This episode is brought to you by Dairy Arts Center and their signature event: the Crystal Ball Gala.

The Dairy Arts Center’s most dynamic night of the year—PEEK—returns April 23, 2026 with the Crystal Ball Gala. Claim your place before the moment passes.

Tickets are on sale now at thedairy.org.

This podcast is made possible by listeners and local businesses. You can sponsor an episode of The Frequency. Reach our growing, hyper-local audience of highly engaged listeners. Email [email protected]

To celebrate the launch of Caribou Current, this week’s episode is all about the characters + events that help shape Boulder County’s culture. We’ll be back with your regularly scheduled news next week.

Malala at CWA

Malala Yousafzai will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Conference of World Affairs, CU Boulder announced last week. Read more

Audio from Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, via Wikimedia Commons. Listen

Flatiron Freddy predicts an early spring

Forget Punxsutawney Phil… Boulder has its own weather forecasting rodent: Flatiron Freddy, a stuffed yellow-bellied marmot.

This year, in a nod to the Winter Olympics, Freddy participated in a quick game of curling before predicting an early spring. Watch Freddy in action

Colorado at the Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics start Friday, Feb. 6, and a ton of Colorado athletes will be competing. See the full list from CPR.

Local Olympic watch parties

Longmont - The Passenger (300 Main St.)

Opening Ceremony watch party: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6

Games will be streamed Feb. 6-22 during all open hours (Super Bowl excluded)

Erie - Coal Creek Park (575 Kattel St.)

NBC live broadcast: 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 7

Scheduled competitions: U.S. versus Finland women’s hockey, women’s freeski slopestyle, women’s ski jumping, men’s single luge, men’s freeski slopestyle, U.S. versus South Korea curling, men’s snowboarding big air and men’s short track speed skating.

9 to 10 a.m.: Learn to play hockey session led by the Boulder Hockey Club at the nearby Erie Ice Rink. Other activities: inflatable alpine slide, curling, and a podium-style photo booth

Allenspark - The Old Gallery (14863 Highway 7)

Opening ceremony watch party: 7-9:30 p.m.

Golden - Colorado Mountain Club Lodge (15605 W 32nd Ave.)

NBC live broadcast: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 - RSVP required

Scheduled event includes women’s skicross, featuring Golden’s own Stacy Gaskill

BYO seating and snacks. Drinks + snacks also available for purchase.

Longmont on the big screen (and plate)

1. Documentary film about Longmont poet Andrea Gibson earns Oscar nod
2. Colorado’s first pizza festival to be hosted by 3 Longmont eateries. Read more from City Cast Denver

Caribou Current launches tomorrow, Feb. 5! It’s a new arts + culture publication covering Boulder County and the Peak to Peak.

Our main story on the Frequency is ripped right from the pages of the Current. In it, we introduce you to Tracy, driver of The Climb shuttle that runs between Boulder and Gold Hill twice a day. Tracy has become known for his musical playlists he shares with passengers.

In this segment, we talk about music, morals and media. Find the Current at local businesses throughout Boulder County and the Peak to Peak. Or subscribe to The Mountain-Ear: It will be tucked inside the first issue of the month.

Also in this month’s issue of the Current:

1. The radical softness of M. Sage
2. Slash fiction with Stephen Graham Jones
3. Under the Influence with Precocious Neophyte
4. 10 years of food at altitude with Crosscut Pizza
5. Caribou Current launch party!!! Celebrate the debut of the new magazine with a launch party at Paradise Found (1646 Pearl St., Boulder) 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6.

Co-founder Jeff Rozic interviews the founders of Boulder International Film Festival.

excerpt from "God is Running After Us", from the album Pilgrim of the Heart by Krishna Das

music from "just turn it on and make something" by hijaq.

---------------------------

Produced by BVHz in partnership with The Mountain Ear

Independent, local journalism for Boulder County

Our team

Journalist + producer: Shay Castle

Audio producer + music: Kelly Garry

Additional support provided by Jeff Rozic

*Find bonus content and support us on Patreon

This episode is brought to you by Jill Grano. Visit JillGrano.com for more information about Jill's award-winning real estate work and her support of organizations throughout our community, including the Gayla, I Have a Dream Foundation, and KGNU.

