Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s edition of BRL Today is sponsored by Sphere Ensemble — check out their latest Women’s Work concert.
We know — there’s been no shortage of gloomy headlines lately. But a new city forecast this week highlights some real financial strain ahead. Sales tax revenue has stalled, federal funds are uncertain and infrastructure costs are climbing just as the city plans major investments. As city council gears up for 2026 budget talks and weighs tax measures for the November ballot, officials say tough trade-offs are coming.
“We are facing a moment in time that is truly difficult,” City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde told the Boulder City Council last night.
We’re also continuing to cover the local impact of federal funding cuts. Many of these stories come from your tips — please keep them coming. We’re tracking what’s happening in real time to better understand how these cuts are reshaping life in our community.
Today, we’re reporting on how the rollback is hitting the arts. Motus Theater just lost $35,000 in NEA funding for its monologue series on youth incarceration. The Boulder premiere is still on — but without new support, much of the statewide tour could be canceled.
Quick note: Some of you noticed Wednesday’s forecast was last week’s. That was an editing error on our part — not BoulderCAST’s, which provides timely, expert forecasts.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Sunshine returns as Boulder heads for the 80s.
- Vacancy tax: Council shelves ballot measure for now.
- Knife threat: Police seek woman accused of menacing schoolchildren.
- NOAA cuts: Agency to stop tracking billion-dollar climate disasters.
- Gross Reservoir risk: Engineer warns of flooding if project halts.
- Laptop fires: BVSD warns families about dangerous viral trend.
- Cold case solved: Boulder authorities ID suspect in 1975 killing.
- Food drive: Stamp Out Hunger returns this Saturday.
- Electrification Expo: EVs, rebates and free ice cream in Superior.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
— the BRL team
Sphere’s 14 string musicians perform our signature blend of music, all written by women. Works by Caroline Shaw, Marion Eugenie Bauer, Lady Gaga, Colorado composer Dianna Link, and more! Saturday May 31 at 7:30 p.m., The Savoy Denver and Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m., Broomfield Auditorium. Tickets and more information at SphereEnsemble.org.
Boulder braces for budget strain as revenue slows and federal funds hang in limbo
City officials warn of tough trade-offs and threats to federal funding ahead of budget talks and possible new taxes on the November ballot. Continue reading…
Federal arts funding cuts hit Boulder’s Motus Theater and its youth incarceration show
The show will still debut in Boulder, but much of the planned tour may be canceled without new funding. Continue reading…
Sunshine returns as Boulder heats up
The soggy weather this week brought nearly two inches of rain to Boulder, but this weekend we’re trading storm clouds for sunny skies.
Temperatures will rise in the days ahead, with today’s high reaching 72, climbing to the upper 70s on Saturday, and breaking into the 80s by Sunday. While a few afternoon storms may develop over the mountains each day, the city is expected to stay mostly dry until sometime next week.
Vacancy tax off the table — for now
Boulder City Council has decided not to pursue a vacancy tax measure for the 2025 ballot, citing concerns it could compete with other proposed taxes. The tax would have targeted underused homes — especially second homes — and could have raised up to $3.4 million annually. Councilmembers said they may revisit the idea in 2026 or explore implementing it as a fee, which wouldn’t require voter approval. City officials estimate up to 4,000 housing units in Boulder may be vacant, though how vacancy would be defined and enforced is still unclear. Read more on BRL.
Police seek woman accused of threatening schoolchildren with knife
Boulder Police are asking for the public’s help locating a woman now wanted on 35 new charges after allegedly threatening a group of teachers and schoolchildren with a knife during a field trip downtown Monday.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. on May 5. Witnesses say the woman came within 10 feet of the group, waved a knife and threatened to kill them. No one was injured.
Police arrested the suspect shortly after the incident and booked her into jail on one count of felony menacing. She was released the following day on a personal recognizance bond after appearing in court.
On Wednesday, prosecutors filed 35 new charges — including 18 counts of felony menacing and 17 counts of misdemeanor child abuse. After the woman failed to appear in court that afternoon, a judge revoked her bond and issued a warrant for her arrest.
