👶 Boulder County voters take up the childcare crisis

Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by All Roads. Rock the Shelter — and your best ’80s look — at eTown Hall with The Goonies and more, all to help end homelessness in Boulder County.

Leading today: On Nov. 3, Boulder County voters will decide whether to increase property taxes to raise $30 million annually to reduce childcare costs, expand infant and toddler care, and increase provider pay. The measure would cost the owner of a $1 million home about $163 annually. At the same time, roughly 900 eligible children are going without county child care assistance. Brooke Stephenson breaks down what the tax would fund and how it would work.

Also today, in BRL Opinion: Boulder City Councilmember Nicole Speer and former councilmember Mark Wallach take aim at critics of Boulder’s proposed $400 million facilities bond, arguing that the critics have misrepresented the facts and warning that further delays will drive costs higher.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

Weather: Tuesday cooldown; 80s return Wednesday.
Resilience hubs: Six Boulder organizations selected for backup-power grants.
Scams: Fake permit invoices and court summons texts are circulating.
Election talk: County clerk explains ballot processing Tuesday.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

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Rock your best ’80s look and join us at eTown Hall for an awesome night of ’80s hits with The Goonies, amazing food by Pasta Jay’s, a paddle raise, silent auction, and one high-voltage community coming together to party with a purpose: ending homelessness in Boulder County.

Boulder County voters will decide a $30 million-a-year childcare tax. Here’s what it would do.

The measure would cost the owner of a $1 million home about $163 a year and fund tuition assistance, more infant and toddler slots and higher pay for childcare teachers and staff amid a shortage of affordable care. Continue reading…

Their son was killed by a sheriff’s deputy. Now they’re opening a Boulder County youth arts hub in his honor.

The new Lyons space honors Christian Glass with a cafe, pottery studio and gathering place for young people ages 14 to 22. Continue reading…

Tuesday brings a 15-degree cooldown, but the 80s return Wednesday

Monday will remain warm, with partly sunny skies, a high near 88 and a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. There is a 20% chance of showers Monday night, with a low around 53.

Tuesday brings the biggest change, with partly sunny skies and a 30% chance of showers after noon, with thunderstorms also possible after 3 p.m. The high will reach about 73. The cooldown will be brief: Wednesday is expected to warm to around 83, with partly sunny skies and a 30% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

Six Boulder nonprofits selected for resilience hub pilot

The City of Boulder has chosen six nonprofits to participate in a resilience hub pilot.

The pilot is intended to help critical community services remain available during extended power outages. Selected organizations will be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to purchase and install battery or battery-plus-solar backup systems.

Shutoffs in December 2025 disrupted critical services. The city’s homelessness shelter struggled to operate with headlamps and backup generators, a food bank lost power and 10 residents of the Golden West assisted living community were at risk of losing access to medical oxygen.

Under the pilot, Boulder Housing Partners will create a neighborhood resilience hub for residents of the Hawthorn and Diagonal Court neighborhoods. Harvest of Hope Food Pantry will maintain refrigeration to prevent food waste, while the Center for People With Disabilities will continue providing services during outages.

All Roads will maintain shelter for adults experiencing homelessness, and the Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) will maintain food storage and other safety-net services. Presbyterian Manor was also selected to support seniors and provide power for medical equipment within the facility.

Several additional nonprofits will receive technical assistance and portable batteries to strengthen their outage response. They include Community United Church of Christ, Congregation Nevei Kodesh, Humane Society of Boulder County, Boulder Collective and Clinica Family Health and Wellness.

Fake permit invoices and court summons texts: Two scams to watch for

Applicants, builders and contractors working with the Boulder County Planning and Permitting Department are being targeted by scammers impersonating government officials. The scammers pose as city or county officials and seek fraudulent payments for planning applications and permits.

The emails come from nongovernment domains, such as “@usa.com,” and may include itemized invoices directing recipients to request wire-transfer instructions by email. Some threaten delays in the permitting process if payment is not made immediately.

Statewide, the Colorado Judicial Branch is warning of scam text messages claiming recipients must appear in court for a traffic violation. These fake texts refer to a generic “District Court of the State of Colorado” but list no location, date or time. Links directing users away from official court websites, especially those containing “DMV” in the address, are also scams.

Residents should avoid clicking any links and delete the messages immediately. If a link has been clicked or any personal information shared, residents are urged to contact their banks and consider placing a fraud alert on their credit files.

What happens after you return your ballot? Boulder County clerk to explain

Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick will host a talk at the Longmont Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The discussion will cover what happens after a mail ballot is returned, safeguards used during ballot processing and how students ages 15 and older can serve as election judges. Election staff will also help attendees register to vote or update their registrations. The event is free, but registration is required.

Commentaries are opinion pieces from community members and newsmakers. They reflect the views of the authors, not BRL. Want to submit one? Here’s how.

Nicole Speer and Mark Wallach: Boulder’s facilities funding debate deserves facts — not misinformation

The city’s $400 million bond proposal would address aging recreation centers, fire stations and public safety facilities. Delaying those investments will only increase the costs. Continue reading…

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