By JOSEPH KRAUSS (Associated Press) JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians on Wednesday will mark the 76th year of their mass expulsion from what is now Israel, an event that is at the core of their national struggle. But in many ways, that experience pales in comparison to the calamity now unfolding in Gaza. Palestinians refer to it as the Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe. Some 700,000 Palestinians — a majority of the prewar population — fled or were driven from their homes before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment. After the war, Israel refused to allow them to ret ..read more

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed two marquee land-use reform bills into law Monday, clearing the way for the building of more accessory-dwelling units and denser development in cities and suburbs across the Front Range. “The success of this bill will be measured in years,” Rep. Steven Woodrow, a Denver Democrat who sponsored the density measure, said at the signing ceremony outside a light rail station in Denver. “1.7 million more people are projected to move to Colorado by 2050. “And this bill says: ‘Yes, we will have a space for you. Yes, you coming here will not make it less affordable for ..read more

Longmont should see highs in the 70s today with partly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service. Today’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies with a high of 79 and an overnight low of 47, with a 30% chance of rain and storms after 2 p.m. Wednesday’s forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high of 65 and an overnight low of 44, with a 60% chance of rain and storms. Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 73 and an overnight low of 46, with a 20% chance of rain and storms after noon. Friday’s forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 82 and an ove ..read more

Today Bad Art Night: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. A wacky, freestyle art and crafts event for tweens. Tweens will have the opportunity to make their best “bad” art in a nonjudgmental creative space and even participate in a bad art exhibition and vote on their favorite “bad” art. Registration required. Free, highplains.libcal.com. Preschool Story Time: 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, MOVE (Outreach Services) at TBK Bank, 141 Main St., Mead. Join for a fun time of read-alouds, song and movement for children up to 6 years old and their caregivers. Stay to check ..read more

This vote might be the one that saves your right to vote We hear it on both sides, “This is the most important election of our lives.” Well like it or not, it is. We hear, “You’re going to get so tired of winning,” as if winning is everything. Vince Lombardi, the iconic coach of the Green Bay Packers, long ago, said, “Winning isn’t everything; it is the only thing.” I agree with that if we are talking about a game. But governance is not a game. It affects our lives. It affects the very fabric of our day to day endeavors. It is part of our reality. It is not a game, nor is it entertainment. In ..read more

Bill Ellis / St. Vrain Valley Voices Since moving to Longmont, I have been impressed by the school district’s emphasis on long-term career and technical education and training. I witnessed the overall effect of this emphasis as a writer-in-residence at Sunset Middle School in 2007 and 2008. I worked with Linda Bartlett, since retired, to teach an eighth-grade advanced course on writing. The output of those students for both years was easily upper high school level in producing an online magazine of their work, programmed by the students themselves. When I look at the plan for expenditures laid ..read more

  BIRTHDAY STAR: Actor Cate Blanchett was born in Melbourne, Australia, today in 1969. This birthday star has won Oscars for her performances in Blue Jasmine and The Aviator. She’s also earned six other Oscar nominations, most recently for roles in Tár, Carol, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. On the small screen, Blanchett has lent her voice talents to episodes of What If…?, Frontline, and Homemade. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Success and attention aren’t solely dependent on charm. Your commitment and willingness to succeed may be the missing piece to your success. Stay loyal to those you wo ..read more

The weather was just part of the opening round frustrations for Colorado’s Justin Biwer. The junior from the CU men’s golf team endured a weather delay of about three on Monday at the NCAA Central/Austin Regional. Once the long day was complete, Biwer found himself facing an uphill climb over the next two rounds after carding a 2-over par 73 at the University of Texas Golf Course. Biwer finished the first round in a tie for 43rd. The top five teams plus the top individual not on one of those teams advance to the NCAA championship, which begins May 24 in Carlsbad, Calif. Biwer suffered two boge ..read more

From the 2025 budget to a more than 170-unit proposed development, the Longmont City Council has no shortage of topics to discuss during its regular session Tuesday night. First, though, the City Council is scheduled to hear a presentation from the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee concerning the results of its 2023 cultural assessment. The assessment was created to “gather information about people’s experiences, involvement in diversity, sense of belonging and cultural opportunities,” according to a council memo. The Multicultural Action Committee, which is a City Council initiated effo ..read more

Lucas Macaj (courtesy of Rocky Mountain National Park) Rocky Mountain National Park rangers are searching for a 23-year-old man who has been missing since he attempted to summit Longs Peak on Sunday. According to a release, Lucas Macaj, a Colorado Springs resident, was reported overdue late Sunday night. Early Monday morning, rangers confirmed Macaj’s vehicle was still parked at the Longs Peak Trailhead. Macaj was last heard from at 1 p.m. Sunday, when he texted a friend indicating that he was on the summit of Longs Peak. Macaj reportedly started from the Longs Peak Trailhead early to summit L ..read more