Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by the Center for Environmental Journalism at CU Boulder. Check out the Ackland Lecture on Tuesday, March 24: “Environment, Politics, and the Press: Reporting in Unprecedented Times.”
Leading today: Nearly 400 delegates gathered Saturday at the Boulder County Democratic assembly to decide which candidates advance to the primary ballot, and signal where local Democrats are lining up in several key races.
A straw poll showed lawyer Kubs Lalchandani with an early edge in the CU regent race, while delegates also set the Democratic primary ballot for Boulder County treasurer.
The event also highlighted the party’s political mood, with speeches from statewide candidates and sharp criticism of the Trump administration. Brooke Stephenson reports.
Also from Friday: Boulder will open a bidding process for license plate reader vendors, potentially replacing Flock after months of criticism over its data-sharing practices. The city renegotiated its contract to allow cancellation with 30 days’ notice and plans to seek proposals within the next month. The move followed Boulder Reporting Lab reporting that advocates had raised concerns and that the city’s Flock contract was up for renewal. Stephenson reports.
And finally: Boulder’s iconic Dark Horse Bar and Grill closed Saturday after 51 years, drawing a final line of patrons sharing memories before redevelopment begins.
Plus more, Below the Fold:
- Rapid warm-up: 70s Tuesday, near 80 by Thursday.
- Power shutoff: Boulder’s fourth wildfire shutoff since 2024.
- NCAR: Colorado leaders make final push to keep Boulder lab intact.
- Eldora: Nederland releases detailed FAQ on proposed purchase.
- Bodycams: Appeals court weighs fees for police footage.
- AG race: Four candidates to appear at Boulder forum.
- Things to Do: Community resistance, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Irish and Nordic music, immersive film, cactus workshop, LGBTQ art club + more.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
– The BRL team
Join the Center for Environmental Journalism for the fifth Ackland Lecture on Tuesday, March 24, at 5:30 p.m. on the CU Boulder campus at Old Main Chapel. The panel, titled “Environment, Politics, and the Press: Reporting in Unprecedented Times,” features Sadie Babits, senior supervising climate editor at NPR; Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi, Indigenous affairs editor for High Country News; and Jimmy Tobias, investigative journalist whose work has appeared in Public Domain, The Nation and The Guardian. The event is free and open to the public.
Boulder Democrats signal early frontrunner in CU regent race, set treasurer primary
Nearly 400 Boulder County Democratic delegates gathered March 14 to decide which candidates advance to the primary ballot and elect delegates for upcoming district and state assemblies. Continue reading…
Boulder opens bidding process for license plate reader cameras amid Flock backlash
Following local pushback over Flock’s data-sharing practices, the city has opened the door to ending its contract with the company and will issue a request for bids from other vendors within the next month. Continue reading…
Last call at the Dark Horse: After 51 years, a Boulder institution closes its doors
Patrons lined up one last time outside the legendary bar and grill, sharing stories of cheap beers, crab races and decades of late nights as the property prepares for redevelopment into housing. Continue reading…
Rapid warm-up ahead, summer-like by midweek
Summer-like warmth arrives in Boulder this week, with temperatures climbing from around 50 Monday to the low 80s by Thursday.
The week starts out mild, with partly sunny skies Monday and a high near 50. Temperatures fall to around 39 overnight.
A rapid warm-up arrives Tuesday, with mostly sunny skies, breezy conditions and highs climbing into the low 70s.
The warm spell is expected to continue into Thursday, when highs could reach the low 80s, potentially breaking records and triggering early mountain snowmelt, according to BoulderCAST.
Boulder weathers fourth wildfire-prevention power shutoff since 2024
Xcel restored power to all customers affected by Saturday’s public safety power shutoff by late Saturday evening, the utility said just before 8 a.m. Sunday.
The planned shutoff, which began around 2 p.m. Saturday amid extreme wildfire conditions, was expected to affect about 18,000 customers in Boulder and Jefferson counties, including roughly 14,400 in Boulder County. However, some customers in the shutoff zone never lost power because the utility delayed de-energizing certain lines until severe weather conditions were observed in real time.
Outages in Boulder County peaked around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, when about 11,600 customers were without power. By 6 p.m., roughly 10,800 customers were affected.
Wind gusts reached 40 to 55 mph in Boulder and up to 82 mph at NCAR Mesa.
Saturday’s event was Xcel’s fourth wildfire-prevention power shutoff since 2024, a strategy that has drawn criticism from residents, businesses and city officials after previous outages left thousands without power for days.
Neguse, Boulder County push to keep NCAR intact
Colorado leaders made a final push Friday to stop the breakup of Boulder’s National Center for Atmospheric Research as a federal comment deadline closed. Rep. Joe Neguse joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers — including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Rep. Jeff Hurd — urging the Trump administration to preserve the lab, warning that dismantling it could weaken national weather forecasting and research.
Boulder County commissioners also submitted comments opposing the proposal, saying NCAR’s work is critical as the region faces more extreme weather and climate-driven disasters. The process to determine the lab’s future remains unclear. Read more on BRL.
