An 8th-grade Colorado Jewish student was called a ‘stupid k***’ while being strangled by a laptop charging cord, in one of many antisemitic assaults by other students described in a Title VI complaint to Boulder Valley Public School District.
Colorado
Here’s how to prevent (and thaw) frozen pipes as arctic cold blast hits Colorado
Coloradans bundling up ahead of this weekend’s arctic blast should also plan on keeping their homes cozy, particularly for water pipes that can freeze and burst during subzero cold snaps.
Forecasters expect temperatures to drop well below freezing Saturday in the mountains, Front Range and Eastern Plains before plunging into the single and negative digits for most of Sunday and Monday, but people can prevent frozen pipes by taking a few simple steps now, according to Denver Water, the American Red Cross and metro plumbing experts.
High 5 Plumbing usually gets triple the amount of calls because of frozen or burst pipes during and after a cold snap, said company president Levi Torres.
“The best preventative is to start getting ready before the freeze hits,” Torres said.
Before the cold weather hits
Torres recommends bumping up the thermostat to be as warm as is comfortable before the freeze sets in to prevent the chill from entering your home.
“It’s better to pay a little extra in gas this week than to pay for property damage from a burst pipe,” he said.
Denver Water officials recommend setting the thermostat above 65 degrees if homeowners plan to leave home for several days.
Folks should also know where the main water shut-off valve is in their home. For most single-family homes, it’s in the basement, the crawl space or a wall facing the street, according to the agency.
Water pipes in unheated basements or along exterior walls should be insulated against the cold, either with insulation or products like pipe sleeves or heat tape. Even a few layers of newspaper wrapped around pipes can provide protection, according to the Red Cross.
During the deep freeze
When the cold weather sets in, people should open doors near pipes to expose them to warm air, including kitchen and bathroom cabinets and access doors.
Folks should also crack both a hot and cold faucet to keep water trickling, ideally in a place that’s farthest from where water enters your home.
“A very slow drip will keep water molecules moving, reducing the chance that pipes will freeze. Place a bucket underneath the faucet so the water can be saved for other household uses,” Denver Water officials said.
People should take preventative steps even if they’ve never had a problem with frozen pipes, Torres said.
“Every year your home gets older, the insulation gets older and it doesn’t keep your home as warm as it used to,” he said. “It’s best to practice these things even if you’ve never had a problem so you don’t wake up with a problem.”
Keeping the thermostat set at the same temperature during the day and night can also prevent frozen pipes, according to the Red Cross.
How to locate a frozen pipe
If you wake up to the unpleasant surprise of little or no water coming out of the faucet during a cold snap, there’s still time to avert disaster.
It’s not always easy to tell which pipes are frozen, but people can usually narrow it down based on where water is running in their home and where it’s not, Torres said.
If every water fixture is sluggish or dry, there’s a good chance the pipes are frozen near the main water intake, Torres said. Exterior walls are also more likely to have frozen pipes.
If you can’t figure out which pipe is frozen, call a licensed plumber.
How to thaw frozen pipes
Thawing frozen pipes is a balance of acting quickly and carefully because pipes warmed too fast can break, Denver Water officials said.
Try to shut off the water valve, but keep the faucet open while you warm up the frozen pipe so water starts running as it melts, which will help it melt more.
Use a hair dryer, an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe or a portable space heater (at a safe distance) to thaw the pipe, or wrap it in towels soaked in hot water, according to the Red Cross.
Don’t use any device with an open flame, like a blowtorch, kerosene/propane heater or charcoal stove.
Keep warming the pipe until there’s full water pressure and check all other faucets for possible frozen pipes. If you can’t thaw the pipe, call a plumber.
What to do if your pipes burst
If the worst has already happened, shut off the water at the main valve and, if needed, turn off the electricity in that part of your home and call a plumber.
If your basement is flooded, do not wade through the water until the electricity is turned off. Call an electrician if you can’t reach the electricity on your own, according to State Farm. Contact your gas provider to see if the flooding has impacted your water heater or furnace in case they need to turn off your gas.
Water damage caused by burst pipes is likely covered by homeowner or renter’s insurance and may include reimbursement for a hotel stay if your home is uninhabitable, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance.
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Originally Published:
The ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) has filed a federal civil rights complaint with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging that Jewish Student A was subjected to repeated antisemitic bullying, slurs, and physical assault by multiple fellow students at Southern Hills Middle School (SHMS) throughout 7th and 8th grade.
In one incident, students in Student A’s PE class attempted to play a game called “Jew touch tag” and said Jews were “dirty” and “contaminated.”
