Boulder Reporting Lab

Fear, empty shelves, lost income: Boulder advocates say SNAP disruption revealed cracks in food safety net They’re asking for $175,000 in immediate support and calling for a long-term food emergency plan to help Boulder County withstand future disruptions.

Doorstep deliveries. Empty shelves. Neighbors afraid to leave home. #Boulder’s community-run food networks say the SNAP lapse revealed a fragile system, and they’re asking for $175K to keep families fed and build a real emergency plan. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/23/f...

Boulder’s Hazel’s reinvents itself as grocery stores move into wine sales The longtime Boulder retailer is expanding into groceries and specialty drinks as Prop 125 reshapes Colorado’s liquor market.

With Prop 125 opening wine sales to grocery stores, #Boulder’s Hazel’s says foot traffic is down 30%. The shop is pivoting — adding groceries, coffee and a fast-growing nonalcoholic section to stay competitive. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/23/a...

Boulder-area governments urge immediate action at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Local leaders are pushing Jefferson County and the FAA to address safety risks tied to heavy training traffic.

Nine #Boulder-area governments are urging action at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, citing FAA data showing high safety incidents and heavy flight-school traffic. They’re calling for limits on training flights and a corrective-action plan. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/23/n...

Boulder City Council approves housing project that will replace the Dark Horse The plan replaces a strip mall and parking lot, including the Dark Horse building, with 427 housing units and new commercial space.

#Boulder City Council unanimously approved a 427-unit student housing project at Baseline Road that will replace the strip mall, including the Dark Horse and Sprouts. The plan adds new housing, retail and public space near Williams Village. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/20/b...

Boulder County walks back minimum wage increases, will soon be outpaced by City of Boulder Boulder County had one of the most ambitious minimum wage schedules in the state, but walked it back after hearing from farmers and business owners who said the wages were unsustainable.

#Boulder County voted to slow its minimum wage increases after hearing from farmers and small businesses. The shift means Boulder city’s wage will soon outpace the county’s, a move worker advocates say leaves wages far below the local living wage. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/20/b...

Bill McCartney statue installed at CU Boulder, drawing protests from LGBTQ+ advocates McCartney was both a record-setting coach and an advocate for policy that stripped legal protections for LGBTQ+ people. His statue went up this month.

A new, controversial statue of Bill McCartney went up this month. McCartney was both a record-setting CU #Boulder coach and an advocate for policies that stripped legal protections from LGBTQ+ people. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/23/b...

Boulder holiday giving guide 2025: How to support local nonprofits and volunteer From food assistance to housing, seniors, arts and environmental causes, here are dozens of ways to support Boulder County nonprofits.

Don’t know where to give back in #Boulder this year? Our 2025 holiday guide rounds up dozens of local nonprofits — from food and housing to arts, seniors and the outdoors — with concrete ways to donate, volunteer and support your neighbors. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/20/w...

Boulder County ejects longtime homeless meal program from Justice Center lot Colorado FriendShip says it was blindsided by the enforcement decision, leaving dozens without their weekly hot meal as the group searches for a new location.

Why is #Boulder County kicking out a 27-year-old homeless meal program from the Justice Center lot? Colorado FriendShip says it was blindsided, leaving dozens without their weekly hot meal as they scramble for a new location. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/20/b...

Boulder’s Birdie Factory opens as the city’s first indoor golf bar With five simulator bays, a full bar and games beyond golf, the new hangout aims to be Boulder’s next social hotspot.

#Boulder has its first indoor golf bar. Birdie Factory recently opened on Arapahoe Ave. with five simulator bays, a full bar, games and plenty more. A new spot to drink, play and hang. No golf experience required. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/20/b...

Boulder wildfire breaks out near Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain Officials said access to the fire was still being determined as smoke rose over the Flatirons.

The City of #Boulder says last night’s Flagstaff wildfire was human-caused. Crews ruled out natural and electrical sources. The 1-acre Realization Fire was contained around 1 a.m. Mop-up continues today. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/b...

