Aurora, CO

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Did you see the aurora borealis?

Photographers across Colorado captured images of the northern lights early Monday in multiple towns across Colorado.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the opportunity early Monday had a favorable window for Coloradans to see the aurora borealis.

NWS said the best time was 10 p.m. Sunday until 2 p.m. Monday because the sky was mostly clear and the moon was not a factor in hindering viewing.

9NEWS viewers in Byers, Eaton, Iliff, and Steamboat Springs were among those to see the pretty light show.

The last time the northern lights were spotted in Colorado was March 24 and February 27.

Northern lights in Colorado

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Reanne Trujillo

Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) will be possible over much of the Northern Plains late this evening into early Monday morning. The most favorable timing will be between 10pm and 2am. The sky should be mostly clear, and the moon should not be a factor in hindering viewing. #ndwx pic.twitter.com/DdnH0xC2M5

— NWS Bismarck (@NWSBismarck) April 23, 2023

Photographers say the aurora borealis looks much dimmer to the naked eye in Colorado than it appears in photographs.

The key is to get a camera that allows you to adjust the length of time the iris is open during the capture. The longer the exposure, the more light there will be in the capture.

You will need a tripod when doing long-exposure photography because any movement of the camera while the iris is open will be recorded in the picture.

There has been some recent success in capturing the aurora with smartphones. Some have great low light settings or allow you to iris up a few levels manually before taking a picture.

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Credit: Ryan Shepard

Eaton, Colorado

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SEATTLE, Dec. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seattle-based fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) announced plans to open a new Nordstrom Rack in Aurora, Colorado.

"We look forward to opening this new Nordstrom Rack location in Aurora, strengthening our network of stores and introducing new customers to Nordstrom Rack's unique product offering," said Carl Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Nordstrom Rack Stores. "In addition to shopping the brands they love at a great price, our customers in Aurora can take full advantage of this convenient new location to pick-up online orders and make returns."

The 30,000 square-foot store will be located in Southlands, a popular shopping center that includes Sephora, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bath & Body Works and H&M. Southlands is owned and managed by M & J Wilkow and is ideally located off of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road in Aurora, Colorado. With the addition of this new location, Nordstrom will operate eight Nordstrom Rack stores and two Nordstrom stores in Colorado. The store is scheduled to open in fall 2023.

"We are thrilled to welcome premier retailer Nordstrom Rack, a best-in-class operation that will be an outstanding addition to Southland's shopping experience," said Gregg Wilkow, Executive Vice President, M & J Wilkow. "With its incomparable customer service and an extraordinary array of top-notch brands, we know that our shoppers from Aurora and surrounding communities will be as happy as we are that Nordstrom Rack has joined the terrific lineup at Southlands."

Nordstrom Rack is the off-price retail division of Nordstrom, Inc. and plays a critical role in the company's Closer to You strategy, which focuses on delivering customers a more convenient and interconnected experience across its stores and digital platforms. Nordstrom Rack offers customers up to 70 percent off on-trend apparel, accessories, beauty, home and shoes from many of the top brands sold at Nordstrom stores as well as core services like online order pickup for Nordstrom.com and NordstromRack.com, easy returns and alterations at select stores. Nordstrom Rack is the largest source of new customers to Nordstrom.

Nordstrom is committed to giving back to the diverse communities where it operates. Since 2019 along with its customers, Nordstrom has donated more than $1.5 million in support of its long-term partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the United States and Canada. These proceeds support the recruitment, training and engagement of adult mentors and mentorship moments between Bigs and Littles, including preparing for an interview, learning to tie a tie and helping with homework.

About Nordstrom

At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop – whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it.

About M & J Wilkow

M & J Wilkow is a leading commercial real estate owner and operator dedicated to creating value for its investors. The company's approach to real estate emerged distinctively from an owner's perspective and has evolved over 82 years in the real estate business. M & J Wilkow's portfolio consists of 85 properties consisting of approximately 14 million square feet. The aggregate market value of the portfolio is estimated to be in excess of $3 billion.

MEDIA CONTACT: Caroline MattinglyNordstrom, Inc.NordstromPR@Nordstrom.com

SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc.

Cannabis consumers who stop by Terrapin Care Station dispensary in Aurora can now buy weed the same way they might buy their favorite munchies: from a vending machine.

In early February, the company installed what’s technically called an Automated Cannabis Experience (ACE), a large machine that enables customers to order marijuana products via touch screen and dispenses them ready to be taken home. Terrapin Care Station developed ACE in partnership with Canadian vending machine company BMC Universal Technologies, billing it as the first fully automated cannabis kiosk on the market.

The Boulder-based company first unveiled the dispenser at MJBizCon trade show in November, where industry personnel and avid enthusiasts lined up daily to try it out.

“It was crazy, it felt like we had an amusement park ride there,” said spokesperson Peter Marcus.

Locals who want to see the new technology for themselves can head to Terrapin Care Station at 11091 E. Mississippi Ave. in Aurora, which boasts the only ACE in use at this time. When they arrive, they still need to check in with and show proof they are at least 21 years old to a dispensary representative to be granted entry.

But once inside the pot shop, they can complete their purchases without ever interacting with a budtender.

Customers simply walk up to the machine, scan their ID, and use a touch screen to peruse the menu and fill their digital basket. The ACE can hold up to 1,152 products, Marcus said, and because it’s refrigerated, consumers can order concentrates that require being stored at a certain temperature, as well as flower, edibles, vape oil cartridges and other items.

Once ready to check out, customers pay using cash – the machine does not currently accept debit cards – and watch through a 38-by-30-inch glass window as the ACE grabs, bags, seals and places a purchase sticker on their order before dispensing it like your average vending machine.

