Boulder Weekly 06.22.2023

Love Loveand and Haiti Haiti

Local fundraiser celebrates the music and culture of the world’s firstfreeBlackrepublic P.16 SWIPING BOULDER P. 21

BLOODY PAST P. 25

13 NOW YOU KNOW: Boulder talks occupancy limits; new homelessness advocacy group; Community Foundation gets award BY WILL

MATUSKA

16 COVER: Local fundraiser celebrates the art and music of the world’s first free Black republic BY JEZY

J. GRAY

21 SCREEN: What four New Yorkers learned about romance in front of the cameras and under the Flatirons BY

Aerospace Engineer sought by SpaceNav, LLC in Boulder, CO, to perform various analyses spanning the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) domain, incl orbit determination, collision avoidance, & maneuver planning. Reqs. Incl: Master’s deg in Aerospace Engg or related engg field & 6 mos. post-bach exp., incl. some exp in object-oriented prgmg in MATLAB; Modern C++; Python; space environment physics; modelling spacecraft attitude dynamics w/ quaternions or other representations; & dvlpg spacecraft state propagation or trajectory simulations to generate high-fidelity ephemerides. To apply, mail resume to Anita Alejandro, SpaceNav, LLC, 2601 Spruce St, Unit A, Boulder, CO 80302.

WE’RE HIRING!

Want to join a talented team of journalists in telling local stories that matter?

Boulder Weekly is seeking a general assignment reporter to cover local politics, the environment, culture and more. Email Caitlin Rockett at crockett@boulderweekly.com with a resume and 3-5 writing clips. Deadline for applications is July 10

GABBY VERMEIRE

34 NIBBLES: When they wish for Michelin stardom, chefs never know if they’ll get kudos or a conundrum BY

JOHN LENDORFF

5 THE ANDERSON FILES: RFK Jr.’s anti-vax, MAGA-parroting ’60s nostalgia campaign

under fire

19 MUSIC: Indie-folk fixture Sera Cahoone returns to the Front Range for her Red Rocks debut

25 THEATER: ‘Ruin’ world premiere tackles Colorado’s bloody history of colonialism 26 EVENTS:

31 SAVAGE: ‘I’ve been corresponding with the man who killed my abuser’

33 FILM: ‘Asteroid City’ is a series of engaging but not entirely convincing puzzle boxes

37 GOOD TASTE: Brunch returns to Mateo

38 WEED: Federal health agency says cannabis addiction is rampant — the public disagrees

Courtesy Jeff Blumenfeld

JUNE 22, 2023

Volume 30, Number 44

COVER: Artwork by Viktor El-Saieh: Jiskobou (Until it’s done), 2020–2021. Courtesy of the artist and Central Fine. Collection: Institute of Contemporary Art Miami.

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caitlin Rockett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER:

Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Dave Anderson, Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Adam Perry, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca, Gabby Vermeire, Colin Wrenn

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER:

Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE:

Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Chris Allred

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER:

Mark Goodman

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM:

Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER: Emily Weinberg

FOUNDER/CEO: Stewart Sallo

As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holdsbarred 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 queries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper.

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THE ANDERSON FILES

RFK JR.’S ANTI-VAX, MAGA-PARROTING ’60S NOSTALGIA CAMPAIGN

BY DAVE ANDERSON

Moments after President John F. Kennedy was murdered in 1963, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy was frantically making phone calls trying to find out who did it. He told a colleague that day, “There’s so much bitterness, I thought they would get one of us.”

He immediately suspected powerful domestic enemies in the Pentagon, the CIA, the FBI and the mafia. RFK would publicly accept the Warren Commission’s conclusion that his brother was assassinated by a lone gunman, but privately he believed

there was a conspiracy until his own death by assassination in 1968.

That’s the story told by David Talbot in Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years. Talbot is the founder and former editor of the online magazine Salon. His 2007 book is based on extensive interviews with a large number of Kennedy friends and colleagues and their widows, sons and acquaintances.

Talbot has known Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for two decades. When Talbot told Junior he was writing a book about Senior’s secret search for the truth

about JFK’s assassination, Junior discouraged him, saying, “My family always taught us to look forward, not back.”

Junior would eventually change his mind and begin his own research. He now says he believes the CIA was involved in both his uncle and father’s assassinations. RFK Jr. is now running for president in the Democratic primary, but so far he hasn’t talked about the assassinations in his campaign.

However, in his long announcement speech broadcast on CSPAN, Junior

did invoke the idealistic liberalism of the 1960s that is associated with his uncle and father. I agreed with many of his assertions, but the speech was vague. It could have been delivered by a wide variety of Democratic Party politicians. So is this just a ’60s nostalgia trip?

It’s actually a much weirder and more disturbing journey. This spring, a photo was distributed of RFK Jr. with former Trump administration National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, anti-vaccine proponent Charlene Bollinger, and Trumpwhisperer/longtime political dirty trickster Roger Stone.

The photo was taken at a Flynnsponsored “ReAwaken America Tour” rally in California in July 2022. RFK Jr. has appeared at such rallies in the past. Lisa Hagen of NPR reported, “Each stop of the [tour] is part conservative Christian revival, part QAnon expo and part political rally. … There are meet and greets, a buffet and, lately, baptisms and the casting out of demons.”

On May 8, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reported that a “ReAwaken America” event was being hosted at the Miami-based, Trump-owned National Doral. Two of the speakers, Scott McKay and Charlie Ward, are vehement Hitler-praising anti-Semites. Eric Trump, his wife Lara and “a whole

OPINION

bunch of other Trump administration folks” would also speak.

McKay claims Jews torture children and eat their hearts, and that “Hitler was actually fighting the same people that we’re trying to take down today.” He says Jews were responsible for 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing and the assassinations of Lincoln, McKinley and JFK.

At an event on the tour, Ward said the COVID vaccine had killed more people than the Holocaust. He once shared a post claiming “VIRUSES are Man (JEW) made including influenza, Polio, Measles, AIDS so was Covid created as a ‘excuse’ to vaccinate (contaminate)... ”

McKay and Ward were dropped from a few dates on the tour after Maddow’s report, despite Eric Trump threatening to sue Maddow. RFK Jr. decided to no longer participate in the “ReAwaken America” roadshow.

MAGA stars like former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, Infowars host Alex Jones and Roger Stone are enthusiastic about RFK Jr. Axios reports that several libertarian-leaning tech moguls in Silicon Valley are supportive. On June 5, RFK Jr. participated in a chat on Twitter with Elon Musk, David Sacks (a top donor to Ron DeSantis) and Tulsi Gabbard. Kennedy told them he want-

LOCAL FORESTS UNDER FIRE

BY JOSH SCHLOSSBERG

Aslew of so-called “wildfire risk reduction” logging projects are proposed for tens of millions of acres of public forests across the Western U.S. — 3.5 million acres in the Front Range alone — with several already completed or underway in Boulder and Jefferson counties.

The 2021 federal infrastructure bill allotted more than $3 billion to the supposed goal of “reducing exposure of people, communities, and natural resources to the risk of catastrophic wildfire,” with Colorado Rep. Joe

Neguse and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper seeking another $60 billion. Coupled with a federal emergency action that expedites the removal of so-called “hazardous fuels” (aka trees) while skirting certain legal objections, our public forests are seeing more logging than they have in decades.

Before we move things any further down the road, is it not worth a look at some independent, non-agency funded science?

You’ve likely heard the claim that

ed to close the Mexican border permanently and claimed pharmaceutical drugs were responsible for mass shootings.

RFK Jr. was once a crusading environmental lawyer fighting corporations. He now says “free market capitalism” is the answer to all environmental problems. He is leaving energy policy to the

market and says talk about climate change encourages totalitarianism. He’s a pathological liar. It’s difficult to fact-check him in real-time. Does that sound familiar? Bannon and Stone want RFK Jr. to run as Trump’s vice president.

This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

decades of fire suppression has led to “overgrown” and “unhealthy” forests that threaten those of us living in the wildland-urban interface — it’s a narrative upheld by the forest products and biomass energy industries, federal, state, county and municipal government agencies, and elected officials on both sides of the aisle.

It’s true that, over the last three years, Colorado experienced three of its largest and most costly wildfires in a century (each human-caused). But if we go back to early 20th and 19th century records prior to fire suppression, we find that dense forests and severe wildfires were the norm.

An April 2023 study in the peerreviewed journal Fire found that “abundant independent sources …

in more than half of the 11 Western states [including Colorado] agreed that historical dry forests were highly variable in tree density and included a substantial area of dense forests.”

A 2014 study in PLoS One concluded that, across 54 sampled sites in local Front Range forests, “81% showed mixed- and high-severity fire effects … prior to fire suppression,” while above 6,000 feet “fire severities prior to any fire exclusion effects was sufficient to kill high percentages of mature trees.”

But that doesn’t change the fact that wildfires are burning near communities built at the forest’s edge. So, don’t we still need to cut trees?

June 14 The Long Run

Colorado’s Tribute to the Eagles

June 21 The Goonies

June 28 Hazel Miller and The Collective

July 5 Chimbangle

July 12 Chain Station

July 19 Sweet Lillies

July 26 JJ Brown’s Raw Soul Band

August 2 Mighty Mystic

PRESENTED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

Boulder Bookstore Presents

STEW SALLO

author of The Deadhead Cyclist

OPINION

Thursday, June 29 at 6:30pm

The Deadhead Cyclist may be the most unique book ever written about the Grateful Dead. It focuses on the deeper meaning behind the magical lyrics that have stood the test of time for more than 50 years, inspiring multiple generations, and adding wind to the sails of a timeless movement that has brought a hopeful, lifeaffirming message to troubled times.

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Except, in a 2020 letter to Congress, 200 of the nation’s scientists wrote, “Reduced forest protections and increased logging tend to make wildland fires burn more intensely.” Or, as a 2016 study in Ecosphere put it: “Forests with the highest levels of protection from logging tend to burn least severely.”

Some might object that “fire risk reduction” isn’t about logging but “thinning.” Of course, that euphemism is used to justify clearcutting and logging mature and even old-growth trees up to 129-years-old, including right now in Jefferson and Boulder counties. What’s more, in cases when it truly is “thinning,” studies find even these “treatments” ineffective at stopping the spread of wildfire.

