towing a glider from Boulder Municipal Airport killed three early Saturday afternoon. An explosion was heard in large parts of Boulder, and fiery debris rained to the ground in an area north of the intersection of Broadway and US 36. Read it in Daily Camera; read it on 9new.com.

SMART GRID COSTS ESCALATE: Unexpectedly high construction costs have driven up Xcel Energy’s cost to build its prototype SmartGridCity energy management system in Boulder from $15 million to over $40 million, the Camera reported Sunday. Much of the cost will be passed along to Xcel customers. Read it in the Camera.

Saturday, Feb. 6

EDUCATION SPENDING CUTS: Revised estimate says state spending for K-12 education in next school year will be cut by 7 percent, or $431 million, warns Colorado Independent Friday. Read it in Colorado Independent

ROMANOFF GAINS IN POLL: In new public opinion poll released Friday, Democratic Party primary challenger Michael Romanoff trails Republican Jane Norton by only 7 percent, incumbent Bennet trails her by 14 points, the website Squarestate.net reported Friday. Read it on Squarestate

MARKEY TAKES ON MEDICAL INSURERS: Rep. Betsey Markey from our neighborhing 4th Congressional District will introduce legislation next week to repeal anti-trust exemption enjoyed by health insurance companies. Read it on her website

Friday, Feb. 5

HUMAN SERVICE CUTBACKS: Boulder County will experience a $4.5 million shortfall in its budget for providing essential human services. Layoffs, early retirements coming in two departments, the Camera reports Friday. Read it in Daily Camera

SMOKIN’ BUSINESS: A very thorough treatment of medical marijuana appeared in the Winter/Spring issue of Boulder Magazine, written by Geof Wollerman. Interviews with patients, caregivers, growers, officials. Read it in Boulder Magazine

VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS Metroseen has a cool list of places in and around Boulder to take her/him for some romantic coochie-coo on that pink-and-red night. Read it on Metroseen

Thursday, Feb. 4

BOOB TALK Funny and eloquent commentary on the City Council’s nudity debate by Pamela White in Boulder Weekly, focusing on role of Cowles and Morzel, who reminded colleagues that all breasts are created equal. Read it in Boulder Weekly

NO SALE The Daily Camera’s second attempt to sell its building — this time to local landlord-developer Steve Tebo — has fallen through, reports Alicia Wallace in the Camera. Read it in the Camera

LONGMONT LAYOFFS Longmont data-storage company InPhase Technologies Inc. will lay off all 60 employees after it simply ran out of money, the Boulder County Business Report said Thursday. Read it in BCBR