NOAA to stop tracking costs of climate disasters
NOAA announced Thursday it will no longer update its long-running dataset that tracks the financial toll of major climate and weather events — including tropical cyclones, floods, wildfires, droughts and heat waves.
The Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, maintained for 45 years, has reflected a growing number of high-cost events. In 2024 alone, there were 27 disasters with damages of at least $1 billion — the second-highest total on record after 28 in 2023. Boulder County residents have felt this trend in the form of rising insurance premiums and extreme events like the Marshall Fire, which caused more than $2 billion in damages.
NOAA said the decision aligns with “evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes.” The agency has also recently halted data collection on hurricane satellite observations, cloud-climate interactions, global ocean currents, average temperatures and precipitation trends, and more.
“Hiding many billions in costs is Trump’s latest move to leave Americans in the dark about climate disasters,” said Maya Golden-Krasner, deputy director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, in a statement to Boulder Reporting Lab. “This short-sighted move goes right along with cuts to crucial weather forecasting and trying to dodge preparation of the legally required National Climate Assessment.”
An archive of past disaster data will remain available online.
Engineer warns of flood risk if Gross Reservoir expansion is halted
A dam engineer warned a federal judge this week that halting construction on the $531 million Gross Reservoir expansion in Boulder County could create flood risks, Fresh Water News reports.
Mike Rogers, who designed the project, said stopping work could lead to dangerous conditions during storms — comparing it to California’s 2017 Oroville Dam failure. A dam safety expert testifying for opponents, however, called the risk “negligible.”
The testimony came as U.S. District Court Judge Christine Arguello weighs whether to pause work while new federal reviews are completed. She has ordered both sides to submit more data later this month before issuing a decision.
In response to Rogers’ testimony, Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann said the project threatens local ecosystems and urged Denver Water to seek alternatives. Denver Water says the expansion is needed to secure future water supplies as climate change reduces streamflows.
BVSD warns families of dangerous viral trend involving school laptops
BVSD is warning families after six recent fires linked to a viral social media trend in which students intentionally damage their district-issued laptops. The behavior involves short-circuiting or puncturing lithium batteries, which can cause fires, explosions and toxic fumes.
Officials are urging parents to talk with students about the dangers and legal consequences of participating. The acts, the district said, violate the student code of conduct and could result in discipline or criminal charges.
Nearly 50 years later, Boulder authorities identify suspect in 1975 gas station killing
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office says it has solved one of the county’s oldest unsolved homicides — the 1975 killing of 20-year-old John Curtis Patterson — using new forensic ballistics technology.
Patterson was fatally stabbed while working at a gas station on North Broadway. Although a suspect, Louis Jess Locicero, was arrested at the time, he was released before charges were filed. He died in 2024.
Recently, investigators used Ballistics IQ — a tool for analyzing shell casings — to match a rifle found in Locicero’s motel room to casings from the scene. Combined with other long-standing evidence, including a knife matching the victim’s wound and Patterson’s fibers and hairs found on Locicero’s belongings, the Boulder County DA’s office now says there would have been enough to charge him with murder and robbery.
Officials say the new evidence brings long-awaited resolution to a case that had remained open for nearly half a century.
Stamp Out Hunger food drive returns this Saturday
Boulder-area residents can help fight hunger this weekend by leaving a bag of non-perishable food next to their mailbox for pickup. The National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is happening Saturday, May 10, marking its 33rd year. You may have already received a green donation bag in the mail — just fill it and leave it by your mailbox. Donations collected by mail carriers will be delivered to local food banks and pantries. Volunteers are also needed at area post offices to help unload food and support logistics throughout the day.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Robert Lindgren at rlindgren@coaflcio.org.
Electrification Expo coming to Superior this Saturday
The 2025 Electrification Expo is happening Saturday, May 10, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Superior Community Center. The free, family-friendly event offers a hands-on look at electric vehicles, renewable energy and home electrification tech and local rebate options — plus free Press Ice Cream, cooking demos, and advice from neighbors and experts.
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