Good Friday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Colorado Chautauqua Association — check out their summer concert series.
Leading today’s edition: Several Boulder-based environmental justice efforts — including the city’s longest-running grassroots group — have lost most or all of their funding after the EPA abruptly ended a key federal grant program, Brooke Stephenson reports.
The cuts wiped out nearly $50 million across the region and shelved local plans to expand clean water access at San Lazaro, train residents to respond to coal ash pollution at the Valmont Power Station and prepare frontline communities for climate disasters. Advocates say the loss puts vulnerable residents at risk — and are now urging Boulder and the county to adopt a local version of the Justice40 initiative. See our ongoing coverage of how the Trump administration’s cuts are playing out locally.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: Warm days, stormy afternoons.
- Hill assault: New details on attack that hospitalized safety ambassador.
- Missing senior: Woman, 77, found safe after overnight search.
- Wildfire grazing: Cattle coming to North Boulder open space.
- New CU provost: Economist Ann Huff Stevens named to role.
- Plein Air Fest: 27 artists painting Boulder County through June 5.
- Fresh Start: Clear low-level charges June 7 without arrest.
- Pride kickoff: LGBTQ+ courthouse celebration today at 10.
Have a lovely weekend — and as always, thanks for reading.
— the BRL team
Experience the magic of Chautauqua’s Summer Concert Series, running June through September in the Historic Chautauqua Auditorium. Don’t miss unforgettable performances by Hermanos Gutiérrez, Rhiannon Giddens, Ani DiFranco, and more. From folk and indie to global sounds, enjoy world-class artists in an intimate, acoustically rich venue beneath the Flatirons. Whether you’re a local or visiting, this series offers the perfect blend of music, history, and summer sounds in a national historic landmark.
Boulder environmental justice programs gutted after EPA slashes climate equity funding
Trump administration cuts pull the plug on local efforts for clean water, air quality and disaster preparedness. Continue reading…
A warmer, but still stormy, weekend
After days of dreary weather, Boulder is finally breaking free from the lingering gloom. Friday will offer nothing but sunshine in the morning, but scattered storms will come down off the Foothills again during the afternoon and evening. Highs will be in the upper 70s.
Heading into the weekend, temperatures will climb into the 80s as a pocket of warm air builds over the northern Rockies for a few days. It won’t be an intense heat wave, but it’ll certainly feel like summer for a few days. Expect scattered late-day thunderstorms each afternoon, but overall, it’ll be great weather to get out and about, especially if Mother Nature forced a rain check on your plans last weekend.
More details emerge in assault on 74-year-old ambassador on The Hill
A 74-year-old community ambassador working on University Hill was seriously injured Tuesday morning in an unprovoked assault near the RTD bus stop at Broadway and Euclid Avenue, according to a new statement from the Downtown Boulder Partnership.
The man, a member of a community safety team supported by the city, CU Boulder and the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District, was taken to the hospital and is receiving care.
Police arrested Phillip Matthew Clark, 39, in connection with the incident. He is facing multiple charges, including felony second-degree assault on an at-risk adult. The attack is part of what authorities say was a broader crime spree that included reports of assault and property damage in the area earlier that day.
Downtown Boulder officials said they are working with the ambassador’s employer, Block by Block, to ensure the victim and his team are supported.
Missing woman found safe after overnight search in Boulder
Boulder Police say a 77-year-old woman was found safe Thursday morning after an overnight search involving multiple agencies.
Just before 7 a.m. on May 29, a runner discovered Roberta, who had fallen from her electric-assisted tricycle into a ditch off a Boulder County trail. The runner had seen the police department’s social media alert and contacted Boulder County Parks and Open Space, who then notified police. Roberta was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
She was reported missing around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when she didn’t return home. Her family grew concerned due to her unfamiliarity with the area and severe weather conditions.
Grazing to reduce wildfire risk expands to North Boulder
The City of Boulder will begin targeted cattle grazing near Wonderland Lake in mid-June as part of its wildfire mitigation strategy. Grazing will last about two weeks and is aimed at reducing dry grasses and thatch that fuel wildfires. A second round is planned near Dakota Ridge in October.
The effort builds on more than a decade of grazing in South Boulder and is part of the city’s broader Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
“This new effort in North Boulder will help expand our work to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community wildfire resilience,” said Paul Dennison, the city’s wildland fire program manager.
City staff will host a community meeting about the project on Tuesday, June 3, from 4–6 p.m. at the Open Space and Mountain Parks Hub (2520 55th St.).
CU Boulder names new provost
CU Boulder has named Ann Huff Stevens as its next provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, effective July 15. She will be the university’s first new provost in 15 years, following Russell Moore’s departure.
Stevens is a nationally recognized economist and currently serves as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on job loss, poverty, and public health.
“Her strong commitment to transparency, excellence in research, academic freedom, and faculty and student diversity and well-being are aligned with the ideals of the position,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz.
The leadership change comes at a critical moment for CU Boulder and other public universities, as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to defund diversity, equity and inclusion and other programs. CU is already facing federal funding losses and reports of international students losing their visas under new restrictions.
Boulder County Plein Air Festival kicks off Saturday
The fifth annual Boulder County Plein Air Festival begins this Saturday, May 31, featuring 27 artists painting outdoor scenes across the county — from downtown Ward to Chautauqua Park. The artists were selected from more than 60 applicants nationwide by a professional jury, according to Angela Rose, co-director of Open Studios, the Boulder-based nonprofit sponsoring the event.
The artists will paint on location through June 5. Their work will be exhibited at a gallery opening on Friday, June 6, from 6–9 p.m. at the Armory Apartments Community Center in North Boulder. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m.
Need to resolve a court issue? Fresh Start event offers help June 7
Have an unresolved traffic or misdemeanor case? The Fresh Start Warrant Forgiveness Event on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center (1777 Sixth St.) can help you clear things up — without the risk of arrest.
You can speak with a defense attorney, resolve your case or set a new court date. The event covers eligible cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Boulder County and Boulder Municipal Court. Some charges are not eligible, including domestic violence and child abuse.
Reminder: Boulder County to celebrate LGBTQ+ milestone at courthouse today
Boulder County will kick off Pride Month with a celebration honoring the Boulder County Courthouse’s new National Historic Landmark status, granted in December for its role in LGBTQ+ history.
The courthouse became a symbol of equality in 1975, when County Clerk Clela Rorex issued the nation’s first same-sex marriage license. Rorex, who died in 2022, later said: “After having been so deeply involved in the women’s rights movements, who was I to then deny a right to anyone else?”
The public event is today, May 30, from 10-11 a.m. outside the courthouse at 1325 Pearl Street. It includes music, speakers and the unveiling of the official landmark plaque.
The celebration coincides with the Pride flag raising ceremony on Pearl Street, marking the start of Pride Month in Boulder County.
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