Pouring love on pets who defy the odds

Photos from Dustin Doskocil / Doskophoto

The staff at Longmont Humane Society are ready to love any pet that comes through their door, whether it is a three-legged dog or a cat with no eyes. No pet is turned away, regardless of their disabilities or special care needs. 

“We look at each dog individually,” Lynsey Georgen, the humane society’s Director of Operations told Yellow Scene. She said “We look at each animal’s specific personality and figure out what we can do to make them adoptable, and get them into their forever home.” There are special challenges to consider when planning to adopt or foster a handicapped pet. They might need ongoing physical therapy, daily medicine, or another kind of accommodation. One of the biggest deterrents to taking in an animal with special needs is the financial commitment. Despite this, it can be a rewarding experience that many people choose to do over and over. 

Georgen has a special place in her heart for disabled pets. She said that handicap is her “favorite breed.” She has opened her home to dogs with just one eye, dogs with missing limbs, and multiple deaf dogs. “I fostered a blind puppy that had dwarfism because of overbreeding, and she was a handful,” Georgen shared, “but also, my soul dog.”

Photo credit: Dosko Photography, Dustin Doskocil

When it comes to fostering, there is more stigma around taking in a handicap pet as opposed to one that is seen as healthy, according to Georgen. She said this is likely due to the challenges that already exist for fostering. “Fostering is already so hard and requires so much patience and time,” Georgen said. “I think that when you add on the idea of a handicap, it pushes people away from that just a bit.” But caring for a handicap pet becomes second nature, Georgen said. “I just have a special place in my heart for spending that extra time to make sure they’re given a chance.”

Even when owners are willing and able to give a special needs pet the accommodations they need, the financial commitment is still a major factor. The potential cost is one of the main considerations that Dr. Danyel Wynn, the owner of Walking Paws Rehab, wants potential adopters to keep in mind. There are resources for mitigating costs, such as pet insurance, but adopting a disabled pet is still a long-term financial commitment. This is especially true of animals that require ongoing physical therapy. 

“It takes time,” Dr. Wynn told Yellow Scene. “It’s not a quick fix. It’s not an instant moment where a dog is healed. It really does take a commitment of doing the physical therapy, doing these exercises, and helping that dog get healed again.”

There are other resources that can potentially help mitigate costs and challenges, such as specialized nonprofits. Handicapped Pets Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of disabled dogs and cats. They donate new or reconditioned pet wheelchairs to low income families in need. Nearly every month, over 100 applications come in. 

“We respond to all of them, and we award ten to twenty wheelchairs to families each month,” Rachel Shields, the Foundation’s Executive Director told Yellow Scene. To date they have donated over 120 used wheelchairs and nearly 600 new wheelchairs.

In her time at Longmont Humane Society, Georgen noticed that some disabilities “tug at the heart strings” and make it more likely for those pets to be adopted. She has seen dogs that are blind and deaf get the same attention as any other dog, and sometimes they are even adopted quicker.

Georgen said that caring for disabled pets is not as big of a deal as it seems. “Don’t look at it as a barrier,” she said. “It’s just a unique piece of the animal that’s part of their personality, and they almost always will accommodate for their disability in other ways. My one-eyed dog, who has very poor eyesight in her other eye, makes up for it by having an incredible sense of smell. She’s kind of a licker because she’s finding out her environment through her other senses. I think a lot of time, they make up for it in other ways.” 

Photo credit: Dosko Photography, Dustin Doskocil

A New Sense of Purpose

Dr. Wynn established Walking Paws Rehab to transition out of general practice and into rehabilitation work with animals. The idea for the clinic came from a strong interest in working with injuries. She said that she’s able to do work she feels good about.

“When we would cry in general practice, it was often because of a euthanasia, or a sad moment,” Dr. Wynn explained. “But in physical therapy when we cry, it’s because of a lot of hard work and reward.”

Working with patients at the clinic, Dr. Wynn has seen animals go from fully paralyzed to regaining the ability to walk. When she opened Walking Paws, she wasn’t sure if there was a need for that type of veterinary practice in the area. It didn’t take long for her to see just how much of a need there was.

Dr. Wynn vividly remembers one early patient that helped her believe in the work she could do.

“She fractured her back limb when she was a puppy and was placed in a cast by the primary vet,” Dr. Wynn said. “Unfortunately,  she was left in that cast for a couple of months, and she continued to grow. When they got to the point of taking the cast off, her limb was atrophied.”

The back leg was left unstable and nonfunctional. Multiple orthopedic surgeons in the Fort Collins and Denver area recommended the owners have the limb amputated, Dr. Wynn shared. They turned to Walking Paws Rehab for another option, and they found one. The clinic’s team used a custom brace and physical therapy to save the limb and restore function. In the end, the puppy was able to walk again without the help of a brace.

“It’s amazing when you have a dog that is completely paralyzed, and is given a poor prognosis of never being able to walk again, when euthanasia is on the table and recommended, and then we defy all the odds,” Dr. Wynn shared. 

Photo credit: Dosko Photography, Dustin Doskocil

“A Complete 180”

Shields found Handicapped Pets after her senior dog Squirtle passed away. He used a wheelchair for the last year of his life. “Once I put him in the wheelchair, it was like a complete one-eighty,” she said. “He could get around like he used to. He had to be supervised in the wheelchair because he could flip himself over because he would get excited and try to go very fast.” Squirtle used the chair until he passed away. 

“It really extended his life because I wouldn’t have been able to keep him in the condition that he was in without his wheelchair, because he wasn’t happy being immobile.”

When Squirtle passed, Shields wanted to find a way to donate his wheelchair to another animal in need. Shields was grateful that she was able to buy the chair when she needed it, and she knew there were plenty of pet parents who would not have been able to.

This led her on a search to find a way to donate it. Shields found Handicapped Pets Foundation and they helped her chair get to another dog in need, Paco. She was sent pictures of Paco in the chair and loved getting to see him enjoy it.

Photo credit: Dosko Photography, Dustin Doskocil

Around this time, the foundation was looking for board members, and Shields, who has a background as an attorney, put herself in the running. Handicapped Pets is located in New Hampshire, but they work with families around the globe which their testimonials, or “happy tails,” attest to. Anyone can fill out the application on their website and feel confident that a team member will review it. They accept donated pet wheelchairs too but rather than have donated chairs sent to the foundation, they work with donors to send them straight to the family. 

Shields believes the cost can be a major challenge for many families with disabled pets, and the foundation wants to help offset some of that burden. “I think the biggest hurdle for a lot of people is just the cost that’s associated with helping a pet that has mobility issues,” Shields said.  “A huge stigma is that it can be more challenging having a dog with mobility needs, but they’re just like a normal dog once they’re able to get around.”

Walking Paws also has an expanded reach. They work with several animal rescues that take in handicapped pets, Dr. Wynn shared. Sometimes the clinic can offer the work pro-bono in order to get an animal healthy again. The rescues play a major part in caring for the disabled pets they take in and giving them their best chance at getting adopted. 

The Right Path is Not Always Easy

Disabled dogs and cats are, for the most part, just like other pets, according to Shields. “I think sometimes people view them as defective or like they’re suffering if they have mobility issues,” she said. 

While that can be true for some handicapped animals, many just need extra support.  “When we’re able to put them in a wheelchair, they really just have another shot at life and they’re really resilient and happy.” 

A husky using a donated Handicapped Pets Foundation wheelchair

Belle is supported by a donated wheelchair

Adopting or fostering a special needs pet can be a wonderful journey to make, but that doesn’t mean it is for every one. “It’s not necessarily an easy path to go down to adopt a disabled dog,” Dr. Wynn said.

There are multiple factors to consider, such as the extra care they will need and additional medical expenses. Disabled pets will require more care than a pet that is young and healthy. It can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. For many owners, it is one of the most rewarding decisions they make.  

And who knows? You might just meet your soul dog (or cat).

Feature Box: The Story of Coachella

Longmont Humane Society’s current longest stay cat resident is a disabled cat. Coachella, a one year old domestic short hair with tuxedo coloring, has been at the shelter for four months now. She can’t properly walk due to a nervous system condition, and she has trouble making it to her litter box in time. She is FIV positive, and would need to be the only cat in a home. However, she gets along with children of all ages and is trained to walk on a leash. 

Coachella gets extra attention from staff members because of how sweet she is, but Georgen said her special care needs make it harder for her to find a home. Shelter staff hope to see her adopted out as a “shop” cat. The idea is similar to barn cats, but Coachella would need to be indoors. “She needs to be in a situation where she’s going to still get that love and feeling of being inside a home, but maybe the opportunity where her litter box situation isn’t a huge obstacle to overcome,” Georgen said. 

Coachella is given extra attention on the humane society’s social media accounts, and was taken to Longmont’s recent Cat Fest. 

“We’re looking for the best match where she can still be herself and still be successful in a home, and have owners that are understanding and love her anyway,” Georgen said. 

