Fort Collins Detailed Time Line 1990

The following links are to a chronological index of Fort Collins information compiled by Fort Collins Archive volunteers and staff.
The information is from these reference sources and they are noted in the Time Line. There is also a Brief Time Line available.

Foremost among international concerns during the 1990s were wars (in Iraq, Kuwait, and the former Yugoslavia), the Rwandan genocide, the dismantling of apartheid sand ascendancy of Mandela in South Africa, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the creation of the European Union. National concerns included riots in Los Angeles (after the officers who had beaten Rodney King were acquittal); the Oklahoma City bombing; cloning, stem cell research, and advances in computing (including the founding of search engine Google). The main local concerns were the release of Tom Sutherland, the Spring Creek flood, and the Columbine massacre.

Fort Collins mayors were Bob Winokur (1989-1990), Susan Kirkpatrick (1990-1993), Ann Azari (1993-1999), and Ray Martinez (1999-2005). Approved by voters in March 1989, the Choices 95 tax increase funded capital projects through 1997 in parks and open space; library and cultural facilities; public facilities and streets; and transportation. Specific projects included a $5+ million senior citizens center; a $4+ million project extending Timberline Road; improvements to city parks, the Lincoln Center, Aztlan Center, and major street intersections. Millions were spent on natural-area acquisition, as well as land for city buildings.

Compared to cities nationally, Fort Collins stacked up well at the beginning of the decade: top ten fastest-growing job markets (Kiplinger’s, Jan 1990); top thirty places to retire (Retirement Places Rated, October 1990); second-smartest city (94 percent of those 25+ had high school diplomas or more; Money, 1990). Employment in the area had increased significantly by the early 1990s. Between 1983-1987 Fort Collins added only 98 people to the employment rolls; in 1988-1992, that number was 6,897. Industries contributing to the growth spurt ran the gamut from high tech (Hewlett Packard, Woodward) to beer (Anheuser Busch).

Beer: Anheuser Busch officially began operation of its plant in 1988. Early in 1989, Old Colorado Brewing Company got its business license (Fort Collins Beer, p 20), and Fort Collins’ first local brew pub opened (CooperSmith's; Fort Collins Beer, p 25). In 1990 Odell’s Brewery opened, and two years later came New Belgium Brewing Co. and Fort Collins Brewery (Coloradoan 27 Feb 1995, P13).

Culture: The first New West Fest was held in August of 1989. The Colorado Rockies (major league baseball team) had their inaugural season in 1993. Notable appearances in town included: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in Denver (Coloradoan, 17 Nov 1994, Page 1), and the Pope in Denver (see references below).

Citizens of Fort Collins had many spirited discussions throughout the decade:

• Harmony Corridor development (and the relocation of Pioneer Mobile Home Park residents)
• What to do with the old FCHS building at 144 Remington (multiple articles in 1995).
• Growth of Front Range Community College (and resulting need for capital expenditures); articles 1995, including “Big money on campus: FRCC to expand” (Coloradoan 1995-04-27)
• Teacher pay based on performance (rather than experience and education)
• Effects of population growth (FC exceeds 100,000 residents in 1995; “Fort Collins’ [predicted, not yet reached] milestone changes landscape in many ways” (Coloradoan 1995-01-29)
• Increasing youth crime and youth drug use (multiple articles early 1995)
• Canada geese – love ‘em or hate ‘em? (multiple articles February, May 1995)

[NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL]

• 1990
  • Hubble Space Telescope launched during Space Shuttle Discovery mission.
  • Nelson Mandela released from prison in South Africa, becomes the leader of the ANC.
  • East and West Germany were reunited after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  • Broncos lost to 49ers in the Super Bowl (Coloradoan 1990-01-29).
• 1991
  • The World Wide Web publicly debuted as an Internet service.
  • Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia became independent from the former Yugoslavia.
  • Cost of stamps went to 29 cents (Coloradoan 1991-01-05)
  • Operation Desert Storm took place in Iraq and Kuwait; reports dominated the local news starting January and continuing for months.
    • “1,600 March for Peace” (Coloradoan 1991-01-13)
    • “PVH, City Police lose employees to military duty” (Coloradoan 1991-01-14)
    • “City tense as conflict more likely” (Coloradoan 1991-01-15)
    • “Group erupts after council ends debate about peace” (Coloradoan 1991-01-16)
    • “Local police ready for today’s rallies” (Coloradoan 1991-01-26)
    • “Ground war begins: coalition troops launch assault on Kuwait” (Coloradoan 1991-02-24)
    • “US Moves out of Iraq: occupation ends; buffer zone created” (Coloradoan 1991-04-15)
  • Boris Yeltsin became Russia's first elected President.
  • Clarence Thomas became Supreme Court Justice after difficult confirmation hearing (which included allegations of sexual harassment).
  • Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer arrested July 22 (sentenced 1992; murdered in prison 1994).
  • Former FBI agent Richard Miller received 20-year sentence for spying, the only FBI agent ever convicted of espionage (Coloradoan 1991-02-05).
  • Soviet Union collapsed (coup August 19, 1991; Gorbachev resigned December 25, 1991); many local stories, including “Soviet Union to fold: Gorbachev lends reluctant support to commonwealth” (Coloradoan 1991-12-18).
• 1992
  • Los Angeles riots, spurred by acquittal of four Los Angeles police officers accused in the beating of Rodney King (local stories started April 30, continued through May 8).
  • Hurricane Andrew caused massive damage and destruction.
  • Incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush was defeated by Democrat Bill Clinton. Independent candidate Ross Perot won 18% of votes.
  • The European Union was created when the Maastricht Treaty is signed.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence.
• 1993
  • A bomb exploded under the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring over 1,000.
  • Branch Davidians, under leader David Koresh, staged standoff (and started fires) near Waco, Texas.
  • President Clinton signed 'Don't ask, don't tell' into law (prohibiting openly gay or bisexual persons from serving in the military).
  • Czechoslovakia separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
  • NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) was signed into law.
  • Intel introduced the Pentium Microprocessor.
  • “US sends troops into Bosnia” (Coloradoan 1994-11-26)
  • Thurgood Marshall dies (Coloradoan 1993-01-25)
  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg nominated by President Clinton to the United States Supreme Court (Coloradoan 1993- 06-15)
  • The Pepsi can-tampering hoax affects Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1993-06, various articles)
• 1994
  • Former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones accused President Clinton of sexual harassment.
  • Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa after being elected in the country's first multi-racial elections.
  • A players strike cancelled the Major League Baseball season.
  • Genocide and civil war in Rwanda (500,000+ people killed).
  • Channel Tunnel was completed and opened, connecting France and England.
  • Susan Smith charged with the murder of her two children in South Carolina (November); found guilty 1995 (Coloradoan 1995-07-23)
  • Sweden joined the European Union; Norway said no.
  • “START treaty begins arms reduction” (Coloradoan 1994-12-06) – Clinton and Yeltsin formally put in force the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the first accord ever to reduce long-range nuclear weapons.
  • Pope John Paul II named Man of the Year by Time
• 1995
  • Earthquake in Kobe, Japan (more than 6,000 people died)
  • Online auction website Ebay was founded.
  • The World Trade Organization (WTO) was created.
  • Oklahoma City bombing killed 168, wounded 800; Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were arrested (local coverage began with Coloradoan 1995-04-20, “”It was like Beirut’: Okla. City blast kills dozens; up to 200 missing”)
  • Fall of Srebrenica and environs to Bosnian Serb showed that the UN peacekeeping protection in place since 1993 was not effective (local coverage began in May 1995 with “Serbs’ detention of 200+ UN soldiers” and “Peacekeepers fight back” (Coloradoan 1995-05-28)
  • J. Simpson was acquitted of two charges of first-degree murder in the 1994 slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Local coverage included “Are You Interested in the Second OJ Trial?” (Inside Fort Collins 1996-09-26, Page 1)
• 1996
  • Princess Diana and Prince Charles divorced.
  • Kofi Annan became the Secretary General of the United Nations.
  • Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • TWA Flight 800 exploded off Long Island killing all 230 people aboard.
  • Incumbent Democratic President Bill Clinton beat Republican challenger Bob Dole. Reform candidate Ross Perot won 8% of the votes. Local coverage included “Should Perot Have Been Included in the Debates?” (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-10-03, Page 1)
  • Montana Freemen (anti-government militant group) maintained an armed standoff with the FBI. Local coverage included “How Should the Freemen in Montana Be Handled” (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-04-11, Page 1)
  • Rap star Tupac Shakur was murdered on September 13.
• 1997
  • Madeleine Albright appointed as first female Secretary of State in the United States.
  • First Harry Potter book was published.
  • Scientists at the Roslin Institute unveiled Dolly, the first successfully cloned sheep.
  • Hale-Bopp comet made its closest-to-date approach to Earth.
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 7.18 percent (to 7,161.15).
• 1998
  • Search engine Google founded.
  • United States had a budget surplus for the first time in thirty years.
  • Ireland and United Kingdom signed Belfast Agreement (aka Good Friday Agreement).
  • The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal: President Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky; Clinton was impeached, then acquitted.
• 1999
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 10,000, then 11,000, for the first time.
  • Two students murdered twelve students and one teacher at Columbine High School.
  • World prepared for the possible effects of Y2K computer bug; disaster was averted.
  • Eleven countries began to use the Euro as their currency.
    

