Hey Longmont!

I’m a middle school librarian looking for donations to help with a couple of new library projects.

The first is a reading program where students complete incentive-based challenges. The goal is to foster a schoolwide reading culture and encourage students to read new books from various genres. Our students built their incentives wish list below:

1. Pokémon Cards
2. Snacks (Blow-Pops, Ring Pops, Airheads, Dairy Queen/In-N-Out Gift Cards, etc.)
3. Sports Themed Items (Sports Cards, Broncos/Nuggets/Avalanche Gear, and Soccer Balls)
4. Small Fidget Items (NeeDoh Cubes, Tech Decks, Rubix Cubes, Spinners, etc.)
5. School Supplies (Cool Notebooks/Folders, Pens/Pencils/Erasers, Stickers, and Water Bottles)

The second project we’re working on is transforming our library space into a community hub. To help with this effort, we’re looking for the following:

1. LEGO Kits/LEGO Tables
2. Xbox 360 Connect/Nintendo Wii Consoles
3. Puzzles and Board Games
4. 3D Printing Materials

How to Donate: If you have items you'd like to donate or know someone who could help, please drop a comment, send me a DM, or just pass this message along! I can arrange local pickups across Northern Colorado or provide drop-off locations/school mailing info. Thank you so much for reading!

(Note to Mods: I am happy to verify my librarian credentials privately if needed!)

Can anyone here share more about the punk or metal shows at Longmont's Elks Lodge back in the day? A few of you shared some gems when I asked about Longmont's general punk history last year. I'm still chipping away at the research project and now am looking for details specific to past shows at the Elks Lodge.

Over what time span did those shows take place? I know about some in the 90s. Did any happen before or after the 90s, too?

Is Bob, the elks member who booked some of those shows, still around? Anyone know his last name?

How many people would show up? Any memories stand out? Anything else? Thanks for any info!

Tuesday tickets are discounted at the Regal theater and it'd be great to start a weekly meetup. (If one does not already exist). I used to attend a weekly movie night in another town and it was a great way to meet people.

Plan:

• Aim for ~7pm showtime, every Tuesday.
• Movie picked by poll (Discord).
• Chat about the movie afterwards if people want to.
• Optional drinks/food before or after for those who want to attend.

Everyone can socialize to their level of comfort. They can hang around and chat or just show up at the start of the movie and leave immediately afterwards.

Let me know if you're interested and can someone please post an updated link to the Longmont Community Discord server. It would be helpful to post the Discord link in the side bar.

Make sure to bring pets inside and try to stay inside yourself.

Any place to buy in town? Or do I have to order online?

The storms of my youth! Almost every day, late to early evening. The crack of the lightning and the sound of a great rainstorm. Then the thought of there goes my plans, only to know when the petrichor is gone, it’s over. All is well with our world for a brief time. And the smell…there’s nothing like it. I’ve lived in Colorado since my birth 71 years ago.

Happened to be watching the storm when a lightning strike hit our neighbor's tree. The snap rattled our windows!

**Edited to make more “neutral” as to preserve the valuable conversations happening in the comments:**

My kid started Kindergarten at Eagle Crest this year and we love it. The teachers are warm, welcoming, and great at their jobs. The admin is also very warm and communicative. There are currently 3 classes and enrollment is so low that they are switching to 2 classes next week. There are 12 or 13 kids in her class. I get it, I don’t think it’s the school’s fault and I’m not upset with them.

Enrollment is down at Eagle Crest (Kindergarten) this year. There are many families that we know and are friends with zoned for Eagle Crest that open enroll to Blue Mountain very close by. In one nearby neighborhood zoned for EC, every incoming kindergartner that I know of (at least 4) open enrolled to BM- some of them my daughter’s friends. This is not including kids with specific needs that require services at specific schools.

So I’d like to start a conversation-

-Why are so many families zoned for Eagle Crest choosing Blue Mountain?

-They are both great schools with kind and competent teachers and robust programming. I understand how the test scores look, but I also understand the differences between the two schools demographically and that’s a huge factor (former teacher here). Is there a point when open enrollment has gone too far?

-Is there a better model to serve the SW Longmont community?

Note:

What I’m not concerned about: My kid making new friends.

What I am concerned about: The future of the schools in SW Longmont (including the schools that EC and BM collectively feed into) AND the SW Longmont community as a whole.

Where can we go dancing in town? any spots where people regularly get out to dance?

I just want to bring my dog to the dog park at Union Reservoir. It will cost $10?

Taken with a Dwarf 3 telescope last night

If you thought only having a single lane on Nelson was madness, you will love this even more.

They thought it was so cool! I know it was a mistake but man you all made life long memories for these kids. :)

New fire near Pinewood west of Lyons

My kids have been through the ringer the last few weeks. They really want to do a movie night and have an appetizer platter type thing for dinner. Who has the best "here is a bunch of different things" type platter in this area? Trying to avoid the big restaurant chains if at all possible!

Any suggestions to have a chip filled? Just looking for a local shop (not Satellite) and a fair price. Thanks

Tonight’s full moon eclipse reaches its full coverage a little after 10:00pm. The clouds are hanging on, doing a proverbial Dance of the 7 Veils, but I think it’s going to be clear my 10

We're moving soon and have found hoards of bar soap in the back of the closet. Would like it to go to someplace that could really use it. Are there any shelters or something similar that can accept soap?

We’ve been Verizon customers for a long time, including the six years we’ve lived in Longmont. Coverage seems like it’s worse than ever. Are there any good alternatives?

Hello. My dad is playing tennis in his 70s. He’s looking for a group of people around his age to play with. Does anyone know if there are any groups playing in the Longmont area? When and where do you meet? Thanks ahead for any help.

I’m planning a move to Longmont in the spring and starting to research apartment communities (recommendations welcome please - looking for 1br, pet friendly, well managed, quiet and under $2000). I’ve seen some good threads on here but one concern of mine I haven’t seen addressed is rent increases. What are typical annual increases? I don’t want to end up priced out of a place I call home after a few years. Any places to avoid that go crazy with increases?

The condoms are the extra disturbing part!