Morning Brief: Boulder County DA Launching a Workplace Sexual Misconduct Task Force

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

In an effort to reduce the number of sexual harassment and sexual assault incidents, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty and his office will be launching a workplace sexual misconduct task force.

Dougherty, along with Caryn Datz, Chief Deputy DA of the sex assault unit, and other unnamed community partners from business, government, immigrant, and school communities, will form the task force.

"The mission of the Task Force will be to help employers and schools develop trainings, protocols, and methods that quickly and comprehensively address reported harassment or misconduct," wrote Datz in an email to the Longmont Observer.

"We will also provide a forum to discuss best practices in areas such as supporting victims, protections for students and employees, fair processes for the accused, and the role of social media as a means of harassment and retaliation."

The first of such discussion will take place during Boulder Startup Week on Tuesday, May 15th, from 3-4pm. Dougherty and other panelists will discuss creating "a start-up culture that prevents sexual harassment and sexual assault."

The second meeting, which is the first official meeting of the task force, will take place on June 19, 2018, from 9-10 a.m.; it will be held in the Restorative Justice training room of the Boulder County Justice Center.

"Over the past year, the #MeToo Movement has made clear how common sexual assault and harassment is in the workplace, where there are often imbalances of power. We must create a culture that prevents sexual harassment and sexual assault, encourages victims to come forward, and condemns retaliation," wrote Datz.

"It is our hope that together, we will regularly gather to discuss and implement methods for reducing sexual harassment and violence occurring at work and on campus."

Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh set to open on Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Located at Village at the Peaks shopping center, Longmont's first Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh will open on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. 

“We’re excited to bring our new prototype to Colorado and to introduce our fresh, authentic, Old World recipes to everyone in the Longmont area,” said James Park, CEO of Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, in a press release received by the Longmont Observer.

There are currently 26 other Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh locations nationwide. 

Red Point Center to Celebrate Ribbon Cutting

On Tuesday, May 15, 2018, Red Point Center, a substance abuse treatment facility in Longmont, will be celebrating a ribbon cutting for joining the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to meet our staff, tour our facility, and enjoy food and drinks with us," said an email received by the Longmont Observer.

Red Point Center is located at 1823 Sunset Place, Longmont, CO, 80501. The ribbon cutting starts at 4 p.m.; admission is free.

Taco Bell opens in East Longmont

Longmont's newest Taco Bell, located at Ken Pratt Blvd. & Martin St., officially opened on May 2, 2018. This will mark Longmont's fourth Taco Bell.

Longmont Observer reached out to Taco Bell's PR team to ask a few questions:

Why did Taco Bell choose this location?

Last year, Taco Bell announced its plans to grow as a system to approximately 9,000 restaurants globally by 2022, opening the door of opportunity for 100,000 new jobs in the U.S. alone. This location is part of that plan and new Taco Bell restaurants, such as this location, employs about 30 people," wrote Taco Bell PR in an email to the Longmont Observer.

Is there anything different (e.g. food) about this location than the other 3 in Longmont?

One key difference is the new location has a refreshed design. Taco Bell is on a continuous journey to stay relevant with customers’ ever-changing preferences and provide people with experiences that matter. As our restaurants are the most prominent places where people can experience our brand, we’re invested in providing restaurant designs that give people experiences that matter.

There are currently four Taco Bell's within Longmont; three are located within city limits and one near I-25 and Highway 119.