Good Wednesday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Sphere Ensemble — check out their upcoming Women’s Work concert.
Leading today: The National Center for Women & Information Technology, a CU Boulder-based group founded to advance gender equity in tech, is laying off staff, scrubbing inclusive language from its website and weighing a name change as nearly $10 million in federal funding dries up. Brooke Stephenson reports the group began softening its language after Trump’s election — including removing the word “women” — seemingly to avoid political targeting.
NCWIT has helped schools, companies and agencies build more inclusive tech environments. Staff say the changes mark a retreat from that mission — and a warning sign for DEI efforts in science and tech.
Also: Boulder’s only youth homeless shelter has closed. The Source, a 16-bed shelter for ages 12 to 21 run by TGTHR, shut down due to funding shortfalls and recent state scrutiny, John Herrick reports. Boulder now has no youth-dedicated shelter.
And: Remember the suspect in last week’s knife menacing case? She gave police a fake name and was released on bond. Turns out she had multiple outstanding warrants — and no one in law enforcement caught the false ID until she missed her court date.
More, Below the Fold:
- BoulderCAST: High of 75 today, 60s tomorrow. Breezy with a slight storm chance.
- Climate case moves forward: State Supreme Court clears Boulder’s lawsuit against Exxon, Suncor.
- Defamation trial delayed: Steve Rosenblum case pushed to October amid discovery disputes.
- NSF cuts hit Boulder: CU loses $20M+ in DEI-related science grants.
- AIDS vigil Sunday: 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with music, walk, and remembrance.
- Let’s DOO It: City flags dog poop, hands out swag at weekend cleanup events.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
— the BRL team
Sphere’s 14 string musicians perform our signature blend of music, all written by women. Works by Caroline Shaw, Marion Eugenie Bauer, Lady Gaga, Colorado composer Dianna Link, and more! Saturday May 31 at 7:30 p.m., The Savoy Denver and Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m., Broomfield Auditorium. Tickets and more information at SphereEnsemble.org
National women-in-tech group at CU Boulder lays off staff, scrubs inclusive language under federal pressure
The National Center for Women & Information Technology, a Boulder-based nonprofit founded to advance gender equity in tech, is laying off staff, dropping language from its site and preparing to rebrand as federal support is withdrawn. Continue reading…
Boulder’s only youth homeless shelter shuts down due to funding challenges
The Source, a 16-bed shelter for ages 12 to 21, closed amid financial uncertainty — leaving the city without a dedicated shelter for unhoused young people. Continue reading…
A cooler stretch ahead
The summer-like warmth of the past few days is giving way as a weak storm drifts across the Rockies, bringing cooler air and a slight chance of gusty showers later today. Most of the rain should stay north of Boulder, with only a 20% chance locally, but it will get breezy as the system moves through. Expect a high around 75 today before temperatures dip into the 60s on Thursday.
Boulder wins key ruling in climate case against Exxon, Suncor
In a major legal milestone, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday that Boulder County and the City of Boulder can move forward with their landmark lawsuit against Exxon Mobil and Suncor.
The case seeks to hold the fossil fuel giants accountable for climate-related damages—and for misleading the public about the risks of their products. The ruling is a major victory for local governments seeking to make fossil fuel companies — not taxpayers — pay for the mounting costs of climate change. It’s only the second time a state supreme court has allowed a climate accountability case like this to proceed, following a similar ruling in Hawaii.
Boulder Reporting Lab first covered the lawsuit in 2022. If it goes to trial, the case could enter discovery, potentially surfacing internal industry documents — similar to those revealed in tobacco litigation.
Suspect in knife menacing case gave fake name, released — then arrested again
Last week, Boulder County released a suspect in a knife menacing case on a personal recognizance bond based on a fake name she provided.
According to Boulder police, the suspect, 52-year-old Alyiah Faith Vega, had active warrants out of Boulder County, Lakewood and Edgewater related to dangerous drugs, criminal impersonation and DUI charges. But Vega gave police the name of a 31-year-old relative with virtually no criminal history. Her true identity wasn’t discovered until she failed to appear in court.
