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Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by All Roads – help Boulder’s unhoused residents find shelter, support and a path home.
Before we get to the news, we want to say thank you. Truly. Thank you for choosing BRL as your trusted local news source. Your readership and your support make everything we do possible. Happy Thanksgiving!
Leading today’s edition: Colorado’s ethics commission will review a complaint that includes Boulder’s Sen. Judy Amabile and Longmont Rep. Karen McCormick, along with other members of the Opportunity Caucus. The filing by watchdog group Common Cause Colorado questions whether a political nonprofit, One Main Street Colorado, properly covered costs for a caucus retreat under the state’s gift-ban rules. Lawmakers say they relied on legal guidance and call the allegations inaccurate and politically motivated. The commission has not ruled on the merits. The complaint now heads to investigation. Brooke Stephenson reports.
Also today: With the holidays upon us and celebrations in full swing, it is worth noting how quickly zero-proof drinking is becoming part of Boulder’s scene. Upslope, Abbott & Wallace and Jungle all report rising demand for non-alcoholic beer, spirits and cocktails. Gabe Toth reports on this growing trend with on-the-ground insight. In yesterday’s Nibbles, John Lehndorff shared a food itinerary for your holiday guests (and you). Sign up so you don’t miss the next edition.
And in BRL Opinion: El Centro AMISTAD Executive Director Jorge De Santiago argues that Colorado’s state grant process shuts out small nonprofits like his and calls on state leaders to fix it.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: First real cold snap and light snow this weekend.
- Nederland fire relief: Comedy Works headliners raise funds Friday.
- Thanksgiving 5K: Downtown course debuts, benefits Harvest of Hope.
- Grey to Green: County grants will turn pavement into climate-friendly landscapes.
- Pika warning signs: New CU study finds sharp drop in young animals on Niwot Ridge.
- Arts funding: Dec. 5 summit outlines 2026 grant opportunities.
- Native art market: Niwot event returns Nov. 30 with handmade gifts.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Help Boulder’s homeless find shelter, food, warmth, treatment and most importantly a home, by supporting All Roads generously this season. We rely on private gifts now more than ever, and we know how to find the way home even for our most challenging clients. Every $5,000 donated means another chronically homeless adult can spend the holidays – and the rest of the year – under a roof instead of on the street.
Explaining the ethics complaint that names Boulder County’s Amabile and McCormick — and 15 other lawmakers
The case centers on whether One Main Street’s support for a Vail retreat violated Colorado’s gift ban. Continue reading…
Bars and breweries across Boulder County expand non-alcoholic options as drinking drops
From tiki bars to taprooms, non-alcoholic beers, spirits and cocktails are becoming staples rather than afterthoughts. Continue reading…
Jorge De Santiago: Colorado’s grant system should work for all — not just the biggest nonprofits
Small, community-rooted organizations like mine are being left behind by a system that wasn’t built for us. Continue reading…
Calm before the cold: Boulder’s first real taste of winter ahead
Quiet weather will carry us through the rest of the work week in Boulder, with a subtle warming trend setting the stage for Thanksgiving. Today brings partly to mostly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 40s, still running a bit below normal for late November. By Thursday, a shortwave ridge of high pressure slides in, delivering a picture-perfect holiday. Sunshine, light winds, and highs in the mid-50s will make for ideal football watching, turkey feasting, or whatever adventures you’ve got planned (except decent skiing).
Friday looks to be the final pleasant day, likely cracking 60 degrees in town, before Mother Nature flips the switch. A strong cold front barrels into the Front Range Friday night, ushering in our first real taste of winter this season. Highs will tumble into the 20s and 30s through the weekend and into early next week, with one or two rounds of light snow likely. Accumulations should stay modest — a few inches at most — but it will be enough to finally break Boulder’s snowflake drought.
So enjoy the mild weather while you can, because winter is about to make its entrance. And after such a dry fall, a little snow is something we can all be thankful for.
This Friday: Fundraising comedy show for Nederland fire relief
Three of Denver’s Comedy Works stand-up club headliners, Vinnie Montez, Nancy Norton and John Novosad, will host Stand Up for Nederland on Friday, Nov. 28 at the Dairy Arts Center. The show will raise funds for Nederland’s ongoing recovery efforts. People who want to support Nederland but can’t attend the show can donate to the Nederland Strong Fund through the Community Foundation Boulder County.