For instance, a study in Forest Ecology and Management referencing the 2002 Hayman Fire north of Colorado Springs — the largest in almost a century prior to 2020 — found that “fuel breaks and treatments were breached by massive spotting and intense surface fires” and that “suppression efforts had little benefit from fuel modifications.” A Forest Service study discovered that, during 2010’s Fourmile Canyon Fire outside Boulder, thinned forests “burned more severely than neighboring areas where the fuels were not treated.”

A 2021 study in Ecological Applications sums up the reason

why, concluding that thinning “can lead to increased surface wind speed and fuel heating, which allows for increased rates of fire spread in thinned forests.” Even thinning followed by prescribed burns “may increase the risk of fire by increasing sunlight exposure to the forest floor, drying vegetation, promoting understory growth, and increasing wind speeds.” And that’s on top of the climate-driven heat and drought already triggering the big fires.

Not to mention the ecological impacts, such as releasing stores of carbon into the atmosphere massive enough to negate U.S. emissions targets, destroying wildlife habitat — including that of species listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act — and contributing to widespread soil compaction and erosion.

For instance, the Antelope Park Forest Health Project is 3,000 acres of logging in the protected Button Rock Preserve west of Lyons in Boulder County. Photos taken on June 7 prove that freshly cut logging roads are currently dumping sediment into a stream flowing directly into the drinking water supply for Longmont. CDPHE’s Water Quality Control Division is currently investigating the complaint. (Photos can be found at bit.ly/AntelopeParkPhotos).

It turns out the Forest Service has actually known how to protect us from wildfire for decades. Indeed, its Rocky Mountain Research

Continued from page 6

Station’s Fire Sciences Laboratory found that measures such as metal roofs and maintaining defensible space immediately around a structure — recent studies find 15-60 feet to be most effective — can save up to 95% of homes from the most “catastrophic” wildfires.

Then why have so few homes actually been hardened? Because nearly all the taxpayer funding —

LONGMONT FARMERS MARKET FTW

I really enjoyed reading your article “Farmers Market Sibling Rivalry” (Nibbles, June 15, 2023). I agree that the Longmont Farmers Market is a fun market for family and kids. I’m a musician and have lived in Boulder since 1974. I can’t believe how much Boulder has changed and I feel sad. Longmont feels a bit like Boulder did in the 1970s.

On Saturday when we played music at the Longmont Market, kids and adults were dancing to our music! And on our breaks we got to visit the awesome vendors and eat a great meal! It’s a great set up for playing music under the shelter.

I especially would like to thank the Longmont community for their generosity! Besides being so fun and engaged, we always collect great

and attention — is focused on scientifically debunked “wildfire risk reduction” logging in our public forests.

Josh Schlossberg is an award-winning science writer and sometimes organizer hiding out along the Front Range.

This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

LETTERS

tips in Longmont, which is interesting to me as so much wealth has moved into Boulder and tips at the Boulder Farmers Market hardly compare. Thank you, Longmont!

— Laurie Dameron/Boulder

TECH JOBS IN ILLINOIS

I have a question regarding the letter in the June 8, 2023 Boulder Weekly, “Bridging the Confidence Gap in the Tech Market.” Why is Hannah Johnson in Downers Grove, Illinois trying to recruit people for tech jobs in Boulder, CO? Seems like there are plenty of people working in tech jobs here in Boulder, recklessly driving their expensive cars (often with expired out of state license plates) and living entitled lives. Maybe some ought to move to Illinois and work at home from there.

— R. Lawrence/Boulder

TO GIVE AND TO GET

Local lifelong volunteer is one of nearly 100,000 people nationwide waiting for a kidney

BY WILL MATUSKA

There are few places Jeff Blumenfeld hasn’t been. He’s traveled to the farthest reaches of the world, from Antarctica to the easternmost town in Russia. Most of his experiences stem from expeditions, like when he escorted media to an Indigenous village on Baffin Island, or from volunteer trips such as supporting cataract surgery in remote Nepalese villages.

But the expeditioner and outdoorsman started a journey into uncharted territory in April 2022. With only one kidney after losing the first to cancer, Bluemfeld’s remaining kidney was failing.

“I was in denial,” Blumenfeld says from a brown wingback chair in his living room. He couldn’t bring himself to tell friends and family.

Now the 71-year-old is on dialysis to remove waste products from the bloodstream. His life is tied to the treatment.

“Living on dialysis is very difficult,” says James Cooper, medical director at UCHealth Transplant Center. “You lose a lot of your freedom. It’s oftentimes hard to be employed and so many patients are living on disability because of the time commitments of dialysis.”

Since starting dialysis in February, Blumenfeld lives a constrained lifestyle. He hasn’t spent a night outside his home. He retired early. Weekly visits to the transplant center can take hours at a time.

“Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s good there’s a thing called dialysis,” he says. “But it’s a real ball and chain.”

There are nearly 100,000 people like Blumenfeld waiting for a deceaseddonor kidney across the country, according to the National Kidney Foundation. In Colorado, patients on a

list of more than 1,000 may have to wait five years or more.

Cooper says UCHealth may match recipients with donors a little faster than average nationally, but it’s hard to measure because waiting times fluctuate “quite a bit.” In some regions, Cooper says, the wait can reach 10 years.

Scott Ruth is an electrical engineer living in Evergreen who donated one of his kidneys earlier this year.

“I just wanted to do something,” he says. “I feel pretty privileged on this planet, and it felt like something I could do. And then when I looked into it, it turned into something I felt like I should do, because there’s not really a lot of downsides in my mind.”

‘IF I HAD THREE KIDNEYS, I’D GIVE TWO.’

Rather than selecting a specific recipient, Ruth completed a non-directed donation, which makes up about 3% of all living kidney donations.

He was “prepared for the worst” after surgery, but was surprised with how easy recovery was.

“If I had three kidneys, I’d give two,” he says.

Ruth says he doesn’t feel any different post donation, and still enjoys mountain biking with his wife regularly.

In 2024, he plans on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

“I don’t consider myself that special,” he says. “There’s people that have to live through dialysis — that’s just not a way to live.”

Last year Colorado saw a record number of kidney donations (471), which has steadily increased over the last three decades, according to the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network.

Typically, about two-thirds of kidney transplants are from deceased donors while the other third comes from living donors. Living donations have numerous benefits for recipients compared to deceased donations, including shorter wait periods and lasting longer once surgery is complete.

But there’s still a gap between supply and demand — the National Kidney Foundation found that 3,000 people are added to their wait list every month, while 14 people die each day waiting.

Cheryl Talley, director of communications at the Donor Alliance, says it’s still hard to find kidney donors. She calls it a “miracle” to have a living donor match with a recipient.

When matching a donor with a recipient, transplant centers consider things like age, blood type, urgency and distance. It doesn’t have to be a perfect match — many transplant centers offer kidney “swaps” when a patient has a living donor who is not

compatible for transplant, or treatments, like plasmapheresis, that allow incompatible matches.

But since transplant centers cannot seek living donors, that leaves people experiencing kidney failure to find them.

Blumenfeld knows four people have come forward to donate to him, but they haven’t worked out. He says you have to become “the poster child for kidney donation” to find a donor.

“You have to work on it every day,” he says. “What did I do today to move one baby step forward?”

Despite feeling restricted by dialysis, Blumenfeld is still active by playing pickleball, fly fishing, skiing and spending time with his two grandchildren. He still volunteers with multiple organizations such as VoicesCenter.org, a leading victim’s advocacy group for those affected by the events of 9/11.

“Volunteering, for me, has been an opportunity to see other lives, experience what people are going through,” he says. “And maybe there’s a way I can help.”

If he receives a kidney, Blumenfeld plans to create a template for those awaiting kidney transplant, with the goal of getting kidneys to people faster.

“I can’t save the whole world,” he says, “but maybe I can save a little tiny piece of it through volunteer work.”

Visit kidney.org to learn more about kidney donation. Learn more about Blumenfeld at jeffskidneysearch.com.

Blumenfeld next to boxes of dialysis solution. Photo by Will Matuska.

Blumenfeld (far right) during a trip to Nepal. Courtesy Jeff Blumenfeld.

NOW YOU KNOW

This week’s news in Boulder County and beyond

BY WILL MATUSKA

BOULDER DISCUSSES RAISING OCCUPANCY LIMITS

Nearly two years after a failed ballot initiative, Boulder City Council discussed raising the residential occupancy limit at its June 15 meeting, with the goal of increasing affordable housing options.

Generally, the city’s occupancy limit allows three unrelated people to live together in low-density zoning districts (more than half of Boulder’s land area), and four in high-density zones. In a March study session, Council asked city staff to analyze the outcome of increasing the occupancy limit to four or five citywide.

In a presentation to Council, Karl Guiler, the city’s senior policy advisor, said 18% of the units in three-person zones are rentals, whereas nearly 60% of units in the four-person zones are rentals. Increasing occupancy, then, could give more people renting opportunities. He also said the potential impacts of increasing occupancy limits include on-street parking issues, and more trash and noise violations.

In a 6-3 poll vote, Council showed support for increasing the occupancy to five unrelated people throughout the city.

A survey on Be Heard Boulder, the city’s online engagement platform, showed more community support for raising the occupancy limit to four rather than five, but Guiler told Council it isn’t intended to be a “statistically valid representation.”

Councilmember Tara Winer prefers increasing the limit to four unrelated people and looking into “carving out” areas, like University Hill neighborhood, to have a lower occupancy limit.

Winer wants to “raise occupancy in other neighborhoods so more people who want to live here, who work here, can actually afford to live here,” but she believes the Hill is a different story, in part because it’s already difficult for

people living in the neighborhood to find street parking.

“For us to have success in increasing occupancy, we should have the infrastructure that can handle it,” she says.

Winer admitted that making exceptions to occupancy limits in some neighborhoods would take more time and resources from staff. A citywide occupancy limit is simpler, more efficient.

Brad Mueller, the director of planning and housing services, told Council that city staff hasn’t found definitive answers as to whether increasing the housing stock through occupancy limits would drive an increase or decrease in rent.

City Council will vote on updating the ordinance on Aug. 17 following public comment.

