A slow-moving storm system is lumbering into Colorado on May 5 bringing much-needed rain and snow with the forecast calling for 1 inch or more of rain for Fort Collins and 1 to 2 feet of snow for the northern mountains according to the National Weather Service: When to expect the heaviest rain in Fort CollinsMay 5: 80% chance of rain with showers and thunderstorms then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m with east wind 7 to 17 mph becoming south-southeast in the afternoon and gusting to 28 mph Low around 45.May 6: 100% chance of rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 9 a.m Low around 39.May 7: 80% chance of showers with thunderstorms also possible after noon North wind 5 to 8 mph becoming east-southeast in the afternoon and gusting to 16 mph Low around 38.(This story has been updated to add a photo gallery.) A Fort Collins animal research lab has been cited for 11 federal animal welfare violations in east Fort Collins was inspected by the U.S The inspection revealed some of the animals were kept in unsafe enclosures and several instances of inadequate veterinary care lacked any references to the use of anesthesia Routine medical care records for several animals were also missing or incomplete for months at a time and preventative care like flea and heartworm monitoring was not being done Many animals diagnosed with a medical condition or exhibiting symptoms received delayed care or no care at all For some animals there were days or weeks between a diagnosis or the first appearance of symptoms to when they received treatment Inspectors also observed animals that were visibly sick but had not been diagnosed and were not being treated Animals were kept in enclosures that had torn caging leaving multiple sharp and jagged edges where they could get injured Food receptacles were contaminated with feces and shavings used for bedding mixed in and inspectors reported seeing a dog trying to eat bites of food around the other items that were mixed in A phone call requesting comment from Red Beast Enterprises was not returned as of 4 p.m The inspection came after an undercover investigation at the research facility by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA says Red Beast Enterprises' inadequate care caused many animals to suffer "from painful physical conditions," including a dog "who walked awkwardly with bowed front legs and stiff back legs," and another dog that "was missing many teeth inflamed gums; and had a recurring cyst," according to a news release The group says animals were denied pain relief during surgeries or when diagnosed with painful medical conditions PETA says it also witnessed several beagles pacing inside small chain-link kennels in a windowless room and that cats were kept in "barren rooms that lacked soft surfaces," some for more than a decade PETA says Red Beast Enterprises has multiple higher education clients CSU did not respond to a request for comment as of 4 p.m The USDA report did not list any fines or other disciplinary action taken against the research facility as a result of these violations Questions about any penalties the lab might face sent to the USDA were not responded to as of 4 p.m Women's Hoops Adds Final Piece in Deden5/4/2025 11:21:00 AM | Women's Basketball Fort Collins was heartbreak city for the two high school boys volleyball teams in town Poudre and Fossil Ridge each hosted postseason play but came up short in varying degrees of excruciating fashion during their regional finals on May 3 It was still a landmark season for the two "new" programs, with each being split off from the previously-established Poudre School District program that ran from 2022-24 thanks to the Stars' surging program numbers Their debut seasons were still dazzling right up until the end finished top two in the Northern Conference and earned respective top-8 seeds to host Colorado Class 5A home regionals while the Impalas were just slightly off all day 12 Valor Christian won the 5A Region 5 title 20 Cherry Creek and then a four-frame regional final win (27-25 though Valor put constant pressure on Poudre by bursting out to early leads and controlling action at the net It looked like the Impalas would force a winner-take-all fifth game leading 23-20 and 24-21 late in the fourth But the Eagles leveled it at 24-all and then got the two decisive points in controversial fashion Poudre appeared to win a crucial tie-breaking point on a pushed roll shot at the net until the first referee ruled an illegal hit a Valor kill attempt was remarkably close on the sideline but was ruled in by the line judge "That was out," Poudre's Miki Mijiddorj appeared to plead toward the official stunned by the final sequence and sudden end to what had been a remarkable season The Impalas entered the regional final with 17 wins in 18 matches a hot streak that included 14 clean sweeps and a four-set win vs But the Eagles took it to the home team from the start winning tight sets to bookend the match and generally were more sound The Impalas finished their debut season 20-5 and 9-0 in conference play to win the league title Valor Christian (16-8) heads to the state tournament for the third time in five seasons 7 Fossil Ridge won the first two sets and had their sights squarely set on the first-ever regional title for a Fort Collins boys volleyball team reverse-sweeping the hosts for a stunning five-set victory (21-25 It was a remarkable back-to-back for the Thunder who needed five very full games (15-13 in the fifth) to beat No fatigue seemed to have caught up with the visitors early in the championship match While Discovery Canyon kept the scores close Fossil controlled the opening sets and sat on the precipice of a milestone state bid the Thunder (20-4) dug deep and found another gear swarming the net and forcing numerous Fossil hitting errors They simply dominated the final three sets It's a return to form for Discovery Canyon which won consecutive 5A state titles from 2022-23 but missed last season's state tournament despite going 21-2 The SaberCats finished the season 19-6 and second in the Northern Conference with an 8-1 league mark Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan Fort Collins welcomed half a dozen new eateries to its ranks in April with more still to come this spring and summer A former Front Range Village sandwich shop space is making way for ― could it be a sub chain has zeroed in on a vacant Midtown business strip for its next Fort Collins location A longtime Italian eatery will live on in a new space and the papered-over windows at one of Old Town's busiest corners will soon be papered over no more Maida Trattoria, a family-owned casual Italian restaurant, is taking over 100 N. College Ave. The Old Town corner was formerly home to Avery Eatery, which closed in January. Maida Trattoria will focus on scratch-made pasta dishes while also serving salads, flatbread pizzas and Italian small plates, according to McCabe Callahan who is opening the restaurant alongside his wife sister-in-law Kai Lipps and brother-in-law Andy Lipps The Callahans also own Mugs in Fort Collins The family-run spot hopes to be up and running by late May or early June Ike´s Love & Sandwiches is taking over Front Range Village's former Which Wich space The San Francisco-born chain has locations in seven states including three existing Colorado shops spanning from Highlands Ranch to downtown Denver Known for its "innovative offerings and iconic flavors," each Ike's Love & Sandwiches location features exclusive sandwich offerings named in tribute to local celebrities and icons The company had not responded to a message from the Coloradoan as of noon April 30 Which Wich's local franchise owner did not immediately respond to an April 30 message from the Coloradoan about its closure in Front Range Village Jersey Mike's Subs has set its sights on Midtown, with plans to open a location at 2539 S. College Ave. near the city's new King Soopers Marketplace The sub shop will be located in the western side of a vacant strip of businesses once occupied by Larkburger The decision to open there marks the end of a five-year search for a new Jersey Mike's Subs location in Fort Collins according to local franchise owner Bob Troilo Troilo told the Coloradoan in an emailed statement Want more Fort Collins food and drink news? Dig into The Buzz, our new weekly newsletter about Northern Colorado business, development, real estate and restaurants. Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell contributed to this report If you've driven past the preserved 19th-century farmhouse peeking out from between Ziegler Road developments scanned the digitized photos in Fort Collins' online history archive or listened to its oral history recordings you've likely come across the work of Rheba Massey Rheba Massey spent decades preserving and archiving Fort Collins history as local history librarian for the Fort Collins Public Library now Poudre River Public Library District — serving in that role from 1992 until her 2007 retirement When Rheba Massey took the library's history helm in 1992 The Triangle Review newspaper described her as the "new keeper of an old flame." The city's archive was less than 20 years old at the time "I believe the history of a community does determine its future," Rheba Massey told the newspaper She had previously worked at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office when Rheba Massey helped pull Fort Collins' historic materials into the digital age by spearheading its online archive curator of the local history archive at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Using scanning equipment donated by Hewlett Packard, Rheba Massey and a team of volunteers took on the painstaking task of scanning historic images into the database that would become the foundation for Fort Collins History Connection, an online archive created through a partnership between the library district and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Struc said. Today, hundreds of images in the online archive are attributed to Rheba Massey ― from color photos of Linden Street's 1995 repaving to black-and-white snapshots of Frances Ver Straeten posing on her pioneer family's Laporte property. Rheba Massey was involved in the creation of Historic Fort Collins Development Corp. a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving historic Fort Collins buildings a historic preservation consultant who worked with Rheba Massey and was also part of the nonprofit's formation Hidden gems: Here are 7 Fort Collins history artifacts you might not have known existed the organization helped preserve Preston Farm a two-acre former farm property complete with an 1877 Victorian-style farmhouse granary and numerous outbuildings near the intersection of Harmony and Ziegler roads according to Humstone and past Coloradoan reporting Historic Fort Collins Development Corp disbanded in the early 2000s "But the buildings are still there and totally surrounded by development," Humstone added Humstone and Rheba Massey were also part of an informal group of historic preservationists who would meet monthly and chat about at-risk historic buildings that could potentially be saved but we called ourselves the 'preservation dream team,' " Humstone said it was brought to their attention that the network of historic cabins on White Grass Dude Ranch in Grand Teton National Park were falling into disrepair and at risk of being lost Maintenance crews offered to stabilize the cabin roofs if they were provided with the necessary supplies Rheba Massey and "the dream team" got to work raising funds and getting the crews what they needed The ranch is now home to a Western Center for Historic Preservation facility, which trains craftsmen in the art of preserving historic Western structures, according to the National Park Service. "She couldn’t stand to see a historic building torn down or damaged or changed," Humstone said doing everything she could to preserve the history of Fort Collins.” Finding Fort Collins history: Would you believe me if I said this house was our area's first brewery? She spent her time working on various preservation projects and digging into the genealogy of extended family — even traveling to different states to find real-life connections to her family tree Brent (Naoko) Massey and Drew (Julie) Massey; and nine grandchildren A celebration of life is planned for her at Timberline Church Want to see more stories like this? Subscribe to The Buzz, the Coloradoan's new weekly dive into local business, development, real estate and restaurant news. with a few Northern Colorado markets popping back up in early May locally made crafts and more at the following markets Markets are listed in order of their start dates But Skeech — a new table game with Northern Colorado ties — is all its own And it's likely at a Fort Collins bar or brewery near you Invented by Northern Colorado brothers Josh and Zach Dowling Skeech was born on the beaches of South Carolina — the Dowlings' home state Its earliest iteration started on family vacations when the Dowlings dug holes in the sand and rolled bocce balls into them "It was like playing Skee-Ball on the beach," recalled Josh Dowling They named the game Skeech and eventually built an inside version of it out of an old butcherblock countertop The setup ― complete with jagged jig-sawed holes and marbles to roll into them ― was the pair's first prototype in 2018 and formed Skeech Games LLC the following year Skeech tables have five progressively smaller holes on each end that players try to roll steel balls into The biggest hole is worth one point while the smallest is worth five Tables can be used for one-on-one or team play There are also variations on the game where players roll multiple balls at a time The setup is simple and the game is easy to learn my 4-year-old could beat me," Zach Dowling said Every establishment with a Skeech table has a rules board and a QR code that takes players to the Skeech website and its rules page. The first public Skeech table debuted in early 2019 at NoFo Brew Co. He's since moved to Timnath and is running the company full time Skeech came to Northern Colorado in June 2019 when a Skeech table Josh Dowling built in his Fort Collins garage was set up in CooperSmith's former poolside location A second shortly followed in Fort Collins' Prost Brewing taproom Skeech can be found in dozens of locations ranging from the Fort Collins Country Club to Phantom Brewing Co The Dowlings patented Skeech in early 2024 they signed a licensing agreement with Olhausen Billiards which has since started exclusively manufacturing packaging and distributing Skeech tables to its vast network of billiards dealers across the country "We're hoping to make it a household name," he added Food trucks are firing up their engines for a big return to City Park The FoCo Food Truck Rally — which takes over the southern end of Sheldon Drive in Fort Collins' City Park — will kick off its new season May 13 More than 20 food trucks and vendors will be stationed along the street from 5:30 p.m. to dusk Tuesdays, with live music planned from 6-8 p.m. For weekly food truck and music lineup information, subscribe to the food truck rally's newsletter through its website. carpooling or walking to the rally is highly encouraged The rally will feature a rotation of 51 food trucks and vendors New eateries alert: These 4 restaurants are coming to Fort Collins A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal April 28 shooting of a 49-year-old woman in Berthoud Larimer County Sheriff's Office announced May 2 was found in a home in the 500 block of First Street around 11:20 p.m Deputies and a nearby Colorado State Patrol trooper found her while responding to a 911 call in which a caller reported a woman was shot inside her home according to a news release from the sheriff's office Despite deputies and the trooper providing first aid Several people were in the house at the time of the shooting but the sheriff's office said no one else was injured Investigators eventually identified 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku Worku was arrested May 1 and booked into the Larimer County Jail on a first-degree murder charge Worku was issued a $1.25 million cash-only bond and was listed as an inmate at the jail as of 2 p.m according to court records and the Larimer County Jail website In other news: Cyclist killed in crash west of Fort Collins was a leader in cycling community Worku is set to appear in court in Fort Collins at 8:30 a.m This case is still under investigation. If you have information about the shooting or suspect, contact Investigator Bryce Hinrichs at 970-498-5542. You can also remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or on its website. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until Coloradoan reporter Miles Blumhardt contributed to this report A civic assembly formed to help determine the future of the former Hughes Stadium land in Fort Collins has landed on a vision that includes multiple uses with an emphasis on providing space and opportunities for Indigenous groups The assembly wrapped up 30 hours of deliberation on its final day The 20 delegates spent two different weekends getting information and building consensus to form their recommendations The final report will be formally presented to City Council during a work session May 27 council is set to take action on the report They could approve or reject any recommendation and they could also refer any of them to the ballot All of the final recommendations required the support of a supermajority of the delegates Here's a look at what the final report recommends The final report recommends a multiuse concept that could include a bike park a natural area and conservation/education features (this received 89% of the delegates' votes) The report calls for active restoration and rehabilitation of the site rather than leaving it as-is (89% support) A natural area on a portion of the land could restore natural habitat and multiuse trails could connect to the nearby Maxwell and Pineridge natural areas (89% support) community theater and education (95% support) This area should have large amount of space and buffering around it A multiuse center within the site could contain a wildlife rehabilitation facility plus an area for education/learning and Indigenous cultural representation (79% support) But any buildings should be clustered in one location prioritizing areas where the land is most degraded An outdoor education facility could offer trails and interpretive signs on the history native species and restoration of the land (89% support) while a bike park was included in one recommendation the report does not offer