Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Enjoy what may be one of the last true tastes of summer this year.

Leading today’s edition: Boulder County may hit pause on planned minimum wage hikes after hearing from farmers and small business owners who say rising labor costs could force closures. Worker advocates urged commissioners to hold firm, arguing current wages still fall far below what it takes to live in Boulder County. Commissioners will revisit the issue next week. Brooke Stephenson has the story.

In this week’s Nibbles: Lafayette’s “cheesecake whisperer” Cherry Shuler has built a devoted following with 160 flavors, and just as many hugs. BRL food editor John Lehndorff visits her bakery, Cherry’s Cheesecakes & Delights, to taste the magic behind her Southern-inspired sweets. He also heads to Coal Creek Canyon for chile rellenos and cherry pie at Wondervu Café, spotlights local brewery wins at the Great American Beer Festival, and rounds up the latest restaurant openings, closings and farm-stand finds across Boulder County.

And in BRL Opinion: Columnist Brian Keegan continues his Charting Boulder series with a data-driven look at how shifting demographics are reshaping local schools. BVSD enrollment has dropped sharply since 2017 and could fall another 30% by 2035 as fewer school-age children and an aging population transform Boulder.

More, Below the Fold, including a Nederland fire update:

  • BoulderCAST: Near 80 and a shot at rare October thunder.
  • Nederland rebuilds: Town finding space for displaced businesses.
  • Pearl Street jam: 180 bands, 15 stages, one giant weekend.
  • Burn notice: Fall prescribed fires planned across Boulder County.
  • Stories woven: San Lazaro community comes to life in bilingual textile exhibit.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

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Rob Kaplan is a Dad, former Firefighter and Captain, Founder of Pro Peloton Bike Shop, and an active Parks and Recreation Board Member. After years of service protecting the community as a Firefighter, he brings critical insight and experience in helping mitigate wildfires in Boulder. With experience as a small business owner and Board Member, Rob works to strengthen community spaces and support families while ensuring Boulder is prepared for the challenges ahead.

Boulder County considers slowing minimum wage increases

Farmers and Niwot business owners say current pay hikes could force closures. Worker advocates argue wages still fall far below a living wage in Boulder County. Continue reading…

Nibbles: Meet Lafayette’s ‘cheesecake whisperer’ serving 160 flavors and plenty of hugs

Also this week: Wondervu Café’s mountain-view comfort food, brewery medals, restaurant updates and where to find the freshest fall produce. Continue reading…

Brian Keegan: Boulder’s next political divide is generational — and already visible in school enrollment trends

What do demographic shifts and past policies mean for Boulder’s schools, and its civic future, over the next 25 years? Continue reading…

Summer in October? Near 80 with a rare late-season t-storm chance

A broad storm system is swirling just west of Colorado, pulling in a surge of moisture and warm air ahead of it. That combo will set the stage for widely scattered thunderstorms later on, a rare treat (or trick?) for mid-October.

Morning sun will give way to towering cumulus by late afternoon or early evening, with a 10-20% chance of a fast-moving storm. If one pops over your neighborhood, expect gusty winds, brief downpours, and maybe some small hail. Temperatures will feel like summer in the upper 70s.

Tonight, the big storm system edges closer and sends a cold front sweeping through the area. Spotty rain showers may develop overnight and linger into Thursday, but coverage looks limited around Boulder. The Mountains north of I-70 will catch some light snow.

Highs dip into the lower 60s for Thursday and Friday, with nights dropping close to 40 degrees.

— BoulderCAST

Displaced Nederland businesses to relocate to vacant Black Forest Inn

The Town of Nederland declared a local disaster emergency on Oct. 9 after a fire swept through the Caribou Village shopping center, destroying about 20 businesses and a longtime community hub. The town’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to extend the declaration.

Under the emergency status, Nederland can access emergency funding and request county, state and federal assistance. The board also approved an emergency authorization ordinance, which formalizes town procedures during emergencies.

