Boulder Reporting Lab
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NEW: Aaron Brockett secures and grows his lead over Bob Yates in the race for
#Boulder
mayor, according to the 9:50 p.m results. He's ahead by 1,198 votes. It's now quite clear he will be the city's first directly elected mayor.
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Heramb Mohite, a sophomore at CU who has lived in the U.S. (mostly in Colorado) since he was 11, is one of many "Documented Dreamers" who faces self-deportation when he turns 21.
"I just want to graduate, go to medical school and become a doctor."
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Water is moving fast out of the already-high creeks and into the footpaths, after
#Boulder
was hit hard by intense hail and thunderstorms. These photos were taken on the Bear Creek Path in the same spot, just 10 mins apart, at around 1:30 p.m. today. 📷: Tim Drugan
@BoulderRL
.
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NEW: Latest results (4:30 p.m.) in the race for City of
#Boulder
mayor show Aaron Brockett now 497 votes ahead of Bob Yates, with *at least* 3,600 ballots still left to count. Ballots remaining is an estimate at this time.
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Boulder City Council has voted to raise the city’s occupancy limits — accomplishing one of its top priorities ahead of the 2023 election and marking the council’s latest attempt to increase the supply of housing by chipping away at the city’s zoning laws.
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About 90% of Boulder County ballots have been counted as of this morning.
— Measure to form library district appears poised to pass (52% favor)
— Measure to move city elections to even years will pass (62% favor)
— Measure to repeal CU South deal poised to fail (46% favor)
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New:
#Boulder
transportation and housing advocates are requesting that the city council repeal parking minimums for residential and commercial developments.
"Every time we have to build a parking spot ... it takes away from our ability to build housing."
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Boulder Reporting Lab had a big night at the Colorado Press Association awards on Saturday, scooping up 14 honors, including the prestigious General Excellence award for its category that included 14 newsrooms. 🏆
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The Marshall Fire destroyed more than a thousand homes, leaving behind a painfully visible toll of destruction.
But it has also taken a much less visible – though also painful – toll on a different group of residents. These are their stories. (THREAD)
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Mayor Aaron Brockett will keep his job and become Boulder’s first directly elected city mayor following a nail-biting election in which he eked out a narrow win over his nearest rival, Councilmember Bob Yates. "I’m looking forward to getting down to work.”
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We interviewed attorney Natascha O’Flaherty who helped East Troublesome Fire victims. She’s working with
@JudyAmabileHD13
on reforms of wildfire insurance claims.
These are 5 things she said
#MarshallFire
victims who lost homes must do.
A thread 🧵
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NAACP Boulder County is calling on Boulder Police Dept’s top brass to resign following revelations surrounding the death of Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Black who died after Aurora police put him in a chokehold and paramedics injected him with ketamine.
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Boulder’s two state reps, Judy Amabile and Junie Joseph, are in the early stages of working on a bill that would move school board elections to even years.
The interest was spurred by the passage of 2E that will move city council elections to even years.
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Did you lose your home in the
#MarshallFire
, or know someone who did and want to help? Fire victims have rights enshrined in Colorado law. Learn about them here — and find out what actions you should immediately take (as soon as today): via
@HerrickJohnny
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In a lawsuit filed yesterday, ACLU of Colorado attorneys argued the city’s camping ban violates protections in Article II of the Colorado Constitution against cruel and unusual punishment and endangerment.
@HerrickJohnny
breaks it down. 👇
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RTD is proposing to bring back the FF2 commuter bus between Boulder and Denver, the latest step toward restoring Covid service cuts that have frustrated Boulder residents.
A rundown of this and other proposed changes affecting our community.
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The city has released new info about its investigation into a case of alleged misconduct involving officers in the Boulder PD detective section—revealing a “process breakdown” that resulted in officers not investigating dozens of cases of reported crimes.
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NEW: The latest results for four seats on the
#Boulder
City Council now show Tara Winer, Tina Marquis, Taishya Adams and Ryan Schuchard winning. Terri Brncic was bumped to fifth, just 42 votes behind Schuchard. It appears there are about 2,200 ballot yet to be counted.