any further detail about it The delegates did consider whether or not 100% of the site should be designated as a natural area, which is what a petition effort is trying to put on a future ballot. While the outcome of that vote hasn't been made public it did not receive the supermajority required designating a portion of the site for a natural area received 89% of the delegates' votes providing opportunities for Indigenous groups to lease or permit space on the site The delegates suggest setting aside a portion of the site for cultural opportunities with an emphasis on Indigenous voices (79% support) Or a portion of the site could be set aside for education about the historical and cultural practices of Indigenous people (89% support) "The goal of this would be the preservation and continuation of the Indigenous cultural and historical practices," the final report says noting outreach to those groups will better inform site development the assembly recommends that Indigenous groups be consulted throughout development of the site plant collection and land rehabilitation and stewardship (95% support) Further consultation is suggested about the use and preservation of two cottonwood trees on the site that are highly valued This might include relocating the 18th hole of the existing disc golf course (100% support) Other concepts and elements in their recommendations include: City staff advised the panel to focus on preferred uses rather than on specific nonprofits or groups that made presentations The partners say the process helps depolarize and "turn down the heat" on tough issues engages the silent majority and focuses on collaborative problem solving The City Council approved putting forward $150,000 for the process and potential for polarization in the community."  The assembly is meant to be representative of the community and to act like a jury by deliberating at length Its delegates consider neutrally prepared information in a deliberative way before making a final recommendation to city leadership Postcard invitations to become a delegate were randomly sent to 15,000 households an algorithm process identified thousands of potential panels that represent the unique demographic characteristics of the community a lottery selected one of those panels to become the delegates "The result is like having the city in one room," an FAQ provided by Healthy Democracy said a separate group of 22 volunteer "community guides" received training and conducted outreach with different groups of people and individuals The guides represented multiple groups in the city according to a report from CSU's Center for Public Deliberation along with other community engagement results and general information was then shared with an "information committee," which determined what "inputs" would be presented to the delegates themselves the delegates joined together to receive that information and deliberate delegates heard from presenters who proposed specific uses or offered insights on potential uses They also met in small-group Q&A sessions with those presenters they were able to request specific additional information or to hear from more individuals or groups including any of the same presentations they already heard they discussed and synthesized the information they heard the delegates took votes to direct their next steps and to reach consensus That included things like identifying unanswered questions prioritizing ideas and finally determining which concepts major use or minor element that had 75% of support — either strong support or somewhat support — made it into a final recommendation the final report is a reflection of the ideas with the most support Twenty-four lines and 40 total players from the Fort Collins area qualified for the Colorado high school girls state tennis individual championships across Classes 3A Regional tournaments were held this week around Colorado and local teams have scored numerous qualifiers for the three-day state tournament (May 8-10) The top two finishers on each line at regionals — three singles and four doubles positions — advanced to state Here's a look at all of the Fort Collins-area state tennis qualifiers host sites and schedule for individual state tournaments Fossil Ridge wins regional title with clean sweepThe SaberCats absolutely dominated 5A Region 4 action as the hosts Fossil Ridge took first place on all seven lines sweeping the title with a maximum-possible total of 77 points The regional championship made it three consecutive seasons with both region and conference titles for the city's prep tennis power Here are the Fossil Ridge state qualifiers: No. 4 Fossil Ridge won a first-round team dual last week over No. 13 Legacy (7-0) but fell 6-1 to No Rocky Mountain matches Fossil Ridge with title sweepThe Lobos matched Fossil Ridge with a complete home regional sweep of their own Rocky Mountain also swept first place on all seven lines winning the 5A Region 6 crown at Loveland's Centennial Park with the maximum total of 77 points It's a strong follow-up for Rocky Mountain to last season's city title qualifying all seven lines to state for the second straight year for the first time in program history Here are the Rocky Mountain state qualifiers: No. 7 Rocky Mountain won a first-round team dual last week over No. 10 Mountain Vista (7-0) but fell 7-0 to No Poudre advances 5 lines to stateThe Impalas are also sending a strong contingent to state from 5A Region 3 at the Valor Christian/Highlands Ranch dual regional Poudre finished runner-up with 39 team points while qualifying five lines for the state tournament All five lines finished second in regional play The Impalas more than doubled their state-tournament numbers from last season with an upperclass-heavy roster 12 Poudre made the 5A state team tournament but fell 6-1 to No The Lambkins had just one state qualifier but did also have three alternates from their 5A Region 2 finishes at Cherry Creek Here are the Fort Collins state qualifiers and alternates with their region finishes in parentheses: The Wizards earned a pair of state qualifiers and another alternate with a third-place finish in 4A Region 4 action at Loveland's North Lake Park and Mehaffey Park Here are the Windsor state qualifiers and alternates Timnath girls land two doubles qualifiersThe Cubs also got a pair of state qualifiers on the doubles lines and four alternates to finish third as a team with 38 points in Eaton's 3A Region 4 Here are the Timnath state qualifiers and alternates 4 doubles duo Maddy French and Camryn Strain also earned alternate spots at the same regional All state individual tournaments run from May 8-10 The 5A state tournament is at Denver Tennis Center the 4A tournament will be at Pueblo City Park and the 3A tournament is in Colorado Springs at Memorial Park meaning one loss will not knock a player out of the running to place though it will eliminate them from championship contention The schedule for all classes is the same: The 16-position bracket for each line begins Thursday with first-round action Semifinals and playbacks will mean a busy Friday while all finals and playback finals are on Saturday This story has been updated to reflect the Timnath and Wellington regional tennis results from Saturday Check coloradoan.com/sports during the state championships for live scoring updates from local players May means championship baseball in Colorado The regular season heads down the stretch until May 10 when the postseason fields (from Class 2A on up) will be set There's plenty of star power in the Fort Collins area These are the guys who haven't been in regular all-state or all-conference consideration to date in their careers. They also didn't fill our preseason watch list and could provide the big play that can swing a regional result or propel their team to the Colorado state tournament Here are a dozen breakout players to watch on the local baseball diamond: The Lobos junior has emerged after a slower sophomore campaign and now wields one of NoCo's top bats Honick has shown the ability to spray the ball to all fields six doubles and 23 RBIs in the heart of Rocky's lineup The talent has been evident and Bradford's put it on full display in a sensational sophomore campaign The SaberCats infielder is a big bat in top-5 Fossil's order He's perfect protection for a potent SaberCats order The Lambkins sophomore pitches like a more experienced hurler flashing a hard-to-handle spin rate that leaves hitters fooled often inducing ground ball outs while allowing just one home run in 23-plus innings of work as Fort Collins' utility bullpen option He's also batting .289 with seven RBIs and two triples The Wizards senior has taken his production to another level this season making life even tougher for opposing pitchers against a stacked Windsor lineup Jordan is cranking the ball with a .452 average eight doubles and 23 RBIs while playing solid on the infield corners with just four errors in 90 chances The Impalas senior has made a two-way impact for an improved Poudre crew this season, including a primary role during the program's first win over Rocky Mountain in 20-plus years Vieira has hit .378 with a team-best 12 RBIs and three doubles matching that on the mound with two wins and a save while striking out 20 (to just six walks) in 16 innings of work with the Cubs sophomore becoming the team's most productive offensive