Boulder Reporting Lab

boulderreportinglab.orgSkunk Canyon Fire reported in Boulder; firefighters establish line around blazeThe fire was initially reported at 0.1 acres. Firefighters have established a line around it, and no trail closures were reported as of Wednesday morning.

The #Boulder fire was initially reported at 0.1 acres. Firefighters have established a line around it, and no trail closures were reported as of Wednesday morning. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/10/07/s...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder County wildfire triggers evacuation warnings from Allenspark to Hall RanchThe roughly 6-acre fire has prompted evacuation warnings from Allenspark to Hall Ranch. Crews are building hand lines and slowing the fire’s forward progress.

The roughly 6-acre fire has prompted evacuation warnings from Allenspark to Hall Ranch. Crews are building hand lines and slowing the fire’s forward progress. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/10/06/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgA deputy killed their son. Now they’re building a creative space for Boulder County youth.The new Lyons space honors Christian Glass with a cafe, art studio and gathering place for young people ages 14 to 22.

14 Sept

After their son, Christian Glass, was killed by a sheriff’s deputy in 2022, Sally and Simon Glass used their settlement money to create a youth arts hub in his honor. Creative Grounds opens Sept. 16 in Lyons with a cafe, pottery studio and gathering space. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/10/t...

boulderreportinglab.orgOpinion | Nicole Speer and Mark Wallach: Boulder’s facilities funding debate deserves factsThe city’s $400 million bond would address aging recreation centers, fire stations and public safety facilities before costs rise further.

14 Sept

OPINION — “Will we let misinformation lull us into believing that the cost of doing nothing is free?” #Boulder City Councilmember Nicole Speer and former Councilmember Mark Wallach write about the city’s proposed $400 million facilities bond. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/13/n...

boulderreportinglab.orgWhat Boulder County’s proposed childcare tax would fund — and what it would costThe measure would cost the owner of a $1 million home about $163 a year and fund tuition assistance, more infant and toddler slots and higher pay for providers.

14 Sept

#Boulder County voters will decide on a $30 million-a-year childcare tax this November. It would cost the owner of a $1 million home about $163 annually and fund tuition aid, more infant and toddler slots, and higher pay for workers. Here’s what it would do: boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/13/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBVSD says closing schools will help students. Families want more answers.Ahead of a Sept. 22 vote, families are pressing for details about capacity, special education and long-term enrollment. District officials say some answers will not be available before the board acts.

7 Sept

BVSD says closing four elementary schools will strengthen education as enrollment falls. Families want answers about capacity, special education and long-term enrollment before the Sept 22 vote. Some details, district officials say, won’t be available by then. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/06/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgDead fish. Foul odors. Shrinking ponds. Boulder County’s drought is taking a visible toll.Extreme drought has shrunk ponds and wetlands, causing fish kills and foul odors. Officials often lack the water rights or infrastructure to refill them, though wildlife officials say the damage is li...

Dead fish. Foul odors. Shrinking ponds. Extreme drought is drying wetlands across #Boulder County, but officials often can’t refill them because they lack water rights or infrastructure. A county wildlife official says the damage is likely temporary. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/04/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Council honors Mark Wallach in emotional farewell after resignationWallach, who resigned in July over the municipal airport vote, drew laughter, tears and a standing ovation as his former colleagues honored his service.

Former #Boulder City Councilmember Mark Wallach received a standing ovation and emotional farewell Sept. 3. Wallach, who resigned in July over the decision to keep the municipal airport open, called his time on council “an experience of a lifetime.” boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/04/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgOpinion | Ty Haney and Katie Wolf: BVSD should prove school closures are the best optionDeclining enrollment is real, but before closing neighborhood schools, BVSD should show why less disruptive alternatives won’t work.

OPINION: “Closing neighborhood schools is a choice. Before we make it, we’re asking BVSD to delay the vote and prove it is the best one,” write parents at Flatirons Elementary in #Boulder, one of four schools BVSD has proposed closing. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/04/t...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder County's starring role in the 1966 'Stagecoach' remakeThe 1966 remake of the iconic 1939 western “Stagecoach” featured Silver Lake, the Switzerland Trail and the Blue Bird Mine complex.

