Boulder Weekly 10.13.2022

Vote YES on 2F! REPEAL A BAD DEAL

CU’s new campus isn’t a housing solution.

It adds many more students and staff than the housing provided, creating even more demand on Boulder’s already limited housing supply. It’s reserved for CU students and employees and only 10% of the units will be “affordable”.

the face of climate change:

Restricting flood protection to 100-year levels endangers public safety in the face of future bigger floods. Boulder needs 500-year flood protection. This $66+ million plan partially controls only one creek from Boulder’s 15 streams and protects only 260—1%—of all Boulder’s structures— leaving all other neighborhoods with limited flood protection funding.

$All Boulder residents1 will pay: This $66 million project will be paid for by 65% increases in the monthly water bills for flood and stormwater fees of every Boulder Utility customer.

CU’s growth is unsustainable. 60,000 students by 2035.2 Boulder’s roads, housing supply, and water resources can’t support this growth rate.

CU’s development plan paves part of Boulder’s last undeveloped oodplain:

Puts 750,000 square feet of office, classroom and lab space at CU-South. It destroys rare wetlands and habitat for at least three threatened species and reduces the original Boulder Valley Plan Open Space for CU-South from 220 acres to 155 acres.

CU’s new campus creates a trafc nightmare: CU’s new campus will increase traffic, noise and pollution in neighborhoods and add 6,316 daily vehicle trips on already crowded Table Mesa, South Boulder Road and US 36. CU’s traffic control plan is poorly monitored and unenforceable.

Film:

guide:

endorsements and analysis covering the

pressing issues on your ballot

Boulder Weekly sta

:

Crain brings her Southern Plains stylings back to the Front Range

of

:

legend Graham Nash discusses his new

de

ash in the pan: e color orange — from puree to sou é by Ari LeVaux

between the lines:

before midterms, Biden orders pardons for all cannabis-possession convictions

Will Brendza

Critter

Files:

to do

docs to

Brezsny

Love: Knots Landing

Find a furry four-legged

Drink: The Great American Beer Festival celebrates a big birthday after a two-year hiatus

Publisher, Fran Zankowski

Circulation Manager, Cal Winn

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief, Caitlin Rockett

Arts & Culture Editor, Jezy J. Gray

General Assignment Reporter, Will Matuska

Food Editor, John Lehndorff

Intern, Chad Robert Peterson

Contributing Writers: Dave Anderson, Emma Athena, Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Angela K. Evans, Mark Fearer, Nick Hutchinson, Dave Kirby, Ari LeVaux, Adam Perry, Dan Savage, Bart Schaneman, Alan Sculley, Toni Tresca, Colin Wrenn

SALES AND MARKETING

Market Development Manager, Kellie Robinson

Account Executives, Matthew Fischer, Carter Ferryman, Chris Allred

Mrs. Boulder Weekly, Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

Art Director, Susan France

Senior Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman

CIRCULATION TEAM

Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

Bookkeeper, Emily Weinberg

Founder/CEO, Stewart Sallo

Editor-at-Large, Joel Dyer

Oct. 13, 2022

Volume XXX, number 9

As Boulder County's only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminat ing truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holds-barred journalism, and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county's most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you're interested in writing for the paper, please send que ries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper.

690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO, 80305 p 303.494.5511 f 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com

Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. © 2022 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved.

Furries, far right and the Colorado GOP by Dave Anderson

Nothing’s normal about this November’s election. Amnesty International has called on governors and secretaries of state to ban guns at or near polling stations. A majority of GOP candidates for the House, Senate and key statewide o ces have denied or questioned the outcome of the last presidential election, according to a Washington Post analysis.

Ralph Nader has a full-throated call to “crush the GOP,” and warns about a Republican “fascist drive coming over the horizon. Right now, we’re dealing with the great est menace to a modest democratic society since the Civil War.”

Boulder Weekly

welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boul derweekly.com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel.

Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verifcation. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.

Coloradans have it better than most. Our state is ranked number one in a new 2022 “State Democracy Scorecard” for voting rights laws, campaign nance and anti-corruption laws and democracy subversion protections. e meticulously detailed scorecard is produced by End Citizens United / Let America Vote Action Fund,

which describes itself as “a leading anti-corruption and voting rights group with over four million members nationwide.”

Nevertheless, the Denver Post reports that county clerks across Colorado are “bracing for a surge” of badfaith poll watchers and election judges who are “part of a nationwide attempt to manufacture evidence of election fraud.”

Colorado is nationally known as the home of fervent election-denying Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. But the national media has also discovered Joe O’Dea, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, because he seems “moderate.” at is, he’s a pre-Trump right-wing Republican with wretched policies. He mildly criticizes Trump and says Biden is president.

He opposes gun control, denies climate change and rules out a shift away from fossil fuels for the “next 100 years.”

Defend public libraries—the medicine chest of our soul

by Chris Barge

Sylvia Wirba’s Navajo family didn’t have a car when she was growing up in Cortez, Colo rado. ey couldn’t a ord to buy books either. But she could walk to school. And on the weekends, she and her mother and younger sister walked across town to their local public library.

e library was where Boulder’s newest library commissioner fell in love with reading and began to learn about the world outside her com munity. Today, the graduate of CU’s law school is a partner at a Denver law rm focus ing on housing matters with Native American tribes. She lives in Boulder and now devotes her free time to the Boulder Public Library.

Like me and hundreds of other Boulder Library cham pions, Sylvia is hoping voters say “yes” to the library district proposal on this No vember’s ballot.

Since ancient times, libraries have served as a wellspring for civilizations. e earliest known library was the sacred library in ebes, within the tomb complex of Ramsey II, the great pharaoh of Egypt. An inscription over its portals designated it as “the house of healing for the soul.” Others have translated the inscription as “Librar ies: e medicine chest of the soul.”

Working for the Boulder Library Foundation over the past year, I’ve run into countless people with stories like Sylvia’s, who talk about childhood interactions with their public libraries that grounded them, helped them nd themselves and learn about their community and the larger world.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read,” wrote James Baldwin. “It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.”

Boulder is a relatively young community, but it has relied on libraries as a healing place since the early days. Its rst libraries took the form of reading rooms that popped up on Pearl Street in the late 1800s. e population here was only about 1,000 and composed mostly of men connect ed to the mining industry. e reading rooms were a refuge for those who sought a more civilized way of interacting with one another, in a town whose nightlife was dominated by bars and brothels.

It was America’s Progressive Era, and a time when a national movement helped libraries become ubiquitous. It was also a local move ment led almost exclusively by female volunteers who paid for the books with donations they collected by going door-to-door.

roughout Boulder’s history, philanthropy has supported the creation, upkeep and expansion of our libraries. Our rst library — now known as the Carnegie Library for Local History — was built in 1907 with a $15,000 grant from steel ty coon Andrew Carnegie. In return, the City of Boulder agreed to provide the

THE ANDERSON FILES from Page 5

He claims to be a regular workin’ guy but disdains unions. Actually, he’s a multimillionaire CEO of a concrete pouring company that has been ned hundreds of thousands of dollars by the Department of Labor for repeated health and safety violations.

He’s in trouble for repeatedly lying about his position on abortion. He is a forced birther.

I don’t know if O’Dea has a position on furries. Heidi Ganahl sure does. She’s a University of Colorado Regent and the Republican candidate for governor.

In September, Ganahl told Jimmy Sengenberger on his Denver KNUS Radio show that “not many people know that we have furries in Colora do schools.”

“Have you heard about this story?” Ganahl asked Sengenberger. “Yeah, kids identifying as cats. It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but it’s hap pening all over Colorado and schools are tolerating it. It’s insane. What on earth are we doing? Knock it o , schools. Put your foot down. Like, stop it. Let’s get back to teaching ba sics and not allow this woke ideology, ideological stu , in ltrate our schools. And it is happening here in Colorado. It’s why I moved from Boulder Valley to Douglas County, because it was happening in my kids’ schools four years ago.”

Furries are people who dress up in giant animal mascot costumes. ey are fans of media that features anthropomorphic animals — that is, animals who walk, talk, and act like humans (Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny for instance). ey are like the adult fans of Star Trek and Harry

Potter who dress up.

According to the International Anthropomorphic Research Proj ect (an academic body that studies furries), 78% of furries identify as non-heterosexual, plus 2.1% identify as transgender.

is spring, Nebraska state Sen ator Bruce Bostelman, a conservative Republican, said he had heard that schools were placing litter boxes in school bathrooms to accommodate children who self-identify as cats. is was during a public, televised debate on a bill intended to help kids who have behavioral problems. “ ey meow and they bark and they interact with their teachers in this fashion,” he said.

His comments quickly went viral on social media. Hours later, he backtracked after doing some research and acknowledged that the story wasn’t true. Reuters fact-checked the many stories in various states and also concluded there was no evidence of this happening anywhere. e furry frenzy is part of the GOP attack on public schools. In Pennsylvania, Maine, Michigan, Iowa and Idaho, right-wing parents have been disrupting school boards with accusations that furries were get ting special treatment. A Michigan “concerned parents” Facebook group promoted fears that furries “could be in your child’s classroom hissing at your child and licking themselves.”

is opinion column does not necessarily re ect the views of Boulder Weekly.

‘Yes’ on Boulder Ballot Measure 1A to give re ghters the greatest chance of success by fire chiefs of mountain fire districts in Boulder County

As Fire Chiefs of mountain and rural re districts in our county, we have come together to ask Boulder County residents to sup port Ballot Measure 1A for wild re mitigation, to provide a dedicat ed funding source to accomplish county-wide wild re risk reduction projects and programs.

For decades, the districts we represent have been committed to addressing and mitigating the pro found risk uncontrolled wild re poses to lives, property, lands, and other values. We have all seen our residents impacted by catastrophic wild re, and we have all struggled to accomplish meaningful action that matches the immense threat of wild re.

Our districts are simply not equipped to engage in wild re mitigation activities at a pace and scale to accomplish the level of risk

reduction we owe our communities. is ballot measure seeks to address that gap in our collective capacity.

As we have seen from the Four Mile Fire, the Cold Springs Fire, e Calwood and Lefthand Fires, and most recently the Marshall Fire, there is virtually no space in Boul der County that is immune from the devastating potential of wild re. e funding that will be made available with a yes vote on the Wild re Mitigation measure will bene t all communities and lands in Boulder County and will promote the re service’s fundamental goal of preserving life and property. is ballot measure represents a comparatively modest investment in risk reduction, in order to avoid the enormous costs of repairing wild re devastation to property, drinking water, infrastructure and commerce.

As supervisors of re ghters with

extensive backgrounds in wild re suppression and management, we can directly testify that well-planned wild re mitigation projects make a tremendous di erence to the severity and impacts of wild res when they occur. ese projects can create safe corridors for citizens to escape from a wild re’s path and create e ective spaces for re ghters to contain and control the spread of wild re. Wild re mitigation projects also protect invaluable watersheds, ecosystems, and many other values.

We all live in a land that is prone to wild re. ere is nothing that can be done to change this fact. But we can adapt to wild re risk, and proactively work to reduce wild re risk in every part of Boulder County.

Vote “yes” on the Wild re Mit igation measure to enable wild re specialists in Boulder County to im

plement critical solutions to wild re risk. Vote yes to protect yourself and your neighbors. Vote yes to protect property. Vote yes to preserve our cherished lands, vulnerable habitats, and irreplaceable watersheds. Vote yes to give re ghters the greatest chance of success the next time a wild re occurs in Boulder County.

Allenspark Chief Cousineau, Big Elk Chief Isenhart, Boulder Mountain Chief Benson, Boulder Rural Chief Schwab, Coal Creek Chief Ball, Four Mile Chief Gibson, Gold Hill Chief Finn, Hygiene Chief Trevithick, Jamestown Chief Mans, Lefthand Chief O’Brien, Lyons Chief Zick, Nederland Chief Scott, Sugarloaf Chief Winchester, Sunshine Chief Schmitt, Timberline Chief Ondr

is opinion column does not necessarily re ect the views of Boulder Weekly.

library an annual operating budget of $1,500.

In 1961, donations helped the city pay for construction of the north end of today’s Boulder Main Library, on Canyon Boulevard. e next decade, a bequest from retired CU history professor George Reynolds made construction of the South Boulder branch in his name possible.

CITY FUNDING OF THE LIBRARY HAS NOT KEPT PACE WITH DEMAND, WHICH HAS SKYROCKETED TO 1 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR.

e Boulder Library Foundation was established in 1974, “to help you help your library through tax exempt gifts.” In 1987, the foundation helped organize the campaign that led to a successful library funding ballot issue, which funded the completion of the south ern half of today’s beautiful glass and agstone Boulder Main Library.