player Poynter has a phenomenal .551 on-base percentage building on his .464 batting average with 11 RBIs and 10 walks plus 10 stolen bases to make teams pay for putting him on the basepaths The Eagles sophomore is a top option with the bat or on the bump for Wellington showing his all-around ability with high-level production getting on base half the time and driving in 18 runs with four doubles striking out 21 in 16 1/3 innings with a 3.00 ERA The SaberCats senior didn't get many varsity opportunities last year in just a handful of at-bats but he's become a key cog for Fossil this spring batting .410 with 13 RBIs to set the table for the top of the order while playing a solid first base the Lobos junior has become arguably the second-most reliable Rocky arm behind ace Ross Frank Coultas has shown an impressive command of the strike zone flashing a low-80s fastball while mixing in a tough array of offspeed pitches striking out 13 and walking just three in over 21 innings Valerio puts the pressure on other teams with a contact-heavy swing and elite instincts on the basepaths The Wizards junior is making an immediate impact in his first varsity season swiping 18 stolen bases in 19 tries to complement 11 RBIs at the plate and an on-base percentage near .400 The Timnath junior has blossomed on the mound this spring becoming the Cubs' most-used pitcher as they chase a 3A playoff spot Mitchell has pitched a team-high 39 innings walking just 12 while striking out 30 and allowing zero homers en route to a 2.87 ERA The freshman has immediately become an indispensable two-way weapon for the Eagles this season The catcher/utility player has hit .388 with 19 RBIs and seven doubles while striking out just four times allowing some runs but going 2-1 in five appearances The final weekend of the civic assembly to help determine the future of Fort Collins' former Hughes stadium land is May 3-4 residents can tune in to some of the meetings The delegates are expected to continue their deliberations on May 3-4 and will share their recommendations with the public at the end of the May 4 session They'll officially bring policy recommendations to City Council in a comprehensive report in late May Council is expected to consider taking action on the recommendations in August Only the large group sessions are open to the public the delegates heard from community groups who either presented proposals for how the site could be used or shared insights What happened last time: Here are 5 proposals for the old Hughes Stadium that a civic assembly is exploring they will get follow-up presentations as requested and continue deliberating The assembly is tasked with answering this question: "Informed by the diverse needs of our community what use of the Hughes site will contribute most effectively to Fort Collins' long-term vitality and meet the requirements outlined in the 2021 ballot measure?" The 20 people chosen for the civic assembly were randomly selected but are also representative of Fort Collins residents More: Future of old Hughes Stadium could be on Fort Collins ballots again, despite civic assembly This civic assembly is being run by Healthy Democracy and it's a partnership with Local Policy Lab American Public Trust and Colorado State University's Center for Public Deliberation which recruited community guides to gather public feedback for the process This story was updated with additional information Undergraduate tuition rates at Colorado State University will increase by 3.5% to 4% and most of the university’s faculty members and administrative professionals will receive average pay increases of 1% for the 2025-26 school year — well below what President Amy Parsons said she had hoped for An $863.7 million Education and General Budget for fiscal year 2026 that Parsons called “challenged” was formally approved May 2 by the CSU System Board of Governors during meetings on the Pueblo campus CFO Brendan Hanlon told the governing board contains $8.33 million in spending reductions The total budget for CSU's flagship campus in Fort Collins is $1.66 billion including federal and state grants and contracts for research Hanlon confirmed through university spokesperson Tiana Kennedy undergraduate students at the university’s main campus in Fort Collins of 3.5% — or $371 a year — is the maximum permitted by the state legislature for the 2025-26 school year Out-of-state tuition for undergraduate students will increase 4% — or $1,292 a year — for those in degree programs that don’t include additional charges in the form of differential tuition Those rates will also increase by the same percentages while rates in the professional veterinary medicine program will increase by 2% were set through consultation with leadership in each program and designed so that they would remain competitive in their respective marketplaces Housing and dining costs for students living on campus will increase by 4% Total revenue for CSU’s flagship campus in Fort Collins ended up being about what Hanlon had projected and shared with the Board of Governors in February But the amount of revenue from each source changed with the state upping its year-over-year funding by 2.3% and capping in-state tuition increases for undergraduate students at 3.5% CSU had been preparing for no increase in state support and a 5% tuition increase More: CSU president joins 440-plus higher education leaders in statement against federal actions “While there was some good news in this budget where we ended up with the state it’s still a very challenged budget,” Parsons told the board “It’s still a budget that does not allow us to do what we want to do with regard to compensation.” State classified employees’ wages are negotiated through a statewide labor agreement with Colorado Workers for Innovative New Solutions that will provide its members on the CSU campus with the same 2.5% pay raise and step increases that classified employees in other state agencies will receive The $8.33 million in spending reductions were made following conversations with leaders of individual departments and divisions across campus who also serves as the vice president for operations Concerns about the university’s federal funding factored into the decisions, Parsons said. CSU receives more than $436 million in federal funding annually, Parsons wrote in a Feb. 8 message to the university community That money supports more than 1,000 faculty and staff positions while supporting research community partnerships and other initiatives to the more than $200 million in federal financial aid CSU students receive each year to help cover educational expenses Some of the hundreds of National Science Foundation grants that were canceled in April involved CSU, Vice President for Research Cassandra Moseley wrote in an April 29 message to project leaders research associate deans and heads of university units involved in federally sponsored projects The university is working on determining next steps “As we’ve been discussing throughout this meeting,” Parsons told the board May 2 “the serious uncertainties and challenges that are coming our way from the federal government have really forced us to look at this budget with an eye toward where we can preserve our capacity as we go forward and our flexibility to be able to handle the challenges that we’re seeing right now and that we anticipate will continue to come our way those are the pressures that you see in this budget and why we’re not able to make the progress on compensation that we wanted to and why we’re still being forced to make some reallocations.” Reporter Kelly Lyell covers education, breaking news, some sports and other topics of interest for the Coloradoan. Contact him at kellylyell@coloradoan.com, x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news Two Rams will participate in the 2025 NBA combine One-time Colorado State men's basketball players Nique Clifford and John Tonje were both on the official NBA combine invite list released May 2 The NBA combine will take place from May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago It's a chance for players to showcase their game in front of scouts and front office members of NBA teams ahead of the draft Clifford is a 6-foot-6 wing who played the last two seasons of his college career at CSU where he blossomed into a superstar after three years at Colorado 4.4 assists and 1.2 assists per game in 2024-25 as he led the Rams to a Mountain West conference tournament title and earned honorable-mention All-American honors He then helped CSU win a first-round NCAA Tournament game Clifford played 72 games and averaged 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as the Rams played in the NCAA Tournament each season This is Clifford's second year in the combine in a row He participated a year ago before withdrawing from the NBA draft to return for a final season as a Ram The 6-foot-5 Tonje enters the NBA draft process officially as a Wisconsin player Tonje went from a lightly-recruited player out of Nebraska to a key piece on CSU's 2022 NCAA Tournament team Tonje went from averaging 3.6 points per game as a freshman to 14.6 in his final season (2023-24) at CSU Tonje played 122 games at CSU and averaged 8.6 points per game He was eligible to play another season after his four at CSU due to COVID and transferred to Missouri but played in just eight games due to