⛺ Boulder ends 72-hour warning before clearing homeless encampments

Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Boulder Bookstore. Join bestselling author and poet Yung Pueblo at Boulder Theater for a conversation about his new book, Journey. Get tickets here.

Leading today: Boulder is stepping up enforcement of its camping ban, ending its practice of giving people 72 hours’ notice before clearing their belongings along parts of the Boulder Creek Path. Permanent signs now warn that encampment removals can happen at any time. A civil rights attorney says the change is unconstitutional. The tougher enforcement comes as homelessness services are shrinking. Bridge House, a longtime provider of housing and employment programs, is preparing to close, eliminating a key pathway from homelessness to stable housing and employment. Brooke Stephenson reports.

Also today: Boulder-based Rocky Mountain Equality is calling on Colorado lawmakers to repeal two voter-approved measures restricting transgender students’ participation in school sports and gender-related surgeries for minors. Both passed statewide with about 52% support, but Boulder County voters rejected them by some of the widest margins in Colorado. Local Democratic lawmakers have expressed opposition to the measures, though it’s unclear whether the legislature will move to repeal them. John Herrick reports.

And one more reminder: We’re bringing back our Boulder County Giving Guide for the holidays! If you work with a local nonprofit, tell us what your organization needs — whether it’s donations, supplies or volunteers — and we’ll share it with our readers.

Lastly, in case you missed it: BRL has called all our local races. The latest vote count was released Friday evening.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

Warm and dry: Near 70 Monday and Tuesday, cooler Wednesday.
Fentanyl fallout: Boulder DA warns of treatment gaps under new law.
Closures cleared: Supreme Court won’t block BVSD’s school plan.
Ballot fixes: Thursday deadline to resolve signature issues.
Veterans Day: Office closures and Boulder Star lighting Wednesday.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

2X match: Donate now for Boulder local news

Journey is a year-long guide to letting go of stress and finding your purpose, from New York Times bestselling author, Time 100 Creator and poet Yung Pueblo. Join us for an evening with Yung Pueblo to celebrate his newest book! He’ll be in conversation with Connor Beaton.

Boulder drops 72-hour warning before clearing homeless encampments along part of creek path

The city previously gave people three days’ notice before removing their belongings. Now, encampment removals can happen without warning, a change a civil rights attorney says is unconstitutional. Continue reading…

Boulder-based LGBTQ group calls on lawmakers to ‘negate the damage’ of measures on trans youth

Boulder County voters opposed Props 134 and 135 by some of the widest margins in the state. Continue reading…

Boulder’s November warmth continues, with highs near 70

Boulder is in for another unusually warm and dry stretch, with sunshine Monday and a high near 69 degrees. Skies will be mostly clear overnight, with a low around 40.

Tuesday will bring more sunshine and a high near 68, followed by a slight cooldown Wednesday, with a high near 63. Overnight lows will remain in the upper 30s. No rain or snow is expected through midweek.

The mild forecast follows Boulder’s third-warmest October on record. The city averaged 58.9 degrees last month, 7.3 degrees above normal, according to BoulderCAST. A midmonth storm brought Boulder its first wetter-than-normal month since May, but much of the county remains in extreme to exceptional drought. Colorado is on track for its warmest year on record.

Boulder DA warns of treatment gaps as voters approve tougher fentanyl penalties

Colorado voters approved Proposition 132, which makes possession of any amount of fentanyl a felony with possible prison time and limits judicial discretion. People convicted of distributing any amount of fentanyl face a mandatory prison sentence of eight to 32 years. The measure also eliminates reduced penalties in “Good Samaritan” cases, meaning people who call 911 to report an overdose have less protection if they shared or sold the drugs.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who campaigned against the measure, said his office is assessing its impact. He said he wants more treatment funding for people addicted to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that has driven overdose deaths in recent years.

“People struggling with addiction will be sentenced to jail or prison when treatment is not an option,” he said. “For our office, to match the increase in felony cases, we will need to increase treatment options in Boulder County. That will require additional funding.”

Dougherty said his office is also reviewing how the measure affects Good Samaritan protections in overdose cases. “I am determined to work with the County and the Legislature to develop the best possible structure for handling fentanyl cases,” he said. Read more on BRL.

Colorado Supreme Court rejects bid to halt BVSD school closures

The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear an emergency appeal by three parents seeking to block Boulder Valley School District’s plan to close four elementary schools and reorganize 12 others.

The parents sued in September, alleging that private briefings between district officials and school board members violated Colorado’s Open Meetings Law. On Oct. 28, Boulder County District Judge Dea Lindsey denied their request for a preliminary injunction, finding that the parents were unlikely to succeed on their claims and had not demonstrated the immediate, irreparable harm required to halt the plan.

The parents petitioned the Colorado Supreme Court to review that decision, but the justices denied the request Nov. 4. The decision allows the district to proceed with closures and other changes planned for fall 2027, though the underlying lawsuit remains unresolved. BVSD has filed a motion to dismiss the case.

For families navigating the changes, BRL’s interactive guide compares 29 elementary school options ahead of the Dec. 18 open-enrollment deadline.

Thursday is the deadline to fix ballot signature issues

The deadline for voters to resolve signature-related issues with their November 2026 ballots is Thursday, Nov. 12. Voters who haven’t received updates from BallotTrax should check the status of their ballots at BoulderCountyVotes.gov.

About 1,950 Boulder County voters need to resolve signature issues to have their ballots counted. First-time voters and those with fewer signatures on file are more likely to have their ballots flagged during verification. The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is urging voters to resolve any issues, even if the races they care about have already been decided. Ballots with unresolved signature issues are not counted, and the ballot envelopes and voters’ names are referred to the District Attorney’s Office for investigation. Those voters may be required to respond to a letter from the DA.

Voters typically have eight days after an election to cure signature issues. But because the usual deadline falls on Veterans Day this year, the county has extended it by one day.

City and county offices to close for Veterans Day; Boulder Star to be lit

City of Boulder administrative offices and Age Well Centers will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day. All three city rec centers, Boulder Reservoir, Flatirons Golf Course and city parks will remain open. Parking on city streets and in city-owned lots will be free. In the evening, city officials and Boulder Chamber members will light the Boulder Star.

Boulder County government offices, along with the 20th Judicial District Court and District Attorney’s Office, will also be closed. The Boulder County Courthouse on Pearl Street will be illuminated in green to honor veterans.

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