This Is Berthoud

Steve and Bailey from the Rural Alternative for Transportation (RAFT) share a history of transportation in and around Berthoud, what's next for RAFT, and how our community can get involved in this volunteer-driven local nonprofit. To speak with a RAFT dispatcher or to become a volunteer, you can call 970-532-0808.

Amie takes the opportunity to talk about Artificial Intelligence, how the library may or may not utilize new and emerging AI tools, and things for our community to consider as they explore the world of AI. There's no legal, medical, financial, or any other kind of advice in this episode. Each listener is responsible for their own choices regarding AI use.

R. L. Maizes, also known as Rachel, joins us to talk about the differences between writing short stories and writing novels, what it's like to be an author far from any publishing hubs, and how living in Colorado has impacted her writing. Rachel's books, available for checkout at the library, include We Love Anderson Cooper , Other People's Pets , and her latest A Complete Fiction .

Alex, Water Resources Administrator for the Town of Berthoud, joins us to share what we can expect in this season of drought, how water resources are managed on a local and regional level, and what each of us can do to minimize the impact of low snowpack and water levels.

Will Cornelius, editor of the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor, talks breaking news stories, bias and neutrality in journalism, and the advantages that come with reporting the news in a small community. Plus we play a quick game of "identify the bias in these headlines" for your listening enjoyment.

Larimer County Master Gardeners Kathy, Mary, and Cyndi join us to talk about growing vegetables and fruit-- even in a drought year-- and how to share your extra produce with those facing food insecurity. From apples to zucchini, your garden can thrive and your produce can make a difference in the community. For (fantastic) gardening info, visit the Larimer County Master Gardeners page here: Larime...

The Berthoud Historical Society, the Town of Berthoud, and your Berthoud Community Library have teamed up to gather your stories about life in Berthoud. Everyone in our community has a story to share about their life here, whether it took place 50 years ago or last week. Now is your chance to add your voice to our community's history. Learn more about the project and how to share your stories...

Christian Samora, Town Clerk for the Town of Berthoud, visits the library to share everything that goes into a local ballot. Learn about how candidates and initiatives make it onto the ballot, how the Town handles elections in a transparent manner, and why you should exercise your right to vote in local elections. The next Town election is April 7, 2026, and you still have time to register to vote...

Brittany, owner of our local independent toy store Marley and Moose, joins us to share the joys and challenges of building community through running a retail store. Check out Marley and Moose's eco-friendly, no-battery toys by visiting the store at 250 Mountain Avenue, or visit their website, marleyandmoose.com

Did you know our community is home to not one, not two, but three observatories? Meinte Veldhuis, President of the Little Thompson Observatory, explains where our observatories are, what they're used for, how they came to be, and how each one of us can get involved. To book an observatory visit: https://www.starkids.org/ To get a current star map: www.skymaps.com

When a sudden job loss, medical diagnosis, divorce, or mental health crisis threatens the stability of you and your family, who is there to help you? Here in Berthoud, it's House of Neighborly Service. Through their programs such as utility assistance and food distribution, as well as partnerships with other agencies for services like mental health care and tutoring, HNS has been helping our c...

We may take for granted that we can simply open a faucet for water, but there's a lot of engineering that goes into getting clean water to our homes and treating what goes down our drains. Staff from the Town of Berthoud's water and wastewater department join us to talk through the intricacies of this vital service.

The impacts of light pollution range widely, disrupting bird migration, scientific research, and even human health. Town staff members join us to talk about the Dark Skies initiative in Berthoud, why it matters for our community, and simple ways you can help. (Close your curtains.)

If you love books, and you love dogs, and you love books that feature dogs, these authors are writing for you. Margaret Mizushima and Kathleen Donnelly share all the details of their writing and publishing lives in this joint episode. Margaret's latest: Dying Cry: a Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Kathleen's latest: Colorado K-9 Rescue

In and around the Berthoud community, land has been set aside for your use in designated Open Spaces. Learn about the spots currently available for recreation, what's coming soon, and the unique features of our Open Spaces with Amie and Berthoud Town Administrator Chris Kirk.

Local bronze sculptor Karryl joins us to talk all things visual arts: how she started, what inspires her work, and how others can explore and try new mediums. To view Karryl's work online, follow this link: https://www.artistsforconservation.org/ To view Karryl's work in person, along with the work of many other artists, come to the Berthoud Art Walk on Saturday, September 13, 2025. Detail...

Edward Hamlin, author of the novel Sonata in Wax , joins us to discuss writing, creative pursuits, and the literary scene in Colorado.

Brian and Chris from the Town of Berthoud join us to discuss what attracts a business to Berthoud, which types of businesses are likely never coming to town, and how economic development works in our community.

Warning: this episode is about human trafficking, which is a severe form of exploitation for labor (including sex) involving force, fraud, or coercion. As such, this episode may not be appropriate for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. Kristina from the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (LCHT) joins us to share how to identify signs of human trafficking occurring in our community, wh...

Anne Johnson, Community Development Director, and Chris Kirk, Town Administrator, both from the Town of Berthoud staff, join us to talk through community development processes, challenges, and opportunities. Find out what happens and why before new neighborhoods and businesses are built in our community.

Local artist Diane Mason, best known for her sculpture and scratchboard work, joins us to discuss the evolution of her art, taking inspiration from the animal world, and how to get started with any form of art you'd like to try. To view Diane's work, see her website here: https://ddmason.com/art/

Did you know the Larimer County Sherriff's Office has a mental health co-responder unit? The unit's teams consist of a deputy and a mental health clinician. Hear directly from a deputy about how these teams work and the difference they're making by helping people who are facing a mental health crisis.

Barbara Bennett, Chief ScamBuster with the LCSO, joins us to discuss how to avoid being the victim of a scam, what to do if you do get caught up in a case of fraud, and how to help your friends and family members stay safe. For the most updated information on scams targeting our community, and information on how to report and recover from these crimes, visit their webpage here: https://www.larimer...

While it's impossible to be completely safe in the online world, there are things that you can do to protect yourself. In this episode we'll discuss some tips for understanding your own online behavior, evaluating the information you're seeing, and interacting in ways that can help mitigate some of the risks.

It may be winter, but it's the right time to prepare for a spectacular summer of gardening. Jon Weiss, a Larimer County Master Gardener, shares all the things you should (and shouldn't) do now to set yourself up for success.