You can sponsor an episode of The Frequency Reach our growing, hyper-local audience of highly engaged listeners. Email [email protected]

Minneapolis Fed murders both connected to Colorado

Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two Americans killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, both had connections to Colorado. Colorado Sun / Associated Press

Feds ask for ideas on how to dismantle NCAR

The National Science Foundation on Friday issued a letter to the scientific community asking for ideas on how to break up NCAR and its many functions. It also is seeking new ownership and operations of the 7 NCAR labs in Boulder, which could be repurposed for public OR private use.

The letter also leaves open the door for ideas to privatize weather forecasting and other NCAR activities. Read the letter or stories from CPR, Boulder Reporting Lab and the Daily Camera.

The Librarians is a 2025 American documentary by Kim A. Snyder that chronicles the nationwide book banning movement and the forces behind it.

The Town of Superior’s Cultural Arts & Public Spaces (CAPS) advisory committee hosted a January 23 screening of The Librarians, followed by a discussion of the film with producer Janique L. Robillard and Michelle White, a public school librarian who left Florida for Colorado after her school district began removing hundreds of books from library shelves.

Learn more about the film: thelibrariansfilm.com

Listen to the full film discussion at Patreon.com/BoulderFrequencyPod.

Song: "moog part" from #mobygratis

Boulder Weekly’s last printed issue came out July 3, 2025. Editors, reporters and designers (basically everyone who made the paper) lost their jobs that week.

In this story:

1. An insider’s account of the meltdown and aftermath. Read more about what happened from Corey Hutchins
2. Introducing Caribou Current, a new arts + culture publication from former BW staffers. First issue on newsstands Feb. 5!
3. “If you're into death metal or the ballet, I want there to be a little something for everyone and a little something that surprises everyone.” Listen to Caribou Current managing editor Jezy Gray on The Mountain-Ear podcast
4. A trio of journalists are attempting to revive the Weekly, and they’re hoping to raise $500K to do it. Learn more

Song: "i can change" from #mobygratis

Sound Montage:

"Hallelujah"- Leonard Cohen, instrumental by don't hold your breath

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on CNN, Unknown Minneapolis resident talking to local reporters

---------------------------

Produced by BVHz

Original Local Journalism for Boulder County.

Our team

Journalist + producer: Shay Castle

Audio producer + music: Kelly Garry

Additional support provided by Jeff Rozic

You can sponsor an episode of The Frequency! Reach our growing, hyper-local audience of highly engaged listeners. Email [email protected]

You don’t have to have a business to support local, independent journalism. Visit Patreon.com/BoulderFrequencyPod to fund our work and access unedited interviews, sneak previews and more bonus content.

SVVSD, BVSD lead Colorado in graduation

St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) has the highest graduation rate (of urban districts) in the state of Colorado. 96.8% of students finished in four years, CPR reports (using data just released by the state)

SVVSD has also added 5,600 new students since 2009, according to Chalkbeat

Longmont schools are losing kids, though: All 5 feeder elementaries for Longmont High are under capacity, and Sanborn will consolidate with Northridge before the 2027-2028 school year

Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) graduates 93.3% of its students in four years, the third-best in Colorado. Enrollment has declined by ~1.5K students since ’09.

How do local districts compare to Colorado? The state’s graduation rate is 85.6%, and it lost 10K students in the past year. Families moving out-of-state, a slowdown in immigration, declining birth rates and increasing home-schooling are all factors.

Bid to fund NCAR fails

Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennett attempted an amendment to keep NCAR’s budget. The amendment failed, and the funding package ultimately passed. There are other sources of funding for the climate monitoring and weather forecasting hub, but the Trump Administration has vowed to “dismantle” the institution. Denver Post

Lafayette challenges new FAA flight paths

The city is asking a federal judge to reverse recent changes, arguing they will increase air traffic over Lafayette, and that they were made without proper community engagement and environmental review. More from Colorado Hometown Weekly.

Boulder sets 6 priorities for 2026

1. Bike theft prevention
2. Wildfire mitigation support
3. Potential changes to the minimum wage earned by tipped workers
4. Updates to the city’s sister city policy
5. Improving electric grid resilience
6. Simplifying the city’s land-use code.

Boulder will have rare back-to-back elections as the city moves to even-year voting. Five seats are up for election in 2026. Read more from Boulder Reporting Lab.

