Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by MahlerFest. Get your tickets for MahlerFest 39 (May 13-17), exploring how artists from Bach to Pete Townshend turned personal crises into pivotal musical moments.
Leading today: One of Boulder County’s main public forums for weighing in on open space decisions went months without meeting, limiting input as officials debated herbicide use, land deals and leadership changes. The Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee, in place since 1967, serves as a bridge between residents and elected officials. Critics say the gap sidelined public comment, while the county cites a lack of agenda items and staffing constraints. Reporting is based on interviews with former POSAC members and emails obtained by Boulder Reporting Lab. Brooke Stephenson reports.
Also today: After Sanitas Brewing closed in December, its co-founder and a team of veteran brewers are opening a new brewery in the same Boulder taproom space. Pattern Break Brewing will focus on experimental brewing, nonalcoholic options and a more experience-driven model. McKenzie Watson-Fore reports.
And in BRL Opinion: Two members of the board of directors of All Roads, Harold Niedzielski and Bob Yates, argue the shelter’s new 10-day limit for people without local ties is a more sustainable and compassionate way to allocate limited beds.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- Warmup: Back near 80, windy midweek.
- Bomb squad: Five suspected explosive devices found.
- Wildfire grants: Up to $2K for home hardening.
- Civic grants: Funding open for Juneteenth, MLK, heritage events.
- CU class: Seniors invited to join intergenerational course.
- 120th Street: Work starts now, full closure begins in May.
- Things to Do: Earth Day events, folk rock, a spring 5K, films, a confidence workshop, community band + more.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
MahlerFest is more than the great music of Gustav Mahler. MahlerFest 39 explores how artists from Bach and Beethoven to Elgar and Pete Townshend transformed personal crises into turning points in music history. The season opens with The Who’s Tommy, includes a film and a play about Mahler’s time in New York, a performance of Mahler’s version of Beethoven’s famous Ninth Symphony, and closes with Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. More than Mahler, more than you expect.
Boulder County canceled public input meetings on parks and open space for months during controversial decisions
The county’s open space advisory board, a public forum since 1967, went months without meeting, a gap some members said limited public input, while officials cited staffing constraints and a lack of agenda items. Continue reading…
Sanitas Brewing closed. Its co-founder is opening a new Boulder brewery in the same space.
Pattern Break Brewing takes over with an experimental approach to brewing, a broader drink menu and a redesigned taproom experience. Continue reading…
Harold Niedzielski and Bob Yates: Boulder’s All Roads is adopting a fair and compassionate approach to homelessness sheltering
The new protocol will more fairly allocate the community’s finite resources. Continue reading…
Back near 80, breezy midweek
Boulder is warming up again.
Expect partly sunny skies today with highs in the upper 70s and a mild night in the low 50s. Tuesday returns to near 80 with full sun, while Wednesday stays warm and mostly sunny, with breezier conditions and gusts up to around 30 mph.
The shift back to spring comes as Colorado enters a more concerning stretch beneath the surface.
Despite recent snow, Colorado is entering summer with near-record low snowpack and drought levels approaching those seen around the Marshall Fire, raising concerns about an active early fire season, according to BoulderCAST.
El Niño could bring a cooler, wetter monsoon later this year, but that relief is months away and far from guaranteed. In the meantime, dry conditions and the risk of lightning mean wildfire danger could rise in the weeks ahead.
Five suspected explosive devices found in Boulder County neighborhood
Bomb technicians safely removed five suspected improvised explosive devices Sunday after a resident discovered a metal case near Ponderosa Way in unincorporated Boulder County and found what appeared to be explosive devices inside.
The devices were reported around 8 a.m. and prompted a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents around noon. Authorities said the items had components consistent with potentially functioning devices, though their exact capability has not yet been confirmed.
By about 7 p.m., the Boulder County Regional Bomb Squad had secured the devices and transported them to a controlled location for further inspection and disposal. The shelter-in-place order was lifted shortly after.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
Up to $2,000 to fireproof your home as Boulder relaunches wildfire grant program
The City of Boulder is reopening its wildfire mitigation grant program, offering residents up to $2,000 to help reduce fire risk around their homes as drought conditions persist.
The 2026 Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program (WRAP), funded by the voter-approved climate tax, expands eligibility and focuses on higher-impact home hardening projects.