Last year, the Boulder Library Foundation donated $500,000 to

preserve the footprint of the North Boulder Library, which is scheduled to break ground later this year. It was part of nearly $1 million in grants made in 2021 to support library programs, events and services — an all-time high. is level of philanthropic support is not sustainable, and well short of what’s needed. City funding of the library has not kept pace with de

mand, which has skyrocketed to 1 million visitors per year. Today’s library sta is 65% the size of the sta in 2000. e roof leaks at every branch. e NoBo Corner Library is closed on Mondays due to budget cuts. e Carnegie Library is open by appointment only. e world-class BLDG61 maker space is closed ve days a week. e Canyon eater was closed throughout the pandemic.

All of this would change if voters decide to fund our libraries this November.

e additional funding would support a new branch in Gunbarrel. e collections budget would increase. Our branches would be open full-time and restored to good working order.

It’s an important time to invest in a place that creates community and

develops culture. Across the country, libraries are under attack. Librari ans have received death threats for defending against e orts to censor materials and ban books. Suddenly, libraries are getting dragged into our nation’s culture wars.

Libraries defend all rights to speak in a public forum. ey ght censorship in all its forms. at’s why the Boulder Library Foundation has launched an aware ness campaign with a simple message: Defend Public Libraries.

Please join us. Vote yes on form ing and funding the Boulder Library District. Together we can ll the medicine chest of our soul.

Chris Barge is Executive Director of the Boulder Library Foundation. is opinion column does not necessarily re ect the views of Boulder Weekly.

BOULDER WEEKLY VOTE GUIDE 2022

Boulder County’s ballot is brimming with candidates, ballot measures and amendments. In order to make it a little easier to ll out your ballot, we’ve done research on a number of the most pressing issues in the county. As a small sta , we had to make choices about what we covered, so you won’t see everything on the Boulder County ballot in our endorsements, but we think we serve you bet ter by focusing our energy on the thornier issues. With no further ado, Boulder Weekly’s 2022 Vote Guide.

STATE OFFICES

FEDERAL OFFICES

UNITED STATES SENATOR

Michael Bennet (Democratic)

John O’Dea (Republican)

T.J. Cole (Unity)

Brian Peotter (Libertarian)

Frank Atwood (Approval Voting)

Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009 and is seeking a third full term. Recently, he supported the In ation Reduction Act designed to address climate change and lower prescription drug, healthcare and energy costs. Bennet is currently working on issues like the CORE Act, a land conservation and protection bill; the expanded Child Tax Credit to provide monthly payments to families with children; and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which aims to in crease visas granted each year and provide workers with a pathway to citizenship.

REPRESENTATIVE TO THE 118TH UNITED STATES CONGRESS — DISTRICT 2

Joe Neguse (Democratic)

Marshall Dawson (Republican)

Gary L. Nation (American Constitution)

Tim Wolf (Unity)

Steve Yurash (Center)

With Democrats likely to take a beating nation ally during this year’s midterms, it’s more important than ever to retain lawmakers like Rep. Joe Neguse in the U.S. House. Republicans may control that body after Nov. 8, but Colorado needs representa tives like Boulder’s own Neguse to advocate for our local values on the federal level. His commitment to protecting public lands and combatting dis criminatory practices of for-pro t health insurance companies, along with his service as the only Rocky Mountain-area representative on the Select Com mittee on the Climate Crisis, are just a few reasons Boulder Weekly supports his candidacy.

GOVERNOR/LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Heidi Ganahl / Danny Moore (Republican)

Jared Polis / Dianne Primavera (Democratic)

Paul Noël Fiorino / Cynthia Munhos de Aquino

Sirianni (Unity)

Danielle Neuschwanger / Darryl Gibbs American (Constitution)

Kevin Ruskusky / Michele Poague (Libertarian)

We’ll be the rst to admit Jared Polis isn’t the mold-breaking, progressive politician we’d prefer — he’s pretty middle of the road, and he verges toward conservative concepts, like cutting income taxes. ( e conservative-leaning American Legis lative Exchange Council ranked him ninth among their top 10 governors in 2020.) Still, he’s way better than Heidi Ganahl, who honestly believes that teachers are putting litter boxes in school bathrooms to accommodate “furry” identities (see e Anderson Plan, p. 5). We wish that one of the third-party candidates was viable, but that’s not the case. Polis has supported family-friendly measures like all-day Kindergarten, and the Colorado Op tion, a program intended to drive insurance costs down next year. We say give him your vote.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Pam Anderson (Republican)

Jena Griswold (Democratic) Gary Swing (Unity) Jan Kok (Approval Voting)

Amanda Campbell (American Constitution) Bennett Rutledge (Libertarian)

Colorado’s election system has been called the “gold standard” quite a bit in the news recently, and we think current Secretary of State Jena Griswold has made signi cant contributions toward that title by expanding ballot drop boxes and increasing in-person voting locations. Griswold faced death threats from election deniers in 2021 and stood her ground, confronting politicians she believed were misleading the public, and threatening to refer Donald Trump to the Colorado Attorney General

for prosecution because of his role in encouraging voter fraud. While Republican Pam Anderson hasn’t expressed belief that the 2020 election was fraudulent, she has campaigned with Erik Aaland, a staunch election denier. Vote for Griswold.

STATE TREASURER

Dave Young (Democratic)

Lang Sias (Republican)

Anthony J. Delgado (Libertarian)

Key issues for the treasury department include raising nancial security, managing the state’s debt, keeping taxpayer dollars safe and achieving eco nomic justice. Incumbent Dave Young has done a ne job reaching these goals, even through the nancially turbulent COVID-19 pandemic, through programs like CLIMBER, a small-business loan e ort, and SecureSavings, a retirement plan for private sector workers. Although Republicans keying in on in ation costs could make it a tight race for state treasurer, a job associated with scal policy and responsibility, we are endorsing Young to continue in o ce.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

John Kellner (Republican)

Phil Weiser (Democratic)

William F. Robinson III (Libertarian)

Few elected positions wield as much power as attorney general, and few races are looking tighter than this year’s contest for the state’s “top cop.” Considering this, it’s imperative that Colorado voters retain current AG Phil Weiser. His commit ment to protecting Marshall Fire victims from price gouging in the wake of the Dec. 30 disaster showed the Dean Emeritus of the University of Colorado Law School is committed to our community, and his stated willingness to go after local municipal ities that may attempt to restrict abortion rights make him the best candidate for ensuring repro ductive rights for Coloradans in a post-Roe world. For these reasons and more, Boulder Weekly endorses Weiser over Republican John Kellner.

BOULDER WEEKLY VOTE GUIDE 2022

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

MEMBER — AT LARGE

Kathy Plomer (Democratic)

Dan Maloit (Republican)

Ryan Van Gundy (Libertarian)

Eric Bodenstab (Unity)

With public schooling under attack across the country, Colorado needs a erce advocate on the State Board of Education. at’s why Boulder Week ly is endorsing Kathy Plomer in this contest for the at-large seat. Her commitment to raising teacher pay in Colorado — which consistently ranks among the bottom in the nation on this critical metric — is reason enough to pull the lever for Plomer. But if you need more convincing, consider her opponent Dan Maloit’s dog-whistle language about eliminat ing “political or social distractions” in the classroom. Colorado needs a serious teacher and student advo cate like Plomer, not a political reactionary promot ing phony Critical Race eory hysteria.

STATE SENATOR — DISTRICT 15

Rob Woodward (Republican) Janice Marchman (Democratic)

Senate District 15 is more competitive now than it has been in recent memory, thanks to a new carving of the political map by the Colorado Inde pendent Redistricting Commission. Boulder Weekly supports Janice Marchman in this contest, due in part to the Loveland middle-school math teacher’s staunch support for public education. Additionally, a Marchman victory over incumbent Rob Wood ward would help Democrats build on their majority in the state Senate.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE — DISTRICT 10 Junie Joseph (Democratic) William B. DeOreo (Republican)

With victory over Republican William DeOreo all but guaranteed, Boulder City Councilmember Junie Joseph is expected to become the rst Black

woman to represent Boulder in the Colorado State House of Representatives. While the process that led to her nomination by the Boulder County Democratic Party has been a point of criticism for some local residents, the value of her history-mak ing election is hard to overstate. In addition to bringing a new perspective to the seat, Joseph will also bring her deep knowledge of the community garnered through years of experience responding to the needs of Boulder residents on the municipal level. Boulder Weekly enthusiastically endorses her candidacy in the race for District 10.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE — DISTRICT 11 Karen McCormick (Democratic) Tara Menza (Republican)

Karen McCormick should retain her seat as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives, representing District 11. McCormick’s record of service with the Citizens Climate Lobby and as an animal welfare advocate — having run her own veterinary clinic in the state for nearly two decades — are two examples of how the candidate embod ies Boulder County values.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE — DISTRICT 12 Anya Kirvan (Republican)

Tracey Bernett (Democratic)

Over the course of her tenure in the Colorado House of Representatives, Tracey Bernett has spon sored legislation reforming the treatment of people with behavioral health problems in the justice system and promoting crisis services to students. Due in part to her commitment to Coloradans struggling with mental health issues, Boulder Weekly endorses her candidacy in the race for District 12.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE — DISTRICT 19

Dan Woog (Republican)

Jennifer Lea Parenti (Democratic) Joe Johnson (Libertarian)

Boulder Weekly endorses Jennifer Parenti in the

race for District 19, due in part to the candidate’s stated commitment to a ordable housing, the environment and women’s reproductive rights. Re publican incumbent Dan Woog’s alliance with the oil and gas industry make him a bad t to represent Boulder County voters.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE — DISTRICT 49 Judy Amabile (Democratic)

Kathryn Lehr (Republican)

Daniel Lutz (Libertarian)

Over the course of her tenure in the Colorado House, Rep. Judy Amabile has proven herself a worthy advocate for constituents in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin and Larimer Counties. Amabile’s stated three areas of focus are increasing access to mental health resources, acting swiftly on climate change and ghting for higher wages for working people to o set the astronomical cost of housing, healthcare and childcare. For these reasons and more, Boulder Weekly supports Amabile in the Dis trict 49 contest.

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION

DISTRICT DIRECTOR — DISTRICT I Erik Davidson

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION

DISTRICT DIRECTOR — DISTRICT O Lynn Guissinger

Richard O’Keefe

Lynn Gussinger began serving on RTD’s Board of Directors in November 2018, representing the northwest portion of the RTD area (Boulder, Su perior, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland and Longmont west of Hover Road). She has helped usher in the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative that allowed rid ers free fare for the month of August. We support Lynn Gussinger for another term as RTD Director District O.

BOULDER WEEKLY VOTE GUIDE 2022

COUNTY OFFICES

COUNTY COMMISSIONER — DISTRICT 3

Ashley Stolzmann (Democratic)

Bo Sha er (Libertarian)

Since 2013, Boulder Weekly has endorsed Ashley Stolzmann as a member of Louisville’s City Coun cil. She moved into the mayoral seat in 2019, which we also supported, because Stolzmann’s values align with our own: housing and homelessness preven tion and support; decarbonization to ght climate change; and adequate transportation for residents regardless of income. We again endorse Ashley Stolzmann, this time in her run as County Com missioner for District 3.

COUNTY CLERK AND RECORDER

Molly Fitzpatrick (Democratic)

COUNTY TREASURER

Paul Weissmann (Democratic)

COUNTY ASSESSOR

Cynthia Braddock (Democratic)

COUNTY SHERIFF

Curtis Johnson (Democratic)

COUNTY SURVEYOR

Lee Stadele (Democratic)

COUNTY CORONER

Emma R. Hall

LOCAL OFFICES

CITY OF LONGMONT — CITY COUNCILMEMBER AT-LARGE

Sean P. McCoy

Gary Hodges

Mitzi Nicoletti

While both Gary Hodges and Sean McCoy are capable candidates (Hodges works for NOAA and McCoy is a teacher in Louisville), Boulder Weekly is endorsing Mitzi Nicoletti in the Long mont councilmember at-large race. Nicoletti says she is running in order to support local business, help push for a ordable and attainable housing for low-income and homeless members of the commu nity, and to ght for environmental sustainability on every front. And she has excellent experience to help her accomplish all of those goals.

STATE BALLOT MEASURES

AMENDMENT D — DESIGNATE JUDGES TO 23RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT MEASURE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

e text of Amendment D is convoluted — we’ll spare you from it here and just break it down: e 18th Judicial District used to comprise Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. e population grew a lot in these counties, so the state Legislature decided to split things up in 2020. Arapahoe remained in the 18th Judicial District, while Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties moved to the newly created 23rd Judicial District. Amendment D adjusts the language of the state constitution so the governor can designate judges to be moved from the 18th district to the 23rd district, and require the judges to relocate their residence into the new district. More housekeeping. Vote “yes.”