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An "All Clear" has been issued for West Boulder between Linden Avenue and University Avenue. No parts of the City of Boulder are under an evacuation warning currently.
#sunshinewildlandfire
-->
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City council voted 8-1 last week to allow duplexes and triplexes in single-family neighborhoods, where such homes are currently prohibited. The ordinance is an incremental step toward eliminating a restrictive form of zoning.
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NEW: The latest results show Councilmember Bob Yates leading Mayor Aaron Brockett by just 221 votes, or less than 1%. This race is too close to call. About ~3,000 city ballots left to count.
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American Red Cross is on the scene at the East Boulder Community Center, setting up for a potential overnight shelter for residents displaced by the
#NCARFire
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BREAKING: Fire in open space near Bear Canyon/NCAR in South Boulder.
@boulderpolice
and
@boulder_fire
are responding. Authorities say residents should avoid the area and do not call 911 to report.
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NEW: Members of Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel are considering suspending their review of internal investigations into officer misconduct, after a politicized appointment process culminated this week in the removal of a panelist by city council.
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New: Lisa Sweeney-Miran, a former
#Boulder
’s Police Oversight Panel member who was removed from the watchdog group by city council over allegations of bias, has sued the city for allegedly violating her constitutional rights to free speech and due process.
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Today we launch our new
@BoulderRL
website with lots of information about what we’re building and why, and how you can help. We’re focused on hiring our team, and will begin publishing ASAP. For now, get on our email list so you don’t miss a thing!👇1/4
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As part of the suit seeking to halt enforcement of Boulder's camping ban, ACLU attorneys doubled down on efforts to hold the city’s police chief responsible for what they argue are violations of constitutional rights of homeless people. Via BRL Today -->
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NEW: The Colorado Court of Appeals has issued a pivotal ruling in the defamation lawsuit by a former candidate for the Boulder City Council, Steve Rosenblum, dismissing his claims against all but one of the political organizers named in the lawsuit.
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NEW: The race for four seats on the
#Boulder
City Council remains extremely close as of the latest results at 4:30 p.m. Terri Brncic is now just 202 votes ahead of Taishya Adams, and Adams is only 137 votes ahead of Ryan Schuchard. *At least* 3,600 ballots left to be counted.
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“Do you really think anything is going to change? I don’t think so.”
The excruciating details presented in Ryan Partridge's seven-year lawsuit against Boulder County underscore the dire consequences of the state’s shortage of mental health treatment beds.
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In total, Boulder Reporting Lab received five first-place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Top of the Rockies contest and was honored 10 times for its work in 2022 — our first year of publishing.
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Cars going up and down Linden Avenue at 3:00 p.m. The area between Linden Avenue and University Avenue is under an evacuation warning. Residents have been told to prepare to evacuate.
#SunshineWildlandFire
📷:
@HerrickJohnny
@BoulderRL
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Nearly two years after the Boulder City Council established the city’s community-led Police Oversight Panel in 2020, the group has published its first report detailing case-by-case instances of alleged misconduct by police.
@HerrickJohnny
reports. 👇
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The City of
#Boulder
inches ever closer to adopting a ban on gas for new residential and commercial buildings, with certain exceptions — including for commercial kitchens, labs and hospitals. 👇
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Boulder's city manager has proposed a budget for 2024 that would invest slightly more in housing and human services than policing — perhaps for the first time in the city's history.
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What do Boulder's election results actually mean?
What's clear is that, at most, six councilmembers endorsed by Boulder Progressives will serve on the nine-member council—maintaining the majority. Some believe the new council could lean more to the left.
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Boulder firefighters recently got back from New Mexico, where they were sent to help fight the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Part of a "hand crew," those sent away returned with skills that will help them defend Boulder from future fires.
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Boulder officials said this week they are in the process of closing a deal on purchasing a home to provide inpatient recovery to help people wean off meth.
If all goes as planned, it could be up and running in a matter of months.
@HerrickJohnny
reports 👇
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Boulder voters will likely decide this November whether to shift councilmember and mayoral elections to even-numbered years to coincide with state and federal contests. The effort is aimed at boosting voter turnout in local elections.
