City News
This is news from the city of Boulder, about the city or any of its departments
Boulder County: Emergency warning sirens to be tested beginning April 1
Mar 26th
The audible siren tests will occur twice on each testing day, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., on April 1, May 6, June 3,July 1 and Aug. 5.
Siren tests ensure that all systems and procedures are working properly during the season of peak flood danger. The tests also promote public awareness of the warning sirens located throughout Boulder County.
Louisville, Superior and Jamestown sirens will only participate in the first audible test of the season on April 1. After this test, residents in these communities will not hear the sirens unless there is an emergency.
Should Boulder County experience severe weather during one of the planned audible tests, the siren tests for that day may be cancelled. For updated information, visit www.BoulderOEM.com.
Residents are encouraged to review their own emergency preparedness plans and discuss what they would do in the event of a flash flood or other emergency. For more information about personal preparedness, visitwww.readycolorado.com.
About the countywide alert system
Used to alert residents to potential danger from a flood or other immediate threat, there are 25 outdoor warning sirens in place across Boulder County, including in Boulder, Erie, Jamestown, Lafayette, Louisville, Lyons, Marshall, Eldorado Springs, Superior and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
All Boulder County sirens undergo weekly tests throughout the year, using a software program that performs a “silent” test.
For more information, visit www.BoulderOEM.com.
Boulder police arrest suspect in FirstBank robbery
Mar 22nd
Boulder police arrested the suspect involved in last weekend’s robbery at FirstBank just before 5 p.m. on March 21, 2013.
James William Cranfill (DOB 7/01/1957) was arrested near the Municipal Campus after investigators developed information on the suspect’s identity from a Crime Stopper’s tip.
The bank robbery occurred on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 9:17 a.m. at the FirstBank branch located at 2835 Pearl St. The suspect walked up to a teller, then produced a bag and a note which demanded cash. The teller complied and the suspect fled the building.
Police publicized a surveillance photo from the robbery, and that photo led to the Crime Stopper’s tip.
On March 21, a two-officer plain clothes unit spotted Cranfill and began surveillance. The plain clothes officers called for uniformed officers when Cranfill parked his car in the parking lot between the Municipal Building and the Boulder Public Library. The uniformed officers had not yet arrived when Cranfill exited his car and began moving quickly from the Canyon side of the Municipal Campus toward the Arapahoe side of the Municipal Campus. The plain clothes officers identified themselves as Boulder police officers, at which point the suspect began running away from them and into a large crowd of onlookers. The suspect fell down and the plain clothes officers began to gain control of him. The suspect continued to struggle, yell and resist arrest.
A large crowd of people began to surround the officers and the suspect. They were hostile to the officers as they tried to gain control of the suspect. A male in the crowd lifted up a nearby bicycle and threatened to strike one of the police officers with it. He ran away when police instructed him to stay back.
Once the suspect was subdued, he feigned a heart attack and was taken to the hospital to be checked out. He was later transported to the Boulder County Jail.
The case number is 13-3432, and police are continuing to investigate.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Kurt Foster at 303-441-4329. Those who have information but wish to remain anonymous may contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website atwww.crimeshurt.com. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers.
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Smoking ban on Pearl Street Mall has Teeth
Mar 21st
The ordinance banning smoking on the Pearl Street Mall went into effect on Jan. 18, 2013. The ordinance bans all smoking between 11th and 15th streets on the Pearl Street Mall, and on the lawn of the Boulder County Courthouse. The maximum penalty for a first or second offense within two years is a fine of $500; a third and subsequent conviction within two years triggers the general penalty provision of a maximum $1,000 fine and/or maximum of 90 days in jail.
Boulder police officers who patrol on the Pearl Street Mall have been educating people about the smoking ban since it went into effect, and have not written any tickets while the signs were being manufactured. On Monday, April 1, the ordinance will be fully implemented, and enforcement will begin.
Signs were ordered after City Council approved the ordinance in December; however there was a delay in the sign manufacturing. The signs on the mall are custom enameled and take longer to fabricate. The enamel signs are more resistant to graffiti and other tampering.
The city is collaborating with several partners, including Boulder County Public Health and Downtown Boulder, Inc. (DBI), to create a coordinated educational campaign for downtown employees and visitors about the smoking ban on the mall. A celebration event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, on the 1300 block of the Pearl Street Mall, where county, city and DBI staff will be available to answer questions about the smoking ban and about free resources available for individuals who wish to quit smoking.