AMENDMENT E — HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO SURVIVING SPOUSES OF U.S. ARMED FORCES MEMBERS AND VETERANS MEASURE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

Currently, Colorado veterans who are perma nently disabled qualify for a break on property taxes. ey currently receive an exemption on 50% of the rst $200,000 of a property’s actual value. Passage of Amendment E would extend that tax exemption to the surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in the line of duty or who died from a service-related injury or disease. e exemption would be extended to any surviving spouse who currently receives dependency indemni ty compensation from the Department of Veterans A airs.

Local governments will not lose out on revenue if this amendment passes, as the state is required to reimburse local governments for any reductions in rev enue that occur due to property tax exemptions given to seniors and veterans with a disability. e price tag for Amendment E — approximately $525,000 per year starting in scal year 2023-24 — is very reasonable for doing the right thing for veterans. It is estimated that there are approximately 883 surviving spouses who can bene t from this amendment if it passes. Vote “yes” on Amendment E.

AMENDMENT F — CHARITABLE GAMING MEASURE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is amendment would allow charitable orga nizations, like churches or veterans groups, to get a bingo-ra e license after existing for only three years rather than the current ve years required by the state. Passage of this amendment would also allow — not require — bingo managers to be com pensated, rather than having to simply volunteer their time.

According to the Legislative Council Sta , ap proval of this measure is expected to increase state revenue by $18,000 in FY 2022-23 and $22,200 in FY 2023-24, assuming an additional 188 and 222 licensees ,respectively, pay the current $100 license fee. On the other hand, approving Amendment F is expected to increase state expenditures by $293,995 in FY 2022-23 and $420,109 in FY 2023-24 due to increased costs associated with implementing the new law. at’s a negative impact for state taxpayers.

While we don’t have a strong inclination toward a “yes” on Amendment F, we have no problem with a charitable organization getting a gaming license after three years instead of ve, or with paying the gaming manager minimum wage for giving up their Friday night to call out numbers. As such, we endorse a “yes” on Amendment F.

PROPOSITION FF — REDUCE INCOME TAX DEDUCTION AMOUNTS TO FUND SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM MEASURE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

It’s hard to argue with the end result should Proposition FF pass, but the process it creates for funding school meals leaves a bit to be desired.

Passing FF would reduce the maximum income tax deduction for those earning $300,000 or more from $30,000 for single lers and $60,000 for joint lers to $12,000 for single lers and $16,000 for joint lers; and the money generated from this de duction change would be allocated to the creation and funding of the Healthy School Meals for All Program, which would reimburse participating schools to provide free meals to all students, and provide schools with local food purchasing grants and food-related funding. It would also increase the pay for those preparing school meals.

Under the current system for free or subsidized school meals, which is based on the parents’ income, too many kids are still left out, or the subsidized price they pay is still a burden on struggling fam ilies. is proposition would change all that. It is estimated that this change to the Colorado Revised Statutes would generate $100,727,820 annually, making it possible for every child, regardless of their parents’ economic status, to receive free meals at school. By making meals free to all, the damaging

stigma associated with forcing chil dren to reveal their economic status in front of their peers is alleviated. ere is no question that our children should have access to free meals at school. What is less clear is why only those making $300,000 or more per year should have to pay for it. We would have preferred if an exception to increasing taxes had been placed on those making less than $50,000 per year, with everyone else paying a sliding-scale share of this tax increase. Feeding kids is worth it and we should all share the cost. We also understand that such a shared ap proach would likely have failed at the ballot box as too many shortsighted people without children in school are loath to help pay for the educational needs of others.

Still, we support FF because the outcome is simply too important not to. So please vote “yes” on this one.

PROPOSITION GG — TABLE OF CHANGES TO INCOME TAX OWED REQUIRED FOR CITIZEN INITIATIVES MEASURE

❑ Yes/For No/Against

is proposition has found its way to the ballot by way of a party line vote of the state Legislature, with Democrats supporting GG and Republicans opposing it. If it passes, GG would require a table showing changes in income tax owed for aver age taxpayers in certain brackets to be included in the ballot title and scal summary for any citizen initiative that would increase or decrease the individual income tax rate.

Transparency is always a good thing in a democracy. Unfortunately, the people deciding what facts and gures represent transparency are not always so good. As we have seen many times in Colorado over the past few decades, the gures being presented to the public as nonpartisan facts are often anything but. Whoever controls the input process into the economic modeling software being used by the nonpartisan researchers,

in this case the Legislative Council, ultimately controls what information passes for transparency. You may re call an earlier investigation by Boulder Weekly that found the economic mod eling being provided by CU’s Leads School of Business — widely touted by elected o cials of both parties as nonpartisan — was actually being controlled by a front group, largely for the bene t of the oil and gas industry.

Each of us as a voter has a respon sibility to carefully examine the issues on which we vote. If we take the time, we can determine for ourselves how an issue will impact the various tax brackets without having to rely on the added chart of a “non-partisan” entity that one party has required to be added to the actual ballot. Remember, next time it may be the other party adding “transparency” to our ballot.

Vote “no” on this one. e last thing we need is to turn our ballots into the next front in the propaganda wars.

PROPOSITION 121 — STATE INCOME TAX RATE REDUCTION INITIATIVE ❑ Yes/For No/Against

If this proposition — born in the shadows of our state’s most conservative corridors of power (the Independence Institute and everybody’s favorite Republican state Senator Jerry Sonnen berg back it) — were to pass, it would decrease the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40% for individuals, as well as for domestic and foreign C corpora tions for tax year 2022 and future years. Rich people would save a lot. Most of us would su er mightily. About 75% of taxpayers will receive a tax cut of less than $63 a year.

Colorado is already su ering from a lack of adequate funding for important services like schools, roads and environmental concerns because of equally moronic legislation like TABOR and previous tax cuts a few years ago. If you vote for this propo sition, at least avoid the hypocrisy by having the courtesy to stop using any and all state funded services. Vote “no” on Proposition 121.

Vote Yes on 1B Emergency Services

& Rescue:

Fire Agencies:

Trail:

Over 8000 Search and Rescue calls over the past 75 years

Serving the community at NO charge

Endorsed by:

Boulder

So

BOULDER WEEKLY VOTE GUIDE

PROPOSITION 122 — DECRIMINALIZATION, REGULATED DISTRIBUTION, AND THERAPY PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN HALLUCINOGENIC PLANTS AND FUNGI INITIATIVE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

If Proposition 122 passes it will decriminalize, for those 21 and older, the personal use and posses sion of the following plants and fungi: dimethyl tryptamine (DMT); ibogaine; mescaline (excluding peyote); and psilocybin.

All of the above substances are currently clas si ed as Schedule I controlled substances under state law. In addition to decriminalization, passage of Proposition 122 would allow anyone who has completed a sentence following a conviction related to the personal use or possession of the above sub stances to petition the court to seal their record so the conviction no longer impacts their ability to get a job, housing, etc.

is proposition would create a natural medi cine services program for the supervised adminis tration of such substances, which have been shown to be bene cial in the treatment of depression, PTSD and other ailments. It would also create a process for regulating the growth, distribution, and sale of these hallucinogens to permitted entities that provide supervised administration of the substances, as well as creating a Natural Medicine Advisory Board to come up with rules in order to implement a regulated access program.

Other states have gone down this path with no ill e ects. Having taxpayers spend $50,000 a year to imprison someone as a punishment for the personal use of drugs is a ridiculous and destructive idea that has long outlived its misguided usage. We now know that therapies using these natural substances are proving e ective, even though more research is in order. All things considered, we think a “yes” vote is in order.

PROPOSITION 123 — DEDICATE STATE INCOME TAX REVENUE TO FUND HOUSING PROJECTS INITIATIVE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

As always, the devil is in the details when it comes to potential a ordable housing solutions. If properly executed, the passage of Proposition 123 could be a gamechanger for our state.

If passed, this initiative will create the State A ordable Housing Fund (SAHF) and dedicate

0.1% of state income tax revenue to fund a ordable housing programs and projects. Under the initiative, rentals would be available to households with an annual income at or below 60% of the area median income, and for-sale housing could be purchased by a household with an annual income at or below 100% of the area median income.

Funds in SAHF would be allocated to two funds: 60% to the A ordable Housing Financing Fund and 40% to the A ordable Housing Support Fund.

Funds would be used to: provide grants to local governments and loans to nonpro t organizations to acquire and maintain land for the development of a ordable housing; create an a ordable hous ing equity program to make equity investments in multi-family rental units to ensure that rent is no more than 30% of a household’s income; create a concessionary debt program to provide debt nanc ing for low- and middle-income multi-family rental developments and existing a ordable housing proj ects; create an a ordable home ownership program providing down-payment assistance for homebuyers meeting certain income requirements; create a grant program for local governments to increase capacity to process land use, permitting and zoning appli cations for housing projects; and create a program to provide rental assistance, housing vouchers and other case management for persons experiencing homelessness.

TABOR supporters oppose this proposition (shocker), noting that TABOR refund checks will be smaller if it passes. Of course, this is true. But what TABOR enthusiasts don’t seem to notice is that TABOR refund checks don’t make even a tiny dent in the cost of housing for working families in Colorado.

While it won’t be a cure-all by any means, and it has the potential to be too little to signi cantly impact this massive problem, it’s better than not trying. Vote “yes” on Proposition 123. It’s a start.

PROPOSITION 124: INCREASE ALLOWABLE LIQUOR STORE LOCATIONS ❑ Yes/For No/Against

Prop 124 would allow retail liquor stores to apply to open for the same number of locations as liquor-licensed drugstores (grocery stores with a pharmacy that sell beer, wine and spirits), which is to say an unlimited number by 2037. But small liquor stores — those without the capacity, or desire, to expand — would be at a disadvantage. We support a “no” vote on Prop 124.

PROPOSITION 125: ALLOW GROCERY AND CONVENIENCE STORES TO SELL WINE

❑ Yes/For No/Against

As with Prop 124, Proposition 125 would hurt small liquor stores. According to the state ballot info book, the automatic license conversion would more than double the number of stores where wine can be sold. We love convenience as much as the next person, but with independent businesses already struggling under the weight of in ation and continued supply chain obstacles, we endorse a “no” vote on Prop 125.

COLORADO PROPOSITION 126: THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES

Yes/For❑ No/Against

is proposition would allow two things: 1) third-party companies (think UberEats and Door Dash) could deliver alcohol from grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, bars, restaurants and other liquor-licensed businesses; 2) permanent ly allow takeout and delivery of alcohol from bars and restaurants (currently set to repeal in 2025). It sounds convenient, but giving national companies like UberEats and DoorDash more stake in the local food landscape doesn’t sound great (those third-party companies charge so much, and it can be hard to get justice when your order turns up wrong). It’s a bummer this is bundled with per manent delivery and takeout of alcohol from bars and restaurants. Because we believe this will help restaurants in a time when they are still recovering from the pandemic, we give a half-hearted “yes” endorsement for Prop 126.

COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES

BOULDER COUNTY ISSUE 1A: WILDFIRE MITIGATION SALES AND USE TAX AND REVENUE CHANGE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is measure proposes a new county-wide sales tax of 0.1% (1 cent per $10 purchase) to fund pro active e orts to mitigate wild res in the mountains and plains.

BOULDER WEEKLY VOTE GUIDE 2022

close to 1,000 homes in a matter of hours, and it now ranks as the most destructive and costliest wild re in Colorado history. Proceeds from this sales tax will be used to reduce catastrophic impacts of res by better managing forests and grasslands to improve resiliency, and to help county residents make their homes and neighborhoods more re resistant. Additionally, the funds will help the coun ty secure matching funds from state and federal sources, amplifying its impact.

Tax-funded projects that reduce risks of cata strophic wild re in the mountains and plains, build resilience in forest and grassland ecosystems, and protect drinking water supplies would be identi ed and managed by Boulder County Fireshed Partnership — a coalition of federal, state and local governments, and nonpro ts that support collaboration, coordination and large-scale wild re prevention planning.

Some funding will be used to extend Boulder County’s existing program, Wild re Partners, to more east county residents. Wild re Partners can provide technical and nancial assistance to home owners looking to harden their homes and create defensible spaces around them.

While we understand the county’s ongoing re recovery e orts also merit more nancial support, we agree with the 75% of community members polled in the Boulder County 2022 Public Opinion Survey that support this measure and recognize the need for and value of preventative action; the poll determined “need more wild re mitigation” as the second-most important issue among county resi dents (the rst-most: “lack of a ordable housing”). Vote “yes” to listening and attending to our com munity’s needs.