Sidebar:

Owners and rescues alike can use the Disabled Pets Project to find resources for caring for special needs pets. The online directory includes a list of the disabilities found in pets, with descriptions of each. They also have a checklist that highlights important steps for rescues hoping to adopt out disabled pets. For example, they recommend getting three references from potential adopters and doing a home check. In addition, they highlight the importance of considering the pet’s needs and the adopter’s lifestyle.

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The post The Challenges and Rewards of Caring for Disabled Pets appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

On April 6, Weld County Commissioners approved a county code that will define data centers and where they can be developed. The ordinance (2026?01) updates Chapter 23 of Weld County Code by adding language about data centers, and guidelines on where they can be built. While not specific to one data center project, it adds parameters to what future projects can look like. 

The ordinance applies to the entire unincorporated Weld County, and is not specific to one particular site. 

The new code clarifies data centers as, “A building or buildings used to house information technology or telecommunications equipment with which digital information is processed, transferred, and/or stored, with no limitation on peak electrical load.” 

This definition was amended following discussions and public comment during the April 6 Board of Commissioners meeting. 

The code adds that data centers can “include associated ancillary structures, including but not limited to offices, security buildings, cooling water tanks, and backup power systems with a total generation of less than fifty megawatts.”

Commissioners clarified during the board meeting that the 50 watt limitation is just for backup power, and does not limit the total power of the project. 

Several Weld County residents spoke during the public comment to share concerns about the possible impacts of AI data centers. Concerns they pointed out were possible noise pollution, water usage, and electric consumption. Several spoke out and asked the board to pause their decision. 

“Put on the brakes a little bit,” one resident said. 

A Loveland resident highlighted the current drought in Colorado,  as a reason to delay moving forward with the new Code Ordinance. 

“We understand well how precious water is in the world, but especially here in Colorado for our farms and ranchers,” she shared.

Another resident was more blunt in their reservations , “We don’t have the water for these things.”

Weld County Board of Commissioners discuss Code Ordinance 2026-01 with the Department of Planning Services.

A.I. data centers across the country consumed around 17 billion gallons of water in 2023, according to the Association for Cleaning and Facility Solutions. Data centers are projected to be using approximately 68 billion gallons of water by 2028. Globally, they are expected to consume anywhere from 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water in 2027, according to a 2023 study published by Cornell University.

David Eisenbraun, the director of Weld County’s Department of Planning and Development Services, told Yellow Scene Magazine that Colorado is familiar with water scarcity as a semi-arid state. Future developments could utilize dry cooling or closed loop systems, which rely on less water than some of the systems currently being used by data centers. 

“However, we did not choose to mandate or specify a particular type of technology because in the data center world, technology is changing so rapidly, that was something we advised them [the board of commissioners] to not try and dictate,” Eisenbraun said.

As of April 7, over 40% of Weld County was in a severe drought, and around 38% was in an extreme drought. Just under 20% of the county was in a moderate drought. 

Despite the worry some people shared, other residents were in support of the ordinance. One Weld County citizen felt it would “level the playing field,” while another stated the county needs to “keep moving forward.” 

Code Ordinance 2026-01 was approved with a 4-1 vote, following around 3 hours of public comment from more than 25 residents. April 6 was the third reading of the ordinance, and each one included public comment. 

Scott James was the “no” vote. 

The Board of Commissioners first read the code in January. Since that time, board members have investigated data centers already in Colorado, and other parts of the country. They identified what worked well and what didn’t, according to the board members. 

In addition to defining data centers, this ordinance also lays out where they can be built. With approval from a Use by Special Review (USR), they can be built in the I-1 (Light Industrial) zone. Centers can also be built in other Industrial Zone districts after being approved by an administrative Site Plan Review. The Use by Special Reviews are required to hold a public hearing in front of the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners. 

The approved code ordinance also prohibits data centers being built on agricultural land, requires  “Will Serve” letters for electricity, and implements dBA noise regulations. 

Weld County is not the only place in Colorado where residents are vocal about opposing data center developments. 

Tensions are on the rise in Colorado Springs due to a proposed data center near the Garden of the Gods, KOAA News5 reported. The crowd at a recent public forum was large enough to warrant two meetings, with a third one to be scheduled in the future. The debate got heated at times, according to KOAA, as several in attendance were clear about their opposition to the project. 

There are currently more than 50 data centers across 5 markets in Colorado, according to Data Center Map. The markets are Loveland, Walsenberg, Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs. Denver is the largest market, with 46 total data centers. 

In February, Denver City Council announced that they would file a moratorium on new data centers. It will last for several months, if approved, but will not stop current projects. The pause will allow city officials to go over guardrails and review regulations regarding new data center developments in the city, according to Mayor Mike Johnston. Projects that were already permitted or are already underway might be expected to follow any new regulations. 

Eisenbraun told Yellow Scene that the Department of Planning Services is not concerned about the environmental impacts of developing data centers in Weld County.

“We have good state agencies who can regulate the air quality permitting side,” Eisenbraun said. “We have a great county environmental health department who’s very good at managing wastewater, septic permits, things like that.”

Eisenbraun hopes that in the future, residents can see the potential benefits of data centers in Weld County.

“With these data centers being large property tax producers and then low infrastructure impacts, minimal impact on roads and traffic and things like that, I do think people are going to see the benefit of these when they’re done in the correct zone districts and properly mitigated,” he said.

A handful of data center projects have expressed interest in Weld County as a development site, according to Eisenbraun. However, no plans have been approved yet. 

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The post Weld County Adds Data Centers to County Code During Drought appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Employees at Boulder Public Library announced their plans to form a union in September and months later, they are nearing a resolution. The process has been slow, but staff members are hopeful the outcome will restore their collective bargaining rights, and strengthen their voice. If the Boulder Library District grants bargaining rights, it will be voluntarily recognizing the library’s union.  

The campaign to form a union with AFSCME Colorado was announced by library workers in September 2025. Since then, the employees have organized and collected signatures in preparation for the administration’s decision. 

In February, the Boulder Public Library District Board of Trustees tabled a vote on the collective bargaining policy, moving the decision to March 10.

Doug Hamilton, a member of the Boulder Public Library District Board of Trustees, spoke to Yellow Scene Magazine ahead of the March 10 board meeting. He did not expect a final vote would be made, especially if the draft policy was amended in any way. 

“They just wanted a union, is what they tell us,” Hamilton said. “They have publicly stated it’s not an issue of pay or benefits, although I’m sure that’s part of it. They said in today’s environment, they want the protection of a union to feel like safer employees.” 

He did not see any potential downsides to library workers being unionized. He also notes that he views union’s formation as not motivated by intense grievances or poor working conditions.

“The library board has attempted to, and always, tried to make the library an employer of choice. That’s been our goal since the district was formed,” Hamilton said. “I believe our library staff is some of the highest paid, and has some of the best benefits, of all library workers in the state. We have a genuine respect and admiration for the library staff. We are just trying to maintain a great relationship with them and with their union representative.”

Hamilton added that the board also wants to act in the best interest of the library district. He is hopeful that moving forward, library workers and board members will continue working together with mutual respect. 

The shift to a library district model fundamentally altered the professional landscape for Boulder’s library staff. Previously, as city employees, workers held collective bargaining rights; however, the separation transitioned them to at-will status. For many, like custodian Michael Serrano, unionizing is about reclaiming that lost leverage.

What that reclaiming that leverage would look likes is a different for every worker.

For Serrano having a union is important “restores our voice and a seat at the table” regarding decisions that directly impact the essential services provided to the community.

AFSCME notes that many employees want the job security that a union will provide.

And for employees like volunteer program coordinator Christine Burke, the move is an effort to “democratize” the workplace. Burke has emphasized that protecting the library’s future requires protecting its workers first. This sentiment is echoed in the union’s primary objectives, which focus on increasing worker retention, fostering better communication with administration, and maintaining a legacy of inclusion as the District grows.

To guide future discussions, the Boulder Public Library District has drafted a Collective Bargaining Policy built on five core principles: Good Faith, Mission Alignment, Continuity of Service, Fiscal Sustainability, and Equity & Inclusion. This framework aims to ensure that services remain uninterrupted and negotiations remain unbiased.

Under the current draft, the district will negotiate on:

• Wages and salaries

• Working conditions and benefits

• Evaluation and grievance procedures

However, certain operational elements, such as budget adoption, hours of operation, and organizational structure, will remain outside the scope of bargaining. To ensure the policy remains relevant, it will undergo a formal review every three years.

The energy for unionization was palpable at the March 10 board meeting, where staff and community members, many sporting AFSCME shirts, urged the board to refine the current policy. Key suggestions included expanding the union to include IT and finance departments and establishing a formal process for resolving negotiation deadlocks.

While a final vote was not held in March, the board is currently revising the draft to include potential amendments. Both board members and staff agreed that a special session was unnecessary, opting instead to hold the decisive vote on the collective bargaining policy during the April 21 meeting.