[BUSINESS/INDUSTRY]

• 1990
  • “Fire fells Vern’s” (Coloradoan 1990-01-21) – A three-alarm fire destroyed the LaPorte restaurant and tackle shop Vern’s Place. Harvey and Dinah Kittel were the owners of this Laporte institution, which was built in 1946.
    • More stories January 22, March 23
  • “Kodak to put $50 million into facility at Windsor: Funds going to lithographic plate operation” (Coloradoan 1990-05-11)
  • “Sheriff dunks Debbie’s: Cortese faces drug charges; shop closed” (Coloradoan 1990-04-05) - Larimer County authorities shut down Debbie Duz Donuts (a topless doughnut shop at 4228 E Mulberry St) after the arrest on April 4 of proprietor Dennis Cortese on drug charges.
    • More stories April 6, May 15
  • “Grand jury indicts 10 in gambling network: DA seizes Hunt Club, County Cork” (Coloradoan 1990-05-11) – Ten Larimer County residents were indicted, and two local bars seized, under suspicion of operating illegal professional gambling (County Cork, 313 W Drake Road; Hunt Club, 400 S Link Lane). According to court records, the head of the illegal network was Jack Daniel Ambrosio.
    • “Bars pay fines to reopen: Two clubs settle gambling cases for $10,000 each” (Coloradoan 1990-05-12); district attorney was Stuart VanMeveren
• 1991
  • “New site a masterpiece for One West art center” - One West contemporary art center opened at the former post office (201 S College); executive director was Rosalyn Spencer (Coloradoan 1991-01-27, Page 1)
  • “SouthRidge course: to sell or not to sell” – Private offers made to buy the debt-ridden golf course project SouthRidge (Coloradoan 1991-02-11). Follow-up story: “SouthRidge sale [to a group of Japanese investors] unravels” (Coloradoan 1991-04-13)
  • Downtown Walgreen’s store closed. The store, located in the 100 block of South College, had been established in 1935, and had been Colorado’s oldest Walgreen’s (Coloradoan 1991-04-12).
  • “Kodak plan expansion at Windsor Plant” - Eastman Kodak announced multimillion dollar expansion project in Windsor for later that year (Coloradoan 1991-05-14)
  • Filly “Lady” was the first Clydesdale horse to be raised at Anheuser Busch’s stable north of Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1991-05-03).
  • Colorado Rockies were confirmed as one of two new baseball teams to join the National League in 1993 (the other was in Miami) (Coloradoan 1991-07-06).
  • The Forks Café in Livermore closed 116 years after it first opened (Coloradoan 1991-07-30, Page C1).
  • “Kodak completes film-finishing center”– This article referred to the Windsor location; work there was related to the medical x-ray film market (Coloradoan 1991-09-21).
  • “Curtain falls on Fort Collins Comedy Works”– The Comedy Works opened in December 1986, and their last show was Saturday, December 7, 1991 (Coloradoan 1991-12-08).
• 1992
  • “City receives A1 rating on bonds” - Moody’s granted A1 rating to the City of Fort Collins on $4,050,000 worth of revenue bonds (Coloradoan 1992-08-21).
  • Bas Bleu Theatre Company opened in July 1992 at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.
  • New Belgium Brewing Company and Fort Collins Brewery opened.
  • Advanced Energy announced plans to build a 70,000-square-foot facility in Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1992-03-02).
  • “Local group buys Linden: Old Town Ltd plans to renovate old hotel”– The Linden Hotel, located at Linden and Walnut streets, was at that time 110 years old (Coloradoan 1992-06-16).
  • Downtown Woolworth’s closed Jan 31, 1993, after 80 years of business at 107 N College (Coloradoan 1992-09-26 announcement; full story Coloradoan 1993-03-28, Page E1).
  • The upcoming closure of Vipont Pharmaceutical, one of Fort Collin’s most successful home-grown companies, was announced by owner Colgate Palmolive (Coloradoan 1992-12-03).
  • An explosion severely injured two people at an oil processing facility southeast of Fort Collins in rural Weld County. Flames from the oil storage tanks at the Northern Colorado Brine Company reached heights of 100 feet (Coloradoan 1992-11-17).
• 1993
  • “New A-B plant manager likes being in middle of beer boom” – Anheuser-Busch produced over 6 million barrels of beer in 1992 (Coloradoan 1993-02-28 Page I10).
  • “Kodak layoffs: 2000 to lose jobs companywide; Windsor not likely to be hit hard (Coloradoan 1993 Jan 20, Page D8)
  • “Stone Lion bookstore starts a new chapter: shop to share former Woolworth’s with new French-style café, bakery” – Woolworth’s building (107 N College), bought by Jacques Rieux, became the new location for Stone Lion Bookstore (moved from the northeast corner of College and Mountain) (Coloradoan 1993-02-05).
  • Vipont Pharmaceuticals closed its doors after twelve years. Parent company Colgate-Palmolive offered the fifty remaining employees transfers to other Colorado plants (including one in Severance) (Coloradoan 1993-04-01).
  • First National Bank of Omaha signed a letter of intent to buy First Interstate Bank of Fort Collins for $68 million (Coloradoan 1993-June-16).
  • Talk begins about establishing a Cinema Savers theater north of Drake between Shields and the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital; it became reality in March of 1995 (Coloradoan 1993-Aug-07).
  • “US West dials out 160 jobs: local cuts part of 9,000-job reduction I phone service area” – US West announces this, their second major downsizing effort in less than three years (Coloradoan 1993-09-18).
  • City Council members and a private company agreed to “begin breathing life back into the deteriorating Linden Hotel building;” $450K allocated for renovation (Coloradoan 1993-Oct-06).
• 1994
  • “SJC turns One” - The Sunset Jazz Club, later the Sunset Event Center, would go on to host bands and musicians for 20 years (Inside Fort Collins 1994-12-22, Page 11).
  • “FortNet puts power at fingertips” – FortNet was a computer network funded by City and HewlettPackard (Coloradoan 1994-11-07).
  • Hyundai bought Fort-Collins based NCR Microelectronics (a division of AT&T) (Coloradoan 1994-11-11).
  • Albertsons bought a lot at Willox and College, ending a 22-year wait for a major shopping center for residents north of the Poudre (Coloradoan 1994-11-19).
  • Comlinear Corp. merged with National Semiconductor Corp., one of the world’s largest makers of computer chips and components (Coloradoan 1994-12-21).
  • “Billion puts millions in city coffers”– For the second year in a row, taxable retail sales in Fort Collins surpassed $1 billion (Coloradoan 1994-12-27).
• 1995
  • The area code for Larimer County was switched from 303 to 970 on April 2, 1995 (Coloradoan 1995-01-13).
  • NCR Microelectronic Products Division was bought by Hyundai Electronics Industry Co. and given the new name Symbios Logic Inc. (Coloradoan 1995-02-17).
  • “Advanced Energy booming: company to add 200 jobs”– AE had a 70% sales growth in 1994 (Coloradoan 1995-03-11).
  • Cinema Saver Theatre debuted (a second-run theater, near the northeast corner of Drake and Shields) (Coloradoan 1995-03-14).
  • Popular restaurant Delfannies closed suddenly (Coloradoan 1995-03-28).
  • Coors Field opened (“’It’s just a beautiful ballpark’,” Coloradoan 1995-04-01).
  • Rumors begin in March about Hyundai opening a memory-chip plant in Fort Collins. It didn’t happen (“Hyundai chooses Eugene,” Coloradoan 1995-05-23).
  • “Loveland outlet stores on the right track”– The one-year-old mall, Rocky Mountain Factory Stores, noted as doing well (Coloradoan 1995-05-22).
  • Construction began on the Courtyard Marriott in south Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1995-07-28).
• 1996:
  • Aggie Theatre and Rocky Mountain Records & Tapes both closed (Inside Fort Collins 1996-01-06, Page 1).
  • “Variety, the Spice of Life for Allnuts” - Allnut Funeral Services touted as the oldest business in Colorado (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-30, Page 5).
  • Fort Ram nightclub closed (Inside Fort Collins 1996-06-27, Page 9).
  • “Diamonds Are Redaurum’s Best Friend” - Diamond mining at Kelsey Lake by British-based Diamond Company N.L. (Inside Fort Collins 1996-07-11, Page 6). Related story from 1995, “Mining company ready to dig for diamonds” (Coloradoan 1995-03-10).
  • “Hearthfire Project Pumps On” - Oil developers drilled north of Richards Lake (Inside Fort Collins 1996-04-11, Page 1).
  • The Dry Creek Review was a literary magazine sold at Stone Lion Bookstore (Inside Fort Collins 1996-08-01, Page 6).
  • “Scare Yourself Silly” - Scream Theme Studios was a haunted house held at 133 Mathews (in the old Frozen Foods building) (Inside Fort Collins 1996-10-03, Page 6).
  • "Money Magazine has named Fort Collins the 14th safest city in the US” (Inside Fort Collins 1996-11-28, p 1).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[PEOPLE]

