It’s Monday, Boulder, and there’s stuff going on in your town.

Today, I cover Twitter and its role as an emergency notification system in Boulder. BRL received an email from a reader who would “love, love, love” to be able to delete her Twitter account, but feels unable to do so when that’s how she stays informed during emergencies.

As national news deals with the trials of Twitter — culling two-thirds of its staff causing moderation and security issues — I spoke to Marya Washburn and Dionne Waugh, the Boulder Fire-Rescue and Boulder Police Department public information officers, on what the city, and county, are thinking about the evolving platform. How do they feel about having a primary, public communication line controlled by a private entity? Is there any hope for our social media-fatigued Boulderite?

Also, this past weekend, in collaboration with the United Nations Human Rights, CU hosted the Right Here, Right Now climate summit. The summit focused on how climate change impacts human rights efforts. I have a brief rundown, plus much more news.

Have a lovely Monday.

— Tim, reporter

Yes, I support nonprofit Boulder journalism!

What to know today

  • A few clouds mosey by: Clouds pair with high 40s and low 50s to provide perfect weather for the late autumnal season.
  • Slash burning coming to open space near you: With roughly 400 piles to be burned over a number of open space properties — Caribou Ranch, Sherwood Gulch, Reynolds Ranch and Walker Ranch — if you see smoke on a snowy day, don’t worry. In burning the waste of forest-thinning projects, Boulder County is lessening the severity of future burns. The fires will be monitored closely, and won’t be left until it’s certain they’re out. Updates will be posted to boco.org/burns.
  • Right Here, Right Now: Over the weekend, the United Nations Human Rights paired with CU Boulder to host a climate summit focused on a warming planet’s effect on human rights. Over a series of panels and keynote speeches, presenters wrestled with the problem becoming more apparent as climate change accelerates: Those who contributed least to a warming planet often feel its effects “worst and first.” Small island nations are already spending a massive portion of their GDP trying to recover from hurricanes and typhoons that will only increase in ferocity.
    • Some spoke to the fact that though the changing climate’s effects are often seen as future events, they’re happening right here, right now. One panelist gave the example of a drought in Honduras that caused massive crop failures, leading to the caravans of immigrants headed to the U.S. through Mexico.
    • Another panelist presented the idea to fund the damages felt by smaller, developing nations by tacking a $25 fee on every airline ticket, since those in impacted countries, living close to sea level or on expanding deserts aren’t flying nearly as much as the world’s affluent, if they’re flying at all. “That would raise $100 billion every year.” This coming in a discussion about how the West needs to help those its industrialization has affected.
    • Talk of relying on encouraging governments to act also surfaced, since “governments can do what individuals can’t.” And to potential pushback, someone said: “We will hear the public sector cannot afford [climate aid], but look at what the public sector has done for the fossil fuel industry.”
    • Though the effect climate change has on human rights is grisly, many said it offers a framework to hold countries accountable for their climate impact, something that has thus far proved impossible to do.
  • A message from CU’s new head football coach: “Boulder, Colorado, you have no idea what you blessed me with, the opportunity that you give me and I feel like I owe you,” Deion Sanders told a crowd at a press conference in Boulder on Sunday, the day after he was named the 28th head coach of the Buffs. “So every day I’m going to work for you. I’m gonna strain for you. I’m gonna develop for you. I’m gonna commit for you. I’m gonna do the things that others wouldn’t do.” Sanders’ contract is reportedly worth $29.5 million plus incentives over five years, beginning at $5.5 million in the first year.
  • No appointment necessary for hazardous waste drop: After requiring appointments during the pandemic, you can now drop by the Hazardous Materials Management facility unannounced. Located at 1901 63rd St., it’s the best spot in town for that bleach or paint that’s been sitting in your garage for years. “We really want people to utilize this tremendous service and help prevent toxic materials from ending up in area landfills or entering the environment in other locations, so come out and see us,” said HMMF manager Shelly Fuller. “We can’t wait to see you.”
  • Boulder receives perfect LGBTQ+ score: For the third year in a row, Boulder has gotten top marks from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The foundation evaluates cities based on laws, policies and services available to the LGBTQ+ community before giving it a Municipal Equality Index score. Boulder’s is as high as they come.
    • “Recognition from the HRC Foundation is a great accomplishment toward creating a more inclusive Boulder,” said Pam Davis, assistant city manager and LGBTQ+ liaison. “We also recognize in the face of recent attacks against the LGBTQ+ community that the work of our city must continue to create an environment of safety and belonging for all.”
  • Applications open for the 2023 Sustainability Fund: For food and agriculture, the fund promotes farms and farmers, ranchers and private citizens whose work impacts Boulder’s food system. The sustainability could be directly linked to farming, such as soil health, or education and retail focused.
    • “Over the course of the pandemic this fund has strengthened Boulder County’s food system,” said Deandra Croissant, Boulder County’s climate and circularity specialist. “Over the past three years we have distributed $850,000, funded 32 projects, and impacted over 2,500 acres of land. We have been impressed and thrilled with the work that the grantees have done to implement regenerative practices, hold workshops, protect frontline farm workers, and produce nutrient dense and sustainable food.”
    • Those interested should visit  boco.org/SustainableFoodAgFund. Applications are due Jan. 5, 2023.
  • Buddies get in free: Until Dec. 15, those with monthly or annual rec center passes can bring their buddy, or maybe just an acquaintance, to any rec center. It’s the perfect opportunity to try out the rec centers to see if you’d like an annual pass of your own.

