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Bear tied to Boulder County break-ins euthanized

Bear encounters are rising in Boulder County as drought pushes wildlife into towns.

News

Colorado Parks and Wildlife euthanized a bear Sunday after linking it to multiple Boulder County break-ins this month and determining it had lost its fear of humans.Why it matters: The case is the latest sign of a busy bear season, as drought shrinks natural food supplies and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pushes the hungry animals into neighborhoods and urban areas" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/04/01/dry-conditions-bears-neighborhoods-spring" data-vars-content-id="42890e07-2f74-4cbe-bfde-d0d2c573223d" data-vars-headline="Bear tied to Boulder County break-ins euthanized" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/04/01/dry-conditions-bears-neighborhoods-spring" target="_self">pushes the hungry animals into neighborhoods and urban areas</a>.

Boulder Bites: New restaurants underway, brewery birthdays

New restaurants, brewery parties and taco fest plans.

Boulder&#x27;s food scene has plenty cooking, from a buzzy opening to bagels, beer and pizza expansions.Dig in: We&#x27;ve got your delicious buffet of food news.

Wallach abruptly resigns from Boulder City Council

His departure adds another open City Council seat to November's election.

Boulder City Councilmember Mark Wallach&#x27;s sudden resignation Thursday night will leave his seat vacant until November, turning an already consequential election into an even bigger shakeup.Why it matters: More than half of City Council will effectively be on the ballot this fall, giving voters an unusually big say in the city&#x27;s next chapter.

Boulder weighs higher tip offset for restaurants

The proposal could change tipped wages and restaurant labor costs starting in 2027.

City Council will vote Thursday on whether to let restaurants pay tipped workers less than the city&#x27;s standard minimum wage beginning next year.Why it matters: The decision could reshape restaurant labor costs and tipped workers&#x27; pay in one of Boulder&#x27;s biggest workplace policy debates in years.

First-ever marmot adoption has a happy ending

A rescued marmot mother accepted four orphaned pups before their release.

Boulder County&#x27;s Greenwood Rehabilitation Center managed to pull off not only a marmot family reunion, but the first recorded successful marmot adoption.Why it matters: It&#x27;s a rare wildlife rescue success story — and one that required a little matchmaking.

AI boom drives states to rethink data center water use

New research shows states taking different approaches to managing data center water use.

Individual states are scrambling to regulate data centers&#x27; growing water demands as AI-driven growth outpaces federal standards, according to a University of Colorado Boulder report.Why it matters: AI&#x27;s water appetite is forcing states to balance the economic promise with mounting environmental concerns, especially <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="in the drought-stricken West" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/02/05/snowpack-west-washington-oregon-snow-drought-water-supply-climate" data-vars-content-id="d07666aa-c7f0-4930-8e65-0220a4b83781" data-vars-headline="AI boom drives states to rethink data center water use" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/02/05/snowpack-west-washington-oregon-snow-drought-water-supply-climate" target="_self">in the drought-stricken West</a>.

CU study challenges Colorado's moose origin story

New research suggests moose lived in Colorado long before their reintroduction.

New research from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests moose roamed Colorado&#x27;s southern Rocky Mountains centuries before wildlife officials reintroduced them in the late 1970s.Why it matters: The findings challenge the long-held view that moose are newcomers to Colorado — a distinction that could shape future wildlife management decisions.

Where to spot moose in Colorado

From Brainard Lake to Maroon Bells, these spots offer your best chance to see moose.

Environment

Getting a glimpse of a majestic moose in the wilderness is never not cool.The big picture: More than 3,000 moose call Colorado home, but the territorial and solitary creatures rarely venture into populated areas.

Erie OK's controversial Draco mineral rights deal

The vote reversed last week's outcome after a councilmember changed positions.

Erie Town Council narrowly approved a controversial deal Tuesday to sell mineral rights tied to the planned Draco oil and gas project, despite months of resident opposition.Why it matters: Town residents have expressed frustration not only with the decision itself but with what they see as a rushed process marked by closed-door negotiations and potential conflicts of interest.

Ex-NOAA staffers rebuild Climate.gov — without the government

The new nonprofit site restores years of climate data, tools and reports.

