Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Before we dive into today’s news, I’m excited to introduce the newest member of our team and someone you probably already know: John Lehndorff.
John has been chronicling Boulder’s food scene since 1985 through his beloved Nibbles column. An award-winning journalist, he’s been a food editor, dining critic, radio host, museum historian, even a pie championship judge. His work has appeared everywhere from the Rocky Mountain News to the Washington Post, and his Radio Nibbles segment has been a KGNU staple for more than 30 years.
Now John is bringing Nibbles to BRL as our new food editor. Soon it will launch as its own newsletter — your go-to source for restaurant openings and closings, behind-the-scenes happenings, commentary, history and the kind of culinary insight only John can deliver. For now, you can catch his first column right here.
We couldn’t be happier to give Nibbles its newest home. Please join us in welcoming John to BRL! He’d love to hear from you with tips and story ideas at nibbles@boulderreportinglab.org.
In the news today: Boulder Junction is finally back in service. The transit hub, closed since April 2020 when RTD cut routes during the pandemic, will reopen to buses on Sept. 2 — more than five years later — with new service to Denver and the airport. Plus, the latest on the CU South lawsuit.
And in BRL Opinion: Brian Keegan’s latest Charting Boulder column examines demographics — not to pit generations against each other, he writes, but to highlight what Boulder must do now to prepare for an aging population. He argues that this planning will ultimately make the city work better for everyone.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Cool, cloudy and rainy stretch lingers through Thursday.
- CU South: Judge rejects appeal in flood project lawsuit.
- Norlin Library: Police probe swatting hoax evacuation.
- Flatirons Vista: Human remains discovered near trailhead.
- Prop MM: Ballot measure would fund free school meals, bolster SNAP.
- Vision Zero: County hearing Thursday on crash-reduction plan.
- Stampede: Buffs’ Pearl Street tradition kicks off Thursday.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– Stacy, publisher
Boulder Junction bus station to reopen Sept. 2 after five-year closure
Closed since 2020, the station will reopen with three routes serving Denver, the airport and local connections, according to RTD. Continue reading…
Boulder’s veteran food writer joins Boulder Reporting Lab and continues his search for the best tastes in town
John Lehndorff kicks off Nibbles at BRL with a guide to cheap eats, restaurant news, culinary events and deeper food conversations — starting with a visit to Lafayette’s new all-you-can-eat Hokkaido Sushi. Continue reading…
Brian Keegan: How Boulder’s ‘silver wave’ could transform the city’s future — for the better, if we plan now
Planning for an older population isn’t just about seniors. It’s about building a city that works better for everyone. Continue reading…
Boulder’s channeling its inner Pacific Northwest
If you’ve been vibing with Boulder’s cool, cloudy stretch of Seattle-inspired weather lately, good news — it’s not going anywhere just yet. We’re locked into a monsoon-fueled pattern that will keep things damp and gloomy across the Front Range for a few more days.
Expect scattered to numerous showers and storms each afternoon through Thursday across Boulder County. Highs will hover in the low to middle 70s, and with deep moisture streaming in, rains could be locally heavy. That means a slight risk of urban or burn scar flooding.
By Friday and into Labor Day Weekend, we’ll start drying out somewhat and warming up. Yes, more sunshine, and temps will eventually climb back into the lower 80s — just in time for your holiday hikes, picnics and CU football tailgates.
Judge rejects residents’ appeal in CU South flood project lawsuit
A Boulder County District Court judge has denied a request from residents to reconsider his earlier decision to dismiss their lawsuit against the City of Boulder over the financing for the South Boulder Creek flood mitigation project.
In an Aug. 25 ruling, District Court Judge Michael Kotlarczyk rejected arguments from the group Save South Boulder that he made a mistake in finding the city’s stormwater and flood fee was not a tax under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The residents argued the fee was improperly used to back a $66 million bond sale intended to help pay for the project.
The project is located on the CU South property and is a centerpiece of a 2021 annexation agreement between the city and CU Boulder. Plans include building a concrete spillway and detention pond designed to protect about 2,300 residents in the South Boulder Creek floodplain. Opponents have long raised concerns about environmental impacts and loss of open space. The lawsuit by Save South Boulder is the latest flashpoint in a dispute dating back decades. Read more on BRL.
Police, FBI investigating swatting hoax that forced Norlin Library evacuation
A swatting scare forced the evacuation of CU Boulder’s Norlin Library on Monday evening after a false report of shots fired. Police from multiple agencies swarmed campus and issued a shelter-in-place order that covered the Main Campus, including Sewall Hall. Sewall was cleared first, but the five-story Norlin took more than two hours to sweep before the all-clear came at 8:18 p.m. No injuries or suspects were found, and police confirmed the incident was a hoax. The disruption shuttered the library overnight and rattled evening classes and activities across campus. CU Boulder is the latest target in a string of false active-harmer reports affecting campuses across the country.
“The incident remains under investigation by the CU Boulder Police Department (CUPD). CUPD is working with state and federal partners, including the FBI, to explore any potential leads or patterns that may be connected to other recent swatting cases across the country,” CU spokesperson Nicole Mueksch told Boulder Reporting Lab on Tuesday. Read more on BRL.
Human remains discovered near Flatirons Vista Trailhead
Authorities are investigating after decomposed human remains were found Tuesday morning east of the Flatirons Vista Trailhead, near State Highway 93 and State Highway 128. A City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks worker reported the discovery around 10 a.m., according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives and the Coroner’s Office are working to determine the cause and manner of death. Officials said there is no indication of a broader threat to the community.
Prop MM would fund free school meals, shore up SNAP benefits
Colorado voters will be asked in November to approve Proposition MM, which would raise about $95 million by increasing income taxes on households earning $300,000 or more annually, Chalkbeat reports. Lawmakers expanded the measure during a special session Sunday to also direct any extra revenue toward preventing federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps more than 300,000 low-income families in Colorado.
The ballot measure is meant to keep the state’s Healthy School Meals for All program running beyond December, while also offsetting benefit reductions included in the 2026 federal budget. Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the legislation.
Boulder County to hear public input on plan to eliminate traffic deaths
Boulder County commissioners will hold a public hearing Thursday, Aug. 28, on the county’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which sets the goal of eliminating fatal crashes by 2035 in unincorporated areas and the mountain towns of Jamestown, Nederland and Ward.
The plan is based on an analysis of nearly a decade of crash data, which showed almost 500 crashes from 2013 to 2022 that resulted in serious injury or death. It zeroes in on the county’s most dangerous corridors, known as the “high-injury network,” and calls for fixes ranging from redesigned intersections and wider bike shoulders to new multimodal paths. It also targets the top crash types — single-vehicle, bicycle, head-on, broadside and left-turn — and recommends a countywide expansion of speed management, including speed safety cameras.
The hearing begins at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Courthouse and via Zoom. Residents can register to speak or submit written comments to visionzero@bouldercounty.gov.
Pearl Street Stampede kicks off Thursday
The first Pearl Street Stampede of the season is set for Thursday, Aug. 28. The long-running CU Buffs tradition will bring the Golden Buffalo Marching Band, Spirit Squad, coaches and players to the Pearl Street Mall ahead of CU’s season opener against Georgia Tech Friday night at Folsom Field. The procession begins at 7 p.m. on the 1300 block in front of the County Courthouse and moves west, stopping to perform along each block.
Upcoming Stampede dates: Sept. 5, Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 10 and Nov. 21.
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