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Pot boom wakes sleepy Dinosaur, Colorado: “There’s money running out of our ears”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

DINOSAUR — There isn’t much to this town a short drive from the national monument of the same name. A couple of gas stations, a liquor store and a small motel line the two main drags, Brontosaurus Boulevard and Stegosaurus Freeway.But this community of about 315 and its four marijuana dispensaries — one shop for every 79 residents — is a contender for the title of cannabis capital of Colorado.Dinosaur, nestled in the northwestern corner of the state, is a five-minute drive to the Utah line and a couple of hours away from Wyoming, both states where recreational marijuana use is illegal.Dinosaur lies at the intersection of U.S. Highway 40 (that’s Brontosaurus Boulevard) and Colorado Highway 64 (Stegosaurus Freeway). The crossroads had long been a stop where truckers filled their fuel tanks and their bellies. But until weed came to town, there was little to sustain the local economy.It’s a classic story of a border town prospering from differing laws state to state, a...

Denver area homes have shed $5 billion in value the past year amid jump in mortgage rates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Despite a drop in home prices in the second half of 2022 because of a surge in mortgage rates, the value of all homes in the U.S. rose by $2.6 trillion over the past year, according to Zillow.Metro Denver, however, remains on the negative side of the ledger, with the local market losing an estimated $5 billion in housing value over the same period, a Zillow analysis found.That $5 billion loss the past year is minimal when compared to the 41.6% gain the market has seen since the pandemic began in early 2020 and the overall valuation of $598 billion that Zillow places on the metro Denver housing market.Nationally, home values are up 49% over the same time, and are now worth a record $52 trillion.Although some of the national gain comes from a 1.3% rise in average home values over the past year, the bulk is attributable to a surge in new construction, said Orphe Divounguy, a Zillow senior economist, in comments included with the report.Metro Denver is lagging behind the nation because ...

Denver mayor Mike Johnston worries migrant counts could “eclipse” previous highs as Texas sends more buses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent more than 10 buses transporting migrants to Denver in the last week, Mayor Mike Johnston said Tuesday morning as he told City Council members that the number of arrivals could reach an all-time high.Another four buses from Texas arrived during the day, a city spokesperson confirmed.The influx comes as the flow of migrants across the southern U.S. border with Mexico has increased in recent weeks. When Johnston took office in mid-July, the number of migrants in city shelters ranged from 400 to 500 people, he said. As of Monday, the number stood at 1,656 — within a few hundred of the peak at shelters amid the initial surge, when the city declared an emergency.“With the addition of new buses this week, we could eclipse, potentially, the high water mark of more migrants than we’ve had in shelter in the city at any point … since the crisis ever began,” Johnston said during the weekly Mayor-Council meeting.The mayor said the new sur...

Kinjo is Feeling Good

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Kinjo is Feeling Good: Los Angeles-based DJ Kinjo is the disco house manifestation of renowned super producer Grandtheft. The man has worked in music for his while life.“In high school, I played in bands and made beats,” he says. “But my actual job at that time was as an organist at a church. So I guess music has been serious since I was a teenager haha. I DJ’d my way through college and have been fortunate to make a living with my songs and shows under various aliases since that time.”The Kinjo sound, he says, is “fundamentally fun dance music with warm energy.”“It’s organic and I think it feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time,” Kinjo says. “It’s influenced heavily by New York and Chicago house classics, French Touch, disco and all kinds of soulful dance music from around the world.”Kinjo feels electronic music has gone in a corporate direction.“The festivals, Vegas and the mega-clubs are such big business ...

Is Full-Spectrum CBD Good For Dogs?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

There’s a split in the CBD community over how much THC to put in hemp extracts. Although the 2018 US Farm Bill allows manufacturers to include ≤ 0.3 percent delta-9 THC, some customers prefer zero THC in their CBD oils. To cater to different consumer preferences, most CBD brands now offer some products with a bit of THC (aka “full-spectrum CBD”) or zero THC concentration (either broad-spectrum CBD or CBD isolate).While a little THC in human-grade CBD oils is generally safe for healthy adults, there are serious questions over whether CBD pet treats should have any THC. Does delta-9 have more harmful effects on dogs than humans? Should pet owners even consider using full-spectrum CBD oil?Can You Feed Full-Spectrum CBD To Dogs?Most studies suggest that dogs are more sensitive to cannabinoids than humans. Even a tiny amount of delta-9 THC could trigger severe side effects in a dog, including seizures, vomiting, and even death. For this reason, dog owners should always inspect the THC co...