The post Boulder Library Workers Want to Unionize appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When Boulder created its Police Oversight Panel, the goal was to increase transparency and involve the community in police accountability. That mission may now be shifting. The city is, once again, implementing a change that gives the police monitor, not the panel, the power to decide which misconduct cases are reviewed.

Under the current process, the monitor summarizes every misconduct case for the 11-person panel. That structure was central to how the panel was envisioned, and its potential rollback has raised concerns among Boulder residents, including current panel members.

The change dominated the discussion at the panel’s Nov. 10 meeting.

Activist lawyer Darren O’Connor told Yellow Scene Magazine the city’s decision is a “slap in the face” to the community. The oversight panel, he said, was designed to be representative of Boulder and to amplify voices traditionally marginalized in policing discussions.

Under the new system, the police monitor and the police department’s Professional Standards Unit would determine whether complaints are unfounded or warrant panel review. If both agree a complaint is unfounded, it will not reach the panel. The Chief of Police will still have final authority over misconduct outcomes.

“It makes opaque a process that was supposed to bring transparency to police interactions with the community,” O’Connor said.

Although the police monitor is described as independent, O’Connor argues that is misleading.
“She answers to the city manager,” he said. “The city manager is her boss. The city manager appoints her.”

Members of Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel meet on Nov. 10 during a public session.

Current monitor Sherry Daun attended the Nov. 10 meeting and defended the changes. She said the shift will allow limited resources to focus on the most serious allegations, which she believes benefit most from panel oversight. The revision, she noted, was made on the advice of the city attorney.

Daun said streamlining the process will help cases move more quickly. Several matters recently reviewed by the panel were already more than a year old.

“The panel remains a cornerstone of Boulder’s police oversight system,” Daun told members. “Your work brings the community voice, independent scrutiny, and accountability. That has not changed.”

But O’Connor sees the move differently. The panel, he said, “did not have much teeth to begin with,” and the policy change will weaken it further.

“They’re basically trying to make it go from fairly toothless to leaving the police oversight panel with nothing but gums to chew on the scraps that the police monitor turns over to them,” he said.

The panel may bring in an independent attorney to review the change, but the city would select that attorney—another reason O’Connor doubts POP will be able to reverse the decision.

He called the city’s move disappointing but not surprising, describing it as consistent with how Boulder has historically responded to criticism of its police department.

O’Connor hopes the community will take notice of the shift and push back.

The ones who dared to fight City Hall.

 When Boulder denied public access to police body-cam footage, we took it to court. Our fight for transparency is now before the Colorado Supreme Court — because accountability doesn’t stop at the city line.

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The post Boulder Police Oversight Panel Faces Major Cut to Its Authority appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As Broomfield Colorado’s local election, grinds to an end, a mysterious Independent Expenditure Committee is in the spotlight, because no one can say for sure where the money is coming from. The committee, Silent Majority Speaks, funneled close to $40,000 into a controversial campaign, distributed via door hangers and mailers, but there is little known about who is footing the bill. This influx in spending is unusual in Broomfield’s typically small-scale elections. 

Most of Broomfield’s candidates have spent a fraction of that, according to Ward 5 candidate Todd Cohen.  That level of spending is significant for a city the size of Broomfield, where most council candidates typically report campaign totals under $5,000.

The Colorado Secretary of State website describes an IEC as “one or more persons who make independent expenditures in an aggregate amount in excess of one thousand dollars, or that collect in excess of $1,000 from one or more persons for the purpose of making an independent expenditure.”

The SMS campaign featured images of Mayor Castriotta, Ward 2 candidate Austin Ward, and Cohen, Broomfield Enterprise reported. It began in mid-October, just a few weeks before Broomfield’s election. 

The SMS campaign featured caricatures of Mayor Castriotta and other council members on its mailers, along with several inaccurate claims, according to the Broomfield Enterprise. One of those claims alleged that, under Castriotta’s leadership, council members were recalled for supporting homeless camps. In reality, Cohen said, no successful recalls occurred. Council members, including Todd Cohen, had voted to provide hotel vouchers for unhoused residents rather than sanction encampments, the Daily Camera reported.

Silent Majority Speaks is an IEC that was registered during Broomfield’s most recent election cycle. This is the first Broomfield election that SMS has been active in, according to Cohen. 

According to filings with the Colorado Secretary of State, Silent Majority Speaks registered as an Independent Expenditure Committee on September 26, 2025. The reports list expenditures but no identifiable individual donors, leaving the true funding sources undisclosed.

Beyond its state registration, Silent Majority Speaks has no visible website or public contact information, aside from an email address listed on its filing. Its social-media activity appears limited, and no additional officers or members are named in state records.

Many of the claims made by SMS are inaccurate, Cohen told Yellow Scene Magazine.

There is confusion about who exactly is behind Silent Majority Speaks, but the name Stacey Casteel is listed under registered agent. 

The committee’s registration form claims the point of Silent Majority Speaks is “to educate and inform voters about candidates whose policies impact our everyday lives. To support and oppose candidates, and bring accountability.” 

SMS registered as an IEC committee in the last half of September 2025. Their first expenditure form was filed at the start of October.  Despite having a name listed as a registered agent, the money coming from Silent Majority Speaks is, more or less, anonymous. 

Cohen told Yellow Scene Magazine that there is speculation Silent Majority Speaks was established in response to new campaign contribution limits. These limits are intended to even the playing field of local elections by preventing one candidate from becoming the dominant voice. 

Cohen believes the actions taken by SMS are a violation of campaign guidelines.

He added that the nature of the committee’s recent campaign was “dark,” and “sleazy.”

“It’s not in the style that people are accustomed to in Broomfield,” Cohen said. “You’re talking about your credentials, your experiences, what you can bring to the council versus, dark images.”

He added that the allegations from SMS “have been very sensational and salacious.”

Cohen was not sure about any potential plan that would be enacted if Silent Majority Speaks fails to follow campaign guidelines. He said that would fall to the Secretary of State.

Yellow Scene Magazine reached out to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office about the possibility of Silent Majority Speaks violating the state’s Campaign Finance Integrity and Transparency Act. The agency said it could not comment on potential enforcement actions, and as of publication, no complaint regarding Silent Majority Speaks appears in the public campaign-finance database.

There is also speculation about who exactly is behind the IEC. Their recent campaign appears to be against candidates who might be seen as more progressive.  “People, when they’re anonymous, are not held to account, and don’t have any pressure to be truthful,” Cohen said. He urged Broomfield voters to be aware of the campaign materials they see. They should keep an eye out for who funded the campaign and why. 

He called efforts like the recent attack from SMS “insulting” to voters.  Cohen said “it’s not the nature of our elections” to have such limited donor information made available.

Yellow Scene Magazine reached out to the email provided for Casteel/Silent Majority Speaks, but did not get a response. Casteel did not respond to requests for comment from Broomfield Enterprise either.

Cohen is hopeful there is still time to set the record straight before Broomfield’s next election.

“Hopefully, there’s time to at least clear the air and let people know what’s going on before they cast their votes,” Cohen said.

Silent Majority Speaks has filed two contribution and expenditure forms since registering as an IEC. One form was for over $11,000, and the second form was for over $27,000. The IEC also filed three 48 hour notices leading up to the campaign against Castriotta. These were for funds of $24,460, $11,625, and $5,400. According to the forms filed by SMS, funding went to web hosting, digital advertising/residential flyers, door hangers, and post card mailers. 

Tuesday, November 4 is election day. 

The post Dark Money Shadows Broomfield’s Local Election appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A major Boulder financial powerhouse wants his voice heard in the next city council election, and some worry his influence could test the limits of Boulder’s campaign finance safeguards.

Multi-millionaire Dan Caruso, is venturing into politics with Engage Boulder, a political organization that shares election commentary and candidate analyses through newsletters and online posts. The group describes itself as “providing info to the busy Boulderite who deeply cares about our community and wants to engage in the upcoming Boulder City Council elections.”

In practice, its posts have taken clear positions against two sitting council members up for reelection this year: Lauren Folkerts and Nicole Speer.

In a September 8 post, Engage Boulder urged voters not to reelect Folkerts and Speer, calling them part of an “extreme left.” The post listed bullet points of supposed positions, quotes and paraphrases, without clarifying which candidate said what. Both council members told Yellow Scene that Caruso appeared to conflate them. 

“We do share a lot of values but we vote different on things all the time,” Folkerts said. “To me, it shows a lack of care, or interest, in truth.”

Despite being targeted, Speer and Folkerts did not express much concern over Caruso’s stance.

“Boulder voters are really smart,” Folkerts told Yellow Scene Magazine. “They are pretty discerning in terms of where they get their information, and thinking about if it makes sense to them. This may resonate with some voters, but I think a lot of Boulder residents are not going to feel like their concerns are represented by Dan Caruso.”

Speer echoed this idea, adding that it is the job of campaign candidates to show voters who they are and what they stand for. 