BOULDER COUNTY ISSUE 1B: EMERGENCY SERVICES SALES AND USE TAX AND REVENUE CHANGE

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is measure proposes a new county-wide sales tax of 0.1% (1 cent per $10 purchase) to help fund various critical emergency services in unincorpo rated Boulder County, giving volunteer responders the opportunity to secure new training facilities and equipment in addition to more consistent nancial support for rural re districts throughout the year; in 2027 the tax increase would decline to 0.05% (0.5 cents per $10 purchase).

From volunteer-run rural re districts and search and rescue operations, to contracted ambu

lance and wildland re ghting sta s that service unincorporated Boulder County, emergency response teams make adventuring and housing in Boulder County’s wildland-urban interface possible. Proceeds from this tax would support emergency services to the rural areas that many county-dwell ers and tourists use for recreation, which are not covered by municipal emergency response providers.

Sheri Joe Pelle reported to County Commis sioners that the agencies providing these critical emergency responses are in serious need of sup port — particularly the volunteer Rocky Moun tain Rescue Group (RMRG). Each year, RMRG responds to more than 200 search and rescue calls in the mountains of Boulder County, and demand for its services is growing as costs of equipment rise. Pelle said the agency’s 1960s-built facility can no longer house all its vehicles and equipment. He also reports costs for American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance service, which is contracted to serve unincorporated parts of the county, are rising: He reported it could cost the county $600,000 for AMR service next year.

e inclusion of ambulance services in this measure raises concerns over its high price tag and potential for consuming a large portion of the collected funds, but ambulance services in general are expensive, and the money has to come from somewhere. As it stands, Pelle explained the AMR services come from the general fund and using this funding source could relieve pressures on the general fund to help with other necessities. Another concern is that this sales tax would introduce an additional nancial commitment for residents who live in mountain community re protection districts and already pay separate taxes for many of these emergency services, but as the tax increase reduces by half after ve years, we encourage residents in these gateway communities to join other county residents in responding to rising costs and demands upon emergency responders. Vote “yes.”

BOULDER COUNTY ISSUE 1C: TRANSPORTATION SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE Yes/For ❑ No/Against

If passed, this ballot issue would extend, without increase, the current .01% sales tax (1 cent per $10 purchase) that funds countywide multimodal trans portation needs, which include safety, accessibility and connectivity improvements to roads, transit systems, regional trails and commuter bikeways.

is transportation sales tax was rst passed in 2001, then extended in 2007, and is currently set to expire in 2024.

Boulder County commissioners unanimously agreed to ask voters to extend this existing sales tax, and no organized opposition to the ballot issue exists. Approximated expected annual revenue from the tax is $11 million, according to the League of Women Voters of Boulder County, and funds are used in accordance with the county’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP). If approved, the tax would be come permanent and would have to be repealed for it to end, a change that concerns some residents but not many; this tax has received widespread support throughout its two-decades of implementation. is funding is also critical to securing match ing funding. In the past 15 years, the county has leveraged the $121 million it raised from this tax to secure an additional $269 million in regional, state and federal funding, for a total of $390 million. With forthcoming projects that focus on transit services and commuter bikeways, this measure also supports the county’s climate action goals.

Improved regional mobility is critical to retain ing and attracting a strong workforce for Boulder businesses, and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce asserts the county’s transportation needs far exceed the revenue generated from extending the 0.1% tax, and urges the Commissioners to identify addition al mobility investment resources. Boulder Weekly endorses a “yes” vote on County Issue 1C.

LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT ISSUE 2A: CLIMATE TAX (TABOR)

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

e passage of this ordinance would create a new Climate Action Plan (CAP) Tax, raising mil lions each year to support climate resiliency projects and help Boulder adapt to extreme weather events like the Marshall Fire. e measure would replace two existing climate taxes set to expire (the Climate Action Plan Excise Tax in 2023 and the Utility Occupation Tax in 2025) with an expanded tax on electricity consumption across residential, commer cial and industrial sectors.

Boulder residents can expect a 16% increase on their Xcel Energy electric and natural gas bill ($49.66 a year) with a larger tax burden falling on local businesses and industries, who would see an

check out your tax increase

our website:

Current and former City Council members:

Cindy Carlisle, and past CU Regent

Gwen Dooley

Leslie Durgin, former Mayor

Allyn Feinberg

Crystal Gray

Bob Greenlee, former Mayor

Dick Harris

Spense Havlick

George Karakehian

Lisa Morzel

Susan Osborne, former Mayor

Francoise Poinsatte

Richard Polk Steve Pomerance

Andrew Shoemaker

Mark Wallach

Sam Weaver, former Mayor

Tara Winer

Bob Yates

Mary Dolores Young

Former BVSD members:

Shelly Benford

Dorothy Riddle

Kim Saporito

Current and former board members:

Kathryn Barth, Landmarks Board

Jorge Boone, Planning Board

Bill Briggs, Open Space Board of Trustees, Chautauqua

John Gerstle, Planning Board, Boulder County Planning Commission

Bob Greenlee, Library Commission

Brooke Harrison, Boulder County Board of Health

Karen Hollweg, Open Space Board of Trustees

Nancy Kornblum, Landmarks Board, Chautauqua

Leonard May, Planning Board

Jyotsna Raj, Landmarks Board

Alison Richards, Transportation Advisory Board

Pat Shanks, Boulder County Planning Commission

Fran Sheets, Landmarks Board

Sarah Silver, Planning Board

Lisa Spalding, Beverage Licensing Board

John Spitzer, Planning Board

John Tayer, RTD, Transportation Advisory Board

Steve Wallace, Beverage Licensing Board

Valerie Yates, Parks and Recreation Board

Deborah Yin, Landmarks Board

Boulder Chamber of Commerce:

John Tayer, President & CEO

us in VOTING NO to a library district:

Vote NO on 2E

Loss of local issues in the noise of national politics

Orphaning BVSD School Board elections in odd years

Increased partisanship & special interests

“Will 2E engage new people or increase the representativeness of our city council?

After careful review of the research, the answer to these questions is No."

- Mary Young, former City Council Member

“I am voting NO on Ballot Question 2E. By listing local initiatives at the end of a very lengthy ballot, it only reinforces the notion that local issues are less important than national concerns. I'd prefer to motivate voters to participate every year!"

- Ceal Barry, Colorado Women's Basketball Hall of Famer

"2E would likely swamp community issues by national campaigns, losing local candidates in the shuffle, and shrink turnout for school board races. This measure was rushed and is not ready for prime time, or your vote."

- Sam Weaver, former Mayor & City Council Member

X

average 67% uptick. But with drier and hotter conditions leading to an essentially year-round re season, there’s no price too great to protect lives and property from future disas ters.

Lasting through 2040, the expanded climate tax would pro vide cash assistance to homeowners, businesses and landlords to support energy e ciency projects. It would also mean more electric vehicle charging stations, residential wild re risk assessment, microgrid investment and more.

Passing 2A is not the solution to the climate crisis, but it’s an import ant piece of the puzzle. Boulder Weekly supports the passage of this essential measure on Nov. 8.

changes to execute the transition away from municipal control.

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT QUESTION 2D: CHARTER CLARIFICATION OF CANDIDATE ISSUES

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT ISSUE 2B: APPROVING ISSUANCE OF BONDS TO BE PAID FROM CLIMATE TAX (TABOR)

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is measure would approve the issuance of bonds to be paid from the above climate tax, if approved, by in creasing debt for the City of Boulder up to $52.9 million, with a maximum repayment cost capped at $75 million. Boulder Weekly supports its passage.

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT QUESTION 2C: REPEAL OF LIBRARY COMMISSION AND TAX IF LIBRARY DISTRICT CREATED

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is ordinance would amend Sec tions 5 and 9 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter, making it so candidates may only seek one o ce during a given election. e measure would also allow council members whose terms do not end at the election to run for mayor without resigning their seat (unless they win) and empower them to ll the seat for the remainder of their vacated term. It would also change the swearing-in date of newly elected o cials to the council’s rst December meeting.

Asking a candidate to choose from the outset which o ce they will seek makes it clear to the public where a vacancy is. is measure will help when Boulder begins to directly elect the mayor next year.

Boulder Weekly supports a “yes” vote on 2D.

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT QUESTION 2E: CHANGE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO EVEN YEARS

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

CAL

SAVE ELECTIONS

In the event that voters approve the formation of a library district, the passage of this measure would amend and repeal sections of the Boulder Home Rule Charter establishing a library commission and tax. In sup porting the formation of the special tax district for public libraries, Boulder Weekly also supports these necessary

Passing this Charter Amendment would change regular municipal elec tions to even-numbered years starting in 2024. Doing so would put these consequential local contests on the same ballot as state and federal elec tions, which traditionally see much higher voter turnout — especially among young and low-income voters.

Less than half of active registered voters participated in the municipal 2021 election. In some University Hill precincts, those numbers dipped into the single digits, according to

Let's keep Boulder's local elections in odd years and say NO to:

analysis from the Boulder Reporting Lab. However, voters in those same precincts turned out at rates above 70% during the 2020 presidential contest. e stark discrepancy begs the question of how measures like last year’s initiative to increase occupancy limits, which lost by fewer than ve percentage points, would have fared with similarly robust turnout from the student-heavy district.

Our calculus for supporting this measure is quite simple: More people voting in local elections is a good thing, and the city should do everything in its power to make our democracy as robust and inclusive as possible. It’s especially crucial that students and low-income residents, both of whom are disproportion ately underrepresented in odd-year elections, be involved in the deci sion-making process on the municipal level. For these reasons, Boulder Weekly enthusiastically endorses this measure.

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT QUESTION 2F: REPEAL OF ORDINANCE 8483, REGARDING THE ANNEXATION OF CU SOUTH ❑ Yes/For No/Against

No other ballot measure strikes at the heart of Boulder’s most deeply rooted con icts surrounding land use, housing and the environment like the annexation of CU South. Since the university rst bought the 308acre parcel of land in South Boulder more than 25 years ago, the project — which would bring more than 1,000 additional units of faculty and graduate student housing, along with 80 acres for critical ood mitigation infrastructure — has been mired in controversy.

If approved, Ballot Question 2F would repeal the agreement between the city and university. Supporters of the measure say CU South annex ation is a bad deal that does little to solve the housing crisis, assuage

environmental concerns or provide adequate ood safety, while reducing the amount of de facto open space currently enjoyed by local residents and wildlife.

Boulder Weekly opposes the repeal of the CU South annexation. e cur rent agreement, which adds 119 acres of permanent open space, is our best chance to secure desperately needed ood mitigation for South Boulder Creek while honoring the existing deal between the city and university.

Supporters of Ballot Question 2F say the area needs 500-year ood mitiga tion instead of the 100-year project outlined in the agreement — but without annexation, there is no ood mitigation at all, leaving more than 2,000 residents vulnerable to disasters like those that devastated our com munity in 1969 and 2013.

Whether the deal between CU and the City of Boulder represents the best possible agreement is beside the point. is area needs ood pro tection sooner rather than later, and the city’s housing crisis is growing more dire by the season. Kicking the ball further down the eld by repealing the agreement, potentially stringing the ongoing debate into its third decade, would drag out a process that has already gone on for too long.

Consider Ballot Question 3A

be a matter of simple housekeep ing.

proposed amendments to Longmont’s Home Rule Charter

decrease con fusion

reduce the expenditure of sta time in routing documents

streamline

17 U.S. Vets Die from Suicide Every Day

Prop 122 Gives People Like Me Hope

Serving my country in Afghanistan changed me. I wasn’t the same person when I came home. I faced mental health issues, PTSD and constant anger.

My future held little hope. The VA therapy didn’t help. I could have become another statistic.

Natural Psychedelic Medicine Therapy Gave Me My Life Back

It broke the cycle of pain and reminded me what hope feels like. Now, I have direction again. I went back to school, got my degree and my life and career are on track again.

Natural Medicine Therapy changed my life. Service veterans who are suffering deserve the same opportunity I had to change the trajectory of their lives.

Longmont’s process for entering into intergovernmental agreements; and assist with recruitment of the City’s pension board members. In addi tion, the term “councilman” has been modernized to “councilmember.” e changes are minor and do not appear to open the door for any unforeseen problems going forward. A “yes” vote is in order here.