Former NOAA staffers have launched an independent climate website to replace Climate.gov after the Trump administration <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shuttered the federal site" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ehn.org/trump-administration-fires-climate-gov-team-leaving-federal-climate-science-site-in-limbo" data-vars-content-id="e95d59df-52f1-46b0-a5d8-d8f42e73ffe1" data-vars-headline="Ex-NOAA staffers rebuild Climate.gov — without the government" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ehn.org/trump-administration-fires-climate-gov-team-leaving-federal-climate-science-site-in-limbo" target="_blank">shuttered the federal site</a>.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Climate.us" data-vars-click-url="http://climate.us/" data-vars-content-id="e95d59df-52f1-46b0-a5d8-d8f42e73ffe1" data-vars-headline="Ex-NOAA staffers rebuild Climate.gov — without the government" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://climate.us/" target="_blank">Climate.us</a> keeps climate data and analysis publicly available as the administration makes cuts to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="staffing and funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/06/08/wildfire-research-cuts-growing-fire-risk" data-vars-content-id="e95d59df-52f1-46b0-a5d8-d8f42e73ffe1" data-vars-headline="Ex-NOAA staffers rebuild Climate.gov — without the government" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/06/08/wildfire-research-cuts-growing-fire-risk" target="_self">staffing and funding</a> that are reshaping federal science agencies.

Dry weather fuels wildlife rescue surge

A spike in animal rescues could strain the region's limited network of licensed wildlife rehabilitation facilities.

An unusually dry winter and spring in Boulder County could fuel more wildlife disease and human-animal encounters in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="coming warm-weather months" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/04/07/heatwave-drought-wildfire-risk-colorado-spring" data-vars-content-id="8ac01bfe-ce9b-4736-a29c-94f90b6f90e0" data-vars-headline="Dry weather fuels wildlife rescue surge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2026/04/07/heatwave-drought-wildfire-risk-colorado-spring" target="_self">coming warm-weather months</a>.Why it matters: A spike in animal rescues could strain the region&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="limited network" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2025/11/12/wildlife-intake-record-greenwood-rehabilitation" data-vars-content-id="8ac01bfe-ce9b-4736-a29c-94f90b6f90e0" data-vars-headline="Dry weather fuels wildlife rescue surge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2025/11/12/wildlife-intake-record-greenwood-rehabilitation" target="_self">limited network</a> of licensed wildlife rehabilitation facilities.

First osprey chick hatches at Boulder County nest

The first of four osprey eggs at the Boulder County Fairgrounds hatched Tuesday.

The first of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="four osprey eggs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2025/04/21/boulder-county-osprey-camera-eggs" data-vars-content-id="79d6e79a-4dfc-4e8d-9328-ec1bec258f42" data-vars-headline="First osprey chick hatches at Boulder County nest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2025/04/21/boulder-county-osprey-camera-eggs" target="_self">four osprey eggs</a> at the Boulder County Fairgrounds hatched Tuesday.Why it matters: Because <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="DAAAAAW" data-vars-click-url="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/df23a32629b33bf91f4c686a4e9ab05c139fae5ac31e1b0b3af84f7e803395d5.jpg" data-vars-content-id="79d6e79a-4dfc-4e8d-9328-ec1bec258f42" data-vars-headline="First osprey chick hatches at Boulder County nest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/df23a32629b33bf91f4c686a4e9ab05c139fae5ac31e1b0b3af84f7e803395d5.jpg" target="_blank">DAAAAAW</a>.

Beware: Bear season arrived early

Colorado's bear shenanigans started a little earlier than usual this year.

Colorado&#x27;s bear shenanigans started a little <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="earlier than usual" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/04/14/bears-waking-hibernation-colorado" data-vars-content-id="980bb5ab-0db2-4d30-a826-5cd5e4de2731" data-vars-headline="Beware: Bear season arrived early" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/04/14/bears-waking-hibernation-colorado" target="_self">earlier than usual</a> this year.State of play: Although mid-April is typical for bears to start stirring, we barely got through the first week without a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="human run-in" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/04/14/bears-waking-hibernation-colorado" data-vars-content-id="980bb5ab-0db2-4d30-a826-5cd5e4de2731" data-vars-headline="Beware: Bear season arrived early" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/04/14/bears-waking-hibernation-colorado" target="_self">human run-in</a>.