Caruso is not the first to form an independent political group in Boulder. Open Boulder, a civic organization with a more centrist reputation, has also sought to shape the city’s political direction outside formal campaigns, endorsing candidates such as Jenny Robins, Rob Kaplan, Matt Benjamin, and Mark Wallach. Unlike Engage Boulder, which operates as an independent expenditure committee, Open Boulder functions as an unaffiliated candidate committee that discloses all contributions and expenses under city rules. Together, these groups illustrate how civic organizations, regardless of structure, have become powerful players in local politics.

The independent groups can potentially leverage massive amounts of money to wield significant influence. Their posts, endorsements, and ad campaigns often reach more voters and receive less scrutiny than official campaign material. Unlike individual contributions, which are capped and must be disclosed, these organizations face fewer restrictions. They can raise and spend unlimited sums as long as they don’t coordinate directly with candidates. That combination of money and reach creates a space where undisclosed funding, often called dark money, can quietly shape local races.

Dark Money is not a new problem for Boulder. During Colorado’s 2024 primary elections, Boulder Weekly Editor Shay Castle estimated that more than $1 million was floating around local candidates from undisclosed groups.

Whether Caruso’s new platform changes the tone or direction of Boulder’s council races remains to be seen. For now, the city’s regulations appear strong enough to curb major financial interference. But as independent groups multiply and outside spending grows, voters face the ongoing challenge of sifting through curated narratives and undisclosed funding to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

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An earlier version incorrectly stated that Lafayette approved annexation of the Waneka property. The council has only approved the first two procedural steps; final annexation would require a future ordinance vote.

In the unincorporated space of Boulder County sits 78 acres of rural land, a century-old reminder of the region’s agricultural history and the eastern gateway into the city of Lafayette. Silos and a homestead are all that remain of the property’s past as a working farm. Though it now sits vacant, its future could soon change.

The Lafayette City Council has advanced the first two steps of the state’s annexation process for the Waneka property, paving the way for the Gateway Lafayette project, a mixed-use development proposed by the Waneka family in partnership with Kairoi Residential, a Texas-based developer with a regional Denver office. The project would include residential housing, commercial space, and recreational facilities.

Kairoi says it plans to design the development in a way that welcomes residents and visitors while respecting the city’s character. Residential housing would target the “missing middle income segment,” according to annexation materials.

Map of the 78-acre Waneka property in Lafayette (from city documents).

Despite the approval, some Lafayette residents are pushing to preserve the land as open space. Preserve Lafayette, founded by four local volunteers, is among the groups advocating against development.

“We support the Lafayette Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan that identifies this land as a top priority for acquisition as open space,” the group told Yellow Scene Magazine.

The city’s 2019 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan ranked parcels in the eastern gateway among the top priorities for preservation. “This land is the last piece of the puzzle needed to preserve the rural eastern gateway into Lafayette,” Preserve Lafayette said, warning that development would fragment wildlife habitats and shrink the agricultural buffer between Broomfield, Erie, and Lafayette.

Preserve Lafayette has gathered more than 1,100 signatures on its petition, which was presented at city council hearings and to Boulder County Commissioners. More than 40 residents have spoken or submitted written comments in favor of keeping the land as open space, some multiple times. At the May 20 council hearing, about 60 people wore “I Support Open Space” stickers, 20 spoke to the council, and another 20 submitted emails—while only five supported development.

Debbie Wilmont, communications director for the city, said the project is still in its early stages. No other developers have applied, and the plan is on hold until Kairoi submits an updated proposal.

While Kairoi intends to include open space within its development, Preserve Lafayette says the vision sharply diverges from decades of local preservation efforts. If the project moves forward, Lafayette’s eastern gateway would transform from open farmland to a mixed-use community, altering the character of the area and challenging the community’s long-standing vision for conservation.

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The post Waneka Property at Center of Lafayette’s Development Debate appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

When HB25-1040 was signed into law back in March, it expanded the definition of clean energy in Colorado to include nuclear energy. According to the bill, this definition “determines which energy resources may be used by a qualifying retail utility to meet the 2050 clean energy target.” The reaction across the state has been split, with some Coloradans excited for the potential and others worried about possible negative consequences.

Advocacy groups have expressed concern about the health impacts of the uranium mining needed to produce nuclear power and the radioactive waste that is made by these plants. However, other communities are excited about the potential of going nuclear. 

Ben Hemphill, a mechanical engineer with James Fisher Technologies, is a supporter of nuclear energy. He told Yellow Scene Magazine he was surprised but happy to see the bill passed. 

“The mining that’s required to create the fuel isn’t necessarily clean, but that argument could also be made for the mining required for solar panels,” Hemphill said. 

A major advantage of nuclear energy is its zero carbon emissions. Unlike wind and solar, nuclear plants run 24/7, which means nuclear could fill the gaps when renewable sources fall short.

Hemphill shared that one of the biggest challenges is disposing of nuclear waste.

“The disadvantages of nuclear waste is that it all gets contained inside the facility and has to be dealt with,” he said.

This kind of waste is dangerous if exposed to the public, but Hemphill explained there are controls in place to mitigate that risk.

He added that exposure to radioactive waste is always a risk, but argued the advantages of using nuclear energy outweigh it. This is not to say the risks should be ignored by the industry, but Hemphill believes they are being accounted for. 

“Nuclear does have a strong safety culture,” Hemphill said. 

He added that proper regulations are what can give people confidence in using nuclear energy as a clean energy source. 

“I think it’s disingenuous to suggest that nuclear energy is going to help us become a clean energy state by 2040,” Garrett Ryder with Sierra Club Colorado told Yellow Scene Magazine. “In order to build a lot of these nuclear power plants, you’re looking at least a decade of construction and laying the groundwork and ensuring that all of the materials are safe.”

Sierra Club has opposed nuclear energy since the 1970s, instead pushing for other forms of sustainable energy, such as wind and solar power. 

Passing HB25-1040 reflects more of an interest in Colorado’s industries than the people who call it home, according to Ryder. He pointed to the disposal of nuclear waste and the health consequences of uranium mining as some of the biggest concerns Colorado will face with this shift. 

A major concern for Ryder is the lack of guardrails laid out in the legislation. For him, it raises questions about how effectively the state will handle this shift. 

A 2024 study from the National Library of Medicine stated that workers at nuclear power plants and residents living nearby demonstrated a higher risk for cancer and mesothelioma. These results came from researchers analyzing 47 studies, spanning 175 nuclear power plants and 17 countries. Accidents at power plants can cause immediate injury, but the long-term radiation exposure is another factor to consider. 

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy acknowledged the major advantages and challenges of nuclear energy, but did not mention the adverse health impacts. The focus was on the challenges faced by the industry, including high operating costs and the construction of new plants. Public awareness was listed as one challenge, with the Department of Energy noting that the general public sees nuclear power as dangerous.

Colorado Newsline published a commentary piece in July 2025 that highlighted why a shift to nuclear energy is not worth it. Reasons included the high cost, high risk, and long lead times. Solar and wind plants can be constructed in around two years, but it can take about 15 years for a small nuclear plant to be built. The commentary piece also raised concerns that the need for nuclear plants to run 24/7 would work against other clean energy sources. 

Coal-dependent communities across the state, such as Craig, are considering adding nuclear plants to replace the coal mining operations that are shutting down. City officials in Craig expect to lose around 700 jobs due to energy and coal mining plants going offline, CBS News reported. The city is considering the transition due to the possibility of job growth, but officials are not fully sold on the idea yet. 

There are clear advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear energy as a clean energy source in Colorado, but it is still too soon to tell how beneficial the decision might be. Advocacy groups have made strong stances against HB25-1040, while some communities are embracing the shift. It will take time to see what the future of nuclear energy brings to Colorado, but we shouldn’t be celebrating yet. 

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The post It Might Be Too Soon to Celebrate Colorado’s New Clean Energy appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As part of our 25-year celebration, Yellow Scene Magazine wants to share the love by showcasing 25 of the most uniquely Colorado places to propose. Popping the big question is a major milestone in many romantic relationships, and you deserve to do it in an unforgettable place. Colorado is home to plenty of iconic spots to choose from, whether you love the adventurous outdoors, picturesque downtowns, or a relaxing atmosphere. 

1. While fighting for your cause 

Jail might not be the first place you think of proposing, but it was where Ron Booth met his partner of 38 years.

He explains, “The ‘short’ story is that I had been jailed with a 6-month sentence, for an incursion into the Nevada Nuclear Test site to interfere with the first weapons test of 1987.  At the same time, I was taking my “hike” to ground zero, thousands had held a demonstration at the entrance to the NTS.  By the hundreds people were issued tresspass citations which afforded them the options of either paying a $125 fine or spending 6 days in jail.” Booth chose the latter.

This lock-up led to Booth meeting the love of his life while helping serve breakfast:s “ Thirty years later, we’re still by each other’s sides… one important change though, the morning we met, I served her oatmeal…she has never had me make her oatmeal since.”