CITY OF LONGMONT BALLOT QUESTION 3B: CHARTER AMENDMENT TO PROSPEC TIVELY VACATE OFFICE

❑ Yes/For No/Against

Democracy can be a little messy and expensive sometimes, but trying to streamline the process can be fraught with its own problems, and that seems to be the case with Long mont’s Ballot Question 3B. e intent appears to be an e ort to save tax payers the expense of having to fund special elections to ll the vacated seats of City Council members who decide to run for mayor or other o c es. e Charter Amendment states that “amending the City’s Charter would create an option for sitting members of City Council to prospec tively vacate their o ce, which would allow that vacancy to be lled in the same election in which the sitting member of City Council is running for another elected o ce and avoid the need for a subsequent election.”

But here’s the problem: e sitting city council member who decides to run for another o ce doesn’t have to announce their intention to do so until a mere 90 days before the upcoming election. at means any potential candidates who may want to run for the council seat being vacated will only have three months in total to decide to run, create an organization, nd funding and get the word out that they are going to be on the ballot.

GUIDE 2022

is both unfair and detrimental to local democracy. If 3B passes, it will likely create a pathway for former council members to use their name recogni tion and to fast track their way back into o ce, and that doesn’t serve the public’s interest.

Special elections do cost money, but it’s a small price to pay to guaran tee a robust democratic process at the local level. Vote “no” on 3B.

CITY OF LONGMONT BALLOT QUESTION 3C: REVENUE BONDS TO FUND RESILIENT ST. VRAIN PROJECT IM PROVEMENTS

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

Ballot Question 3C would allow $20 million in revenue bonds to be issued for funding St. Vrain Proj ect Improvements in Longmont. If issued, the bonds will nance storm drainage system improvements from Sunset Street to Hover Street in order to protect downstream areas from future ooding. With climate change altering our weather patterns here in Colorado, and after what we all experienced during the ood of 2013, it’s a good idea to improve any part of our ood prevention system now as opposed to waiting until after another event, which will, no doubt, come. Vote “yes” on 3C.

BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT RE-2 BALLOT ISSUE 5A

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

It’s no secret that public schools in Colorado are underfunded. is measure would create a $350 million bond for upgrades and improvements to several BVSD schools.

Paid

Such a compressed timeframe will clearly favor candidates with plen ty of their own money and already existing name recognition. And that

e money would come from a property tax increase that would equal about $118 a year for a $600,000 home. e bond funding would include a new $27.7 million build ing for New Vista High School, a

new $31.5 million school to relieve overcrowding at Erie’s Meadowlark School and about $36 million to sup port expanded career and technical programs at middle and high schools. About $123 million is earmarked to replace roofs and boilers. Another $5 million would go to accessibility playground improvements, while $6.5 million would cover removal of asbestos materials.

We know this isn’t the only tax in crease you’re being asked to shoulder on this ballot, but public education is what our tax dollars should be spent on. We endorse a “yes” on BVSD RE-2 Ballot Issue 5A.

COUNTY ELECTORS PETITION ISSUE 6C: PROPOSED BOULDER PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT (LIBRARY DISTRICT FORMATION AND MILL LEVY TAX AND REVENUE CHANGE)

Yes/For ❑ No/Against

is measure proposes the creation of a library district, which would change how Boulder Public Library (BPL) is funded. If this mea sure passes, the library district would collect taxes from property owners in the city of Boulder through the imposition of a 3.5 mill levy starting in 2023 and would use these funds for BPL facilities and services. is equates to an annual increase of 4% or $23 per $100,000 of a residential property’s value and $92 per $100,000 of a commercial property’s value. If passed, the library district will include Boulder city limits and some parts of unincorporated Boulder County. Everyone in the county has free access to BPL facilities and services. Currently, BPL is funded by three sources: the City of Boulder’s general fund (84%); a 0.333 mill property tax already dedicated to the library (12%); and library department revenues, including grants (4%). According to BPL, this funding model can no lon ger sustain its service levels, especially after major pandemic-related cuts. Community use of the library has also increased steadily over the last decade, with many requests for expanded services, all of which necessitate more sustainable funding.

Library districts are the most common form of governance for public libraries in Colorado. ( ere are 56 district libraries in the state,

including Colorado Springs, Greely and Fort Collins). Boulder’s library district would be governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Boulder City Council and the Board of Coun ty Commissioners. e fact that the board is appointed rather than elected challenges our democratic values at Boulder Weekly, but we also under stand a single-purpose leadership fo cused on a singular goal can enhance taxpayer accountability, and projects could be developed more e ciently without the need to seek approval from a city council busy with many other projects. If passed, voters would have to approve any new or increased taxes relevant to library funding, and the sales tax from the general fund once used for BPL would be redis tributed to other city needs.

We understand the 3.5 mills property tax increase couldn’t come at a worse time — with other critical tax proposals on the ballot and businesses facing reduced patronage, higher costs for labor and materials, and reduced customer tra c resulting from the pandemic. Such a large increase in property taxes will adversely impact small businesses, those on xed incomes, and low- and moderate-in come households. Renters in Boulder would also see costs passed down from landlords.

But the tax revenue would go to restoring and improving services that bene t these and other populations, which signi cantly elevate Boulder County as a whole. e funds would be used for much-needed literacy pro grams, additional free public spaces for community meetings, workshops and programs. It would also support updated and improved collections of books and materials, including bilingual materials and download ing of e-books, movies, and music. Additional bene ts include extended hours at all existing libraries and a new branch library in Gunbarrel; nal construction needs and sta for the new North Boulder Branch Library; expanded access to steam programs, makerspaces, and free internet for young people, underserved com munities and seniors; and improved maintenance, cleanliness, safety and security at all library facilities.

e creation of the library district would keep a really good thing going with more strength and stamina, and less stress on the City. Vote “yes.”

LIVE MUSIC FRIDAYS!

Prairie re

In the lead-up to her 2020 masterpiece A Small Death, Samantha Crain didn’t know if she’d be able to hold a guitar again. A series of car accidents left the Oklahoma singer-songwriter in chronic pain and without full use of her hands, which had been instrumental in crafting her haunting songs from the heartland for more than a decade.

In search of a creative outlet, the lauded roots mu sician traded her songs for sonnets. Crain says the daily poetry-writing exercise — resulting in the 2021 collection Holisso, the Choctaw word for “book” — carved space for extending a little grace to herself at a time when she was cut off from her usual avenues of expression.

DYLAN JOHNSON

“Everything I had done up to that record was so marked with other people’s voices. Collaboration is good, but I think it wasn’t for the sake of collaboration. It was for the sake of my own insecurity in the art I was creating,” she says. “I’ve gained a lot of confdence in my own ideas and my own abilities as a musician and songwriter. A Small Death is one of the only records where I just feel like I put everything on the table and it was exactly how I wanted it to be.”

‘I am a revolving door.’

Front Range concertgoers will get their frst glimpse of the newly self-realized artist when Crain takes the stage at Swallow Hill Music in Denver on Oct. 23. The Sunday evening performance will mark her frst Colorado show since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In those years since the world turned upside down, Crain has been busy bringing material from A Small Death and her 2021 follow-up EP ( I Guess We Live Here Now ) to life onstage. In addition to a European tour and recent performance with a string quartet at the Tower Theater in Oklahoma City, the Native musician has also lent her music to the groundbreaking FX comedy Reservation Dogs , the first American television series to feature an entirely Indigenous cast and crew.

“I’ve known [showrunner] Sterlin [Harjo] since I was a kid, basically. We’ve always tried to collaborate with each other in various ways,” Crain says. “[Reservation Dogs] is a massive show now, and he could use any song he wants. The fact that he still fnds meaning in what I’m doing as an aid to his storytelling feels really special to me.”

ON THE BILL: Indie 102.3 presents: Samantha Crain. 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, Swallow Hill Music, Tuft Theatre, 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver. Tickets: $18, eventbrite.com

“It was a nice extension of using words in a creative way, and it helped me through a really diffcult time in my life,” Crain says. “I wasn’t really able to play instruments, but there were still a lot of things I wanted to express. Being able to learn a new format for lyrics or words during that time was really eye-opening.”

But the power of Crain’s singular music goes beyond her open-hearted lyrics and storytelling. Celebrated in outlets like the New York Times and Rolling Stone, the 36-year-old Choctaw Nation citizen and two-time Native American Music Award winner has built her career blending lyrical insight with gossamer arrangements beneath the room-flling quiver of her commanding and unforgettable voice.

With these crucial elements back in place after rounds of physical and talk therapy, Crain returned to the studio to produce the most compelling work of her career. A Small Death fnds the artist at the height of her powers, spinning stories of hope and heartache in a register uniquely her own. The biggest difference this time around: Crain’s hands, their future once in question, were the only ones on the wheel.

As Crain’s music continues to fnd purchase with fellow artists like Harjo and listeners around the world, she is deepening her sense of ownership over the pro cess of crafting it. Since the singer-songwriter began self-producing after the uncertain beginning to A Small Death, Crain says her work as a recording artist has bloomed with a newfound sense of purpose.

“I’ve been thinking about songs more in terms of production, which was not something I was very intentional about earlier in my life. I was fully consumed by getting the words and the song out,” she says. “Now I take a little bit more time to craft things and create a full environment for the song to live in, rather than just spitting something out and letting it exist.”

Considering the long arc of reinvention that has delivered Crain to this moment through the highs and lows of her 17-year career, one line from A Small Death standout “Joey” — featured in a pivotal scene from the emotional pilot episode of Reservation Dogs — feels especially ftting: “A hundred small deaths, a hundred before / I am a revolving door.”

After ‘a hundred small deaths,’ roots music heavyweight Samantha Crain brings her Southern Plains stylings back to the Front Range by Jezy J. Gray

1201 S. Sunset St. Longmont, CO 80501 303.776.6605

Blue Agave

Blue Agave History.

Northern Colorado’s most highly recommended dining attraction.

Blue Agave is familyowned and operated, bringing collectively over five decades of experience in the restaurant business, offering recipes that go back generations

ST. VRAIN HABITAT RESTORE

Life in moments that matter – it’s more than just a lamp; it’s illuminating the pages of your favorite novel. It’s more than just a dining table; it’s a place to share meals with loved ones. It’s more than just a hammer; it’s creating hope for your family. When you shop at ReStore, you are not just buying products; you are building a better future.

St. Vrain Habitat ReStore sells low-cost home improvement goods to the public – appliances, building sup plies, furniture, home goods and décor, plumbing, tools, and hardware, and much more! Proceeds support affordable hom eownership opportunities in our local community for hard working families. Shop Tuesdays for our special discount days for seniors, veterans and active military, teachers, and first responders. Great items. Great prices. Great cause. ReStore – life in moments that matter.

cantina lunada

It was a dream, people laughed, they said oh no that’s not enough money even to get a rough blueprint. In 2013 we proved them wrong and opened our restaurant. Since the beginning we are committed to cooking with fresh ingredients, from our house made tortillas to our slow braised pork.

Making salsas, beans, rice, soups and stews is an every day event. We are committed to using local ingredients and as sustainable as possible.

Fresh lime juice Margaritas, and specialty tacos are what sets us apart. We love to support the community and the people in it.

We hope to be a big part of the Longmont community as

that derive specifically from Jalisco, Mexico, and the Pacific coast.

Check out our Happy Hour, MonFriday 10a-5pm.

2030 Ken Pratt Blvd. Longmont 303-776-1747

www.blueagaverestaurant.net

St. Vrain Habitat ReStore

1351 Sherman Drive, Longmont 303-776-3334

www.stvrainhabitat.org/restore

we grow and evolve. Happy Hour 4-6 Monday thru Friday.

1225 Ken Pratt Blvd, Longmont 720-612-7315 www.lunadaeatery.com

Picture this

Coming out of the pandemic, Graham Nash is making a splash as COVID numbers come down and venues contin ue to open up.

And while music is very much on the menu, a good portion of last year found Nash delving into his frst love — photography. Having snapped his frst picture as a 10 year old at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, England after his father gifted him with a small camera called an Agfa, Nash has continued whetting his appetite for capturing images ever since. Given the access he’s had during his time as a musician, Nash has amassed a 2,000-count photography collection he curated and toured with from 1978 through 1984 before selling it at a 1990 Sotheby’s auction.

In 2010, he published a monograph titled Love, Graham Nash, and fve years ago, the native of Blackpool, England privately printed nearly 6,000 copies of a book of older images. His most recent foray into the world of captured images is Life in Focus: The Photography of Graham Nash. Having crossed into his eighth decade of life on Feb. 2, Nash spent eight months completing that project last year.

“Now that I’m 80 years old, I wanted people to see what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years,” he said in a recent phone interview. “It’s been a very interesting project. I’m very happy with the way the book has been printed. Insight Editions did a fabulous job. All the images I sent them, they handled brilliantly and I’m very happy with the fnal product. When you put an image next to another image, particularly on a wall in a gallery, they talk to each other silently. You have to be very careful which image you put next to which image. And I wanted to know how they saw the images and how they would present them. I was delighted with some of their editorial choices.”

