City of Boulder, CO Inside Boulder News, 23 Dec 2016

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From YouTube: Inside Boulder News - Dec. 23, 2016

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This week on Inside Boulder News: We take a look back at some of our favorite stories from 2016.

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This week on a special edition of inside boulder news, we take a look back on 2016 and revisit the stories and people who make living working and playing in Boulder, exciting educational and inspiring.

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Welcome to inside Boulder news your chance to share your stories, get involved and keep up to date on all things: Boulder I'm, Kristin, Skov era. Well, 2016 was quite the year we saw dogs take over the scott Carpenter pool Ralphie our favorite Buffalo celebrated her 50th year on sea use campus, a slacklining daredevil took on a historic challenge and we saw positive growth in renewable energy. There are so many stories, in fact, we can't possibly cover them in 15 minutes, but here's a few starting with a great reason to bundle up and get outside you're.

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Looking for some frozen fun this holiday season. Now you can lace up your skates and welcome to return of winter skate presented by boulder creek events. The rink operates on the 13th street, plaza next to the tea house. It cost nine dollars for adults, eight dollars for children and four dollars for children, 3 years old and under rentals, are included and are available from a child's size, 8 all the way up to a men's size. 14. If you bring your own skates, you'll get four dollars off your session.

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There's also a discount for college students, military and senior citizens visit BCE, productions.com, / winter skate for ice time. 2016 was also a year for setting goals. We hear a lot of talk about climate change and the need to cut down on harmful emissions, but bowlers put words into actions setting new community-wide objectives that will set the city on a course towards one hundred percent clean renewable electricity. There's.

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Just too many of us using energy and resources now that we can't continue to do it in that way, senior.

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Environmental planner Brett can karen says the city has set new goals to run on one hundred percent renewable electricity by 2030. We.

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Need to change our energy systems need to figure out how we can manage ecosystems in a more productive and sustained the.

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City will also aim for an eighty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2050 moving beyond our dependence on fossil fuels. We.

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Need to use fewer natural resources and actually find ways to reuse the things that we're using 2030.

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2050 these deadlines sounds so far off. Brett says it's just not so it's.

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Really the changes that we make in the next five to 15 years, that are the significant ones we wait until 2040 to start making these changes. It will be too late too.

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Late for what exactly for that? I went to NOAA the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and spoke to senior scientist Peter Tam's to see just how bolder fits into this global ecosystem. As long.

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As we continue to emit it, co2 will continue to rise. Tans.

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And his fellow researchers make carefully calibrated measurements from locations all over the globe. We are quite.

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Certain of the data that we produce he.

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Says this year, global levels of co2, past 400 parts per million and that.

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Is kind of a milestone because we know from ice cores going back eight hundred thousand years that the earth has never been above, say, 300, ppm and.

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It's not just the amount of co2, it's also the rate. It's increasing, so.

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200 times faster now what happened when the earth was left to its own devices before we intervened so to speak? I can only say this that what we have seen naught or so far is peanuts compared to what could be happening. If we continue to emit co2 even at present rates and while.

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One city cannot change the face of the entire planet. Tan's insists every person can do their part.

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Seven billion of us and collectively we emit so much, we are overwhelming the natural carbon cycle. So what it means is everybody has to do whatever they can. We all have to make our contribution.

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For more information on the city's ongoing climate and energy goals visit boulder climate calm, maybe you're one of the folks asking Santa for a drone this year, these unmanned aircraft systems are popular with users, but sometimes problematic for local law enforcement and the FAA agencies that are still trying to sort out the do's and don'ts of this emerging technology. So before you take your new drone out for a spin, let's review the rules, we're.

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Trying to just get the word out to anybody who has a drone and operates a drone on kind of what the regulations are: they're fun.

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Fast and flying high above boulder.

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But these drone users and the videos they post online, highlighting their takeoffs and travels, are oftentimes breaking the law. The.

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Faa knows that they can't regulate this from a federal level. I mean they can regulate it, but they can't enforce it and monitor it. So they're going to need the assistance of all the local agencies. That's.