• 1990
  • Tim Van Schmidt wrote hundreds of concert-related articles between 1990-1996 for “The Ticket” section of the Coloradoan. The Ticket’s first issue was August 17, 1990.
  • Troy Jonson Heustis was found guilty of abusing and sexually assaulting 13-month-old Micheala “Mickey” Hughes (but was acquitted of first-degree murder and first-degree assault) (Coloradoan 1990-03-14). Heustis was charged in August 1988, and his first trial ended in a mistrial in May 24, 1989. The mother of the child was Ellen Hansen.
    • “Heustis gets 80-year term” (Coloradoan 1990-05-01) – This was the maximum sentence for child abuse and sexual assault.
  • “Woman shot, killed in Laporte: Man held; homicide, accident under probe” (Coloradoan 1990-03-2) – 35-year-old Carol Ann Nix was killed at 3008 N Highway 287 in Laporte. J. R. Pulfrey was arrested on suspicion of committing the homicide.
    • “LaPorte shooting ruled a homicide” (Coloradoan 1990-03-03) – Charges made against suspect J. R. Pulfrey.
  • “Beirut magazine: Sutherland next to be freed” (Coloradoan 1990-05-20) – and so began this national news story cycle.
  • "Black's campaign under fire: Sherriff denies fundraising allegations" (Coloradoan 1990-08-08) – Larimer County Sherriff Jim Black's campaign manager was accused of illegally influencing the reelection of Sherriff Black
    • Richard Shockley defeated Jim Black in the Republican primary for sheriff ("Shockley Shocks Black: 3 term sheriff loses primary by 635 votes," Coloradoan 1990-08-15).
    • “Sherriff Black Bids Farewell” – Larimer County Sherriff Jim Black leaves office after twelve years; Richard Shockley takes the helm (Coloradoan 1991-01-04).
• 1991
  • “Local resident Pam Miller named 365^th Point of Light” - Pam Miller, 24, HP computer engineer, was named by President Bush for her efforts to help victims of domestic violence (Coloradoan 1991-01-30).
  • Former Fort Collins Mayor Harvey Johnson died at 95 (Coloradoan 1991-01-31, Page C1)
  • Fred Rainguet became city’s police chief (Coloradoan 1991-02-04).
  • Fort Collinsian Mary E. Callan elected as head of Colorado’s Libertarians (Coloradoan 1991-03-25).
  • Scott Mayer, 13, Lesher Junior High student, became the top junior high math student in Colorado (Coloradoan 1991-03-25).
  • Boltz Junior High students talked to Nelson Mandela by phone. “Dogged calls” to the ANC resulted in this unusual event, conceived to honor Boltz teacher Kevin Irvine, who was named 1991 Colorado Teacher of the Year (“History-maker makes it to class: Boltz students reach out to touch Nelson Mandela,” Coloradoan 1991-05-17) .
  • “Underdog Webb sworn in as Denver’s first black mayor” – Wellington Webb defeated District Attorney Norm Early (Coloradoan 1991-07-02, Page C3)
  • “Earth talks back with own telephone line” - Karen Fritz, an engineer at HP, launched the country’s first 900 telephone line for environmental information ($2 a minute) (Coloradoan 1991-08-08).
  • Jazz legend Miles Davis died at 65 (Coloradoan 1991-09-29)
  • Rumors began about the release of hostages from Lebanon, including local Tom Sutherland, and stories run almost daily:
    • “1 Hostage tastes freedom” (Coloradoan 1991-08-09)
    • “Hopes begin to dim” (Coloradoan 1991-08-10)
    • “Group: 1 hostage released by today” (Coloradoan 1991-08-11)
    • “Hope for all hostages: Letter brings good news; American Tracy released” (Coloradoan 1991-08-12)
    • “Hostage takers offer deal” and “Daughter doesn’t think Sutherland will be freed soon” (Coloradoan 1991-08-13)
    • “Deal-making intensifies for hostages” (Coloradoan 1991-08-14)
    • “Hostage talks stalled” (Coloradoan 1991-08-15)
    • “Quiet diplomacy may free hostages” (Coloradoan 1991-08-16)
    • “Primary hurdles cleared: hostage talks persist” (Coloradoan 1991-08-17)
    • “Israel offers to trade visits of hostages” (Coloradoan 1991-08-18)
    • “Talks may free Western hostages” (Coloradoan 1991-09-09)
    • “Hostage situation near end?” ; “Ribbon ties Sutherland remembrance” (Coloradoan 1991-09-12)
    • “Hopes raised for hostages” ; “Former captive predicts release by mid-October” (Coloradoan 1991-09-13)
    • “Hostages may be out by January” (Coloradoan 1991-09-24)
    • “Mann freed; hope rising” (Coloradoan 1991-09-25)
    • “Free After Five Years” (maths prof Jesse Turner freed from captivity in Lebanon) (Coloradoan 1991-10-23)
    • Front page dedicated to Tom Sutherland – “The same old Tom: Ex-hostage retains spirit and laughter;” “Miracle of freedom shines light on city” (Coloradoan 1991-11-19)
    • Front page dedicated to Sutherland - “Family reunion: we picked up again like nothing happened;” “Ex-hostages say Sutherland faces many adjustments;” “Fort Collins ready to welcome Sutherlands” (Coloradoan 1991-11-20)
    • “ ‘Like a Bad dream:’ Sutherland details years in captivity,” “Former hostage eager to see city,” “Homecoming plans firm up” (Coloradoan 1991-11-21)
    • Same, though now one less headline (Coloradoan 1991-11-22)
    • Nov 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30; Dec 3, 4 – one headline and/or one subhead
    • “Hello, America;” “Sutherland touches down in California;” “Grads of CSU welcome Tom with class act” (Coloradoan 1991-11-26)
    • Front page dedicated to Tom Sutherland welcome rally in Fort Collins – “Today is the day: City set for greeting (Coloradoan 1991-12-01)
    • “Home Sweet Home: Fort Collins never forgot Sutherland” (Coloradoan 1991-12-02)
    • “US hostage crisis ends: Anderson, last captive, in Germany” (Coloradoan 1991-12-05)
    • Stories trickled in through the end of 1991.
• 1992
  • “Man dies in city shooting: son arrested after father shot to death, mother hurt” - Robert Alexander, 66, pronounced dead by gunshot; Betty Jean Alexander, 65, admitted to hospital; son John Alexander, 37, arrested by police (Coloradoan 1992-01-11). Then on January 17, “Man says evil voices spurred fatal shooting.”
  • The Carmel Woods saga:
    • 23-year-old Carmel Woods’ car found abandoned at CSU campus; noted as missing (Coloradoan 1992-01-11)
    • “Missing woman may be victim of foul play” (Coloradoan 1992-01-12)
    • Carmel was treated for minor injuries after allegedly escaping her abductor in Colorado Springs. (Coloradoan 1992-01-14)
    • As it turned out, Carmel planned her disappearance, hid with friends during her supposed abduction, and staged an escape from a non-existent kidnapper; related stories on January 15 (“Friends feel brunt of bizarre incident” and “Police relieved but not angry”), January 16 (“Father says he’s sorry for daughter’s hoax”), January 24 (“Woman who staged hoax won’t have to pay CSU police”), and Feb 14 (“Woman says fake kidnapping was cry for help”).
  • “Pioneer of Buckhorn Canyon dies at 82: Helen Dickerson shunned progress, kept history alive” (Coloradoan 1992-04-02)
  • “7 city residents indicted: Western Monetary tied to funding for contras” - Seven Fort Collins men, including accountant James Dye, were indicted for a Ponzi scheme believed to have defrauded investors of $37 million; some of the money was used to fund Nicaraguan contras (Coloradoan 1992-07-08).
    • “Arrested financier faced several suites” (William R. Kennedy Jr., one of the indictees) (Coloradoan 1992-07-09)
    • “Profits from scam? Wisdom, wariness: Western Monetary Investors targeted elderly investors” (Coloradoan 1992-07-12)
  • Ed Rice retired from Poudre High School, after 32 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and then principal (“Principal bids farewell to Poudre High;” “Rice is closing book on education career,” Coloradoan 1992-06-04).
  • Dianne Ulvang, volunteer in Poudre R-1 schools, was named a national Point of Light in the Bush administration (Coloradoan 1992-07-10).
  • Valerie Rutledge Miller died immediately after being shot in the heart by her ex-husband John Vaughan Miller; incident occurred at First Free Methodist Church (1516 W Prospect). An off-duty police officer attending the church service (patrolman Michael Swihart) shot and killed John V. Miller and ended up in intensive care at Poudre Valley Hospital (Coloradoan 1992-08-24).
    • More stories (Coloradoan 1992-08-25; Coloradoan 1992-08-26; Coloradoan 1992-08-28; Coloradoan 1992-08-30); “Officer shot at church heals: Swihart goes home from hospital” (Coloradoan 1992-09-05)
  • Several articles covered the trial of Jeffrey Purdy Thomas, accused of shooting his former girlfriend on the front steps of the Fort Collins police station (see February 26, 1992, for beginning of coverage).
    • “Defense rests in Thomas case” (Coloradoan 1992-09-05, Page C1)
    • “Thomas guilty: man convicted of shooting ex-girlfriend” (Coloradoan 1992-09-11)
    • “Thomas jailed for life: no parole possible for 80 years” (Coloradoan 1992-10-24)
  • Children’s Clinic founder Dr. Charles Collopy named Community Builder of the Year (Coloradoan 1992-12-02).
  • Fort Collins’ City Councilwoman Cathy Fromme died of cancer (Coloradoan 1992-11-17).
  • Two men shot and killed, including one killed by a policeman in a west Fort Collins neighborhood near 336 Impala Circle (Coloradoan 1992-11-29). Subsequent stories indicated that the initiating gunman, Jack Deneal Naus Jr., possibly committed a “suicide by homicide” (Coloradoan 1992-11-30). Naus shot and killed Richard Rotunno, then was shot by a responding policeman.
• 1993
  • “CSU greets Coach Lubick” – Coach Sonny Lubick arrived on the CSU campus (Coloradoan 1993-01-07).
  • “Folks looking for inns may be out in August: Pope’s visit to fill Fort Collins hotels” – John Paul II visited Denver and gave mass during the week of Aug 9-15, 1993 (Coloradoan 1993-01-09).
  • “Rush’s: Limbaugh to deliver goods” – Nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh told millions of fans on air that he would come to Fort Collins for a bake sale that quickly turned into more than a bake sale. Dan Kay (23 years old) came up with the idea of a bake sale to raise money for his subscription to Limbaugh’s newsletter, The Limbaugh Letter. Limbaugh pitched this idea on air, and the event (and Fort Collins) inspired a media frenzy nicknamed Rushstock ’93 (also Rushbake and Limbake) (Coloradoan 1993-03-16).
    • Related articles March 18; March 22; March 24; April 16; April 23 (now called Limbake); May 1; May 7; May 11; May 12; May 17; May 18; May 19
    • “Limbaugh leaks appearance time” (Coloradoan 1993-05-20)
    • “Rush speaks out” (Coloradoan 1993-05-21)
    • “75,000 may rush in today: Bake sale basics”; also “Man who started it all likes to stir things up” (Coloradoan 1993-05-22)
    • “Rush crush! Bake sale crowd kept its cool” : Quoting article, “More than 35,000 crowded Old Town to see the conservative talk show host speak at an event inspired by a local man who didn’t have enough money to pay for Limbaugh’s newsletter.” (Coloradoan 1993-05-23)
    • Post-event stories ran May 24; May 25; May 30; June 3; June 5
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning killed four members of a Greeley family (Jesusita Ferguson, her son Edward Ferguson, Edwards’s wife Maria Ferguson, and the couple’s son Nathan Ferguson) (Coloradoan 1993-03-11).
  • “Police officer receives Purple Heart: Emotional Swihart accepts awards” – Mike Swihart was awarded the highest honor given to Fort Collins police officers by Police Chief Fred Rainguet; for “gallantry at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty,” after enduring two gunshot wounds in a shootout. Also acknowledged at the ceremony was Sgt. Bob McKibben, J.D. Cordova, and John VanderVliet (all three received Distinguished Service Medals) (Coloradoan 1993-03-19).
  • Convicted kidnapper Randy Ray Metcalf found guilty of kidnapping his daughter, Natalie Metcalf, from her Estes Park home in July 1988; sentenced on July 26, 1993; Natalie had been returned to her mother (Lori Case) in July 1992. (Coloradoan stories 1993-06-23 and 06-24)
  • Jane Davis, director of the Fort Collins Public Library, retired after 20 years with the facility (Coloradoan 1993-07-01).
  • After a thorough search and the help of volunteers, helicopters and even a dog, Juan Dawson (66 years old, former stroke victim, from Los Altos CA) walked out of Pingree Park on July 1 healthy and safe. A member of Elderhostel, he had been missing several days (Coloradoan 1993-07-02).
  • Don Unger becomes PR-1 School District Superintendent, after having served as interim super since February (Coloradoan 1993-07-27).
  • A hot air balloon accident in the Woody Creek area near Aspen took the life of 58-year-old Fort Collins resident Charles “Spike” Dodson and five other people (Coloradoan 1993-08-09; Coloradoan 1993-08-10).
  • A man and a woman, later identified as Walter and Karen Brown, were found dead at their home overlooking Horsetooth Reservoir (3200 block of N. County Road 23) in what appeared to be a murder-suicide. A fight led to Karen shooting her husband in the chest, then shooting herself (Coloradoan 1993-09-27; Coloradoan 1993-09-28).
    • Stories September 29 and September 30; and finally, “Saddened as a community: 400 mourn couple’s death” – services held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Coloradoan 1993-10-01)
  • “CSU professor: Mission isn’t Mickey Mouse” – CSU professor Martin Fettmen, a pathology professor with a background in veterinary medicine, was part of a seven-member crew that conducted hands-on experiments with animals in space (Coloradoan 1993-10-14).
    • “Shuttle lifts off: CSU vet finally on his way up” (Coloradoan 1993-10-19)
    • “Shuttle brings science home: Webber students talk to CSU professor as he rides on Columbia” (Coloradoan 1993-10-24)
  • Death of Fort Collins lawyer Ron Strahle, whose knowledge of state government took him through rank to the speakership of the Colorado House of Representatives (Coloradoan 1993-10-30)
    • “Friends remember Strahle (Coloradoan 1993-11-4)
  • Death of Willard O. Eddy, a key player in CSU’s transformation from an agricultural college to a university, after a 56-year tenure at the university (Coloradoan 1993-11-24).
  • “2 bodies found in creek: Teens’ friends blame drugs” – Two teenagers (Brandon Russell and Jeremiah Harris, both 15) – were found dead along Spring Creek Bike Trail. (Coloradoan 1993-12-06).
    • “Drugs suspected in deaths: Exposure to cold also may be factor: Families, friends grieve for teens” (Coloradoan 1993-12-07)
    • “Drowning, cold killed two teens” (Coloradoan 1993-12-09) – Bodies showed toxic levels of the motion-sickness drug Dramamine.
    • “’I’m not going to do drugs anymore’: Local teems sobered by two drug-related deaths” (Coloradoan 1993-12-10)
  • “City natives honored for helping community: Couple builds on fine reputation” - John and Viola Moore named Community Builders of the Year (Coloradoan 1993-Dec-08)
    • Article noted past winners: Walter B. Cooper (1943), Bill Michael (1953), Bill Lopez (1963), Jack Russell (1973) and G Wayne Ballah (1983)
  • Poudre Girls win state cross-country championship (Coloradoan 1993-10-31)
• 1994
  • “Local gunman not guilty: Jury rules Wirth killed neighbor in self-defense” - Martin Wirth cleared of murder charges in death of Vernie Samuel Cox (Coloradoan 1994-11-02)
  • “Niedan repays misused funds”– While executive director of the Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau, Karla Niedan misused nearly $20K in bureau funds over three years (Coloradoan 1994-12-14). Found guilty (Coloradoan 1995-02-14), then got probation (Coloradoan 1995-03-21).
  • “Man saves 6-year-old in icy lake”– Mike Robertson saved a child at Sheldon Lake in City Park (Coloradoan 1994-12-19).
  • Various stories about Dwight David Dorty, a convicted child molester who worked with youths at Northside Aztlan Community Center (arrested December 1994; sentenced to 16 years in 1995) (Coloradoan 1995-06-06).
  • “Loveland girl dies in car-train crash”– Ha Ngoc Vu, 17, of Loveland died when a car driven by Tuyen Vinh was hit by a Burlington Northern freight train (Coloradoan 1994-12-24).
• 1995
  • Stanley R. Case died on January 5. Case was a consultant and utility director in Fort Collins for 40 years.
  • Loveland resident Kay McCarthy was killed by her husband Robert McCarthy (Coloradoan 1995-02-20). His sentence was negligently criminal homicide (Coloradoan 1995-04-11).
  • Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell switched party affiliation to Republican (Coloradoan 1995-03-04).
  • Former Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce employee Patricia Gale Bonnette was given a 10-year prison sentence for stealing more than $100,000 (“Ex-chamber worker pleads guilty to theft,” Coloradoan 1995-03-16).
  • Buddy the Dog, a 3-year-old German Shepherd from New York, was found on the streets of Fort Collins, and briefly gained national fame (Coloradoan 1995-03-23).
  • Fort Collins native Scott Fentress won Olympic gold medal in rowing (Coloradoan 1995-07-24).
• 1996
  • “Benefit for Former Bare Bazaar Manager”: A benefit for local music promoter Henk Ahrens, to fund his court costs, was held at Linden’s (Inside Fort Collins 1996-03-07, Page 4).
  • “Cinco-Cinco Run”: A 5K run was held in remembrance of Gil Gutierrez, who was killed by a drunken driver (Inside Fort Collins 1996-04-25, Page 7).
  • First grader Micah Elias researched the history of his home, which eventually led to 811 Peterson being declared a local landmark by the Landmark Preservation Commission (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-16, Page 5).
  • “Voice of Avs”: Article about Sean Moth, a Fort Collins native and the public announcer for the Colorado Avalanche (Inside Fort Collins 1996-06-27, Page 8)
  • “P’s & Q’s and Popsicles, Too”: Karlina Kreamer, aka The Popsicle Lady, pedaled her bike and sold popsicles in summer, and taught French and Spanish in the winter (Inside Fort Collins 1996-08-22, Page 5).
  • “Harrison Named Top Cop”: Article about and picture of Fort Collins’ new police chief (Inside Fort Collins 1996-10-24, Page 5).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[GOVERNMENT/CITY DEVELOPMENT]

