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Happy hump day, Longmont! We may only be halfway through September but Christmas isn’t far away. Today marks exactly 100 days until December 25. If that stresses you out, take a deep breath. Both Halloween and Thanksgiving are still more than a month away. But, in the best interest of pacing ourselves, nobody tell Target, Walmart, or radio stations.
However, if your child is eager to get in touch with Santa, USPS announced on Monday that the North Pole is now accepting letters. Click here to learn more.
Today — The suspect in the Dollar Tree shooting turns himself in, why Longmont hasn’t sprayed for mosquitoes this year, and a milestone for Longmont sustainability.
Let’s dive in.
TOP STORY
🌎 Longmont skips mosquito spraying for first time since 2013
As it turns out, severe drought has a silver lining.
For the first time since 2013, the City of Longmont did not conduct any mosquito spraying operations this year. Although drought and low rainfall are causing major problems elsewhere, it’s also believed to have taken a toll on mosquito populations.
Cause and infect
Per the City of Longmont website, spraying is used to control the spread of West Nile Virus. But triggering it must satisfy two conditions: Traps in a neighborhood must exceed 150 mosquitoes and West Nile Virus must be discovered in Larimer, Boulder, or Weld Counties.
WNV human infections were detected eight times between the three counties (including one in a Longmont resident), but mosquito abundance has been below the five-year average for most of the season, according to Jim Krick, the City of Longmont’s ecosystem manager.
Krick added that while it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact cause, it’s thought that mosquito activity is being slowed by the lack of rain, reductions in residential, commercial, and municipal watering, as well as diminished agricultural irrigation. Since mosquitoes breed in pools of water, those factors tend to attract mosquitoes like college frat boys to a happy hour.
Look on the bite side…
Although our region is severely parched, it appears to have caused a significant reduction in mosquito presence and, therefore, WNV infections. That’s welcome news for anyone — but especially for residents in Boulder, Weld, and Larimer counties. Those three counties represent the biggest hot spots for WNV human infections in all of Colorado.
Since reporting began in 2003, Boulder County has recorded 913 WNV cases — the third most of all Colorado counties, according to the Colorado Department of Health. 2025 clocked 38 cases. This year, there have only been four.
Larimer County has tallied the most infections all-time for Colorado counties, with 1,122.
Krick said that a Colorado State University study linked the large amount of irrigated agricultural land in the three counties to the prevalence of infections.
Zooming out:
Despite reduced mosquito activity, Krick advises caution as WNV is still being detected. He encourages residents to protect themselves by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants while outdoors, avoid being outside during dusk until sunrise (peak mosquito activity timeframe), and drain standing water.
Headlines
3 Big Things
Courtesy: Stored Energy Systems
Longmont tech company to unveil new technology: Stored Energy Systems announced yesterday plans to showcase a power system, called PowerCab2, at an upcoming data center convention in Dallas. SENS — a company that’s been headquartered in Longmont since 1992 — says the system could change how data centers handle their backup power by eliminating the need for a dedicated battery room. That room (as pictured above) — which often consumes more than 300 square feet — is replaced by what appears to be a glorified closet. But inside that closet is a power system “designed to provide non-stop, reliable power,” according to SENS. Company estimates report the tech could save a 1-gigawatt campus $20-$80 million.
Longmont increases landfill diversion rate to 62%: Longmont is inching closer to its goal of diverting nearly all commercial waste from the landfill. Per the 2026 midyear update to the Longmont Indicators website, the City of Longmont increased commercial waste diversion to 62% — a 27% improvement from 2023. The city is aiming to reach a 75% diversion rate by 2030, and 90% by 2050. Longmont attributes the rise to the implementation of the Universal Recycling Ordinance, a city mandate requiring commercial and multifamily properties to provide recycling, and in some cases, composting.
Longmont Theatre Company’s 70th season begins Friday: The downtown Longmont playhouse is kicking off season 70 with The Play That Goes Wrong. According to LTC, it’s a fast-paced comedy about an amateur theatre troupe attempting to stage a 1920s murder mystery, only for everything to go hilariously wrong. The theatre is hosting performances every weekend through October 4. Other titles in season 70: The Rocky Horror Show, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest, and The Spongebob Musical.
It's Here: Pique's New Caffeine-Free Afternoon Energy
I quit my afternoon coffee. Not because I wanted to — because I found something better.
You know that wall you hit every day around 2–3 PM? I used to just accept it as the cost of doing anything. Another coffee, a quick spike, then the crash — and somehow I'd still feel dehydrated by dinner.
Then I tried X·E Fountain, Pique's brand-new electrolyte energy drink, and I genuinely wasn't ready for how good "no crash" could feel.
No caffeine jitters. No 4 PM slump. Just clean, steady energy that actually hydrates me instead of draining me. It's built with a premium Vitamin B Complex for natural cellular energy, Magnesium Malate + Taurate for real focus, and a full electrolyte blend that makes it feel like a treat, not a chore.
The cucumber-celery-lime flavor is so crisp and refreshing — it's basically stolen my afternoon coffee slot completely.
Check this out
Suspect in Longmont Dollar Tree shooting turns himself in
The suspect in a shooting at a Longmont Dollar Tree is on the run no longer.
19-year-old Anthony Lorenzo Perez-Reyes turned himself in to police Monday afternoon, per Longmont Public Safety PIO Robin Ericson. Perez-Reyes is the suspect behind a Saturday afternoon shooting that sent one person to the hospital.
What happened:
On Saturday around 2:45 p.m., Longmont Police responded to a reported shooting at the Dollar Tree on Main Street.
Per City of Longmont spokesperson Sandra Seader, the shooting happened following an altercation at the store between a juvenile male and an adult male, now identified as Perez-Reyes.
The juvenile picked up a weapon and Perez-Reyes pulled out a firearm. Perez-Reyes allegedly fired multiple rounds in the parking lot, striking the juvenile at least once in the leg.
The victim was taken to the hospital, but was later released.
Though police had identified a suspect, Perez-Reyes remained at large for nearly two days until surrendering to police.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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Last Call
Today’s weather forecast shows a partly sunny day with a high near 82 degrees, and a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m., per the National Weather Service.
Gas prices are still high. The average cost for a gallon of gas in the Longmont-Boulder area is $4.38, unchanged since Monday, according to AAA.
Prep sports: Silver Creek boys’ soccer dropped a couple spots in CHSAA’s rankings of best teams in the state. The Raptors are now #11 in Colorado (4A).
The City of Longmont is looking for locals interested in serving on a city advisory board. Boards with openings include Technology, Senior Citizens, Housing & Human Services and more.
Scoops on the Corner has added two new Fall-themed flavors to its lineup: Apple Pie and Pumpkin Latte.
Oskar Blues is putting on tap two new spicy beers to mark its 24th “CANiversary.”
Did you know Longmont has a local artist vending machine? Check it out here.
Until Friday,
The Longmont Brief
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