2. Bring the Whimsy at the Butterfly Pavilion

Imagine asking your beloved to spend your lives together with hundreds of beautiful and protected butterflies as your witness. Or, taking your first engagement photo with Rosie the turanchala, helping to display the ring with her long legs positioned beside the stone. Located in Westminster, the Butterfly Pavilion is more than a place to learn about insects and conservation; it is a place to relax and connect. The gazebo out back, surrounded by flowers and pollinators, could be the perfect place to share in hopes and goals, imagining a life together.

3. Haunted Rooms at The Stanley Hotel

Romance does not have to be dull; in fact, it can be downright spooky. Estes Park is more than just beautiful vistas, it’s the perfect place for paranormal enthusiasts. The Stanley Hotel is one of Colorado’s most famous destinations and has several “haunted” rooms that could provide the backdrop for a one-of-a-kind proposal. Historic rooms are so well-preserved that it will feel like stepping back in time. The Stanley Hotel is even more special if your loved one is a Stephen King fan, as the hotel inspired his book “The Shining.” 

4. The Classic: Chataqua Park 

It would be remiss not to mention the best proposal spots without mentioning the classic, Chataqua Park. That said, a classic need not be cliche. If you and your betrothed are hikers, cruise up to the Royal Arch for a steep and gorgeous overlook. Climbers? Scramble up one of the Boulder Flatirons for an adrenaline-filled commitment.

Of course, you can always keep it classy, enjoying a picnic in the meadow before popping the question with the stunning formations in the background.

5. Garden of the Gods

Smooch your partner below, kissing camels rock walk hand-in-hand down a winding, redened trail. Garden of the Gods might just be one of Colorado’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, and it appears on numerous lists of ‘top romantic stops” in the state. The 480 acres in Colorado Springs is a National Natural Landmark that was established in 1909, and is home to plenty of raw natural beauty. It has provided a stunning getaway for Coloradans for generations and offers plenty of ideal proposal spots. You can pop the question on the 300-degree sandstone rocks, along one of the hiking trails, or in front of a one-of-a-kind dinosaur fossil. 

6. Glen Eyrie Castle

Right next door to the Garden of the Gods is another unique proposal destination: Glen Eyrie Castle. With over 150 years of history, the castle offers plenty of unique spots to pop the question. You can take your loved one to afternoon tea or on a scheduled tour of the grounds. You can even stay overnight in one of the castle’s stunning rooms.

7. Backcountry Skiing or Riding at Loveland

Turn on your beacon and head out for a backcountry tour with your love. Joy Jackson tells her story of her husband proposing twenty-one years ago. “My husband and I went to Loveland Pass to snowboard under a full moon. We hiked in and before we dropped in, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so worried he would drop the ring right in the snow that I remember nothing of what he said. I said yes. He put the ring on my finger. I put my glove back on and we snowboarded out.” 

8. At a music concert or festival

Colorado is home to a lively music scene. Whatever tunes you and your love prefer can be found in a unique venue. From the towering spires at Red Rocks the intimacy of the Bluebird Theater, you can find the perfect setting and soundtrack to propose.

If you want to make a weekend out of it, check out one of the many festivals: travel to Teluride for blues or bluegress, or stay local for some folk or roots, you can spend a weekend dancing and building memories of the day you popped the question.

9. North America’s Tallest Sand Dunes

Colorado is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, and you can use them as a beautiful backdrop for your engagement.  Make a weekend of it and plan to get a campsite in the park, or a permit to backpack through the sandy oasis with the Sangre de Christo mountains looming beside you. If you visit during a new moon, you can enjoy a stunning night sky full of stars. It’s the perfect setting to celebrate such an important romantic milestone.

10. The Gothic Ghost Town

One of the most unique places to visit in Colorado has to be the ghost town called Gothic. It sits near the West Elk Mountains and can be accessed year-round, making it a great proposal spot no matter when you plan to pop the question. 

Slightly to the south, Crested Butte is known to be the wildflower capitol of Colorado. That same fauna is found in the summer, giving the mountainous terrain a colorful and vibrant quality. In the winter, the town is only accessible by ski or snowmobile, making the adventure a little bit more of a remote and intimate adventure.

11. Hot Springs Surrounded by Natural Beauty

If you are after a more relaxing, romantic setting for your proposal, consider dropping by one of Colorado’s many hot springs. Strawberry Park is home to some of the state’s most beautiful hot springs, with plenty of natural beauty to enjoy and rustic accommodations to take advantage of. 

According to U.S. News and World Report, “Steamboat Springs was named for its relaxing hot springs, and some of the city’s best can be found at Strawberry Park Hot Springs.”In the summer, you can spend the day hiking, biking, or enjoying the western town of Steamboat, then stay at the on-site campground to soak in the pools. If it’s winter, why not spend the day sliding down the slopes before warming up with your sweetheart?

12. Horseback at Lost Valley Ranch

If you want a proposal amid the Wild West, then Lost Valley Ranch in Sedalia should be one of your top choices. There are rustic cabins to use as accommodation, and the cost includes delicious meals served in the dining room. While the ranch itself has some beautiful backdrops for your proposal, consider taking your loved one on a romantic horseback riding excursion before you pop the question.

13. Sky High on the Royal Gorge Bridge

For adventurous couples in Colorado, there is no shortage of exciting places to propose. One of the most exciting places to consider would have to be America’s highest suspension bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge. Walk with your loved one up the 1,257 planks and brave popping the question 956 feet over the Arkansas River. The bridge can be enjoyed 365 days a year, but it does close during inclement weather. 

14. Exactly One Mile High

The Colorado State Capitol is home to one of the most unique places in the state, presenting a one-of-a-kind opportunity for proposing. You can get down on one knee on the 13th step of the Capitol Building, and pop the big question exactly one mile above sea level. You can even see an inscription carved into the step to commemorate the measurement. 

Commemorated with a golden, the mile-high mark, it is easy to find, making it the perfect romantic spot for a Colorado enthusiast. If the Capitol steps are not your thing, you can find other mile-high marks at Coors Field, the Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, City Park, and the Denver International Airport.

15. Riding On a Historic Steam Train

All aboard! Take your pick from one of the many classic train rides to pledge your lifelong commitment. Sail through the mountains of Leadville or Georgetown for a high-elevation adventure, or go up-canyon through the Royal Gorge or up Pikes Peak to see some one-of-a-kind sites. Or, if history is your thing, you can hop on the Cumbres and Toltec, which is the longest running train in Colorado.  

Classic to Colorado and the Western United States, trains are a staple in the state, as well as a wonderful way to get cozy and spend time with your loved one. Many of the trains offer meals or drink cars, making it an all-encompassing date.

16. In the Lantern Lights at Cave of the Winds

You can find one of the most unique and beautiful proposal spots right under the Colorado ground. Cave of the Winds offers multiple underground tours, with the most adventurous being their Lantern Lights tour. 

Cave of the Winds offers an array of adventures, depending on how wild you and your love are feeling. If you want to stand in a large, echoing chamber, the general tour will be sufficient. For those feeling more adventurous, there is an option to be led deep underground, crawling around muddy rooms amid rock formations.

17. A One-Horse Open Sleigh

If you plan on proposing in the fall or winter, then a one-horse open sleigh is one of the most romantic settings you can choose. Take your loved one on a unique winter wonderland experience and make your proposal truly unforgettable. Golden Horse Shoe Sleigh Rides offers plenty of sleigh ride options, and some even come with hot cocoa. 

18. For the conservationist: get up close with some animals

Colorado, known for its natural wonder, is home to several conservation areas. Propose to your darling among their favorite creature. 

Just 30 miles northeast of Denver is the Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can walk along an elevated boardwalk, watching large predators: lions, bears, wolves, and more, enjoy the expansive wilderness.

To get a little bit closer to the critters, head to the Denver or Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. A little more expensive, the Denver Zoo holds more animals and exhibits, but the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is more interactive and gives the feeling of being out for a hike.

19. Floating in the Colorado Clouds  

With big, open skies, Colorado is home to several hot air baloon festivals and destination spots. Look no further than the Erie Baloon Festival, held every July, as a spot for romantic inspiration.

“My husband took me on a private hot air balloon ride,something I had dreamed of doing,” Says Katie French and popped the question over the Boulder Res.”

20. Painting with A Twist (And Proposal)

Plenty of the options on this list include outdoor fun, but you can still find a romantic proposal destination indoors. At Painting with A Twist, you can sip wine with your beloved while painting together and enjoying the relaxing ambiance. You can pop the question and create a unique art piece to commemorate the special day. 

21. At the leasing office

Renting in Boulder County is fraught with difficulties. From a lack of housing to high rents, it may seem beneficial to settle down with a permanent roommate. This was Yael Goldfeder’s suspicion when her now husband proposed after two days of being together.

“I will never know if he was serious or if he was just trying to get around the Boulder density laws to get in another roommate.” Though the density laws ended in 2024, they were still prevalent during the courtship. “He subsequently asked a couple more times, several months apart, and when we got ‘officially’ engaged, it was at my friend’s wedding in Mexico, and he made a ring out of a foam party favor because I had said that diamonds may be forever, but styrofoam is really forever.”