The Caribou Village Fire tore through almost 20 businesses near downtown, leaving owners scrambling for space and employees displaced. Many have reopened in new locations, including Brightwood Music (which reopened on Nov. 16 at 26 Hwy 119 inside The Vault), Tadasana Mountain Yoga, Mountain Man Outdoor Store and O’Neil Rocky Mountain Stained Glass.
The future of some businesses remains uncertain, such as Augustina’s Winery and the restaurant Tres Gringos, which operated as a pop-up Nov. 21 and 22 at The Caribou Room. The Shop also needs more funds before opening a storefront in the old Black Forest restaurant building, which Tebo Properties is working to make usable for impacted businesses. Nederland Food Pantry has also seen increased demand following the fire. Wild Bear Nature Center has hosted a memorial for their lost animal ambassadors, continued to lead field trips and is ramping up fundraising for their new nature center at Mud Lake, as we previously reported.
Alpine Bank Boulder Thanksgiving Day 5K moves to downtown
The Alpine Bank Boulder Thanksgiving Day 5K and Kids Fun Run returns Thursday, Nov. 27, with a new course through downtown Boulder. The race will connect the West and East ends of Pearl Street, finishing on the Pearl Street Mall in front of the courthouse. The event is a BOLDERBoulder qualifier.
The race also doubles as a fundraiser for Harvest of Hope Pantry. Organizers are leading a community food drive throughout November and encouraging runners to gather pledges per mile. Harvest of Hope distributes an average of 3,500 pounds of food each day and serves about 750 shoppers weekly.
Baby strollers are allowed; dogs are not permitted. More details, volunteer opportunities and donation links are available here.
County unveils new grant to turn parking lots into climate-friendly green space
Boulder County is launching a new Grey to Green fund in December, offering grants of up to $20,000 to turn paved or concrete areas into green landscapes. Eligible projects include green roofs, rain gardens, urban agriculture, micro-forests and converting non-functional turf into native plantings.
The fund aims to improve stormwater management, reduce extreme heat and enhance air quality. Impervious surfaces increase flood and heat risks, and climate projections show Boulder could see 28 or more days over 95 degrees by 2030, and up to 42 by 2050, along with more intense storms.
The grant is open to municipalities, nonprofits, educational institutions, HOAs and local businesses. The first application window runs Dec. 9 through Feb. 3, 2026, for projects planned between May 2026 and May 2027. Funding decisions will be announced in April.
An informational webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 11:30 a.m. t0 12:30 p.m. Register here.
New pika research shows sharp drop in young animals on Niwot Ridge
As Boulder County ramps up efforts to cool cities and manage extreme heat, new CU Boulder research points to how warming is already reshaping the region’s high-alpine ecosystems. Scientists found that juvenile American pikas at a long-studied site on Niwot Ridge have declined by about 50% since the 1980s, leaving the population dominated by older adults, CU Boulder Today reports. Hotter summers may be making it harder for young pikas to survive or move between mountain habitats.
Pikas live within an unusually narrow temperature range and often show the impacts of climate change earlier than other species. Researchers say the findings add to previous warnings that continued warming could threaten the species’ long-term future in parts of the Rockies.
Learn more about 2026 funding opportunities at local arts summit
A free summit will be held Friday, Dec. 5 at eTown Hall for local artists, organizations and cultural partners to hear about funding programs available in 2026. Presenting organizations include the Boulder Arts Commission, Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Visit Boulder, Create Boulder, Boulder Chamber, the Human Relations Fund, Colorado Creative Industries, Community Foundation Boulder County, Boulder County Arts Alliance and Boulder County Cultural Council. Light refreshments will be provided. Email rsvp@bouldercolorado.gov to register.
Niwot Native Art Market returns Nov. 30
The Niwot Native Art Market will return on Sunday, Nov. 30, featuring authentic Native-made art, jewelry and gifts. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Niwot Hall, 195 2nd Avenue. Organizers say the market offers an opportunity to support independent Native artists and find unique handmade items ahead of the holiday season.
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