In another, in December 2025, a classmate reportedly fashioned a Chromebook charging cord into a lasso, threw it around the student’s neck and dragged him backward from a chair while calling him a “stupid k***.” This was deemed severe enough that the Boulder Police Department was called in to investigate.
Following this particular incident, the Boulder Police Department opened a Juvenile Court Referral for third-degree assault.
ADL says no meaningful action taken by school district over assault
As a result of these incidents, Student A no longer wears a Star of David necklace and does not share his religious identity with anyone.
ADL and the family allege that the school took no meaningful action despite being informed of the situation on multiple occasions. For example, the complaint says the school failed to enforce the no-contact order between Student A and the classmate involved in the Chromebook assault.
The complaint also says that the burden was consistently placed on the victim, such as reassigning his study hall class rather than restricting the aggressor, forcing him to miss a school trip, and asking him to leave class early to avoid crowded hallways.
“The record here is overwhelming: written pleas from the student’s parents, formal school reports, and a police investigation all point to the conclusion that antisemitic harassment at Southern Hills Middle School was pervasive, escalating, and severe,” said James Pasch, ADL Vice President of Litigation.
“Despite the family’s pleas for help to stop the harassment, the school district failed to effectively address it, a clear violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. No family should have to fight this hard to ensure a Jewish child’s safety at school, and certainly no Jewish student should face the threat of assault or harassment because of their Jewish identity.”
Susan Rona, ADL Mountain States Regional Director, noted that 167 antisemitic incidents were recorded in Colorado in 2025, a “stark reminder that antisemitism is not something abstract – it is showing up in our communities, in our neighborhoods and even in our schools.”
ADL is requesting that the US Department of Education require the district to take steps to comply with Title VI and ensure that this student and all Jewish students feel safe and protected.
Boulder Valley School District said that while it does not comment on ongoing legal matters, “we take all allegations of discrimination and harassment seriously.”
“We continue to focus on improvements to our policies, reporting systems, practices, and education efforts – all with the goal of ensuring every BVSD student feels safe, welcomed, and a strong sense of belonging.”
When you walk inside the Conoco station at the corner of University Boulevard and Bonnie Brae Boulevard in Denver, you can’t help but notice the history on the walls.
“Here’s the 40s. The 50s and my dad and uncle in the 70s,” says owner Ken Wilson pointing to the pictures on the wall.
Ken is the third generation of the Wilson family to own the gas station and service center.
“Grandpa Ken started to lease this out in 1942. My dad bought the business from my grandpa and my uncle worked his whole career here for my dad and for me,” Ken recalls.
In all, the Wilson family has owned the Conoco station for more than 80 years.
“I started working here in 1978 when I was 12, just part time in the summers. I worked through high school and through college and then did my own thing, and I’ve been back here about 15 years,” said Ken.
“It means so much to our family. It’s been a great business.”
But Ken is the end of the road for the Wilson family ownership. In February, a for sale sign went up at the Bonnie Brae Conoco.
“We’re just looking now. We’re not in a rush. It’s not like we’re going to sell and be done this year. We’re going to get a price we want to get, and if it takes us years to do that’s okay,” he said.
Wilson has seen a lot of change during his time working at the station and service center.
“There aren’t a lot of garages anymore. They used to be everywhere. There were four of them on this block when I was a kid, he said.
When asked what he’ll miss most, Ken points to his relationship with his customers.
“I’ve had customers now where I actually waited on their grandparents. And then their parents. And now them.”
As for what his grandpa would say if he could see the place now, Ken says, “I think he’d say he was really proud of what we’ve done. Both my father, my uncle and myself. Hopefully he’s still hanging around here once in a while.”
The Colorado Buffaloes are still putting the finishing touches on their 2027 class over the next few months, but their 2028 recruiting plan continues to take shape.
Earlier this week, Deion Sanders’ staff extended an offer to one of the top prospects in the class of 2028, composite five-star wide receiver Jaylen Addai. Addai now holds 43 offers, including one from nearly every blue-blood program in the country.
247Sports’ Composite currently ranks Addai as the No. 12 overall prospect in the 2028 class, the No. 3 overall wide receiver and the top player from the state of Texas.
At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, the Pearland, Texas native fits the mold of the modern-day receiver. He seems likely to fill into his frame given his youth. Addai is a multiple-sport athlete with elite athleticism on the field, on the basketball court and on the track.
Given how early it is in Addai’s recruitment, several teams are in contention for his commitment, with Notre Dame and Ohio State leading the way early. When the 2028 cycle picks up later this year, who really has a chance should come into focus, especially when visits begin.
Colorado’s 2028 class does not have any commitments yet, but has offers out to 28 different wide receiver prospects.
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