Good Tuesday morning, Boulder. PSA: If you haven’t winterized your home or irrigation system, do it now — another hard freeze hits tonight.
Leading today’s edition: Boulder County is preparing to open the Joe Pelle Center, a new alternative sentencing facility intended to ease overcrowding at the jail and replace the county’s use of private halfway houses. The 252-bed, minimum-security center will provide treatment and work-release programs to help people transition back into the community, marking a major shift in the county’s approach to incarceration toward more humane, locally controlled reentry options. John Herrick reports.
Also today: As we wait for the first snow to fall and our ski resorts to open, Silvia Pettem takes us back to a little-known chapter of Boulder history: the Chautauqua Mesa Ski Area, a tiny city-run slope that once gave local kids their first taste of skiing just steps from home. The hill even had a rope tow, ski jumps and night skiing, but vandalism and low-snow winters ultimately shut it down. Today, only the contours of the old jumps remain, now a favorite sledding spot when snow finally arrives.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: A brisk Tuesday, then a hard freeze tonight.
- Today: Drop off your ballot at county Early Voting Day events — plus donate toiletries or food.
- NoBo Art District: Now an official Colorado Creative District.
- Colorado Shakespeare Festival: 2026 season announced.
- Opioid grants: Up to $750K for local prevention and recovery efforts.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
As your Councilman, Matt Benjamin has delivered progress on housing, homelessness, climate action, public safety, and good governance. He leads with transparency, equity, and accountability to reflect Boulder’s values. With momentum underway and challenges ahead, Matt is ready to keep leading. Re-elect Matt Benjamin for Boulder City Council to keep pushing for progress and building a Boulder that’s inclusive, resilient, and vibrant.
Boulder County opens new sentencing facility to provide more humane alternatives to incarceration
The new center will serve as a test case in the county’s efforts to help people transition back into the community, while cutting ties with private halfway houses. Continue reading…
The lost ski area on Chautauqua Mesa, once Boulder’s winter playground
From rope tows to ski jumps, Chautauqua Mesa was once the place where Boulder learned to ski, until vandals and warm winters shut it down. Continue reading…
A brisk Tuesday followed by a hard freeze tonight
Autumn has officially settled into Boulder, and it’s not going anywhere this week.
After a frosty start this morning, we’ll barely crack the upper 40s this afternoon, and with occasional northerly breezes, it’ll feel even colder. Tonight brings another even harder freeze, with lows plunging into the lower 20s or so. If you haven’t winterized your home or irrigation system yet, now’s the time to act. A Freeze Warning remains in effect for all of eastern Boulder County.
Tomorrow stays brisk, but we’ll start to see a shift as the storm system moves east and a ridge begins to build. That means calmer skies and a slow climb in temperatures, though highs will still run below average in the 50s through the end of the week.
Planning to be outside? Keep the layers handy and don’t let those overnight lows sneak up on you. Freezing temps will be a nightly theme.
Today only: Drop off your ballot at county Early Voting Day event
Boulder County residents can drop off their ballots early and pick up “I Voted” stickers at four county-hosted Early Voting Day events today (Tuesday, Oct. 28):
- All Roads Shelter (4869 Broadway), Boulder, 9-11 a.m.
The shelter is also accepting donations of toiletries and used towels/blankets. - Emergency Family Assistance Association (1575 Yarmouth Ave.), Boulder, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. EFAA will also be collecting nonperishable food. All SNAP benefits for November are on hold due to the federal government shutdown.
- Association for Community Living (624 Coffman St.), Longmont, 2-4 p.m. County staff will host a “make your voting plan” workshop.
- Avery Brewing (4910 Nautilus Ct. North), Gunbarrel, 4-6 p.m.
The deadline to request mail ballots has passed, but Coloradans can still register and request a ballot at any Vote Center.
Check out the BRL Voter Guide while you’re at it.
NoBo Art District named official Colorado Creative District
Boulder’s NoBo Art District has been certified as one of Colorado’s 37 Creative Districts, joining a statewide network recognizing communities with strong local arts support and creative economies.
Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Creative Industries announced the designation last week, citing NoBo’s evolution into a hub for artists, small businesses and cultural events in North Boulder. “This certification is an incredible honor and a reflection of the creative energy that fuels North Boulder,” said Executive Director Liz Compos.
NoBo will celebrate the milestone at its annual pARTy for the ARTs fundraiser on Nov. 22, supporting a $10,000 matching grant for 2026 programming and public art.
Colorado Shakespeare Festival announces 2026 season
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival will return to the newly renovated Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre next summer for its 2026 season, which runs June 7 through Aug. 2. The lineup includes Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare in Love, and the world premiere of Friends/Romans/Countrymen by David Davalos.
With renovations complete at the Hellems Building, audiences will see upgraded seating, improved accessibility, a new atrium lobby and café. Performances will take place at both the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre and the Roe Green Theatre.
Season tickets went on sale Monday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m., with single tickets available Dec. 1 at coloradoshakes.org or the CU Presents Box Office.
Opioid-abatement grants now open: up to $750K for local projects
Colorado has opened applications for opioid-settlement funding to support prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. The Resilient Colorado Grant makes $12 million available statewide for projects led by nonprofits, schools, healthcare providers, for-profit businesses and other organizations, with awards of up to $750,000 over three years.
A pre-application webinar will be held Nov. 12. Applicants must submit a notice of intent by Nov. 14, with full applications due Dec. 18. Funds must be used for approved opioid-abatement strategies.
A separate infrastructure grant round is open only to cities, counties and regional opioid councils. Boulder County officials say the county is unlikely to apply for that round but are encouraging local organizations to pursue the broader grant.
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