A star-studded “Stagecoach” remake put #Boulder County on the big screen 60 years ago, filming at Silver Lake, the Switzerland Trail and Blue Bird Mine. Local historian Silvia Pettem traces the landmarks and stories behind the 1966 western. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/04/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgAt BMoCA, three artists turn family history into a conversation across generations“Tres Voces, Un Corazón” brings together Sylvia Montero, Tony Ortega and their son, Cipriano Ortega, as the museum raises money for a new home in North Boulder.

Superman wears the Mexican flag. Mickey Mouse becomes a Día de los Muertos piñata. At BMoCA, artists Tony Ortega, Sylvia Montero and their son, Cipriano, blend family history, cultural memory and three distinct voices in "Tres Voces, Un Corazón." boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/03/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgBliss has connected Boulder artists and shoppers for 20 years. Now the Pearl Street shop is struggling to stay open.The locally owned gift and art boutique says rising costs and unpredictable consumer spending are threatening its future and the creative network it supports.

For 20 years, Bliss has helped make downtown #Boulder feel like Boulder, selling work by local artists and makers. July sales fell 37% from last year, and the boutique says it’s fighting to stay open. Its struggle reflects growing pressure on local shops. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/03/f...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder’s Spruce Pool gets another summer. Its future after 2027 is uncertain.One-time funding will keep the longtime Whittier gathering place open in 2027, but no money is available for 2028 amid rising costs and broader recreation cuts.

2 Sept

#Boulder’s century-old Spruce Pool will stay open for one more summer. The city’s proposed 2027 budget includes $134,000 in one-time funding, but no money to operate it in 2028. Regulars fear losing a neighborhood gathering place built over generations. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/09/01/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder Reporting Lab wins General Excellence for second year in a row, plus 22 state press awardsBRL’s 10 first-place honors span public service, breaking news, data, education, environmental reporting and Nibbles, with investigative journalism also among Colorado’s best.

Some good news from our newsroom: BRL received the Colorado Press Association’s General Excellence award for the second straight year after earning 22 honors, including 10 first-place awards. Thank you to our team and readers who make this journalism possible. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/30/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgOpinion | KC Becker: Boulder deserves a better bond proposal, not a $400 million blank checkIn 2011, the city gave residents a real role in shaping a detailed capital plan. It should do so again before asking voters to authorize $400 million in debt.

OPINION — “Voters are effectively being asked to write a check first and find out what it paid for later,” writes former Boulder City Councilmember and Colorado House Speaker KC Becker on Boulder’s proposed $400 million bond measure. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/30/k...

boulderreportinglab.orgMeet Boulder's 19 candidates for mayor and City CouncilSix seats are at stake in the city’s first even-year municipal election, with council pay set to more than triple in December.

#Boulder’s 2026 field is set: six candidates for mayor and 13 for five City Council seats. Meet the contenders, explore BRL’s profiles and learn about the key issues shaping the election. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/30/m...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder approves land-use plan that could make room for up to 40% more housingThe update to the Boulder Valley’s land-use map follows two years of public engagement and debate and establishes a new long-term development framework for the region.

#Boulder’s new comprehensive plan could create capacity for up to 40% more housing, largely through “gentle infill” like duplexes, townhomes and ADUs. What gets built depends on zoning and the market. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/27/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBVSD proposes closing four elementary schools in sweeping consolidation planThe plan would affect 16 schools, relocate two schools and reconfigure two PK-8 schools as the district confronts declining enrollment and thousands of empty seats.

BVSD has proposed closing Birch, Douglass, Mesa and Flatirons elementary schools in a sweeping plan to address declining enrollment. The proposal would affect 16 schools through closures, mergers, relocations and grade changes. The board votes Sept. 22. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/25/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Council approves $5.8M sale of downtown parking lot for 110-room hotelCity officials said nearby garages can absorb the displaced parking and the hotel could bring new economic activity downtown.

#Boulder City Council approved the $5.8 million sale of downtown’s Spruce Street lot, clearing a major hurdle for a proposed 110-room hotel. It would remove 59 public parking spaces, though officials say nearby garages can absorb the demand. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/23/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgAppeals court upholds Boulder’s financing plan for $76.5M CU South flood projectColorado Court of Appeals judges rejected claims that the city’s stormwater fees amount to a tax requiring voter approval.

