Good Wednesday morning, Boulder.
Leading today’s edition: Colorado has joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration as a shutdown-driven freeze in SNAP threatens food assistance for 19,000 Boulder County residents starting Nov. 1. Local food banks warn they are already strained by rising demand and new eligibility cuts, and say they lack the capacity to absorb a sudden surge in families seeking help. Brooke Stephenson reports.
Also today: As need rises across the community, help us build Boulder’s 2025 Giving Guide. Do you work with or volunteer for a local nonprofit or community organization? We want to hear from you. Tell us what support your organization needs this holiday season and we will include it in our BRL Giving Guide. The form is open to any organization serving Boulder County. Submissions are due by Nov. 14.
In this week’s Nibbles by John Lehndorff: A new Colorado cookbook highlights the immigrant chefs shaping our food culture, with proceeds supporting entrepreneurial training and just in time for holiday gifting. Plus, a secret black pepper chicken takeout window in North Boulder, and the latest pop-ups, openings and workshops across the local dining scene.
Reminder: In a few weeks, Nibbles will be email-newsletter-only. To get it, add your email here, or just reply to this email with “opt in.” If you already have, thank you, you’re on the list. And don’t miss our Halloween guide.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Crisp days and freezing nights through Halloween.
- Women in Comedy: One night, lots of laughs, 50% off tickets Oct. 30. (sponsored)
- Nederland Strong: Block party Saturday for fire recovery.
- Employee commute survey: City wants to know how you get to work.
- Election Night 101: County explains what happens after polls close.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Jenny Robins is running for Boulder City Council to bring focus back to good governance, safety and sustainability. As Chair of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board and a longtime community volunteer, Jenny has a proven record of service and collaboration. She believes in fiscal responsibility, supporting small businesses, protecting open space and making Boulder more affordable for working families. Learn more about her vision and get involved at JennyForBoulder.com
Colorado sues Trump administration over SNAP freeze that threatens food aid for 19,000 in Boulder County
Local food banks warn they are already at a breaking point as federal SNAP dollars are cut off. Continue reading…
Nibbles: New cookbook celebrates Colorado’s immigrant chefs redefining local cuisine
From “Sazón & Liberation,” an immigrant-led cookbook highlighting Colorado cuisine, to a secret chicken takeout spot and new food pop-ups, here’s what’s happening across Boulder County’s food scene this week. Continue reading…
Boulder County Halloween and Día de los Muertos events 2025: 25 ways to celebrate
From costume contests and Mexican dance to vampire balls and live music, Boulder County is packed with festivities. Continue reading…
A mellow Wednesday and rest of the week
After waking up to a hard freeze this morning, we’ll bounce back with some decent afternoon warmth under sunny skies. Expect highs in the upper 50s around Boulder, just a bit shy of what’s typical for late October, but still pleasant.
Colorado has fallen into a quiet northwest flow pattern, which means calm, cool, and dry weather is here to stay for a while. A weak cold front will drift through tonight, but it’s mostly a non-event. It’ll just nudge temps down a few degrees for Thursday and Friday. But we’ll still manage low to mid-50s both days.
Each night the rest of the week brings a shot at frost or a light freeze. The longer-than-usual 2025 growing season is now behind us.
Finally, Halloween is shaping up beautifully for trick-or-treating — cool and crisp, but dry. Just bundle up a bit and enjoy the fall evening!
Women in Comedy take over the Dairy on Oct. 30 — one night, lots of laughs, 50% off tickets (sponsored)
Thursday, Oct. 30 at the Dairy Arts Center at 7 p.m. Come support Women in Comedy. Join us for 90 minutes of female-centric comedy with Comedy Coven: “Because the patriarchy is scary.” We’re so progressive, we even have one token male comic!
50% off tickets with online promo code: COVEN2025.
The lineup features: Britt Boyd, Christie Buchele, Priscilla Courtney, Sam Shay, Steph Sprenger, Kari Stern and Rebeca Trejo.
Nederland Strong: Benefit block party Saturday to support fire-affected businesses
A free community block party in Nederland this Saturday aims to help businesses and employees recovering from the Caribou Village Fire, which destroyed more than 20 businesses and displaced about 100 workers earlier this month.
The “Nederland Strong Block Party for Revival & Recovery” will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Big Springs Drive, featuring live music, food trucks, beer gardens and family-friendly activities. The Galentines will headline. Tebo Properties and the Town of Nederland are leading the event, with support from local partners. The Community Foundation Boulder County will distribute donations collected at the event to the town for impacted businesses and workers.
Music lineup:
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Queso Ra
• 12 p.m.-1 p.m.: Daft Phish
• 1 p.m.-2 p.m.: Featured speakers
• 2 p.m.-3 p.m.: The Galentines
Organizers say the party is a way to reaffirm community strength and continue recovery efforts in the wake of the fire, which destroyed a central gathering spot for residents and visitors.
How do you get to work? Boulder wants to know
The City of Boulder is asking anyone who works in Boulder to complete the 2025 Boulder Valley Employee Survey, which tracks how people commute and informs future transportation improvements. The online survey, available in English and Spanish, takes about 10 minutes to complete and is open through Dec. 1.
City officials say past survey results have helped guide programs such as shared e-bikes and e-scooters, incentives for clean commuting and EcoPass subsidies. Results from the survey will be published in 2026 and help measure progress toward Boulder’s transportation, mobility and climate goals.
For election-night diehards: What to expect after polls close in Boulder County
Ballot counting in Boulder County does not end on Election Night. For anyone who wants a deeper look at what happens after 7 p.m. on Nov. 5, the Clerk & Recorder’s Office is hosting a short online briefing on Thursday, Oct. 30, at noon. Officials will explain which ballots are counted immediately, which arrive later (such as military and overseas ballots), and how the signature “cure” period works.
The 30-40-minute session will include a Q&A and is open to the public. RSVP by 11 a.m. Thursday to receive the viewing link.
If tracking the count hour-by-hour is not your thing, we will be monitoring results and will keep you updated so you can relax and wait for the news. And if you have not yet voted, our newsroom put together a handy Boulder Election Guide that offers clear reporting on the candidates and ballot measures from journalists who live and work here.
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