injury and was able to get another year of eligibility He transferred to Wisconsin and had an All-American season with the Badgers 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for Wisconsin Here is a look at key dates around the NBA draft: Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle Related: , Recruiting Board Watch today's top stories and most popular videos which provide you with features like past/future radar and customizable layers Trust us to help you plan the best day possible with the most accurate weather forecast available We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Line the Streets for Democracy!' rally10 PHOTOSProtestors stand along College Avenue near Horsetooth Road waving flags and signs at passing vehicles as part of a 'May Day Line the Streets for Democracy!' rally May 1 A traveling Vietnam Wall and Field of Honor will both be on display Memorial Day weekend at Fort Collins’ Spring Canyon Community Park sponsored by Veterans Plaza of Northern Colorado pays tribute to the 58,267 service members who died during the Vietnam War from 1957 through 1975 The traveling Vietnam Wall will be on display at the park from May 22-26 with a ceremony and reading of the names planned from noon to 2 p.m according to a news release from the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Foundation The Field of Honor is a panorama of 500 American flags that fly in formation in honor of the nation’s heroes: veterans The display is set up by the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Foundation and will be available for public viewing from 3 p.m Short essays written by Poudre School District third and fourth graders about their heroes will be available to read in binders at the Field of Honor with the three winning essays of a contest highlighted near the Rotary booth Individuals wishing to honor a hero with a medallion on a flag at the Field of Honor may do so online at rotaryfcbreakfast.org community supporters and donations go to the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Foundation to support local nonprofits that provide services to veterans and first responders as well as other nonprofits and service projects undertaken by the foundation Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell can be reached at KellyLyell@coloradoan.com. Follow him on x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news Banner Health has purchased seven of Village Medical's Northern Colorado primary care clinics according to a May 1 news release and Banner Health spokesperson Stuart Buchanan Forty-six providers — including 34 from Fort Collins-area clinics — and 150 support staff members will move over to Banner Health as part of the sale The recently sold clinics span from Longmont to Fort Collins and will be rebranded as Banner Health clinics with the full transition expected to take a few months Banner Health plans to invest $8 million into facility and technological upgrades at the clinics All but two of Village Medical's Fort Collins area clinics — its 1107 S Harmony Road clinic — are listed as part of the sale Banner Health did not assume the leases of either location The fate of those clinics is currently unknown Village Medical did not immediately respond to the Coloradoan on May 1 Banner Health's acquisition of the clinics comes three years after national health care provider VillageMD purchased Fort Collins' physician-owned Associates in Family Medicine practice and Longmont's Rocky Mountain Family Practice. The clinics were later rebranded under the VillageMD subsidiary Village Medical VillageMD Colorado LLC purchased the practice from Associates in Family Medicine and its nearly 40 physician owners for $50 million at the time More than two years after the sale, a former Village Medical physician and patients told the Coloradoan about gradual changes at the practice, claiming that patient loads crept up, appointment times shrunk, clinical positions went unfilled and communication with patients suffered. Why did doctors leave Village Medical? A look back at our past coverage The Coloradoan first reported on the potential sale in early February, after an email went out to Village Medical's Colorado employees stating the company was in active conversations with Arizona-based Banner Health — one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the U.S Prior to the sale, more than 30 Village Medical providers left the primary care practice's Fort Collins area clinics in March and April. Of those, 28 have moved or will move over to UCHealth's Northern Colorado clinics, UCHealth confirmed April 10. Want to follow your doctor? We're tracking provider moves after masss Village Medical exodus Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the U.S., with more than 54,000 employees working across hundreds of health centers and clinics, 33 acute care hospitals, 50 urgent care facilities and more, according to its website Banner Health operates three hospitals in Northern Colorado: Banner Fort Collins Medical Center in Fort Collins Banner North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley and Banner McKee Medical Center in Loveland and more than 30 primary care and specialty clinics including Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Joint Replacement Center of Northern Colorado This story has been updated with additional information UPDATE: 'Can't really beat this': Boulder runner Calvin Lehn wins 2025 Colorado Marathon ---------------------------------------------- Racing season is in full bloom in Fort Collins and across Colorado Following April's annual Horsetooth Half Marathon it's double the fun with a full 26.2 miles for the Colorado Marathon on May 4 a strong and prolific field is set for the popular scenic course that produces fast times given its noticeable downhill tilt from the Poudre Canyon into downtown Fort Collins Several thousand runners are expected to compete across the four courses Marathons and much more: Fort Collins-area 2025 running and race calendar Here's what to know about the 2025 Colorado Marathon for its 23rd edition: The top half-marathoners typically reach the finish line by about 7:40 a.m. while the top marathoners complete the race by approximately 9 a.m While registration was slated to remain open through race week spots for the full marathon are completely sold out as of April 29 Standard half-marathon entries are also sold out though a limited number of "Charity Fund" packages remain These are double the price ($300) but all proceeds go to local charities and nonprofits involved in the Colorado Marathon Spots in the 10K and 5K races remain available. You can register by visiting comarathon.com/race-registration In-person registration and packet pickup is available May 2 from 3-7 p.m If you are doing morning-of packet pickups Boulder resident Andrew Lent won the 2024 Colorado Marathon in 2 hours 27 minutes and 49 seconds in what was only his second-ever full marathon Englewood's Maria McDaniel won the 2024 women's race in 2:52:01 finishing nine minutes ahead of second place Littleton's Thomas Dean won the half-marathon in 1:10:30 Loveland's Jayda Nix took the women's half-marathon title in 1:25:00 The National Weather Service in Boulder calls for partly cloudy weather in Fort Collins with temperatures around 50 degrees by 7 a.m and rising into the low 60s by late morning Chillier conditions are expected in the Poudre Canyon with temperatures around 40 degrees near race start time Colorado Marathon keeps familiar coursesThis year's courses will follow the same routes from the 2024 edition The full marathon starts near Stevens Gulch Picnic Site just past Stove Prairie Campground in the Poudre Canyon Runners race down the canyon on Colorado Highway 14 for approximately 17 miles before reaching U.S The race then takes the Poudre River Trail into the downtown Fort Collins finish line near Washington Park along Howes Street between Laporte Avenue and Maple Street The half-marathon traces the same route but starts just 4 miles into the canyon around Gateway Natural Area runs through Old Town West to Lee Martinez Park and reaches the Poudre Trail heading northwest until Taft Hill Road where runners will basically retrace their route back The 5K race begins along the Poudre Trail west of Taft Hill Road and follows approximately the same route as the 10K to the finish line The course is favored by runners for its 1,100-plus feet of gentle downhill descent That element also makes the Colorado Marathon popular for Boston Marathon qualifying The course begins just above 6,100 feet and has very little uphill with a steady downhill push until the finish line about 16%-18% of Colorado Marathon entrants qualify for Boston Bus transportation to starting lines requiredAll participants in the marathon half-marathon and 5K races must ride buses to the starting line Buses to the marathon starting line depart between 4:15 and 4:45 a.m Buses to the half-marathon start will leave downtown Fort Collins Transit Center (Laporte Avenue and Mason Street) from 4:30-5:15 a.m Buses to the 5K starting line take off from the Fort Collins Transit Center from 6-6:30 a.m Traffic in the Poudre Canyon is limited to residents only during the race There are plenty of other spots along the route to cheer on marathon participants: Ted’s Place (U.S. 287 and Colorado 14)Along Poudre River Trail, behind Cache