Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Boulder Bookstore’s February Reading Retreat — a weekend of book clubs, mountain time, author talks, performances and good food, happening Feb. 27-March 1.
Leading today’s edition: A BRL exclusive from Brooke Stephenson. New rules under the Trump administration cap international graduate students and postdocs at NIST’s Boulder campus to three years, a change scientists say could force hundreds of researchers out. Because Boulder hosts one of NIST’s two main campuses and plays a central role in quantum and advanced measurement research, scientists warn the policy could disrupt federally funded work and hit the local science community especially hard.
Also today: Boulder City Council voted to keep the door open on expanding into the 493-acre Area III Planning Reserve northeast of the city, a long-debated move that could eventually allow up to 8,700 new homes. The step sends the decision back to the Planning Board and keeps alive a complex, yearslong process.
Why it matters: It’s one of Boulder’s largest remaining opportunities to address its housing shortage, but it could also cost up to $1 billion in infrastructure and reshape the city’s growth for decades. John Herrick and Brooke Stephenson report.
Finally: Just ahead of Valentine’s Day, Boulder’s first romance-only bookstore is now open near Pearl Street. Sugar and Spice Books is the first of its kind in the city — and the first in Northern Colorado — tapping into the genre’s explosive, BookTok-fueled growth. McKenzie Watson-Fore reports.
Plus much more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Light rain tonight, sun and 60s this weekend.
- Fire: Canfield Street blaze ruled arson; suspect arrested.
- Water notice: Northeast Boulder may notice taste change.
- NCAR: NSF shifts Wyoming supercomputing center to third party.
- In schools: BVSD bans ChatGPT; CU invests $2M in access.
- Community forum: Bilingual Know Your Rights event in Longmont.
- Holiday guide: What’s open and closed Monday.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Do you love reading, bookclubs, the mountains, meeting authors, and food? Join us for a Reading Retreat this February at Chautauqua! The weekend will feature book club conversations with Laura Pritchett and Ramona Ausubel, performances by Stories on Stage, an afternoon at Boulder Bookstore with publisher reps and booksellers, a live taping of the Radio Book Club featuring Thea Weiss, and dinner at Dushanbe Tea House. Find out more info and purchase tickets here.
At Boulder’s NIST, three-year cap on international early-career researchers sparks fears of a scientific exodus
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology say the new policy will push out hundreds of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, weakening a cornerstone of U.S. research. Continue reading…
Boulder City Council advances study of Area III expansion that could eventually add 8,700 homes
The vote keeps alive consideration of expanding into the 493-acre planning reserve northeast of the city, a move supporters say could help address Boulder’s housing shortage. Continue reading…
Boulder gets its first romance-only bookstore as Sugar and Spice Books opens near Pearl Street
The new shop is the first romance-only bookstore in Northern Colorado, reflecting the genre’s explosive growth and BookTok-driven popularity. Continue reading…
Light rain this evening ahead of a mild, sunny weekend
Today is basically the last gasp of this slow‑moving western storm before it finally pulls away from Colorado this weekend. The mountains have cashed in with some solid snow over the last few days, but here in Boulder we’ve only managed a few sprinkles or flurries.
As the core of the system swings through later today, we should have a decent shot at some light, widespread rain this evening. It’s not much — around a tenth of an inch — but considering our last measurable moisture was way back on Jan. 26, we’ll take it.
Expect mostly cloudy skies and highs in the mid‑50s, with that light rain developing toward early evening. Temperatures will stay too warm for any snowflakes, only cooling into the mid-30s tonight.
Once this system exits, the weekend will be much nicer. Sunshine returns, highs climb into the 50s Saturday, and we’re off to the races with familiar 60s by Sunday and Monday.
Another storm will bring fresh snow to the high country around Tuesday or so, but Boulder looks to stay mostly dry again. Downslope winds and near-critical fire danger are shaping up to be the bigger story for us next week, so keep that on your radar.
Arrest made in Canfield Street fire; suspect accused of first-degree arson
Boulder Fire-Rescue and the Boulder Police Department responded to a structure fire in the 3700 block of Canfield Street at approximately 8:30 a.m. Thursday. A preliminary investigation found the fire was intentionally set, and officers arrested a suspect at the scene.