Vega is accused of threatening a teacher and a group of schoolchildren with a knife during a field trip downtown on Monday, May 5. She was arrested that day, released from jail on May 6, and failed to appear in court on May 8 — prompting a judge to revoke her bond and issue a warrant.
Police arrested Vega again on May 9 under a bridge at 9th Street and Arapahoe Avenue. That same day, the city corrected all press releases to reflect her true identity.
Shannon Carbone, a spokesperson for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, told Boulder Reporting Lab that the county’s bond commissioner recommended the PR bond based on the belief — held by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office — that the defendant was a different person “with limited criminal history and no criminal convictions.”
“The DA’s Office strongly disagreed and fought for a secured bond that would have kept her in custody,” Carbone said. “Over our office’s strong objection, the judge granted the personal recognizance bond.” Read more on BRL.
Trial delayed in Boulder defamation lawsuit filed by former city council candidate Steve Rosenblum
A trial in a defamation lawsuit stemming from the 2021 Boulder City Council election has been delayed until Oct. 27, in part due to disputes over the discovery process. The five-day trial was previously scheduled to begin this week.
The case was filed by Steve Rosenblum, a former city council candidate, who alleged members of the Boulder Progressives conspired to spread defamatory statements about him. The allegations focus on a Twitter account created in Rosenblum’s name that linked to a blog called Safer Leaks, which temporarily included statements falsely attributed to him.
The lawsuit was on hold for about two years after the defendants appealed under Colorado’s anti-SLAPP statute, which is designed to dismiss lawsuits intended to suppress free speech. In August 2023, the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a split decision, dismissing claims against all defendants except local political organizer Eric Budd. The Colorado Supreme Court later declined to hear Budd’s appeal, allowing the remaining claims to proceed.
The trial was postponed after Budd’s lawyer sought to secure an expert witness on social media and digital marketing. The defense also requested more time to address Rosenblum’s estimated $56 million in alleged damages, which Budd’s attorney argued lacked documentation, according to court records. Read more on BRL.
By the numbers: NSF cuts strip millions from CU Boulder and local science groups
CU Boulder has lost at least $20.8 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding as part of a wave of terminations targeting DEI-related programs, according to a database compiled by researchers tracking self-reported grant cancellations. Many of the 25 grants were multiyear awards, meaning the long-term financial impact will likely be even greater.
Among the largest grants lost:
- $6.5 million to the National Center for Women & Information Technology to support underrepresented groups in tech
- $2 million for K–12 art-science climate education
- $2 million to support equity in STEM hiring and leadership
- $1.4 million to develop curriculum countering racist pseudoscience in genetics
The cuts extend beyond CU. Boulder’s Geological Society of America lost three grants totaling $2.5 million, and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research lost a $350,000 grant for undergraduate mentorship.
Candlelight vigil in Boulder this Sunday to honor those affected by HIV/AIDS
The Boulder County AIDS Project and Interfaith AIDS Coalition will host the 42nd Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial on Sunday, May 18, at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Boulder. The event honors people living with HIV and remembers those who have died, as part of a global day of remembrance held in more than 100 countries.
Participants can gather at 1421 Spruce St. between 6 and 6:15 p.m. The program features live music, reflections, and a reading of names, followed by a silent walk through downtown. This year’s theme: “Spread Love and Solidarity to Build Stronger Communities.”
City offers free swag at cleanup events this weekend
To raise awareness about uncollected dog waste, Boulder city and county staff are hosting “Let’s DOO It!” cleanup events this weekend. Volunteers are flagging pet waste along popular trails to highlight the problem — and inviting residents to help clean up.
Staff will be at Pella Crossing on Saturday and at Dry Creek, Chautauqua, Coot Lake trailheads and Columbia Cemetery on Sunday. Pop-up booths will also be set up at North Table Mountain both days. Stop by for free dog-themed merch, including “Let’s DOO It!” bandanas.
Uncollected pet waste can pollute waterways, harm native plants and spread invasive weeds — and leaving it behind may result in a fine, officials warn.
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