NEW ORGANIZATION FORMS TO HELP HOMELESS

After stepping down as executive director of Feet Forward, Jennifer Livovich is starting a new homelessness advocacy nonprofit called Streetscape Peer Support Services and Outreach.

Livovich founded Feet Forward in 2020 to provide low-barrier services such as food and personal care items to people experiencing homelessness.

While details like location and partnerships are still developing, Livovich says Streetscape is centered around a “progressive peer-engagement model” that focuses on individuals experiencing homelessness and those who are transitioning into housing. Most of her Feet Forward colleagues will continue their work with Streetscape.

“We’ve got the trust and relationships critical to getting individuals experiencing homelessness, or who were [experiencing homelessness], engaged in services, including housing and wraparound peer support,” she says. “How and why would we ever go away?”

Livovich says she stepped down from Feet Forward because of its involvement in the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) lawsuit against the city of Boulder over its “blanket ban” that prevents sleeping in public spaces, despite inadequate shelter options in the city. While Livovich was one of the original plaintiffs alongside Feet Forward, she pulled out of the case as an individual at the end of February while the organization stayed involved.

“This lawsuit isn’t going to change anything for homeless people,” she says. “It’s not going to change anything for them at all. ... That time, energy and resources would be much better utilized advocating for accessible recovery spaces, transitional housing, not a blanket.”

Learn more about Streetscape and its mission at streetscapeboulder.org

LOCAL NONPROFIT RECOGNIZED FOR MARSHALL FIRE RESPONSE

Community Foundation Boulder County (CFBC) received the 2023 Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships on June 14. The award is given to foundations that “transformed the relationship between the public and philanthropic sectors” and support areas like housing, community development and disaster resilience.

“This is much bigger than us,” says Tatiana Hernandez, CEO of CFBC. “The award was for public-philanthropic partnerships. And, in the case of the foundation’s, and our community’s response to the Marshall Fire, those public-philanthropic relationships included every single municipality in Boulder

County, as well as multiple state offices. It really has been a coordinated collective effort to do everything we can and could do to support residents in this community.”

Nine organizations from across the country received the award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Council on Foundations.

More than $40 million was donated to CFBC’s Boulder County Wildfire Fund from 77,000 donors following the Marshall Fire to address the most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history. The foundation distributed this unprecedented amount of funding (it typically distributes $10 million annually) to projects like crisis counseling, insurance policy navigation and smoke remediation.

Despite the successful distribution of millions of dollars, there was some confusion in the community through 2022 surrounding why it took so long to receive funds and how to receive funds (News, “In limbo”, Dec. 29, 2022). Now, nearly two years after the disaster, communities are still rebuilding damaged homes and infrastructure (News, “Now you know,” June 15, 2023).

The Navigating Disaster for Boulder County program, which started a year ago to help people in the county experience relief from disasters and funded in part by CFBC, has approved nearly $8.5 million to more than 350 grant rebuilding funds.

While more than half of the homes destroyed or damaged are in the rebuilding permitting process, only 4% of people have moved back into their homes.

“We still very much are working through our partners and with residents in the community who might need support with basic things like housing and transportation,” Hernandez says. “And funds are still available for people who might find themselves in financial strain right now, to make those basic ends meet.”

Credit: Bruce Shaffer

Shop LOCAL Shop LONGMONT

fritz family brewers

cory’s illustrious brewing career started in Boulder way back in 1992 as a homebrewing college student. As an active member of the home brew club Hop Barley and the Alers, he learned from more seasoned brewers to appreciate a wide variety of beers, but especially lagers.

He spent so much time at What’s Brewin’ home brew shop they had

Our talented, dedicated staff strives to provide quality products and amazing customer service at a familyfriendly price. Whether you meeting friends for coffee and a pastry or picking up a cake for your special occasion, you’ll be sure to find a wide selection of freshly

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Locally woman-owned and operated, Wild Birds Unlimited Specializes in bringing people and nature together through the hobby of backyard bird feeding. We offer a wide variety of naturerelated products and expert, local advice. Our store stocks the highest quality items made in the the USA with emphasis on eco-

no choice but to eventually give him a job. He then spent 2 years brewing at Tommyknocker’s in Idaho Springs, before moving to Jackson, Wyoming to brew at Snake River Brewing.

Cory spent 17 years brewing and honing his craft at Snake River and it is there that he met his amazing wife and business partner Kelly.

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ozo coffee

oZO Coffee Company is a coffee roaster & retail operator based in Boulder, Colorado with Espresso Cafe locations in Boulder and Longmont, Colorado.

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BROWN’S SHOE FIT COMPANY

At Brown’s, we know feet. Our expert staff will measure your feet to ensure a proper, comfortable fit. With a broad range of widths and sizes, we can serve even hard-to-fit customers. We also understand most common foot ailments, such as plantar fasciitis, neuropathy, bunions,

WASHED UP CAR WASH

We are crazy for clean cars!! We are a locallyowned and operated express tunnel car wash located at 1876 Hover Street in Longmont. Our state-of-the-art carwash system reclaims 70% of the water used, because we

Dee-O-Gee - Loco

My name is Rachel Shannon, the owner of Dee-O-Gee in Longmont. I am originally from Montana and moved to Longmont in 2004. I was always very attracted to the local shops because I was raised in a Ma and Pa Grocery store and fell in love with the local community. Starting Dee-O-Gee, which is a small start up from Montana, was a no-brainer for me.

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We are growing organically here at Dee-O-Gee and our Google reviews are proof that we are doing our best to get that local vibe. Our shop is owned and operated by my family and me. We offer you a unique one on one experience when you come in the door. We are certified pet nutritionists and we will help you find the perfect diet for your pet. Our services include grooming, day camp and do it yourself dog wash.

110 Emery Street, #A, Longmont, CO 970-629-6600 • www.longmont.dee-o-gee.com

LOVE AND HAITI

Local fundraiser celebrates the art and music of the world’s first free Black republic

BY JEZY J. GRAY

If mass media is your only window into the Republic of Haiti, mention of the island nation likely conjures a small constellation of sufferings. From natural disasters like the catastrophic earthquake of 2010 to the ongoing social and political turmoil set loose by the assassination of president Jovenel Moïse, the country has become twinned with adversity in the minds of many Americans at the mercy of our agony-prone 24/7 news ecosystem.

But when Paul Beaubrun reflects on his childhood in the capital city of Portau-Prince, a centerpiece of so many harrowing headlines that have shaped popular conception of his ancestral home over these past decades, the current New York City resident doesn’t think about hardship. He hears music.

“Imagine waking up and your mom and dad are in the kitchen. Mom is cooking. Dad is in his underwear with a recorder in his hand, and mom is singing. That’s the way they created songs and shared ideas,” says the multi-instrumentalist whose parents founded Grammy Awardnominated Haitian supergroup Boukman Eksperyans in 1978, an influential roots music outfit Beaubrun now oversees as musical director on top of his solo career and work as a touring member of marquee indie-rock act The Arcade Fire. “That’s one of my earliest memories. There were always instruments around … music [was] almost like drinking water.”

That’s the Haiti you’ll see, and hear, during an upcoming benefit concert and

gallery show at The Arts HUB in Lafayette on June 25. Featuring music by Beaubrun and visual works from Front Range artists Viktor El-Saieh and Ketty Devieux, the event is designed in part to offer a new register for the plight and pleasures of the often misunderstood island nation. Proceeds from the evening will benefit Locally Haiti, a Louisville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by a trio of Episcopal priests in 1989 that centers Haitian leadership in developing locally led and communitybased programs in a place where camaraderie is often built through cultural expression.

“There’s a ton of music in Haiti. It’s a big part of the culture. It’s a big part of history. And it’s not always big concerts — it can just be people getting together to play acoustic instruments,” says Locally Haiti Executive Director Wynn Walent, a musician in his own right who met Beaubrun when the two performed together in New York nearly a decade ago. “It’s not altogether different from how we find real joy here, which is people being with people, being exposed to art and music and culture.”

You’ll see that joy in the vibrant and urgent brush strokes of El-Saieh, the Haitianborn Denverite who designed a four-panel series as a backdrop to Beaubrun’s performance at the upcoming fundraiser in Lafayette. The work depicts a celebratory scene of bodies in movement, with figures dancing joyously among open flames. “I want Paul to feel like he has Haiti

behind him,” the artist and fellow Portau-Prince native says of his first work of set design, offering a figurative counterpoint to the haunting abstract compositions of Devieux.

“Some of the best Haitian artists, the ones I’m inspired by the most, are just completely uninhibited by convention. A lot of these artists made masterpieces without any formal training,” says El-Saieh, counting the island’s old masters like Philomé Obin, André Pierre and Seymour Etienne Bottex among his influences. “I think that kind of fearlessness and lack of inhibition ties into the broader mythology of Haitian culture, the revolution and everything … a very broad scope of what is possible in the imagination.”

‘IF A FIRE MAKE IT BURN’

The fire in the word “revolution” may have smothered through casual use in contemporary U.S. parlance, but it still burns hot in Haiti. The country of more than 11 million was the site of the world’s first successful slave rebellion near the dawn of the 19th century, when the people threw off the yoke of

their colonial rulers through a bloody 13-year gauntlet on what had up until that moment been known as the French-claimed island of SaintDomingue. The first Black-led nation emerged from the bloodshed, changing history forever.

“The entire world order was turned on its head,” El-Saieh says. “Something so incredible happened in a situation where it was not supposed to happen. That’s such an inspiring idea. When you get into the mythology of it, the stories we tell and pass down over generations shape how we think about the world. … Revolution is not a one-time event where you snap your fingers and everything changes. It’s an ongoing thing. We’re still in the process of the Haitian Revolution.”

But as the grim parade of broadcast chyrons suggests, it’s not all dancing and liberation at the home of what is arguably the Western Hemisphere’s greatest victory of human freedom. On top of Haiti’s aforementioned natural and human-caused disasters, the country has a long history of violence, exploitation and abuse at the hands of

New work by Haitian-born, Denver-based visual artist Viktor El-Saieh will be featured as a fourpanel backdrop during the upcoming Locally Haiti benefit concert at The Arts HUB in Lafayette on June 25. Photo courtesy the artist.