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Curious about electrifying your home? ⚡ We talked to energy experts
@ChazTeplin
and
@bradytoday
of
@RockyMtnInst
about the costs, challenges and rewards of moving away from natural gas.
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The ACLU of Colorado and other plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Boulder over its camping ban have asked a count district court judge to issue a partial judgment — which could result in an order barring the city from enforcing the controversial law. -->
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As of this morning, 79% of Boulder County ballots have been counted.
— Measure to move city elections to even years very likely to pass (61% favor)
— Measure to repeal CU South deal appears poised to fail (46% favor)
— Measure to form library district very close (51% now favor)
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Open space is blocked off with yellow tape as
#SunshineWildlandFire
#SanitasFire
is seen here in the background at 4:00 p.m. 📷:
@HerrickJohnny
@BoulderRL
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Boulder’s Human Relations Commission, the panel advising city council on social issues, sent a letter to councilmembers urging them to publicly endorse 2E, the ballot measure that would move city elections to even years starting in 2026.--> Via BRL Today
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TODAY --> City of Boulder planners are presenting a draft ordinance to the House Advisory Board that would allow duplexes and triplexes in single-family neighborhoods and tweak density requirements to encourage smaller, more affordable homes.
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Dozens of people stayed at the 24-hour emergency overflow shelter at the East Age Well Center this weekend, a
#Boulder
official said, as temperatures dropped to dangerous lows. City outreach staff located about 20 people who continued to decline shelter.
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Boulder City Council has voted to remove a member from the Police Oversight Panel, a decision seen by some as a rebuff to the community organizations that helped appoint the member. And it may prompt a lawsuit against the city.
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The latest attempt to overturn CO's ban on local rental control measures has failed. The ban dates to 1981. It was a response to an attempt by Boulder organizers to pass a city rent control ballot measure.
@HerrickJohnny
on this "forgotten" local history.
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Coming just 11 days before the Marshall Fire anniversary, the wind and dryness make the
#sunshinewildlandfire
seem like a repeat, but there are signs for reassurance.
As of about 5 p.m. nowhere in Boulder proper was under an evacuation warning.
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The
#Boulder
a.m. election rundown:
— Mayoral race is 50-50.
— Ballot Issue 2A passes.
— Safe Zones for Kids poised to pass.
— BVSD board races nearly decided.
— City council remains close. (Winer to win reelection.)
— 86% of ballots counted so far. 👇
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NEW: An emergency order signed Thursday by City Manager
@nprivera
loosens requirements for obtaining a new rental license in Boulder. Residents must provide an affidavit that the property will house someone displaced by the
#MarshallFire
or wind damage.
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“It’s a hard, intractable issue."
Many public restrooms have been locked shut for months largely due to vandalism. As part of a strategy to address the impacts of homeless encampments, some city councilmembers want more portable toilets across downtown.
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Boulder City Council will soon discuss a plan to acquire all Xcel-owned streetlights on public property –– which account for the vast majority of Boulder’s 4,540 streetlights –– and upgrade them to smart LED models.
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Scooplet: Councilmember Bob Yates has announced he is running for Boulder mayor, becoming the first person to formally announce his candidacy.
The announcement sets the stage for what is likely to be a fiercely competitive race.
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How's
#Boulder
's stormwater infrastructure holding up after the flooding?
“I still think we’re OK and we can handle it,” said city's utilities director. “But if it starts raining day after day after day like it did in 2013, that’s where I get concerned."
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“I don’t know what’s next. I’m here. I have a roof over my head. I have food. I have clothes on my back.”
@HerrickJohnny
reports from
@YMCANOCO
, the last shelter for people displaced by the
#MarshallFire
. Those who remain are among the most vulnerable.
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A 90-year-old woman was killed in
#Boulder
by a driver making a left turn at Alpine and Broadway on Jan. 3. The tragedy followed similar crashes at similar city intersections designed to move cars along faster often at the expense of pedestrian safety.
