Good morning, Boulder — and happy Friday. Today’s newsletter is sponsored by ABoulderFuture. Check out their community roundtable this Saturday.
Before we dive into a packed news day: We’re hiring! Help us spread the word about our new managing editor role. And a huge thanks to our paying readers for making this growth possible.
Looking ahead: Temps could hit the 80s tomorrow, with a Fire Weather Watch in effect — a clear sign that spring (and fire season) is here.
That also means more outdoor adventures, like scrambling in the Flatirons. But it’s not without risk. Late last year saw two scrambling-related deaths, prompting geologist, self-described data nerd and climber Simon Testa to ask: How dangerous is this sport, really?
Today, he breaks down the risk of ropeless Flatiron climbing — and how it stacks up to things like driving and BASE jumping. He also reflects on what it means for his own safety and love of the sport.
In the news:
- City council is advancing a new fee on teardown-and-rebuild projects, aimed at slowing the loss of modest homes. It could raise $1M+ per year for affordable housing.
- NOAA firings: Boulder staff reinstated — for now.
- Zaria Hardee: Preliminary hearing evidence heard.
More, Below the Fold:
- Measles spreads: Third case confirmed as vaccine funds face cuts.
- AG race: Griswold joins Dougherty, Duran in crowded field.
- Climate rollback: BLM drops leasing review.
- Interior backlash: REI walks back Burgum support, joins coalition with Boulder brand.
- CU med residents: Rally for union rights, petition regents.
- Amabile townhall: Set for Sunday.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
— The BRL team
Boulder’s Flatiron scrambling fatalities: How dangerous is it, really?
After a particularly deadly winter in the Flatirons, a Boulder climber reckons with the risks of ropeless climbing — and his own mortality. Continue reading…
Fire Weather Watch Saturday
Critical fire danger is expected Saturday with gusty winds up to 30 mph and very low humidity between 8-13%.
Today and tomorrow will be sunny and warm, with highs in the 80s. Cooler weather moves in Sunday, with temps dropping into the 60s and a chance of afternoon showers.
Council moves forward with fee on teardown-to-large home rebuilds
The Boulder City Council on April 10 directed city staff to continue drafting an ordinance that would impose a new fee on property owners who demolish homes and replace them with larger, more expensive ones.
The move follows a city-commissioned study that found these projects contribute to Boulder’s housing affordability crisis by reducing the supply of relatively attainable homes and increasing demand for subsidized affordable housing.
The study concluded that the city has a legal basis to impose an impact fee tied to the additional square footage of rebuilt homes. Consultants recommended a fee of $15 per square foot of added space, with certain exceptions. This would generate an estimated $1.2 million annually for the city’s Affordable Housing Fund.
The proposed fee would close a gap in Boulder’s inclusionary housing policy, which currently exempts most single-family home redevelopments from contributing to the fund — unlike most multi-unit projects. Read more on BRL.
Boulder judge rules murder case can proceed in death of Zaria Hardee, 19
A Boulder County judge ruled Thursday that there is enough evidence to proceed with a murder case against 52-year-old Jimmy West, who is also facing a sex trafficking charge in connection with the death of 19-year-old Zaria Hardee.
West was arrested on Jan. 30, 2024, following a roughly six-month investigation into Hardee’s death. Her body was discovered last summer in the Goss Grove neighborhood, wrapped in a tent and tied to a bicycle trailer.
At the hearing, police testified that West admitted to being with Hardee the night she disappeared, and that the trailer in which her body was found belonged to him. Rope used to tie her body to the trailer matched rope found at West’s nearby camp, police said. An officer also testified that Hardee’s boyfriend, Nickolas Shepherd, told investigators he sold her to West in exchange for fentanyl the day she was last seen alive. Read more on BRL.
NOAA workers in Boulder reinstated — but it’s unclear for how long
Boulder-based NOAA workers who were among the many federal probationary employees fired earlier this year have been fully reinstated — but uncertainty remains.
“We are in a paid [administrative] leave status, which means we’re getting paid to not work,” Paul Hemmick, who was fired in February after years working for NOAA as a hurricane hunter, wrote to Boulder Reporting Lab on Wednesday. He expects to be terminated again soon through a reduction in force, or RIF, which typically takes longer to implement.