• 1990
  • A $107 million bond for schools passed (Colorado Business July 1991).
  • After almost a year of debate and citizen input, Fort Collins city council members voted for a citywide curbside recycling plan (Coloradoan 1990-03-21).
  • “Teachers rip Hansen, board: Group presses superintendent to give up job” (Coloradoan 1990-02-13) – About 500 teachers and supporters demanded the resignation of Superintendent Lee Hansen, following a no-confidence vote. There was deep dissatisfaction with Hansen’s management methods.
  • “Council selects Kirkpatrick for mayor: Azari picked to serve as assistant mayor” (Coloradoan 1990-04-04) – Referring to Susan Kirkpatrick and Ann Azari.
• 1991
  • “Lincoln Center Renovations” (Art Linc August 1991, Page 17)
  • “New life pumped into Poudre dam”– Plans for a $230 million dam, storage and hydroelectric power project along the Cache la Poudre River were moved forward after the release of the Cache la Poudre Basin Study Extension (completed for the Colorado Water Resource and Power Development Authority) (Coloradoan 1991-02-24).
  • Colorado’s supreme court strikes down the state’s death penalty law (Coloradoan 1991-07-10).
  • City officials decide to raise $400,000 to preserve the (then) 109-year-old Linden Hotel (corner of Walnut and Linden). CSU participated, using the Linden Hotel as a pilot project for the university’s new center for building stabilization (Coloradoan 1991-08-15).
  • New Bridges, a daytime alternative center for homeless individuals, celebrated its first anniversary (Coloradoan 1991-10-24).
• 1992
  • Coverage of the months-long trial of Fort Collins police officer Ernie Tellez, accused but ultimately cleared of third-degree assault charges. Police veteran Ray Martinez had accused Tellez of intentionally hitting a handcuffed and hogtied prisoner, Gilbert Lee Archuleta, outside AJ’s Bar (Coloradoan 1992-01-25 and 1992-01-26).
  • City considered several options for the senior center being moved from 101 Remington (Coloradoan 1992-01-16)
    • “Seniors tired of waiting for center decision” - Search for new location takes months, narrowed to three possibilities: just east of S Shields; Edora Park; and Shields and Drake (Coloradoan 1992-04-01).
  • A business partnership headed by Brian Soukup (Foxfire Property Management) arranged to purchase Old Town Square from the CAN insurance company of Chicago. At that time, Old Town Square – which had opened in 1985 – comprised 62,000 square feet of office and retail space (Coloradoan 1992-02-14).
  • Cunningham Corner Barn (at the NE corner of Horsetooth and Shields) was put up for sale by the city, with plans to demolish it if not sold (Coloradoan 1992-05-23).
  • Efforts began to create a zoo in Fort Collins (“Zoo proposal splits environmentalists” Coloradoan 1992-05-26). Plan was for zoo to be funded by a quarter-cent city sales tax, and would be called The Zoo of the Rockies (Coloradoan 1992-10-19); the zoo plan gathered enough signatures to get on the ballot (Coloradoan 1992-09-02).
  • PR-1 budget issues covered every week or so in May, including “PR-1 tackling budget: preliminary plan hires back laid-off employees” and “Romer tries to sell sales tax hike [for education]” (Coloradoan 1992-05-12); “PR-1 hikes pay” (teachers/employers get 3.81% compensation increase) (Coloradoan 1992-05-19)
  • “$2.8 million recycling center breaks ground: Publicly owned facility unique in Colorado” – Opening of the recycling center was announced for November 1992. Located next to the public landfill on South Taft Hill Road, the facility’s groundbreaking capped two years of debate about whether to build it (Coloradoan 1992-07-31).
  • The Honor Roll Monument, which stood at the intersection of Laporte and N College for nearly 50 years, was demolished on August 31 (some bricks were noted as saved). Also demolished was the small brick building next to it (Coloradoan 1992-08-27).
  • “Poudre R-1 breaks ground for new Fort Collins High” – About 200 people gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new FCHS; plans for the new school began in 1990 (Coloradoan 1992-10-25).
  • Caller ID made its first appearance in Fort Collins on January 4, 1993 (this story explained how caller ID worked; Coloradoan 1992-11-29). The service was first introduced in New Jersey in 1987.
• 1993
  • Nineteen months into a three-year contract, Poudre R-1 Superintendent David Hendrix left Fort Collins for a similar position in Hinsdale, IL (Coloradoan 1993-02-13).
    • Stories several days prior to, and subsequent to, this one; also on March 4
  • “Library looks at ways to branch out to south” – Discussions began publicly about a south branch for the library (Coloradoan 1993-02-16)
  • “New majority rules: Azari breezed to victory in mayor race” – Ann Azari announced as the new mayor of Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1993-04-07).
    • “New city council sworn in: first meeting Tuesday; Horak takes on mayor pro tem job” (Coloradoan 1993-04-13)
  • “PR-1 gives 3.5% raise: Deal costs $812,000” – This raise was for all employees and was partially funded by an “instructional fee” added to student registration costs. (Coloradoan 1993-05-25)
    • “Parents want answers about fees” (Coloradoan 1993-05-26)
    • “PR-1 fee angers parents” (Coloradoan 1993-05-27)
    • “School cuts hit home at work and play: Parents want staff to share financial burden” (Coloradoan 1993-05-31)
  • 450 people filled PHS auditorium for a meeting called “Gangs and You,” which this article called “Fort Collins’ first official town meeting” (Coloradoan 1993-09-29).
  • Opening of DIA airport was delayed from December 19, 1993, until March 9, 1994 (“DIA will fly March 9, Webb says,” Coloradoan 1993-10-26). This would be the second postponement in two years.
  • The Coloradoan published a three-part series about violence in the community: “Keeping up with crime” (1993-11-29); “United front against crime” (1993-11-30); and “In search of solutions: 200 try to halt local violence (1993-12-01)
• 1994
  • City Council’s initial approval of retail development along the Harmony Corridor (Coloradoan 1994-12-2); full council approval announced in article [published January 4, 1995.
• 1995
  • 1995 marked the year that residents were officially asked for input to civic plans (“Officials want citizens to take part in planning,” Coloradoan 1994-11-27).
  • “Panhandling Ordinance Revised” - Aggressive panhandling in Fort Collins was restricted (Inside Fort Collins 1995-06-08, p 1).
  • Various articles about the East/Westside Design Guidelines (including Inside Fort Collins, 1995-06-08, Page 1, and in Coloradoan).
  • The Linden Streetscape Project was completed on time and under budget (Inside Fort Collins, 1995-08-03, Page 5).
  • Debates begin about a city parks tax, later referred to as Choices 95 (a ¼ cent sales tax charged over the following 25 years), which would fund new parks, a second sheet of ice at EPIC, and a covered sports complex (Coloradoan 1995-01-26).
  • County commissioners approved a plan to build a new facility for the judicial system north of the existing courthouse at 200 W Oak (Coloradoan 1995-02-16). The vote to fund the project was postponed (“Bigger courthouse not on ballot: Expansion vote nixed for 1995,” Coloradoan 1995-05-25).
  • Last day of school at the “old” location of Fort Collins High was May 26, 1995 (“Faculty, students prepare to let go,” Coloradoan 1995-05-28).
  • John Fischbach became City Manager (Coloradoan 1995-06-07).
  • Senior Center opened at 1200 Raintree (Coloradoan 1995-06-27).
• 1996
  • “Guest Opinion (John J. Haggerty III)” - Lawyer Haggerty discussed the “takeover” of Poudre Valley Hospital by a non-profit corporation (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-01-25, p 2).
  • “Water Issue Won’t Drain Away”- Discussion of a new water pipeline called the Southern Water Supply Project (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-03-28, p 1).
  • Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) gave $142,000 to four Larimer County trails and open spaces projects (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-04-25, p 1).
  • Discussions abounded about plans for the industrial area north of Jefferson Street (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-05-09, p 1).
  • A local nonprofit looked into the feasibility of a $30 million freshwater aquarium in Fort Collins (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-05-30, p 1).
  • The Timberline corridor project development continued to be delayed (since 1989) (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-05-30, p 2).
  • Colorado’s three-year-old charter school experiment experienced problems securing funding (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-06-13, p 1).
  • “$10,000 challenge to create a commuter rail line is closer to fruition because of grants” (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-06-20, p 1).
  • Three new baseball fields were dedicated at Lincoln Junior High School (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-07-25, p 8).
  • “Guest Opinion: Fast Train to Denver”: Article discussed the pros of having a Fort Collins-to-Denver commuter train (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-06-20, p 2).
  • “Equity or Penalty”: Amendment 11 – Property taxes on schools and churches was hotly debated (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-10-31, p 5).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY]

