Good Friday morning, Boulder.
Leading today’s edition: Food insecurity is worsening across Boulder County. The county’s largest family resource centers — EFAA, Sister Carmen and OUR Center — say demand for food assistance continues to rise and will grow even more as new federal restrictions on food aid take effect.
The groups told county commissioners this week they’ll distribute more than 4 million pounds of food this year, even before the latest cuts to SNAP, which could drive demand up another 20% to 25%. Rising rents and living costs are pushing more families to food banks for basic needs. It’s no longer “temporary help,” said Sister Carmen’s Suzanne Crawford. “This is not sustainable.” Brooke Stephenson reports.
What can the community do? EFAA has asked the city for additional funding, and all the organizations are calling for greater local support. We’ll have more on that soon.
Also today: A new dojo inside the Boulder JCC is bringing one of the world’s most demanding martial arts — Kyokushin karate — to Boulder for the first time, McKenzie Watson-Fore reports. The program is led by Alexandra Karnasopoulos, one of fewer than 15 female shihans worldwide, who launched Kyokushin Karate Colorado to teach kids ages 5-12 discipline, focus and confidence through full-contact training rooted in Japanese tradition.
Plus much more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: A picture-perfect fall weekend in Boulder.
- Folk night: The Milk Carton Kids play Boulder Theater Oct. 19. (sponsored)
- Bald Mountain fire: Quickly contained, no damage.
- Nederland fire: Investigators say no evidence blaze was intentionally set.
- Mental health tax: Council backs county ballot measure.
- Waterwise: Council requests changes for landscaping overhaul.
- No Kings: Nationwide rally comes to Boulder this weekend.
- Weekend rush: Downtown Boulder gears up for big crowds.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
I am running for a third term on Boulder’s City Council. I have brought a steady, pragmatic voice to Council and have been a moderate, focused on work that will directly impact the people of Boulder. I do not shy away from tough issues or difficult votes. I am focused on public safety, sound financial management and an aggressive approach to wildfire resilience. My approach is always practical and results-driven in order to move Boulder forward.
‘This is not sustainable’: Boulder food banks see rising demand even before federal cuts take full effect
Local family resource centers say they’re already over capacity as new federal restrictions on food aid loom. Continue reading…
Kyokushin karate dojo opens at Boulder JCC, led by world-ranked instructor
Alexandra Karnasopoulos, one of the few female shihans worldwide, launches Kyokushin Karate Colorado with youth classes in Boulder. Continue reading…
A sunny, mild and occasionally breezy fall weekend
We’re settling into a quiet stretch of weather this weekend, perfect for getting out and about to enjoy the fall colors which are now peaking across the Boulder area.
Expect mostly sunny skies and highs in the 60s Friday and Saturday, with occasional breezes adding a crisp feel to the air. A ridge of high pressure will build over the Rockies this weekend, bringing a brief warm-up. Sunday looks especially pleasant with highs warming into the 70s.
Overnight lows will generally be around 40 degrees, with isolated frost possible some nights, especially in the low-lying northeast part of Boulder County. Looking ahead to Monday, another storm system will brush the region. While most weather models keep it too far north for significant impacts here, some do hint at a slight chance of showers returning and maybe even a snowflake or two. More so than any snow, though, our first widespread frost of the season is looking increasingly likely for Monday night.
The Milk Carton Kids in Boulder on Sunday, Oct. 19 (sponsored)
Enjoy a night of folk music at the historic Boulder Theater as The Milk Carton Kids bring their Sad Songs for the Off Season tour to town on Oct. 19. Singer-songwriter Michaela Anne opens the show. Don’t miss it!
Small wildland fire near Bald Mountain quickly extinguished
A small wildland fire burned about a quarter-acre south of Bald Mountain Thursday evening before being quickly contained, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. Crews from Sugarloaf and Nederland fire districts, Boulder Fire-Rescue and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7 p.m. No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation by the U.S. Forest Service.
Investigators say Nederland fire not believed to be intentionally set
Investigators say there’s no credible evidence that the massive fire that destroyed much of Nederland’s Caribou Village Shopping Center last week was intentionally set. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday the investigation, which also involves the ATF, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and state fire officials, is ongoing as evidence undergoes lab testing.