Go deeper

In fires, floods and other crises, Boulder emergency officials tweet crucial info for residents. Are they planning for Twitter’s next chapter?

By Tim Drugan

Millions of users have left Twitter, along with more than half its workforce since Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, bought the 16-year-old social media giant. Drastically reduced staff has caused an increase in moderation and security issues — such as parody accounts and misinformation.

In Boulder County, many officials use Twitter as their primary broadcast channel, leading residents to rely on their tweets as the best real-time information source in emergencies. When living in an area with ever-present fire and flood risk, access to such communication feels essential. But with the recent Twitter developments, questions are raised: Should the county rely on a private entity as its main means of contact with the public? What if Twitter has an outage, or impersonation spreads to the county’s official accounts? Or what if Boulderites just want off of the platform?

“It appears that the only way to get immediate, real-time emergency information during a fire or other Boulder emergency is through Twitter,” one resident wrote to Boulder Reporting Lab.  “I would love, love, love to be able to completely delete my Twitter account, but until there’s another way to get real-time emergency information in Boulder, I don’t feel safe doing so.”

BRL talked to those in charge of Boulder’s emergency communications to find out how, if at all, the county is planning for Twitter’s next chapter; and what Boulderites wishing to leave the tweet space should do to ensure they’re getting vital crisis communications.

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BRL picks

📚 Used books for sale: Available through today, the Boulder Public Library is having a used book sale at the main library on Arapahoe. All books cost a buck.

🎙️ KBCO release party: Tonight is the release event of the 34th volume of KBCO’s Studio C CD. As it always is, music on the collection was recorded live in the station’s studio over the past year. The collection will benefit the Boulder County AIDS Project and the Food Bank of the Rockies. To help celebrate the release, the band Ripe will be performing at the Boulder Theater as part of the party that runs from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

🧵 Holiday Craft Bazaar: On Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Junkyard Social Club, from 1 – 5 p.m, “there’ll be arts, crafts, entertainment, & snacks! Bring the whole family and join us for a festive Saturday Open Play.” Free for members. $5 adults, $10 kids, free under 2.

🎫 Hansel and Gretel at the Dairy Arts Center: Put on by the Boulder Opera Family series, the Hansel and Gretel adaptation is a “great introduction to Opera through the well known beloved story.” The opera is sung in English and lasts one hour. At the Dairy Arts Center, from Dec. 9-18. Tickets are $30. Recommended for ages 3+.

Covid in Boulder County: Dec. 5, 2022 (Last updated Dec. 2, 2022)

  • 99 daily new cases (7-day avg.) ⬆️ Up 3% over preceding 7-day avg.
  • 23 patients hospitalized with Covid (7-day avg.) ⬆️ Up from a high of 19 last week.
  • 45% percent of ICU is occupied. ⬇️ Down from avg. of 64% since July 2020.
  • High level of Covid spread: Boulder County has once again entered the high community level for Covid-19, according to Boulder County Pubic Health.

What else we’re reading

  • Colorado Democrats are toying with gun legislation. When the state legislature reconvenes on Jan. 9, several ideas will be discussed to try and lessen the likelihood of another Colorado shooting, following the tragedy at Club Q that left five people dead. Ideas include increasing the age to buy a gun from 18 to 21, increasing the wait limit from when you buy a gun to when you can access it, and banning assault weapons.
    • Quick review of local gun laws: The City of Boulder, the Town of Superior, the City of Louisville and Boulder County all passed gun laws earlier this year that ban the possession of semi-automatic assault rifles, among other restrictions. The package of gun laws was among the strictest in Colorado.
    • In response to the gun laws, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a conservative gun-rights group, sued the county and the other localities for allegedly violating Second Amendment rights to possess firearms. A federal district court judge temporarily blocked Boulder County from enforcing its ban on assault-style weapons. The City of Boulder preemptively halted enforcement of its own ban.

ICYMI

Tim Drugan was a climate and environment reporter for Boulder Reporting Lab.