• 1990
  • Albert Yates begins serving as president of CSU: “Yates new CSU boss” (Coloradoan 1990-01-26); Yates was selected after a six-month search.
• 1991
  • A record number of international students attended universities in the United States; a slight increase noted at CSU (Coloradoan 1991-01-28).
  • Front Range Community College showed a 148 percent enrollment growth in the previous two years (Colorado Business July 1991).
  • CSU inaugurated Albert Yates as president (Coloradoan 1991-04-18).
  • UNC President Robert Dickeson resigned after 10 years (Coloradoan 1991-04-09).
  • Corey Johnson appointed CSU Athletic Director (Coloradoan 1991-09-17; 1991-09-18).
• 1992
  • Senator Bob Kerrey, democratic presidential candidate, visited CSU (Coloradoan 1992-03-03).
  • People told their stories, including their names, about episodes of bigotry (“Blacks on campus: Hate, ignorance percolate at CSU”). In 1992, 1% of CSU students were African American (Coloradoan 1992-03-15).
  • CSU president Yates announced a 7% rise in tuition (Coloradoan 1992-05-13).
  • “CSU drops baseball, softball” (plus a few other programs announced end of May) (Coloradoan 1992-06-02).
  • Sonny Lubick, defensive coordinator at the University of Miami, named CSU’s 14^th head football coach. This announcement followed on from many articles about the departure of CSU coach Earle Bruce, who had been fired November 22 (Coloradoan 1992-12-22).
• 1993
  • “Avalanche buries, kills CSU student”– An 18-year-old male CSU student was buried in an avalanche outside the Breckenridge ski area; following day he was identified as Drew Stepke (Coloradoan 1993-01-23).
    • Stories also ran January 23, January 24, January 25, and January 26
  • The new CSU Rams logo, designed by Artist Shawn Winchester, was revealed (Coloradoan 1993-02-18; Coloradoan 1993-02-19).
• 1994
  • CSU football team made the nation’s Top 10 for the first time in the school’s history; vandalism occurred at Hughes Stadium after that historic Rams win (Coloradoan 1994-11-07).
  • Adolph Coors Foundation contributed $500,000 to CSU Morgan Library (Coloradoan, 1994-11-17). Follow-up articles in January 1995 named other contributors (Boettcher Foundation, Gates Foundation, Griffin Foundation and Kenneth and Myra Monfort).
  • CSU won WAC championship for the first time, landing themselves a Holiday Bowl spot (Coloradoan 1994-11-20). Rams lost to Michigan Wolverines (Coloradoan 1994-12-28).
  • Sonny Lubick was the Sports Illustrated coach of the year (Coloradoan 1991-12-01).
  • CSU planned for an “enrollment explosion” in 2000 (Coloradoan 1994-12-26).
• 1995
  • KCSU became a student-run radio station on July 1 (having changed from professional staff to student staff; Scene August 1995 V5N5).
  • Former CSU swimmer Amy Van Dyken set the world record for 50-meter butterfly (Coloradoan 1995-02-02).
  • CSU hockey team won the national championship (Coloradoan 1995-03-06).
  • CSU projected student enrollment to rise from 21,500 (fall 1994) to 25,000 by the year 2000 (Coloradoan 1995-03-26).
  • Front Range Community College became sister school to the Instituto Tecnologica de Tuxtepec in Oaxaca, Mexico (Coloradoan 1995-07-12).
• 1996
  • First test-tube horse was born at CSU (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-07-04, p 1).
  • Front Range building boom (Interview, Bill Knight, Inside Fort Collins, 1996-08-29, p 1).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[CIVIC]