With a foreword by photographer/record producer Joel Bernstein and a preface by music journalist/flmmaker Cameron Crowe, Life in Focus is a curated collection of art and photog raphy from Nash’s personal archive. Images of numerous family and friends — including Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills and Neil Young — abound alongside Nash’s own stories behind the pictures.

Given his passion for the art form, Nash is more than happy to share some of his favorite

photographers. Among his favorites are Diane Arbus (“She had tremendous courage and vision”), Weegee (“He had the smartness to have a police radio in his car trunk so he could listen and rush out to take pictures”) and Henri Cartier-Bresson (“He was the guy who made one of the greatest statements of photography, which is ‘a decisive moment’”).

Back in the saddle

But lest music fans worry that Nash has hung up his guitar, rest assured the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is hitting the road this fall to plug in and revisit some old favorites.

“About a year and a half ago, I put together a band that I’d never played with except for a week of rehearsal,” he said. “What I’ve been doing is coming out and doing Songs For Be ginners (his 1971 solo debut album) from start to fnish. Then I’d take an intermission before coming back and doing Wild Tales (his 1974 sophomore solo album) from start to fnish. We did that for four shows, recorded all of them.”

The album documenting those shows, Graham Nash Live: Songs For Beginners/Wild Tales, is out now.

Once he gets off the current tour, Nash will continue remotely working on an album with a band that includes guitarist Shane Fontayne. In addition, Nash is teaming up with longtime buddy and old Hollies bandmate Allan Clarke, an outing he’s eager to complete.

“Another project I’m working on that I’m very happy with is an album with Allan Clarke,” Nash said. “Allan Clarke has been my friend since he was six years old. We started The Hollies together in December of 1962 and when he left, it was because he couldn’t sing. But now he’s back, singing his ass off.”

Don’t look, however, for a reunion with Crosby, Stills & Nash bandmate David Crosby. (“It’s absolutely done,” Nash said.) The same seems to be the case when Nash is asked about The Hollies. He wasn’t invited to join original members Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliot for the summer tour that celebrated the 60th anniversary of the band.

“To me, it’s not The Hollies without me and Allan,” Nash said. “It’s just not.”

Music legend Graham Nash discusses his new book of photography and upcoming tour ahead of Boulder Theater performance by Dave Gil de Rubio

HUMANE SOCIETY OF BOULDER VALLEY

n Pet Adoption Event

1-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sun day, Oct. 13-16, 2323 55th St., Boulder

More than 40 animals, including kittens and puppies, are available for adoption at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (HSBV). The adoption event this weekend is offering half-off adoption fees for animals ages three years and older.

n Occultations Down

Under: Observing Trojan

Asteroids from Australia

7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder. Tickets: $12, colorado.edu

Join Dr. John Keller, the director of Fiske Planetarium and professor in astrophysical and planetary sciences, in an immersive evening at Fiske with stories from his adventure chasing occultation shadows in Australia. Keller will also share updates about programming and opportunities at the planetarium.

If your organization is planning an event, please email the arts & culture editor at jgray@boulderweekly.com

ON VIEW: Can artists illuminate the climate crisis in ways lawmakers can’t? That’s the central question driving Water Is Life, a new group exhibition on display at the Dairy Arts Center through Nov. 19. Showcasing a diverse slate of visual artists from across the country, the eco-conscious show explores the politics of water access in a changing climate. See listing for details.

‘Impressionism.’

R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Through Oct. 16. Free ‘Georgia O’Keeffe, Photographer.’ Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. Through Nov. 6. Tickets: $13 (Colorado residents), denverartmuseum.org

Marcella Marsella: ‘Aqueous Bodies ’ BMoCA at Macky, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. Through Nov. 13. Tickets: $2, bmoca.org

‘Water is Life.’ Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Through Nov. 19. Free

‘Native Artist Exhibition.’ Creative Nations Sacred Space, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Through Nov. 2022. Free

n Sanitas Ski Swap

‘Tipi to Tiny House: Hands-on Homebuilding.’ Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. Through Jan. 8. Tickets: $8, longmontmuseum.org

Kristopher Wright: ‘Just As I Am.’ BMoCA East Gallery, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. Through Jan. 22. Tick ets: $2, bmoca.org

‘Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools.’ Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. Through Jan. 22. Tickets: $21 (Colorado residents), denverartmuseum.org

‘The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse.’ Museum of Contempo rary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St. Through Feb. 5. Tickets: $10, mcadenver.org

‘Lasting Impressions.’ CU Art Museum, 1085 18th St., Boulder. Through June 2023. Free

Noon-5 p.m. Saturday Oct. 15, Sanitas Brewing Company, 3550 Frontier Ave. Unit A, Boulder. Free The ski season is almost upon us, and it’s time to get geared up. Sanitas’ annual ski swap event will have merch from local brands and will allow community members looking to trade or sell gear to set up tables. Ski talk will be accompanied by live music and eats from McDevitt Taco Supply.

JAYCEE BEYALE

n Junior & Senior Fishing Derby

9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat, 3893 N. 75th St., Boulder.

The pond is stocked with trout and the prizes are set. Boulder County’s annual fshing event is calling for teams with one senior, 65 or older, and one junior, 15 or younger, to fsh together. Prizes will be awarded for the heaviest fsh, the team with the largest age difference and the frst team to reach the catch limit.

n Cal-Wood Fire Ecology Hike

9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, location provided upon registration. Join volunteer naturalists with Boul der County on a moderate two-mile hike through the burn scar of the largest wildfre in Boulder County history. On the hike, you’ll see how fora and fauna in the area have changed since the fre.

n Ballot Issues Presentation

3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, virtual webinar. Register: lwvbc.org

Help prepare yourself for the upcoming midterm elections by attending League of Women Voters of Boulder County’s (LWVBC) presentation outlining ballot issues for the state, county and Boulder Valley School District. LWVCB is hosting similar events up to election day.

n Mountain Lions: Elusive yet Predictable

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Road. Tickets: Free Join wildlife videographer David Neils as he shares his passion for mountain lions. Neils will present his original footage gathered over the past 20 years and teach about misconceptions of safety when it comes to Colorado’s largest cats.

ON STAGE:

Inspired by the childhood piano lessons of playwright Julia Cho, The Piano Teacher unravels the dark past of music instructor Mrs. K (Jennifer McCray Rincón). The production enters its fnal weekend at Aurora’s Vintage, ending Oct. 16. See listing below for details.

‘The Piano Teacher.’ Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. Through Oct. 16, Tickets: $20-34, vintagetheatre.org

‘ShakesFear: An Autumn’s Tale.’ Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, Hellems Arts and Sciences, Boul der. Through Oct. 16. Tickets: $16, cupresents.org

Arts in the Open Presents: ‘Fran kenstein.’ Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. Through Oct. 30. Tickets: $15-$20, artsintheopen.org

‘Raised on Ronstadt.’ eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. Through Nov. 6. Tickets: $12-40, localtheaterco.org

‘Theater of the Mind.’ York Street Yards, 3887 Steele St., Denver. Through Dec. 18. Tickets: $65, theateroftheminddenver.com

n Ellen Mahoney: Food Stars

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St. Free registration: boulderbookstore.net

“Women and food make a dynamic duo,” writes Ellen Mahoney, author of Food Stars: 15 Women Stirring Up the Food Industry. She will be speaking about and signing her new book on the great strides made by women in the feld of cuisine at the Boulder Bookstore.

n Sleeping for Self Care

2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, University Memorial Center, 1669 Euclid Ave., Boulder.

Through its Wellness Wednesdays programming, CU Boulder is offering this in formation session on the importance of sleep hygiene and how to build a healthy sleep routine.

n Feast on Reel Food: The Last Meal

7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20th, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Tickets: $25

The Flatirons Food Film Festival is ending after eight years of organiz ing events, feature flms and speakers. Its fnal event, Feast of Reel Food: The Last Meal, will feature a screening of the documentary The Truffe Hunters and samples of Italian food from restaurants across the Front Range. A panel discus sion about truffes with Chef Antonio Laudisio will follow the documentary.

For more event listings, go online at boulderweekly.com/events

ON THE BILL: Celebrat ed drummer, composer and producer Makaya McCraven brings rhythmic so phistication to the Fox Theatre in support of his latest LP, In These Times, released earlier this year via Nonesuch. The critically lauded performer will be joined by lo-f chill-hop opener ManyColors. See Oct. 19 listing for details.

H Friday, Oct. 14

Gasoline Lollipops with The River Arkansas. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Tickets: $20$25, z2ent.com

Lissie with Cat Clyde. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Tickets: $25-$28, z2ent.com

Blue River Grass. 8:30 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. Tick ets: $10 cash cover charge

H Saturday, Oct. 15

MUNA. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Tickets: $31-$34, z2ent.com

Metric. 8 p.m. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 N. Clarkson St., Denver. Tick ets: $71, ticketsqueeze.com

H Sunday, Oct. 16

ROLE MODEL with Claud. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Tick ets: $25-$30, z2ent.com

The Wrecks: Back and Better Than Ever Tour. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Tickets $25-$28, z2ent.com

H Monday, Oct. 17

Vincent Neil Emerson with Extra Gold Duo and Johno. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Tickets: $15-$18, z2ent.com

King Princess with Em Beihold. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. Tickets: $35, axs.com

The Who with Mike Campbell. 7:30 p.m. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver. Tickets: $41, ticketmaster.com

H Tuesday, Oct. 18

for with THE WLDLFE, good problem. 7 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Tickets: $20-$25, z2ent.com

Oso Oso with M.A.G.S. 7 p.m. Marquis Theatre, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. Tickets: $20, livenation.com

H Wednesday, Oct. 19

Makaya McCraven with ManyCol ors. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Tickets: $20-$25, z2ent. com

SummerHawk. 7 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. Free

Napalm Death with Brujeria and Clusterfux. 7 p.m. Bluebird Theatre, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Tickets: $25, axs.com

H Thursday, Oct. 20

Forester with Fi Sullivan. 7 p.m. Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St., Denver. Tickets: $22, etix.com

Taylor Ashton & Bella White. 8 p.m. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road. Tickets: $18, chautauqua.com

by Michael J. Casey

Drama of the real

Two docs — one in Denver, one in Boulder — to watch this weekend

Eveleth, Minnesota, is home to fewer than 5,000 residents and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Up here, hockey is a way of life — specifcally, high school hockey with the Eveleth Golden Bears.

The Golden Bears used to be a juggernaut, but that was a decade ago. These days, the neighboring Hermantown Hawks are the team to beat, with star de fenseman Blake Biondi destined for the NHL. Destined doesn’t even feel like the right word: The local news did a story on Biondi when he was 10. When Biondi says hockey has been his whole life, he really means it.

Directed by Tommy Haines, Hockeyland follows the Hawks and the Golden Bears on and off the ice. The Biondi-led Hawks are favorites to win it all, but the flm begins to enter Hoop Dreams territory as the Golden Bears emerge as a stout contender.

But Haines doesn’t seem interested in producing a story of rivals, more a survey of the two schools and what hockey provides these kids. There is a signifcant focus on the players’ health, both physically and mentally, and interviews routinely reveal that when the boys are not playing hockey, they are capable of getting into all kinds of trouble. But the pads and the puck provide focus, discipline and purpose. And though a few players stand out, Hockeyland is more about the team, the game and the towns than it is about the individual.

ON SCREEN: Hockeyland, 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, Denver Film Society: Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets: $13.25, denverflm.org

Following the long, hot summer of 1967, the U.S. Army built a series of mock towns called “Riots ville,” serving as training grounds for military and police on how to deal with civil unrest at home. The trainings went hand in hand with demonstrations to stakeholders, photographed and flmed by the military.

“What are we looking at?” asks the narrator (Char lene Modeste) of Riotsville, U.S.A. Ask yourself the same throughout. Is this the past? The present? Could this police state be our future?

One point of interest for director Sierra Pettengill’s scintillating documentary is the development and use of tear gas as a form of crowd control and riot mitiga tion. In one instance, police used so much tear gas that Miami demonstrators had to go home just for a breath of fresh air. This was the same tear gas soldiers used in the Vietnam War — a violation of the 1925 Geneva Protocol. When that charge was levied at the U.S., the military pointed out that local police use it all the time to great effect.

Composed entirely of archival footage shot in the late-1960s, Riotsville uses text on-screen, narration and televised debates to paint a picture of a second nation existing parallel to the familiar narrative of the ’60s counter-culture, summer of love and space race. It feels like something out of George Orwell or Ray Bradbury. You could watch Riotsville, U.S.A. and think: “This is how we got here.” The better response might be: “How the hell are we still here?”

