Good morning, Boulder. We hope your day is off to a great start.
Leading today:
Former EPA Region 8 administrator and Boulder resident KC Becker spoke with John Herrick about her final push to secure environmental policies — on air pollution, renewable energy and scientific integrity — before stepping down the day Trump took office. Her goal: making them harder to reverse. The former Colorado House speaker and Boulder City Councilmember also shares what concerns her most about the administration’s actions.
Below the Fold:
We’re highlighting reporting from our colleagues statewide on how Trump’s policies are affecting immigration services, education and more. Plus:
- Decision made on Grove charter school proposal
- Sundance incentives proposed
- Police investigating bomb threat at Pearl Street restaurant
- Slash pile burn scheduled at Hall Ranch to reduce wildfire risk
- Medicaid system outage caused more confusion
- Legal aid nonprofit ordered to stop services for immigrants
- Arrest made in bias-motivated gun threat
- Federal probe into all-gender restroom conversion
- Parks & Open Space opens applications for 2025 funding
We’ll see you Friday — thanks for reading.
– the BRL team
Boulder’s KC Becker departs EPA as Trump upends environmental priorities
Before stepping down, Becker said she finalized agreements addressing air pollution, implemented a policy on scientific integrity and secured funding for renewable energy and emissions reduction projects. Continue reading…
Mild midweek with a chance of light snow
Wednesday will be mostly sunny with a high of 45. A 30% chance of light snow moves in late, but don’t expect much accumulation. Thursday starts cloudy with a chance of morning snow, then clears up by the afternoon with a high near 50.
By Friday, it’s back to sunshine and a high near 54 — warming up just in time for the weekend.
BVSD board rejects proposed Grove Elementary charter school
The Boulder Valley School Board voted last night to reject Grove Elementary, a proposed charter school focused on inclusivity for neurodiverse and special education students. Read the resolution explaining the decision here.
The school, an offshoot of Bal Swan preschool in Broomfield, sought to provide specialized support for students, including those with complex needs, by incorporating its inclusive philosophy into a publicly funded elementary school. Board members expressed support for the school’s mission but raised concerns about its reliance on paraprofessionals, its funding model for special education services, and its potential impact on BVSD’s already-declining enrollment.
“I know that we have a large community of parents of neurodiverse kids who are interested in innovation, interested in different approaches, and that we as a district should figure out a way to do that,” said BVSD board member Alex Medler.
“It’s kind of with a heavy heart that I would also agree with the resolution to deny the application now,” said BVSD board member Kitty Sergent.
Grove would have been the first charter school approved in the district since 2002. Read our previous coverage here. Read on BRL.
Lawmakers propose $34M tax credits to bring Sundance to Boulder
The Sundance Institute announced in September 2024 that Boulder is one of three finalists to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027 for a 10-year run. The other contenders are Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The festival is currently held in Utah.
Proposed House Bill 1005 would provide a $34 million tax incentive to attract the festival, which draws over 100,000 attendees annually, including at least 10,000 out-of-state and international visitors. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Judy Amabile of Boulder, is set for its first hearing today, Jan. 29, in the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee.
The legislation is part of a broader push by state and local partners to bring the festival to the city. Supporters argue that hosting Sundance would boost winter tourism, stimulate the economy and create local jobs.
Police seek tips after bomb threat at Pearl Street restaurant
Boulder police are still seeking information about a bomb threat made by phone to The Kitchen restaurant at 1039 Pearl Street last Thursday morning. The restaurant is co-owned by Kimbal Musk and chef Hugo Matheson. Authorities were notified around 10:30 a.m. and temporarily closed nearby streets as a precaution during the investigation. No threat was found, and the case remains open.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Fue Her at 303-441-1829 or HerF@bouldercolorado.gov, referencing case 25-00650.
Slash pile burn at Hall Ranch scheduled for today
Boulder County’s Fire Management Program will conduct another slash pile burn at Hall Ranch, west of Lyons, today, Jan. 29, continuing work from last weekend. Trails and property will remain open, with no planned closures.
