It’s Friday, August 30, 2024.

Good morning, Boulder, and welcome to the last Friday of unofficial summer. With no city council meeting last night — usually the focus of our Friday edition—we’re switching gears today to discuss a local farming opportunity you can help with.

Apple season in Boulder is in full swing, but many Colorado apple farmers are struggling to compete with cheaper imports from mass producers in states like Washington. Some orchards are replacing apple trees with more profitable crops, such as peaches. T.M. Spring covers how to support local apple farmers and why you won’t regret it. Hint: They’re tastier and offer more variety than what you’ll find at grocery chains.

Jenna Sampson has been covering the King Soopers shooting trial. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa’s guilt in the 2021 grocery store killings is undisputed; the defense is arguing mental instability to reduce culpability. This week focused on jury selection and preparing jurors for a harrowing trial with graphic evidence. Tensions are high, with the defense and prosecution already clashing. The judge denied the defense’s request for potential jurors to watch a video on unconscious bias.

Finally, your support during our fundraising campaign has blown us away — we’re close to hitting our match! We hope you’ll help us reach it by this weekend. You make this Boulder-changing journalism possible.

Have a great Labor Day.

— Tim, reporter

Help us close the gap in Boulder local news — your donation is matched through Sept. 5!

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In other news

Not done with the heat yet

It’ll be close to 90 through the weekend and reach 90 by early next week. After that, temps will stay more consistently in the mid-80s. No 70s in the forecast yet, but we’ll be in the 40s before you know it, so enjoy the warmth while it’s here.

Diagonal Highway bikeway and safety plans: open house discussion

Boulder County, along with the Colorado Department of Transportation, RTD and the cities of Boulder and Longmont, is hosting an open house to discuss safety and mobility improvements along CO 119 (Diagonal Highway). The event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Provisions Restaurant at the Hampton Inn.

Residents can learn about the planned CO 119 Bikeway 63rd St. overpass and share their input on the project. The open house will also cover the upcoming Gunbarrel Shuttle service, which will offer on-demand transit for local residents and employees. Spanish interpretation will be provided upon request.

Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont has the second-highest number of bike crashes in unincorporated Boulder County, second only to U.S. 36 between Boulder and Lyons, according to county data. The plan to build a concrete bikeway along the median between Boulder and Longmont is meant to protect future cyclists from the dangers of this highway. The urgency for the project grew after 17-year-old Magnus White was tragically killed on the highway last summer.

Plans for the bikeway changed after a water pipe was discovered under 63rd Street, where an underpass was initially planned. This pipe is likely there because of its proximity to one of Boulder’s water treatment plants. Moving it would cost around $3 million and delay construction. So designers decided to reroute the bikeway over 63rd Street instead.

Structure fire burns tree and shed near CU

Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to a structure fire Wednesday in the 1600 block of Hillside. The fire, located next to Boulder Creek and the high school’s Christian Recht Field, as well as across the road from Macky Auditorium, burned a tree and a shed before it was extinguished. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Missing hiker found dead in Indian Peaks Wilderness

A 36-year-old man reported missing while hiking near Lake Isabelle in the Indian Peaks Wilderness was found dead on Monday, Aug. 26. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office received a report around 11:30 a.m. Monday after the camper failed to return as expected. His vehicle was found at Brainard Lake, prompting a search with ground teams, dog units and a helicopter. Rescuers discovered his body near Shoshoni Peak at 5:30 p.m.

Recovery, delayed due to challenging terrain, was completed the next day. The Boulder County Coroner’s Office will determine the man’s identity and cause of death, though foul play is not suspected. Agencies involved in the effort included the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.

Marshall Fire research reveals how urban wildfires threaten streams and aquatic life

Urban wildfires not only threaten homes and landscapes but also significantly impact nearby streams and aquatic life, according to recent research by Lauren Magliozzi, an environmental engineering researcher at CU Boulder.

Magliozzi’s studies, funded by the National Science Foundation, the City of Boulder and others, found that ash and debris from wildfires can wash into streams, introducing toxic metals and chemicals that devastate aquatic ecosystems. Her team studied Coal Creek after the 2021 Marshall Fire, finding elevated levels of toxic metals like copper and nickel, along with a sharp decline in sensitive aquatic species.

“These tiny creatures, which include mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, are not only food sources for fish and other stream life but also serve as nature’s water quality monitors,” Magliozzi said.

The findings indicate that urban wildfires create a “toxic cocktail” that can harm water quality and aquatic life for years.

Louisville follows Boulder in launching co-responder program to improve crisis response

The Louisville Police Department has partnered with the county to launch a co-responder program, pairing officers with mental health clinicians on calls involving mental health or substance use crises. The program aims to reduce the need for police intervention by providing on-site de-escalation and connecting people to appropriate services.

“This program is a vital part of our commitment to serve our community with empathy,” said Police Chief Rafael Gutierrez. Co-responder programs are one of several strategies to reform policing and reduce the incarceration of people experiencing homelessness, mental health emergencies and addiction. The City of Boulder’s co-responder program, known as the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT), has faced staffing and other challenges. Boulder also has been piloting an alternative police response program that sends behavioral health clinicians, paramedics and case managers on 911 calls without police.

Dementia caregiver training scheduled for Sept. 18

Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, Academy Boulder and Dementia Together are hosting “Living with Dementia: Insights and Strategies for the Caregiver” on Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Academy Mapleton Hill. Those interested in the four-hour training should register by Sunday, Sept. 15. For more information, contact Rebekah Van Sweden at 303-441-3945 or infoCaregiver@bouldercounty.gov.

BRL’s to-do list: What’s happening this weekend and next week?

Explore ALL upcoming events in Boulder. If you have something to promote, use the self-submission form on our events page, for free.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 21st Annual Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema Season Premiere | 6:45 p.m.

“As always, our selections are submitted from around the world and curated by a panel of professional dance filmmakers to bring you the most cutting edge work in the realm where dance and cinema collide.”

Saturday, Sunday | Boulder Arts Festival | 11 a.m.

“The Boulder Art Festival is a celebration of creativity, where artists from various disciplines come together to showcase their imaginative works.”

Sunday | Sanitas Summer Market Series | 2 p.m.

“Join us the first Sunday of every month in Boulder for a unique selection of local makers, making cool s***!!! The Boulder patio will be bumping…local artists, good music, craft beer, heady tacos. Enjoy a summer afternoon at Sanitas Boulder.”

Sunday | Fall Festival at Memory Square Park | 9 a.m.

“Explore unique handmade goods, local crafts, fine arts, and freshly baked goods, and indulge your taste buds with a variety of food trucks. Get ready for a day of fun as we welcome autumn’s arrival!”

Monday | Labor Day Parade in Louisville | 10 a.m.

“The Labor Day Parade starts at the intersection of E. Lafayette St. and Main St. (the south end of the Louisville Middle School campus) and runs south down Main Street, ending at the intersection of Main St. and Parkview Ave.”

Thursday | Boulder Public Library’s Democracy Series | 7 p.m.

“The series kicks off on Thursday, September 5, with a screening of the documentary
Join or Die, featuring special guest Evan Weissman from Warm Cookies of the
Revolution.”

Friday | Shakedown Street Performs 6/28/74 | 8 p.m.

“For over 30 years, Shakedown Street has been performing the immense catalog of the Grateful Dead.”

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