• 1990
  • Second year of New West Festival
  • “City remembers its ‘Auntie’ Stone with new street name” – Auntie Stone Street runs off Horsetooth, east of Olander Elementary School (Coloradoan 1990-01-24).
  • “Arts group ready to buy post office”– One West Contemporary Arts Center signalled their intention to buy the old post office at 201 S College (Coloradoan 1990-01-24).
• 1991
  • Four breweries in town offered tours: Old Colorado Brewing, Cooper Smith’s, Odell Brewing Company, Anheuser Busch Brewery (Visitor’s GT Fort Collins, Page 14, 16-17).
  • Council voted to include a “peace initiative” on April ballot (Coloradoan 1991-02-06).
  • Gang activity was noted as on the rise; parents urged to be cautious, but not ‘paranoid’ (Coloradoan 1991-03-27).
  • Fort Collins Museum displayed exhibit “Advertising in Colorado: A Century of Growth” (Coloradoan 1991-04-27, Page 4 of Ticket).
  • Horsetooth Mountain Park celebrated 10-year anniversary (Coloradoan 1991-04-29, C1).
  • “Old Town Reels as 200 Riot” (Coloradoan 1991-07-05; 1991-07-14; 1991-07-17)
    • “Council rejects review of police in July 4 riot” (Coloradoan 1991-11-13)
    • “Internal probe clears police in Old Town riot” (Coloradoan 1991-11-16)
  • Barton Elementary became the first school in Poudre R-1 School District to offer all-day kindergarten (Coloradoan 1991-06-22).
  • ABC’s “America’s Funniest People” filmed people in downtown Fort Collins for their Sunday night program (“Zany loony crazy get a shot at TV spotlight: Fort Collins’ funniest strut their stuff,” Coloradoan 1991-09-07).
• 1992
  • Fourth year of New West Fest; budget in 1989 was $50,000, and $150,000 in 1992 (Coloradoan 1992-08-21).
  • PR-1 Board voted unanimously to purchase land at East Horsetooth and Timberline as a home for the new Fort Collins High School (Coloradoan 1992-01-28)
    • “Some want new FCHS to look more like the old” (Coloradoan 1992-02-05)
    • “It’s official: New FCHS linked to commercial plaza” - District “locked in” relationship with business area south of the school (Coloradoan 1992-02-20)
  • Colorado Special Olympics Summer Games opened in Fort Collins (Coloradoan 1992-06-12; follow-up stories, including 1992-06-15).
  • Waverly Elementary, a small rural school located 10 miles NE of Fort Collins, officially closed (Coloradoan 1992-06-09).
  • “In November of 1992, the community voted to fund Fort Collins Natural Areas with a quarter-cent sales tax which led to the conservation of over 55,000 acres and counting. This effort was initiated by a group of citizens including current Councilmember Kelly Ohlson” (City Manager’s Update, Q3 2022 (Aug-Oct).
  • Propane tanks exploded in front of thousands of spectators at the Downtown Fort Collins Airport, there for the Fort Collins Balloon Festival (minor injuries only) (Coloradoan 1992-09-20).
  • “Bomb disrupts rally: device discovered inside school gym” – A homemade explosive found under the bleachers at the Rocky Mountain HS gym led Secret Service agents to call off the Tuesday-night rally for VP candidate Al Gore (Coloradoan 1992-10-28).
    • “Feds launch bomb probe: agencies hash out responsibilities” and “Fort Collins sets rally, invites Gore back” (Coloradoan 1992-10-29)
    • “Gore shall return to city: Candidate ‘felt strongly’ about coming back: Fort Collins asks hopeful to try again” (Coloradoan 1992-10-30)
    • “Rally bomb suspect held: student admitted doing it, mom says” – RMHS senior Lee Damschroder taken into custody (Coloradoan 1992-10-31)
    • “’Thank you, Fort Collins’: Gore thrills crowd with return rally following bomb scare” (Coloradoan 1992-11-01) – 3250 people attended the rescheduled rally at RMHS.
    • RMHS senior Lee Damschroder charged for placing a fake explosive inside the school gym where Sen Al Gore – later VP elect – was scheduled to speak. (Coloradoan 1992-11-14).
    • “Student gets deferred sentence for planting bomb at Gore rally” (Coloradoan 1992-12-19).
  • City Council approved the building of a senior citizen’s center on South Shields Street (Coloradoan 1993-03-28, Page E1).
  • Voters approved a sales tax for acquisition of open space (Coloradoan 1993-03-28, Page E1).
• 1993
  • Northern Colorado Musicfest was created by Tim Van Schmidt and Beat News to benefit public radio station KCSU-FM.
  • “Off to a rocky start: Rockies lose but it’s just one game” – First “official” game for the Colorado Rockies baseball team (they lost 3-0 to Yankees at Shea Stadium) (Coloradoan 1993-04-06).
    • “Rockies catch a parade”: Parade downtown Denver (Coloradoan 1993-04-08).
    • “Hit Parade! Thousands flood downtown Denver to see Rockies; major-league home opener steps up to plate today” (Coloradoan 1993-04-09).
    • First Opening Day game at Mile High Stadium in Denver, “Rockies roll in homer opener: 2 home runs in first lead Colorado to 11-4 victory: Home team doesn’t let fans down” (Coloradoan 1993-04-10)
  • “Historic house turns into a mobile home” – The Troutman house, built 1904, was moved from its foundation (near Target store on S College) to a nearby parking lot, then moved 15 miles north of Fort Collins to a 10-acre lot. Owner of house at the time was Robert Vaughn (Coloradoan 1993-03-26).
  • World Youth Day, held in Denver in conjunction with a visit by Pope John Paul II, drew crowds to Fort Collins as well (an estimated 168,000 visitors) (Coloradoan 1993-08-08 through 08-17). JP II’s papal mass in Denver drew 375,000 people to Cherry Creek State Park.
  • First self-adhesive stamps sold at Fort Collins post office (“You don’t have to lick ‘em to stick ‘em” (Coloradoan 1993-Nov-28).
• 1994
  • Linden Hotel was renovated.
  • VanGo started in Fort Collins, with ten diesel vans.
  • In the November elections, the following amendments were defeated: tobacco tax, workman’s comp, election reform, airport slots, campaign reform, obscenity control, medical responsibility, and the quarter-cent sales tax to buy/preserve parks. Voters said yes to term limits.
  • $250,00 was given by state of Colorado for Cathy Fromme Prairie.
  • “POG passion: kids have a slammin’ good time with new playground game” (Coloradoan 1994-11-27, Page C1) - Revived 1991 in Hawaii, this “milk cap game” gained ground and was a world-wide phenom by the mid-1990s.
  • Fort Collins added three officers to its police force, Larimer County added two sheriff’s deputies; both were funded by crime bill passed in September (Coloradoan 1994-12-20).
  • A bronze sculpture by Sandy Scott was installed over the fountain in Old Town Square (three geese in flight, ’Spirit of Fort Collins’) (Coloradoan, 1994-12-23).
  • Notable musical appearances of 1994: David Wilcox March 23, Lincoln Center; Edgar Winter February 16, Linden’s; Jay Geils with Bluestime October 24, Fort Ram; Big Head Todd and the Monsters at Moby Arena on February 27; Patty Larkin at the Lincoln Center Mini Theater on March 17; John Prine at the Lincoln Center on September 30.
• 1995
  • Philomusica, a new music school in Fort Collins, aimed to help children develop their natural ‘music perception’ (Inside Fort Collins 1995-01-19, p 8).
  • “Live at Legacy Park,” part of New West Fest, debuted in 1995 (the Iguanas, the Hoax, Chris Duarte and headliner Koko Taylor).
  • Preservation plans were announced for the Colorado and Southern depot (200 block of Mason Street North) (Coloradoan 1995-03-06).
  • The first mail-in ballot system yielded the highest turnout in a Fort Collins election in the past eleven years (“Voter turnout highest since 1984,” Coloradoan 1995-04-04).
  • Voters rejected funding for community parks, ice arena; Azari won second mayoral term (Coloradoan 1995-04-05).
  • A water main break flooded the area around College and Prospect (Coloradoan 1995-04-12).
  • Third Annual Community Powwow was held at Aztlan Center (Coloradoan 1995-05-01).
  • Olympic Festival at Mile High Stadium (“On Road to Atlanta: Olympic Festival Begins,” Coloradoan 1995-07-02).
  • Dozens of trees were slated for removal for the building of a new road and church (Coloradoan 1995-02-19). Included trees on Shields between Drake and Horsetooth (23 cottonwoods, 30 smaller trees), and at Harmony and South Lemay (a cottonwood and a grove of white poplar).
• 1996
  • “Should MLK’s Birthday Be a Federal Holiday?” (Inside Fort Collins 1996-01-18, p 1)
  • Community Policing – a partnerships between Fort Collins Police Department and the city’s communities – was noted as reducing crime (Inside Fort Collins 1996-02-01, p 1).
  • “Was the Recent Prostitution Sting Handled Properly: Four interviewees say NO!” (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-04-18, p 1).
  • FALCONS, the group who ran the Arrowhead Lodge, saved it from demolition by the Forest Service (Friends of Arrowhead Lodge and Conservators of Nature Society) (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-16, p 1).
  • Historic Preservation received two grants to survey the town for houses of historical importance (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-23, p 1).
  • Red Feather Lakes held its first Fine Arts Festival (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-23, p 1).
  • Fort Collins Museum hosted an exhibit of traditional Mexican folk art (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-23, p 5).
  • Announcement that Fort Collins would celebrate the New Year with a ‘First Night’ gala (First Nights, alcohol-free family events, began in Boston in 1976) (Inside Fort Collins 1996-06-20, p5).
  • Colorado Brewers’ Festival announced (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-06-27, p 5).
  • 100th Cheyenne Frontier Days celebrated (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-07-25, p 5).
  • The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program developed public educational and interpretive displays. They were partnered with Poudre Landmarks Foundation (Inside Fort Collins 1996-08-15, p 6).
  • “Dream Team” Woos GOCO” – Regional cooperation created the Cache la Poudre-Big Thompson Rivers Heritage program, which led to a $10 million Legacy grant (Inside Fort Collins 1996-08-22, p 1).
  • “Harnessing the Wind for Power” – A new project in wind power speculated upon; would reduce Colorado’s dependence on coal (Inside Fort Collins 1996-11-14, p 1).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999: more to come
  • Crowd-caused, post-Super Bowl damage was extensive (around $3,000 in Old Town, according to Ed Stoner) (Coloradoan 1999-02-02).

[NATURAL PHENOMENA AND ENVIRONMENT]

