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North Boulder Little League faces uncertainty as county moves to sell Iris Fields
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

North Boulder Little League faces uncertainty as county moves to sell Iris Fields

By Amber Carlson | Boulder Reporting Lab The fate of North Boulder’s popular Iris baseball fields is in question after Boulder County officials announced plans to sell the North Broadway Complex, the 17.5-acre site that includes the ball fields and county office buildings. For nearly 70 years, the Iris Fields at 1333 Iris Ave. have been a staple of North Boulder’s community, hosting North Boulder Little League games for kids ages 5 to 12. Generations of Boulderites have spent spring and summer seasons playing ball and making memories. But with the county planning to move its offices to a new location, families worry the sale could mean losing a treasured community space.  READ THE FULL STORY AT BOULDER REPORTING LAB
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Boulder official facing complaint for allegedly blocking residents on Instagram, from book club
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Boulder official facing complaint for allegedly blocking residents on Instagram, from book club

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab Two Boulder residents have filed a code of conduct complaint against Councilmember Taishya Adams, alleging she blocked one of them on Instagram and barred the other from a book club she organized as a public official. The complaint, filed on Feb. 5, alleges Adams discriminated against a Jewish resident after she blocked him from her Instagram account, which she uses to communicate her work on the Boulder City Council. It also alleges she restricted access to a book group that was “publicly sponsored in her capacity as a councilwoman,” misused her personal Instagram account for city business, and then blocked several other Jewish residents not named in the complaint.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE BOULDER REPORTING LAB
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Boulder residents launch ballot measure petition to (re)close West Pearl Street to cars
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Boulder residents launch ballot measure petition to (re)close West Pearl Street to cars

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab A group of Boulder residents has started collecting signatures for a 2025 ballot measure that would close two blocks of West Pearl Street to most vehicles, reviving a pandemic-era street closure that made space for outdoor dining. The move is expected to reignite debate over how to balance efforts to create pedestrian-friendly spaces with business interests, pitting transportation advocates against some business owners who want to keep that section of Pearl Street open to cars and parking. Opponents argue that lost parking during the previous closure hurt business.  The ballot measure calls for creating a “community space” on Pearl Street between 9th and 11th Streets by closing it to private vehicular traffic. Commercial and emergency v...
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Grove Elementary aims to become BVSD’s first new charter school in decades
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Grove Elementary aims to become BVSD’s first new charter school in decades

By Jenna Sampson | Boulder Reporting Lab A proposed new charter school emphasizing inclusivity for neurodiverse and special education students is under review by the Boulder Valley Board of Education. Grove Elementary would be an offshoot of Bal Swan, a private preschool in Broomfield, with its educational philosophy extending to the new publicly funded charter school.  The Boulder Valley School District has five charter schools, four approved between 1996 and 1999, and the most recent in 2002. Grove’s proposal is the first charter application in five years. The latest, submitted by Ascent Classical Academy Flatirons in 2019, was denied on many grounds, including its intent to waive the district’s nondiscrimination policy.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE BOULDER REPORTI...
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CU-Boulder sued for free speech violations over response to Israel-Hamas war protest
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

CU-Boulder sued for free speech violations over response to Israel-Hamas war protest

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab A University of Colorado Boulder student and an employee filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court on Jan. 10, alleging the university violated their free speech rights following a protest related to the war in Gaza. Sophomore Mari Rosenfeld and recent graduate Max Inman, the plaintiffs, claim CU Boulder retaliated against them for participating in an Oct. 3 protest organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) during a career fair at the University Memorial Center. The lawsuit follows several other legal challenges against universities nationwide over restrictions on student protests over the Israel-Hamas war. These cases often underscore a tension universities face in balancing the protection of free speech with maintaining campus ...
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In Boulder, City Council meetings to go virtual amid public comment disruptions
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

In Boulder, City Council meetings to go virtual amid public comment disruptions

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab The Boulder City Council voted 7-2 on Jan. 9 to temporarily shift its meetings online through mid-February in response to ongoing disruptions from protestors demanding the council adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.  The council meets in person in the council chambers every other week or so. These meetings include an open public comment period — often dominated by protesters over the past year — during which about 20 speakers are selected via lottery. On certain weeks, the council meets virtually. In deciding to move all meetings remote, councilmembers cited city code allowing them to limit in-person participation when “a public health or safety concern exists.” Some councilmembers noted receiving feedbac...
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Boulder County’s affordable housing tax spending plan frustrates some supporters who helped pass it
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Boulder County’s affordable housing tax spending plan frustrates some supporters who helped pass it

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab Earlier this month, Boulder County unveiled its spending plan for the Affordable and Attainable Housing Tax, a voter-approved measure projected to generate $16.7 million in 2025. The tax marks a significant boost in funding to address the region’s urgent need for affordable housing. The county’s plan allocates $9.7 million to new affordable housing development, $5.2 million to supportive services aimed at helping residents remain housed, and $500,000 to a grant program for nonprofits and small cities and towns. This new revenue comes at a critical time for Boulder County, where eviction filings are rising, housing costs remain high, and safety net services are increasingly strained. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE BOULDER REPORTING LAB
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RTD to restore more Boulder bus routes in 2025, but future expansion could hinge on ballot measure
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

RTD to restore more Boulder bus routes in 2025, but future expansion could hinge on ballot measure

By Brooke Stephenson | Boulder Reporting Lab After years of slashed services during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Regional Transportation District is planning to expand several City of Boulder bus routes next year. This includes increased service on the AB1 and AB2 routes between Boulder and Denver International Airport, as well as routes 208 and 205, which serve Boulder High School. The proposed changes are scheduled for January, but further expansion may depend on the outcome of a statewide ballot measure that would allow RTD to retain all tax revenue from its 1% sales and use tax. If the funding isn’t secured on Nov. 5, Lynn Guissinger, an RTD board member representing Boulder, warned that RTD “probably would have to start cutting service” again. READ THE FULL STORY AT T...
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Northern Colorado Regional Airport to host grand opening of new terminal
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Northern Colorado Regional Airport to host grand opening of new terminal

By BizWest The Northern Colorado Regional Airport will formally open its new terminal on Nov. 7.  The community is invited to attend. There will be food trucks, live music, giveaways, activities for children, and more. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss future plans while getting an up-close view of aircraft that the airport serves, the release stated. The event will take place from 4 to 6:30 p.m at the terminal building, airfield SIDA ramp. “This facility is more than just an airport terminal. It is a multi-modal transportation hub that meets the critical needs of the community,” Francis Robbins, acting Airport Director, said in a news release. “The Northern Colorado Regional Airport is a key economic driver for our region, and this new terminal further solid...
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Boulder police are using AI to write crime reports, and some urge caution
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Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

Boulder police are using AI to write crime reports, and some urge caution

By John Herrick | Boulder Reporting Lab Earlier this year, the Boulder Police Department began using artificial intelligence to transcribe body camera footage and generate police reports, a move officials say is saving time and improving report writing. This month, the department adopted a new AI policy. However, some community members are urging caution against the blanket deployment of these emerging technologies without proper safeguards.  The department’s use of AI technology was discussed this week during Police Chief Steve Redfearn’s first meeting with the Police Oversight Panel since his promotion earlier this month. The 11-member volunteer panel reviews investigations into complaints of officer misconduct and advises on department policies. READ THE FULL STORY AT...
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