What’s new this year:
- Up to $2,000 per home for mitigation work such as vent screening, removing flammable landscaping or replacing materials
- A revamped program for HOAs, apartment complexes and manufactured home parks, with awards ranging from $15,000 to $50,000
- Applications for larger properties will be prioritized based on risk, equity and community impact, rather than first come, first served
The program targets homes in Boulder’s wildfire-prone areas, where rising insurance costs and year-round fire seasons have increased urgency around mitigation.
Apply and learn more at bouldercolorado.gov/WRAP. Find out if you live in Boulder’s newly expanded wildland-urban interface (WUI), the area where homes and flammable landscapes meet.
Boulder offering grants for Juneteenth, Immigrant Heritage Month events
The City of Boulder is now accepting applications for grants supporting 2026 events tied to Juneteenth, Immigrant Heritage Month and other civic holidays.
Funding is available for events connected to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Immigrant Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples Day, with a focus on civil rights, civic engagement and celebrating Boulder’s marginalized communities. Applications close May 18.
CU class pairs students with older Boulder residents to explore ‘pursuit of happiness’
A CU Boulder writing class is inviting Boulder County residents 60 and older to join students this fall for a tuition-free, intergenerational course focused on the idea of happiness.
Participants will be paired with CU undergraduates for discussions and writing projects that explore shared perspectives across generations. The class emphasizes two-way learning and mutual exchange between students and community members.
The course runs Sept. 1 through Dec. 3, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 3:15 p.m. at CU’s Visual Arts Complex.
About 20 community members will be selected through a group “meet and greet” process in June. Organizers encourage applying in early May, with a general deadline of June 1.
For more information or to apply, contact Richard Stansbury at rich.stansbury@gmail.com.
Major 120th Street project starts today, full closure coming in May
A major reconstruction project on 120th Street between Overlook Drive and Dillon Road begins Monday, with a full closure expected later this spring.
Work will happen in two phases. Through mid-May, traffic will remain open in both directions but with lane narrowing and reduced speeds. Starting in late May, a stretch of 120th will fully close for up to five months, with reopening expected in October.
During the closure, access to nearby businesses and neighborhoods will be maintained from the north.
The project includes wider shoulders for bikes and pedestrians, safety upgrades to the Northwest Parkway bridge and road changes aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing noise from trucks.
☀️ 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.
Developing Immigrant Identities Through Food with Cocina Libre: Monday, Apr. 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway. Read more.
Dance of the Soul: Tuesday, Apr. 21, 12:00-6:00 p.m., Ana’s Art Gallery, 1101 Spruce St Suite 101. Alternative dates through May 2. Read more.
Mountains on Stage Summer Edition 2026: Tuesday, Apr. 21, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Read more.
Rocky Mountain Concert Band: Tuesday, Apr. 21, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Center for Musical Arts, 200 E Baseline Road, Lafayette. Additional dates weekly. Read more.
Earth Day Vegan Dinner Celebration: Wednesday, Apr. 22, 6;00-9:00 p.m., St Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St. Read more.
Dig In: Sustainable Gardening with Garden to Table and Patagonia Boulder: Wednesday, Apr. 22, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Patagonia, 1630 Pearl St. Read more.
eTown’s 35th b’Earthday with Lakshmi Singh: Wednesday, Apr. 22, 7:00-9:00 p.m., eTown, 1535 Spruce St. Read more.
Opal Grove: Thursday, Apr. 23, 3:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., The Corner, 1100 13th St. Read more.
Beyond Imposter Syndrome: Rewire What’s Actually Holding You Back: Friday, Apr. 24, 2:00-3:30 p.m., Kiln, 2101 Pearl St. Read more.
Many Mountains Live: Friday, Apr. 24, 6:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., Zeal, 3101 Pearl Pkwy. Read more.
Lionel Bart’s Oliver!: Friday, Apr. 24, 7:00-9:30 p.m., The Spark, 4847 Pearl St. Additional dates through May 10. Read more.
SoundWorks: Song Writers Concert Spring 2026: Friday, Apr. 24, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A. Read more.
Colorado’s People of the Sacred Land: Saturday, Apr. 25, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway. Read more.
Italian Film Festival of Boulder – FAMILIA: Saturday, Apr. 25, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Read more.
Avery Spring 5k | 2026 CO Brewery Running Series: Sunday, Apr. 26, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Avery Brewing Company, 4910 Nautilus Court North. Read more.