Boulder Headlines: Iris Fields, Breadworks, Betasso MTB Link, Airport Ruling & More

Wednesday, November 19HEADLINESIris Fields Saved After Months of Community PushbackBoulder 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.Mike Bohn: “They chose kids. They chose community.”Marlyn Bohn: “They chose kids over money — and that’s all I wanted.”The sale is expected to close early 2026.Boulder Ends Airport LawsuitThe 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.Lawsuit Against King Soopers Shooter’s Gunmaker Moves ForwardA 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.Boulder-to-Betasso Off-Road Trail Link ApprovedCounty 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.”Breadworks Closing After 30 YearsNorth 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:“We’re crying in our soup.”“Where am I going to read my paper now?”Breadworks opened Valentine’s Day 1995 and has been an anchor of the Ideal Market area ever since.Music: "aren" by mobygratisMinimum Wage Rollback Vote Tomorrow (Nov. 20)A major decision looms:Commissioners will vote on undoing planned minimum wage increases in unincorporated Boulder County.Original plan: $25/hour by 2030New plan: Inflation-based increases → ~$18.93/hour by 2030A 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 Benefits ResumeSNAP 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.Programming NoteWe’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.ONE MORE THINGColorado Buffaloes Women’s Soccer defeated Utah State 2–1 in double overtime in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 14 at Prentup Fie