Boulder Reporting Lab

Boulder council seeks changes to Polis-backed bill that would override local zoning The HOME Act would allow some housing projects to bypass local zoning and public hearings.

#Boulder City Council is pushing for changes to a Polis-backed housing bill that would override local zoning to address a regional housing shortage, especially for low-income residents. No councilmembers support it as written. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/05/b...

‘My constituents do not want Big Brother’: Sen. Amabile targets mass surveillance technologies in new bill Initially drafted with automatic license plate readers like Flock in mind, the bill would limit access to historical location data, though privacy advocates warn of gaps.

State Sen. Judy Amabile of #Boulder has introduced a bill to limit police use of Flock cameras and other tools that track people’s movements, adding guardrails on location data while preserving law enforcement response in urgent cases. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/05/m...

'Please keep the pool': South Boulder kids press city council for rec center replacement City officials say the South Boulder Recreation Center needs a $30 million replacement, but funding and amenities remain undecided.

South #Boulder residents — many of them kids — packed city council chambers calling for a full replacement of the aging South Boulder Rec Center, including a pool and gym. The city says a $30M rebuild is needed, but funding and amenities remain undecided. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/05/s...

CU Regents face calls to support collective bargaining, end Key Lime Air contract tied to ICE flights Labor advocates and community members dominated public comment, urging regents to reconsider both labor policy and an airline contract tied to ICE activity.

CU regents faced calls to expand collective bargaining and end CU’s contract with Key Lime Air, tied to ICE flights. More than 100 protesters and labor advocates urged regents to back workers’ rights and cut ties with deportation-linked vendors. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/05/c...

Boulder County pauses Red Hill herbicide spraying again amid backlash Opponents say shifting decisions and a limited public process have deepened mistrust over spraying herbicide to control invasive cheatgrass.

#Boulder County has paused—again—a plan to spray herbicide by drone at Red Hill. The plan has been paused, resumed and paused again amid backlash, with critics citing a confusing process and eroded trust, while officials say the spraying was already approved. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/03/b...

CU regents plan union rights proposal for faculty, staff and student workers Union advocates will speak at the CU Board of Regents’ Feb. 5 meeting in Boulder, as a months-long debate over collective bargaining begins.

Two CU regents are proposing an expansion of collective bargaining to include faculty, staff and student workers. Union advocates plan to speak at a Feb. 5 Board of Regents meeting in #Boulder as a monthslong debate gets underway ahead of a possible June vote. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/03/c...

Boulder fires ignited during Xcel's power restoration, fire chief says A fire in Sunshine Canyon raised questions about whether restoring power can recreate the wildfire risk the shutoffs are meant to prevent.

A #Boulder County wildfire ignited in Sunshine Canyon as Xcel restored power after a windstorm shutoff. Days later, a second fire broke out in Fourmile Canyon, renewing questions about whether re-energizing lines can recreate wildfire risk. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/01/b...

‘We’ve got to keep it moving’: After Boulder NAACP’s dissolution, Black History Month events go on ECAACE is carrying on Black History Month events once led in part by the NAACP, but the branch’s advocacy role remains unfilled.

After the #Boulder County NAACP’s dissolution, ECAACE is stepping in to host Black History Month events once led by the branch. Cultural programming continues. But no group has yet emerged to fill the NAACP’s former role in local civil rights advocacy. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/01/w...

DA to Boulder residents: Call 911 if ICE tries to enter your home without a judge’s warrant The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office is reissuing guidance about 'the many ways we can protect ourselves and our immigrant communities.'

The #Boulder County DA’s office is reissuing ICE guidance: If agents try to enter your home without a judicial warrant, call 911. Local police won’t ask about immigration status and won’t report it to ICE. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/01/b...

Thousands filled Boulder streets Saturday in the city’s largest ICE protests to date A downtown protest and memorial bike ride drew an estimated 3,000 people, marking the largest ICE-related demonstrations Boulder has seen.

A downtown protest and memorial bike ride drew an estimated 3,000 people, marking the largest ICE-related demonstrations #Boulder has seen, in photos. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/02/01/p...