ON SCREEN: Riotsville, U.S.A. Various times, Oct. 13-16, Dairy Arts Center: Boe decker Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Tickets: $12, thedairy.org

Snow

Shovelers Needed

Trident

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES

MARCH 21-APRIL 19: “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Aries mythologist Joseph Campbell said that, and now I’m passing it on to you just in time for the Sacred Surrender Phase of your astrological cycle. Make sage use of Campbell’s wisdom, Aries! You will generate good fortune for yourself as you work to release expectations that may be interfering with the arrival of new stories and adventures. Be brave, my dear, as you relinquish outdated attachments and shed defunct hopes.

TAURUS

APRIL 20-MAY 20: Plastic bags are used for an average of 12 minutes before being discarded. Then they languish in our soil or oceans, degrading slowly as they cause mayhem for animals and ecosystems. In alignment with current cosmic rhythms, I’m encouraging you to be extra discerning in your relationship with plastic bags—as well as with all other unpro ductive, impractical, wasteful things and people. In the coming weeks, you will thrive by focusing on what will serve you with high integrity for a long time.

GEMINI

MAY 21-JUNE 20: Achilleas Frangakis is a professor of electron microscopy. He studies the biochemistry of cells. In one of his research projects, he investigated how cells interact with the outside world. He didn’t learn much about that question, but as he experimented, he inadvertently uncovered fascinating new information about another subject: how cells interact with each other when they heal a wound. His “successful failure” was an example of what scientists sometimes do: They miss what they looked for, but find unexpected data and make serendipitous discoveries. I suspect you will experience comparable luck sometime soon, Gemini. Be alert for goodies you weren’t in quest of.

CANCER

JUNE 21-JULY 22: Renowned Brazilian novelist Osman Lins was born under the sign of Cancer the Crab. He wrote, “I will now live my life with the inventiveness of an engineer who drives his locomotive off the tracks. No more beaten paths: improvisation is the rule.” In the coming weeks, I am all in favor of you, my fellow Cancerian, being an inven tive adventurer who improvises liberally and departs from well-worn routes. However, I don’t recommend you do the equivalent of running your train off the tracks. Let’s instead imagine you as piloting a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain vehi cle. Go off-road to explore. Improvise enthusiastically as you reconnoiter the unknown. But do so with scrupulous attention to what’s healthy and inspiring.

LEO

JULY 23-AUG. 22: In recent years, art historians have recovered numerous masterpieces that had been missing for years. They include a sculpture by Bernini, a sketch by Picasso, a drawing by Albrecht Dürer, and a painting by Titian. I’m a big fan of efforts like these: searching for and finding lost treasures. And I think you should make that a fun project in the coming weeks. Are there any beautiful creations that have been lost or forgotten? Useful resources that have been neglected? Wild truths that have been buried or underestimated? In accordance with astrological potentials, I hope you will explore such possibilities.

VIRGO

AUG. 23-SEPT. 22: The most important experience for you to seek in the coming months is to be seen and respected for who you really are. Who are the allies best able to give you that blessing? Make vigorous efforts to keep them close and treat them well. To inspire your mission, I offer you three quotes. 1. Franz Kafka said, “All the love in the world is useless if there is a total lack of understanding.” 2. Anais Nin wrote, “I don’t want worship. I want understanding.” 3. George Orwell: “Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.”

LIBRA

SEPT. 23-OCT. 22: Libra poet Wallace Stevens said that the great poems of heaven and hell have already been written, and now it is time to generate the great poems of earth. I’d love to invite all Libras, including non-writers, to apply that perspective in their own sphere. Just forget about heaven and hell for now. Turn your attention away from perfection and fantasylands and lofty heights. Disregard pathologies and muck and misery. Instead, explore and celebrate the precious mysteries of the world as it is. Be a connoisseur of the beauty and small miracles embedded in life’s little details. Find glory in the routine.

SCORPIO

OCT. 23-NOV. 21: Here are two top Scorpio pastimes: 1. explor ing and deploying your intense, fertile creativity; 2. spiraling gleefully down into deep dark voids in pursuit of deep dark riches. Sometimes those two hobbies dovetail quite well; you can satisfy both pursuits simultaneously. One of my favorite variations on this scenario is when the deep dark void you leap into turns out to actually be a lush wonderland that stimulates your intense, fertile creativity. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, that’s likely to happen soon.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV. 22-DEC. 21: “I don’t want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.” Sagittarian filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow said that. With the help of this attitude, she became the first woman ever to win an Academy Award for Best Director. Her film was The Hurt Locker, about American soldiers in Iraq who dispose of unexploded bombs while being harassed by enemies. Anyway, Bigelow’s approach is usually too hard-ass for me. I’m a sensitive Cancer the Crab, not a bold Sagittarius the Centaur like Bigelow and you. But I don’t want to assume you’re in the mood for her approach. If you are, though, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to deploy it. Some marvelous epipha nies and healing changes will be available if you forswear stuff that makes you pacified or comfortable.

CAPRICORN

DEC. 22-JAN. 19: Author Jan Richardson tells us we can’t return home by taking the same route we used when we departed. This will be wise advice for you to keep in mind during the next nine months. I expect you will be attempting at least two kinds of homecomings. For best results, plan to travel by different routes than those that might seem natural and obvious. The most direct path—the successful passage—may be circuitous.

AQUARIUS

JAN. 20-FEB. 18: In the coming days, maintain strict boundaries between yourself and anyone or anything that’s not healthy for you. Be ultra-discerning as you decide which influences you will allow to affect you and which you won’t. And rather than getting sour and tense as you do this, I recommend you proceed with wicked humor and sly irony. Here are three saucy self-protective statements you can use to ward off threats and remain inviolable. 1. “The current ambiance does not align sweetly with my vital soul energy; I must go track down some more harmonious karma.” 2. “This atmosphere is out of sync with my deep precious selfness; I am compelled to take my deep precious selfness elsewhere.” 3. “The undertones here are agitating my undercurrents; it behooves me to track down groovier overtones.”

PISCES

FEB. 19-MARCH 20: While asleep, have you ever dreamt of discovering new rooms in a house or other building you know well? I bet you will have at least one such dream soon. What does it mean? It suggests you want and need to get in touch with parts of yourself that have been dormant or unavailable. You may uncover evocative secrets about your past and pres ent that had been unknown to you. You will learn about new resources you can access and provocative possibilities you had never imagined.

by Dan Savage

Dear Dan: I’m a 31-year-old cis man married to a 33-year-old non-binary partner, and our relationship has always been very vanilla. Over the past few years, I’ve discovered that I’m a kinky person, with a particular interest in both domination and submission. It took me a long time to summon the courage to bring this up with my spouse, as they have a cocktail of factors that could complicate play around pow er dynamics. This includes a history of trauma and sexual abuse, anxiety, body image, and self-esteem issues, and residual religious guilt. In the past, even discussing sex and sexuality in the abstract has been fraught. But our frst conversation went surprisingly well. My spouse is cautiously open to exploring submission, and they want to continue the conversation. I have real optimism that centering consent, boundar ies, and communication in D/s play might actually make sex feel safer for them. And I hope that isn’t just dickful thinking.

So, now I’m the dog that caught the car and I’m terrifed of messing this up. What advice would you give to gently ease into D/s play from a vanilla relation ship? Can you recommend any books or podcasts that approach this kink at a frmly JV level and center safety and consent? My spouse is a reader and an academic at heart, and that might be a way to explore the idea from within their comfort zone.

Dear DOMS: “Let me address the el ephant in the room right away,” said Rena Martine. “Why on earth would a survivor of sexual trauma actually want to engage in D/s sex?”

Martine is a sexual intimacy coach who has helped couples explore BDSM and other forms of erotic power ex change. She’s also a former sex crimes prosecutor, which makes her particularly sensitive to issues faced by survivors of sexual assault and abuse.

“When it comes to trauma, there’s a concept known as ‘restaging,’” said Mar tine, “which means the trauma survivor takes a situation where they felt power less and ‘restages’ it, so they’re actually in the director’s chair and choosing to give up some of that control.”

While BDSM isn’t therapy, some people who have submissive desires

and traumatic sexual histories fnd giving up control to a trusted part ner empowering and low-key therapeutic.

Instead of control being something an untrustworthy abuser took from them, control becomes a precious thing they loaned to someone they could trust. And when they handed it over, they knew it would be re turned, either at a set time or immediately if the sub used their safe word.

“Research by Dr. Justin Lehmiller tells us that victims of sex crimes are actually more likely than nonvictims to fantasize about almost all aspects of BDSM,” added Martine. “Anyone who’s curious about the science of sexual fantasies should read his book, Tell Me What You Want. And Holly Richmond’s Reclaiming Pleasure is a great starting point for any sexual assault survivor.”

Before you attempt to engage in D/s play or even begin to discuss your fantasies in detail, Martine recommends thinking about the emotional needs that shape these fantasies.

“What is it about domination and sub mission that appeals to each of them?” Martine said. “What aspects of D/S play are they excited about? Having a conver sation about the ‘why’ will ensure they can each approach this new dynamic from a place of compassion and safety.”

Now, if you give thought to the “why,” DOMS, and your honest answer is, “Be cause it turns me on,” that’s good enough. And if your spouse’s honest answer is, “Be cause my partner is interested in this and I’m interested in exploring it,” that’s good enough. While some people into BDSM can point to one specifc experience or something that shaped them more broadly (like a religious upbringing), you don’t need to justify your interest in D/s or BDSM by making a list of traumatic experiences. If this kind of play—this kind of theater for two— turns you both on, that’s a perfectly valid reason to explore D/s play.

As for getting started, Martine had a really good suggestion.

“My favorite newbie recommendation for easing into D/S play is using a sleep mask,” said Martine. “It’s innocuous, easy to remove, and gives each player a chance to practice surrendering control by giving up one of their fve senses.”

Email questions@savagelove.net

Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. Find columns, podcasts, books, merch and more at savage.love.

—Don’t Overwhelm My Spouse

Light

Longmont Humane Society

9595 Nelson Road, Longmont, longmonthumane.org

Welcome to Critter Classifeds, a new column where you can meet four-legged friends who need your love and support. Boulder Weekly is currently working with Longmont Humane Society to feature a few pets each week

who are looking for forever homes. We hope to bring other organizations in on the fun in the future.

Longmont Humane Society provides temporary shelter to thousands of animals every year, including dogs, cats and small mammals who are lost, surren dered or abandoned. Visit the shelter to learn more about these featured pets and others up for adoption and fostering.

If your organization has volunteer needs, please reach out to us at editorial@boulderweekly.com.

1H Waterfall

Waterfall is a 1-year-old male full of wiggles and love. He is a happy and playful 60-lb guy who would make a great ad venture buddy. He doesn’t always know how big he is, so he cannot go to a home with small dogs. Waterfall would do best in a home with older children who can play and run with him. He is working on learning how to play without jumping and getting mouthy and he’s come so far! This cutie would make a great best friend for anyone looking to add some bouncy joy to their life.

H Gregory

Gregory is a 6-yearold sweetheart. He is very mellow and loves to sit in your lap to have his ears scratched. Gregory is appropriate for a home with children of any age and would love a home where he can hang out on the couch with his new best friends. He’s a perfect gentleman with cats. This cute guy has an underbite that adds to his charm but will require some extra attention to his dental care.

H Peter

Peter is a silly, curious little guy who is excited to fnd his forever home. He is a little over 2 months old and having so much fun learning how to be a cat. Peters’ favorite thing is to be held and walked around so he can see the sights. He loves to cuddle and will sit calmly in your lap for head rubs. We don’t have any history of Peter living in a home with dogs or other cats, but he may do well given time and proper introduction.

Note: due to the date of publication, the animals you see here may have been adopted since this article was written. Please visit long monthumane.org to view all available animals.

Your support makes a big difference to the Longmont Humane Society. For those in a position to help, LHS is currently experiencing a shortage of adult dog food, dog treats and small/medium milk bone biscuits. Donate these supplies and more directly from the LHS Amazon Wish List — visit the longmonthumane.org to learn more.

The color orange

From puree to soufflé

by Ari LeVaux

Orange foods taste good together. Maybe it’s my imagination, or just a coincidence. Or maybe it’s the beta-carotene pigment that’s found in all orange foods. But probably not, because beta-carotene has no favor. It is, however, a precursor to Vitamin A, which is good for vision, which will help you see that orange foods look good together. It’s the color of autumn, what’s left in the foliage after the green recedes.