Called “a scion of Haitian musical royalty” by the KANPE Foundation, Paul Beaubrun is music director of the Grammy Award-nominated Boukman Eksperyans and a touring member of indie-rock mainstay The Arcade Fire. Photo courtesy the artist.

CULTURE

foreign powers and local strongmen. From the nearly two-decade U.S. occupation of the island in the early beats of the 20th century — a deadly military occupation whipped up by the Wall Street interests of National City Bank of New York, an earlier mutation of the investment bank and financial services company known today as Citigroup — to the Tonton Macoute death squad of midcentury dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, the sovereign nation has spent the lion’s share of its precious free years under someone else’s heel.

“Haiti has basically undergone every brutality and intervention you can imagine,” Walent says when asked why Boulder County residents should throw their energy behind the work of Locally Haiti during the upcoming benefit concert and art exhibition. “So for folks who are motivated by social justice, it’s a natural fit.”

‘SOLIDARITY IN ITS TRUEST SENSE’

But Walent says there’s a more fundamental reason locals here on the Front Range should be moved to help empower people in a country where they will likely never step foot. The humanitarian-minded Lafayette resident — who first visited Haiti to pitch in after the infamous 2010 earthquake killed more than 200,000 people, displacing another 1.5 million while damaging critical infrastructure and touching off a devastating cholera outbreak — says it’s about seeing your own struggle bound up with someone else’s.

“I mean, this is our neighbor, a stone’s throw away from Miami, that is in true crisis,” he says. “I’m not saying that it should come from a place of guilt. There’s a famous quote that says something like, ‘If you’ve come here to help me, no thanks; but if you’ve come here because your liberation is wrapped up in mine, then let’s work together.’ … It’s solidarity in its truest sense.”

That’s the animating force behind Locally Haiti, where Walent has served as the organization’s stateside executive director since 2017. With a special focus on the country’s rural areas, the nonprofit has partnered for more than three decades with the community of Petit Trou de Nippes, located 95 miles

west along the coast and a far cry in many respects from the commercial center where Beaubrun and El-Saieh were first zapped by the power of Haitian music and art. Walent says that with the help of its on-the-ground leaders and the local government’s ministry of health, the organization will soon break ground on a new hospital and health center for the region after a 2021 earthquake destroyed the only healthcare facility serving a population of roughly 40,000 people.

“When there is a vision that takes into account all the complicated cultural and country-specific realities in coming up with a solution, that solution is much more likely to be effective,” he says. “Every place is complex. And you can imagine how hard it would be for someone from [another country] to come to the U.S. having never spent time here, or not knowing the local context or norms, or what different problems there are to anticipate, and then being dropped into some city with a bunch of resources. They would come up with some plan that didn’t make sense, or wasn’t durable, or didn’t really fit the local needs. But for some reason that happens in Haiti all the time.”

Back in the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, a week and change ahead of his Boulder County sojourn to help generate support for Walent’s organization and the island tethered to his heart from more

than 1,500 miles away, Beaubrun reflects on a similar lack of context in framing the place he calls home and the people who make it special.

“On the news it’s always an earthquake, or this or that — they don’t show you the whole culture,” he says. “It’s a really beautiful place to be, and [that’s] because of the people. It’s not a poor country, the way people want to see it. To me, ‘poor’ is when you’re poor in spirit. Haiti is not poor in spirit. They are always laughing, smiling — joy, you know, singing. And at the end of the day, if you cannot have that, I don’t see the point.”

ON THE BILL: Locally

Haiti: A Celebration of Art and Music. 5 p.m. Sunday, June 25, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $25

Clockwise works by Viktor El-Saieh, courtesy the artist and Central Fine: Manbo, (2022-2023); Fet Chaloska (2015-2016) – Collection: Perez Art Museum Miami; Bwa Sek (2023).

Wilda, pictured with her children, is a community health worker, farmer and leader whose work is supported by Locally Haiti, a Lafayette-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Photo by Angela Altus.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Indie-folk fixture Sera Cahoone returns to the Front Range for her Red Rocks debut

BY ADAM PERRY

She may have left Colorado in the late ’90s, but Seattle-based musician Sera Cahoone returns often to her hometown of Littleton. In fact, the Centennial State has such a special place in the heart of the alt-folk singer-songwriter that she titled her most well-known album Deer Creek Canyon

“My whole family’s there, so I try to get home at least twice a year,” Cahoone says. “I have a lot of people that are really important to me still there, so I try to go back as much as I can. I still feel like Colorado, to me, is my home.”

Before leaving the Front Range for the Pacific Northwest, Cahoone played the drums in various bands, and she continued that in Washington, drumming for Carissa’s Weird and Patrick Park, and even on Band of Horses’ 2006 debut album, Everything All the Time. Eventually she wanted to do her own thing.

“I was just kind of wanting to take a break and try to start playing open mics and stuff — you know, play guitar and

make myself uncomfortable,” she says. “I played drums all the time, but I was feeling a little limited in my creativity. A lot of times, being a drummer, you have to rely on other people. I just wanted more. I never was like, ‘Oh, I want to be a singer. I think I have this amazing voice or can write these amazing songs.’ I just wanted to try, and I feel like it came pretty natural to me.”

Cahoone self-released an eponymous album in 2006 that tastemakers KEXP and NPR Music fell in love with, leading to a deal with Sub Pop Records, famously the early home of Mudhoney, Nirvana and Soundgarden. The label was in the midst of another classic period in 2008, releasing albums by Fleet Foxes, The Helio Sequence, Flight of the Conchords, and Cahoone, whose earnest and inviting Only As the Day Is Long put her on the map as a twangy indie-folk staple.

“My very first record, I just kind of did on my own,” she says. “I played all the

drums and kind of pieced it together. [It] was for sure the first record that is pretty much all band. I could say that my band definitely had a big part [in] forming a lot of the songs.”

‘SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE ROCKS’

Though Cahoone’s solo career launched out of Seattle, her Colorado roots lend a down-home element to her brand of indie music. You’ll hear it on tracks like “Nervous Wreck,” which have an almost bluegrassy feel.

“I love country,” Cahoone says. “I don’t necessarily come from the country, but that’s what I listened to the majority of the time. Moving [to Seattle], I was pretty obsessed with what was

going on, like Nirvana and all the grunge and Bikini Kill, you know — female empowerment. I just thought it was cool. But …growing up I definitely listened to a lot of folk and a lot of ’70s music, which I still do. Coming into this environment, I was more into indie-rock in these ways I was a part of, so I definitely think the two collided in an interesting way.”

With family and friends still in Colorado, Cahoone continues to keep one foot in the Centennial State. She has even toured a few times opening for Boulder’s Gregory Alan Isakov, whose guitarist Steve Varney is a fellow Columbine High School alum. Despite all that Colorado history, though, Cahoone has never played the state’s most iconic venue, Red Rocks — until now. She opens for The Head and the Heart alongside Rayland Baxter on Thursday, June 29 at the storied Morrison amphitheater.

“I mean, I’ve tried,” she jokes. “I’m like, ‘Gregory, get me on there!’ But it’s just never happened. I’m going to lose my mind.”

As she prepares to mark the upcoming milestone in her home state, Cahoone looks back on her memories of seeing legendary artists like Tracy Chapman and PJ Harvey at Red Rocks. She used to go there with her family on Christmas Eve every year as a kid, but returning to perform on the stage that loomed so large throughout her childhood will be a different kind of gift.

“It’s so close to where I grew up that I would always be like, ‘Oh wow. If I play Red Rocks, I’ve made it. I’m going to retire. I’m done.’ And now I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t want to quit,’” Cahoone says. “There’s just something about those rocks and the setting and all the history of it that just means so much to me. I’m going to try and be as present as I can and enjoy it — and hopefully play there again.”

ON THE BILL: The Head and the Heart with Rayland Baxter and Sera Cahoone. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, Red Rock Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. Sold out (resale only)

Sera Cahoone’s Deer Creek Canyon, whose title points to the artist’s Front Range roots, was released in 2012.

Former Littleton resident Sera Cahoone has become an indie-rock staple over the past two decades. Photo by Kyle Johnson.

SWIPING BOULDER

BY GABBY VERMEIRE

Boulder’s reputation as the land of high-altitude hotties obscures a cruel truth: Dating here is hard. As locals on “the apps” know, swiping through countless pictures of outdoor adventure bros while trying to discern what lies behind the layers of beard, ski goggles and Carhart beanie can be exhausting and discouraging, to say the least.

Maybe we could learn something from the four single New Yorkers who took a crash course in modern love on Swiping America, a new road-trip dating reality show streaming now on Max (formerly HBO Max). In Episode 6, Boulder viewers will get a special thrill from seeing their favorite local spots on the small screen, and from seeing the People’s Republic given the anthropological treatment.

The simple premise of the show is built around four leads testing the hypothesis that a change in geography can fix a love rut. Each episode finds Ash, Kesun, Krishnanand (Kris) and Reagan traveling to a different city in the U.S. and going on dates with the local residents. After a speed-round series of first dates (Date Zeros), each cast member takes a match of their

choosing on a longer date that usually highlights the episode’s locale.

Billing itself as a “rom-doc,” Swiping America upholds many reality-show staples while digging deeper than the standard fare. Feelings are caught, special dates travel on to other cities, cameras get discretely turned off, and viewers can savor the delicious feeling of experiencing a stranger’s romantic drama, which is the hallmark of every great dating reality show. Mixed into the vicarious fun, though, are insights into real issues of love — across a spectrum of gender identities and orientations — and how our past trauma informs how we date.

Per the formula for reality shows, each cast member has their simplified role: Kris’ Instagram thirst traps belie a shy romantic; Kesun struggles to find a man equally as close to his family; Ash wants the perfect combination of physical and emotional attraction; Reagan hides her caution with an intimidating wit. The fact that they all come across as genuinely likable and interesting, as the show unpacks their personal stories and dreams across eight episodes, elevates the feather-light subject matter into engaging television.

In Episode 6, montages meant to represent Boulder linger on the Flatirons and a white chick with dreadlocks. Ash reads from a list of city facts that one-third of Colorado women have “done the deed with another lady.” Both License No.1 and Dushanbe Teahouse get their gueststarring moments. And, in a very realistic depiction of dating in Boulder, one of the matches is a hot firefighter.