A Colorado appeals court upheld #Boulder’s plan to use stormwater fees to fund the $76.5 million CU South flood project, rejecting claims the fees are a tax requiring voter approval. Boulder says the litigation increased the project’s cost by $10.5 million. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/23/c...

boulderreportinglab.orgEnvironmental group sues Trump administration over plan to dismantle Boulder’s NCARThe Environmental Defense Fund argues the Trump administration violated federal law in its effort to break up the Boulder-based atmospheric research center and close its Mesa Lab.

A second lawsuit is challenging the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle NCAR. The Environmental Defense Fund says the administration failed to explain its actions and conduct a required historic-preservation review before moving to close the Mesa Lab. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/20/e...

boulderreportinglab.orgBig-name writers. Free talks. No recordings. Inside Boulder’s Magic Mountain Talks at Trident.The monthly series brings nationally known writers into an intimate, standing-room-only conversation with Boulder audiences.

Big ideas, intimate setting: Magic Mountain Talks brings nationally known writers to Trident’s back patio in #Boulder for free monthly conversations about politics, culture and power. The talks aren’t recorded, by design. If you miss it, you miss it. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/20/i...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder crews respond to wildfire in Boulder Canyon; evacuation warning liftedThe People’s Crossing Fire broke out near Eben G. Fine Park on Thursday morning. Officials issued an all-clear at 10:04 a.m.

20 Aug

#Boulder Fire-Rescue extinguished the People’s Crossing Fire near Eben G. Fine Park by 10:22 a.m. Thursday. The fire briefly prompted an evacuation warning near the mouth of Boulder Canyon before officials gave the all-clear at 10:04 a.m. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/20/w...

boulderreportinglab.orgWould you lease your land for a giant battery? Some Boulder County owners are getting offers.A 2024 state law requires Xcel to acquire distributed power with battery storage. Developers are now seeking private land for the projects.

17 Aug

#Boulder County landowners are getting offers of $15,000 a year to host giant batteries. But proposed leases could tie up their land for as long as 40 years. A new Colorado law is driving the search for sites. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/16/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder delays license plate reader decision as scrutiny of Flock intensifiesAfter facing privacy concerns, Boulder invited companies to compete for its license plate reader contract and planned to choose a vendor by September. The city now says the process will take longer.

14 Aug

#Boulder is behind schedule in choosing a vendor to operate its license plate reader network. The delay comes amid mounting scrutiny of Flock, privacy concerns and calls from two mayoral candidates for greater city council oversight. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/13/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgA forgotten Boulder County war memorial is getting its due. Now comes the search for 1,500 families.Colorado has formally recognized the long-forgotten “Road of Remembrance” as local groups search for descendants of the 1,500 World War I veterans it honors.

14 Aug

Nearly a century after it was created, #Boulder County’s Road of Remembrance has received formal state recognition. Now local groups are searching for descendants of the 1,500 World War I veterans it honors ahead of a Sept. 15 dedication. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/13/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgAfter nearly 20 years on Pearl Street, Boulder Bazaar prepares to say goodbyeOwner Venus Sakha says declining sales and sparse foot traffic have made it increasingly difficult to cover the Pearl Street boutique’s rent.

14 Aug

After nearly 20 years, #Boulder Bazaar is closing. Owner Venus Sakha says sparse foot traffic and declining sales have made it difficult to pay the Pearl Street boutique’s rent. The shop has long served as a connection between Boulder and Nepal. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/12/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgOpinion | Olivia Mendoza: Boulder is putting mass surveillance technology before civil libertiesAs Boulder considers a long-term contract for automated license plate readers, city officials should establish stronger safeguards, public oversight and vendor accountability before selecting a provid...

12 Aug

OPINION — “Just because this technology exists doesn’t mean the Constitution no longer does,” writes Olivia Mendoza, executive director of ACLU of Colorado, urging #Boulder to establish safeguards before signing a long-term contract for license plate readers. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/11/o...

boulderreportinglab.orgUnknown buyer offers $42.5M for San Lazaro Mobile Home Park. More than 800 residents race to save their community.More than 800 residents are trying to buy their Boulder County community, but they have yet to assemble the financing needed to match the offer.