Ben Myers, representing Tebo Properties, the owner of the Caribou Village building, said the company plans to host a fundraising event at the Black Forest Inn on Oct. 25. Proceeds will benefit impacted businesses, their employees and first responders. Myers also said the company aims to rebuild quickly. The Black Forest Inn’s construction manager hopes to prepare the building so displaced tenants can temporarily relocate and reopen, Myers said. The building has been vacant for five years and offers about 12,000 square feet of space.

Nederland staff are assisting affected businesses with relocation efforts. The sheriff’s office substation has already moved, and town staff are expediting the assessment of the Nederland Community Center’s west wing to determine if it can be used. Read more on BRL.

Boulder Roots Music Fest to debut with 180 bands across 15 Pearl Street stages

A new three-day music festival will take over downtown Boulder this weekend, bringing hundreds of local and national acts to venues up and down Pearl Street.

The Boulder Roots Music Fest, running Oct. 17-19, will feature 180 bands and more than 750 artists performing on 15 stages, including the Boulder Theater, eTown Hall, Mountain Sun, Trident Bookstore, Paradise Found Records and several other downtown spots. Two outdoor stages will also be set up near the Pearl Street Mall and 16th Street.

Headliners include Yonder Mountain String Band, North Mississippi Allstars, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Andy Frasco and the U.N., alongside dozens of Colorado-based artists.

Organizers say the event will combine music with wellness activities, dance and youth performances, and partnerships with local groups such as World Singing Day, Parlando and School of Rock. The festival is being produced by Bear Roots, a nonprofit formed by the Roots Music Project and Caruso Ventures, and will stream live on KGNU Radio. More details and tickets are available at BoulderRootsMusicFest.org.

Heads up: Prescribed burns planned across Boulder and Boulder County

City of Boulder: Between mid-October and mid-November, weather permitting, the city will conduct prescribed burns on open space south of Eldorado Springs Drive and west of 93rd Street. Smoke may be visible, but residents are asked not to call 911. The burns aim to reduce wildfire risk, restore ecosystems and control invasive plants. Learn more or sign up for alerts at bouldercolorado.gov/PrescribedBurn.

Boulder County: Parks & Open Space and the Sheriff’s Office Fire Management Program will also carry out prescribed burns through April 15, depending on conditions such as humidity, wind, and fuel moisture. Temporary closures may occur with at least 24 hours’ notice.

  • Forest burns: Hall Ranch (west of Lyons), Oct. 13–Dec. 20.
  • Slash pile burns: Hall Ranch, Overland (northwest of Jamestown), Riverside Ranch (south of Ralph Price Reservoir), Reynolds Ranch (southeast of Nederland) and Sherwood Gulch (north of Nederland).
  • Agriculture and ditch burns: Locations in Superior, Longmont, Lafayette, Erie and Hygiene.

Smoke or flames may be visible for several days after burns. Projects will be monitored until fully out. For updates, closures and notifications, visit boco.org/PrescribedBurns.

Bilingual, tactile San Lazaro story exhibit on display at Boulder Public Library

“Making Homelands: Tufting San Lazaro Lifeways / Construyendo el Lugar de Origen: Tejiendo los Modos de Vida de San Lazaro” is a bilingual, immersive exhibition on display at the Boulder Public Library’s Arapahoe Ramp. The exhibition is free and open to the public during library hours through Oct. 29.

The project was created by CU Boulder Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow Sophie Weston Chien in collaboration with families from San Lazaro Mobile Home Park. It was produced with CU Boulder’s Community Engagement, Design and Research Center (CEDaR) and EcoArts Connections.

One side of the exhibit displays rugs telling the story of each family, with symbols for homelands, transportation and memory. Interwoven with immigrant stories are current climates and future projections. The other side of the exhibit presents a textile map of San Lazaro tracing neighborly connections and temperature ranges within the park. Manufactured home communities, where many homes were built before modern insulation standards, are especially vulnerable to climate extremes. The San Lazaro community also sits beside a high-hazard flood zone, according to city maps.

We recently covered San Lazaro’s ongoing water challenges, a decadeslong struggle with undrinkable water and new PFAS contamination that residents and local groups are addressing with natural treatments like solar aeration and biochar.

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