• 1990
  • “City may clamp down on CFCs”– At this time, only about 6 cities in the nation (none of them in Colorado) had passed a CFC ordinance (Coloradoan 1990-01-06).
  • “A complex and heated debate over water rights … began winding its way through the courts Monday.” Weld County private, industrial, and municipal water users faced off against the US Forest Service (Coloradoan 1990-01-09).
  • “Bones of rare dinosaur found in county”– Remains of Epanterias found near Masonville by paleontologist Richard Bakker (Coloradoan 1990-01-04).
  • “What a mess of molasses! Goo coats roads, lawns in Loveland” – A ruptured storage tank at Great Western sugar factory spewed about 582,000 gallons of molasses into an industrial park. The spill covered an area about half a mile wide by two and a half city blocks long (Coloradoan 1990-02-17).
    • “Loveland sops up sugary spill: Molasses from tank worth $300,000” (Coloradoan 1990-02-18)
  • “Snow weighs down city: 10 million pounds of water, traffic jam produced by storm” (Coloradoan 1990-03-09) – This was the second-heaviest snowstorm to ever hit Fort Collins (due to inclusion of ice pellets). Not to be confused with the deepest snowfalls; this storm didn’t produce the most inches, but each inch weighed more than snow normally does. Also stories on March 7 and March 8.
    • “Sagging roof evacuates high school: Early break thrills Rocky students” (Coloradoan 1990-03-10)
  • “Flats Plutonium leaks reported: (Coloradoan 1990-03-29) – Measurements indicated that seven nuclear bombs’ worth of plutonium had escaped into air ducts at the Rocky Flats weapons plant (near Denver) over the course of 30 years of the plant’s operation, the US Energy Department reported.
  • “Residents taking notice of city’s pollution battle: poll shows 78 percent back wood-burning ban, 96 percent worried about Fort Collins’ poor air” (Coloradoan 1990-05-06)
  • Tornado devastates the city of Limon; stories June and June 8.
    • “Limon: ‘We’re lucky to be alive’: 905 of downtown damaged, but only 6 injuries reported” ((Coloradoan 1990-06-08)
  • “Gas spill lawsuit settled: Oil firms will buy houses, clean up contaminated area” (Coloradoan 1990-06-21) - 50 Fort Collins homeowners prevailed against Royal Petroleum Inc and Diamond Shamrock Refining.
• 1991
  • Holnam Inc. faced no legislative opposition to its plan to burn hazardous waste at the Laporte cement plant, despite public outcry about those plans (Coloradoan 1991-02-07).
    • More Holnam articles March 27, April 6, and April 26 (“Holnam puts plan on ice: Firm withdraws bid to burn waste in kiln”); Aug 27 (“Holnam won’t burn waste: firm in Laporte does not apply for interim status”)
    • See follow-up information in 1992.
  • City violated air pollution limits twice – carbon monoxide and other pollutants exceeded EPA standards (Coloradoan 1991-02-07)
  • House appropriations subcommittee voted to halt plutonium processing at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant (“Race-off over Rocky Flats: Subcommittee challenges DOE plans to restart Colorado plant,” Coloradoan 1991-05-17)
  • “Kodak’s toxicity up in air: Windsor plant meets ozone limits, but safety questioned” (Coloradoan 1991-09-15; Kodak plant expected to get permission to release toxics into the air)
  • “Radon found in PR-1 schools” (Coloradoan 1991-11-29)
  • “City posts third air-quality violation for 1991” (Coloradoan 1991-12-12)
• 1992
  • Larimer County officials required international company Holnam Inc. to get local permission to burn hazardous waste at Laporte Cement Plant, not just following fed/state guidelines (Coloradoan 1992-01-25)
  • After reducing toxic emission from 1988 to 1990, several Larimer County industries increased toxic chemical release in 1991. Kodak was top of that list. (Coloradoan 1992-11-15)
  • “City drafting CFCs rules: Environmental proposal gets council’s nod” (Coloradoan 1990-05-16)
• 1993
  • An Air Quality Policy Plan was created, marking the city’s first long-term approach to improving air quality (Coloradoan 1993-05-10)
  • Governor Roy Romer announced a multimillion-dollar “first step” toward converting Rocky Flats from a nuclear weapons plant into a facility suitable for private industry. (Coloradoan 1993-12-22).
  • “Seven Utes deep-sixed: State land board rejects Gould resort” – After much debate, the Colorado State board of land commissioners voted unanimously to reject a proposed four-season resort near Cameron Pass (Coloradoan 1993-12-16; multiple stories in November and December).
    • “Seven Utes opponents want to aid county: Group hopes to help shape economic options” – The group called themselves the Members of the Coalition to Save the Colorado State Forest (Coloradoan 1993-12-25)
• 1994
  • The number of visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park passed three million for the second time in the park’s history (first was 1978) (Coloradoan 1994-11-08).
  • CSU released a study showing that most people polled (71 percent) would vote in favor of bringing wolves back into the state’s back country (Coloradoan 1994-12-20). A story about opposition to the plan ran on December 22, and US Fish and Wildlife announced January 28, 1995, that there was not funding for wolf reintroduction in Colorado.
• 1995
  • Eurasian wigeon (a species of duck) was spotted in Fort Collins for the first time in the 48-year history of the Fort Collins Bird Count (Coloradoan 1995-01-15).
  • Proposed silica sand quarry east of Livermore was voted down by Larimer County commissioners (Coloradoan 1995-02-08).
  • A natural-areas tax saved critical wetlands south of Trilby Rd (Coloradoan 1995-03-14).
  • Colorado Big Thompson irrigation project announced that water owners would receive 80 percent of their water for the year (Coloradoan 1995-04-15).
  • “Environmentalists, ranchers expect turf war”– regarding 10-year grazing permits for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and Pawnee National Grassland (Coloradoan 1995-04-23).
  • More than 400 young people from around the world met at Thompson Valley High School in Loveland for the Global Youth Environment Summit (Coloradoan 1995-06-28).
• 1996
  • Debate about which organization caused the fish kill that resulted from the drainage of Halligan Reservoir – the North Poudre Irrigation Company and/or the Colorado Division of Wildlife (Inside Fort Collins 1996-10-10, p 9).
• 1997: more to come
  • Spring Creek flood: The following was excerpted from “Flooding in Colorado,” Colorado Encyclopedia (written by Will Wright): “Like most cities along the Front Range’s urban corridor, Fort Collins experienced a population boom over the second half of the twentieth century, surpassing 100,000 people by 1995. With rising density, the amount of impervious surfaces associated with development—from rooftops to roadways—covered many areas that previously absorbed storm runoff. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, emergency planners counteracted this trend by deciding on more flexible approaches to flooding. The city of Fort Collins purchased commercial and residential properties within the floodplain and established green space to supplant these formerly developed areas. The Spring Creek flood struck on July 28, 1997, when about twelve inches of rain fell over Fort Collins. Although a devastating event—most notably, at the campus of Colorado State University—flood mitigation efforts saved an estimated ninety-eight lives and prevented approximately $5 million in property damage. In the aftermath of the 1997 flood, the city developed more of its storm-water detection and management systems, which turned out to be a sound choice sixteen years later.”
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[MILITARY]

• 1993
  • “Loveland lends hand to Vietnam Women’s Memorial: Foundry casting metal of honor” - Loveland foundry Art Castings of Colorado created the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, using the design of artist Glenna Goodacre. The clay original was built in Santa Fe by Goodacre; the mold was then shipped to Loveland, the piece created at the foundry there, then shipped to Washington DC for a November 11 installation. Goodacre was at one time a Boulder resident (Coloradoan 1993-08-04).
• 1995
  • Colorado Army National Guard was called to active duty in Haiti; several articles throughout January 1995 (including Coloradoan 1995-01-12).

[HEALTH/MEDICINE]

• 1991
  • Cecil and Jane Neth won a decision that required PR-1 school district to continue providing health insurance to Cecil. Cecil, a 66-year-old former journalist and former professor at CSU, had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which left him dependent on a ventilator (Coloradoan 1991-02-20).
  • “AIDS: everyone’s talking about it” – Article noted an increase in the number of Larimer County residents being tested for HIV/AIDS after Magic Johnson announced he had HIV (Coloradoan 1991-11-09).
  • Measles outbreak in Fort Collins – stories throughout mid-April 1990, including “Measles produce confusion” (Coloradoan 1990-04-20), which reported 26 suspected or confirmed cases in the FC area.
    • “Measles outbreak spreads with reported case at FCHS” – At this point, confirmed cases in Larimer County stood at 35. FCHS students who could not prove that they were vaccinated were prevented from attending classes until inoculated” (Coloradoan 1990-05-05).
  • “Pro-choice candidates triumph in PVH vote: Heat of abortion issue brings out 5,466 voters” – Pro-choice candidates Paula Edwards, Dr. Pat McElwee and incumbent Robert Addleman (winning four-year terms) and Frank Johnson (two-year term) claimed all four seats up for selection in the Poudre Valley Hospital board election (Coloradoan 1990-05-09). Related story May 7.
• 1993
  • In 1993 Larimer County had a suicide rate that was “roughly twice the national rate,” a problem reflected in the Rocky Mountain area with “the highest suicide rate in the country” (Coloradoan A10).
  • “Restaurants eschew lighting up” – Twenty-three additional Fort Collins restaurants became smoke free; several had made the switch previously, including Jefferson Station (March 1993) and Rainbow Restaurant (1976) (Coloradoan 1993-04-04).
• 1994
  • Twenty-five percent of Poudre R-1 eighth graders had used marijuana in 1994, compared to thirteen percent in 1992 (Coloradoan 1994-11-02).
  • Larimer County imposes strict regulations to make roofs more fire resistant in unincorporated areas (Coloradoan 1994-12-06).
  • An outbreak of pneumonia-like disease killed bighorn sheep in Big Thompson Canyon (Coloradoan 1994-12-10).
• 1995
  • CSU researchers reported on new treatment options for diabetic neuropathy (Coloradoan 1994-01-05).
  • “Fort Collins’ air quality best it’s been in 14 years;” better air attributed mostly to better-built vehicles (Coloradoan 1995-01-07).
• 1996
  • Crossroads (a nonprofit shelter for battered women) raised money by making and selling hand-made quilts (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-02-29, p 5).
  • District launches Healthcare Plan: Doctors on Wheels (health services via a van) (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-03-28, insert).
  • Mosquito War Waged at Fossil Creek: Attempts to control mosquito populations thwarted (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-04-25, p 1).
  • An environmental cleanup of contamination from a long-forgotten gas plant stalled a proposed railroad right of way (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-07-11, p 1).
  • City council was conflicted over whether or not radon was actually a health hazard and whether or not new construction owners should be informed about it (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-07-18, p 1).
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[CIVIL RIGHTS]

