Suspect in Boulder Pearl Street Mall firebombing to plead guilty to state charges; Polis signs three bills into law; Boulder-based a2 Milk Co. recalls formula

Headlines Tuesday, May 5, 2026

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    Suspect in Boulder Pearl Street Mall firebombing to plead guilty to state charges; Polis signs three bills into law; Boulder-based a2 Milk Co. recalls formula KGNU News

Suspect in Boulder Pearl Street Mall firebombing to plead guilty to state charges

Mohamed Soliman, 46, is charged with carrying out an antisemitic terror attack on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall last year. He faces 184 charges in Boulder County District Court in connection with the June 1 attack that killed 82-year-old Karen Diamond and injured 29 others. He is set to plead guilty to all state charges, including first-degree murder, being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus at least 400 years.

He is accused of using a homemade flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to burn people who had gathered for a weekly demonstration urging the release of Israeli hostages. Witnesses said Soliman shouted “Free Palestine” during his attack.

Last year, Soliman offered to plead guilty to federal hate-crime charges and be sentenced to life in prison, but federal prosecutors have not acted on his offer as they consider whether to pursue the death penalty.

Soliman was born in Egypt and lived in Kuwait for 17 years. He arrived in the U.S. in August 2022 on a tourist visa, which expired, and then sought political asylum. He received a work permit in March 2023.

Soliman’s attack on the Pearl Street Mall shocked his family, who knew nothing of his plans and cooperated with investigators after the attack.

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Polis signs three bills into law

Gov. Jared Polis signed three bills into law yesterday, including a ban on 3D-printed guns and new overtime rules for agriculture workers. 

House Bill 1144, the ban on 3D-printed guns, goes into effect July 1 and expands upon Colorado’s prior ban on firearms without serial numbers, known as “ghost guns,” by prohibiting the use of 3D printers or computerized milling machines to manufacture firearms or components. 

Agriculture workers will now have to work 56 hours rather than 48 before they qualify for overtime, per a divisive vote. This threshold will take effect January 1, 2027. 

Polis also signed a measure into law that seeks to protect children used in online content creation. This bill will require the content creators or parents to set aside a portion of the proceeds until the child reaches adulthood, and allow adults or emancipated minors who were used in content to have that content deleted upon request. 

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Boulder-based a2 Milk Co. recalls infant formula

A2 Milk Co., a New Zealand-originated dairy brand with U.S. headquarters in Boulder, has recalled three batches of its imported A2 Platinum Premium USA label infant formula due to the presence of cereulide, a heat-stable toxin.

Cereulide is produced by some strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus and can cause illness within 30 minutes to six hours after ingestion. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting. 

A2 said in a press release that infants are at greater risk “due to their developing immune systems, and can experience complications such as dehydration, which require medical care.”

The recall affects 63,078 products, with an estimated 16,428 units sold to consumers. No confirmed incidents of illness or harm have been reported.

The company said consumers who have purchased the formula should discontinue use and dispose of it immediately or return to their place of purchase for a refund.

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Newly introduced bill calls for increased transportation funding

Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill they hope will thwart the impact of a transportation funding ballot initiative. Lawmakers worry the ballot question would have a devastating impact on the state budget.

The ballot proposal from the Colorado Contractors Association would require taxes collected to support roads and transportation to go to those things. It’s estimated to direct about $700 million annually for roads. Democratic Rep. Andrew Boesenecker says that would force the state to spend less money on schools and healthcare, and every other part of the budget.

Boesenecker said, “We understand this to be a real threat to the core services that our state has an obligation to provide to residents.”

His bill would reduce money for transportation by roughly the same amount the initiative would require the state to spend on it. It would also direct other tax money to other parts of the budget. Initiative supporters say transportation funding has been inadequate for years.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.

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Proposed bill seeks to find balance in AI legislation

A proposed AI bill will try to find a compromise on Colorado state AI laws set to go into effect.

Colorado’s law is meant to prevent discrimination in AI systems. It targets AI used to make consequential decisions about people’s lives, from bank loans, to college admissions to hiring. 

The law takes effect in June and is already facing a lawsuit from Elon Musk’s AI company. A new bill seeks to find a compromise on how it would be enforced and implemented.

The issue has divided tech companies and AI developers against some businesses that use AI systems, as well as consumer rights advocates.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.

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You can hear daily headlines on the Morning Magazine, KGNU’s weekday morning show, with coverage of local and regional public affairs and news with headlines and commentary. Click here to listen to full episodes of the Morning Magazine.

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