In conjunction with the June 22 premiere of the episode, Boulder Weekly spoke with Swiping America cast members over Zoom about their experiences dating in Boulder, and what wisdom they had to share about finding love in our lonely digital era.

First of all, what did you all expect out of dating, and the type of people you would meet, in Boulder — and how did that compare to what it was actually like?

Reagan: I expected to meet people that were active, had a lot of hobbies, and were energetic, outdoorsy-kind of people. And … they all were. They were super smart. They were really active. They had boats. One had a weed farm. I would say hobby collectors.

Kesun: I agree. I had thought, ‘Oh great, they’re going to be laid-back, outdoorsy types,’ and that’s exactly what I got, too.

A lot of queer people in Boulder say the dating scene here is rough. Can you confirm that experience? Do you have any advice for readers trying to date queer people in a small town like Boulder?

Ash: Yeah, I mean, my dates were in Denver, and I met a lot of people that actually lived in Denver. I don’t know if I actually dated anyone that lived in Boulder, but maybe? I think my advice is to put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to travel a little bit to meet someone great. I met someone great [while traveling]. It doesn’t always have to be so underwhelming.

Kris: For me, all of my dates lived in Denver [laughs], so it definitely confirms those suspicions. But, I think to Ash’s point, they were willing to travel to Boulder to meet me. But I also think that unfortunately, in these smaller communities, if you’re queer, and you’re visibly queer, you really have to be the change you want to see. You have to stand proudly as a queer per-

What four New Yorkers learned about romance in front of the cameras and under the Flatirons

From left: Ash, Kesun, Reagan and Krishnanand on a Boulder County horse ranch in ‘Swiping America.’ Photo courtesy Max.

son and hope that other people are like you, and they probably are. You’re not the only one thinking, ‘Hey, there’s no community here.’

I think there are ways to create queer spaces. The thing I’ve learned about queerness is you’re definitely not alone, which is a great feeling. Traveling across the country, I learned there are so many different queers. I love it.

For Reagan and Kesun’s doubledate in Boulder, you went for a hike, which is a very popular first date idea for people here. I’m not entirely sure it’s always a good idea. What are the pros and cons of a hiking date?

Kesun: I loved our double date. I think one of the biggest pros is that you can see if your date knows how to properly dress for the occasion, which I think is very important. It’s like, ‘Did you come here in flip flops? Or do you have a backpack full of tools and snacks?’ These are questions we need answers to immediately. So, I think that was a really, really great idea for a first date. Oh, and also, when you’re hiking, there are little pockets and secret hiding places … which could also be good.

Reagan: Personally for me, hiking would be a great first date because I’m very active, so I can see if I could arm wrestle my date or something. I can see how active and how in

shape they are, or even just how interested they are in different activities. And if that’s a requirement for you, then you should absolutely be doing the kinds of things that you want to do in a relationship up front, I think. If you’re not a super outdoorsy person, then do whatever you’re into and make sure that you’re a match with your partner in that way. Like, “Are you winded on this hike? Are you struggling to get up this mountain?”

Kesun: “Are you struggling in any capacity? And is it your fault?”

[All laugh]

Some of us have been on the apps in Boulder for a while without a lot of success. Do you have any advice specifically for online dating?

Reagan: I would advise to really put a lot of thought into your profile. I know that I will say an immediate “no” to anyone who doesn’t have a clever caption or doesn’t have good photos. Because I think you actually can learn a lot about someone based on how much effort they put into it. I think you’re actually showing respect for the way you date by putting effort into making a good profile. Show your friends your profile, and get their advice. Like, I’d be hanging out with my guy friends and they would be like, “Get rid of that one. That one’s … nope!”

Kesun: [The cast] would do the same thing. We would have drinks and I would look at their profiles, and I think that’s a really good way to see if you are representing yourself accurately. You do get so used to just seeing like a huge number of people and you really want to stand out authentically.

Ash: As someone that typically pursues, I would say to not just pursue everyone the same way. If she’s hot, I guarantee you that she’s getting hit on all the time. So “Hey, how’s your day?” is not going to cut it. If she links her Instagram and it says something witty, I’ll reference it and ask, “Did I pass the test?” or something funny. Make it engaging. Don’t make them feel like you’re just hitting up every attractive person, because nobody wants to feel like you don’t really care. Treat online like outside.

Kesun: My biggest advice would be, if you match with somebody and you are feeling like you would be interested in actually going on a date with them, I say to always do a phone call or FaceTime really quick just before a date. Even if it’s just for 30 seconds, just seeing them and getting a sense of what their energy might be like and what their demeanor is, and talking to them as another human being is really important. So that can easily eliminate a lot, a lot, of people.

Kris: Personally, I’d say take a

SCREEN

break. Get off the apps, and get back on them when you’re really intentional about it. And then, once you’re intentional about it, go slowly. I think these apps encourage you to swipe and like a lot and get a lot of matches, and they don’t go anywhere. Just focus on two or three matches that you’re really trying to develop conversations with. Try and get their numbers or their social media, and get off the apps and just focus on those. Don’t keep swiping because it’s easy to keep swiping. I think especially in smaller cities, it can really crush your soul to keep seeing the same people over and over again.

Of all the places you went in Boulder, on dates or otherwise, what is the hands-down sexiest place to take someone?

Reagan: I loved where we went on our Date Zeros.

License No. 1!

Kesun: The lighting in that place is really sexy. It was very intimate. It’s a good place to take a first date, because lighting is really important.

Reagan: I can’t claim to know Boulder any better than anyone else, but I can really get down to make out in a photo booth.

ON SCREEN: Swiping America is streaming now via Max.

Episode 6 of Swiping America, taking place in Boulder, premieres June 22 on Max (formerly HBO Max).

PAST AND PRESENT

‘Ruin’ world premiere tackles Colorado’s bloody history of colonialism

BY TONI TRESCA

Aaron Klass has been enthralled by the Civil War era since he was a kid. His interest in the decades surrounding the pivotal American conflict led the local history buff to establish himself as an independent researcher and historian who now works as curator of the Merchant Tailor Museum in Longmont.

“Many people have asked me where my interest in this time period comes from, and I don’t have a good answer,” Klass says. “I have just always found this era’s clothing and historical context fascinating.”

Klass’ work as a public historian and commitment to making the past accessible to new generations inspired him to write and direct Ruin, a historical play whose world premiere will run at the Dairy Arts Center from June 29 through July 2.

The mystery is set in Colorado Territory in the spring of 1865, close to the ruins of Fort Vasquez, an early and important fur-trading post in Weld County that was abandoned roughly two decades prior. It centers on Hersa Paxton, a recently widowed woman who hires two frontiersmen to find her missing husband. The fictional story is based on historical primary sources, highlighting Colorado’s bloody colonial past.

“Although the play’s narrative and characters are fictitious, there are anecdotes and references in Ruin that are true to life,” Klass says.

Few of these historical realities loom as large as the Sand Creek Massacre, when more than 230 non-combatant Cheyenne and Arapaho citizens were killed in a surprise attack by the U.S. military near Fort Lyon on November 29, 1864. The play also touches on the assassination of American abolitionist Silas Soule, commander of Company D of the 1st Colorado

Cavalry, who testified about the carnage he witnessed that day.

“Silas Soule is famous for not firing on the village and testifying before a military tribunal that was formed to investigate the wrongdoings at Sand Creek,” Klass says. “Silas gave testimony in February 1865, and in April 1865, two Colorado soldiers in uniform killed him on the streets of Denver; their identities were known, but they were never brought to justice. Ruin is set in the spring of 1865, and deals with the aftermath of these events.”

STRANGER THAN FICTION

The historical drama is being produced by Blunt Force Drama (BFD), a Boulder-based guerilla theater company that has been staging performances in unconventional spaces since 2013. Ruin is BFD’s first performance at the Dairy Arts Center, its first since the pandemic and its first new work.

When it comes to dovetailing history and fiction, Klass says the upcoming production has been meticulously researched down to each individual artifact used onstage, most of which date back to the mid-1800s.

“There is a broad overlap between my work at the museum and the production design for Ruin,” he says. “Many of our costume pieces for the show are copied from garments that we are in possession of, and the pro-

“I referred them to as many primary sources as I could stomach,” Klass says. “One of the things the cast said was helpful were trips to see Fort Vasquez, History Colorado’s exhibit on the Sand Creek Massacre, some other trading forts and the site of the Sand Creek Massacre. I am familiar with the activities of the massacre and how it played out, so I walked them through that.”

The production is dedicated to the memory of Silas Soule and the victims of the Westward expansion. And as BFD continues to produce work in Boulder, they hope to maintain this educational emphasis in future projects. But for now, Klass and his team are focused on the task ahead.

“Initially, I was going to write it as a screenplay, but I liked the intimacy of a play,” Klass says. “No one should write anything the way I wrote Ruin. I basically sat down in early 2021 and wrote for four days, only stopping to drink water and cram food in my mouth. I’ve written a few things like that; you have to go back and edit extensively, but it gets it out.”

duction design is all historically accurate. I envision much of the talkback after each show will be about the play’s material culture and history.”

During the rehearsal process, Klass led the actors, Anna Vernier, Dan Gustavson, and Ding Liu, through a dramaturgical process to help them comprehend the gravity of the play’s events.

“This is the first full-length play I have written, so I am curious to see if my storytelling and dialogue resonate with people,” he says. “For all of its heaviness, I tried to keep it fun because I think it is a way to access this heavy material. It’s structured like a Western, and I hope that will make it entertaining and thought-provoking.”

p.m.

ON STAGE: Ruin by Aaron Klass. 7 p.m. June 29–July 1, and 2

July 2. Carsen Theater, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $33

The cast of ‘Ruin’ reads interpretive signage at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Eads, Colorado. Photo by Aaron Klass.

From left: Ding Liu, Anna Vernier and Daniel Gustavson rehearse in a Boulder backyard.

Photo by Aaron Klass.

FRI.

BOULDER COMEDY FESTIVAL

7-8:30 p.m. Thu-Sun, June 22-25, various locations, Boulder. $20

THU.