22. Find some real treasure while geocaching

Geocaching is an activity practiced among those with a love of orienteering and treasure hunting. Usually, coordinates are given on a website to a shared location, where travelers can leave an item, take an item, and leave another item and a note for the next seeker.

Charisa Davis, who loved spending time outdoors, used her love for adventure to pop the question.“ When it came time for my then-boyfriend, now husband, to propose, he knew exactly where it needed to happen. He was so clever and made it seem like it was my idea. We both happen to have the same day off so I suggested geocaching at the lake!”

“Once we got there and looked at the geocaching options, there was only one that stood out from the rest that seemed to be a Witches and Wizards theme, so I picked it. It was a hot hike in, and I complained the entire time, even suggesting we turn around at one point. Of course I ‘found’ the cache, because inside was the ring of my dreams and a framed picture of us that said ‘will you marry me’ in the borders.”

To set up your own geocaching proposal, you can visit geocaching.com and find a variety of places to set up your treasure hunt.

23. Amid Denver’s Unique Artwork

If you have ever been to the Colorado Convention Center, then you have no doubt laid eyes on the Big Blue Bear statue peering through the window. It has become one of the most recognizable features of downtown architecture, standing at about 40 feet tall. Popping the question under this giant art exhibit is sure to be a unique and unforgettable experience. 

Less into bears and more into giants dancing? Head over to the Denver Performing Arts Center to propose under the towering statues. There are also options for a large dust pan at the Denver Art Museum, a large lumineous dog at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter, and a tower of beans at the Highland Bridge. While they may not scream romance, they do show the humor and fun your future marriage will hold.

24. While purchasing your season ski pass 

Laura Skladzinski explains that she had always gotten the Epic Pass, while her now husband had been a proponent of the Ikon Pass. 

“My now husband proposed last July on a hike in Golden Gate Canyon on my birthday.. He said he had a present for me, and it came with a question. He then handed me a jewelry box. When I opened it, I found an Ikon Pass.” 

Instead of asking for her hand, she asked if she would be his ski partner, specifically at the Ikon held mountains.

“I said yes and laughed hysterically, and while I was laughing, he then pulled out a ring and asked me the real question: to marry him. Very Colorado, and we had a blast skiing all the mountains on both passes last season.”

25. At a quintessential bookstore

Romance can exist beyond the pages if proposing at one of the unique bookstores of Colorado. The Tattered Cover is as much a staple of the true Coloradan as green chili. With the historic feel and an array of used, new, and local books, it is a cozy place to write your future story.

If you hope to stay in Boulder County, the Boulder Bookstore or The Read Queen in Lafayette are quirky locations that are sure to make your date swoon. 

Our list of unique proposal spots features places all around the state, but it is in no way all-encompassing. The state is full of beautiful and romantic destinations that could be the perfect backdrop for your proposal. Whether you take an idea from our list or come up with something on your own, we wish you and your partner all the love in the world.

The post 25 Places to “Do-It” in Colorado appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Earlier this month, the University of Colorado Board of Regents voted to censure one of its own members, Regent Wanda James. The decision followed an investigation into James’s opposition to a CU-backed marijuana education campaign, raising concerns among some observers about potential free speech implications. James, however, has stated she has no intention of stepping down and has already begun her re-election campaign.

“My term is not over until 2029, and I will not step down,” James told Yellow Scene Magazine.

The censure vote took place during a public hearing on July 2, with seven of nine regents voting in favor. Regent Nolbert Chavez voted against the resolution; James was asked to abstain.

In a prepared statement, the Board wrote:

“It was a difficult decision and one that none of us took lightly or without careful consideration. 

The resolution explains that a majority of the board agreed that Regent James had violated her duties to the University in her actions and statements concerning removal of funding for the University.”

The investigation focused on James’s criticism of “TEA on THC,” a Colorado School of Public Health campaign depicting the effects of marijuana on the brain. The campaign featured exclusively Black characters, which James called out as racist and harmful. She requested that funding for the campaign be revoked, a move some regents said was a misuse of her role.

James, who owns a cannabis dispensary, denied any wrongdoing. She maintained that her objections were about equity and representation, not personal or financial interest.

“After a $500,000 investigation I was found guilty of nothing,” she said. “Not conflict of interest. Not lobbying. Not skirting my fiduciary responsibility. The only thing that I was found guilty of was not showing care and loyalty to CU.”

Censure is a formal statement of disapproval. It does not remove a regent from office but can limit their participation in board matters. According to CU policy, censured members may face restrictions on committee leadership and other responsibilities.

During the hearing, James framed the board’s action as retaliatory.

James reading a statement during the hearing surrounded by supporters

“Today is not about a censure,” she said. “It is about censorship and retaliation. I was elected by the people of Colorado. I was not hired by this board, and I will not be silenced by its traditions or afraid of this vote.”

She argued that the board’s investigation targeted her instead of those responsible for approving the campaign.

“You didn’t investigate the firm that created the racist campaign. You didn’t investigate the executives that approved the racist campaign. You investigated the one person that stood up and said, ‘This is wrong,’” she said.

While James publicly questioned the board’s motives, other regents defended the censure as necessary for transparency and accountability.

“One of the most dangerous challenges I feel we’re facing today is not disagreement over values or policy,” said Regent Ilana Spiegel during the hearing. “It’s the contesting of basic facts.”

Spiegel said the board believed James either acted to influence the defunding decision without board input or misrepresented her involvement, either of which, she said, raised “serious concerns.” Regent Elliot Hood described the censure not as an effort to silence James but as “an act of self-governance and accountability.”

The investigative report included several public posts by James criticizing the campaign and CU administration. However, it did not suggest that she attempted to conceal her views or her ownership of a dispensary.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser took to X (formerly Twitter) to weigh in on the board’s decision, warning that it may violate James’s First Amendment rights.

“The First Amendment protects the right to free expression. Neither a White House executive order nor a public university policy can override this fundamental right. I am concerned that the CU Board of Regents’ action sanctioning Regent Wanda James did just that” Weiser wrote. “Leaving this action in place not only raises questions of fairness, it undermines CD1’s representation on the Board.”

James is currently the only Black member of the Board of Regents and the first Black woman to serve in the role in over four decades. The university has promoted her historic appointment on its website.

“I have already launched my reelection campaign,” James said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The board did not respond to Yellow Scene Magazine’s request for comment.

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The post Wanda James Speaks Out After CU Censure: “I’m Not Going Anywhere” appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Earlier this year, the Boulder Police Department released data on its stops and use of force practices by race, but the picture it paints is incomplete. 

The dashboard released by the Boulder PD includes reports on use-of-force-by-race and stops-by-race starting in 2024, with annual overviews shown for the years 2021 to 2023. This limited data does not compare to the in-depth information dashboards released by other Colorado police departments, and it does not reflect the thorough data sets that advocacy groups have been asking the city to share.  

“We are committed to being more transparent, and as part of that transparency, we are working diligently to find additional ways to share data with our community,” Boulder PD Chief Stephen Redfearn and Chief Data Analyst Dr. Daniel Reinhard said in an email to Yellow Scene Magazine. “Due to requests from the community, we now have 13 dashboards, including the new use of force and contacts dashboards.”

The dashboard shows that use-of-force was used 266 times in 2024, which was down from 320 instances in 2023. In 2021, use-of-force was used in 239 cases. In 2024, 84% of subjects in use-of-force instances were white, compared to 11% who were Black. 

Redfearn and Reinhard say earlier data isn’t available because of changes in the police department’s technology systems.

“Police department technology is constantly evolving. 2024 is the first complete year of our adoption of an improved records management system that we are using to update this dashboard,” they said.

According to Dan Williams of Boulder Progressives, the lack of complete and consistent data from prior years prevents meaningful analysis of use-of-force trends.

“Boulder did a pretty comprehensive study in 2018 of police stops by race, and then committed to doing a better job, and didn’t publish any data,” he said. 

When the city was asked to release data again in 2021, the information didn’t align with the 2018 study, making it impossible to compare the two years.

“What they said at that time was that the city had just implemented new training on de-escalation techniques, and even though it looked like the city police were using force quite a bit against people, the number should get better over time,” Williams said. “They never updated the data, until this most recent data release earlier this year. There was no way to tell if what the police department was saying was accurate or inaccurate, whether this training was effective or ineffective.”

Still, Williams noted that some patterns are clear despite the gaps.

“Use of force, in general, has increased in Boulder since this training was implemented,” Williams said. “It would be helpful to have the police department explain why that is. Was the training that they chose ineffective, or were officers not following it? What happened?”

The dashboard left the Boulder Progressives with more questions than answers.

