Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Bank of Colorado, a family-owned community bank with 45 locations serving Coloradans since 1978. Learn more.
It’s a big two weeks for the Boulder City Council, with two major decisions coming to a head. Tomorrow, councilmembers will revisit the future of Boulder Municipal Airport and whether to accept FAA grants that could extend the city’s obligation to operate it. Read our background coverage here. We’ll also have a story explaining what the council decides and why.
Today, we look ahead to another consequential vote next week on one of the few issues that has sharply divided this council. Councilmembers will decide whether to slow scheduled wage increases for tipped workers. The debate goes to the heart of a growing tension in Boulder: how to support restaurants struggling with rising labor, food and operating costs without leaving workers further behind in a city many already cannot afford. With councilmembers split, the outcome remains uncertain. It’s a complicated, jargon-heavy issue. Brooke Stephenson breaks down what’s at stake.
And in BRL Opinion: Boulder’s DDA Planning Group makes the case for a Downtown Development Authority as city council weighs putting the proposal before voters. The group argues that continued economic decline in Downtown Boulder and University Hill could reduce funding for schools, libraries and other public services.
A clarification from Monday’s edition: The early care and education ballot measure being considered by Boulder County commissioners would cost about $2.58 per $1,000 of assessed value, not market value. For homes, assessed value is generally about 7% of market value.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Cooler weather brings the best rain chances in weeks.
- Fatal police shooting: DA explains no-charge decision.
- Airport dispute: Council weighs outside counsel in complaint.
- West Nile: Longmont patient recovers as risk persists.
- Outdoor challenge: County seeks mentors for teens.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Bank of Colorado is a family-owned, community focused bank that has been serving the needs of Coloradans since 1978. Throughout our 45 locations across the state, our values of honesty, integrity and clarity guide our every decision. We’re deeply rooted in Colorado’s history and fully invested in its future. Strong, Stable & Local Community Banking – reach out today to experience the best service in banking 303-476-7282.
Boulder City Council may slow wage increases for tipped workers. Here’s what’s at stake.
The city estimates that a restaurant with 10 full-time employees could save $60,000 to $75,000 annually, while most tipped workers could earn $500 to $3,000 less in 2027. Continue reading…
Monsoon moisture fuels our best rain chances in weeks
The heat dome finally loosens its grip on Boulder today, and we’re sliding into a cooler, wetter stretch that will actually feel somewhat seasonal again.
The monsoon has been cranking across the Southwest U.S. for more than a week, but the Front Range has been stuck on the sidelines. That changes this afternoon as a southwest flow taps into that deeper moisture and delivers our best shot at rain in literal weeks.
Storms will start bubbling over the Divide around lunchtime, then drift east toward Boulder through the afternoon, evening, and even overnight. Expect heavy downpours, brief gusty winds and localized flooding concerns, especially in the burn scars. We’ll still sneak into the low 90s before storms roll in and cool things off.
Lows tonight will fall into the middle 60s.
Tomorrow brings another round of afternoon storms, and for the first time in a long while, highs should stay below 90 degrees. A small victory, but we’ll take it.
Monsoon storm chances stick around Friday and through the weekend — more isolated, but still there — as temperatures settle back into the 90s for another extended stretch.
DA explains why officer won’t face charges in fatal Longmont shooting
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty hosted a town hall Tuesday to explain his decision not to file criminal charges against the Frederick police sergeant who shot and killed Ashlyn Renee Brownell, 31, following a standoff outside a Longmont home earlier this year.
Dougherty determined that the shooting was legally justified under Colorado’s use-of-force statutes. He detailed the evidence that led him to conclude that Frederick Police Sgt. Tyler Farson, a member of the SWAT team, was justified in shooting Brownell because she posed an “immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury to the peace officer or another person,” the standard set by Colorado law.
The incident began around 4 p.m. on March 19, when Longmont police received a 911 call from Brownell’s mother, who said her daughter was on the front porch holding a gun to her own neck and expressing suicidal thoughts, according to law enforcement officials. During the hours-long standoff, Brownell fired the gun inside the home and showed it to officers, officials said. Read more on BRL.
City council to appoint special counsel in complaint against Planning Board chair
Boulder City Council this week will consider whether to authorize the city attorney to appoint special counsel to investigate two code-of-conduct complaints against Planning Board Chair Laura Kaplan over her advocacy for closing Boulder Municipal Airport.
The complaints, dated June 23, were filed by Jan Burton, a former Boulder City Councilmember, and Richard Hall of the Soaring Society of Boulder. They allege that Kaplan’s campaign against the airport, including her leadership in a 2024 ballot measure to decommission it, conflicts with her role presiding over Planning Board discussions about the airport. Both complaints center on a June 16 Planning Board meeting at which Kaplan introduced an amendment to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan regarding lead pollution and noise from the airport.
City officials have recommended appointing Jerome A. DeHerrera, a Denver attorney with Achieve Law Group, to serve as special counsel. For more on the allegations and the broader debate, see our previous reporting. Read on BRL.
Longmont resident recovers from West Nile virus as county warns of continued risk
Boulder County announced that a Longmont resident diagnosed with West Nile virus has recovered, but the mosquito-borne disease remains a risk.
The county recorded fewer than 50 cases in 2025, including one death. Most people infected with the virus have no symptoms, while about 20% develop fever, headaches, body aches, fatigue or rashes. Rarely, the virus can cause inflammation of the brain or spinal cord.
There is no human vaccine or specific treatment. Health officials recommend using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants from dusk to dawn, and draining standing water around homes. Anyone who develops symptoms should contact a health care provider.
Boulder County seeks adult mentors for teen outdoor program
Boulder County’s Left Hand Outdoor Challenge is seeking adult volunteers to mentor teenage participants.
The free program helps Boulder County residents ages 14 to 18 develop outdoor and career skills through monthly activities, including overnight camping, stewardship projects, search and rescue, and leadership exercises.
The 2026-27 season runs from September through April. Mentors must be at least 21, enjoy working with teenagers and attend more than half of the sessions. No outdoor experience is required. Applications close Aug. 12 or when all positions are filled.
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.
Boulder DDA planning group: The cost of standing still and the case for a Downtown Development Authority
Why the future of Downtown Boulder and University Hill matters to the entire community. Continue reading…
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