It’s Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024.
Welcome to Wednesday, Boulder.
Before diving into today’s news, I want to thank you. At the end of August, we set an ambitious goal: 100 readers becoming monthly donors in 10 days. Here’s what happened:
Nearly 200 of you stepped up with monthly donations, one-time contributions and even increased support! Two-thirds were first-time donors, and over 30 opted for monthly contributions. We closed the campaign with more than $18,000, unlocking an additional $5,000 from a generous local couple.
This support fuels our mission to provide the information you need to thrive in Boulder and hold local governments accountable. It helps us create space for meaningful conversations about what truly matters.
Thanks to your ongoing support, we’re thrilled to introduce our newest reporter, Brooke Stephenson. Get to know her below. She’s already teamed up with John Herrick to break down the City of Boulder’s proposed budget for those seeking key highlights. You’ll be seeing more of her in these newsletters. Plus, get the latest on Boulder’s camping ban lawsuit, and check out week three coverage of the King Soopers trial below — more incredible dispatches from Jenna Sampson you won’t find anywhere else.
— Stacy, publisher
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Featured stories
Revenue strains and infrastructure investments: 6 key takeaways from Boulder’s proposed 2025 budget
With rising costs to run the city and key revenue sources dwindling, the city manager is recommending a budget that is ‘leaner than in previous years.’ Continue reading…
Brooke Stephenson joins Boulder Reporting Lab as newest reporter
Stephenson, who previously worked at local newsroom Cardinal News and ProPublica, shares her passion for nonprofit journalism and why she was drawn to Boulder Reporting Lab’s commitment to delivering community-focused news. Continue reading…
Updates from the King Soopers mass shooting trial in Boulder, Week 3: Officers relive chaos as bodycam footage and testimonies reveal harrowing moments and heroism
Emotional testimony and video footage revealed the devastating speed and impact of the attack, which killed 10 people and left the Boulder community devastated. Continue reading…
Boulder Reporting Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization that empowers our community through non-partisan, locally focused journalism that informs and connects.
In other news
Fire watch on Thursday
Partly sunny today with highs in the low 80s — until those afternoon storms roll in with a 40% chance of rain and winds up to 15 mph. Thursday cranks up the heat and winds, with a Fire Weather Watch from noon to 8 p.m.
Social media threats spark investigation, but no credible danger to Boulder schools
Unfounded social media posts threatening violence at high schools across Colorado have circulated this week. Boulder police confirmed there is no credible threat to any Boulder schools, but authorities are investigating the source of the rumors. “Despite having no credible information, we will increase patrols around schools in the City of Boulder,” the department said. They are also urging the community to “stop inundating our dispatch with calls about this.”
Last year, Boulder High School went into lockdown due to a false report of an active shooter, part of a wave of “swatting” calls targeting schools across Colorado.
Boulder city manager condemns racist incident at ribbon-cutting
Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde condemned a Sept. 6 incident in which a man disrupted a Chinese restaurant’s ribbon-cutting and assaulted Boulder City Councilmember Tara Winer after she confronted him for shouting slurs about Asian people. Winer, who tried to photograph the man to report a hate crime, said she was punched in the face and suffered bruised ribs and other injuries but did not go to the hospital. Two others were also allegedly attacked.
“The City of Boulder denounces racism in all forms. Hate has no place in our community,” Rivera-Vandermyde said, reaffirming support for Boulder’s Asian American community and stating that racism and xenophobia “must come to an end.”
“We cannot – and should not – remain silent when we witness hatred, whether it is xenophobia against the AAPI community or increased instances of Islamophobia and antisemitism,” Rivera-Vandermyde continued, calling on the community to stand against all forms of racism.
The suspect faces felony menacing and assault charges, with potential bias-motivated charges under review.