Boulder Falls Trail to close permanently; city will build a viewing platform for public

Design work will begin this year, which will lay out a plan for how long it will take to build and how much it will cost. No visitors will be allowed into Boulder Falls until the platform is done, according to a recent city press release.

The Mountain-Ear’s Tyler Hickman brings us the first-ever listener submission for our ongoing Sounds of the Town project.

Thanks to David Hallick for listening so closely in his backyard, and sending us the sound of a water-dwelling bird.

What does home sound like to you? We’re trying to cover every community in Boulder County, so send your ideas to [email protected] or [email protected].

MLK Day tribute:

YouTube short from @kempire

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qzx3k0hM9Os

Sound montage:

1. song “Diving” from #mobygratis
2. excerpt featuring Joe Pesci from With Honors (1994)

Produced by Boulder Valley Frequency — Original Local Journalism for Boulder County.

Our team

Journalist + producer: Shay Castle

Audio producer + music: Kelly Garry

Additional support provided by Jeff Rozic

This episode is brought to you by Jill Grano. Visit JillGrano.com for more information about Jill's award-winning real estate work and her support of organizations throughout our community, including the Gayla, I Have a Dream Foundation, and KGNU.

You can sponsor an episode of The Frequency! Reach our growing, hyper-local audience of highly engaged listeners. Email [email protected]

You don’t have to have a business to support local, independent journalism. Visit Patreon.com/BoulderFrequencyPod to fund our work and access unedited interviews, sneak previews and more bonus content.

State to review Megan Trussell case

Trussell, an 18-year-old CU Boulder student, was found dead in Boulder Canyon on Feb. 15, 2025. Local authorities ruled the death a suicide, complicated by drug use and hypothermia, but her family asked the state to push further. Now, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations will review the case— but not re-investigate, the agency clarified in a press release.

1,500 kids could lose child care in BoCo

The Trump administration cut off funding for low-income families in Colorado and other Democrat-led states. That includes millions of dollars to help parents pay for childcare.

A Boulder parent and daycare board member of says up to a quarter of kids at her center rely on the funding, which makes up 20% of the facility’s budget

In Boulder County, here’s who could be impacted:

1. 1,499 children are in child care paid for by the funding
2. 171 licensed child care centers receive money from this source
3. The average cost of child care for 1 child is $1,645 per month

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a lawsuit to stop the cuts, his office’s 50th against the president’s administration

Boulder OKs $17M in incentives for Sundance

The 10-year agreement includes revenue sharing for parking and taxes, breaks on permits and fees and free bus and e-bike passes. Daily Camera

1. Lafayette’s new council member (and lost sculpture), CU Boulder’s new 2 million year-old tree, 90 years since Monarch mine explosion (and one miner’s oral history)

The Trump administration plans to open a new immigrant detention center in the northern Colorado town of Hudson, 25 miles east of Erie.

1. A $39M contract was awarded to GEO Group (which runs the Aurora detention center, plus many private prisons) to reactivate an abandoned former prison in Hudson. The compound has been named the Big Horn Correctional Facility, according to CBS News.
2. More than 100 activists plan to attend the Jan. 21 Hudson Town Council meeting to ask elected officials there to put a stop to the center’s reactivation. (6 p.m. at 50 S. Beech St., Hudson. More details: hudsoncolorado.org/168/Town-Council)
3. Sign the petition to oppose the center. Although not located in Boulder County, the facility will inevitably hold our friends and neighbors from across the region.
4. Groups that petition organizer Jenifer Montes recommends joining or following: Immigrant Partnership Team, No Concentration Camps in Colorado, Colorado Rapid Response Network, Indivisible NoCo.

Social media sound bites from the past week

“Cross the Rubicon”- don’t hold your breath

The Frequency is looking for sponsors! Reach our growing, hyper-local audience of highly engaged listeners. Email [email protected]

You don’t have to have a business to support local, independent journalism. Visit Patreon.com/BoulderFrequencyPod to

Two fires burn briefly in Boulder County on Monday afternoon

One near U.S. 287 and Dillon Road forced evacuations in Louisville and Lafayette. The blaze was contained in under an hour, while another near Boulder Reservoir was also quickly extinguished.