Nearly a quarter of Boulder Valley teachers call out amid anti-ICE 'National Shutdown' Schools will remain open Friday despite teacher callouts tied to a national anti-ICE protest, with demonstrations planned in Boulder this weekend.

Nearly a quarter of #Boulder Valley teachers called out Friday amid the National Shutdown anti-ICE protests, but BVSD schools stayed open. Local demonstrations linked to protests over the Minneapolis ICE shooting are planned this weekend in Boulder. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/30/n...

'Our silence won't save us': Boulder faith leaders join national protests against ICE violence Rev. David Schwartz marched in Minneapolis before protester Alex Pretti was killed. In Boulder, faith leaders led a solidarity walk.

"Our silence won’t save us." #Boulder faith leaders marched in solidarity with Minneapolis and immigrant communities after ICE agents killed protester Alex Pretti. Clergy say increasingly aggressive ICE tactics demand a moral response, here and nationwide. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/29/o...

Boulder businesses lost thousands after Xcel’s December power shutoff. City leaders want Xcel to pay them back. At a state utilities hearing, residents and officials urged Xcel to compensate customers for losses. Xcel has made no promises.

#Boulder businesses are pressing Xcel for compensation after December power shutoffs spoiled inventory and forced closures. City officials backed the call at a state utilities hearing, but the utility signaled claims are unlikely to be approved. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/29/b...

When Boulder was 'The Place to Live': How the city marketed itself for decades From railroad brochures and poems to welcome signs and slide shows, Boulder spent the early 20th century selling itself as a destination and a home.

Before “no vacancy,” #Boulder rolled out the welcome mat. From railroad poems and billboards to slide shows and slogans, the city once proudly sold itself as "The Place to Live." A look back at Boulder’s long history of boosterism, by Silvia Pettem. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/29/w...

Colorado lawmakers mobilize to defend Boulder’s NCAR after NSF move Rep. Joe Neguse is organizing a bipartisan response as Sen. John Hickenlooper looks for new ways to add protections to future funding bills.

Colorado lawmakers are pushing back after the NSF opened the door to dismantling #Boulder’s NCAR. Rep. Neguse is organizing a bipartisan response as Sen. Hickenlooper seeks new protections. Scientists warn the move could cripple weather and climate research. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/27/c...

Judge rejects Boulder request to make residents pay legal fees in CU South case The city asked a judge to sanction residents who sued over financing of the CU South flood mitigation project.

Judge rejects #Boulder’s bid to make residents pay legal fees in the CU South lawsuit. A district court denied the city’s request to force plaintiffs to cover $46K in attorneys’ fees in a case the city says has delayed the CU South flood mitigation project. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/25/j...

Boulder's Frequency Dance fallout deepens: wage theft lawsuit, eviction underway Former employees allege months of unpaid work as parents seek refunds and the landlord moves to evict the studio.

#Boulder’s Frequency Dance fallout deepens: A former employee has filed a wage theft lawsuit alleging months of unpaid work, while the studio’s South Boulder space faces eviction over $48K in unpaid rent. Police have shared files with the AG’s office. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/25/b...

Affordable senior housing plan in Boulder runs into historic preservation fight The early-stage plan near the main library would add dozens of homes for low-income seniors, but could require removing century-old houses.

A proposed expansion at Presbyterian Manor near #Boulder’s main library could add ~60 affordable homes for low-income seniors. But the plan may require removing four 1920s-era houses, setting up a familiar Boulder clash: housing need vs. historic preservation. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/25/b...

NSF asks how to dismantle Boulder's NCAR after Congress rejects protections Letter seeks proposals to restructure Boulder-based climate and weather research center as scientists warn of national consequences.

After Congress refused to protect NCAR, NSF issued a letter asking for proposals to “restructure” the #Boulder-based climate and weather science hub, including privatization. The move would undermine a global pillar of weather forecasting and climate research. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/23/n...

Effort launched to put Boulder County commission expansion on 2026 ballot Supporters say expanding the commission from three to five members would improve representation and capacity. Critics warn it would be costly and slow decision-making.

Supporters are gathering signatures to put a 2026 ballot measure before #Boulder County voters to expand the county commission from 3 to 5 members. They need ~13K signatures by July 14. Backers cite workload and representation; critics raise cost concerns. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/22/e...