Boulder's first psilocybin healing centers open their doors At least three facilities are now offering supervised psychedelic mushroom sessions as Colorado’s new regulatory framework takes hold.

What does a legal psychedelic session in #Boulder actually look like? Headphones, eye masks, five hours of “inner healing work” — and a surge of interest as Boulder’s first psilocybin healing centers open. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/b...

CU Boulder Athletics won’t cut ties with airline running ICE deportation flights The local airline, which has drawn protests for its operation of detainee transport flights for ICE, also contracts with CU Athletics.

CU #Boulder Athletics says it will not cancel or modify its contract with Key Lime Air, the airline that has drawn protests for operating ICE detainee flights. The contract runs through 2029. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/c...

Meet Boulder’s first female taxi drivers — and the fearless rides that made them local legends Frances Molloy and Mabel Macleay paved the way for women with "coolness, courage and a knowledge of how to operate a car."

#Boulder’s first female taxi drivers showed the city’s long streak of courage and independence. Florence Molloy and Mabel Macleay became local legends by redefining who belonged behind the wheel. Story by local historian Silvia Pettem. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/m...

Opinion | Aquiles La Grave: The real win at Iris Fields isn’t the land — it's the blueprint for community power I helped lead the push to save Iris Fields. What mattered most wasn’t the outcome. It was proving how Boulder residents can reclaim agency and rewrite the process.

OPINION: "We didn’t just add ourselves to the agenda. We forced the issue, flipping the table and making institutional actors react to community consensus," Aquiles La Grave, leader in the Save Iris Fields effort. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/13/a...

Boulder community plan to save Iris Fields faces $48 million rival bid A local coalition supports a senior living developer’s proposal to save the beloved fields. A competing bid would eliminate them entirely.

The county commissioners' vote to preserve the Iris Ballfields in North #Boulder follows BRL’s exclusive reporting on a $48M bid to build over the fields, a revelation that sparked a wave of community pushback. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/11/s...

Iris Fields preserved as Boulder County approves sale to The Academy Community pressure, rival multimillion-dollar offers and questions over future housing all shaped the closely watched 2-1 vote.

#Boulder County has voted 2–1 to sell the North Broadway Complex to The Academy, a $26M deal that preserves Iris Fields after a major community push. Little League families erupted in applause as the decision came down. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/i...

Boulder limits Police Oversight Panel’s access to misconduct cases, prompting backlash City officials say the change lets them focus on serious allegations. Panel members say it undercuts the group’s core oversight role.

#Boulder has limited its Police Oversight Panel’s access to certain misconduct cases, saying staff need to focus on the most serious allegations. Panel members warn the change weakens community oversight. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/16/b...

Boulder County purchase advances long-awaited Betasso trail connection County buys 6.6-acre Boulder Canyon parcel, opening the door to a safer, off-road route to Betasso Preserve.

#Boulder County just bought 6.6 acres in Boulder Canyon, advancing a long-awaited safer trail connection to Betasso Preserve. Cyclists call it “huge” for avoiding canyon traffic. Plans are still early, but momentum is building. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/16/b...

Boulder drops lawsuit against FAA following unfavorable federal court ruling The decision likely means the airport will continue operating for the foreseeable future, though its long-term fate remains uncertain.

#Boulder has dropped its lawsuit against the FAA after a federal judge dismissed the case, putting airport land-use decisions on hold and leaving the airport’s long-term future uncertain. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/16/b...

Federal cuts leave CU Boulder language and migrant student programs scrambling Programs saw more than $2 million in federal cuts, part of a nationwide rollback of diversity and international education funding.

Federal cuts are hitting CU #Boulder: More than $2.2M in lost funding is putting migrant student support and foreign language programs at risk, with Title VI grants discontinued nationwide. What’s at stake: boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/13/f...