Petitions begin to add 2 Boulder County Commissioners

Big Tent Boco, a group of current and former elected officials, plus other politically connected residents, is starting to gather signatures for a measure that would add two commissioners to represent Boulder County by 2030, taking the governing body from 3-5 members. Learn more

Longmont’s new councilmember Alex Kahlkofher

Kahlkofer has been elected by acclamation the Ward 3 seat vacated by the recently elected mayor (Susie Hidalgo-Fahring), meaning he was the only applicant. Read more

No more sales tax on tampons, diapers and other menstrual products

Boulder County stopped collecting tax on the necessary items on January 1, following the City of Boulder and Colorado. Daily Camera

The City of Boulder needs a new flag…

… and residents are being asked to design it. Learn more and submit your design by April 24.

1. Record-breakers: Nearly $2M in scholarships at Front Range Community College and empty offices in downtown Boulder

Here are a few things that happened over holiday break:

1. Nederland’s didn’t buy Eldora before the New Year, as the Town said it would, but Trustees’ very first vote of 2026 was to finalize the deal. Go to themtnear.com for the latest.
2. Boulder’s Dark Horse will stay open through at least mid-March as the land owner seeks to redevelop the property into 427 student rentals. Read more about the beloved bar from Bucket List Community Cafe.
3. The Trump administration vowed to dismantle NCAR, a major center for research on climate change, prompting hundreds to protest in Boulder. Catch up with CPR’s outstanding coverage.
4. Boulder County halts herbicide use on one piece of open space; bike manufacturer Giant moving to Boulder,

"Anything" by Adrianne Lenker cover demo by don't hold your breath

Mountain’s Edge Fitness

Start 2026 strong with great trainers, bodywork options, old-school equipment, and a welcoming gym community.

Visit: mountainsedgefitness.com

Location: 2907 55th Street, Boulder

Day passes available—say hi to Colin the corgi.

Support or sponsor the show: [email protected]

• Longmont pauses Flock expansion and asks for alternatives

City council directed staff to seek other license plate reader options and paused any renewal or expansion while that happens. Longmont has also stopped sharing its data outside the city.

• Correction: Louisville stopped using Flock in August

Louisville voted to stop use of its cameras, which had been installed in Marshall Fire recovery neighborhoods. Thanks to listener Mark Cathcart for the update.

• Boulder County adopts a $745 million budget amid a multi-year shortfall

The new budget is 5% larger in real dollars than 2025 but includes 2% fewer staff and $5.75 million in cuts, following earlier reductions in September. The county is working through a projected $30–$40 million shortfall through 2028.

Read more from Shay at The Mountain Ear.

• Erie: first new downtown commercial development since 2021

A 10,000-square-foot project near Wells and Kattell is planned to include a restaurant, ice cream shop, bakery, and small retail.

• Lafayette Starbucks workers join a national strike (Red Cup Rebellion)

Workers say they’re striking for better pay, more predictable scheduling, an end to under-staffing, and resolution on hundreds of alleged Unfair Labor Practices. They’re asking the community not to shop at Starbucks during the strike and to spread the word. A GoFundMe is linked below.

Jeff Rozic interviews Jeff Kagan of Jeff & Paige

Updates include:

• Their TV show: five episodes filmed, more in post-production, and three more planned to complete Season 1.

• Rainbow Socks: a $30,000 matching donor through the end of the year.

• Beers & Cheers (early January): supports post-production and the next phase of the show.

• Plus: favorite venues, the realities of producing for TV vs live performance, and what keeps optimism alive in kids’ music and education.

Prince>Kermit D Frog>Santa Claus

Email: [email protected]

Starbucks GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/help-starbucks-baristas-secure-rights

• Boulder to renew Flock license-plate reader contract (March).

After stepping off Flock’s national data-sharing network in June, Boulder still shares data with at least one Colorado agency that cooperates with federal immigration authorities. Denver is reassessing; Longmont residents urged council not to renew this week. Flock is also used in Louisville, Erie, Lafayette and CU Boulder.

Read more: Boulder Reporting Lab (link below).

• CU Boulder plans ~2,000 additional on-campus beds by 2028.

Longer-term: up to 1,100 at a future south campus and housing at the former Cinebarre in Louisville. Enrollment grew 10% since 2020 (to 38,808 in Fall 2025) while campus housing serves <10,000. CU says it will hold incoming freshmen near 7,400 and focus on retention.

