Good Wednesday morning, Boulder.
Leading today’s edition: A Boulder-based company that has long provided monitoring services for federal immigration authorities is facing renewed protests, as activists push local governments to cut ties and question the firm’s role in enforcement programs nationwide. The company, BI Inc., operates ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program and also holds a small contract with Boulder County for criminal justice monitoring. The debate is bringing a national immigration fight to Boulder’s doorstep. Brooke Stephenson explains why protests are returning now and what local officials are saying.
Also today — in case you missed it: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the next phase of Boulder’s climate lawsuit against Exxon and Suncor, a major development that could shape not only the local case but climate liability lawsuits nationwide.
And finally: Local history writer Silvia Pettem takes us back to Mapleton Hill and the once-famous Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium, a place that blended medicine, religion, health reform and a surprising number of electric “cures.”
A quick clarification from Monday’s BRL Today: The early closure at Lagerman Reservoir is due to birds already nesting in the area, not broader weather- or climate-related factors. Boulder County Parks & Open Space said it heard from BRL readers after the item ran and asked us to clarify.
Plus more, Below the fold:
- Fire weather alert: Red Flag Warning in effect for Boulder County today.
- Sundance dates: Festival set for Jan. 21-31, 2027 in Boulder.
- Sundance venues: Schools, theaters and CU sites confirmed.
- Campaign funds dispute: City sues former council candidate over repayment.
- Beetle outbreak: State task force formed as Front Range risk grows.
- BIFF opening: Festival kickoff set for April 10 with gala and film.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– the BRL team
Boulder’s BI Inc. faces renewed protests as its ICE monitoring role expands
Boulder County also contracts with BI Inc. Advocates criticize the company’s role in immigration surveillance and are urging local entities to end ties. Continue reading…
Inside Boulder’s forgotten sanitarium, where guests sought health and got strange cures
In the late 1800s, visitors came to Mapleton Hill seeking wellness, faith and fresh air at the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium, a place known for strict diets, outdoor cures and some unusual treatments. Continue reading…
Red Flag Warning, strong winds and more spring-like temps today
Boulder County is under a Red Flag Warning from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, with strong winds and low humidity creating elevated fire danger. Open burning, including agricultural burning, is prohibited.
Expect a partly sunny and again unusually warm day for late February, with a high near 65. Winds will pick up through the afternoon, reaching 27-32 mph with gusts up to 48 mph.
There’s a 30% chance of rain after late morning. Tonight, scattered rain may mix with snow after 2 a.m., though little accumulation is expected. Lows will drop to around 37 with continued breezy conditions.
Thursday looks calmer and sunny, with a high near 57, though winds will remain brisk.
The warning comes amid a winter of record warmth and low snowpack that forecasters say has already dried fuels and could set the stage for an early, long-lasting fire season.
Sundance Film Festival scheduled for Jan. 21-31, 2027
Organizers for the Sundance Film Festival have announced the official dates for the event’s debut in Boulder: Jan. 21-31, 2027. The independent film festival will include premieres along with talks with filmmakers and actors.
Organizers have also announced official venues for the festival, including the Dairy Arts Center, Boulder High School Auditorium, Boulder Theater, Casey Middle School Auditorium, Chautauqua Auditorium, Cinemark Century Boulder, eTown Hall, Macky Auditorium, Muenzinger Auditorium, Roe Green Theatre, the Boulder Public Library District’s Canyon Theater and Old Main on CU Boulder’s campus.
Sundance has been held primarily in Park City, Utah, for about four decades. In 2025, it drew 85,000 in-person attendees there. To secure the festival’s move, Boulder and partner groups committed $34 million in incentives over the next decade. The city has also approved an incentive package related to leasing spaces, permitting, parking and transportation services. City council also approved a new short-term “festival lodging” license with looser rules to expand rental options during the festival. In 2024, Sundance’s total economic impact was $132 million, according to a Sundance Institute estimate. Read more on BRL.
City of Boulder sues former city council candidate over unspent campaign funds
The City of Boulder has filed a civil complaint in Boulder County Court alleging that a former city council candidate failed to repay a portion of unspent campaign funds as required under a public matching funds agreement.
Aaron Stone, who lost his bid for a Boulder City Council seat in November 2025, accepted nearly $5,000 in public matching funds for his campaign, according to campaign finance records. Under the city’s matching-funds program, candidates must return at least 50% of any unexpended funds to the city.
The dispute centers on how much money Stone had left after the election. The city’s complaint, filed Feb. 12, alleges he had a remaining balance of about $750 and owes roughly $375. Stone says he owes about $220.
Stone said he donated his remaining unspent funds to a charity that provides winter supplies to people displaced by war. He has said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza inspired his council run and that he has urged the city to divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel.
“I believe this matter reflects a good-faith disagreement over how the remaining funds should be calculated,” Stone told Boulder Reporting Lab. “Given the broader financial challenges facing Boulder, I hope this issue can be resolved efficiently and without unnecessary expense to taxpayers.” Read more on BRL.
State assembles pine beetle task force, with some Boulder appointees
Last week, Gov. Polis and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources announced the members of a task force dedicated to mitigating the impacts of a growing mountain pine beetle outbreak in the Front Range, which could have far-reaching ecological impacts. Gov. Polis created the task force through an executive order in December 2025. Appointees from Boulder include Rep. Lesley Smith and Paige Lewis, deputy state director of The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Meetings will begin later this month.
Experts expect the outbreak to intensify in Boulder County this summer, with Jamestown and Lefthand Canyon already hotspots of beetle activity, Boulder Reporting Lab reported this month. If dry weather persists, mountain pine beetles can increase forest-floor flammability, while standing dead trees pose a risk to infrastructure and complicate firefighting efforts.
Landowners with ponderosa pines on their property are encouraged to monitor their trees for pine beetle activity. Colorado State Forest Service entomologist Dan West said pheromone packets in the spring can help prevent beetle infestation. Infested trees should be marked and removed.
BIFF announces opening celebrations for April 10
Tickets are now available for the 22nd Boulder International Film Festival’s opening night. Two pre-parties will take place at the Hotel Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard from 5 to 6:45 p.m. A film screening of Daniel Roher’s “Tuner” will begin at the Boulder Theater at 7:15 p.m.
“Tuner” follows a gifted piano tuner played by Leo Woodall whose heightened hearing attracts the attention of criminals in a tale of romance, drama and a thrilling heist. The parties will feature food from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Savory Catering and Pasta Jay’s. Whistlepig will offer beer, wine, local beers and specialty cocktails, and The Viennese Hour will provide a dessert display.
Tickets are $120 per person. BIFF Festival pass holders receive free access to the opening-night gala and screening, as well as closing night and other parties and film events.
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