Boulder City Council warns Xcel over prolonged outages and missed climate goals A letter cites missed emissions targets, wildfire-related outages and rising costs, but does not recommend exiting the franchise agreement.

#Boulder City Council is warning Xcel over missed climate targets, rising costs and days-long wildfire power shutoffs. In a strongly worded letter, council calls the outages “simply not acceptable,” but stops short of recommending exiting the franchise deal. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/20/s...

Walter Orr Roberts and NCAR built Boulder’s climate science hub. Federal threats now loom. One scientist’s legacy helps explain how Boulder became a global center for atmospheric research — and why damage unfolding now could take generations to undo.

#Boulder’s NCAR helped make the city a global hub for #climate science. Now, Trump's administration is pushing to dismantle it, threatening a legacy that took generations to build. Fascinating, important history of how it all began with scientist Walt Roberts: boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/20/w...

Colorado FriendShip allowed to resume homeless meal program in Boulder after permit halt The volunteer-run program has served weekly meals for more than 25 years before a permitting issue paused service last fall.

After BRL reported on #Boulder County halting Colorado FriendShip’s 27-year Sunday meal program over a permit issue, the county approved a new permit. The group can now resume serving meals to unhoused residents in Boulder. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/20/c...

South Boulder needs a new rec center. The city still doesn’t know how to fund it. With the building nearing the end of its life, city officials say a replacement will likely require voter approval, but when — or how — remains unclear.

South #Boulder’s rec center needs a $30M replacement, but the city has no clear way to pay for it yet. Officials say a ballot measure is likely, but shifting funds from East Boulder has sparked pushback. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/18/s...

Boulder City Council’s 2026 to-do list: bike theft, wildfires, wages, power outages The short council term and preparations for the Sundance Film Festival in January 2027 narrowed the scope of policy work for the year ahead.

#Boulder City Council set six priorities for 2026, including bike theft prevention, wildfire mitigation, and power grid resilience. A short term and Sundance prep narrowed the policy scope. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/15/b...

50+ films, from Jackie Chan to Oscar shorts and 'Roofman.' CU’s 2026 film series is now playing in Boulder. More than 50 films will screen in Boulder from January through April, spanning independent, international and repertory cinema.

The CU International Film Series is back with Oscar shorts, cult classics, and Sundance icons — plus a live-scored silent film and in-person event with director Derek Cianfrance. 50+ films are screening in #Boulder through April. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/15/c...

How a Boulder youth dance studio unraveled amid fraud allegations and unpaid bills Frequency Dance, formerly Kinesis Dance, closed abruptly last month following a mysterious break-in and ongoing disputes involving unpaid bills and parent complaints. The closure leaves unanswered que...

Exclusive: A South #Boulder youth dance studio closed amid fraud claims, lawsuits and unpaid bills. Now, former staff and families are speaking out, and a state investigation is underway. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/14/h...

Prairie dog numbers fall on Boulder open space as city continues lethal control City will continue to use lethal control methods and maintain a pilot program that helps landowners pay for barriers.

Prairie dog populations on #Boulder open space declined 7% in 2025. The city cites removal efforts and a wet spring, and will extend lethal control, relocation and a cost-sharing barrier program into 2026.

Boulder’s new transportation fee could start billing residents mid-2026 The fee is expected to raise about $6.4 million a year for road and path maintenance as sales and use tax revenue plateaus.

#Boulder is preparing to bill residents and businesses a new transportation maintenance fee, expected to raise $6.4 million annually for roads, paths and sidewalks. The fee is based on estimated use by property type, not actual travel. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/11/b...

Hundreds of unofficial trails cut across Boulder County. A regional group wants to rein them in. Land managers across Northern Colorado are beginning the slow work of closing, restoring or formalizing 'social' trails.

A regional coalition, NoCo Places, is tackling 350 miles of unofficial “social” trails across Northern Colorado. Some paths will be closed or restored, others may become official. Trail crews could begin work in #Boulder County as soon as spring. boulderreportinglab.org/2026/01/11/i...