🏘️ The fight to save San Lazaro just became more urgent

Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Colorado Connector, a planned passenger train linking 12 Front Range communities from Fort Collins to Pueblo by 2029. Review the plan.

Leading today: An undisclosed buyer has offered the full $42.5 million asking price for Boulder County’s San Lazaro Mobile Home Park, raising the stakes for roughly 800 residents trying to buy their community. The park provides a valuable source of unsubsidized affordable housing, and residents fear a new owner could sharply increase rents, displace families or redevelop the property.

Residents have until Dec. 8 to submit a counteroffer but have yet to secure the financing needed to match the bid. Boulder County commissioners have directed staff to prepare a letter expressing interest in helping with the purchase, but have not committed funding. Brooke Stephenson reports.

Also today: BVSD Superintendent Rob Anderson proposed changes to the district’s bullying and discrimination policies that would recognize antisemitism and require employees to report suspected incidents. The proposals follow a federal civil rights complaint that has rocked the district, alleging it failed for nearly two years to stop severe antisemitic harassment of a Southern Hills Middle School student. John Herrick reports.

And in Boulder Opinion: Is Boulder putting surveillance technology before civil liberties? ACLU of Colorado Executive Director Olivia Mendoza calls for stronger safeguards before the city signs a long-term license plate reader contract.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

BoulderCAST: Hot today, monsoon shift begins tomorrow.
Resilience grants: Up to $50,000 for outage hubs and green spaces.
Trail closure: Wonderland Lake work continues through Friday.
Bridge work: Overnight closures on Arapahoe Avenue.
Contractor charged: Boulder basement allegedly left contaminated with asbestos.
Fire training: Expect crews near Baseline and 22nd.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

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Boulder to Denver without the drive. Colorado Connector, or CoCo, is the planned passenger train linking 12 Front Range communities from Fort Collins to Pueblo on existing tracks, with trains rolling by 2029. More people on trains means fewer cars on everyone’s roads. Review the delivery plan at ColoradoConnector.com.

Unknown buyer offers $42.5 million for Boulder County’s San Lazaro Mobile Home Park. Residents race to counter.

More than 800 residents are trying to buy their Boulder County community, but they have yet to assemble the financing needed to match the offer. Continue reading…

BVSD superintendent apologizes for district’s handling of antisemitic harassment, proposes reforms

A federal complaint alleges a Jewish student endured nearly two years of harassment, including slurs, assaults and an incident in which a charging cable was pulled around his neck. Continue reading…

Cooler, wetter weather is finally headed to Boulder

A much-needed pattern shift — six sizzling, bone-dry weeks in the making — is finally brewing across Colorado. Boulder is about to feel it in all the best ways: cooler temps, cleaner air, and a real shot at monsoon thunderstorms returning to the Front Range.

But first … we’ve got to get through today, our little transition day into the new regime. Expect another hot one, with temperatures racing into the low and mid‑90s by early afternoon. A surge of deeper moisture will begin creeping in from the southwest — maybe just in time to pop scattered storms later today and into the evening. Nothing widespread, but enough to warrant keeping an eye on the sky.

Tonight we slide back to around 60.

Then comes the real shift. A weak cold front arrives late tonight into Thursday morning, ushering in cooler air, upslope flow, and a much healthier moisture supply. All signs point to Thursday and Friday only topping out near 80 with thick late‑day cloud cover and numerous soaking thunderstorms developing. Flash flood risk will spike late-week, especially in the burn scars. And yes — wildfire smoke will finally clear out.

Sooner or later, one of these monsoon pushes has to deliver for Boulder. Here’s hoping this is the one.

— BoulderCAST

Boulder grants offer up to $50,000 for outage hubs and greener spaces

Applications for the City of Boulder’s new Resiliency Hub Pilot Program are open through Aug. 14. The program will help nonprofits install battery storage systems at sites that could provide refrigeration for medicine, equipment charging and communications access during extended power outages.

Selected organizations will receive up to $50,000 and energy-efficiency guidance from Partners for a Clean Environment.

Boulder County is also accepting applications for its Grey to Green Fund, which offers grants of $20,000 to $50,000 to transform parking lots and other paved areas into rain gardens, microforests and similar green spaces. Municipalities, businesses, nonprofits, homeowners associations and schools may apply through Aug. 31.

Trail and lane closures begin near Wonderland Lake and South Boulder Creek

Sections of the Wonderland Lake Trail along the lake’s western shore will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday, Aug. 14. The work will also affect the North Sky Trail connection near Utica Avenue. Crews will remove dead wood, invasive trees and other wildfire fuels while improving water flow in the Silver Lake Ditch. Cyclists and hikers should follow posted detours.

Construction has also begun on the pedestrian bridge carrying Arapahoe Avenue over South Boulder Creek and is expected to last two months. Westbound lanes will close from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Aug. 12 and 13.

Contractor charged after allegedly leaving Boulder family’s basement contaminated with asbestos

A Colorado contractor has been charged with defrauding a Boulder family after allegedly performing improper asbestos removal, falsely declaring the basement safe and providing a fraudulent clearance test, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

Prosecutors say Rocco Roberts, 47, collected $8,400 for the 2023 project despite lacking state certification to perform asbestos work since 2018. The family later paid nearly $17,737 for a licensed contractor to remediate the basement.

Roberts faces felony charges of causing or contributing to a hazardous-substance incident, forgery and theft. He was arrested in Larimer County and released on $5,000 bail. The charges are allegations, and Roberts is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Fire trucks near Baseline and 22nd are part of training exercises

Boulder Fire-Rescue and other regional departments are conducting structure-fire training near Baseline Road and 22nd Street this week. Residents may see increased activity at the Baseline and Broadway fire station, including fire trucks and ambulances. Training continues from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Friday.

Commentaries are opinion pieces from community members and newsmakers. They reflect the views of the authors, not BRL. Want to submit one? Here’s how.

Olivia Mendoza: Boulder is putting mass surveillance technology before civil liberties

As Boulder considers a long-term contract for automated license plate readers, city officials should establish stronger safeguards, public oversight and vendor accountability before selecting a provider. Continue reading…

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