12 Aug

An unknown buyer has offered the full $42.5 million asking price for San Lazaro Mobile Home Park. More than 800 residents now have until Dec. 8 to match the bid and preserve one of #Boulder County’s largest sources of unsubsidized affordable housing. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/11/u...

boulderreportinglab.orgBVSD superintendent apologizes for handling of antisemitic harassment, pledges reformsA federal complaint alleges a Jewish student endured nearly two years of harassment, including slurs, assaults and an incident in which a charging cable was pulled around his neck.

12 Aug

BVSD Superintendent Rob Anderson apologized for the district’s handling of antisemitic harassment and proposed reforms after a federal complaint alleged a Jewish student endured two years of slurs and assaults. The school board has not voted on the changes. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/11/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder’s all-electric vision for Pearl Street Mall is shrinkingXcel’s revised proposal focuses on about 24 buildings instead of 66 and allows customers to keep natural gas service.

10 Aug

#Boulder once envisioned converting all 66 buildings served by an aging gas line beneath Pearl Street Mall to electricity, helping address climate change. Xcel now says only about 24 are connected, and they can keep gas service through another line. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/09/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Council sends vacant home tax and $400 million bond to November ballotA proposed downtown development authority failed on a 4-4 vote.

7 Aug

#Boulder voters will decide this November whether to tax vacant homes, borrow up to $400 million for city facilities and guarantee firefighters collective bargaining rights. A proposed downtown development authority failed after a 4-4 council vote. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/06/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgCould RVs and tiny homes ease Boulder County’s farmworker housing shortage?High housing costs are making it harder to retain farmworkers. Boulder County is considering more housing options on agricultural land.

7 Aug

#Boulder County’s hired farm workforce has fallen by more than half since 2017. With high housing costs making it harder for farms and ranches to keep workers, county officials are considering allowing tiny homes, RVs and other housing on agricultural land. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/06/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgOne night, two art walks: Boulder’s First Friday goes citywideThe New Local anchors a new downtown art walk, with staggered hours and bus connections allowing visitors to continue the evening in NoBo.

7 Aug

#Boulder’s First Friday Art Walk is going citywide. Start downtown with exhibitions, art activations and live music, then catch the SKIP to NoBo for a look inside artists’ studios. The events are staggered so you can experience both in one night. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/06/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgWhen Boulder welcomed road-trippers with free auto camps and roadside cottagesBeginning in the 1910s, Boulder catered to a new class of automobile tourists. A remnant of one early “auto camp” still stands today.

6 Aug

In the early 20th century, #Boulder welcomed a new kind of tourist: the automobile traveler. Visitors stayed in free auto camps and roadside cottages, and one shelter from the city’s former campground still stands in Eben G. Fine Park. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/04/w...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Councilmember Taishya Adams announces run for mayorAdams is campaigning on climate resilience, affordability and council oversight of public safety. She will leave the council if she loses.

5 Aug

#Boulder City Councilmember Taishya Adams is running for mayor, campaigning on climate resilience, affordability and stronger council oversight of public safety. The bid puts her council seat on the line and adds a third candidate to the race. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/05/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Council split over measure steering new tax revenue downtownA downtown development authority would temporarily redirect sales tax revenue growth from city services to pay for downtown revitalization.

3 Aug

#Boulder City Council is divided over whether to put a downtown development authority on the November ballot. Supporters say it could revitalize downtown. Critics warn it would divert future tax revenue from city services and other public agencies for decades. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/08/02/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder City Council backs off tipped-wage change after yearlong fightRestaurant owners sought slower tipped-wage increases, while labor advocates wanted them kept on schedule.

After a packed hearing and a yearlong fight, #Boulder’s City Council backed away from slowing wage increases for tipped workers. Their base pay will rise by $1.35 next year. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/30/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder weighs ordinance clarifying wildfire mitigation authority on open spaceThe city says the work is already permitted, but officials want to make that authority explicit. The council is considering an ordinance instead of a ballot measure.