“Why are ten percent of the use-of-force incidents in Boulder against Black people, when Black people make up one percent of the city’s population?” Williams shared. “Those are questions that the police department should explain. By producing this data in ways that don’t match their prior data releases, they make it hard to hold them to account. There’s no real way to say definitively what the trends are here.”

Redfearn and Reinhard shared that many factors contribute to the use-of-force data, but denied that police training played a role.

“Over the past five years, there have been increases in suspects resisting arrest and obstructing police operations, assaults against first responders, and calls for police service to address criminal circumstances,” they told Yellow Scene.

Many argue that compared to departments in nearby cities, Boulder’s data offerings fall short.

The Denver Police Department, for example, released a report detailing use-of-force incidents from 2019 to 2022. The report includes variables like the subject’s race, the officer’s race, and the level of force used. Aurora Police Department also maintains an interactive dashboard covering incidents from 2020 through 2024, with updates already available for 2025. Their data includes the race of both officer and subject, as well as the type of call involved. This kind of accessible, comprehensive dataset is what Boulder Progressives say they’d like to see from Boulder PD.

The Boulder Police Department says it’s hearing the criticism loud and clear and responding accordingly.

“We have had great feedback from the community and have made changes to the dashboards based upon community feedback,” Redfearn and Reinhard said. “We appreciate the input of our police oversight panel and other groups that have helped us improve the dashboards.”

The department has another kind of dashboard in the works that will display the feedback the police department receives, though no exact timeline for release has been confirmed.

Advocates say meaningful reform starts with meaningful data. Without consistent, detailed reporting on use-of-force incidents, it’s difficult for the public to hold police accountable or to measure whether changes are working. Updating the dashboard to include comprehensive demographic information would be a step toward the transparency Boulder officials have promised.

The post The Missing Pieces in Boulder’s Police Force Data appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Racial tensions in the University of Colorado system are under public scrutiny once again, and this time with one of its own regents at the center. In March 2025, CU Regent Wanda James, the first Black woman elected to the board in over 44 years, called out a university-backed health campaign for utilizing racist tropes about the Black community. The campaign, titled “TEA on THC,” was produced by the Colorado School of Public Health and framed marijuana use in ways James said were offensive and unethical. Each image depicting the impact of THC on the brain used a Black character. James demanded that the images be removed and the funding for the campaign pulled.

The fallout was swift. 

James became the subject of a formal investigation by her own board, was targeted by a smear campaign website, and faced accusations of a conflict of interest due to her ownership of a cannabis dispensary. 

Following the aftermath, she framed the response as part of a broader national pattern: “We are watching book bans, attacks on reproductive rights, efforts to erase Black history, and the suppression of Black and women leaders, all fueled by a national Republican agenda. And now, in Colorado, Democrats on the Board of Regents are standing with them.”

James wasn’t the first to allege that CU had a racism problem. Just 2 years earlier, a 48-page “shadow report” was circulated alleging that four tenure-track women of color in the School of Education had been pushed out due to persistent bullying, surveillance, and institutional neglect. The report was signed by dozens of students and faculty who alleged that CU Boulder fosters a hostile work environment for faculty of color and described the treatment of Black women professors as “excessive, obvious, and undeniable.”

“The University of Colorado Boulder has a continual history of rampant and unbridled antiblackness,” the report claimed. “The systematic bullying, denigration, and surveillance of Women of Color faculty, and Black women faculty, in particular, was excessive, obvious, and undeniable. To obfuscate the reality that their treatment within this school has been anything other than horrific, unprofessional, and inhumane is both fatuous and fictitious. We bore witness and were made privy to countless examples of institutional disrespect and disregard against the Women of Color faculty in both formal and informal settings.”

Together, these incidents paint a picture of a long-standing pattern of racial tension and institutional failure across the CU system. To understand how CU got to this point, it’s worth tracing the roots of faculty discontent back over a decade.

Greg Cronin, a white former professor who spent over 20 years at CU Denver, now runs a blog where he documents what he calls a pattern of institutional racism within the university system. But his relationship with CU wasn’t always adversarial. His concerns began after a 2010 travel ban that the university issued in response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

“The University of Colorado Denver put out a public announcement on Facebook that forbid faculty, staff, and students from going to Haiti to help,” Cronin told Yellow Scene Magazine. “I think the excuse they used was that it was a dangerous situation.”

At the time, Cronin found the ban troubling but didn’t initially think of it as racially motivated.

“It didn’t even cross my mind that it was racist,” he said. “It crossed my mind that this is just wrong. Of course, when there’s a natural disaster, it’s dangerous. That’s what natural disasters do, they create a dangerous situation, but it’s wrong not to go there and want to help.”

According to Cronin, CU Denver had never issued a travel ban like this before and never has since. He spoke out publicly, and within a week, the university lifted the restriction. In 2018, CU praised a group of students for traveling to Nepal to aid earthquake recovery efforts there. The contrast raised difficult questions: Why were students encouraged to help in Nepal but outright banned from helping in Haiti? The implication, some argue, reflects broader systemic issues namely, that compassion and institutional support often follow racial lines. Scholars have long criticized the way institutions implicitly treat whiteness as the default, or even as more “worthy” of care. For instance, in 2022, Black refugees fleeing war in Ukraine were repeatedly turned away at borders while white refugees were welcomed. Likewise, CU seemingly treated Haiti, a predominantly Black country differently than other countries in crisis sending a subtle but damaging message about who deserves aid.

After the ban was lifted, Cronin and several colleagues traveled to Haiti. He speaks fondly of the experience, saying he learned more from Haitian students and faculty than he could have ever expected. But he also believes that his decision to speak out marked a turning point in how CU treated him.

“The first time in my entire career that I failed to meet teaching expectations was the year I taught in Haiti and advised the first Haitian to earn a master’s in Marine Conservation,” Cronin said.

Cronin says the Haiti ban was the first time he personally witnessed what he would later come to see as institutional racism at CU but it was far from the last. One of the most glaring patterns, he argues, is how CU evaluates faculty work: especially work that engages with communities of color. In academia, the distinction between “research” and “service” carries weight. Research advances a faculty member’s chances of earning tenure. Service work, while valuable, is not typically counted in the same way. Cronin alleges that CU often labels community-engaged scholarship with BIPOC communities as “service,” while similar work with white communities is classified as “research.”

This trend has been especially visible in cases like that of Dr. Lupita Montoya, a latina former assistant professor at CU Boulder who was denied tenure in 2016. Montoya had been recommended by both colleagues and experts in her field, but the university claimed her work did not meet the research requirements. Supporters say Montoya’s work was undervalued because it focused on issues affecting marginalized communities, such as air quality in Navajo Nation, labor conditions in Colorado nail salons, and educational access for first-generation BIPOC students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montoya worked with frontline workers and vulnerable communities to improve air safety, so for many, it was frustrating and disheartening to see her work dismissed as falling outside the bounds of “real” research or service.

A subsequent investigation recommended that her case be re-evaluated, but the university refused. 

In an interview with Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, Dr. Angela Bielefeldt, an engineering professor who served as one of Montoya’s primary tenure reviewers, said the dean’s handling of external letters was “non-standard” and called the decision to deny Montoya a second review, “baffling.” Montoya herself has publicly stated that she believes race and gender played a role in her denial. As reported by the Boulder Daily Camera, she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that CU Boulder discriminated against her based on her race and sex.

In the end Montoya was denied and her concerns about discrimination were mostly dismissed. However, this was not the first time concerns about the treatment of POC staff was raised nor would it be the last. Just seven years later, the aforementioned shadow report signed by dozens of students and faculty would be released that documented the departures of four women of color from CU. The report paints a picture of vitriolic hostile culture that made remaining at the university untenable for the professors to remain. The authors wrote:

“We bore witness and were made privy to countless examples of institutional disrespect and disregard… which include but are not limited to public attacks on their personhood and their scholarship; installments of surveillance disguised as protection; harassment, bullying, and gossiping by students, faculty, and staff; downplaying of their achievements and their deep-set commitments to their students.”

It is easy to draw connections between Montoya’s fight for tenure and the alleged hardship faced by these professors. In each instance, women of color had their work devalued, their role undermined, and their departures quietly swept aside. However, some argue the shadow report highlights a more specific tendency of CU: antiblackness.

“CU has an antiblackness problem,” Regent Wanda James told Yellow Scene. While she acknowledged racism across the system, she was clear: when it comes to Black faculty, the hostility is more untrenched and unquestioned. Her concerns echo the shadow report, which decried CU Boulder’s “continual history of rampant and unbridled antiblackness.”

It may not be obvious why the distinction between racism and antiblackness matters, but Montoya’s story helps clarify it. Women of color who aren’t Black can absolutely face racialized barriers in academia. However, what many advocates say they are trying to name is how Black faculty in particular face a set of deeply ingrained patterns that often go undiscussed. In particular, many have flagged a lack of black leaders..

In her interview with YS, James was direct,  “CU has failed to hire Black leadership forever.”

She’s not alone in her concern. In March, former Denver mayor Wellington Webb called for an investigation into the university system’s hiring practices and its failure to elevate Black leaders.

