Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Boulder County Farmers Markets. Check out Picnic for a Purpose on June 24, a laid-back outdoor fundraiser celebrating 40 seasons of local food, community, live music and more.
Leading today: A new addiction recovery home on East Pearl Street has begun accepting residents as part of Boulder’s effort to support homeless people struggling with addiction and people transitioning out of jail. Operated by Hazelbrook Recovery, the 12-bed sober living home marks the return of a city-backed residential recovery program after the previous provider shut down last year. Organizers hope it can help residents transition toward long-term stability and housing. John Herrick reports.
Also today: Which Boulder measures could make the November 2026 ballot?
And: Boulder has a new unofficial city flag after a committee appointed by the Museum of Boulder selected a winning design by Michael Stuart Trimmer. A different design earned the contest’s People’s Choice Award after emerging as the favorite in BRL’s informal poll, which drew about 2,100 responses. Por Jaijongkit reports.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Warm today, storms and sharp cooldown ahead.
- City of Boulder: Share your climate-ready landscape, get a $50 gift card (sponsored).
- Ballot measures: Boulder weighs vacant home tax, tax hikes and debt.
- Second Flatiron: Apple alert leads rescuers to dead climber.
- Arts in the Park: Summer Bandshell series returns.
- Broadway transit: Regent construction brings detours through August.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Boulder County Farmers Markets invites you to Picnic for a Purpose — a laid-back outdoor fundraiser celebrating 40 seasons of local food and community. Enjoy a meal from our food court, complimentary drinks, live music and yard games to commemorate four decades of local food while raising funds to support the future of food and farming in our community. Buy your tickets today and join us on June 24 at the Boulder Farmers Market.
New Boulder addiction recovery home for homeless residents begins accepting clients
The sober living home, operated by Hazelbrook Recovery, is part of a city strategy to house homeless people with a history of addiction and people transitioning out of jail. Continue reading…
Museum of Boulder unveils winner of unofficial city flag contest after nearly 200 submissions
The winning design, created by a graphic designer in the United Kingdom, was refined with help from flag scholars and selected from nearly 200 entries. Continue reading…
A cooler, stormier weekend on tap for Boulder
Today keeps the warm pattern alive in Boulder a little longer as westerly flow hangs on. Expect mostly sunny skies, light afternoon breezes and highs in the mid‑80s, very similar to what we’ve seen the last couple of days. It’s our last truly warm, quiet day before the atmosphere starts shifting gears.
By Saturday, a digging Pacific Northwest trough begins nudging moisture back into Colorado. Southwest flow increases, clouds build and highs slip toward 80. Both Saturday and Sunday bring a decent chance for late‑day showers and thunderstorms, even some severe stuff to our south and/or east. The Boulder area should see at least some storm activity both days, though the severe risk is low.
Monday is set to turn much colder with highs in the 40s to 50s, depending on the ultimate track of the main storm as it kicks east. An upslope rain event is possible, and the higher Foothills may even see some snowflakes. There’s still plenty of uncertainty, though.
Let’s hope these May showers deliver.
Boulder eyes ballot measures on vacant home tax, raising property taxes and taking on debt for underfunded facilities
Boulder City Council last night directed staff to poll likely voters on several potential November 2026 ballot measures, including a vacant home tax and property tax increases to pay for city facilities.
Councilmembers moved ahead with polling for an annual tax on homes that sit vacant for most of the year. Several pushed for a higher rate than the $2,000 proposed by staff. Residents earlier this year launched and later dropped a citizen-driven measure that would have imposed a $7,000 annual tax, and some of its backers have pressed the council to pursue a higher figure.
The council also supported polling a measure to raise the Parks and Public Improvement Mill Levy from .9 mills to 2.252 mills, generating an additional $6.6 million per year. The measure would also expand the uses for the tax to pay for parks, recreation, public safety and general operations and maintenance. Under that proposal, the owner of a $1 million home would pay an additional $86 per year. A $1 million commercial property would pay $338 more. Read more on BRL.
Man found dead on Second Flatiron after Apple Crash Detection alert
A man was found dead in a gully on the Second Flatiron on Thursday, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
The county communications center received an Apple Crash Detection alert around 11:30 a.m. Thursday from the Chautauqua Park area, the sheriff’s office said. Dispatchers initially had no additional information about a possible emergency, and first responders were unable to confirm whether anyone was injured. Nearby hikers and climbers also reported not seeing or hearing anything unusual.
An off-duty Rocky Mountain Rescue Group member who was climbing in the area later conducted an independent search and found the deceased man in a gully about halfway up the Second Flatiron, according to the sheriff’s office.
Preliminary evidence suggests the man may have been solo scrambling because no rope or climbing equipment was found at the scene. Rocky Mountain Rescue Group later completed the extrication. The Boulder County Coroner’s Office is conducting an investigation into the cause and manner of death. The man’s identity has not yet been released pending notification of his family.
Boulder announces sixth Arts in the Park series
Arts in the Park will return to the Bandshell this summer with a mix of free and ticketed events highlighting Boulder’s arts and culture scene.
Featured events include performances by Boulder Ballet, the Boulder Symphony and Arts Hub.
Free events include Dizzy With a Dame on June 7, Pepe Cetina on June 21 and Beyond Academia Free Skool on Aug. 2.
Ticketed events include Boulder Ballet performances May 30-31 and the Boulder Symphony’s annual July 4 performance. Tickets for Arts Hub’s Aug. 23 event will be released later. Tickets cost $10 plus a $2.51 service fee and are available through the city’s Arts in the Park webpage. Proceeds support the performing groups.
Broadway and Regent transit construction underway, with detours expected through mid-August
Construction has begun at Broadway and Regent Drive as part of the Broadway Transit Improvements Project, which aims to reduce delays and improve transit reliability. The work includes intersection upgrades and construction of a section of a dedicated bus lane and is expected to continue through mid-August.
Pedestrians, cyclists and bus riders will face detours during construction. Both northbound and southbound bus stops are closed, and passengers must use the Broadway and Euclid Avenue stops instead. Multi-use path users will be rerouted through the CU campus, though the west-side sidewalk will remain open. Drivers can expect lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The project is funded through nearly $4 million from the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
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