First responders evacuated residents from the building. A firefighter was transported to a local hospital with suspected minor injuries. The building’s automatic sprinkler system helped contain the fire to a single unit. The fire, plus water and smoke damage, displaced two residents. Other residents were allowed to reenter.
Ranita Ezeonu, 38, was taken into custody and later booked into the Boulder County Jail on charges of first-degree arson, reckless endangerment and harassment. Police said she was medically cleared.
Early investigation suggests that multiple items were ignited in the suspect’s apartment, but the specific method used to start the fire remains under investigation.
Northeast Boulder residents may notice water taste change
City of Boulder water customers in Gunbarrel, Heatherwood, Hoover Hills and areas north of Arapahoe Avenue and east of Foothills Parkway may notice a slight change in water taste beginning today, Feb. 13, according to the city.
The temporary shift is due to planned annual maintenance by Northern Water on a pipeline that delivers Carter Lake water to the city’s 63rd Street Water Treatment Plant. During the work, the city will instead treat water from Boulder Reservoir.
City officials said the change will not affect water quality or public health, and no service interruptions are expected. Customers in central and western Boulder are unlikely to notice a difference.
NSF plans to shift management of NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center to third party
The National Science Foundation announced Feb. 12 that it is shifting management of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center from the National Center for Atmospheric Research to a “third-party operator,” the latest step in an effort by the Trump administration to break up the world-class lab based in Boulder.
The transition has not yet taken place, and the NSF did not provide a timeline.
“NSF is working with all parties to ensure continuity of operations, and additional information will be shared as it becomes available,” according to a press release.
Last month, the NSF published a letter asking the scientific community for feedback on the best way to “restructure” NCAR, inviting proposals for new public or private ownership of NCAR’s Mesa Laboratory in Boulder and soliciting information about what work at NCAR may be “duplicative.” Read more on BRL.
BVSD to block student access to ChatGPT on district devices
Beginning Monday, Feb. 16, Boulder Valley School District will block student access to ChatGPT on district devices and Wi-Fi networks, citing new features in the generative AI tool that officials say raise safety concerns.
District leaders pointed to recent updates that allow group chat environments, customizable responses and multimedia uploads, including the potential creation of or access to explicit content. BVSD said ChatGPT’s age-verification process does not meet its standards for protecting students.
The district will continue allowing use of MagicSchool, an AI platform it has approved for classroom use. The BVSD Board of Education is expected to discuss the issue in March.
In contrast, the University of Colorado recently announced a $2 million renewable annual agreement with OpenAI to provide institutionally controlled access to ChatGPT Edu across its campuses. Each campus will operate its own system for students, faculty and staff to maintain privacy and security, and the agreement does not permit OpenAI to use CU data to train its large language models.
“Equitable access to this emerging technology is essential for our students and employees,” said CU President Todd Saliman.
Bilingual Know Your Rights forum in Longmont this Monday
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty will present a Know Your Rights forum on Monday, Feb. 16, from 6-8 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1500 9th Ave., Longmont. Discussions will cover the role of ICE, legal protections in Colorado, how to protest safely and the authority of local and state officials.
Other speakers include a Longmont Public Safety Panel consisting of Chief of Public Safety Zach Ardis and Chief of Police David Moore. Three attorneys — Hans Meyer of The Meyer Law Office, Ian McKinley of McKinley Law Group and Charles Vernon of El Comité de Longmont — will also be available for a Q&A session. The event will be held in English with Spanish interpretation. Registration is required.
What’s open and closed in Boulder on Presidents Day
City of Boulder administrative offices and Age Well Centers, plus Boulder County government offices, the 20th Judicial District Court and the District Attorney’s Office, will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16. All three recreation centers, the Boulder Reservoir and the Flatirons Golf Course will remain open. City parking at garages, parking lots and pay stations will also be free for the holiday.
City parks are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., but alcohol consumption, grills and fires are prohibited without a permit. All dogs must also be leashed in city parks.
Online services with the Colorado DMV will also be unavailable this weekend due to a digital upgrade. The system will be inaccessible starting at 7 p.m. tonight through Monday. Boulder County’s motor vehicle offices will reopen at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
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