23

SUMMER SILENT DISCO

9-11 p.m. Friday, June 23, Por Wine House, 836 ½ Main St., Louisville. $16

24

REZDAWG RESCUE ADOPTION EVENT

FRI. 6/30 - 8PM

The city’s funniest long weekend is back with a stacked lineup of nearly 50 standups from Boulder County and beyond at the Dairy Arts Center, BOCO Cider, Wonderland Brewing and Finkel & Garf. Don’t miss this year’s Native Comedy Showcase hosted by Joshua Emerson at the Dairy on Saturday, June 24. For more details, check out last week’s Boulder Weekly feature on the fest by scanning the QR code above.

Starts at $15.00

SAT. 7/1 - 11:30PM Dead

JOSLYN AND THE SWEET COMPRESSION

Starts at $20.00

SUN. 7/2 - 11:30PM Dead

DAVE M cMURRAY

Starts at $20.00

SAT. 7/8 - 7:30PM

A.J. FULLERTON with full band

Starts at $15.00

WED. 7/12 - 7:30PM A DEER FELLOW with STURTZ AND ROBIN LEWIS

Starts at $15.00

22

TRIDENT FOURTH THURSDAY JAZZ JAM

5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Enjoy an early summer night on the Trident patio during the Fourth Thursday Jazz Jam. Local musicians will take the stage at the West Pearl staple for a night of free live music designed for spectators and participants alike. Bring your instrument or just kick back and enjoy the evening during this monthly music showcase hosted by Pedro Urbina of Thunderboogie.

Grab your dancing shoes and head to Por Wine House for “the best dance party in Louisville.” Headphones will be provided at this East County hotspot’s monthly outdoor summer disco, presented in partnership with Big Little Sound.

23

2023 STEM YOUTH SUMMIT

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, June 23, Google Boulder, 2930 Pearl St. Free

Google Boulder invites local middle and high school students to connect and engage with Black and Latinx Google workers at this year’s STEM Youth Summit. Students from all over the area will have the chance to explore Google’s Boulder campus, along with an up-close look at work related to science, technology, engineering and math.

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.

1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 24, Rocky Mountain Tap and Garden, 1071 Courtesy Road, Louisville. Free

On the search for your next four-legged friend? Rezdawg Rescue hosts this dogadoption event at Rocky Mountain Tap and Garden on Saturday for an afternoon of live music, “bark-cuterie” boards from Gourmet Ghost Charcuterie and, of course, loads of adorable pups looking for their forever homes.

24

GRATEFUL DEAD MEET-UP AT THE MOVIES

8 p.m. Saturday, June 24, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $15

We don’t have to tell you that Dead & Company return to Folsom Field for their annual slate of shows next weekend. But if you just can’t wait to kick off your onceyearly shakedown, you won’t want to miss this night at Boulder Theater featuring exclusive footage from the Dead’s legendary 1991 performance at Soldier Field in Chicago, combining reels from the show’s six-camera feed.

WESTMINSTER TRAIL HALF MARATHON/10K/5K

7 a.m. Saturday, June 24, Westminster Trail, 10020 100th Ave., Broomfield. $75

Start your summer off with a bang at the American Trail Running Association’s ninth annual trio of races around Standley Lake. The course is meant for all experience levels, with dirt trails, single track and stunning views of the Front Range.

25

ROLLERPALOOZA

1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 25, between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, 1770 13th St., Boulder.

Anything on wheels is welcome at Boulder Social Street’s annual Rollerpalooza. Skate around a nostalgic roller rink to the disco and funk tunes of DJ Elijah Moore, and indulge in a scenic bike tour up and down Boulder’s buzzing 13th Street at this afternoon event.

26

SUSHI ROLLING AND SAKE TASTING WITH HAPA SUSHI

6:30-9 p.m. Monday, June 26, Hapa Sushi, 1117 Pearl St., Boulder. $70

Learn the art of Japan’s staple dish at Hapa Sushi this coming Monday, where an expert sushi chef will be your personal teacher for the night. Five different rolls will be broken down, with a sake drink to accompany your work, and when it’s all wrapped up, you can take the bamboo rolling mat home with you.

25

POLLINATOR PALOOZA FESTIVAL

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. Free

What’s all the buzz about? Find out for yourself at the Pollinator Palooza Festival, “where the wonders of nature come to life in a spectacular celebration of pollinators and the vital role they play in our world.” Festivities include a pollinator artisan market and food trucks, plus kid-friendly fun like face-painting and games, garden tours, butterfly releases and more.

25

BARNYARD CRITTER DAY

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, June 25, Agricultural Heritage Center, 8348 Ute Highway, Longmont. Free

The Agricultural Heritage Center in Longmont invites you to get up close and personal with livestock and their crucial role on the farm. This all-day event features sheep herding and shearing demos alongside meet-and-greets with chickens, pigs, goats and other barnyard critters — plus food trucks, fun farm activities like butter and flower-pressing, and more.

28

BIKE TO WORK DAY

6:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, June 28, various locations. Free

Join the estimated 7,000 commuters across Boulder County who will be getting to work on two wheels during this year’s Bike to Work Day. The annual event will feature breakfast stations at participating locations throughout the area, including a “mountain of donuts” at Community Cycles Super Station. Scan the QR code for the complete map.

LIVE MUSIC

ON THE BILL

You’ll be picking confetti out of your hair for days after Oklahoma indie psych-rock legends The Flaming Lips bring their out-of-this-world live show back to the Front Range with HAVE A GOOD TRIP: A Benefit Concert for MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). The life-affirming and mindbending celebration at Mission Ballroom includes support from weirdo-comedy royalty Eric Andre and musical polymath Reggie Watts See listing for details.

NIGHT CLASS 4 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

WIDESPREAD PANIC (NIGHT 3) 6 p.m. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $110

ALMOST MONDAY WITH LADY DENIM 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $18

MONDAY, JUNE 26

BOULDER CONCERT BAND. 7 p.m. North Boulder Park, 7th Street and Dellwood Ave., Boulder. Free

JAZZ JAM SESSION 7 p.m. The Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. Free

TUESDAY, JUNE 27

MOON PUSSY WITH PORCELAIN, QUITS AND MESSIAHVORE 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $15

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

WESTROCK 7 p.m. Avery Brewing Company, 4910 Nautilus Court N., Boulder. Free

ALPENGLOW WITH GRANT LIVINGSTON & FRIENDS

9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $10

THE FLAMING LIPS WITH ERIC ANDRE AND REGGIE WATTS.

7:30 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $75. BW Pick of the Week

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

GAELIC STORM 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $23

PEOPLE IN BETWEEN WITH LIBELULA 7 p.m. The End Lafayette, 525 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $20

THE COPPER CHILDREN

8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl, Suite V3A, Boulder. $15

DUMPSTAPHUNK 5:30 p.m. Steinbaugh Pavilion, 824 Front St., Louisville. Free

HOWARD DLUGASH. 6 p.m. Freedom Street Social, 15177 Candelas Parkway, Arvada. Free

MIKE MAURER. 6 p.m. Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids, 1555 Hover St., Longmont. Free

HOLES IN SOCKS. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

THE HIGH ROAD HOME 6 p.m. A-Lodge Lyons, 338 W. Main St. Free

WIDESPREAD PANIC (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $110

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

GRAHAM NASH 7:30 p.m. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. $130

BRENDAN JAMES 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $25

PAPAMO AND THE VIPERS. 6 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free

GABRIEL SANTIAGO AND PETER

JOHN STOLTZMAN 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

EQUANIMOUS WITH KR3TURE, RUBY CHASE AND BLOOMURIAN

8:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $15

THE JAUNTEE 9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $12

EMANCIPATOR WITH RJD2 AND CLOUDCHORD. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $40

WIDESPREAD PANIC (NIGHT 2)

7 p.m. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $110

ALFREDO MURO AND STEVE MULLINS 7 p.m. Willow Farm

Contemplative Center, 11898 North 75th St., Longmont. $15

SUNDAY, JUNE 25

LOCALLY HAITI BENEFIT FEAT. PAUL BEAUBRUN OF THE ARCADE FIRE 5 p.m. The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $25. Story on p. 16

SYNTYSCHE GROVERLAND

11 a.m. Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center, 2855 Folsom St. Free

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

VERTIGO ROAD. 5:30 p.m. Sanitas Brewing Company, 3550 Frontier Ave., Boulder. Free

JONATHAN & ABIGAIL PEYTON WITH STONE MENDEZ 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $15

BANDS ON THE BRICKS: HAZEL MILLER AND THE COLLECTIVE 5:30 p.m. 1300 Block of Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. Free

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

THE HEAD AND THE HEART WITH RAYLAND BAXTER AND SERA CAHOONE 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, Red Rock Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. Sold out (resale only). Story on pg. 19

DEAR MARSHA 7 p.m. Thursday, June 29, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. Free

Photos by Nathan Poppe

ON STAGE

Boulder-based theater group The Catamounts presents the site-specific Pride of the Farm, an immersive experience turning the 152-acre Metzger Farm Open Space into a stage to tell the story of its former owner, Colorado Attorney General John Metzger. Read a BW feature on the production by scanning the QR code. See listing for details.

OUTDOOR THEATER SERIES: PRIDE OF THE FARM Metzger Farm Open Space, 12080 Lowell Blvd., Westminster. Through June 25. $25 BW Pick of the Week

THE SOUND OF MUSIC BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. Through Aug. 19. $75. Story at boulderweekly.com

A SUPERHERO TALE PRESENTED BY ARTS IN THE OPEN. Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder.Through July 2. $25

WILLY WONKA Jester’s Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont. Through Aug. 6. $30

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING & KING LEAR PRESENTED BY COLORADO SHAKESPEARE

FESTIVAL Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, Broadway Street & College Ave., Boulder. Through Aug. 13. $25

MISS RHYTHM: THE LEGEND OF RUTH BROWN Denver Center for the Performing Arts (Garner Galleria Theatre), 1101 13th St. Through Oct. 15. $46. Story at boulderweekly.com

Celebrate Pride Month with Imagine Love, an exhibition of works by local artist Koko Bayer, the creative engine behind the pay-it-forward art endeavors Rainbow Heart Project and Project Spread Hope, on display at Bus Stop Gallery through July 1. See listing for details.