Read the full story: The Mountain Ear (link below).

• Major East Boulder proposal: 2,500-seat performing arts venue, 165-room hotel, ~500 homes.

Would require council financing approval plus standard entitlements. Site includes Sanitas Brewing’s Boulder location (Sanitas says closure is unrelated to the project).

Coverage: Boulder Reporting Lab (link below).

• Boulder Christmas Bird Count (Dec 14).

With compiler Bill Schmoker: Boulder averages ~110 species and ~150+ birders, part of a tradition dating to 1910 locally. Some species are rarer as urbanization increases; others (ravens, great horned owls, wild turkeys) are thriving. Links below to participate locally or find a nearby “circle.”

Guests/Voices:

• Michael Memsic, co-founder, Sanitas Brewing (closing all taprooms this month)
• Charlie Berger, Chief Development Officer, Wilding Brands (Upslope brand/production acquisition; portfolio now includes Stem Ciders, Denver Beer Co., Great Divide, Station 26, Howdy Beer, Funkwerks)

Context & Takeaways

• 2010s boom is over; the market is now mature. Costs (rent, labor, taxes), debt loads, and a dip in overall alcohol consumption are pressuring independents.
• Sanitas: cost stack + lower demand = closure.
• Upslope: sold brand/production to Wilding Brands; taprooms remain locally owned and open.
• Wilding’s thesis: diversify as a craft beverage platform—cider is up nationally, NA is growing, trends evolve (from ambers to IPAs to barrel-aged to sour to NA).
• Other survival models: co-ops/alliances (e.g., Dry Dock + Left Hand), fan-backed growth (Westbound & Down’s regulated crowdfunding).
• Independent taprooms still matter—but right-sized: fewer per capita, stronger hospitality models.

Choice Quotes

• Memsic: “Craft beer isn’t dead—it’s a mature market. The era of standing in line for one bottle in the snow is gone—and that’s okay.”
• Berger: “Don’t pigeonhole it as beer. We’re a craft beverage company: cider, NA, taproom hospitality, contract packaging—stay flexible to what drinkers want.”

Local note: Twisted Pine turned 30 this year (home of Ghost Face Killah). 3201 Walnut St—show them some love.

Quick links to take action: sign up for the Christmas Bird Count; read up on Flock; and send us a tip or sponsor an episode if this reporting helps you.

• Boulder Christmas Bird Count:
• boulderaudubon.org/all-events/2025-christmas-bird-count
• audubon.org/answers-your-top-questions-about-christmas-bird-count

• Flock renewal / surveillance coverage:
• https://boulderreportinglab.org/2025/12/07/boulder-police-to-renew-contract-with-flock-the-license-plate-reader-company-under-scrutiny/

• East Boulder performing arts venue / housing proposal:
• https://boulderreportinglab.org/2025/12/04/plans-emerge-for-major-east-boulder-project-performing-arts-venue-housing-and-hotel/

• CU Boulder housing expansion (full story):
• https://themtnear.com

Wednesday, December 2, 2025

Hosted by Shay Castle

Support independent local journalism: [email protected]

Patreon.com/BoulderFrequencyPod

Boulder’s legendary Dark Horse Bar and Grill will close, at least temporarily, as its longtime site off Baseline Road redevelops into 427 units of student housing. Construction may begin in 2026.

Developers have said they will help find a temporary location and move the Dark Horse’s historic props and memorabilia. There is no guarantee the bar will return in the final project.

Adjacent businesses, including Sprouts, Carelli’s, Cosmo’s Pizza and Moe’s BBQ, will also be displaced. Only McDonald’s and the Broker Inn will remain.

Dark Horse celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Commissioners voted to reverse the 2023 plan that would have raised the county minimum wage to $25 by 2030. Instead:

• 2026: 1.5% increase

• 2027 onward: inflation-based increases only

The result: workers will earn roughly $36,000 less between 2026 and 2030 than under the previous plan.

Business owners and farmers supported the rollback; workers and advocates strongly opposed it.

The county hopes the lower wage will encourage Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette and Erie to adopt their own increases to create a regional standard.

The debate is driving renewed incorporation discussions in Niwot and mobilizing Gunbarrel residents seeking more representation.

