Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Institute of Behavioral Science at CU — join CU Boulder’s Dr. Scott Ortman Nov. 17 for a free talk on what archaeology reveals about inequality today.
Here are the latest election results (charts). And don’t miss our full coverage — not just of what happened, but why it matters. We’ll keep updating as more numbers come in over the next few days.
- City council: Four seats are up for grabs. As of the midnight vote count, incumbents Matt Benjamin and Mark Wallach appear secure in reelection. Rob Kaplan is well-positioned for a win, while Jenny Robins holds a slim 390-vote lead over Councilmember Nicole Speer. Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Folkerts trails Speer by 1,447 votes. The final outcome may not be known for several days.
- Ballot measures: All city and county sales taxes to fund capital projects, mental health services and open space passed.
- BVSD Board of Education: The sole contested seat remains close.
Statewide, voters passed Propositions LL and MM, ensuring Colorado students can keep getting free school meals beyond 2025.
That makes this week’s Nibbles especially fitting: BVSD students offer candid — and sometimes hilarious — reviews of their school lunches, from chewy French toast to soggy nachos. Plus, OAK at Fourteenth turns 15, Bjorn’s Colorado Honey opens on Pearl, Felix closes, and local chefs share Thanksgiving tips. John Lehndorff’s Nibbles is going newsletter-only soon — reply “opt in” or add your email here to keep getting it!
Also today: We’re thrilled to welcome film writer Michael Casey to BRL as Boulder gears up to become the town of Sundance. He kicks things off with an interview with Oscar winner Daniel Junge about his new documentary “I Was Born This Way,” premiering at the Denver Film Festival — and Boulder’s growing role in documentary film.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Morning chill, sunny afternoons.
- Ag burns: Controlled fires this week.
- SNAP payments: Resumed, but delayed and cut in half.
- Housing fund: County offers $500K for bold ideas.
- 63rd St.: Closed until mid-January.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
What can ancient societies teach us about inequality today? Join CU Boulder anthropologist Dr. Scott Ortman for a free public talk, What the Archaeological Record Reveals About Economic Inequality Today. Discover how archaeology uncovers surprising insights into modern economic divides — and how understanding the past can help us build fairer societies. Monday, Nov. 17, 6 p.m. at the Institute of Behavioral Science, 1440 15th Street, Boulder.
Boulder 2025 election wrap: At least one city council seat remains too close to call
Early results show challengers leading two incumbents in an election testing the strength of Boulder’s progressive majority. Continue reading…
Boulder voters approve sales taxes to fund capital projects, mental health services and open space
The election makes two existing sales taxes permanent and adds a new one to fund mental health services. The total sales tax rate in the City of Boulder tops 9%, or nearly $1 on a $10 purchase. Continue reading…
Live Boulder election results: City council, ballot measures and BVSD races
Check here for results as they come in. Continue reading…
Nibbles: BVSD students dish on Boulder Valley school lunches — what they love and what they don’t
Students share candid cafeteria reviews in this week’s Nibbles, which also serves up local food news — OAK at Fourteenth’s 15th anniversary, Bjorn’s honey shop debut, Felix’s closure and Thanksgiving tips from local chefs. Continue reading…
Oscar-winning Boulder filmmaker Daniel Junge debuts new documentary ‘I Was Born This Way’ at Denver Film Festival
The film tells the untold story of gospel singer and gay rights pioneer Carl Bean — whose 1977 Motown hit inspired Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” — and highlights Boulder’s growing influence in the world of documentary filmmaking. Continue reading…
A bit cooler, but still warm for early November
After a mild cold front tiptoed through the Front Range overnight, Boulder will see a slightly cooler Wednesday, but let’s not get carried away. Tuesday’s temps were running hot for November, and while today will dial it back a bit, we’ll still land a few degrees above average. Expect plenty of sunshine with highs in the low to mid-60s across town. It will be a bit warmer toward Denver if you’re heading that way (closer to 70).
Looking ahead, those 60s are here to stay through the weekend, with dry weather and calm skies holding firm. There’s no rain or snow in the forecast for at least the next seven days. For now, Boulder’s warm, dry autumn carries on without interruption.
Agricultural burns planned this week
If you spot smoke in eastern Boulder County this week, it may be part of a series of planned agricultural burns. Boulder County Parks & Open Space and the Sheriff’s Office Fire Management Program planned to carry out three burns between Nov. 4 and Nov. 7, depending on weather conditions.
The burns are scheduled for the Wheel (Wheeler property) near Hwy. 52 and E. County Line Rd. in Longmont/Erie, Wittemyer Ponds near Hwy. 52 and E. County Line Rd. in Longmont, and Gaynor Lake near Hwy. 287 and Mooring Rd. in Longmont. The projects are designed to improve water delivery to nearby agricultural lands. Smoke may be visible for up to 24 hours.
SNAP payments to resume, but delayed and cut roughly in half
After two federal judges ruled that freezing payments for SNAP was unlawful, the Trump administration has resumed payments. But people will only receive about half their usual payment, and Coloradans will likely see at least a two-week delay.
The administration will tap the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s contingency fund, totaling about $4.65 billion — roughly half of the $8 billion distributed in food assistance payments each month.
“The compliance ruling cites that the contingency fund will be obligated to ‘cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments,’” Haysel Hernandez, deputy director of communications for the Colorado Department of Human Services, told Boulder Reporting Lab on Monday. “This means that USDA will provide new maximum allotment amounts for households based on size, and states will need to recalculate eligibility for each household based on those maximum allotment amounts.”
On Tuesday, the state told KDVR this doesn’t necessarily mean households will receive 50% of their full allotment for November. It depends on how USDA sets the new maximum amounts.
Under normal circumstances, Hernandez said issuing SNAP benefits takes up to 10 days. But providing 50% allotments will require the state to modify its payment system, pushing the timeline even further.
In the meantime, people are turning to food banks already under significant strain. Colorado has approved an emergency $10 million for local food banks this month. The first of those three payments went out Nov. 3.
In Boulder County, about 19,000 residents are currently eligible for SNAP, and about 12% of all Americans rely on the benefits. As those families work to fill the gap this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture told grocery stores they are prohibited from offering discounts to SNAP recipients during the shutdown.
Got a bold idea to fix Boulder’s housing crunch? The county wants to fund it.
Boulder County is putting up $500,000 to spark fresh ideas for tackling the region’s housing challenges.
The new Housing Innovation Fund will award up to $100,000 per project to municipalities and nonprofits testing creative ways to make housing more affordable, stable and equitable. Funded through the county’s voter-approved Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax, the program aims to back “bold, community-driven projects” that challenge the status quo.
Applications open Nov. 10 and close Dec. 4. An informational webinar will be held Nov. 19 for prospective applicants.
63rd Street closed Nov. 5 for culvert replacement
Starting yesterday, Nov. 5, 63rd Street between Jay Road and Twin Lakes is now closed in both directions as crews replace a failing culvert that channels Lefthand Ditch under the road. The closure is expected to last through mid-January.
Jay Road will remain open, but pedestrians and cyclists will need to detour around the construction zone. Bus stops between Gunbarrel and Jay roads will also be closed during the project, though RTD Route 205 will still be accessible on 63rd Street north of Gunbarrel Avenue.
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