Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Boulder Theater — don’t miss John Scofield, one of modern jazz guitar’s principal innovators, as he headlines the theater on Nov. 11.
Leading today’s edition: We now have enough results to call the 2025 Boulder election — and to properly add those ✅ checkmarks to our vote tally graphic (a nod to our Reddit friends who spotted them pop up early, thanks to a glitch).
Voters reelected Matt Benjamin, Mark Wallach and Nicole Speer, and elected Rob Kaplan, who unseated incumbent Lauren Folkerts. All four city and county tax measures passed easily, funding capital projects, mental health services and open space. The outcome reveals familiar divisions and a shift: Voters split their choices across ideological lines, as they typically do, while the council’s balance is expected to tilt more moderate.
On the heels of these results, two BRL columnists — Brian Keegan and Bob Yates — dig deeper into what the outcome reveals about Boulder’s politics, policies and future. In the first installment of “Across the Aisle,” a conversation series we’ll occasionally publish featuring their ongoing dialogue, they trade insights on whether voters signaled continuity or change.
And lastly… Boulder’s beloved Art Deco landmark is shining again. After years of water damage and an eight-year preservation effort, the Boulder Theater’s terracotta façade has been fully restored, just in time for its 90th anniversary. The $454,000 project, led by Historic Boulder and the State Historical Fund, ensures the theater will remain a downtown fixture and soon, a Sundance venue. Por Jaijongkit reports.
More, Below the Fold:
- Pearl Street attack: Defendant pleads not guilty; trial set.
- Marshall Fire: Xcel nears completion of settlements.
- Elections over? Make sure your vote was counted.
- CU Boulder: STEM summit to tackle anti-science sentiment.
- MLK Day: City opens 2026 event funding applications.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Don’t miss John Scofield, one of modern jazz guitar’s principal innovators, as he headlines the Boulder Theater on Nov. 11. Looking to commemorate his 73rd year, Scofield has penned a collection of new compositions and re-formed the swinging group – formerly Combo 66 – to tour the music. Featured musicians include Vicente Archer, Gerald Clayton, and Bill Stewart. Get tickets here.
Boulder 2025 election results: Voters reelect three incumbents to council and pass all tax measures
Election results show voters divided between progressive and more moderate candidates, and strong support for funding capital projects, mental health services and open space. Continue reading…
Across the Aisle: Two Boulder Reporting Lab columnists unpack what the 2025 local election results really mean
In a post-election conversation, Brian Keegan and Bob Yates find both agreement and debate over what Boulder’s political shake-up and sweeping ballot measure victories say about the city’s political direction. Continue reading…
Boulder Theater’s Art Deco facade restored after years of decay
Water damage nearly doomed the 90-year-old landmark, spurring a preservation campaign that brought together engineers, donors and local officials. Continue reading…
Sunny stretch ahead before a weekend chill
Expect a mostly sunny Friday with light winds and highs in the low 60s before a cool, clear night.
The weekend brings a taste of winter air: Saturday will be sunny but breezy, with noticeably cooler air and a hard freeze overnight. Sunday stays cool and mostly sunny before a quick warmup. Monday should climb back into the upper 60s under mostly sunny skies.
Defendant in Pearl Street attack pleads not guilty; trial set for July 2026
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a crowd on the Pearl Street Mall, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in Boulder County, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and use of incendiary devices.
Prosecutors say Soliman attacked a June 1, 2025, gathering in support of hostages held in Gaza, killing 82-year-old Karen Diamond, a longtime community and synagogue volunteer, and injuring several others. According to prosecutors, Soliman shouted “Free Palestine” during the assault and said he targeted participants with the Run for Their Lives group because he “hated the Zionist group.” He also faces federal hate crime charges. Read on BRL.
Xcel Energy nears completion of Marshall Fire settlements
A lawyer representing Xcel Energy told a Boulder County District Court judge this week that the utility has executed or reached settlements with more than 2,000 plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the 2021 Marshall Fire.
More than 4,000 plaintiffs filed claims alleging that Xcel was responsible for one of two fires that merged on Dec. 30, 2021. Fueled by winds exceeding 100 miles per hour and extreme drought conditions, the fire killed two people and destroyed or damaged about 1,000 homes and other structures. The plaintiffs include individuals, insurers and public entities.
In September, Xcel and two telecommunications companies agreed to pay $640 million to settle lawsuits related to the disaster. Kevin Orsini, an attorney with a New York firm representing Xcel, told the court that remaining settlement agreements with insurers and public entities are nearly finalized. He said “fewer than a half dozen individual plaintiffs” have not yet agreed to settlement terms.
Orsini said that they are trying to finalize the agreements and distribute funds by the end of the year. Read more on BRL.
Elections may be over, but make sure your vote was counted
The county is urging residents to double-check that their ballot has been processed if they haven’t already. Updates come from BallotTrax, a free service that provides voters with information on the status of their ballot. Residents not signed up for updates can follow instructions on the county website to check their ballot manually.
Ballots in “rejection” status often have signature issues as part of the identity verification process. It is important to cure ballots even after elections have been called, especially in close races. Ballots left with signature issues after the cure deadline will not be counted and will be referred to the District Attorney’s Office for investigation.
The deadline to cure election ballots this year is 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 12.
CU Boulder to host statewide STEM summit amid rising anti-science sentiment
CU Boulder will host STEM Together 2025, a free symposium bringing scientists, educators and policymakers together to strengthen science education and public trust in STEM.
The event, themed “Meeting the Moment and Building for Tomorrow,” will take place Nov. 14 from 3-7 p.m. at the Limelight Hotel. Speakers include Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Colorado Community College System Chancellor Marielena DeSanctis, discussing shifts in science funding and policy.
The symposium will also honor Jane Goodall for her longtime collaboration with CU Boulder and introduce the university’s new STEM Action Affiliate Program, aimed at expanding partnerships statewide. To attend, register here.
The symposium comes amid heightened concern among CU faculty about federal threats to higher education funding and independence. Earlier this month, CU’s Faculty Assembly backed an effort to form a statewide Mutual Academic Defense Compact to coordinate universities’ responses to political pressure on scientific research and teaching.
City opens funding applications for 2026 MLK Day events
The City of Boulder is now accepting applications for funding to support community events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 2026.
The Human Relations Fund provides grants for local, community-led events tied to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Immigrant Heritage Month, and Indigenous Peoples Day. Funded projects should raise awareness of civil and human rights issues in Boulder, foster collaboration among diverse communities, and create opportunities for groups that experience marginalization to share their stories and traditions.
Applications are due by Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at 4 p.m., and are available in English and Spanish.
☀️ Explore events in Boulder and use the self-submission form on our events page to reach thousands in our community — for free! To have your event featured on our Monday to-do list, make sure to submit it to our events calendar.