Good Wednesday morning, Boulder, and happy New Year’s Eve.
Leading today’s edition: As 2025 ends, Boulder is looking ahead. In 2026, the city may get a new flag. It won’t be official, but neither is the current one, which most residents have probably never seen. The Museum of Boulder is inviting the public to design an unofficial city flag, hoping the process sparks conversation about Boulder’s past, present and future, and creates a recognizable symbol as the Sundance Film Festival prepares to make Boulder its home. Por Jaijongkit reports.
Also today: Silvia Pettem looks back at the Boulder-Denver Interurban Railroad, a fast, clean transit line that once ran 16 times a day and helped shape the region before cars took over. Read it to believe it. It’s the final Local History story of the year.
And finally: As 2025 wraps up, we’re looking back at the stories that shaped Boulder and the ones you clicked on most. From wildfires and extreme weather to housing, homelessness, climate and public safety, Boulder Reporting Lab was there when it mattered. We also take pride in the quieter work — stories that explain how Boulder works, how it’s changing and who is making the decisions.
This journalism doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of you.
We’ve been moved by the support from readers like you during our year-end campaign. Still, most people who rely on BRL for trusted local news haven’t contributed. That’s because our journalism is free to access, and we intend to keep it that way. When disaster strikes, or when the community simply needs clear, local reporting, everyone deserves access. But free for all means funded by some. We’re grateful for those who step up.
That’s why I’m asking: If you value this work and you’re able, please donate before midnight tonight.
Your year-end gift is tax-deductible and directly funds the reporting that keeps Boulder informed and connected. These are the final hours to give, and your support now could be the reason we enter 2026 stronger than ever.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Mild New Year’s Eve, quiet and spring-like into the weekend.
- CU Boulder: Fernando Lovo named athletic director at $1.2M a year.
- State politics: Sen. Judy Amabile to host virtual town hall Jan. 11.
- Windstorm fallout: Boulder Chamber surveys businesses on outage impacts.
- Urban trees: City urges winter watering during dry stretches.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– Stacy, publisher
What should Boulder’s new flag look like? Museum opens a design contest
The Museum of Boulder is seeking designs for an unofficial city flag, hoping the process itself will spark deeper conversations about heritage and who the community is today. Continue reading…
When electric trains connected Boulder and Denver in under an hour
A look back at the Boulder-Denver Interurban Railroad, the fast electric train line that shaped the region before cars took over. Continue reading…
What Boulder Reporting Lab readers loved — and what mattered most to our newsroom — in 2025
Here are the most-read stories from 2025, along with those our journalists wanted to highlight as we head into the new year. Continue reading…
A mild and uneventful transition into the new year
After that quick splash of winter — both the snow and the cold — Boulder is already warming up as a slow‑moving ridge settles over the Rockies again. We’re headed for another spring‑like afternoon today, with highs right around 60 under partly cloudy skies.
If you’re heading out for New Year’s Eve festivities tonight, just know the warmth won’t last long after sunset. Temperatures will slide into the 40s pretty quickly, and many spots around town will dip into the 30s before midnight. It’s still a mild New Year’s Eve by Boulder standards, but you’ll want an extra layer once the sun goes down.
Today’s temperatures also carry a bit of history with them. Depending on where we land for both the morning low and the afternoon high, Boulder could clinch its warmest December on record. More likely, we’ll end up in second or third place — still chasing the famously toasty December of 1957.
New Year’s Day looks calm and mild as well. A blanket of thicker cloud cover will keep highs in the 50s, while the High Country picks up some light snow — just a few inches on the tallest peaks.
Looking farther out, there’s not much excitement on the horizon. Boulder stays dry and mild straight through the weekend and into early next week. The one thing to keep an eye on will be the winds — those could ramp up again Sunday and/or Monday, bringing a bump in fire danger.
CU Boulder names Fernando Lovo as next athletic director
CU Boulder has named Fernando Lovo as its next athletic director, effective Jan. 1, 2026, following a unanimous vote by the CU Board of Regents. He will succeed Rick George, who is transitioning into an athletic director emeritus role.
Lovo will receive a five-year contract worth $1.2 million annually, totaling $6 million. The deal includes performance-based incentives.
He comes to CU from the University of New Mexico, where he has served as vice president and director of athletics since December 2024. During his tenure, UNM posted strong athletic and academic results and reported a significant increase in athletic department revenue.
Before New Mexico, Lovo held senior athletics leadership roles at the University of Texas at Austin and previously worked in football operations at the University of Florida, Ohio State University and the University of Houston. He also served as chief of staff for football at Texas and held the same position with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to Texas as a senior associate athletic director.
Lovo will be formally introduced at a press conference on Jan. 5, 2026.
Sen. Judy Amabile to host virtual town hall Jan. 11
State Sen. Judy Amabile will hold a virtual town hall on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 4 to 5 p.m. to discuss the upcoming 2026 Colorado General Assembly legislative session. The Zoom event will focus on issues including the state budget crisis, health insurance affordability, human rights and immigration, economic fairness, youth justice reforms, privacy concerns and more.
Residents of Senate District 18 — which includes Boulder, Louisville, Gunbarrel, Niwot and Superior — are encouraged to bring questions and ideas.
Registration is required to attend. Register here for the Zoom link.
Boulder Chamber seeks feedback on windstorm business impacts
Following last week’s extreme wind events and related power outages, the Boulder Chamber is asking local businesses to complete a short survey about how the disruptions affected operations and workers.
The responses will help city and business leaders better prepare for future weather-related emergencies, inform infrastructure planning and guide resource allocation.
Business owners and managers are encouraged to fill out the survey. The state Public Utilities Commission is also asking customers for feedback.
Dry winter, thirsty trees: Boulder urges residents to water through the cold months
Dry, windy winter conditions are putting Boulder’s urban trees at risk, and city foresters are urging residents to water during warm stretches to prevent long-term damage that may not appear until spring.
Trees most vulnerable include newly planted trees, evergreens such as pine and spruce, and shallow-rooted species like maples, poplars and lindens. Stress from winter drought can lead to branch dieback, yellowing leaves, reduced growth or even tree death, and can make trees more susceptible to pests such as the Ips beetle.
The city recommends watering once or twice a month when temperatures are above 40 degrees and the ground is not frozen, using a slow, deep soak at the tree’s dripline. Residents should keep irrigation systems off to avoid freeze damage, shovel clean snow toward trees when possible, minimize deicer use, and apply mulch to help retain soil moisture. Free mulch is available at the city’s mulch pile on Pearl Parkway.
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