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Why Tim head airport manager for the city's municipal airport invited the FAA to stop by the boulder police department.

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What they should do if they encounter somebody that might be violating an FAA regulation to.

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Review what is and isn't allowed from.

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The kind of the more entry level knowledge to an airport manager so I think that really helped for, like the boulder police department, he doesn't have maybe the background on aviation regulations for.

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Those just flying for fun the hobbyist not looking to profit off drone footage. The drone must fly safely. That means yield to manned aircraft stay at least five miles away from an airport location, always maintain a visual line of sight order.

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Register your drone online here in Boulder, you can't take off or land from open space and mountain parks, property, let's go for fort and if you're making money flying a drone, you are considered a commercial drone pilot right away and there are many other rules and regulations that now apply, including not flying over people or flying a drone at night. You.

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Don't want to go up and confiscate somebody's drone, you know just take the information let us handle, it will investigate and will decide if any more action needs to be taken. If.

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Drone enthusiasts play by the rules, city officials say it's fine to get outside and enjoy the view for more information on how you can fly. Your drone safely visit the FAA's website at faa gov. It's also a good idea to contact the airport manager at the number on your screen for questions or to share your specific plans.

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In the early morning hours they looked like Christmas lights, but, as these patrol cars made their way across town, it was clear they were on a special case.

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The long blue line stretched for miles more than 300 law enforcement officers from 36 Colorado agencies, armed with teddy bears and toys gathered at children's hospital colorado and marched in on a special mission. Alright,.

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Let's go floor.

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By floor they gave their gifts to kids stuck in the hospital for the holidays.

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Can take that big bear home with you huh even.

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More than a big stuffed bear, it was the time these officers took smiling and talking with kids and their families taking selfies promising prayers. We're.

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All praying for you and hope you get better soon: okay, a humbling.

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Experience for these first responders, who say these kids are just so brave.

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Like one percent grade is difficult, you wouldn't even notice it if you were walking any time you get over like a percent, it starts getting pretty difficult. This trail here that we just came up is about I'm guessing twelve percent right now and pretty much just get to the trailhead topher.

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Downham is always moving forward really.

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Light connecting people to the outdoors an.

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Accident back in college left Topher in a wheelchair broke.

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My neck he's 67. He.

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Says months of rehab and reconnecting with nature brought him back right.

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After my accident, I ended up hiking a lot just to kind of deal with all my grief and frustrations and reconnecting with nature. It's a gorgeous trail, especially if you do it at the fall now.

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More than two decades later, Topher uses his position as an outreach coordinator for boulders open space and mountain parks department to help hikers and those with disabilities access points of interest. Soon, thanks in large part to this OSP employee, this section of chautauqua will see repairs, making it more accessible to wheelchairs. We're.

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Talking about maybe making this you can come up to this lookout point get a better view of the flatirons a little bit more away from all the people down below getting.

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Away from the crowds often means getting off the more well-worn paths, Topher has spent years, creating this guidebook mapping and researching trails and sites that are accessible to outdoor enthusiasts with disabilities. We.

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Came up with a guidebook so that people can read about it ahead of time. Yes,.

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I doesn't look as bad the hard part.

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The trail just a general description and how to get there, flora and fauna that you encounter chances.

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Are if you travel these trails soon enough you'll encounter topher unless, of course, he's trying out any number of outdoor activities like downhill, skiing hand, cycling or mountain biking, I tried.

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Everything recently I've scuba dive or scoubidou home sailing, I love sailing. It's nice to be able to kind of escape and do maybe a difficult trail or a medium trail, get away from everybody and find a place to just kind of hang out by a stream or for being a field for.

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More information about accessible trails and to download a digital version of tophers guidebook visit, osm, p, dot, org so.

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When the wind comes, the whole line can shift 15 to 20 feet, one way or another, and so that's pretty heady. That's.

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Taylor Van Allen of Morrison slacklining, more than 400 feet high above Eldorado Canyon taylor was leashed to the line, so this stunt is really considered highlining because there are safeguards in place. I'm 25.

