It’s Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
Welcome to Wednesday, Boulder. We are so pleased you’re here.
Today, we examine Boulder’s crime rates. While reports of property crime have decreased since 2020, reports of violent crime have increased, creating a complicated picture. Rates of certain violent crimes, such as aggravated assault, remain lower in Boulder than in Colorado overall. Boulder’s interim police chief, Stephen Redfearn, will give councilmembers an overview tomorrow evening on citywide crime and the state of the “reimagine policing” plan.
Also, this week the city and partners unveiled two bidirectional electric car chargers at an affordable housing apartment complex on Pearl Street. These chargers not only charge electric vehicle batteries but also allow the batteries to provide energy to the building as needed. A pilot program at the North Boulder Rec Center has used a Nissan Leaf on such a charger since 2020, saving about $250 a month in electricity bills by reducing peak-hour demand.
In the long term, bidirectional chargers could provide backup power for homes and improve grid stability for us all.
Have a tremendous day.
— Tim, reporter
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Jovita Schiffer, Democratic candidate for Colorado Senate, is a single working mom, equity consultant, and advocate for excluded communities and children. Learn more about her grassroots campaign for equity, economic stability, and wellness at www.jovitaschiffer.com, and vote your Primary ballot by June 25th.
Featured stories
Crime trends in Boulder: A mixed picture in 3 charts
Reported crime is both up and down in Boulder. This complicated trend comes as the police department begins implementing a new long-term plan to “reimagine policing.” Continue reading…
New two-way electric car chargers at 30Pearl Apartments offer glimpse into Boulder’s energy future
Bidirectional chargers allow the affordable housing apartment building, owned by Boulder Housing Partners, to draw energy from EV batteries to save on electricity costs. This technology might soon provide storage for the entire grid. Continue reading…
Boulder Reporting Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization that empowers our community through non-partisan, locally focused journalism that informs and connects.
In other news
Two days of perfection
Today and tomorrow vie for the Most Beautiful Day of the Year award, both offering mid-70s temperatures with few clouds. But hark! A strong breeze on Thursday could turn into a light wind. So if you enjoy airflow, Thursday is your day. If not, today may be the winner.
Boulder to dedicate artwork honoring ‘Los Seis’
The City of Boulder will dedicate a new public artwork by CU Boulder alumna and artist Jasmine Baetz on Tuesday, May 28, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the corner of 17th Street and Pearl in downtown Boulder. The artwork commemorates “Los Seis,” the six CU students, alumni and others involved in the Chicano Student Movement who were tragically killed in two car bombings in 1974. The event will feature speakers, including Baetz and family members of those who lost their lives in the bombings. This year marks 50 years since the tragedy.
“On the 50th anniversary of this tragedy in our community, we come together to remember those lost and share in their legacy,” said City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. “Artwork has a powerful ability to memorialize loss and offer a space for reflection. It is through pieces like this community-created sculpture that we can begin to acknowledge the past and heal from it.”
The first explosion occurred on May 27, 1974, in Chautauqua Park, followed by a second on May 29 in a parking lot at 28th Street and Canyon Boulevard. The victims were Una Jaakola, Reyes Martínez, Neva Romero, Francisco Dougherty, Heriberto Terán and Florencio Granado.
“While much of the story behind the deaths of the students, including how the bombs came to be in the cars, remains unknown, the events are established as an official part of CU Boulder’s rich and complex history,” according to CU Libraries. Despite a grand jury investigation, no one was ever charged, and the killings remain shrouded in mystery. The young people were advocating for parity representation within the CU student body — a cause that continues today.
During the bombings, United Mexican American Students (UMAS) members were occupying Temporary Building 1 on CU Boulder’s campus, demanding continued financial aid and educational opportunity programs for Mexican American students.
Primary sources on Los Seis de Boulder and the Chicano/a Movement at CU Boulder are housed in the University Libraries’ Rare and Distinctive Collections (RaD) archives. The RaD section has published a resource guide to assist those who wish to learn more.
The Los Seis de Boulder 50th Commemoration Steering Committee at CU will host a separate commemorative event from 2 to 5 p.m. on May 27.
Workers at Mental Health Partners form a union
Workers at Mental Health Partners’ walk-in clinic on Airport Road in Boulder voted 97% to form a union with Service Employees International Union Local 105, making it the first unionized mental health facility in Boulder County, according to the union. The vote followed months of organizing.
The reasons for unionization, staff say, include complaints of safety issues, unsustainable wages and scheduling and staffing instability. Mental Health Partners provides the county’s only 24/7 dedicated in-person center for people in need of emergency mental health services outside of local hospitals.
“So many folks depend on the services we provide,” said Nate Paer, a crisis clinician at the Airport Road facility, in a news release. “By making safety, staffing, and working conditions at our jobs better align with the essential and professional needs of our work, we can provide the best possible service for our clients. This union will make our jobs sustainable, and it will make our facility a better place for all.”
The effort by Mental Health Partners workers follows other union formation efforts by employees in Boulder County recently, including a group of Boulder County public employees.
Sawhill ponds reopen
The City of Boulder is reopening Sawhill Ponds on May 23, following improvements to the main sanitary sewer line. Enhancements include increased wastewater capacity, reduced flood vulnerability and environmental protection. This fall, the Sawhill Ponds Trailhead will close for further upgrades, including a new fishing pier and improved accessibility for visitors with disabilities. Trail access from nearby Walden Ponds will remain open during these improvements.
Don’t miss KGNU Radio Week
Our friends at KGNU are celebrating the station’s impact during Radio Week with live music, workshops and special broadcasts. Highlights include KGNU’s 46th birthday party today, May 22, and live broadcasts from various locations throughout the rest of the week, including Paradise Found on Pearl Street and the Boulder Creek Festival this weekend. Join the celebrations to meet staff, explore volunteer opportunities and support your local community radio.
Traffic delays in Lafayette
Through the end of this week, intermittent traffic holds of up to five minutes will occur at the SH7 and 119th Street intersection as crews install signal poles and mast arms. Traffic control will be in place, and signal times have been adjusted to accommodate northbound afternoon traffic on 119th Street. Expect delays.
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