Good Friday morning, Boulder.
Leading today: A former Boulder City Councilmember has filed a code of conduct complaint against the chair of the city’s Planning Board, arguing the chair’s advocacy for closing Boulder Municipal Airport created the appearance of partiality when proposing airport-related changes to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. The city is reviewing the complaint. John Herrick reports. The airport has emerged as one of the biggest flashpoints in the once-a-decade update to the city and county’s shared growth blueprint. We’ll have more next week on the plan, what changed and what comes next.
And a reminder: If you haven’t yet filled out your ballot, we’ve been focused on the local races that few other news organizations are covering. Along with our CU regent candidate questionnaires, we’ve also published questionnaires for the Boulder County treasurer’s race, another competitive contest ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Also today: In Local History, Silvia Pettem looks back at Boulder’s surprising role in America’s UFO history, from local flying saucer sightings to the Air Force-funded study at CU Boulder that helped shape the national conversation.
And one final note: This week we published a yearlong investigation by Herrick examining how Colorado’s law limiting solitary confinement for people with serious mental illness hasn’t worked as intended and the human consequences here in Boulder County. You can read the condensed version or listen to the audio during your weekend drive or camping trip.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Enjoy today’s rain — the weekend will feel like midsummer.
- Pearl Street: Police say a suspect came to Boulder looking for victims.
- Superior: Underground cable failures leave thousands without power.
- Boulder Creek Park: The new name is official. Construction is still years away.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Boulder Planning Board chair named in code of conduct complaint over airport advocacy
A former Boulder councilmember says Laura Kaplan’s advocacy for closing the municipal airport creates an appearance of partiality. Kaplan says she has complied with the city’s code of conduct. Continue reading…
The U.S. Air Force once paid CU Boulder to study UFOs. Here’s what it found.
From flying saucer sightings to an Air Force-funded study at CU Boulder, the city played an unexpected role in America’s UFO history. Continue reading…
Boulder County became their studio. Now 50 Colorado artists are sharing the results.
More than 200 paintings created during Open Studios’ six-day plein air event are on view and for sale at PARK Coworking through July. Continue reading…
One last round of storms before the heat returns
Mother Nature finally showed up in Boulder late Wednesday night with a loud performance: heavy rain, plenty of lightning, and close to an inch of moisture in parts of town. All the while avoiding any damaging hail.
Before this wetter pattern packs up for good, we’ve got one last disturbance sliding through today. Expect scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, most will be garden‑variety. Still, a few stronger cells could toss down quarter‑size hail and brief heavy rain. Highs will land in the mid‑80s.
Friday night temperatures will drop to near 60 degrees.
The weekend, though, will flip the script entirely. Hotter, drier weather will take over as southwest winds strengthen ahead of an unusually strong Pacific Northwest storm system. Plan on a sizzling first weekend of summer — sunshine, gusty downslope winds, and mid‑90s both Saturday and Sunday. Fire danger will soar across the entire Four Corners region, including a blanket of Red Flag Warnings throughout Colorado’s mountains.
One bit of good news: With the winds shifting, the thick out‑of‑state wildfire smoke we’ve had all week will ease up. Expect clearer skies, better visibility, and improved air quality later today and especially this weekend, assuming there are no new fire starts, of course.
Man accused of random Pearl Street knife attack faces charges
Boulder Police arrested a Lakewood man Thursday morning after he allegedly attacked two strangers with a knife on the 1300 block of Pearl Street.
Officers were called at 7:54 a.m. after a 44-year-old woman walking to work was attacked. She suffered cuts and bruises to her hand but escaped. The suspect then allegedly approached a 50-year-old man walking to work, cornered him and swung the knife without making contact. The man threw his coffee at the suspect and ran. Using city surveillance cameras, officers located the suspect and arrested him at gunpoint at 7:56 a.m., police said. During interviews, the suspect told detectives he came to Boulder to hurt people, according to police, who believe he targeted strangers walking alone.
Marcus Ariel Valles, 35, of Lakewood, has been arrested on three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of felony menacing and one count of first-degree assault. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Police are asking anyone with information about the attack or a potential witness shown in the department’s news release to call the Boulder Police tip line at 303-441-1974 and reference case No. 26-05470.
Superior power outages caused by failing underground cables, Xcel says
Repeated power outages affecting thousands of Superior residents this week were caused by failing underground electrical cables, according to Xcel Energy.
A cable failure Sunday knocked out power to about 3,000 customers for nearly two hours, Xcel spokesperson Sydney Isenberg said. On Tuesday, a second cable adjacent to the first failed, again affecting roughly 3,000 customers.
Although crews restored power after each outage, the second cable failed twice more over the following two days. Xcel has designated the line for emergency replacement.
In an update Thursday, the Town of Superior said Xcel has completed temporary repairs and plans to replace the damaged underground lines. The utility has not provided a timeline because the work requires specialized equipment and replacement materials. Town officials said Xcel does not expect additional outages while crews prepare for the replacement.
Boulder’s Civic Area officially renamed Boulder Creek Park
Boulder’s downtown Civic Area has officially been renamed Boulder Creek Park after the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved the change this week. A public celebration is scheduled for July 23.
The park stretches from Ninth to 14th streets and from Canyon Boulevard to Arapahoe Avenue, encompassing landmarks including the Huntington Bandshell, the Boulder Farmers Market and the Dushanbe Teahouse.
The name is part of the city’s long-term vision for the area, first outlined in a 2015 master plan that emphasizes recreation, dining, arts and community gathering spaces. Future plans include nature play areas, a Boulder Beach and converting 13th Street into a festival street to better accommodate events and pedestrians.
The new name was selected through a monthslong public process that included input from Boulder youth and community members.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2027, with the park scheduled to open in 2029.
The city is also preparing a request for proposals for redevelopment of the park’s east end, including the area around the Dushanbe Teahouse. Developers will be encouraged to incorporate local arts and cultural organizations into their proposals, and interested organizations and businesses are invited to submit an interest form.
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