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I got in a slacklining about six years ago. You know always wanted a high line and just kept standing up and falling off a bunch and slowly over time, got longer and longer lines and started going higher and higher any.

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Kind of slack lining is usually prohibited in El Dorado, State, Park Taylor and his crew had to get special permission ahead of time. It took Taylor under 20 minutes to complete his walk, 18 minutes to be precise, not.

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Trying to focus on the exposure and the height and everything, because those are the things that are going to you, know, discourage you and make you fall. Terror.

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Is not the first person to attempt this crossing? He was retracing the steps of showman and aviation daredevil IV Baldwin, a legendary tightrope walker who crossed the canyon more than 80 times between 1902 and 1948 IV.

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Baldwin is a huge part of the canyon, has a huge history and he's a legend there, and the town was really waiting for a return of that experience. This.

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Event was organized by the action committee for El, Dorado and slackline industries. It was used to raise money for El Dorado State Park in 1934. The Buffalo was chosen as the first official CU mascot. The first live Buffalo was brought on campus in 1966, and now you can't, or five decades of Buffalo nostalgia at a new exhibit called here, comes Ralphie at the CU heritage center you'll find Ralphie t-shirts handler uniforms and dozens of photos. The heritage center is open monday through friday. Ten a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free.

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ralphie being given to the University next year will be the 50th anniversary of her first run on the football field. Expect a big celebration in her honor for more information about the here. Comes Ralphie exhibit visits you heritage org, usually at a library make noise like this you'll get should but the makerspace a workshop tucked inside the boulder public library, looks more like a machine shop than a reading room I made.

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Three different pictures, one for my mom one for my dad and one for my sister you're.

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Looking at a craftsman in training, 29 year-old Richard, Tom, turd, didn't know he had it in him. I did.

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Not know I was creative, that's all so new to me. Richard.

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Says he doesn't like to focus on his old life. I regret.

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Things that I did in my past a life.

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That landed him behind bars. Instead, this Colorado native is taking this piece of reclaimed ash wood and turning it into something better. My.

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Mom will be especially proud of me. Richard.

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Is part of the bridge house ready to work program where he's making himself better too most.

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Of the time it's ash wood, it's.

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Called tree debris to opportunity, members of the class learn woodworking and hopefully, self-sufficiency, a ticket out of homelessness and often loneliness. It.

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Helps when there's some people here that are on the same page as you, so you don't feel so lonely when somebody like her me had been in prison, we're both getting that second chance to try and start over just.

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Looking at her, you wouldn't know maria carrillo Garcia has spent half of her life in prison. She's 38 said.

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I just got my nails done. You know some people think it like this look at their face. Like oh, my god, you were in prison. You know um other people are very curious and they want to know because once they meet me or talk to me and get to know me they're, like you were in prison like you, don't fit the fit the description. Maria sense. It certainly.

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Wasn't her upbringing.

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I come from pretty good family, military and law enforcement, and so me making poor choices. Wasn't the best thing always and they're really happy to have me back back from a life of addiction and lies like I, would say, or do things like yeah I'm doing this I'm doing that, but I never really was I was just verbalizing things, so it sounded good and I've lived sober before, but I've never tried to be so. My sister has adopted it has been raising my children. She wants them.

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To know she hasn't given up and has carved out a new passion.

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How to take something straight from the mill and make it into a piece of furniture or into a bowl or to a chopping block or to a beautiful ornament, or something is pretty cool, because there's a lot of accomplishment and pride in it when you're done Maria.

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Says now her good mood comes from a natural high one that lasts.

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Knowing how to live without it, you know being sober. So what's a little library, noise like I would have never known. This was in the back of a library.

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Right, the butterfly these two, no change doesn't come easy, but with practice they can make their lives beautiful again. Thank you so much for watching this week's special edition of inside Boulder news. If you would like to revisit any of our stories from 2016 visit, our video on demand at boulder, channel, 8 com and remember, you can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up to receive video updates right in your Inbox. Just go to boulder channel 8 com and click on subscribe.