Should #Boulder voters decide whether wildfire mitigation belongs in the city’s open space charter? The Open Space Board of Trustees says yes. The city council is leaning toward an ordinance instead. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/30/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder’s citywide fiber plans unravel after ALLO pulls outThe company cited increased costs and competition. The city said it was reviewing its legal options under the terms of its contract.

ALLO Communications has pulled out of #Boulder’s citywide fiber project, citing rising costs and increased competition. The city must now find a new partner for the network, which was expected to reach 97% of Boulder addresses by 2030. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/30/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgSundance Film Festival reveals schedule, venues for 2027 Boulder debutThe 11-day event will feature six days of premieres, online screenings and upgrades to local theaters. Ticket prices will be announced in September.

#Sundance has revealed new details for its 2027 #Boulder debut. The 11-day festival will feature six days of premieres, online screenings and about a dozen venues within a two-mile radius. Ticket information is coming in September. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/30/s...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder’s Aerial Dance Festival helped launch a global movement. It returns for its 28th year.Founded by Nancy Smith and Frequent Flyers in 1999, the festival attracts movement artists for two weeks of performances and training.

#Boulder helped aerial dance take flight. Frequent Flyers launched what organizers call the world’s first aerial dance festival in 1999. Now in its 28th year, the festival returns with performances, workshops and artists from across North America. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/30/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgAaron Brockett seeks reelection as Boulder mayor after turbulent council termThe incumbent is campaigning on his housing record and seeking more aggressive wildfire protections as Boulder confronts a budget deficit.

#Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett is seeking reelection after a turbulent council term. He is campaigning on his housing record and calling for stronger wildfire protections as the city confronts a budget deficit and other contentious issues. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/28/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgOpinion | Mark Wallach: Why I resigned from Boulder City Council‘The Aspenization of Boulder will continue unimpeded. And that is why I resigned my seat on the council.’

OPINION — “I could not be party to the surrender of airport land in perpetuity,” former Boulder City Councilmember Mark Wallach writes, explaining why he resigned. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/28/m...

boulderreportinglab.orgAquiles La Grave wants to reshape the role of Boulder mayor. Now he’s running for the job.The first-time candidate wants the mayor to play a more influential role, with regular office hours, a constituent affairs office and greater involvement in setting council priorities.

#Boulder entrepreneur Aquiles La Grave is challenging Mayor Aaron Brockett. The first-time candidate wants a more influential mayor, with regular office hours, a constituent affairs office and a larger role in setting council priorities. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/26/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgACLU asks Colorado Supreme Court to review Boulder camping ban rulingCivil rights lawyers argue the Colorado Court of Appeals failed to independently interpret the state constitution when it upheld the ordinance and based its decision on “fiction” rather than the facts...

The ACLU of Colorado is asking the Colorado Supreme Court to review a ruling upholding #Boulder’s camping ban, arguing that punishing unhoused people for sleeping outside when they lack access to shelter violates the state constitution. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/26/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder teen sues police officers, alleging wrongful arrest and excessive forceOfficers pulled a teenager to the ground, handcuffed him and patted him down, according to the complaint and footage of the incident.

A #Boulder teen is suing two police officers who pulled him from his bike, handcuffed him and patted him down after mistaking him for a bank robbery suspect. The lawsuit alleges wrongful arrest and excessive force. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/26/b...

boulderreportinglab.orgAs Boulder’s power grid falters, Xcel begins major undergrounding projectsXcel is moving forward with projects along U.S. 36 and 75th Street as Boulder develops a broader strategy to improve electric reliability.

#Boulder residents endured nearly twice as much power downtime as Xcel customers statewide in 2024. Now Xcel is burying lines along 75th Street and advancing a 5.5-mile project along US 36 as the city develops a strategy to reduce outages and wildfire risk. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/19/a...

boulderreportinglab.orgBoulder once had a railroad into the mountains. Here’s what happened to it.The narrow-gauge railroad carried ore and supplies between Boulder County’s mining towns before reinventing itself as a mountain escape for tourists.

Before mountain roads, #Boulder had a narrow-gauge railroad to Ward and Eldora. It hauled ore, carried tourists seeking cool mountain air and earned the nickname “Drink Beer and Wine.” Then a 1919 flood brought the journey to an end. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/07/19/b...