At 30, Boulder’s Twisted Pine Brewing still feels like the neighborhood bar that beer built As Boulder has grown and the craft beer industry has shifted, Twisted Pine has survived by evolving with its customers and staying local.

Twisted Pine Brewing turns 30, and still feels like the neighborhood bar #Boulder grew up with. As craft beer has shifted, they’ve stayed local, experimental and community-focused. A great read on how a Boulder original keeps evolving: boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/13/a...

Nibbles: 150 years of Boulder food history come alive at ‘Boulder Eats!’ New Museum of Boulder exhibit, plus roasted piñons, a new cocktail bar, Longmont camel milk and holiday food events across the county.

#Boulder’s food story, from tofu pioneers to Michelin stars: the Museum of Boulder’s new “Boulder Eats!” exhibit brings 150 years of local food history to life. Vintage menus, historic kitchens, iconic dishes — a feast for Boulder lovers. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/11/n...

Boulder wildfire breaks out near Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain Officials said access to the fire was still being determined as smoke rose over the Flatirons.

NEW: Small wildfire broke out near Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain Tuesday night. Estimated at 2 acres with low flames, it’s being called the Realization Fire. No evacuations. Crews are working to access area. Visible from Gunbarrel; smoke in #Boulder. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/18/b...

Boulder City Council approves new fee on home demolitions and rebuilds to fund affordable housing A city study found scrape-and-rebuild projects remove relatively affordable homes from the market and increase demand for affordable housing for workers.

#Boulder City Council has approved an $11-per-square-foot fee on home demolitions and large rebuilds to boost affordable housing funds. The policy targets tear-downs that replace modest homes with luxury builds. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/09/b...

Opinion | Brian Keegan: What Boulder’s 2025 election results reveal about how we vote Why do progressive candidates in Boulder always seem to come from behind on election night only to surge ahead? A data model offers clues.

OPINION: “Progressive-backed candidates often start behind with the first results and climb steadily as later ballots are counted,” writes Brian Keegan on #Boulder’s election patterns and what they reveal about local politics. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/09/b...

Boulder blocks 'graywater' reuse allowed under new state law, citing lack of readiness City says it needs more time to prepare for graywater systems; critics say the ban conflicts with Boulder’s sustainability goals.

#Boulder has opted out of Colorado’s new graywater reuse law — at least for now. City council passed a two-year ban, citing lack of readiness to manage systems that reuse sink and shower water. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/09/b...

Boulder then and now: The changing face of Broadway in the 1960s and '70s A look back at the eclectic shops, counterculture cafés and shifting streetscapes that defined a bygone era of downtown Boulder.

Before the Pearl Street Mall, Broadway was #Boulder’s bohemian strip — home to Octopus Waterbeds, Carnival Café and other colorful spots. Silvia Pettem looks back at the 1960s–'70s shops that defined a bygone downtown. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/09/b...

Boulder Reporting Lab columnists unpack what the 2025 local election results mean Brian Keegan and Bob Yates discuss what Boulder’s election results reveal about the city’s political direction.

#Boulder’s 2025 election brought both change and continuity. In a new “Across the Aisle” conversation, two BRL columnists discuss what voters’ choices — and the council’s new balance — reveal about the city’s political direction. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/06/a...

Boulder Theater’s Art Deco facade restored after years of decay Water damage nearly doomed the landmark, spurring a preservation campaign that brought together engineers, donors and local officials.

After years of water damage, the #Boulder Theater’s Art Deco facade has been fully restored, helping saving one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks just in time for its 90th anniversary. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/06/b...

Xcel Energy nears completion of Marshall Fire settlements The utility has executed or reached settlements with more than 2,000 plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the 2021 Marshall Fire.

Xcel Energy says it’s nearly finished settling lawsuits over the 2021 #MarshallFire, with agreements reached or executed with more than 2,000 plaintiffs. Lawyers aim to finalize remaining deals and distribute funds by year’s end. boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/06/x...