Another probationary federal employee in Boulder who asked not to be named was reinstated late last month, but said her agency sent a second “Fork in the Road” email this week, giving employees the option to resign and continue to be paid until September. “Several of us feel like we have to take it at this point,” she told Boulder Reporting Lab, adding that her agency made clear a large RIF is coming. Read more on BRL.
Third measles case in Colorado, as immunization funding faces cuts
A third case of measles has been confirmed in Colorado — the first involving someone who hadn’t recently traveled outside the state. The person lives in Archuleta County, according to CPR.
The news comes as Boulder County risks losing federal funding that helps support immunizations and disease tracking, including measles vaccinations, we reported this week. The cut is part of a broader $11 billion reduction to Health and Human Services, much of it targeting infectious disease programs.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a history of promoting anti-vaccine rhetoric but now says he supports the measles vaccine’s effectiveness, said this week he was unaware of the funding cuts. The issue is still being litigated, with the next court hearing set for Wednesday, April 16.
Colorado’s AG race is getting crowded
Secretary of State Jena Griswold launched her campaign for Colorado Attorney General this week, becoming the third prominent Democrat to enter the race to replace outgoing AG Phil Weiser, who’s running for governor in 2026.
Griswold joins Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who announced in February, and former Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran, who launched her campaign last month. All three candidates are emphasizing themes like consumer protection, reproductive rights, and standing up to President Trump and “MAGA extremism.”
Griswold, Colorado’s top election official since 2018, announced her bid with support from over 100 endorsers. Dougherty, a longtime prosecutor, highlighted his experience leading major cases like the King Soopers shooting. Duran, a sixth-generation Coloradan, is focusing on affordability, fairness and economic justice.
BLM scraps environmental review for oil and gas leasing in Colorado, other Western states
The Bureau of Land Management, under the Trump administration’s Interior Department, announced Thursday it is scrapping broad environmental reviews of oil and gas leasing decisions across 3.5 million acres in seven Western states — including Colorado. The move is part of a broader push to roll back climate protections and fast-track fossil fuel development by eliminating regulatory hurdles.
The decision aligns with the administration’s “Unleashing American Energy” initiative, even as scientists warn the world is on track for dangerous, potentially irreversible warming. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, experts say global emissions must reach net zero by mid-century.
Meanwhile: ‘We made a mistake,’ says REI
In response to growing concerns over the administration’s public lands agenda, more than 60 outdoor companies — including REI and Boulder-based Backpacker’s Pantry — have launched a new coalition called Brands for Public Lands. The group is calling for greater transparency from the Department of the Interior and urging Congress to reject large-scale sell-offs and industrial development of public lands.
REI also publicly walked back its earlier endorsement of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “We made a mistake,” CEO Mary Beth Laughton said in a statement. “We retract our endorsement.” Going forward, she said, it will commit to supporting policies, not people.
The new alliance, representing over $17 billion in revenue and 48,000 employees across 17 states, delivered two letters to lawmakers and Interior officials on Tuesday outlining their demands.
CU medical residents rally for union rights, deliver petition to regents
More than 100 medical residents and fellows rallied in Denver on Tuesday, calling on the University of Colorado Board of Regents to grant them collective bargaining rights. The Housestaff Association (HSA), which represents over 1,300 CU medical trainees, delivered a petition signed by more than 70% of housestaff.
According to HSA, CU School of Medicine officials have declined to recognize the union and told the group that only the Board of Regents has the authority to grant collective bargaining rights. But HSA leaders say Regent Callie Rennison, who represents Boulder, denied their request without a vote or explanation.
“There has been no transparency about the process,” said incoming HSA Co-President Simone Raiter. “CU SOM are not the advocates they claim to be.”
“We will not be placated with empty promises any longer,” added current Co-President Nik Kaufman.
State Sen. Judy Amabile townhall Sunday
Boulder state Sen. Judy Amabile is hosting a townhall from 4 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. With the legislature entering the final month of its 2025 session, Amabile will take questions on local, state and national issues. Register or submit a question.
☀️ 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.