la Poudre Middle School in LaportePoudre River Trail crossing at Taft Hill RoadFinish line near Washington Park, Howes Street between Laporte Avenue and Maple StreetFor more info on the race, visit comarathon.com lined College Avenue through the middle of Fort Collins from 4-6 p.m on May 1 to protest the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration Line the Streets for Democracy!” rally fell far short of their goal of lining both sides of the street from Mulberry Avenue on the north to Horsetooth Road on the south But there were plenty of people eager to support the cause including many honking their horns in passing cars “I just feel like I need to do something and speak up,” said Brandy Bixler one of 30 or so people holding signs on the southwest corner of College Avenue and Prospect Road “I don’t want to be the person who hid in my house and let all the stuff happen that we’re seeing.” Protestors waved flags and held signs objecting to a wide range of executive orders issued by the president since his Jan were ones people had held up at previous protests in support of science; diversity equity and inclusion; immigrants; LGBTQ+ rights; and organized labor Signs reading “No King,” “Resistance is NOT futile,” and “Hands Off” a litany of different topics — ranging from libraries public lands and the National Weather Service — were some of the most common Many of the American flags that were being waved were displayed upside down Jeanine Neskey said she had been too busy working to participate in previous protests Department of Agriculture’s National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins on April 30 accepting a buyout offered by the Department of Government Efficiency and I was pushed out by DOGE,” Neskey said as she held an American flag and waved to passing vehicles alongside a dozen other people at the intersection of College Avenue and Myrtle Street She had been a biologist and extension specialist and assigned communicator responsible for publicizing the research center’s work on its website and other places Neskey said she didn’t think her job would survive the next round of DOGE cuts and that even if it did and the things we weren’t going to be able to say anymore,” Neskey said “I couldn’t really be a science communicator when I couldn’t say things like ‘science-based’ or ‘environment.’” with more than 100 total gathered on the four corners at College Avenue and Mulberry Street and a relatively unbroken line along the west side of the street to Laurel Street and the CSU campus Yet there were roughly 100 people at the corner of College Avenue and Drake Road and a few dozen on the southern end at Horsetooth Road with pockets of 10 to 30 at various locations in between many of the cars honking in support as they drove past had protest signs in their windows that they had carried earlier and some diesel trucks “rolling coal” and leaving a thick A Coloradoan reporter witnessed at least one pickup truck “rolling coal” on a handful of protestors near the Foothills Mall The Fort Collins protest was one of more than 900 planned across the country May 1 The owners of Panino’s Italian Restaurant aren’t ready to close shop despite the impending demolition of the building the restaurant has called home for the past 25 years Marie and John Beck said April 29 that they’ve secured a lease to open a new restaurant with plans to serve their signature paninos and many of the same scratch-made sauces and pasta dishes diners have enjoyed for decades with some fresh new flavors Focolare by Panino’s is scheduled to open in early June on the southeast corner of East Elizabeth Street and College Avenue, in the building that previously housed The Post Chicken & Beer and as well as Jax Fish House and Oyster Bar in Fort Collins provided some incentives to help the Becks expand into a location at 1002 E that’s roughly double the size of Panino’s with seating for up to 140 patrons at a time “It’s going to be a real leap forward for us,” John Beck said The new location just east of the Colorado State University campus features multiple fireplaces that will provide “more cozy corners to connect and space to linger longer,” Marie Beck wrote in an email “It speaks to what this restaurant has always been: a place to gather share a meal and feel at home,” the email said “We’re designing a space that’s not just about food — it’s about belonging.” Marie and John Beck are CSU graduates who stayed in Fort Collins to raise their children while continuing a family legacy opened a pizza restaurant in 1974 in downtown Colorado Springs that grew rapidly and was rebranded Panino’s in 1991 Family members have since opened additional locations including the one in Fort Collins and locations in Colorado Springs and St John Beck said one of Marie’s cousins operates a restaurant with a similar concept and different name in Pensacola “Make no mistake — this is more than a move; it’s a next-generation upgrade,” the Becks wrote in their email Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell can be reached at KellyLyell@coloradoan.com. Follow him on x.com/KellyLyell, threads.net/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news May 5: A full closure of the Spring Creek Trail beneath Timberline Road has been postponed The city did not provide a new closure date but said it would release it once it has been determined ORIGINAL STORY: A section of the Spring Creek Trail The complete closure of the trail beneath South Timberline Road is to allow creek cleanup led by Fort Collins Utilities Those using the trail on both ends of the closure will be detoured to crosswalks at the intersection of Prospect Road and Timberline Road during the cleanup Signage will alert trail users of detours along the Spring Creek Trail and adjacent paths For details about active construction projects around the city, click here One of the first segments of the city's trail system was constructed along Spring Creek coinciding with the development of Spring Park in 1965 — A panel of 20 Fort Collins residents is working with experts and community members to develop recommendations on the most beneficial uses of the former Hughes Stadium site For the first time, the City of Fort Collins voted to commission a civic assembly to explore the site's future and better engage the community “You actually have an opportunity to affect real change in your city,” said resident delegate Colin Russell will work over two weekends to develop recommendations on the site's most beneficial uses These recommendations will then be presented to Fort Collins City Council members “You always hear about wanting to get involved in your local community So I figured this is my shot,” said Fort Collins resident Alex Rossman they heard presentations from several groups on what the land could be used for Site redevelopment has been in the works for years—in 2021 Fort Collins voters approved the purchase of the land “Developing a Hughes site master plan was one of council's priorities this year and so they're going to want to consider something by August or September,” said Fort Collins Assistant City Manager Rupa Venkatesh As the work on deciding the fate of the former Hughes Stadium site continues residents said it’s an honor to have a say I could see the ‘A’ on the side of the mountain that's right above the site,” said Russell “I felt a sense of pride that whatever goes there is something I helped out with and I'm really looking forward to that feeling.” The last two civic assembly meetings will be May 3-4 the final recommendations will be sent to the public and city council members no funding has been designated for restoration or development activities on the former Hughes Stadium site and any future decisions on funding allocations will depend on how the site is to be used Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right lending a helping hand and following through on promises A vacant strip of shops near Fort Collins' new Midtown King Soopers is starting to fill in Jersey Mike's Subs is set to open at 2539 S — located on the southeastern end of the sprawling grocery store's parking lot — in August local franchise owner Bob Troilo told the Coloradoan in an emailed statement The decision marks the end of a five-year search for a new Jersey Mike's Subs location in Fort Collins The building was previously home to businesses like Cricket Wireless Larkburger and a Waxing the City wax studio Jersey Mike's will take over the western side of the building formerly occupied by Waxing the City It will be the restaurant's second Fort Collins location King Soopers moved operations at its longtime Midtown grocery store over to its new location Fort Collins development news: Redevelopment plans reignite for old Midtown King Soopers one of Fort Collins' oldest adult bookstore buildings is under contract The Book Ranch — a self-described "adult emporium" that's been operating across from Colorado State University since at least the mid-1970s — was put up for sale April 5 Rowe declined to say when the sale is set to close It's unknown whether the business will close or continue in a different location if a sale goes through An employee who answered its phone April 24 declined to comment for this story and questions sent to its owners went unanswered as of noon April 29 The 1,360-square-foot building dates back to the 1950s when it was built