Community meeting:

Tuesday, Dec. 9 • 6:30 p.m. • Rocky Mountain Christian Church, 9447 Niwot Rd

After nearly four years and multiple false starts, the Longmont Winchell’s has reopened. Demand was so high during its soft opening that it ran out of donuts by 10 a.m.

Winchell’s originally closed in 2021 after a vehicle crashed into the building. A plumbing issue briefly paused operations again, but the shop is officially back.

• Sanitas Brewing: Closing all three taprooms (Boulder, Lafayette, Englewood) by Dec. 20, citing rising costs and falling craft beer sales.

• Upslope Brewing: Selling its brand and production operations to Wilding Brands (owner of Stem Cider). Upslope’s three taprooms remain open and under the same ownership.

Next week: an interview with Wilding Brands about the future of Upslope.

Boulder’s student-named plows include:

• Life of a Snowgirl

• Sleet Dreams

• Lollaplowlooza

Full list available in the show notes.

A collaborative project by Boulder Valley Frequency, The Mountain Ear, and the Left Hand Valley Courier.

Tyler Hickman of The Mountain Ear leads a deep dive into the sounds that define Peak-to-Peak communities:

• The rhythmic machinery in Nederland as fire cleanup continues

• Moose “chuffing” outside homes in Gilpin County

• Boulder’s iconic Pearl Street buskers

• Nederland’s constant soundtrack of live music

• Trains crossing in Niwot

• Golf balls landing at Boulder Country Club

Listeners are invited to submit their own hometown sounds:

Email submissions to:

[email protected]

or

[email protected]

Audio featured includes:

• Rach, performing outside Nature’s Own Rock Shop

• Ibash-i, “The Man in the Box” (Pearl Street busker, recently passed at age 68; audio from a 2018 Daily Camera video)

A quick and amusing story involving Conan O’Brien and Christopher Walken.

Wednesday, November 19

Boulder County Commissioners voted to advance a community-backed redevelopment plan for the Broadway & Iris complex — preserving the North Boulder Little League fields while adding senior housing.

The sale is expected to close early 2026.

The city will not appeal its lawsuit against the FAA over redevelopment of the Boulder Municipal Airport.

The FAA maintains that accepting federal funds obligates Boulder to keep the airport open until 2040. With no further appeals planned, the city will now focus on safety upgrades and pavement remediation.

A judge ruled that families can continue their lawsuit against Sturm, Ruger & Co., alleging the company skirted federal law by marketing the AR-556 pistol as a rifle.

County Commissioners approved the purchase of Orodell, a 6.6-acre parcel needed to create a fully off-road bike route from Boulder to Betasso Preserve.

The existing historic roadbed should allow trail construction “sooner rather than later.”

North Boulder’s beloved neighborhood hub Breadworks will close Saturday, Nov. 22. A note on the door thanked the community for three decades of support. Reasons were not given.

Local regulars — some visiting daily — shared their sadness:

Breadworks opened Valentine’s Day 1995 and has been an anchor of the Ideal Market area ever since.

Music: "aren" by mobygratis

A major decision looms:

Commissioners will vote on undoing planned minimum wage increases in unincorporated Boulder County.

• Original plan: $25/hour by 2030
• New plan: Inflation-based increases → ~$18.93/hour by 2030

A full-time minimum wage worker would earn $12,000 less per year under the new plan.

Hearing:

📍 Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St

🕘 9:00 a.m., Thursday Nov. 20

🖥 Online participation available (link in show notes)

Catch up via our episodes from Sept. 24 and Oct. 22.

SNAP payments restarted Nov. 13 after a federal shutdown delay.

More than 20,000 Boulder County residents rely on SNAP, totaling $85 million per year in local food assistance.

We’re off next week for the holiday.

Join us Dec. 3 for the launch of our Sounds of the Town listener audio project — plus a December events preview for the Fox and Boulder Theaters.

Colorado Buffaloes Women’s Soccer defeated Utah State 2–1 in double overtime in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 14 at Prentup Field.