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CU Boulder’s South property has become a case in point for difficult conversations around Boulder. How do we encourage land conservation while addressing the housing shortage? How do we combat flood risk and climate change as our town grows? (THREAD)
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The
#Boulder
City Council is expected to pass a resolution this week to allow the Boulder Police Department to place vans equipped with speed cameras on some of the city’s busiest roads where most crashes occur. Here’s where it plans to install them. 👇
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In an email to
#Boulder
election officials this morning, Paul Tweedlie, a Republican candidate for mayor, alleged “every ‘absentee’ ballot is probably fraudulent and these ballots should be quarantined and processed separately.”
Via BRL's Live Blog -->
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"I'm sick of talking about fire."
For many Boulder residents, the
#NCARFire
was another stage of adjusting to life in a fire-prone area as climate change intensifies. We spoke to those who stayed in the evacuation zone, and those who fled for shelter. 👇
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A proposed 101-unit housing development on a block near Folsom and Spruce offers a window into Boulder's affordable housing challenges. 👇
Thirteen of the units would be "deed-restricted affordable." The project has already been in the works 21 months.
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Boulder’s Housing Advisory Board wants the city to enact new rules that make it easier for people to turn basements, garages or backyards into an ADU.
That includes (1) nixing the off-street parking space requirement and (2) ending saturation limits. 👇
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City officials warn more families could slip into homelessness in the months ahead, as demand for safety-net resources exceeds funding levels, according to a city staff memo that will be presented to Boulder City Council on April 13. Via BRL Today -->
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As soon as this summer, the City of Boulder could be offering 0% interest loans to middle-class homebuyers as part of a proposed program aimed at helping residents get into the city’s hot housing market. Via BRL Today. Background -->
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Today's ACLU letter to city officials came after
@BoulderRL
reported this week that the city’s largest shelter has been turning people away at the door due to limited capacity. The letter requests a response by end of day tomorrow. ⬇️
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The
#MarshallFire
and Omicron were top of mind during last night's
@BVSDcolorado
school board meeting. Reporter
@BenjySachs
has everything you need to know about what went down during the first forum of the year.
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BRL's
@HerrickJohnny
on the scene at Boulder High where police are investigating reports of an active shooter.
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Two-term Councilmember Aaron Brockett is running for mayor in order to make Boulder a "just, equitable and accessible place." Unlike the other candidates in the race, Brockett has a record as mayor to defend.
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If a thorough examination of the ordinance that created the Police Oversight Panel—to ensure it has teeth—isn't "done soon," panel co-chair Ariel Amaru told BRL:
“I think the merit of an objective, independent review panel is ultimately entirely void.”
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The Covid pandemic was devastating for many downtown Boulder businesses, but at least one sector appears to be vibrant: outdoor retailers.
The Pearl Street Mall’s collection of these shops (mostly chains) keeps growing — especially east of 14th Street.
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Boulder hotels are offering discounts for people affected by the
#MarshallFire
. Reporter
@hemrylarson
spoke with employees to get a sense of how supply is meeting demand after the historic destruction of 991 homes. Here's what we know right now. ⤵️
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New measures passed last night by Boulder and neighboring communities are among the most restrictive local policies on gun ownership in Colorado. Will it be enough to spark a "catalyst for change" when it comes to gun violence?
@HerrickJohnny
reports. 👇
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Hundreds of people gathered at Congregation Har HaShem in Boulder on Wednesday evening to mourn the loss of Israelis killed, wounded and taken hostage in the Hamas attacks.
"There’s grief in our community. We’re mourning loss of friends and family."
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How would
@RideRTD
's potential bus route changes affect Boulder County — and how do they square with Colorado's climate goals? 🚌🌎
@MattFrommer
with
@SouthwestEE
calls the proposed service reduction "a big step backwards."
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NEW: A Boulder County District Court judge on Thursday rejected an attempt by the city to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to halt enforcement of the city’s camping ban. The decision sets the stage for a trial over the controversial law. By
@HerrickJohnny
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Questions remain about whether the city’s participating officer on the Joint Task Force will always have to follow local policies. City council may seek to block the partnership if amendments to the agreement aren't made.
@HerrickJohnny
reports. 👇
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Have you been a victim of price gouging in the wake of the
#MarshallFire
? Colorado AG
@pweiser
says his office will pursue "serious penalties" under state law for businesses that charge "unreasonably excessive" prices for essentials after a disaster.