ON THE PAGE

Join author Finn Murphy in conversation with Boulder Bookstore’s Arsen Kashkashian and KGNU’s Maeve Conran for a discussion of Rocky Mountain High: A Tale of Boom and Bust in the New Wild West. The event will be recorded as part of the Boulder Bookstore and KGNU Radio Book Club See listing for details.

EXPLORATIONS OF RESILIENCE AND RESISTANCE / OUR BACKS HOLD OUR STORIES. 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Through June 28. Free (appointment only)

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF POSADA: CASA DE YUSTE. NoBo Art Center, 4929 Broadway, Unit E, Boulder. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 24. Free

ONWARD AND UPWARD: SHARK’S INK CU Art Museum, 1085 18th St., Boulder. Through July 2023. Free

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: A TALE OF BOOM AND BUST IN THE NEW WILD WEST BY FINN MURPHY 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 22, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder. $5 BW Pick of the Week

STORYTIME WITH LOCAL AUTHOR ELIZABETH EVERETT 10:15 a.m. Saturday, June 24, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. Free

agriCULTURE: ART INSPIRED BY THE LAND. BMoCA, 1750 13th St., Boulder; and The Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. Through Oct. 1 (BMoCA) and June 10-Jan. 7 (Longmont Museum). $2 / $8

CRAFTED: SUBVERTING THE FRAME Firehouse Art Center, 667 Fourth Ave., Longmont. June 10-July 23. Free

IMAGINE LOVE BY KOKO BAYER Bus Stop Gallery, 4895 Broadway, Boulder. Through July 1. Free BW Pick of the Week

GOOD NIGHT, IRENE BY LUIS ALBERTO URREA. 4 p.m. Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Free

COLORADO IN THE CIVIL WAR BY JOHN STEINLE 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 27, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder. $5

MIDLIFE EMERGENCE: FREE YOUR INNER FIRE BY JEN BERLINGO 6:30-7:30 p.m. Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder. $5

JUNE 25 ROLLERPALOOZA

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

Boulder Social Streets

Come meet on the street all summer long...

13th

Street

(between Canyon and Arapahoe)

This summer as part of the City of Boulder’s “Social Streets” initiative, the Downtown Boulder Partnership is hosting a series of FREE fun events / activities along 13th Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard. (There is no cost to attend the events and all members of the community and visitors near and far are invited to attend to participate or just enjoy as spectators!) So grab your family/neighbors/friends and come meet on the street to celebrate community and enjoy our vibrant downtown district!

Please visit the website for specific event times and additional details!

JULY 21 DANCING IN THE STREET

JULY 30

PICNIC ON THE PAVEMENT

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): When I was still an up-and-coming horoscope columnist, before I got widely syndicated, I supplemented my income with many other jobs. During one stretch, I wrote fortunes for a line of designer fortune cookies that were covered with gourmet chocolate and sold at the luxury department store Bloomingdale’s. The salary I got paid was meager. Part of my compensation came in the form of hundreds of delicious but non-nutritious cookies. If you are offered a comparable deal in the coming weeks and months, Aries, my advice is to do what I didn’t do but should have done: Ask for what’s truly valuable to you instead of accepting a substitute of marginal worth.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): My mentor Ann Davies said that of all the signs of the zodiac, you Tauruses are most likely to develop finely honed intuition. At least potentially, you can tune in to the inner teacher better than the rest of us. The still, small voice rises up out of the silence and speaks to you clearly and crisply. Here’s even better news: I believe you are entering a phase when your relationship with this stellar faculty may ripen dramatically. Please take advantage of this subtly fabulous opportunity! Each day for the next 14 days, do a relaxing ritual in which you eagerly invite and welcome the guidance of your deepest inner source.

AUGUST 4 YAPPY HOUR

AUGUST 13

BOULDER STREET SOCCER CLASSIC

AUGUST 25

MELANIN FUNK FEST

SEPTEMBER 8

CU ATHLETICS MEET & GREET

SEPTEMBER 24

COMMUNITY ART DAY

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): History has provided contradictory reports about Isabeau of Bavaria, who served as Queen of France from 1385 to 1422. Was she a corrupt, greedy, and indecisive fool who harmed France’s fortunes? Or was she a talented diplomat with great skill in court politics and an effective leader during the many times her husband, King Charles VI, was incapacitated by illness? I bring these facts to your attention, Libra, hoping they will inspire you to refine, adjust, and firm up your own reputation. You can’t totally control how people perceive you, but you do have some power to shape their perceptions — especially these days.

Part of the City of Boulder’s “Social Streets” initiative.

BoulderSocialStreets.com

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): New College in Oxford, U.K. has educated students since 1379. Among its old buildings is a dining hall that features beams made of thick oak trees. Unfortunately, most oak wood eventually attracts beetles that eat it and weaken it. Fortunately, the 14th-century founders of New College foresaw that problem. They planted an oak grove whose trees were specifically meant to be used to replace the oak beams at New College. Which they are to this day. I would love you to derive inspiration from this story, Gemini. What practical long-term plans might you be wise to formulate in the coming months?

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): In the Northern Hemisphere, the astrological month of Cancer begins with the sun in its greatest glory. Our home star is at its highest altitude, shining with maximum brightness. So then why is the sign of the Crab ruled by the moon? Why do the longest days of the year coincide with the ascendancy of the mistress of the night? Ahhh. These are esoteric mysteries beyond the scope of this horoscope. But here’s a hint about what they signify for you personally. One of your assets can also be a liability: your innocent openness to the wonders of life. This quality is at the heart of your beauty but can also, on occasion, make you vulnerable to being overwhelmed. That’s why it’s so important that you master the art of setting boundaries, of honing your focus, of quaffing deeply from a few cups instead of sipping from many cups.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The coming weeks will be a delicate time for your spiritual unfoldment. You are primed to recover lost powers, rediscover key truths you have forgotten, and reunite with parts of your soul you got cut off from. Will these good possibilities come to pass in their fullness? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how brave you are in seeking your healing. You must ask for what’s hard to ask for. You’ve got to find a way to feel deserving of the beauty and blessings that are available. PS: You ARE deserving. I will be cheering you on, dear Leo.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Whether or not you have been enrolled in a learning institution during the past 12 months, I suspect you have been getting a rigorous education. Among the courses you have almost completed are lessons in intimacy, cooperation, collaboration, symbiosis, and togetherness. Have you mastered all the teachings? Probably not. There were too many of them, and they were too voluminous to grasp perfectly and completely. But that’s OK. You have done well. Now you’re ready to graduate, collect your diploma, and apply what you have learned.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): The next four weeks will be an excellent time to create and celebrate your own holidays. I recommend you dream up at least four new festivals, jubilees, anniversaries, and other excuses to party. Eight or more would be even better. They could be quirky and modest, like Do No Housework Day, Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day, or Write Bad Poetry Day. They could be more profound and impactful, like Forgive Your Parents for Everything Day, Walk on the Wild Side Day, or Stay Home from Work Because You’re Feeling So Good Day. In my astrological opinion, Scorpio, you should regard playful fun as a top priority. For more ideas, go here: tinyurl.com/CreateHolidays, tinyurl.com/ NouveauHolidays, tinyurl.com/InventHolidays

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a god who stole fire from his fellow gods and gave it to humans to help them build civilization. His divine colleagues were not pleased. Why? Maybe they feared that with the power of fire, people would become like gods themselves and have no further need for gods. Anyway, Sagittarius, I hope you’re in a fire-stealing mood. It’s a good time to raise your whole world up to a higher level — to track down and acquire prizes that will lead to major enhancements. And unlike what happened to Prometheus (the other gods punished him), I think you will get away with your gambits.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Let’s discuss magical doorways. Each time you sleep, you slip through magical doorways called dreams. Whether or not you recall those adventures, they offer you interesting mysteries utterly unlike the events of your daily life. Here’s another example: A magical doorway opens when an ally or loved one shares intimate knowledge of their inner realms. Becoming absorbed in books, movies, or songs is also a way to glide through a magical doorway. Another is when you discover an aspect of yourself, a corner of your being, that you didn’t know was there. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming weeks will present an extra inviting array of magical doorways.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Psychiatrist Myron Hofer specializes in the mother-infant relationship. Among his findings: The first emotion that a newborn experiences is anxiety. Struggling to get out of the womb can be taxing, and it’s shocking to be separated from the warm, nourishing realm that has been home for months. The bad news is that most of us still carry the imprint of this original unease. The good news, Aquarius, is that the coming months will be one of the best times ever for you to heal. For optimal results, place a high priority on getting an abundance of love, support, comfort, and physical touch.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Curious blends and intriguing juxtapositions are in the works — or at least they should be. Improbable alliances might be desirable because they’re curative. Formulas with seemingly mismatched ingredients might fix a glitch, even if they never succeeded before and won’t again. I encourage you to synergize work and play. Negotiate serious business in casual settings and make yourself at home in a wild frontier.

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

DEAR DAN: When I was seven years old, I was molested by a neighbor, who apparently was a serial pedophile. Years later, another of his victims killed him and is now doing 20 years for manslaughter. I reached out to him in prison, and we’ve been corresponding for several months. Even though I don’t approve of murder, I understand why he did what he did and part of me is glad he did it. I feel a sense of kinship with him because of our shared history. There is zero chance of a romantic relationship between us. He’s not my type. We’re just pen pals.

My issue is this: In almost every communication he asks for money. I put some money on his canteen account, but his requests have broadened to wanting money to take classes, money for hobbies, money for books, and now, money to pay off a drug debt. (I said no to that last one.) I can afford it; that’s not the issue. The issue is that I’m starting to feel like an ATM. He’s also tried to use me as a messenger to send messages to people in the outside world, mostly his ex, which I’m reluctant to do because of course I have no idea how many facts he may be leaving out. I would end the correspondence, but he literally has no one else. He has no family and no friends other than the people he’s in prison with. He needs someone to be there for him, and I hate to abandon him. I want him to be ready for release when it happens in four years, and if I can help him turn his life around, I want to do it.

So, am I being an idiot here? Should I just cut him loose? Or should I continue to be a positive influence in his life?

