Renowned chef Mawa McQueen has opened her third Crepe Therapy Cafe, this one in Boulder Junction.

Why it matters: McQueen brings her award-winning flair to Boulder, and the cafe could serve as an anchor point for the Boulder Junction neighborhood.

The latest: The Boulder Crepe Therapy Cafe (2273 31st St., Suite 140) held a grand opening Saturday. It's McQueen's third crepe location, but her first on the Front Range.

• McQueen is based in Aspen, but she told Axios Boulder it has always been a dream of hers to open a Boulder location.
• "Why not Boulder? I've always loved Boulder," she said.

Dive in: The cafe offers both sweet and savory crepes, plus a selection of breakfast options available until 11am.

• There are your crepe staples like Nutella and fruit, along with exotic options featuring salmon and ground bison (don't tell Ralphie).
• You can also make a custom creation by selecting ingredients or even subbing the usual flour crepe batter for a gluten-free or corn version.
• And did I mention you get to watch it all being made right in front of you?

The vibe: McQueen bought a large space, complete with an outdoor seating area, so the cafe becomes a neighborhood gathering spot.

• "I want it to be a community center, where people pause, where people really engage with each other," McQueen said.

The big picture: McQueen's goals for the cafe align with the city's vision of Boulder Junction as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

• With bus service returning to the area for the first time since the pandemic, the Crepe Therapy Cafe will hopefully fill the void left by Roadhouse Boulder Depot's recent closure.
• "Crepe Therapy Cafe is an important addition to the Boulder Junction neighborhood, which has always been envisioned as a walkable neighborhood where residents rarely have to use cars in their daily lives," Boulder Mayor Aaron Brocket told us.

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Four in 10 Colorado homeowners paid condo or homeowners association fees last year, new Census Bureau data shows.

Why it matters: The dues add to the already high cost of homeownership in Colorado.

By the numbers: The average median monthly HOA fee in Colorado reached $99 per month.

The big picture: Nationally, Colorado is on the lower end when it comes to HOA fees, but it varies across the state.

• Roughly 5.6 million homeowners nationwide paid less than $50 a month, while around 3 million paid over $500 a month.

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Editor's note: This story was revised to clarify that it is nationwide (not in Colorado alone) that 5.6 million homeowners pay monthly HOA fees of less than $50, and 3 million pay more than $500.

⚖️ The wife and kids of the Pearl Street firebombing suspect are being held in Texas at the request of the Department of Homeland Security, despite an immigration judge ruling on Sept. 19 they likely did not know about the attack and should be released on bond, according to court documents obtained by Axios Boulder.

🗓️ A settlement conference in the NAACP's lawsuit against former executives of its Boulder County branch is set for Dec. 5. (Daily Camera 🔑)

📱 The University of Colorado Boulder has released an app for students that puts a number of safety features in one place, including emergency alerts, texting to dispatch and a "virtual walk home" that allows dispatchers to track the user's location, according to the university.

💵 Colorado's federal workers are filing unemployment claims at surging levels amid the U.S. government shutdown. (CPR)

The University of Colorado's newest Ralphie now has her own nickname.

The latest: CU announced this week that Ralphie VII would also go by Brandy, after the 1972 hit "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by the Looking Glass.

• In a statement, CU officials said Ralphie VII had an "affinity" for the song when it played during practice.

💭 My thought bubble: We can also now deduce that if they are playing Looking Glass, the college kids are not in charge of the practice playlist.

The big picture: Though all of the bison CU runs out during football games get the Ralphie moniker, they also get "barn names" to help differentiate them.

• While the inspiration may be the song, the name Brandy also keeps with the tradition of Ralphies getting boozy nicknames — following Moonshine, Tequila and Blackout.

Flashback: Ralphie VII took over this year after the retirement of Ralphie VI, who was not big on running.

• Brandy, on the other hand, has been the rookie of the year for the Buffs, running well in her two home games so far.

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