Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How long can Boulder Valley keep boosting its highest‑needs schools?
And check out Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings on the Boulder Patch calendar
What's up Boulder! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How long can Boulder Valley keep boosting its highest‑needs schools?
- How Boulder kept the Dark Horse pouring drinks a little longer
- Why are Boulder’s biggest homeless shelter turnaways suddenly plummeting?
Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings and 7 more events.
Find out what's happening in Boulderfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Boulderfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Monday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 63 and low of 42 degrees.
- Tuesday: Breezy in the morning, temps: high: 63, low: 41.
- Wednesday: Very windy in the afternoon, with a high of 62 and low of 28 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Boulder Valley funding model gives extra to highest needs schools (dailycamera.com) — Boulder Valley School District is extending its differentiated funding model that sends extra dollars to higher‑needs campuses, including Lafayette’s Alicia Sanchez Elementary and several Boulder-area schools. The program pays for data coaches, interventionists, and family liaisons, which principals say are driving big gains in achievement and attendance. The school board will soon decide whether tight budgets can sustain another multi‑year round. 
2. Dark Horse gets demolition reprieve through mid-March (bizwest.com) — Boulder’s iconic Dark Horse Tavern has won a short-term reprieve from demolition, allowing it to stay open at least through mid-March and celebrate its 51st anniversary. City staff and developers adjusted the Williams Village II redevelopment timeline without changing any ordinances, keeping dozens of employees working through the holidays while larger plans for the Baseline and 30th shopping center move ahead.
3. Shelter turnaways at Boulder's All Roads unusually low after summer of high demand (boulderreportinglab.org) — Turnaways at All Roads, Boulder’s largest homeless shelter, have dropped dramatically this winter compared with last year, even as local need for shelter remains high. Staff are puzzled by the decline, which comes after Boulder County funding cuts and amid uncertain federal homelessness policy, and may partner with CU Boulder to better understand what’s driving the change.
4. Boulder County pauses drone herbicide spraying at Red Hill Open Space (boulderreportinglab.org) — Boulder County commissioners have paused a planned drone herbicide spraying over 800 acres of Red Hill Open Space near U.S. 36 while staff explore possible alternatives. The move follows strong pushback from local farmers and residents worried about soil health and post-fire recovery, even as county staff warn that invasive cheatgrass threatens biodiversity and increases wildfire risk.
5. Faster time flow on Mars adds complexity to future missions (primetimer.com) — Boulder-based NIST physicists Neil Ashby and Bijunath Patla have helped show that time on Mars runs about 477 microseconds faster per day than on Earth, complicating future navigation and communication. Their new calculations, grounded in Einstein’s relativity, will guide how space agencies sync clocks for upcoming Mars missions and potential off-world settlements.
📸 Around Boulder
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Boulder
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- MMS PTO-Live or Virtual (Link in Phoenix Post)
Manhattan Middle School of Arts and Science 290 Manhattan Drive , Boulder, CO 80303
6:00 pm - OE Presentation and School Tour
Bear Creek Elementary School 2500 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO 80305
6:00 pm - HP/BCSIS Winter IM Concert
High Peaks Elementary School 3995 Aurora Ave. , Boulder, CO 80303
7:30 am - All Ages Storytime at Reynolds
George Reynolds Branch Library Reynolds Meeting Room, Reynolds Library
10:15 am - Bilingual Storytime en español/English
Main Library , Children's Story Space , Boulder
10:15 am - Toddler Tinker Storytime at NoBo
NoBo Library
10:15 am - Toddler Time
Main Library , Mt. Sanitas Room , Boulder
11:15 am - Discover Your Next Great Read on Social Media
Boulder Public Library , 1001 Arapahoe Avenue , Boulder
1:00 pm - Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
St. John's Episcopal Church of Boulder 1419 Pine Street Boulder, Colorado 80302
4:15 pm - Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA
St. John's Episcopal Church , 1419 Pine St , Boulder
8:45 pm
Monday December 15
Tuesday December 16
Saturday December 20
📣 Boulder Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Toddler Explorers
Reynolds Library Reynolds Meeting Room,
10:15 am - Storytime at Meadows
Meadows Library Meadows Meeting Room,
10:15 am - All Ages Storytime
NoBo Library Community Room (2nd Floor),
10:15 am - PTA Shake Shack
Community Montessori School , 805 Gillaspie Drive , Boulder
4:00 pm
Monday December 15
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Missing cat in the neighborhood he's a very fluffy friendly long haired Siberian with gray hair.
He's very missed since I start freaking out escape without a collar but is chipped. If found dead or alive please call 303.443.3881 (Nextdoor Wonderland Hills) - Happy Weekend 😊
Photos from my hike in the canyon and yesterday's sunset... (Nextdoor North Central Boulder)
- King Soopers, Inc. posted a job opening for Grocery Clerk in Boulder. Apply here.
- Brookdale Senior Living posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Boulder. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Boulder here.
Ok Boulder! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know either. They were speaking in sign language.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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