as a Sinclair service station according to historic newspaper accounts and Larimer County property records It later housed a bike shop before becoming The Book Ranch in the mid-1970s The property — touted in its listing as a high-traffic retail property across from CSU — is listed for $1,050,000 It's in Fort Collins' Community Commercial zoning district cultural facilities and higher-density housing according to the city of Fort Collins' website Two older homes and a dental office on its neighboring property were demolished in 2023 with future plans for a multifamily home on the site The Book Ranch is one of three adult shops in Fort Collins a new queer and feminist gender and sexuality boutique I'll just leave this here: Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes in Colorado 'mega den' emerge from hibernation (if you dare) The Fort Collins man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping COLUMBIA — Investigators say they found a missing Columbia teenager in the closet of a registered sex offender in Colorado No one had heard from the 16-year-old girl since Dec when she went missing from her home in Columbia and she had been completely silent on social media according to an affidavit obtained by KOMU 8 Fort Collins Police Services received a tip from the Boone County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Task Force on April 18 that the 16-year-old could be located north of Denver Fort Collins Police SWAT Team served a search warrant at the residence of Maximilian Bondrescu Bondrescu allegedly denied that investigators would find anyone inside before the search Bondrescu is a registered sex offender in Colorado The investigation found that Bondrescu allegedly rented a vehicle to drive to Missouri where met up with the girl and drove her to Colorado Have the latest local news delivered every morning to start your day informed The girl reportedly told investigators she was held against her will but that Bondrescu would sometimes take her out and make her work for his snow removal company Bondrescu allegedly forced the girl to wear a mask while shoveling snow to conceal her identity and age Bondrescu was arrested on April 18 and booked into the Larimer County Jail He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping harboring a minor and obstructing a peace officer KOMU 8 has reached out to Columbia and Boone County officials for more information To report an error or typo, email news@komu.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: a mai tai and dairy-free ice cream have in common They all entered the Fort Collins food scene in April one ice cream shop and one "listening bar" opened in Fort Collins throughout the month serving up new eats and offerings stretching from Foothills mall to Old Town Edison's Ice Cream, 172 N. College Ave., opened April 23, bringing new life — and dairy- and gluten-free ice cream — to its corner of Old Town's Northern Hotel building The shop took over the former Old Town Starbucks space in 2024 and revamped it into a retro ice cream parlor All of its ice cream flavors are gluten-free and several are dairy-free Edison's Ice Cream is open from noon to 10 p.m Sugar Salt Sand, 125 S. College Ave., is bringing island vibes to Old Town. The new eatery debuted its island-inspired cocktails, cuisine and renovated rooftop patio in the upstairs space above its sister restaurant, Japango, in early April. Its menu boasts various tropical and original cocktails; fish dishes like conch fritters poke and a catch-of-the-day entree; and nonseafood offerings like pizzas Birdcall, 3300 S. College Ave., Unit 110, opened April 21. The fast-casual fried chicken restaurant had been in the works at Foothills mall for roughly a year as it readied to take over the mall's former Native Foods space Birdcall specializes in chicken sandwiches salads and handspun milkshakes and operates on a technology-heavy ordering model utilizing self-serve kiosks instead of servers marking the end of a year-and-a-half-long road for owner Murat Tercan announced plans to convert part of the salon's building into a Turkish cafe in late 2023 The salon business had changed since the COVID-19 pandemic and Tercan said he wanted to diversify his offerings in the Midtown building Tercan's resulting cafe serves the Turkish desserts and dishes he grew up on including Turkish coffee and breakfast platters Parking woes meet housing needs: A downtown parking lot may be developed into affordable housing, causing concern for area businesses – A bicyclist who was struck by a motorcycle and killed on Sunday has been identified as Ian Dickinson Dickinson was riding his bicycle on Larimer County Road 38E near Milner Mountain Ranch Road when a motorcyclist attempted to pass another motorcycle The 61-year-old motorcyclist attempted the pass but was “unable to navigate a left-hand curve and traveled onto the right shoulder” striking Dickinson who was eastbound Dickinson was pronounced dead at the scene and the motorcyclist was taken to a hospital with serious injuries Bike Fort Collins shared more about the life of Ian Dickinson and his impact in the cycling community, which you can read more about at this link. Denver7's On Two Wheels aims to dive deeper into the unique hazards when biking in Denver and across Colorado but to also share the good things and lift up the amazing people who take up cycling to get stronger and feel better about their mental health You can watch our special report in the video player below The Larimer County and Weld County health departments have a three-tiered health inspection rating Establishments with violations of 0-49 points pass; those with 50-109 points require reinspection; and any with more than 110 points face closure Sugar Valley Estates CJ’s Patio Grill A downtown Fort Collins lot may find itself in the crosshairs of two competing priorities: affordable housing and public parking Housing Catalyst ― Fort Collins' public housing authority ― zeroed in on the city's Remington Street parking lot as the possible site of its next downtown affordable housing development back in 2021 The lot spans the half block of Remington Street between Olive and Oak streets and has been used for public parking since downtown merchants and property owners helped build it nearly 50 years ago In February 2022, Fort Collins City Council approved a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with Housing Catalyst giving it the site control it needed to apply for COVID-era state and federal funding for the project, city documents show according to Housing Catalyst CEO Julie Brewen The project's next step ― a purchase and sale agreement between Housing Catalyst and the city ― is set to come up before the city's Council Finance Committee on June 5 which included a stipulation that Housing Catalyst preserve or replace the lot's existing parking spots the purchase and sale agreement does not offer any mitigation to the loss of public parking deputy director of the city's sustainability services department News of the potential redevelopment came as a surprise to several downtown business owners who say they rely on the Remington lot which provides 163 spaces ― 75 permitted spaces 81 two-hour public spaces and seven ADA-accessible spaces according to the city's parking services department “There’s not one business owner who is against affordable housing Some of us need it ourselves," said Holli McElwee who owns downtown chocolate and ice cream shop Kilwins "But parking is so crucial to business vitality," McElwee added There’s only so many times you’re going to circle a block before you go elsewhere.” said the Remington lot is always full on nights the venue has shows especially since its permitting and two-hour time limit aren't enforced at night Losing the lot would be akin to losing most of South College Avenue's street parking between Laporte Avenue and Olive Street "The loss of this lot would be both impactful in a physical way and also symbolically — losing this would be a signal to the businesses in Old Town that we’re kind of not taken seriously or consulted about stuff like this," Latham said It felt like the city was "ready to just move ahead with it" until downtown stakeholders started emailing City Council in late February and speaking at City Council meetings in April City staff didn't want to start public outreach on the project until they had a purchase and sale agreement for the lot After receiving numerous emails from businesses "Our approach was to ensure we actually had a project and then start engaging," Birks said "We have definitely heard loud and clear from a number of businesses that that was an inappropriate time to start our engagement." the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority and Housing Catalyst have been meeting to discuss the project according to DDA Executive Director Matt Robenalt the DDA is trying to understand the rationale behind not replacing the lot's 163 spaces explain downtown parking challenges and explore a potential joint-investment between the city DDA and Housing Catalyst to add structured parking to offset the possible loss Birks said the city is committed to finding ways to mitigate the parking impacts of any potential development on the site "We understand the importance of downtown parking and we also understand there are a number of community and downtown objectives that