Signing up for mobile driver’s license in DMV pilot test just a few clicks away: Roadshow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Q: I tried to establish my mobile ID online, but the DMV scanner failed to recognize my barcode. When I tried to put the information in manually, it didn’t recognize my records. Is this normal or are they still working on the website?Jack DykeA: The DMV reports that it continues to improve the mobile driver’s license (mDL) app as part of the ongoing pilot program. Their website contains instructions about how to enroll and you can also watch the mDL video guide. When you are ready to enroll, log in to your MyDMV account or create an account, if you do not already have one.You do not need to scan the barcode on the back of your license, but you will need to provide a photo of the front and back of the license. To take those photos, place your physical driver’s license on a dark, flat surface with good lighting. If the card is damaged, you will need to request a replacement before enrolling.If you still need help to set up your mDL, you can contact the DMV at 1-800-777-0133 or ask for...

Bay FC announces inaugural head coach: ‘This guy is going to sell the stadium out’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Twenty-five years after suffering a career-altering injury in his first game for the San Jose Clash, Albertin Montoya is now seen as one of the budding stars in the soccer coaching world.And on Wednesday morning, Montoya got his dream job: head coach of Bay FC, the new expansion team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) that will begin play in the 2024 season at PayPal Park.“It makes perfect sense for me,” Montoya told the Bay Area News Group this week. “I love this game, it’s all I’ve done all my life since I was 6 years old. It started here in the Bay Area… It’s one of the best places in the world for football. On the women’s side we have some of the best players ever to come out of Northern California. I have the opportunity to develop players and teach the game the way I love to play it.”Montoya promised local fans that they’ll get an exciting, fast-paced and attacking-minded brand of football out of his squad.“This is the only way I know how to play, whether it’s ...

Poll: 87% of Californians say U.S. is in a mental health crisis. But how do they feel about themselves?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

Nearly 9 out 10 Californians say America is in the midst of a mental health crisis, according to a sprawling new statewide survey of Golden State residents who also express lingering concerns over inflation, homelessness and housing.The overwhelming consensus on the poor state of America’s mental health, which fully 87% of Californians labeled a crisis, crossed all political and demographic groups in the poll released Tuesday night by the Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaYet, perhaps counterintuitively, 81% of those surveyed said they would rate their own mental health as excellent (18%), very good (31%) or good (32%). Only 4% described their own mental health as poor. But nearly 4 out 10 said the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health.“I think that people are reading and hearing a lot about what is going on in terms of drug abuse, mental health, homelessness,” said Mark Baldassare, statewide survey director at the PPIC.In a rare show of unity, the ...

Oregon man arrested in brutal cold case rape, murder of 6-year-old Bay Area boy expected to be jailed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

The man suspected of killing a 6-year-old Vallejo boy in 1987 is expected to be booked into Solano County Jail Wednesday or Thursday and face a murder charge, with special circumstances, Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams said.Speaking at a Tuesday morning press conference in her office’s law library in Fairfield, she recounted some of the previously published details of Fred Marion Cain III’s Sept. 18 arrest near Medford, Ore., news that gained statewide attention after the release of a press statement Thursday and a Reporter story posted online later in the evening.She also provided new information about the case not mentioned in last week’s prepared statement, including the name of the victim, Jeremy Floyd Stoner, who, according to the criminal complaint filed last week, was killed on or about Feb. 21 in Solano County.REALTED: Suspect arrested in brutal 1987 rape, murder of 6-year-old Vallejo boyAdditionally, Abrams cited previous felony convictions against Cain —  wh...

Prep volleyball roundup: Notre Dame-Belmont, San Ramon Valley, Branham, Campolindo among Tuesday’s winners

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:09 GMT

No. 10 Notre Dame-Belmont 3, Notre Dame-San Jose 0In the battle of Notre Dames, the Belmont school came out on top in a 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-13, 25-21) on the same day it broke into the Bay Area News Group rankings. Gia Rivera had 16 kills, nine digs and two aces, and Jessica Ai had a whopping 37 assists to go with five aces. Adrianna Agresti had 18 digs and two aces, and Karly Bordin chipped in nine kills and 12 digs. Notre Dame-Belmont has enjoyed a stellar September, notching victories over ranked teams in Palo Alto and Sacred Heart Prep. NDB also defeated 14-3 Santa Cruz 2-1 in a tournament and dropped a tight 3-2 decision to 20-4 Folsom last week.No. 11 San Ramon Valley 3, Granada 1After dropping two consecutive matches to St. Francis and Archbishop Mitty, the Wolves have rebounded with three straight victories in East Bay Athletic League play. On Tuesday night, SRV defeated Granada 3-1 (25-12, 25-14, 22-25, 25-17).Lucy Chertock, a junior outside hitter, had 20 kills, two ace...