The burn will only proceed if there is sufficient snow cover for safety and no air pollution advisories in effect. Controlled burns help reduce excess forest debris and lower the risk of future wildfires.
Smoke and flames may be visible for up to 72 hours, and heavy smoke is possible in the area. Don’t call 911.
Medicaid system outage adds to confusion
Yesterday, the online portal that manages federal Medicaid funding for states went down nationwide, temporarily disrupting payments the federal government owes Medicaid programs for over 70 million low-income patients. The outage followed a Trump administration order to pause all federal grants, loans and financial aid starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. EST, raising concerns among state and local governments and nonprofits that depend on federal funding.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the funding freeze until Monday, Feb. 3, but uncertainty remains.
“The administration’s broad freeze on federal funding is unprecedented, harmful, and dangerous,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser wrote on X. He said he would join other state attorneys general in suing over the move. “A range of programs across Colorado depend on this funding to support our families and communities. This wrongful action promises to harm them.”
The Trump administration has insisted that programs providing direct assistance, including Medicaid, would not be affected.
Any disruptions to Medicaid could worsen existing challenges in Boulder County.
Even before this week, Medicaid system issues were causing Boulder-area residents to lose coverage. Thousands of patients were dropped when required to re-enroll between 2023 and 2024, according to Simon Smith, CEO of Clinica, a Boulder-based community health center. In November, Smith told BRL that 70% of those who lost coverage remained uninsured, pushing Clinica’s Medicaid and uninsured patient mix to levels not seen in nearly a decade.
The impact of the Medicaid outage on the state and the future of local programs reliant on federal funding remain unclear.
Colorado immigrant legal aid nonprofit ordered to halt operations
The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), Colorado’s largest provider of legal aid to immigrants, has been ordered to suspend operations after its funder, Acacia Center for Justice, received a “stop work order” from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Colorado Sun reported. The order, tied to President Trump’s executive order “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” affects legal services inside Aurora’s ICE detention center and Denver immigration court.
RMIAN said the halt silences immigrants’ ability to defend their rights while intensifying enforcement and detention measures. More than 85% of immigrants in Colorado facing deportation lack legal representation. Immigrant rights groups plan to challenge the order in court.
Man arrested in bias-motivated crime in Boulder
Boulder police have arrested a man accused of threatening two Latino men at gunpoint in a bias-motivated crime.
Officers responded to a gas station on 30th Street around 9 p.m. on Jan. 27, where the victims reported a stranger pointed a gun at them while making comments about their ethnicity. Investigators identified the suspect and arrested him the next day at a nearby grocery store.
The man was booked on four counts of bias-motivated crimes and four counts of felony menacing. Police say he was previously arrested on New Year’s Day for discharging a firearm.
Chief Stephen Redfearn condemned the incident, stating, “We will not tolerate this type of behavior in our community.”
Federal investigation launched over all-gender restroom at Denver’s East High
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating Denver Public Schools (DPS) after East High School, Denver’s largest high school, converted a girls’ restroom into an all-gender restroom, Chalkbeat reported.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor claimed the move may violate female students’ civil rights. “OCR will not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” Trainor said, directing an investigation.
DPS spokesperson Scott Pribble said the change was made to address students needing to use the bathroom during passing periods, adding that girls’ restrooms were easier to convert due to existing stalls that everyone can use.
East High announced the change earlier this month. DPS has no current policy mandating all-gender restrooms. The district has not yet responded to the investigation.
Parks & Open Space Foundation accepting applications for 2025 funding
The Boulder County Parks & Open Space Foundation is now accepting applications for 2025 project funding. Applications are due by March 19.
The foundation supports innovative projects, those needing seed funding or filling funding gaps, and initiatives benefiting historically marginalized communities. Collaborative projects with other organizations are also encouraged.
Last year’s funded projects included an ADA-accessible garden plot, food justice programs and cultural preservation efforts.
To apply, submit the application form and required budget spreadsheet to ParksFoundationInfo@bouldercounty.gov. Funding decisions will be announced in mid-April.
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