🛣️ A new fee is coming to your Boulder bill

Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the team behind Preserved — check out a special screening of the film at the Dairy Arts Center on Jan. 13, featuring live music and post-film panel conversations.

Leading today’s edition: A new fee is coming to your Boulder bills. The city is moving closer to billing residents and businesses under a transportation maintenance fee approved last fall, with payments potentially starting in mid-2026. City staff are now working out how the fee would be billed, how rates would be calculated based on a property’s impact on roads and other infrastructure, and how millions in new revenue would be spent. Por Jaijongkit reports.

Also today: Hundreds of unofficial trails have quietly spread across Northern Colorado’s open spaces, etched into the landscape by decades of informal use. Now a regional coalition that includes Boulder County is beginning the slow, careful work of deciding which paths should disappear, which can be restored, and which might stay, using new state funding to bring coordination to a problem long handled piecemeal. Gabe Toth reports.

And lastly, in Local History: As the University of Colorado marks its 150th anniversary, historian Silvia Pettem takes readers back to the university’s earliest days, when the campus consisted of a single Boulder building on a barren mesa, tracing its fragile beginnings and early optimism.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

• CBI review: State to independently review Megan Trussell’s death.
• Outage losses: Businesses lost tens of thousands.
• Funding freeze: County benefits unaffected for now.
• Vaccines: County reaffirms science-based guidance.
• Utilities: City water bills up about $9.
• Things to Do: Ukrainian folk music, a menopause workshop, tea class, punk show, Brontë-inspired rock, MLK Day jazz + more

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

Boulder moves toward billing residents and businesses for new transportation maintenance fee

The fee is based on a property’s estimated impact on Boulder’s transportation system and is expected to raise about $6.4 million a year for road and path maintenance. Continue reading…

In Boulder County and beyond, a regional effort takes on hundreds of unofficial trails

Land managers across Northern Colorado are beginning the slow work of closing, restoring or formalizing “social” trails. Continue reading…

CU Boulder was almost built somewhere else — one reporter captured how it all began

As CU Boulder marks its 150th anniversary, the story of a reporter who captured its earliest days still resonates. Continue reading…

From snow to sun

After 2026’s first snowfall, Boulder is shifting quickly back to calmer, fall-like weather. Monday will be sunny with highs near 60, helping accelerate melting from the storm that dropped 6 inches in parts of the city.

Tuesday stays partly sunny with highs again around 60 with gusty winds, followed by a mostly cloudy night around 35. Wednesday looks similar, with partly sunny skies and a high near 55. A ridge of high pressure will keep conditions quiet, with no meaningful precipitation expected until at least the middle of next week.

CBI to conduct independent review into Megan Trussell’s death (developing)

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will conduct a statutory, independent review into the death of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old CU Boulder student whose death was ruled a suicide by Boulder County.

The review was requested by Trussell’s family under a state law requiring independent case reviews in certain deaths involving Indigenous persons. In a statement, the family said they had previously sought additional review from multiple authorities and were denied, adding that they are relieved the process is moving forward but remain concerned about the scope of the review.

In separate statements, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the Boulder County Coroner’s Office said they support the review. Sheriff Curtis Johnson said his office will provide the full case file to CBI. Coroner Jeff Martin said his office recognizes the impact of the death on Trussell’s loved ones and the community.

Background: Boulder Reporting Lab has previously reported on the family’s challenge to the suicide ruling and disputes over autopsy findings and evidence testing. Read more: Megan Trussell’s death was ruled a suicide by Boulder County. Her family fought to have key evidence tested, and our follow-up reporting.

Windstorm outages cost Boulder County businesses tens of thousands, survey finds

Power shutoffs and infrastructure damage during December’s windstorms cost surveyed Boulder County businesses an average of more than $25,000 per business, according to a new survey released this month by local business groups.

The outages stemmed from a combination of preemptive power shutoffs by Xcel Energy — aimed at preventing downed lines from sparking wildfires — and wind-related damage that caused additional, unplanned outages. Tens of thousands of customers lost power during the Dec. 17 and Dec. 19 storms.

Nearly 300 businesses responded to the survey, which was released Jan. 9 and conducted by the Boulder Chamber, the Downtown Boulder Partnership, the Latino Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations. About half of respondents reported operational disruptions tied directly to the outages.

Nine businesses reported losses exceeding $100,000, according to the survey. More than 9,800 workers were unable to work during the outages, and more than a dozen businesses said they were without power for four to seven days, long enough to force closures, cancel services or spoil inventory.

