Boulder’s Shadow: Echoes of San Francisco’s Zombie Streets
May 1st
Boulder May 1 2026 from Boulder Channel 1 NEWS A viral video from San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood has horrified viewers nationwide, showing rows of drugged-out individuals frozen in unnatural poses, swaying listlessly amid filth, fentanyl pipes, and open degradation. Posted by street documentarian JJ Smith, the clip captures what many call the “start of the apocalypse”—a once-vibrant downtown reduced to an open-air narcotic wasteland. Commenters lament billions wasted on failed “compassion” policies, voters’ role in enabling it, and how harm reduction has become a death sentence. SFPD notes enforcement gains since 2023, yet overdoses remain among the nation’s highest per capita.
Boulder, Colorado—often romanticized as a progressive haven with its Pearl Street Mall, Flatirons backdrop, and liberal ethos—suffers a parallel fate. Fentanyl’s arrival has devastated the city’s homeless population of roughly 450-800. Autopsies reveal fentanyl in numerous deaths, often mixed with methamphetamine, creating “zombie-like” states reminiscent of SF. Reports describe users nodding out near Boulder Creek by the library, administering Narcan to each other in makeshift camps, and public drug use turning scenic paths into hazard zones.
Like San Francisco, Boulder’s policies—emphasizing housing-first approaches, limited enforcement, and services drawing outsiders—have turned it into a magnet for drug-related lawlessness. Comments on local forums and social media mirror SF’s: frustration over unchecked encampments, business impacts, and taxpayer-funded failures. Overdoses spiked in early 2025, with fentanyl and meth deaths rising sharply despite some county-wide declines. Residents report seeing disoriented individuals in “trance-like” states, pants down, belongings strewn, echoing the Tenderloin horror.
Both cities highlight a national pattern: well-intentioned progressive experiments prioritizing “compassion” over accountability enable addiction, deter tourism and business, and erode quality of life. SF Supervisor Matt Dorsey hopes to “turn off the magnet.” Boulder faces the same choice—ballot-box realism or continued decline into visible decay. Without tougher enforcement, treatment mandates, and borders on enabling, idyllic Boulder risks becoming another cautionary tale of streets lost to zombies.
Boulder Channel 1 News Editorial: Time to Fire Police Chief Stephen Redfearn – Boulder Deserves Better
Apr 29th
April 29 2026 By Jann Scott Boulder, long celebrated as a progressive, open community that values transparency, accountability, and trust between citizens and law enforcement, now faces a serious leadership crisis at its Police Department. Chief Stephen Redfearn must be fired immediately. His decision to encrypt police radio communications and deny broad news media access to scanner traffic represents a dangerous step toward secrecy that misjudges the very character of this city. dailycamera.com He als denied access to this very news org and individual crime reporters
Redfearn claims encryption protects officer safety and prevents criminals from monitoring movements. These concerns echo national trends, yet in Boulder’s context, they ring hollow. The department offered a handful of select outlets costly encrypted radios tied to restrictive contracts that limit real-time reporting and expose media to liability—conditions major outlets like the Daily Camera rightly rejected. Public scanner access, a longstanding tool for journalists to alert the community to unfolding events like emergencies, fires, or incidents, has been curtailed. Redfearn’s team insists this enhances inter-agency coordination and privacy, but the move effectively hides real-time police activity from the public eye.
This isn’t transparency; it’s control. Boulder residents expect open government, not a department that decides what the press—and by extension, the people—can know in the moment. History shows scanner listening rarely compromises operations but frequently empowers timely, accurate reporting that holds everyone accountable. By restricting it while promising “dashboards” and delayed releases, Redfearn underestimates Boulder’s sophisticated, engaged citizenry that demands real oversight, not curated narratives. bouldercolorado.gov
Redfearn’s tenure has been marked by controversy, including past scrutiny from his Aurora days and local tensions over oversight and community relations. Boulder’s crime picture is mixed—property crimes have declined in recent years, yet residents still grapple with theft, safety perceptions, and calls for balanced policing. A chief who prioritizes encryption over partnership misreads this town’s ethos of openness. Progressive Boulder rejects opacity; it thrives on sunlight. boulderreportinglab.orgCity leaders must act now. Replace Redfearn with a chief who respects Boulder’s values—someone committed to genuine access, not restrictions dressed as safety. Our community deserves policing that builds trust through visibility, not walls. Fire Chief Redfearn before more damage is done to the public’s right to know.Jann Scott, Boulder Channel 1 News. Voice of reason in Boulder since 1989.
Table Mesa King Soopers mass shooting approaches
Mar 15th
Boulder Channel 1 News Boulder, Colorado Sunday, March 15, 2026 Boulder Prepares for Fifth Annual Boulder Strong Day of Remembrance
BOULDER – As the fifth anniversary of the tragic Table Mesa King Soopers mass shooting approaches, the City of Boulder is inviting residents to come together in healing and reflection at the annual Boulder Strong Day of Remembrance on March 22, 2026.
On that fateful day in 2021, the community lost 10 beloved members: Tralona Bartkowiak, Suzanne Fountain, Teri Leiker, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Rikki Olds, Neven Stanisic, Denny Stong, Jody Waters, and Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, who heroically responded to the scene.
The event serves as a dedicated space to honor their lives, support affected families and friends, and acknowledge the enduring resilience of Boulder.
“March 22 will always mark a moment of deep remembrance in Boulder,” said Mayor Aaron Brockett. “It is a day to reflect on those who were taken from us and to stand with the families, friends, and community members whose lives were changed forever. We will continue to acknowledge the lasting impact of that day, honor the legacy of those we lost, and find comfort in our resilience as a community.”
This year’s gathering will take place at the Museum of Boulder, located at 2205 Broadway. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with the formal program running from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
The City of Boulder, partnering with local organizations, emphasizes that healing remains an ongoing journey for many impacted by the shooting. Resources for mental health and trauma support are available through the city’s Boulder Strong webpage.For more details on the Day of Remembrance, visit www.bouldercolorado.gov/boulderstrong.
Boulder Channel 1 News will continue to cover community events and provide updates as the date approaches. In times of remembrance, Boulder stands united.
