Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is brought to you by the Institute of Behavioral Science. Join CU Boulder economist Dr. Chloe East for a free public lecture on immigration and the economy Thursday, Feb. 19.
Leading today’s edition: Boulder Reporting Lab reviewed more than 330 documents and emails from the newly released Epstein files that reference Boulder businessman Kimbal Musk, detailing years of social contact with Jeffrey Epstein, invitations to Epstein’s private island, and a personal relationship with a woman associated with Epstein’s social circle. Musk has denied visiting Epstein’s island or having more than a single meeting with him, calling Epstein “a demon” in a Feb. 9 post on X. Brooke Stephenson reports.
Also today, in Local History: After five decades of change at North Boulder’s 1958-era Broadway shopping center, Pekoe café is preparing to leave, Silvia Pettem writes. The neighborhood gathering place is being forced out by rising rents and corporate expansion, marking another shift in the historic center’s long evolution.
Nibbles, John Lehndorff’s food newsletter, was delicious yesterday — if you missed it, catch up on his deep dive into Boulder chocolate (with mushrooms), plus new restaurants and community potlucks. Get it in your inbox next Tuesday — sign up here.
And in BRL Opinion: Clif Harald warns that breaking up NCAR would threaten public safety and Boulder’s economy, urging leaders to defend the lab’s mission and funding.
Plus much more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Up to 18 inches in high country; little for Boulder.
- Guilty plea: Boulder County man admits strangling girlfriend.
- Faculty stance: CU Assembly condemns ICE tactics, backs due process.
- Emergency grants: County opens $2M fund for health and hunger groups.
- Civil rights tribute: Nilon bench dedication nearly sold out.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
How does immigration enforcement affect jobs, families and local economies? Join CU Boulder economist Dr. Chloe East for a free public talk, Do Deportations Help or Hurt the Economy? East examines whether deportations improve outcomes for U.S.-born workers — and what shifts in ICE activity nationwide and in Colorado mean for labor markets, family stability, and economic growth. Thursday, Feb. 19, 6 p.m. Institute of Behavioral Science, 1440 15th St., Boulder.
How Boulder’s Kimbal Musk appears in the newly released Epstein files
Newly released court documents and emails reference Musk’s social and personal connections to Jeffrey Epstein and people in his orbit. Continue reading…
Five decades of change at North Boulder’s Broadway shopping center — now Pekoe café is leaving
After more than five years as a neighborhood gathering place, the tea and coffee shop is leaving the North Broadway Shopping Center amid corporate expansion and increasing lease costs. Continue reading…
Clif Harald: Breaking up NCAR could endanger lives — and hit Boulder especially hard
Our congressional delegation, state officials and local leaders must defend NCAR before decades of climate and weather research are reversed. Continue reading…
Rain/snow in the mountains, but not much for Boulder
A low pressure system over California is drawing impressive moisture northward from the Baja region, creating a weak atmospheric river that will supply the mountains across Colorado with rain/snow today and tomorrow. Mild air coming up from the south will keep snow levels largely above 8,000 feet, with 3 to 12 inches of snow expected on the passes and peaks, with locally up to 18 inches around Steamboat. Great news for our snow-starved high country and hopeful skiers!
Down here along the Front Range, though, that moisture just won’t survive the trip. Boulder stays on the mild and mostly cloudy side today with highs in the upper 50s, then dipping into the mid‑30s tonight.
Thursday and Friday keep the mild theme going — 50s both days — with only a slight chance of a stray shower (20% or less). And if anything does fall, it’s more likely to be raindrops than snowflakes. Color us surprised.
Boulder County man pleads guilty to strangling girlfriend
Carlos Dosal, 44, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of his girlfriend, Christine Barron-Olivas, in connection with her death, which prosecutors classified as a crime of domestic violence, on Monday, Feb. 9.
Barron-Olivas’ body was discovered on a remote Boulder County property, Glacier View Ranch, on Sept. 14, 2024, according to a county press release. Her cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
She had last been seen alive on Sept. 8 before leaving her neighborhood with Dosal, according to a grand jury indictment. She was wearing the same outfit in which she was later found — an off-white dress with pink and purple flowers. Dosal’s phone records place him within 70 feet of where the body was discovered that afternoon, according to court records.
Dosal was arrested last February.
“The murder and dumping of the victim’s body is heartbreaking,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a statement last year. Dougherty did not offer Dosal a plea offer. His sentencing is set for May 5.
“The victim’s family was supportive of this resolution,” said Shannon Carbone, a representative with the DA’s office.
CU Boulder faculty issues solidarity statement on Minnesota unrest
On Feb. 9, the Boulder Faculty Assembly, the representative body for CU Boulder faculty, unanimously passed a statement of solidarity with Minneapolis residents and criticizing federal immigration enforcement actions. The letter expressed support for due process and opposition to racial profiling and “state violence.”
“We denounce ICE’s tactics as a threat to US democracy and the US Constitution. The faculty pledge to protect our Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous community — those whom ICE is racially profiling — and thus affirm our right to not let ICE into our classrooms,” the statement said.
According to CU Boulder guidance, ICE agents are subject to the same access restrictions as other visitors. Classrooms in session may be accessed only with special permission or for operational needs, and locked classrooms are restricted.
The Faculty Assembly urged policy responses that uphold principles of justice and compassion. The statement said a colleague at the University of Minnesota encouraged the BFA to act by visibly protesting and preparing legal strategies. It did not specify what actions, if any, it is urging CU Boulder leadership to take.
Boulder County opens $2M emergency grant fund for healthcare, hunger groups
Grants of $100,000 or more are now available through the county’s emergency Community Partnership Grant, which has set aside $2 million in response to changes in federal legislation. Applicants must be nonprofits supporting households struggling with Medicaid, health insurance and food costs, including reductions to SNAP. Funds come from the county’s voter-approved Human Services Safety Net, which helps fill gaps in state and federal services.
“This funding helps us act fast and support nonprofit partners with programs that respond to real, immediate community needs,” said Boulder County Human Services Director Susan Caskey.
Applications close Friday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. Instructions and materials are available on the Community Partnership Grant website.
Additionally, all 2026 Community Partnership Grant recipients will receive a 5% funding increase to keep up with rising demand and operating costs.
Bench dedication honoring Black Boulder civil rights leaders almost sold out
Tickets are still available for the Feb. 16 bench installation honoring Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon, CU Boulder’s first Black professor and first Black librarian.
Dr. Nilon helped create one of the county’s first Black Studies programs, recruited and mentored Black students and faculty, and founded HELP, Inc. (Housing for Everyone through Local Programs). Mrs. Nilon was a community leader who founded and led United Black Women of Boulder Valley and advocated for employment and affordable housing for Black residents and women. The installation is part of the Toni Morrison Society’s Bench by the Road Project, a memorial and outreach initiative honoring African American history.
The event runs from 4 to 6 p.m. and includes an indoor reception and outdoor remarks. Speakers include CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz; the founder and director of CU Boulder’s Center for African & African American Studies; and Toni Morrison Society Chair and Vice Chair Carolyn Denard and Craig Stutman.
Due to strong demand, the event has been moved from the Museum of Boulder to the First Congregational Church to accommodate more guests. Attendance is free, though donations are encouraged. City parking will be free in honor of Presidents Day.
☀️ Explore events in Boulder and use the self-submission form on our events page to reach thousands in our community — for free! To have your event featured on our Monday to-do list, make sure to submit it to our events calendar.