Civil rights attorneys are making what could be their final plea to halt enforcement of Boulder’s camping ban
Attorneys challenging Boulder’s camping ban argue that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which upheld cities’ rights to ticket homeless people for sleeping in public spaces, should not apply to their case before the Boulder County District Court.
A key issue in the case is whether the local court should apply the ruling from the nation’s highest court, which the City of Boulder believes it should. The plaintiffs disagree, in a new motion filed last week.
The ACLU of Colorado filed the lawsuit in May 2022 on behalf of several homeless residents and the nonprofit Feet Forward. The suit claims Boulder violated the Colorado Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment by ticketing homeless individuals who had no choice but to sleep in public spaces.
In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a similar case from Grants Pass, Oregon, that camping bans do not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment under the U.S. Constitution. Boulder recently sought to dismiss the lawsuit, citing that decision, as the language around cruel and unusual punishment is identical in both the U.S. and Colorado constitutions.
However, the plaintiffs, in a new motion, asked the Boulder County District Court to disregard the Grants Pass ruling. They argue that the Colorado Supreme Court has historically interpreted similar provisions in the state constitution as offering broader civil rights protections than the U.S. Constitution. Read more on BRL.
Boulder wants to help property owners repurpose vacant downtown office spaces
Boulder has launched the Affordable Commercial Grant Pilot Program to help small businesses secure affordable commercial space and address the city’s 30% office vacancy rate, which spiked during and after the Covid pandemic due to the shift to remote work. The vacancy has impacted local restaurants and sales tax revenue.
The $850,000 program offers grants of up to $300,000, with additional funding available for projects in the city’s Central Area General Improvement District (CAGID), the core of downtown Boulder. Property owners and managers can apply to repurpose vacant or underused spaces for retail, office or industrial use at below-market rates. Grant funds can be used for capital projects or rent subsidies, with the condition that spaces are leased affordably.
“This program opens doors for small businesses to thrive and helps property owners fill their spaces with new, innovative ideas,” said City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde.
Applications are open from Sept. 9 to Oct. 7, 2024, with decisions expected by Oct. 25. The program is partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Earlier this year, the Boulder City Council updated city code to reduce the time it takes for small businesses to get certain development applications approved. The goal was to eliminate bureaucratic delays that have cost small businesses unnecessary time and money for minor or straightforward projects. The changes followed complaints from business owners about long wait times for simple renovations.
Frasca keeps its Michelin star for second year
The Michelin Guide Colorado has returned for its second year, with Frasca Food and Wine on East Pearl retaining its one-star rating. Another new one-star winner, Alma Fonda Fina in Denver, has a Boulder connection through Chef Johnny Curiel, who also owns Cozobi Fonda Fina in downtown Boulder on Walnut Street, a new Mexican eatery in the space briefly occupied by Masas & Agaves. In last year’s inaugural guide, several Boulder restaurants were recognized.
County releases designs for Diagonal Highway bikeway overpass
Boulder County hosted an open house last night to gather public input on designs for a bikeway overpass on 63rd St. along CO 119, or the Diagonal Highway. The county is also conducting this survey to collect feedback on the three design options — Colorado Historic, Rustic/Earthy, and Front Range Modern — which differ primarily in aesthetics. The concrete bikeway project, planned for the median between Boulder and Longmont, aims to improve cyclist safety on the highway. The project gained urgency after 17-year-old Magnus White was tragically killed on the highway last summer.
Big curling events coming to Lafayette’s Rock Creek Curling
Are you a curling fan in Boulder County? Lafayette’s Rock Creek Curling, one of the top spots for curling — a sport where players slide stones on ice toward a target — is hosting some exciting events soon. First up is the Everest North American Curling Club Championships on Sept. 16 and 17 at 6 p.m. Tickets are still available, with one night for the women’s championship and the other for the men’s. The event will air on CBS in the U.S. Next February, the venue will also host the Olympic trials.
Explore ALL upcoming events in Boulder. If you have something to promote, use the self-submission form on our events page, for free.