Ginger, meanwhile, is an honorary orange

soup. And the orange sauce I serve it with is useful in many ways. In addition to drizzling the orange sauce on the souffé, you can use it to orange up the soup, as well as on roasted vege tables, fried chicken, and anything else that could beneft from a sharp and overtly orange zing.

Beta-carotene Puree

This puree is the frst step in making Ginger Souffe, and also makes a lovely autumn soup. Most any winter squash will work here. My favorites are butternut, kabocha, sunshine, red kuri.

Makes 3 quarts. Whatever you don’t use for soup or souffe can be frozen.

1 winter squash (2-3 lbs)

4 medium carrots, peeled (about 12 oz)

1 medium onion, minced

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic

5 leaves fresh sage

2 quarts chicken stock

1 piece of ginger, about an inch on a side, grated

1 tablespoon paprika or chile fakes

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half from tip to stem. Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Peel the squash with a knife or a peeler. Then lay the cut sides down and cut ½-inch slices from pole to pole. Make the slices as even as possible, like you’re slicing bread, so they cook evenly. Cut the carrots into rounds as thick as the squash slices.

ON THE MENU:

Beta-carotene puree makes for a lovely autumn soup.

food. It may not look overly orange, but ginger is a term often used to describe red-headed people. Ginger has a feisty and expansive favor, like the purported personalities of redheads. And ginger does, for the record, contain beta-carotene. And if that’s not proof enough to affrm ginger’s red reputation, I have a recipe that will.

This all-orange dish includes carrots, squash, egg yolks, red chile, and even orange the fruit. You can’t get much more orange than that. And it’s even better with ginger. The recipe is for a sa vory souffé that puffs up like a cracked balloon in the oven. This is not your typical dessert souffé, but one for the main course. I serve it drizzled with a tangy orange sauce.

This beta-carotene souffé is actually sev eral recipes in one. The frst step is to make a beta-carotene puree, which doubles as a great

(With thin, edible skinned squash like kabocha or sunshine, I toss the peels with salt and olive oil and bake them too. The skins cook quickly into a crispy treat that’s addictive as potato chips, but with more carotene. I also bake the seeds.)

Toss the squash and carrot slices in 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook then until they are thoroughly tender, about 30 minutes. The baked peels will only take about 7 minutes, and the seeds about 15.

While the squash and carrots are baking, saute the onions, garlic and sage in the butter and remainder of the olive oil, on medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the chicken stock, the squash and the carrots. Bring to a simmer and then turn it off, and let it cool.

When it’s cooled to the point where you can work with it, add the ginger and paprika, and puree it all together.

To serve it as a soup, add a splash of heavy cream and garnish with roasted seeds and or peels.

ARI LEVAUX

Ginger Soufflé

This dish is an adaptation of a butternut squash souffé recipe created by John McDonald, who writes about wine in the Cape Gazette of Lewes, Delaware.

Makes four pint-sized souffes (or two pints when puffed)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons white four

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup of Beta-carotene puree

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 450. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed omelet pan or sauce pan on medium heat. Add the four, and whisk it together until completely combined. Add the milk and cream and whisk it together. Finally, add the puree and salt, and whisk it again.

Separate the eggs. When the contents of the pan have cooled for ten minutes, add a tablespoon of the mixture to the egg yolks and whisk it in. This tempers the yolks so they don’t cook when you mix it all together. Add another tablespoon and whisk it in. And another. Then add the rest of the orange mixture to the yolks, and thoroughly mix.

Beat the egg whites in a medium-sized bowl until peaks form. Gently fold the stiff whites into the batter.

Divide the batter among four buttered pint-sized ramekins, and bake until golden and well-risen – about 15 minutes. Drizzle with orange sauce, if using, and serve imme diately. They will probably collapse, like souffés will do. But that won’t impact the favor.

Orange Sauce

This orange sauce is based on what’s on the orange chicken found on the menu of your favorite Chinese restaurant.

Note: in the above photo I made a browner version of the sauce, for more contrast with the orange souffe. I replaced the white sugar with brown sugar, and the salt with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.

1/2 ounce garlic, minced or grated fnely

1/2 ounce ginger, peeled and minced or grated fnely

Juice and zest of two juicy oranges

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree. Pour it through a strainer into a saucepan. On medium heat, cook it down to about half the original volume.

ARI LEVAUX

Nearly 40,000 beaming faces flled every corner of the Denver Convention Center Oct. 6-8 for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). The event marks the 40th anniversary of the festival, the 36th edition of the competition that judges nearly 10,000 brews, and the frst year back in person after its pandemic-related hiatus.

The festival has come a long way since original founder Charlie Papazian launched it in Boulder in 1982. Initially held in conjunction with the American Homebrew ers Association’s annual conference, Papazian’s event saw 24 breweries and 47 beers being celebrated and scrutinized by a relatively small group of afcionados. By 1987, seven judges were on board, though the number has grown to a whopping 235 presiding over this year’s event. Boulder Beer has been pres ent since day one and entered its Buffalo Gold, Shake Chocolate Porter and a Laws Barrel-Aged Killer Penguin Barleywine in this year’s contest. At least 90 Colorado breweries — including Avery, Twisted Pine and Upslope — graced the foor with some of the best hooch in the house.

For attendees, the multi-session beer-drinker’s Shangri-la had all the trappings of a magnifcently cu rated adult playground. A vast karaoke stage, free chair massages, a bagpipe troupe, a dancefoor, food carts and brightly-hued clothing brands all neatly interspersed the stalls. Costumes were everywhere, with ’80s neon, gnome hats, a full herd of giraffes and plentiful lederhos ens joining a nearly endless sea of matching tracksuits. The omnipresent pretzel necklaces — a tradition with no certain origin — were worn and adorned with great relish. Seasoned veterans could be seen sporting intricate chains complete with Froot Loops, Slim Jims, bags of jerky and torso-sized soft pretzels. There were even a

few Guy Fieris represented both in style and attitude.

Even with the thousands of patrons, the event’s sheer vastness kept most lines from getting too long. More elaborate stalls belonging to the likes of Dogfsh Head, WeldWerks, Sierra Nevada, Firestone Walker and Russian River would occasionally draw extended waits, but guests seldom found themselves idling for more than fve minutes. Though the best seats in the house were

styles — are judged and awarded over 300 total medals. Local winners included Bierstadt Lagerhaus, River North Brewery, Rock Cut Brewing and Resolute Brewing Company. Left Hand Brewing Company received two medals, cementing it as the most-awarded brewery in Colorado, boasting a total of 29. The state took home a total of 26 medals, with Our Mutual Friend, Jessup Farm Barrel House, The Post, Comrade Brewing Company and Crooked Stave all scoring a gold.

BREWERS ASSOCIATION

Medal” stall packed with former winners, and the section for absentee participants called Wish We Were Here.

Despite the assembly of over 2,000 breweries, the programming was actually a sizable reduction from the 2019 iteration, which saw more than 60,000 visitors. Most stalls were packing at least fve of the represented company’s best brews, with plenty of special releases and GABF exclusives.

For brewers, the festival is a ferce, albeit jovial, competition in which nearly 10,000 beers — across 177

Though the majority of the surprisingly well-be haved throng certainly came for the beer, some guests opted to spend their time at PAIRED, a supplementary food-focused event going on downstairs from the main hall. Formerly known as the Farm to Table Pavilion, the event was redubbed PAIRED in 2015 and continues showcasing the incredible delight and nuance that comes when great beer is thoughtfully matched with remarkable bites. Boulder-based Chef Daniel Asher (River & Woods, Ash’Kara) teamed up with Deschutes Brewery, pairing a Moroccan crunch taco with The Abyss bar rel-aged stout, and a chevre tartlete with the Raspberry Champs Quad. Blake Edmunds, of RiNo smoked taco joint Mister Oso, teamed with Cheyenne, Wyoming’s Accomplice Brewing to present a beef tostada and a peach tepache cevi che alongside an imperial IPA and a contemporary gose. Chef Kelly Whitaker (Basta) and Mara Jane King, director of fermentation at IE Hospitality, kept it local, teaming with Longmont’s Wibby Brewing. Chicken salt popcorn with sourdough gochujang furikake and a kimchi-brined watermelon rind were both continued evidence of the group’s knack for the far-out and fabulous.

Outlandish attire and pervasive exuberance permeated every corner of this year’s festival. Great beer fowed from what seemed like every tap. And what could have been utter chaos coalesced into a damn near reverent celebration of the meticulous craftsmanship and honest comradery that surround the beer-making culture. It was clear that people were happy to be back.

Email: letters@boulderweekly.com

Tastes like crow

Weeks before midterms, Biden orders pardons for all cannabis-possession convictions by Will Brendza

On Oct. 6, President Joe Biden made an an nouncement that caught many of us off guard. Although, in hindsight, it probably shouldn’t have. “As I’ve said before, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” the president tweeted. “Today, I’m taking steps to end our failed approach. Allow me to lay them out.”

Both the president and I are eating crow this week, it seems.

Joe Biden has been a staunch anti-drug crusader since the ’80s. He was one of the au thors of the infamous 1994 crime bill that ramped up drug-related incarceration, targeting impover ished and minority communities with harsh sentences for specifc drugs like marijuana, heroin and crack. Biden has never been in favor of regulating any scheduled narcotic, even one as harmless as marijuana.

But, in his tweet, Biden laid out three progressive steps: first, to pardon all prior offenses of federal marijuana possession (a move that would help some 6,500 convicted people at the federal level). Second, encouraging all governors to pardon all state marijuana possession offenses (a move that would help potentially hundreds of thousands of people). And third, requesting Attorney General Xavier Becerra to initiate the process of “reviewing” how cannabis is scheduled as a narcotic.

All that from the same guy who said in 2010, “I still

believe it’s a gateway drug,” and “legalization is a mistake.”

Politicians can actually change their tune, I guess — especially when midterm elections are on the horizon.

“I think coming from [Biden, this] is a huge step forward,” says Lenny Freiling, a former municipal court judge for the City of Lafayette and drug-defense attorney with more than 45 years of experience. “As far as the timing, I don’t think it’s subtle. He timed it to boost the elections. Both by not being voted against, because he hasn’t kept his campaign promise, as well as to get additional votes.”

On the campaign trail, Biden promised to both decriminalize cannabis and expunge the re cords of all marijuana possession offenses. While Biden’s recent maneuver doesn’t actually fulfll those pledges, Freiling says it does about as much as Biden can do to end prohibition on his own.

“I think in many ways, manip ulative as the timing may be, he took it about as far as a president could take it at this point,” Freiling says. It’s not actually within a president’s power to decriminal ize a substance and expunge records of federal convictions. It is within his power, however, to issue pardons, encourage state governors to follow suit, and initiate a review of cannabis’ status as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Still, Biden’s plan won’t help some 3,000 people convicted of high-level marijuana crimes who remain in federal prisons, and as many as 30,000 who are in pris on in several states, according to criminal justice reform group Last Prisoner Project.

In this columnist’s humble opinion, Biden could have

taken more steps to urge Congress to pass any of the numerous cannabis bills that seem interminably stalled on Capitol Hill (the MORE Act, the SAFE Act, the State’s Reform Act, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, etc.) He could have spoken more openly about the injustice of cannabis convictions and how he planned on righting the wrongs our government’s drug war has caused. He could have done this earlier, and not out of election favor.

But frankly, I didn’t think he was going to do anything (Weed Between the Lines, “From Russia with hash,” July 21, 2022). I thought Biden had used cannabis as an empty campaign promise, that he’d fooled all us pro-pot Americans with a shiny political gambling chip only to reveal after his swearing in that it was just a cheap choc olate coin — a classic bait and switch.

So I’m eating crow too. Despite all the political chess strategy involved in this announcement at this particular time, it’s a signifcant step forward. Not since the ’70s has a president made a declaration pardoning so many convicted criminals (when Carter pardoned more than 9,000 Americans who dodged the Vietnam Selective Ser vices draft). Never in American history has a president demanded a federally illegal narcotic’s scheduling be re viewed. It’s a step that will change the political landscape surrounding cannabis, and maybe, just maybe, those stalled marijuana bills will start moving.

“The message to Congress from [Biden] should be, ‘Here’s what you need to do. Get it to my desk and I’ll sign it,’” Freiling says. “All they have to do is put [those acts] in the hopper ... There’s just no reason to wait on those.”

Whether or not that’s what happens remains to be seen, of course — no action has been taken yet. As of now, it’s just a pre-midterm performance routine. There’s just as much potential in it for inaction as there is for progress.

I’ll hold my cynicism for now, though. At the moment, I’m too full of crow to speculate any more.

This opinion column does not necessarily refect the views of Boulder Weekly.

Email: letters@boulderweekly.com