🚲 Bike thefts drop again

Good Wednesday morning, Boulder.

Leading today: Election Day is less than a week away, and we’re here to help you make informed choices on your ballot. Our 2026 Voter Guide includes candidate profiles, side-by-side comparisons of where candidates stand on the issues, explanations of local ballot measures and a recording of our mayoral debate with KGNU. You’ll also find everything you need to know about where and how to cast your ballot by Nov. 3.

Now, to today’s news: Crime and public safety have been issues in this year’s election, but one of Boulder’s most persistent property crimes — bike theft — is on the decline. Reported thefts have fallen steadily since a pandemic-era spike, with another 13% drop so far this year. Yet the value of stolen bikes still reaches roughly $1 million in most years, and police recover only a fraction of them. John Herrick reports on what’s behind the decline and what the city is doing to prevent thefts.

Also today: Halloween in Boulder used to be a much wilder affair. In the 1980s, Pearl Street’s infamous Halloween mall crawls drew crowds of up to 40,000 costumed revelers, with elaborate costumes, fights and enough chaos to earn comparisons to Mardi Gras. The city put an end to the festivities in 1990. Local historian Silvia Pettem looks back at the spectacle.

Finally: We’re bringing back our Boulder County Giving Guide for the holiday season! If you work with a local nonprofit, tell us what your organization needs — donations, supplies or volunteers — and we’ll share it with our readers.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

BoulderCAST: A treat of a forecast for Halloween.
Election watch: Federal interference joins the county’s emergency planning list.
Your two cents: Weigh in on farmworker housing and South Boulder Road.
Gym shuffle: Adults move to school gyms, freeing rec centers for kids.
From weeds to blooms? Botanical garden floated for East Boulder.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

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Bike thefts in Boulder keep falling after pandemic-era spike

City officials credit bait bikes, registration and outreach to businesses for the decline. Stolen bikes still total about $1 million in reported value per year. Continue reading…

In the 1980s, Boulder’s Pearl Street hosted wild Halloween crawls drawing up to 40,000 people

Elaborate costumes and huge crowds made the annual mall crawls a Boulder spectacle. Fights, injuries and property damage led police to shut them down in 1990. Continue reading…

A spectacular end to October

After a round of rain earlier in the week, the weather pattern has settled into a much quieter mode across the Front Range. For Boulder, the next several days will be about as pleasant as late October can get. Dry southwest flow aloft will keep storm systems well away from the area, leading to plenty of sunshine, comfortable afternoons and crisp fall mornings.

Temperatures will be slightly above seasonal averages the rest of the week, topping out in the 60s, making for excellent hiking, biking and patio weather. Overnight lows will remain relatively mild, generally staying in the upper 30s and lower 40s with no concern for frost or freezes.

Halloween continues to look favorable for outdoor plans, with dry weather and seasonable temperatures expected for trick-or-treaters. Looking beyond the holiday, however, forecast models continue to hint at a potentially stronger storm system arriving in Colorado sometime early next week. It’s far too early for details, but it certainly bears watching for our next chance of rain or, dare we say, snow.

For now, enjoy the calm stretch of weather that will make for a beautiful finish to October.

—BoulderCAST

Boulder County adds federal interference to election emergency plans

Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick says her office has added potential federal interference to its election emergency planning, alongside floods, fires and protests.

During a media tour Tuesday, Fitzpatrick described an unprecedented level of threats and intimidation surrounding election work, Colorado Newsline reported. More than 600 people, including full-time staff and temporary election workers, are involved in Boulder County’s ballot-counting process.

Fitzpatrick said the county is coordinating with law enforcement, the Colorado attorney general’s office and county attorneys to prepare for potential interference. The preparations come as the U.S. Department of Justice plans to send federal election monitors to neighboring Adams County, according to Colorado Newsline. Colorado officials have said federal monitors would need state approval to enter nonpublic election areas. Federal officials have described such monitoring as routine, but the announcement has raised concerns among state and local election officials.

Boulder County wants your input on farmworker housing and South Boulder Road

Boulder County is seeking public input on two issues: housing for agricultural workers and transportation improvements along South Boulder Road.

The county is surveying farm operators and workers about their housing needs and experiences. The results could inform changes to county land use rules, as local farms struggle to retain workers amid high housing costs. Separate surveys for farm operators and workers are available in English and Spanish through Oct. 30.

The county is also seeking feedback on South Boulder Road as part of a transportation study with Boulder, Louisville and Lafayette. Potential improvements include bus rapid transit, bike connections, pedestrian crossings and neighborhood access. The survey is open through Nov. 6.

Boulder to move more adult sports leagues to school gyms, freeing up space for kids

Boulder Parks and Recreation plans to move more adult sports leagues to Boulder Valley School District gyms to make room for youth programs at city rec centers.

Demand for indoor gym space exceeds availability during fall and winter, according to a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board memo. City staff say recreation centers are better suited for youth programs because they are staffed and supervised, while adult leagues have more flexibility. The shift is expected to be fully implemented by January 2027 under an agreement with BVSD.

The city also partners with organizations including the YMCA to offer youth sports such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football and lacrosse. Those programs have served more than 2,500 participants so far in 2026.

Could a botanical garden be coming to East Boulder?

Boulder Parks and Recreation is considering a botanical garden on part of the newly annexed Hogan Pancost property southwest of the East Boulder Community Center.

The city council approved the annexation in February. The city purchased the land in 2019 for flood control and park uses. The former agricultural meadow is now overgrown with non-native plants, according to a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board memo.

A resident proposed the botanical garden at a project open house, and city staff are open to a garden in undeveloped portions of the property. “There is a real opportunity for valuable restoration,” staff wrote in the memo.

The property is also slated for a new tennis complex, a project that has raised questions about its environmental and cultural impacts. Consultants have said development would not affect habitat for the northern leopard frog or Preble’s meadow jumping mouse. Residents have also raised concerns about the site’s potential significance to the Northern Cheyenne, though tribal and state historic preservation offices did not express interest in the site.

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