Can police charge for bodycam footage? Colorado appeals court weighs Boulder case
Colorado Court of Appeals judges heard arguments last week in a closely watched case that could determine whether police agencies can charge hundreds or thousands of dollars to release body camera footage showing alleged officer misconduct.
The case stems from a dispute between the City of Boulder and Yellow Scene Magazine over video from the 2023 fatal police shooting of Jeannette Alatorre.
A Boulder County District Court judge ruled in 2024 that the city could not charge Yellow Scene $2,857.50 for the footage, finding that Colorado’s 2020 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act requires such recordings to be released and does not allow agencies to impose fees. (Read BRL’s background coverage here, here, here and here.)
Boulder appealed, arguing that costs for redacting footage, such as blurring faces for privacy, can still be charged under a separate public records law allowing agencies to recover reasonable fees.
At last week’s hearing, judges pressed the city on why lawmakers would require the release of misconduct footage without explicitly including a fee provision if payment were intended, according to the Colorado Freedom of Information Center.
Attorneys for Yellow Scene argued that allowing agencies to charge high fees would effectively place police accountability records behind a “paywall.” The case could set a statewide precedent for public access to police body camera footage. The appeals court has not yet issued a ruling.
Nederland releases detailed FAQ on proposed Eldora purchase
The Town of Nederland has released a 40-page FAQ explaining its proposed municipal purchase of Eldora Mountain Resort, outlining how the unusual deal would work and answering dozens of questions from residents. The town says the goal is to finalize a purchase agreement in 2026, though negotiations are still ongoing.
Town officials say the purchase would be financed through a Mountain Recreation Enterprise Fund using revenue bonds, meaning Eldora’s own income — lift tickets, lessons and rentals — would repay the debt rather than local taxes. Because the fund qualifies as a government “enterprise” under Colorado’s TABOR law, voters would not need to approve the bonds, though the town’s board must still approve major steps in public meetings.
The document also confirms that Eldora is expected to remain on the Ikon Pass and that the existing mountain management team would continue running day-to-day operations, supported by a two-year transition agreement with current owner POWDR.
The FAQ says the purchase would include assets such as Nederhaus, which currently provides employee housing, and that the only currently approved terrain expansion by the U.S. Forest Service is the Jolly Jug expansion area.
Officials say the town is limited in what it can disclose because of non-disclosure agreements tied to the transaction and the bond process.
Colorado AG candidates to appear at Boulder forum March 17
Four candidates running for Colorado attorney general will participate in a public forum in Boulder on March 17 hosted by the Democratic Women of Boulder County.
The event will run from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Canyon Theater inside the Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Candidates scheduled to appear include Michael Dougherty, Hetal Doshi, Jena Griswold and David Seligman.
The event is free, though organizers ask attendees to register in advance at DemWomenBoCo.org because seating is limited.
☀️ Explore events in Boulder and use the self-submission form on our events page to reach thousands in our community — for free! To have your event featured on our Monday to-do list, make sure to submit it to our events calendar.
Join the Resistance Community Event: Monday, Mar. 16, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Junkyard Social, 2525 Frontier Ave, Suite A. Read more.
Boulder Cycling Club Tuesday rides: Tuesday, Mar. 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Twisted Pine Brewing Co., 3201 Walnut St. Additional dates weekly. Read more.
St. Patrick’s Celebration with Big Paddy: Tuesday, Mar. 17, 7:30 p.m., Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Dr., Unit T, Lafayette. Read more.
Black Futures in Art: Artist Talk: Wednesday, Mar. 18, 5:00-8:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Read more.
Cody Cook-Parrott — “The Practice of Attention”: Wednesday, Mar. 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. Read more.
An Evening with Matisyahu: Thursday, Mar. 19, 8:00 p.m., Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Read more.
Superior Stand Up show: Friday, Mar. 20, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Flipside Theater, 502 Center Drive, #M, Superior. Read more.
ShadowGrass: Friday, Mar. 20, 8:00 p.m., The Fox Theater, 1135 13th St. Read more.
Full Spectrum LGBTQ+ Art Club: Saturday, Mar. 21, 2:00-5:00 p.m., NoBo on the Corner, 4600 Broadway. Additional dates monthly. Read more.
COmpass REsonance: Norwegian Wood with Brooklyn Rider: Saturday, Mar. 21, 4:00 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Read more.
Syncopation @ BMoCA: Saturday, Mar. 21, 7:00-10:00 p.m., Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St. Read more.
Cosmogenesis: The Story of Us – Immersive Film & Performance Viewing: Sunday, Mar. 22, 12:30-3:00 p.m., eTown, 1535 Spruce St. Read more.
Cactus Garden Building Workshop: Sunday, Mar. 22, 3:00-4:00 p.m., Moss Houseplants, 3008 Folsom St. Read more.
Solas: 30th Anniversary Tour: Sunday, Mar. 22, 8:00 p.m., Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Read more.