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Copy of 10_17_24 am headline news Alexis Kenyon
Boulder’s city manager files complaint against local NAACP
Boulder’s city manager, Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, has filed a formal complaint against the local NAACP with the national organization, accusing its leaders of unethical behavior.
According to the Daily Camera, the conflict centers on the hiring of Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn, who has faced criticism from the Boulder NAACP for his connection to the 2019 Elijah McClain case in Aurora.
Redfearn, who served in the Aurora Police Department at the time, participated in the fatal McClain arrest by changing the dispatch code in McClain’s case from “suspicious person” to “assault on an officer.”
The Boulder NAACP claims this decision helped officers avoid scrutiny and covered up the events leading to McClain’s death. The members have repeatedly called for Redfearn’s resignation, labeling him “anti-Black” and lacking in cultural understanding.
Tensions escalated when the NAACP secretly recorded a confidential meeting with Redfearn and city officials. The group then used that recording to pressure Rivera-Vandermyde into reconsidering Redfearn’s appointment. Rivera-Vandermyde’s complaint accuses the local NAACP chapter of using unethical tactics to influence hiring decisions.
CU Boulder puts pro-Palestinian group in ‘bad standing’
The University of Colorado Boulder has placed Boulder Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in bad standing, accusing the group of violating university policies. This status means SJP can no longer operate as an official student organization on campus.
According to CU Boulder, SJP disrupted a career fair and violated campus rules by using amplified sound without permission. The CU Boulder Police also arrested a student during a demonstration on October 8 for theft and harassment. These events triggered student conduct investigations.
SJP criticized the university’s actions, claiming CU Boulder is repressing anti-war activism and using political repression tactics to silence their movement.
The group denied any violent conduct, saying their protests show solidarity with Palestine and expose what they describe as “institutional racism” on campus. CU Boulder officials defended their decision, saying they support peaceful protests but will hold groups accountable for any violations of university or legal policies.
Homeless camp sweeps reduce crime for limited proximity and duration, study says
A new study from CU Anschutz researchers finds that crimes do not significantly decrease after encampment sweeps.
Researchers surveyed 300 sweeps in Denver between late 2019 and mid-2023. They found a modest crime reduction within a two-block radius for the first week following a sweep. By the second week, the decrease was about 4 percent, compared to 9 percent in the first week.
The study analyzed 265,000 crime reports ranging from public urination to murder but excluded sexual assault data due to privacy protections. Crime levels at both a half-mile and a three-quarter-mile radius remained statistically unchanged before and after a sweep.
All Roads benefit concert tonight
All Roads, formerly known as the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, will host its first benefit concert, Rock the Shelter, tonight at 6 p.m. The event features the All Roads Stars performing hits from the 1980s and 1990s. Attendees can also participate in a silent auction, with items including CU Buffs football club seats, jewelry, vacation packages, and a private golf course tee time.
The concert will take place at eTown Hall. For more details, contact Andy Schultheiss at [email protected].
Mesa Trail underground fire
South Boulder’s Marshall Mesa Trail will undergo an assessment of a 200-acre underground coal fire that has been smoldering for decades.
According to the Daily Camera, the fire likely ignited after companies abandoned the mines without sealing the naturally occurring coal seams, which combust when exposed to oxygen. Officials say the fire has been burning about 10 to 20 feet below the surface since at least the 1980s.
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety is leading the project to map the fire’s intensity and develop a strategy for possible mitigation. Drilling efforts focus on the Marshall Mesa Trailhead and the nearby Lewis Mine. Early findings suggest the fire burns at a lower intensity than other fires in Colorado, but its proximity to infrastructure makes it a priority. A mitigation plan is expected by next summer.