The blaze destroyed nearly 20 businesses — including The Very Nice Brewing Co., Dam Liquor, Wild Bear Nature Center and the sheriff’s office substation. The total damage estimate is still being assessed.
Officials said they’ve reviewed surveillance video, interviewed witnesses and excavated the scene to collect evidence. “Investigators are applying the scientific method to interpret findings from the scene in conjunction with all other information collected throughout the investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.
A final determination on the cause is expected once laboratory analysis is complete. Additional updates will be released once lab results are available, which may take several weeks. Meanwhile, the Carousel of Happiness has reopened, offering a small but meaningful lift for the community as recovery begins.
City council backs county mental health tax measure
Councilmembers on Thursday voted to endorse a Boulder County ballot measure that would create a 0.15% sales tax to fund mental health and addiction services. If approved by voters, the tax is expected to generate about $13.8 million annually starting in 2026. The money would support prevention and crisis response programs, addiction treatment and recovery services, resource navigation efforts and grants for community providers.
The proposal, known as Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B, includes a three-year sunset clause, meaning voters would need to reauthorize it in 2028.
County officials have said the measure is needed as federal pandemic relief money winds down, threatening programs such as the county’s mental health navigation service and its non-police crisis response team. Councilmembers largely agree on the need for more regional funding, though some have previously questioned how the county will allocate the money and whether it will achieve meaningful results. Check out BRL’s full election guide for more.
Council seeks tweaks to city’s new waterwise landscaping rules
Boulder City Council on Thursday asked staff to revise proposed changes to the city’s landscaping code, its first major update in more than two decades, aimed at conserving water and improving wildfire resilience. Council will revisit the proposal on Dec. 18.
The new rules, which we covered earlier this week, would ban lawn watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., when most irrigation water evaporates, with exceptions. The ordinance also limits decorative or “non-functional” turf in new developments — the narrow strips of grass along sidewalks or in parking lots — while keeping it in places where people actually use it, like parks, sports fields and dog runs. It promotes drought-tolerant, fire-resistant plants such as sulphur buckwheat, western yarrow and blue flax, and restricts high-water species like Kentucky bluegrass in most new projects.
Council requested several revisions, including removing a three-foot height limit on urban agriculture, preserving tree cover requirements for remodels, eliminating landscape architect requirements and allowing more flexibility in rock mulch use, among others. Some councilmembers said the draft rules felt overly restrictive. Read more on BRL.
‘No Kings 2’ rally tomorrow at Boulder Bandshell
A rally organized by Forever Indivisible Boulder will take place at the Boulder Bandshell on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., as part of a nationwide day of action known as “No Kings 2.”
The local event will include a rally from 3:30 to 4 p.m., followed by a “honk and wave” along Broadway from Canyon Boulevard north to Pearl Street. Organizers say the demonstration is one of more than 2,500 being held across the country, including about 70 in Colorado, to protest what they describe as threats to democracy and the concentration of power in the federal government.
The Boulder chapter of Indivisible, which formed in 2017 and has about 200 members, says the event aims to help residents stay engaged in civic action between major protests.
Other protests are planned across Boulder County:
- Lyons: 12-2 p.m. at Third and Main streets
- Erie: 3-5 p.m. at East County Line Road and Erie Parkway
- Lafayette: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at U.S. 287 and West South Boulder Road
- Longmont: 1-3 p.m. at Roosevelt Park
- Louisville: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at McCaslin Boulevard and Dillon Road
A busy weekend ahead for downtown Boulder
In addition to Saturday’s No Kings 2 rally at the Bandshell, downtown Boulder will be bustling all weekend with events expected to draw thousands. The Downtown Boulder Partnership is hosting World Singing Day, a 10th-anniversary community sing-along from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday on the 1300 block of the Pearl Street Mall.
Other happenings include the Roots Music Fest, running Friday through Sunday with live performances across downtown (and a closure of 16th Street north of Pearl), and DJ John Summit’s concert at Folsom Field on Saturday evening.
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