• 1992
  • Multiple stories about a KKK rally in Denver on MLK day, including “Dream shatters in Denver,” “KKK blames ‘renegades’ for violence” (Coloradoan 1992-01-21)
  • On July 11, three out-of-town high school students visiting Fort Collins for the CSU Young Scholars program were attacked in the downtown area; one self-described “skinhead” used a stun gun on a black female student, and a white male student was hit with a bat. These racial attacks catalyzed creation of a city-wide task force (appointed jointly by the City, Poudre R-1 school district, CSU and the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce) (Coloradoan 1992-07-16). Presiding mayor was Susan Kirkpatrick (mayor pro-temp was Ann Azari). The task force would come to be called the Cultural Diversity Task Force. Related stories:
    • Denver/Boulder resident Justin Jeske was charged (Coloradoan 1992-07-13).
    • “Racial attacks bring Fort Collins officials together” (Coloradoan 1992-07-15).
    • “City sitting face-to-face with racism” – article related several personal stories of racism and issued an invitation to participate in the City’s task force (Coloradoan 1992-07-20).
    • “Girl arrested in racial incident” (17-year-old white female accused of using stun gun on 16-year-old black female) (Coloradoan 1992-07-21).
    • “Applicants for Fort Collins cultural diversity task force listed” (Coloradoan 1992-08-31, Page C2)
    • “Diversity Task Force Set: Group to boost multiculturalism” (Coloradoan 1992-09-03)
  • Gregory Kellam Scott, of the University of Denver College of Law, was appointed to Colorado Supreme Court, thus becoming the first black member of that court (Coloradoan 1992-09-15, Page C1)
  • Amendment 2, passed by Colorado voters on November 3, stated that homosexuals would not be allowed special rights (“Amendment 2 vote draws anger, fears” Coloradoan 1992-11-05)
    • “Amendment 2 may spark Colorado tourism boycott” (Coloradoan 1992-11-10)
    • “CSU policy may bypass Amendment 2” (Coloradoan 1992-11-12)
    • “Amendment 2 spurs state boycotts” (Coloradoan 1992-11-14)
    • “State image at risk” [Los Angeles byline] (Coloradoan 1992-11-20)
    • “Anti-gay feelings intensify: Amendment 2 fallout sparks backlash on both sides” (Coloradoan 1992-11-30)
    • “Mayors boycott Colorado” [Washington byline] – US conference of mayors decided to select a new site for its June 1993 meeting because of the state’s passage of Amendment 2 (Coloradoan 1992-12-18)
    • “Colorado’s Amendment 2 puts constitutional rights at issue” (P E3) (Coloradoan 1992-12-20)
    • “Amendment 2 angering more” (Coloradoan 1992-12-23)
• 1993
  • “Neo-Nazi papers delivered locally”– The SS Action Group, a white supremacist organization run out of Loveland by Ragnar Schuett, distributed newspapers in Fort Collins. Those in receipt of the papers were asked to bring them to City Hall, to the Cultural Diversity Task Force, to monitor racist activity (Coloradoan 1993-01-29).
  • “Amendment 2 temporarily blocked”– Colorado judge Jeffrey Bayless temporarily prevented a state law banning protective status for homosexual from going into effect until he decided whether to issue a more permanent ruling (Coloradoan 1993-01-15).
    • “Amendment 2 blocked: State to appeal ruling next week” – Denver District Court Judge Jeffrey Bayless found that Colorado homosexuals were in danger of immediate and irreparable harm, and that the opponents of the measure had a reasonable probability of winning their lawsuit on constitutional grounds (Coloradoan 1993-01-16).
  • “Diversity group is taken to task: recommendations weak, some say” – The seventeen-member Cultural Diversity Task force, created August of 1992, released their preliminary report (Coloradoan 1993-02-26).
    • “Final diversity report due tonight” – Six months’ work led to the release of the final report from the Cultural Diversity Task Force (Coloradoan 1993-03-31).
    • “Diversity City: Task force outlines steps” – More about the report, which was released in a 3.5-hour meeting; article cites task force member Ramona Robertson (Coloradoan 1993-04-01)
  • “Racial bias at banks?” - Mortgage lenders in the Fort Collins-Loveland area were found to have the poorest record in the Front Range for making loans to minorities, based on a survey of six major populations centers (a study sponsored by the Colorado Civil Rights Division). (Coloradoan 1993-06-30)
  • “Injunction upheld on 2: Court: Anti-gay amendment likely unconstitutional”– The Colorado supreme court ruled that the anti-gay rights Amendment 2 was very likely unconstitutional, upholding a lower court ruling that prevented A2 from taking effect. The 6-1 decision was hailed by gay rights advocates (Coloradoan 1993-07-20).
  • “High court keeps softball safe at CSU”– The US Supreme Court turned down a request by CSU and the state of Colorado to review a case about equal athletic opportunity under Title IX civil-rights law, thus letting the decisions of the lower courts stand. The original case stemmed from a June 1992 decision by CSU to drop women’s softball in a budget-cutting move (Coloradoan 1993-11-30).
  • “Judge strikes down Amendment 2” – Amendment 2, a voter-approved initiative that outlawed gay rights laws and caused a nationwide boycott of the state’s tourism industry, was declared unconstitutional (Coloradoan 1993-12-15)
• 1994
  • “Obscenity or censorship? Amendment 16 fuels debate over expression” – The vote was on Tuesday, November 8, 1994 (Coloradoan 1994-11-04).
  • “Police, citizens reach accord: dispute sparked by Hispanic teen’s arrest settled” – Agreement signed to smooth relations between minorities and law enforcement (Coloradoan 1994-11-22).
  • Court upheld the conviction of Jeffrey Purdy Thomas, who shot Stephanie Sund on the steps of the Fort Collins police station on Feb 25, 1992 (Coloradoan 1994-12-02)
  • “Women-only club wins review of discrimination law: Council may revamp contested ordinance” – A complaint against the all-women fitness club New Creations Health Club was filed January 1989. That complaint was based on an anti-discrimination ordinance, and sparked a year-long battle for the club at 4025 S Mason, its owner Clarence Newcomb, and the club’s 330 members (Coloradoan 1990-04-04).
    • “New discrimination proposal before council tonight: Amendment to follow Colorado’s statute” (Coloradoan 1990-04-17) – Passage of an amendment allowing some businesses to restrict their service to customers on the basis of sex occurred at that night’s meeting (story published April 18).
    • More on June 1 and on June 2, including “New Creations back in business: club closes its doors to men – again.”
• 1995
  • CSU was one of three colleges in the state that missed its mandated goal for minority graduates in 1994 (Coloradoan 1995-01-06).
    • “CSU has long way to go: Road to diversity full of potholes” (Coloradoan 1995-02-20)
• 1996
  • “Should Same-sex Marriages Be allowed?” (Inside Fort Collins, 1996-03-28, Page 1)
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

[TRANSPORTATION]

• 1991
  • Funds for North E470 (the highway project linking northern Colorado to Denver airport) came to a stop (Coloradoan 1991-02-13); more articles April, including Coloradoan 1991-04-13.
  • Lear jet crashed near Aspen (just short of Sardy Field); three aboard died (Coloradoan 1991-02-14).
• 1992
  • A Denver news helicopter plunged into Horsetooth Reservoir near Sunrise Park, killing two. The surviving pilot, Peter Peelgrane, was flown to Poudre Valley Hospital (Coloradoan 1992-02-13).
    • “Copter still submerged: divers will attempt to recover 2 bodies from reservoir today” (Coloradoan 1992-02-14); “High winds delay dive for news helicopter: Recovery effort continues today” (Coloradoan 1992-02-15); similar story to above (Coloradoan 1992-02-16); “Copter crash blamed on engine failure” (Coloradoan 1992-03-03); “Copter pilot [Peter Peelgrane] out of coma” (Coloradoan 1992-03-13)
  • “Head-on crash killed three; a car travelling 100 mph, going the wrong way, slammed into another car (Coloradoan 1992-03-18).
    • Thomas Travnick, with a blood alcohol level of .309, drove his car into opposing traffic on Shields Street, colliding with another car. Travnick died, along with Robert W. Baker and Bobbie A. Pfeiffer and two dogs (Coloradoan 1992-03-19); “Questions and pain linger after alcohol-linked crash” (Coloradoan 1992-03-19)
  • Two were killed in an airplane crash in Weld County, near Pawnee National Grassland (decedents Jason Hilburn and Patti Searcey; surviving was Rachel Miller) (Coloradoan 1992-04-16).
    • “Plane looks OK mechanically: Cause of crash a mystery” (Coloradoan 04-18 C1)
• 1994
  • Debate on the Timberline Road extension was part of the Choices 95 capital-improvement program. Costs increased from $4.35 million to an estimated $5.5-6 million, with a section of the project “postponed until sometime after 1997” (Inside Fort Collins 1994-12-08 V1N12). Besides cost, the debate focused on whether Timberline should curve to meet Summitview or continue northwards.
  • A man died in a pileup on I-25 pileup; fog contributed to a 65-vehicle crash, one of the worst pile ups in I-25's history (Coloradoan 1994-11-16).
• 1995
  • The new Denver International Airport opened, replacing Stapleton International Airport. Articles included “DIA’s airdate: Feb 28” (Coloradoan 1995-02-01); “DIA all set to soar” (Coloradoan 1995-02-28); and “DIA logs fine 1^st day” (Coloradoan 1995-03-01).
• 1996
  • Duane Johnson, a professor in the crops and soils department at CSU, developed a canola-based oil for cars (Inside Fort Collins 1996-05-09, p 9)
• 1997 to come
• 1998 to come
• 1999 to come

Addendum

From 1990 Census:

• 87,758 people, and 33,689 households, resided in the city.
• Racial makeup of the city: 93.3% White, 1% Black or African American, .5% Native American, 2.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 4.9% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.1% of the population.
• Average household size was 2.44 and the average family size 3.03.
• In the city, 22.4 % under the age of 18; 22.4 % 18-24; 35.3% 25-44; 12.3% 45-64, and 7.7 % 65+
• Median age 27.8 years
• Median income for a family was $36,931. Males had a median income of $30,846 versus $18,969 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,968.

Top employers - From Colorado Business, July 1991

• Colorado State University
• Hewlett Packard
• Poudre R-1 School District
• Kodak Colorado
• Poudre Valley Hospital
• Woodward Governor
• Larimer County
• City of Fort Collins
• Teledyne/WaterPik
• Anheuser Busch
• ESAB
• Advanced Energy

 

Methodology

• Included headlines of local journal articles garnered from History Connection (for 1994-1996)
• Vetted scans of Page 1s of Coloradoan (using newspapers.com) for November and December 1994, and for January through July 1995
  • Finished 1994 on March 26, 2022; Finished 1995 on April 1, 2022
• Coloradoan scans were not available for most of the 1990s, so perused microfilm for:
  • 1990 completed Feb 4, 2022
  • 1991 completed Aug 18, 2022
  • 1992 completed November 15, 2022
  • 1993 completed June 10, 2023
  • [1994: Did not vet Coloradoan microfilm; info derived from local journal articles]
  • [1995: Jan-July Coloradoans vetted; remaining months’ info from local journal articles]
  • [1996: Did not vet Coloradoan microfilm; info derived from local journal articles]
  • 1997: to come
  • 1998: to come
  • 1999: to come
• Project will take 4-6 months to complete each remaining year (1997, 1998, 1999)

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