Hopes to spark a revolution

If the concept sounds familiar, that’s because in 2020, The Denver Post wrote about another cannabis vending machine that debuted in Colorado, called Anna. According to Marcus, the two machines have significant differences, most notably that the ACE machine is integrated with Metrc, Colorado’s seed-to-sale marijuana tracking system, which makes it compliant with state and municipal regulations.

Matt Frost, founder CEO of Anna, couldn’t be reached for comment, but representatives of Strawberry Fields and Star Buds dispensaries, where Anna first rolled out, said the machines were short-lived primarily because of compliance issues. Ben Tafoya, supervisor at the Star Buds in southeast Aurora, said transactions were ultimately quicker the old-fashioned way.

“Everything has to be accounted for and everything has to be stickered after it’s been purchased to prove there was a legal transaction made, and so someone had to be standing at the vending machine at all times,” Tafoya said. “It was not as successful as we wanted it to be, so it didn’t stick around long. I think we only did a handful of transactions out of it.”

While Terrapin Care Station eventually plans to install ACE machines at its five other dispensaries on the Front Range, Marcus said the company’s long-term goal is to sell the technology to other “struggling” retailers throughout the state and country.

Cannabis sales hit record highs during the pandemic — accounting for about $2.2 billion in 2020 and another $2.2 billion in 2021, according to the Marijuana Enforcement Division, but have since plummeted.

In 2022, sales from January through November, the latest data available, totaled about $1.6 billion — a 21% decrease compared to the same period a year prior.

Additionally, many dispensaries are also experiencing the same staffing crisis plaguing other sectors of the service industry, Marcus said. Adding an automated check-out experience can not only help fill the gaps on staff, but also speed up the purchasing experience for customers.

“Plus it’s kind of a fun experience, not going to lie. It’s something that potentially draws new consumers in,” Marcus said.

If it catches on, the folks at Terrapin Care Station believe ACE could revolutionize the industry and pop up in places where traditional vending machines reside. Chris Woods, Terrapin Care Station’s CEO, called it “a genuinely game-changing way for consumers to purchase cannabis,” in a statement.

“It’s not crazy to think in a few years from now – with changes in regulation – you might see these at Union Station, or like ATM expresses where you swipe cards to get into the use the ATM,” Marcus said.

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Now part of Intermountain Health, SCL Health Medical Group broke ground this week on a new medical office building to meet the growing demand for healthcare in Colorado.

Aurora, CO (PRUnderground) March 23rd, 2023

This week, legacy SCL Health Medical Group, now part of Intermountain Health, broke ground on a massive new medical office building to meet the growing demand for healthcare options in one of the fastest-expanding markets on the Colorado Front Range. Development in east Aurora, Colorado is on pace to add 60,000 residential units in the next five to 10 years representing about 120,000 projected new residents.

“There’s a lot of exciting change happening in this area,” said Mark Korth, president of Intermountain Health’s Peaks Region, which includes all legacy SCL Health facilities in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. “Aurora is expected to add 20% to its population before the decade is through.

“All those people are going to need care,” he added. “We’re going to be there to care for the whole family and the entire community.”

In the next five years Intermountain plans to bring close to 50 additional providers to the east Denver metro area, most of whom will practice in the new medical office building. Located on Gun Club Road near the junction of I-70 and E-470, the building will represent Intermountain and SCL Health’s largest care offering in the area with a planned 80,000 square feet of practice space.

The building will house a primary care practice of eight providers along with ambulatory surgery, endoscopy, a full imaging center and seven planned specialty offerings comprising an estimated 20 total providers. The site also sits on 30 total acres of potential development area – meaning there’s room for much more.

“It’s our mission and our promise to deliver comprehensive, high-quality healthcare close to home,” said Christopher Awtrey, MD, MHCDS, MBA, vice president and chief medical officer for legacy SCL Health Medical Group on the Front Range. “This is what that promise looks like in action.”

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in seven states and additional operations across the western U.S., www.intermountainhealth.org is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,900 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called SelectHealth with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.

New water restrictions for the City of Aurora go into effect on Monday, May 1. Aurora residents may water no more than two days a week.

Even addresses will be allowed to water their lawns on Sundays and Thursdays, while odd addresses are permitted to water lawns on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Multi-family, HOA and non-residential areas can water Tuesdays and Fridays.

As always, watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from May 1 through Sept. 30.

Don't let Colorado's snowy winter fool you - Aurora's water storage is only at 53% capacity. Half of Aurora's water is from the South Platte Basin and snowpack peaked in mid-April.

"The snow that fills those reservoirs is only 85% of the average. We didn't get snow where the rest of state got the snow," explained Greg Baker with Aurora Water.

Aurora Water is monitoring both water mountain water supply and in-town demands. The city approved stage I drought restrictions in February.

The goal is to maintain more than 30 months of water demands in storage to help buffer from Colorado's drought cycles.

"We do have water monitors out to help educate our customers and they will do enforcement if they see a violation," Baker said.

If you don't reduce, the city says it won't have water to provide, so they'll have to lease it.

The surcharge revenue pays for that.

Stage I drought results in surcharges of $1.95 per thousand gallons on top of the existing water rates, beginning in tier II for residential customers and for usage above 110% of the winter quarter average for commercial and multifamily customers.

Baker says if residents reduce their usage by 20%, they shouldn't notice a change in their bills.

"I think most people are very conscious of how water is used. They recognize the importance. I think most people are going to embrace these new restrictions," Baker said.

Aurora Water advises that you wait until May 15 to turn on your sprinkler system.

Residents with questions can contact Aurora Water at Conservation@auroragov.org or call the Water Conservation Hotline 303-739-7195.

For more information visit: https://bit.ly/426JrpK

Tori Mason

Tori Mason is a reporter at CBS News Colorado. Read her latest reports or check out her bio and send her an email.

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