can often compete with each other," Birks said "Housing and parking seem to be two priorities right now coming into conflict." Downtown stakeholders aren't keen on losing that conflict especially after paving the way for more parking half a century ago Picture yourself holding a bowling ball on a sidewalk in downtown Fort Collins that ball probably wouldn't have hit anything as it traveled down South College Avenue's main drag ― not a tree longtime downtown business owner Carey Hewitt recalled Though there had been talks of renovating the area shortly after World War II Fort Collins' downtown core had continued to deteriorate in the decades since the upper floors of some of its building had been condemned and the disinvestment in its public infrastructure was showing In 1972, when Hewitt opened his kitchen store, The Cupboard "there was probably 20% vacancy downtown," he estimated fancy new malls like Foothills Fashion Mall and The Square were luring in Fort Collins' shopping masses Talks of downtown revitalization turned serious in the early 1970s eventually giving way to a downtown redevelopment plan that called for streetscape improvements and the addition of more public parking Since most buildings in downtown's historic core predate the rise of automobiles it's home to many zero lot-line buildings — buildings that occupy almost their entire parcels with minimal setbacks and little to no space for on-site parking Downtown stakeholders wanted more parking and were willing to pay for it so they set their sights on the half block of Remington Street between Oak and Olive streets which was then home to a few houses and a tire shop As part of the downtown redevelopment project the city acquired the land for $443,991 in the spring and summer of 1977 The lot — then striped for 140 spaces — opened just in time for Christmas shopping that winter according to Coloradoan reports at the time The city has been the sole owner of the lot since then Its purchase and development was financed through a General Improvement District which was funded by self-imposed taxes on downtown business and property owners The original bonds issued by the GID had 20-year terms and have since been paid off “We really taxed ourselves to do this," Hewitt said "(the lot) enabled the businesses to thrive," Hewitt added "Eliminating it would be like a tourniquet." Hewitt said he and other downtown business owners aren't against affordable housing in Old Town citing two affordable housing projects that sandwich the Remington lot In 1969 — nearly a decade before the Remington lot site would be developed into parking — the Downtown Merchants Association purchased and razed Fort Collins' old Remington School located kitty-corner to the future Remington parking lot site had been closed and condemned the year prior the Downtown Merchants Association built a 100-space parking lot for downtown employees and shoppers in its place The Downtown Merchants Association later became the Downtown Business Association before dissolving into the DDA in 2022. the DDA also partnered with Housing Catalyst to develop Oak 140 a 79-unit workforce housing complex adjacent to the Remington parking lot "We definitely support affordable housing," Hewitt said "We just don’t support it — or anything else — on that lot.” In 2021 ― two years after partnering with the DDA on Oak 140 ― Housing Catalyst turned its sights to the adjacent Remington parking lot The lot was perfect for another affordable housing development meaning Housing Catalyst could access an additional 30% in tax credit equity making an affordable housing development there financially feasible It's near public transit and could qualify for transit-oriented funding sources and partnering with the city would help reduce the cost of the land The lot's downtown location would also mean more affordable housing in an increasingly expensive neighborhood of an increasingly expensive city median gross rent in Fort Collins increased almost 32% and almost 55% of the city's renters reported spending 30% or more of their income on rent Census data presented to Fort Collins City Council on March 25 "The need (for affordable housing) is great," Brewen said Housing in Fort Collins: 'Missing middle' housing project planned off of North College AVenue City Council approved the 2022 MOU between the city and Housing Catalyst — the first step in a long process that Brewen says is still in the feasibility stage at least 50% of the development's units would be deed-restricted affordable housing Housing Catalyst has conducted market and parking studies and environmental assessments on the Remington lot The agency was planning to start its public outreach process the week of April 13 but has since pumped the brakes based on downtown business owners' reactions "That really needs to be sorted out first," Brewen added The pause constrains Housing Catalyst's timeline which centers on applying for tax credits for the project by early September A combination of state and federal tax credits cover between 40% and 50% of a typical development's costs with the remaining costs covered by mortgages other government funding and Housing Catalyst's own resources No funding has been allocated to the project yet because it is still in preliminary stages The funding sources Housing Catalyst uses must be spent on affordable housing meaning a parking garage would not be an eligible use of housing tax credits building replacement parking into the development wouldn't be financially feasible and was therefore left out of the city's purchase and sale agreement coming before the Council Finance Committee in June Housing Catalyst would need to gain control of the site through the purchase and sale agreement with the city submit a conceptual review for the project and submit its tax credit application for funding The Council Finance Committee could choose to not advance the purchase and sale agreement retool it and bring it back for consideration Brewen said it's still possible for Housing Catalyst to keep the project moving forward do its public engagement work and meet its September funding application deadline it's still too early to say when development might begin Birks said the city is committed to looking at ways to mitigate parking impacts if this development moves forward The city is also currently engaged in an Old Town parking study "As we move forward with that bigger planning process there may be additional mitigation options that are identified that can be more cost effective and still deliver on mitigating the loss of those spaces," Birks said This weekend is bursting with things to do in the Fort Collins area snow is likely April 18 and possible the morning of April 19 with daytime temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s when the sun should be out and temperatures in the low 60s Forecast: Fort Collins expected to get much-needed rain/snow mix in upcoming April storm here are eight things to do this weekend in Fort Collins and beyond FoCoMX's live music weekend features an all-Colorado lineup of more than 420 bands on 40 stages in downtown Fort Collins: both indoors and outdoors "Attendees can expect to hear every genre of music and discover many new Colorado music acts," a news release announcing the lineup and ticket information says "Whether fans prefer intimate performances large concert experiences or something in between the festival lineup and venues allow for all experiences." Special performances and features this year include: Tickets are $75 and available at focomx.org Here's more about who will perform, how to plan your FoCoMX weekend and listen to the bands ahead of time. If you don't already have one on your radar try the Easter Eggstravaganza at LifePointe Church Holiday Twin Drive-In opensThe Holiday Twin's opening weekend is April 18-20, the theater announced on social media. moviegoers can choose from one of two double-features Explore interactive booths on renewable energy games and demonstrations to learn how to make a difference 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 19, Civic Center Park, Fort Collins. Free. Information: sustainablelivingassociation.org Fort Collins Rally is set for noon to 3 p.m April 19 at the corner of College Avenue and Mulberry Street "to demand an end to the devastating cuts impacting our community.​" You can get into Rocky Mountain National Park for free on April 19 It's one of seven fee-free days scheduled for 2025 on public lands managed by the National Park Service No entry passes or fees will be required to enter any of the nation’s national parks historic sites or monuments managed by the National Park Service but fees and reservations for other services within the parks will still be required Sunrise service at Red RocksIf you aren't attending an Easter service locally you can join the thousands who gather every year at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison for sunrise views and worship at the iconic Colorado landmark The event could be canceled due to weather, so check out www.redrocksonline.com for more information Learn more about the event, including speakers, at this link This one's outside of Fort Collins but is an option you haven't had for months Denver's Elitch Gardens amusement park is open for the season starting April 19 and 20 Read more about what Elitch Gardens has planned for the season.