It’s Monday, May 13, 2024.
It’s Monday, Boulder, and we’ve got the news.
Last week, the Boulder City Council asked city staff to prepare a November 2024 ballot measure to increase councilmember pay. Currently, councilmembers make about $1,000 a month plus benefits despite sometimes working 30 hours a week. The concern is that this low pay discourages certain segments of the population from running for council.
At the same meeting, most councilmembers expressed support for placing a measure on the 2024 ballot to allow them to enter executive sessions for city matters like personnel issues and legal advice, not open to the public or press. They also directed city officials to start evaluating a 2025 ballot measure that would introduce ranked-choice voting for council elections, not just the mayor.
Also, the Boulder Wine Bar at R Gallery is closing for good this Friday, with a final event that evening, T.M. Spring reports. Owner Rob Lantz attributes the closure to high rent and challenges in Boulder’s art market. Open Studios, which took over the gallery operations earlier this year, will also close on May 19 due to unsustainable art sales.
Lastly, the City of Boulder is finally trying to fix potholes caused by winter’s freeze-thaw cycles over the next three weeks. If you experience delays due to construction workers blocking your commute, remember it’s ultimately for your benefit.
Have a stupendous, smooth-driving day.
— Tim, reporter
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Representative Junie Joseph has championed safety and community throughout her career, from the UN to Boulder City Council to the Colorado State House of Representatives. With your support, she will continue to advocate for issues that enhance the safety, sustainability, and resiliency of our community. Vote to re-elect Junie Joseph.
Featured stories
Boulder City Council pursues 2024 ballot measure to raise councilmember pay
The proposal is intended to help more people from different socioeconomic backgrounds to serve on the council, making it more representative. It is one of several measures councilmembers are considering that would directly impact their work. Continue reading…
Boulder Wine Bar and R Gallery downtown closing: ‘We tried to save this thing that we loved’
The Boulder Wine Bar at R Gallery will close on May 17 due to financial difficulties, with a farewell event. R Gallery, managed by Open Studios, will close on May 19, citing high rent and unsustainable art sales in Boulder. “Personally, this was a success for me,” said the gallery and bar’s founder. Continue reading…
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In other news
Warmth with thunder
Today and tomorrow will be lovely, with temperatures in the 70s. However, there will be afternoon thunderstorms. Such is life in Boulder this time of year.
Museum of Boulder has a new director
The Museum of Boulder announced it has appointed Christopher R. Taylor as its new executive director, starting in June 2024. Taylor’s selection comes as the museum prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary this fall.
Taylor previously served as the executive director of Pilchuck Glass School, the international art education center in Washington state, and brings over 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience. He will oversee museum operations, promote sustainability and aim to bolster the museum’s reputation as a cultural hub. “Boulder is my kind of town,” Taylor said in a news release. “I’m honored to have been selected to lead the Museum of Boulder and look forward to serving the Greater Boulder community and beyond.”
Taylor succeeds Bob Yates, who served as the museum’s interim executive director since December 2023.
Pothole repairs begin
The City of Boulder has launched an effort to fix potholes on the city’s busiest roads within the next three to six weeks. As such, Boulder residents should expect delays and single-lane closures mostly during 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the city repairs roads year-round, this winter was especially damaging to Boulder’s infrastructure, it said.
CDOT-maintained roads, such as 28th Street, Foothills Parkway and Arapahoe Avenue, are also affected. For the safety of workers, the city asks that Boulder residents drive carefully near construction zones. You’ll be able to drive faster, with less jarring, once the potholes are filled.
Historian Patty Limerick sues CU Boulder
Patty Limerick, a renowned historian, has filed a lawsuit against CU Boulder after her controversial dismissal in September 2022, the Colorado Sun reported. Limerick, who founded the Center of the American West at CU in 1986, claims the university is unjustly denying her access to her own scholarly works. Her removal has sparked significant backlash, with more than 300 scholars condemning CU’s actions as potentially damaging to the university’s reputation in the humanities.
The dispute revolves around intellectual property rights, with CU asserting ownership of Limerick’s work because it was created using university resources. Limerick disputes this, emphasizing her role in securing funding for the center. In her lawsuit, she said that she was responsible for “nearly every written product” of the center until September 2022, when she “was abruptly and unwillingly disassociated from the center.”
In an interview with the Sun, she said, “I just blindly trusted that everyone understood that I was just lending this, and I had built it up over decades.” She expressed concern that the university’s ownership claims could discourage future scholarly contributions, warning faculty to “proceed with caution” before “lending their reputations, accomplishments, ideas, and writings to the promotion of the university.”
For you skiers, provide your input on Winter Park projects
Winter Park Resort unveiled plans in 2022 for mountain upgrades, including new gondolas, ski runs, improved facilities, upgraded trails and campsites for summer use, and vegetation management for forest health. Public input on these plans is being sought by the U.S. Forest Service until June 15. For those who want to learn about the project in person, an open house is scheduled for May 29, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Upper Balcony House at Winter Park Resort.
Boulder event to outline ‘Zero Emissions Communities’ plan
Tomorrow, May 14, at 6 p.m., local climate action group Empower Our Future is virtually hosting Matt Lehrman, the City of Boulder’s senior policy adviser for energy systems. Lehrman will present the city’s proposed program, “Zero Emissions Communities.” The program aims to help communities like Boulder close the emissions gap between Xcel’s 2030 goals and Boulder’s. You can register for the event now.
BRL to-do list
Explore ALL upcoming events in Boulder. If you have something to promote, use the self-submission form on our events page, for free.
Tuesday | Dash & Dine 5k Run | 6:30-8 p.m.
“A great event for runners of all ages and abilities. This family-friendly 5k out-and-back course follows the roads and dams on the south of the beautiful Boulder Reservoir with views that will also take your breath away.”
Wednesday | MahlerFest Opening Night: Visions of Childhood | 7:30pm
“Colorado MahlerFest exists for two reasons – Mahler and the Mountains. For Mahler, the mountains were the source of his inspiration, providing the backdrop and the creative fuel for his busy summers during which he wrote almost all of his music.”
Friday | BVSD Plant Sale | 4-6 p.m.
“Come visit the annual BVSD Plant Sale! Shop for your garden staples, including heirloom varieties. All plants are organically grown and pollinator friendly with help from BVSD staff, students and community members.”
Friday-Sunday| Boulder Ballet Presents Les Sylphides | Time depends on day
“Boulder Ballet presents the historic ballet Les Sylphides, with Mikhail Fokine’s original choreography refreshed by Artistic Director Ben Needham-Wood.”
Saturday, Sunday | Strawberry Festival Vintage & Antique Market | Time depends on day
“Get ready for a vintage and antique extravaganza at the 52nd Strawberry Festival Vintage & Antique Market!”
Saturday | Bike Donation Drive – Gunbarrel | 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
“Join Community Cycles and Premier Members Credit Union at Avery Brewing Co on Saturday, May 18 for a Gunbarrel Bike Donation Drive! Bring your old or unwanted bikes for donation!
Saturday | Pete Davidson: Prehab Tour | 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
“Pete Davidson is the creator, executive producer, writer and star of Peacock’s critically acclaimed comedy ‘Bupkis.’ Davidson was a cast member on NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 2014-2022.”
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