Good Friday to you, Boulder, and happy continued rain. If this keeps up much, moss is going to take over the Flatirons.
For today, our food reporter Jessica Mordacq brings you a story about a new wine spot on Pearl Street that’s already gained the attention of locals. Postino Wine Cafe, Mordacq reports, is filling a void for a great hangout spot with reasonably priced drinks and food, a nice patio, and an interior that hearkens back to a Mork and Mindy episode when Robin Williams rollerskated down Pearl Street.
Also, even though things are wet and fire danger is low, it’s a good time to mitigate your home’s fire risk. As Brian Oliver, the city’s wildland fire division chief, told me, if we can reduce the chance of home-to-home ignitions starting in the first place, we can hopefully avoid another Marshall Fire. Oliver is working to hire more people to assess residents’ homes, so get on the list now.
Enjoy your weekend. With the clouds around, this might be a good one to go to the farmer’s market. The brutal sun will return soon.
— Tim, reporter
MahlerFest XXXVI, May 17-21, celebrates humanity’s capacity for resilience and renewal culminating with Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2 and Thea Musgrave’s Phoenix Rising. Other highlights include Act I of Wagner’s Die Walküre, Liederabend (Evening of Song), re-creating a 1905 concert of Mahler’s orchestral songs, the U.S. premiere of the Fourth Symphony of Hans Gál, our free symposium, and more!
What to know today
- Rain followed by clouds: Though the rain is slated to stop by mid-day, the sun will only make intermittent appearances through the weekend. Monday will bring back the rays.
- Councilmembers appoint special counsel to investigate another complaint: The complaint filed on April 28 by Jennifer Ochs, a disability rights activist, alleges that Councilmember Bob Yates violated the city’s privacy policy by adding emails that residents used when contacting councilmembers and city officials to a mailing list for his monthly newsletter, the Boulder Bulletin. The complaint also alleges that he shared the mailing list with Keep Our Libraries, a campaign set up to oppose the 2022 ballot measure creating a library district. Yates has said “I believe those allegations to be false” and that he did not share his mailing list. The complaint is one of many filed this year, prompting some councilmembers to consider changes to the process for filing them. We reported on that last week.
- Urban flood mitigation plan moves ahead to design phase: By an 8-1 vote, the Boulder City Council last night approved a flood mitigation plan for the Goose Creek and Two Mile drainages, which flow east across the northern half of the city. (Councilmember Mark Wallach voted no.) The $43 million plan would effectively remove 527 of the 759 structures that are currently located in the 100-year floodplain from that designation, according to city officials. Currently, those homes have a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.
- The council’s approval of the flood plan gives city engineers a greenlight to begin the design phase of the project. The plan includes widening channels and installing culverts and pipes to better manage stormwater. To build the project, the city needs to acquire easements from private property owners. The lowest section of the project would require channel work near Edgewood Drive, where property owners have opposed the plan. They said they were not engaged in the planning process and worry about the impacts on wildlife and the removal of trees.
- Construction crews could break ground as soon as 2026, according to Joe Taddeucci, the city’s director of utilities. We reported on the plan earlier this week.
- Shuttle to the mountains: Starting Memorial Day weekend, May 27, you can take several free, weekend shuttles to popular trailheads.
- Chautauqua Park: The city’s free shuttle will pick people up at New Vista High School, the CU Regent lot, and several downtown parking garages (which are free on weekends) and drop them off at Chautauqua. It will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. (The shuttle will not stop at New Vista High School on May 27 due to graduation, the city said.) The city has said dogs, bikes and strollers are allowed on the shuttle. Here’s a map of its route.
- Chautauqua is the city’s most popular open space area, with more than a thousand people visiting it on any given day during the summer, according to OSMP data. About 73% of visitors arrive there by vehicle, a recent city staff memo said. Since the start of the pandemic, parking revenue has increased and shuttle ridership has declined. Read about other free shuttles to Eldorado Springs and Indian Peaks on BRL.
- Denver grapples with influx of migrants. Opportunities to support and volunteer available: More than 10,000 people migrating to the U.S., primarily to seek asylum, have arrived in Denver since December 2022. Denver activated its Emergency Operations Center last week after last week’s expiration of Title 42, a pandemic-era rule that allows migrants to be expelled across the border to Mexico.
- After a surge earlier this month, the number of new migrants arriving in Denver has slowed in recent days, according to city data. You can donate money for housing, food, clothing, translators and other needs here. You can sign up to volunteer here. Denver city officials have posted information on what the city is seeking.
- Hygiene Road resurfacing: Boulder County Public Works is set to start a resurfacing project on Hygiene Road on May 22. It is expected to continue until July. Daytime operations from Monday to Thursday will be managed using pilot cars to ensure safe passage for travelers. The road surface will not be in great shape until paving is finished. Cyclists should be wary if they ride on the road during construction.
- Additionally, a culvert replacement project near Foothills Reservoir will follow after the resurfacing work, continuing through the end of the year.
Go Deeper…
Postino Wine Cafe fills void on Pearl Street. ‘We’re offering a unique wine experience for the townies.’
When Postino Wine Cafe opened on Pearl Street in late March, it was spring break. Many locals and college students had traveled out of town, resulting in a challenging first week for the new restaurant.
But ever since, Postino’s Boulder location has been bustling. Customers often fill the outside patio when the sun is out. The volume of patrons inside isn’t much different, according to Chad Halbrook, manager at Postino’s Boulder restaurant
Boulder residents urged to act now to reduce home fire risk while wildfire danger remains low
Boulderites need to continue working to reduce their home’s fire risk even when fire isn’t top of mind. The best time to do mitigation is before a fire happens. And right now, thanks to ample moisture, there’s a window of opportunity, city fire officials say.
“We had a real winter,” said Brian Oliver, the City of Boulder’s wildland fire division chief. “And now we’re having what I would consider a traditional spring where we’re getting some pretty steady, well-timed rain events. So fuels are green, everything is wet, and fire danger is super low.”
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BRL Picks
🍺 8th Annual Upslope Get Down: The free musical fest featuring Upslope beer and Spiked Snowmelt craft hard seltzer, food trucks, games, art, vendors and more is happening this Saturday, May 20, from 2-10 p.m. at Upslope’s Flatiron Park brewery. VIP tickets here.
🍄 Gardening with Mushrooms: Join Zach Hedstrom of Boulder Mushroom for a class this Saturday, May 20, “about the many ways you can incorporate mushrooms and fungi in your garden and lifestyle.” You’ll learn how to grow mushrooms, how to encourage them in your soil, and the health benefits of eating them. $22 to participate. Register here.
For ideas on what else to do, check out BRL’s Local Events page.
ICYMI
- As Boulder seeks to flood-proof Goose and Two Mile Creeks, some residents grapple with altering a wildlife pathway for flood defense. Opposition to the plan, which would help protect more than 750 structures, has prompted a debate over flood resilience and wildlife conservation.
- As rent relief money runs short, Boulder introduces eviction hearing requirement for tenants in need. The changes mean more of the city’s renters may end up in housing court, a stage in the eviction process the city has sought to prevent.
- Boulder’s independent liquor stores take a hit as grocery stores begin selling wine. Long term, some owners worry about the loss of something more intangible than sales: a piece of community. ‘We know what you did last weekend, when your daughter’s getting married, and your dog’s name. We’re a part of your life.’
- Read previous editions of BRL Today. Get up-to-date with the latest news from Boulder.