“What leads to this is the fact that since 1876, only two Black chancellors have been appointed at CU, which is a disgrace of 149 years,” Webb wrote in an email to the Board of Regents.

The numbers tell a stark story. In 2023, CU Denver Anschutz had more than 110 white tenured faculty members for every one Black faculty member. Among professors working toward tenure, the gap was 43 to one. CU Boulder’s 2020 data revealed a similar imbalance: over 45 white faculty for every Black professor. 

Dr. Hillary Potter, a Black associate professor who’s spent over two decades at CU Boulder seems to believe that the numbers reflect the reality of the black experience.

“At least in my experience, for me, there has been this disregard of my voice,” she told 9News. “It just feels like we’re going backwards.”

Potter went on to say that she still hears painful stories from Black students, staff, and faculty, stories that, when brought to the administration, are routinely “ ignored.”

In response, to Webb’s email and the resulting discourse, the Board of Regents issued a formal reply emphasizing that all hiring policies undergo a comprehensive review and pointing to a recent vote affirming those procedures:

“All regent laws and policies are reviewed using a comprehensive and transparent process that includes input from regents, legal, the campus communities, and members of the public… Our laws and policies reflect adherence to state and federal laws. We appreciate your interest in this matter.”

But Webb said the response fell short.

“My disappointment in the chairwoman’s letter is she does not acknowledge that there’s a problem,” he told 9News. “You can’t fix a problem if you don’t acknowledge there’s a problem.”

CU’s response was not out of character for the university. Students and faculty have reported a perception that any criticism or conversation about race fall on deaf ears to administration

During Cronin’s era, he was asked to join the African Student Union because of his willingness to “go to bat” for his students. 

“Black students would often say that they felt unheard in the classroom when they worked up the courage to speak up,” he said. “I’ve heard Black students say that they felt uncomfortable or intimidated to raise their hand and speak up in class.”

Cronin formed the student group Wake Up, Speak Out with his students. The purpose of the group was to “speak out” about the challenges that students of color faced at CU. The leadership was composed of four white males who came together to create the group. Cronin shared that students of color were nervous to serve a leadership role in the group or raise complaints against the university due to the possibility of facing negative consequences. 

“Our black students feared retaliation if they spoke out about racism at CU Denver,” he said. 

According to Cronin, CU Denver is shaped by white leadership and those who do speak out about racist actions are punished. Students of color are intimidated into staying quiet, instructors who strive to be allies are pushed out, and leaders who expose harmful behavior are undermined. The impact of such a culture goes beyond just harm to mental health as universities where students of color experience frequent microaggressions and exclusion tend to see worse academic outcomes for those students.

It’s a pattern Cronin says he witnessed firsthand. He told Yellow Scene that during his time at CU Denver, Black students failed at far higher rates than their white peers.

“Our Black students get Ds, Fs, and Ws [withdrawals] at a rate 50% greater than our white students. A contributing factor to the failure of Black students is that they don’t have Black faculty role models to help them navigate the difficulties of getting an undergraduate degree.”

The greater context and culture surrounding are what push many to react so strongly to Wanda James’ ongoing dispute with the university. What began with a Black regent raising concerns about a racist graphic has now escalated into calls to censure her rather than a candid conversation about race. This conversation is also colored by tensions on the national stage as higher education responds to crackdowns on DEI. 

In January of this year, Colorado Public Radio reported that the CU system had removed its Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion webpage following an executive order from the Trump administration. More than 50 universities, including CU Colorado Springs, are now under federal investigation, some for so-called “race exclusionary practices,” others for allegedly “failing to rein in antisemitism”, as part of a broader crackdown on DEI efforts.

As of writing this, CU’s DEI webpage remains down.

CU Boulder has quietly renamed its diversity page the “Office of Leadership Support and Programming.” CU Boulder and CU Denver did not respond to email requests for comment.

The removal and rebranding efforts come at a moment of contradiction. On one hand, DEI is being targeted nationally and painted as divisive or even illegal. On the other, faculty and students at CU say efforts to support and retain people of color have never been more urgent. The question, then, is not whether DEI is controversial. It’s whether CU will stand behind the people who say they are being harmed.

“We want to help,” said Regent James. “Black leaders want to engage. We want to bring different conversations and see CU do better. But too often, we’re put in the position of being the only Black person in the room, and when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before we’re blamed for the problems we came to fix.”

However, before CU can fix anything, it has to admit something’s broken.

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The post Will Colorado Universities Step Up for Faculty and Students of Color? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Four women are transforming the streets of Longmont and Boulder, Colorado, by charting their paths in a male-dominated industry: real estate development. Each one has a unique vision they want to bring to life, but what they have in common is a passion for enhancing the communities they call home. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up only 11% of the overall construction industry, and four of Colorado’s real estate developers are part of that statistic. 

Sarah Carillo began her development career over a decade ago with The Speakeasy bar, Jennifer Peterson recently broke ground on the mixed-use Casa Lou Cardenas, Greeley Sachs pivoted into real estate development after years working in construction, and Danica Powell founded the Trestle Strategy Group consulting firm after losing her job in 2008.

Carillo, owner of The Imperial 301, opened The Speakeasy bar on her own, despite having no formal training in development. As someone who handles a lot of the work on her own, Carillo has had to stand strong to make sure her voice is heard. 

Sarah Carillo at the 301 Imperial

“I’m doing this all by myself,” Carillo said about her work on The Speakeasy.

When working with investors, Carillo noticed that a majority of them were men. This is one part of the industry where she has experienced the most challenges. 

“Ninety-nine percent of all the personal investors that I have met with, and toured and gone down the path of potentially having an investor, has been a man,” Carillo told Yellow Scene Magazine. “It always gets to the point where they want to redirect the vision.”

However, she has continued to stand firm in her vision for the project. 

Ground broke on Peterson’s Casa Lou Cardenas development in 2022. When she decided to open the mixed-use building, she wanted to honor a powerful voice in Longmont’s Latino community, Eloyda “Lou” Cardenas.

“She had been very significant to the Latino voice being heard in the community at a time when things were very segregated and, frankly, there was a lot of racism,” Peterson, who owns JSY Properties, told Yellow Scene.

Cardenas was a trailblazing community member in Longmont who died in 2017 at 99 years old. She was pivotal in establishing bus transit services in Longmont, served on Longmont’s Senior Citizens Advisory Board, and established the first small Senior Opportunity Center.

When Peterson chose to open her recent mixed-use building, she wanted to memorialize Cardenas. Naming the building after one of Longmont’s trailblazers was a way to preserve her legacy. 

For Peterson, her career is about fostering communities that appreciate their cultural differences.

She started without any prior development experience and found it rewarding to learn from those she worked alongside. 

“The relationships are the best part of it,” Peterson said. “And to see when you’re finished, something beautiful and useful.”

“I think [male contractors] respect the fact that you’re doing this work,” Sachs said. “Every guy that I’ve worked with has been incredibly kind. I have two different teams that I’ve worked with downtown, and each one has been wonderful to work with. They understand the vision I have. I think they’re proud of the buildings they’ve worked on.”

Sachs has worked in construction for years and feels it is a great space for women to find a career.

“I don’t see it as a disadvantage at all to be a woman and doing real estate development,” she said. “I think sometimes people are surprised by it.” 

Sachs and Carillo have found support through their relationships with the community, including groups such as the Longmont Downtown Development Authority. They shared that the LDDA executive director, Kimberlee McKee, has been a big help behind their projects. 

Powell is the founder and owner of Trestle Strategy Group and has spent her career crafting a diverse portfolio. She has been a consultant for schools, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and more. In the past 15 years, Powell has grown used to working in a male-dominated industry. 

After being laid off in 2008, she began her firm as a “small but mighty team ” and worked to cultivate her voice in the field. 

“I think when people hire me, they know I have strong opinions and have good experience,” Powell told Yellow Scene. “I tend to have really great working relationships with my clients because they do listen.”

For Powell, it is important that her clients understand the challenges that come with real estate development, especially at a time when the field is just becoming more complex. 

One of her most rewarding and challenging projects was her work on the Ponderosa Mobile Home Park. Throughout the development process, she worked from a non-displacement premise to keep people living in their community. 

Despite difficulties, families were able to stay in their mobile homes. Now, Habitat For Humanity has joined as a partner to build homes in the community.

Danica Powell at the 2023 Chamber Leadership Awards

“About four or five families are already moved into new Habitat homes,” Powell said.

She shared that she notices being one of a few women in her field and encourages young women to get involved through programs and education. 

“I always encourage people to just be really scrappy,” Powell shared. “I think a lot of my success has come from having defeats.”

Despite the construction industry being male-dominated, it is clear that Longmont and Boulder have a supportive community of women working in real estate development right now. They have forged unique paths in the field, and there is plenty of room for other women to do the same.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post Building More Than Spaces: The Women Shaping Colorado’s Future, One Development at a Time appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.