Watch highlights:

https://www.ncaa.com/video/soccer-women/2025-11-15/colorado-vs-utah-valley-full-thrilling-2ot-finish-ncaa-tournament

• Boulder won’t appeal airport ruling
• https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/boulder-will-not-appeal-recent-airport-ruling

• King Soopers shooting gunmaker lawsuit
• https://www.cpr.org/2025/11/14/gun-manufacturer-lawsuit-king-soopers-shooting-moves-forward/

• Minimum wage hearing (Nov. 20)
• https://bouldercounty.gov/news/local-minimum-wage-public-hearing-nov-20/

• Catch up on Boulder’s wage debate
• https://boulderfrequency.com/episode/paychecks-politics-boulder-countys-wage-debate

• NoBo Arts District fundraiser
• 
  
• https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/event/party-for-the-arts%3a-a-fundraiser-for-the-nobo-art-district/45619/

Host: Shay Castle

Guest Host: Jeff Rozic

Guest: Nicole Glaros (Matchstick Ventures; former Techstars exec; Denver Summit FC catalyst)

• Elections wrap: Boulder County voters approved all tax measures, including a first-of-its-kind mental-health sales tax. Incumbents largely held city council seats countywide; Lauren Folkerts lost re-election in Boulder (first incumbent loss since 2017), replaced by Rob Kaplan. In Lafayette, two incumbents plus an affordable-housing advocate won; Longmont elected two at-large candidates focused on housing/affordability; BVSD District E: teacher Deann Bucher edged Jeffrey Lowe Anderson. Turnout 50% (vs. 52.5% in 2023). Full results: electionresults.bouldercounty.gov.

• Mayor Onyx 🐾 (Niwot): A sheepadoodle named Onyx is Niwot’s newly elected mayor. Link below.

• State champs: Niwot High Girls Cross Country are Colorado state champions. Link below.

• New Boulder fees:
• Transportation Maintenance Fee (6–3 vote): projected $6M+/yr; homeowners & businesses pay based on trip generation (~$11–$160/yr).
• “Pop-the-top” Housing Fee: $11/sq ft on additions >500 sq ft or new homes replacing smaller ones (7–2 vote), projected $1.2M/yr for affordable housing.
• Coverage via Daily Camera and Boulder Reporting Lab (links below).

• Film premiere: Come See Me in the Good Light — about Colorado Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson — premieres on Apple TV Friday, Nov 14; BIFF streaming early 2026.

She sits at the intersection of Boulder’s tech DNA and Colorado women’s pro sports: longtime Techstars leader, now Matchstick Ventures partner, and an early mover behind Denver Summit FC (NWSL), launching March 28 at Empower Field.

Highlights

• Techstars → Boulder reboot: After Techstars pulled back, Glaros and collaborators worked to fill the gap; with David Cohen returning as CEO, Boulder is back on the roadmap with local Shay Har-Noy. Expect a founder-first accelerator with deep community mentorship.

• Matchstick Ventures (Fund IV): Investing pre-seed/seed “between the coasts,” optimizing the craft of early-stage backing and mentor networks.

• Founders > everything: Nicole frames entrepreneurs as artists whose medium is business — risk, reputation, family time, and capital on the line — and why Boulder’s talent + support stack keeps maturing.

• Denver Summit FC (NWSL): From “why not here?” to 70k-seat dreams: the economics and community momentum behind Colorado’s first women’s pro team — and why filling the stadium at kickoff will set national records and change the local sports economy.

• Calls to action:
• Summit FC: Get opening-day tickets; help open the upper bowl at Empower.
• Techstars Boulder: Founders who want an intensive mentor-driven program should apply.

Instagram post

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIKcDGuy8U4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

• Onyx, Mayor of Niwot (LHVC): https://www.lhvc.com/story/2025/11/05/news/onyx-the-jewelry-dog-elected-mayor-of-niwot/11277.html

• Niwot Girls XC State Champs (LHVC): https://www.lhvc.com/story/2025/11/05/news/nhs-cross-country-state-champions/11278.html

• Andrea Gibson @ BIFF (2026): https://m.biff1.com/2025/event.php?event=985

• Boulder Transportation Fee (Daily Camera): https://www.dailycamera.com/2025/10/13/boulder-council-moves-forward-a-fee-to-fund-transportation-management-projects/

• Boulder Housing Fee (BRL): https://boulderreportinglab.org/2025/11/09/boulder-city-council-approves-new-fee-on-home-demolitions-and-rebuilds-to-fund-affordable-housing/

• Full Election Results: https://electionresults.bouldercounty.gov

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