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"Listen to her. She's telling you they're here."
With the aid of a hound, a nonprofit is helping pet owners grieve the loss of their missing dogs and cats after the
#MarshallFire
. We documented two search missions last Friday in Louisville and Superior.
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“We’ve had two swatting incidents for school shootings. There’s been suicides this year.”
Boulder High students launch art initiative SEEN to empower teens to support each other’s mental health and to express themselves to the broader Boulder community.
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We originally reported that turnout appeared low. But that may have been premature. Boulder County is at 167,523 mail ballots returned + in-person ballots now, indicating turnout is 75%. And it will likely keep climbing. Roughly 82% voted in 2018. 👀
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Rising home prices and other costs of living in Boulder County are redefining what it means to live on the financial edge.
“The need is growing in our communities among people who never thought they’d need assistance.”
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Meeting Boulder’s climate targets will require the city to reduce emissions an average 5.83% per year in the next decade. Aside from a pandemic-induced breather, it has been shedding emissions at a rate of 1.3% per year.
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Boulder Reporting Lab's
@HerrickJohnny
analyzed the Boulder Police Department’s stolen bike data to better understand the amount — and location — of bike thefts amid the recent surge in reported crime. 🚲👇
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"Single-use equals trash now."
Starting on April 1, Boulder residents and businesses can only compost food, plant trimmings, yard waste and certain compostable bags. No more disposable serviceware — even if it's labeled compostable. 👇
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In 2023, more code of conduct complaints have been filed by Boulder residents than in all of the last decade combined. Councilmembers may seek to change the process.
@HerrickJohnny
runs down the 10 complaints—and issues involved in reforming the system.
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Several new restaurants have opened in Boulder in the first two months of 2023, and others will follow later this year.
Meet Stella’s Cucina, Pupusas Lover 2, Nopalitos (reopening) and Postino — which all aim to fill gaps in Boulder’s cuisine options. 👇
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18/ Get a closer look behind the scenes of this project, which was reported by
@alibranscombe
@zenliveshere
@anthonyalbidrez
@aecwrites
@joshcouture
@elise_ertl
and Helen Driesen.
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How one of Boulder’s oldest landmarks was brought back to life as a fire-proof, wind-proof, sustainable version of itself — 123 years after it first opened. ☕
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We talked to outdoor adventure YouTube host
@duzer
about dealing with burnout after a tough year for his beloved hometown of Boulder.
“If you can, take a step outside, breathe in the fresh air and appreciate what a beautiful community we live in.”
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"It’s tight in the food banks right now and our community has always stepped up for people in need," says Julie Van Domelen of
@efaa_boulder
. "We just want to let people know this would be a great time to drop off food donations."
Here's how to help. 👇
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Nearly two-dozen businesses were destroyed or damaged in the
#MarshallFire
. This includes the entire Superior Marketplace. Nearby Costco was only minimally damaged, the store told us, and will open as soon as possible.
The preliminary list, as of now:
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4
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NEW: An automatic recount has been triggered for one of the open seats on
#Boulder
City Council. Ryan Schuchard leads Terri Brncic by 47 votes, according to the latest set of results. The results confirm Tara Winer, Tina Marquis and Taishya Adams have won the other three seats.
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There’s been talk of floodplains and flood mitigation, of traffic congestion and housing shortages, but the question for many hanging over the CU South annexation is: Why is that land CU’s to begin with?
A trek down local history lane, by Tim Drugan. 👇
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We're honored to receive this journalism fellowship from
@Philanthropy
! BRL will put resources toward examining the role played by community foundations in climate disaster relief and recovery through our reporting on the Boulder County Wildfire Fund.
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Several people at the resident-owned mobile home park south of Boulder are still without water after 100+ mph winds rocked the community during the
#MarshallFire
. The needs of its low-income and elderly residents are many and multiplying.
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10/ While experts we spoke with agree fire smoke is hazardous to health, the science is less clear about what levels of smoke pollutants are safe to live in after a fire.
So standing home survivors have no guidance for when it's safe to return home. Some are choosing not to.
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