Federal funding freeze looms, but Boulder County benefits remain unchanged for now

Boulder County Human Services says eligibility and benefits for several major assistance programs are currently unaffected, despite federal notices signaling a potential freeze on funding tied to fraud concerns.

The programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), which funds the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), according to Boulder County Human Services. 

The federal government has said it intends to freeze roughly $300 million in funds for Colorado, citing unproven claims that benefits were being provided to non-citizens. As of Jan. 6, neither the state nor counties have been formally notified that the freeze has taken effect.

Colorado is one of five states — along with California, Illinois, Minnesota and New York — affected by a broader freeze of roughly $10 billion in childcare and food assistance funding. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has joined these states in suing the Trump administration, arguing the freeze lacks legal justification and is not supported by evidence of fraud.

County officials said Colorado has already received January distributions for TANF and CCAP, as well as partial payments of the annual SSBG. Whether those funds could be rescinded or frozen retroactively remains unclear. Federal officials have requested detailed client data, including names, birth dates and Social Security numbers, to verify eligibility. (We recently reported on the challenges already facing the CCAP program.)

In a joint statement, Boulder County commissioners described the federal notices as politically motivated, saying they “promote a false narrative about fraud that threatens essential services for our most vulnerable community members.”   

The county said that communications are being developed to reassure residents who receive assistance. Boulder County Human Services will provide updates and answer questions during a community partner call on Jan. 21 from 11 a.m. to noon.

County health officials reaffirm vaccine guidance amid federal changes

Boulder County Public Health said it will continue to follow longstanding, science-based vaccine recommendations for children, despite recent federal changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that have caused confusion.

In a statement released last week, Boulder County Public Health emphasized that decades of research show childhood vaccines remain one of the most effective tools to prevent serious illness and community outbreaks. Officials encouraged families to follow schedules supported by national and state health authorities and to consult their health care providers about what is recommended for their children.

“Vaccines remain one of the most effective ways to keep children and communities healthy,” said Robert Belknap, chief medical officer at Boulder County Public Health, adding that changes to recommendations should be based on strong scientific evidence.

Health Director Lexi Nolen said the agency remains focused on science, equity and access, and on ensuring families can get recommended vaccines to keep schools and neighborhoods healthy.

Utility bills rise in Boulder as water infrastructure costs grow

Boulder residents will see higher utility bills starting this month as the city implements annual rate increases to help cover rising infrastructure maintenance costs.

On average, water rates are increasing by 8%, wastewater by 6% and stormwater by 5%, translating to an estimated $9.20 increase in the average household’s monthly utility bill.

The increases come as the city continues major water infrastructure projects, including work on the Barker Gravity Pipeline, which supplies roughly one-third of Boulder’s water. Water-related investments make up about 44% of the city’s 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program, as aging systems reach the end of their functional life.

☀️ 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.

National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Read More

Black Tea Tasting Class: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Day Day Up Tea, 535 W South Boulder Rd, Ste 210, Lafayette. Additional dates weekly. Read More

YAGÓDY: Ukrainian Folk Music Group: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Additional date: Thursday, Jan. 15, same time. Read More

Putting Menopause on the Map: Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30 p.m., Chautauqua Community House, 301 Morning Glory Dr. Read More

Boundless in Creation: A Climatique Music & Arts Gathering: Friday, Jan. 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St. Read More

Terrarium Building: Friday, Jan. 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Moss Houseplants, 3008 Folsom St. Read More

Craig Childs–“The Wild Dark”: Friday, Jan. 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St. Read more.

Generations of Joy Girls & Women’s Gathering: Saturday, Jan. 17, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., 4465 Apple Way. Read More

Turn it Up! Punk Show: Saturday, Jan. 17, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Read More

Dead Panic (Grateful Dead & Widespread Panic tribute): Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:00-11:00 p.m., The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St, Louisville. Read More

Gin & Gothic: A Brontë Rocktale: Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Altona Grange Hall, 9386 N 39th St, Longmont. Additional dates: Friday Jan. 23 and Saturday Jan. 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Read More

Pop Divas Showcase! with Metal Gaga | Material Girl | The Pink Project Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m., Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Dr., Unit T, Lafayette. Read More

Jazz and Soul Voices for Freedom: Sunday, Jan. 18, 4:00-5:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Read More

Messenger Music Collective: Sunday, Jan. 18, 7:00 p.m., The Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Rd, Lafayette. Read More