— Prison Pen Pals

DEAR PPP: You’ve got four years to determine if you can trust this guy, PPP: articulate your boundaries now, clearly, and see how he responds. How much money can you spare? Tell him you’ll drop exactly that much money in his canteen account every month and tell him not to ask for more. Additionally, tell him not to ask you to contact people on his behalf if he has someone’s contact information, he can reach out to them directly, PPP, and doesn’t need an intermediary. (And if his ex or other friends have no-contact orders, asking you to contact them is a violation, as all no-contact orders forbid reaching out through third parties.) If he keeps asking for money and/or asking you to contact people after you’ve clearly communicated your boundaries, he’s unlikely to respect your boundaries once he’s out. And the last thing you want is an entitled murderer who has already demonstrated he can’t respect your boundaries showing up at your house — even if the guy happened to murder someone you kindasorta wanted dead.

People in prison need support from outside and your willingness to write him is a huge mitzvah all by itself but don’t lose sight of your own safety here. If he shows respect for your boundaries and stops asking you for additional money (to say nothing of settling his drug debts) and stops asking you to contact his ex and others on his behalf, PPP, you can think about providing him with more help and support once he’s out. But you’ll need to figure out what kind of help you’re able to offer once he gets out of prison and create a new set of boundaries.

You don’t owe him anything.

ALL THE WAY DOWN

unusual movie, even in Anderson’s oeuvre. To call this film “fussy” seems like a no-brainer, but Asteroid City feels more hermetically sealed than his previous work. Darker too. For reasons I won’t get into, because it would either spoil the plot or sound too complicated to untangle, this is all by design — which also sounds like an obvious observation. So it goes.

BY MICHAEL J.

The play’s the thing, and for Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), a Tennessee Williams-type with a predilection for Tom of Finland cowboy art, his new play is sure to be the one that wakes the audience up. Or puts them to sleep. Maybe both.

It’s called Asteroid City, and it’s set in a small town of the same name on the border between California, Arizona and New Mexico. Small is being generous: 80-some people call Asteroid City home, and they either work at the boxcar diner, the resort cabins or the asteroid crater’s scenic overlook. Off in the distance, the U.S. Army continues to test atomic bombs, but the town folk

don’t seem to mind. Nor do they mind the long-forgotten, never-finished overpass ramp and the endless chase between cops and robbers down Asteroid City’s main drag.

All of this is presented in precise framing and camera pans, fastidious production design, controlled color palettes and robotic performances from nearly two dozen named characters that move through the sets as if trapped in a diorama. That’s probably the point.

And I probably don’t have to tell you that Asteroid City is the new film from director Wes Anderson. Teaming again with co-writer Roman Coppola, it’s an

The city of Asteroid City looks like a movie set. Not that it looks like it was shot on one, but that it is a candy-coated fabricated set existing somewhere between those mid-century case study houses and Radiator Springs. It’s a fantasy from a time when the present still fantasized about itself.

The players are many. Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) is a recent widower who doesn’t know how to tell his children their mother died. Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) is an actress known for her moody sexuality but wants to be a comedian. General Grif Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) has come to present awards to the junior stargazers for their achievements in technological innovation — inventions include a jetpack, a laser gun and a way to project images of the Moon for intergalactic advertisement. Steve Carell plays the motel manager, Matt Dillon plays Asteroid City’s one and only mechanic and Rupert Friend wanders around as a good-natured cowboy in denim buttoned up to here.

Asteroid City is a trying movie at times; magical at others. The speech General Gibson gives about his story up until now is one of the most electric and captivating pieces of writing and performance in theaters these days. Then there’s Bryan Cranston as The Host. Cut from the Rod Sterling cloth, he introduces viewers of Asteroid City the movie to Asteroid City the setting and Asteroid City the play. Anderson and Coppola take this conceit further, adding title cards for act and scene numbers, choosing artifice over naturalism any chance they can. The one exception is the presence of Stanley (Tom Hanks), who has a habit of stepping on other actors’ lines following pregnant pauses. It’s a nice bit that introduces some awkward realism, as if Anderson is saying, “Try as you might; you can’t control everything.”

That’s what Asteroid City is about — control. Conrad is trying to control the actors in his play, the actors in his play are trying to control the situation, and Anderson is trying to control both (and our reactions too). Maybe that’s why it feels so airless, even when one character makes a Pirandello-esque break in search of meaning. Asteroid City has gumption, I’ll give it that, but it also lacks the heart to land it.

ON SCREEN: Asteroid City opens in theaters on June 23.

Scarlett Johansson in ‘Asteroid City.’ Photo courtesy Focus Features.

‘Asteroid City’ is a series of engaging but not entirely convincing puzzle boxes

CASEY

BOULDER’S MICHELIN MOMENT

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

For a restaurant, nothing beats a Michelin star award. It instantly bestows legitimacy and puts the local food scene on the map.

When the announcement came June 14 that the Michelin Guide will begin awarding stars in Colorado this year, my first reaction was a fist-pumping, “It’s about damn time.”

Frankly, the dining in our state has been first class for years.

I’ve written about the ups and downs of Colorado food since the 1980s, including a seven-year stint as the anonymous dining critic for the Rocky Mountain News. I saw how reviews impacted the success of restaurants, positively and negatively.

With that in mind, my second reaction to the Michelin announcement was, “Uh oh.”

Be careful when you wish upon a Michelin star. The honor comes with so much expense and baggage that a few chefs have simply declined the distinction.

Michelin said its cadre of covert critics are already visiting restaurants in Boulder, Aspen-Snowmass, Denver and Vail-Beaver Creek.

WHICH BOULDER RESTAURANTS MEASURE UP?

Only a handful of eateries can meet Michelin’s stringent food and service demands. The likely Boulder suspects include Frasca Food and Wine, Flagstaff House, Basta, Blackbelly, Corrida and Oak at Fourteenth.

“Colorado has a rich culinary community that includes both established, notable chefs and innovative up-andcomers,” the guide organization said in the June 14 announcement.

The other current Michelin North American cities and regions are New York, Miami/Orlando/Tampa, Chicago, California, Washington, D.C., Toronto, and Vancouver.

When a restaurant wins one, two or three of those red Michelin stars, it means the eatery offers masterful and

consistent execution of food, service and ambience. It also most likely means it’s an expensive dining experience that could require reservations a month or more ahead.

MICHELIN’S AFFORDABLE $50 MEAL

Bargain-savvy epicureans need not stress: Michelin also awards Bib Gourmand distinctions to establishments that offer “great quality food at good prices,” meaning a three-course meal for one under $50. Whether or not you consider that “affordable,” this award may spotlight Boulder’s array of remarkable homegrown and international cuisine.

Other establishments can earn a Michelin green star given to “leaders in sustainable gastronomy.” Erik Skokan’s Black Cat Farm-supplied Bramble & Hare comes to mind, as does Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant serving produce from its Three Leaf Farm in Lafayette.

THE DOWNSIDE TO STARDOM

When the Michelin Guide Colorado is published later this year, most restaurants won’t be included or even mentioned.

Don’t be surprised if only one Boulder restaurant gets a single star. In the Michelin world, that translates to

a mild “worth a stop” recommendation. The chefs I’ve talked to since the announcement say the costs and pressure on staff might be overwhelming. They also worry out-oftown gastronomic tourists will make it hard for locals to get a table. History suggests getting a Michelin star doesn’t guarantee an eatery will survive and make money.

This level of scrutiny can be withering. When I was reviewing restaurants, few places got a perfect “A” from me for food, service and ambience. On any given evening, too many things can go wrong in a busy bistro. I did get to enjoy a few genuinely magnificent meals I’ve never forgotten.

Are these star-struck restaurants really the “best” places to eat in Boulder? It depends on your taste, but most of us will never know because we can’t rationalize the $100-plus cost per person for admission. Fine-dining devotees like to counter that it costs less than fans are willing to pay to hear a few hours of Taylor Swift or Dead & Company.

No matter how many local eateries get stars, the Michelin announcement signals that Boulder’s dining industry has made a profound turnaround since the devastating closings and layoffs of the pandemic, and that’s a milestone worth celebrating.

When they wish for culinary stardom, chefs never know if they’ll get kudos or a conundrum

Images courtesy Frasca Food & Wine

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: ’SHROOMS AND WINGS

● Myco Cafe, Colorado’s first mushroom-themed coffee shop, is open at 1629 28th St., Boulder, serving beverages infused with lion’s mane, cordyceps, turkey tail and/or reishi mushrooms.

● Saucy Cluckers opened at 1911 Broadway, just off the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, dishing plant-based “wings” tossed with sauces ranging from barbeque to teriyaki.

● Superior’s first brew pub, Bambei Brewing Company, has opened at 100 Superior Plaza Way.

● Bowl Izakaya is open and serving traditional ramen and yakitori at 1232 S. Hover St., Longmont.

CULINARY CALENDAR: PIE AND GATORS

● Jamestown’s Fourth of July community event includes a pancake breakfast, parade, food trucks, a pie contest for adults and a kids’ baking contest. Sign up: facebook.com/ jamestown4th

● Alligators & Ale, July 9 at Proud Souls Barbecue (5599 S. Rio Grande St.) in Littleton, features whole smoked alligator for tacos and pizza.

● Enjoy local honey wine at the Orpheus MeadFest, July 22, Jefferson Unitarian Church (14350 W. 32nd Ave.) in Golden.

● Plan ahead: Spaghetti & Westerns Fest returns to Trinidad, Colorado, and Raton, New Mexico, Oct. 13 and 14 with a celebration of pasta (including a sauce competition), Western films and scenic train rides.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: SOUL SEARCHING

Celebrate National Soul Food Month in June with barbecue pork ribs, barbecue or fried chicken, cornbread, black-eyed peas, collard greens and other comforting fare at the newly reopened Rae’s & Kay’s Authentic Puerto Rican & Soul Food kitchen. Pickup available at 2825 Wilderness Place in Boulder. Details: raesandkaystogo.com

“My contention is soul food is really the interior cooking of the Deep South that migrates across the country. I think of soul food as an immigrant cuisine and ultimately a national cuisine, because black folks just landed in all parts of the country.” — Adrian Miller, Denverbased author of the James Beard Award-winning Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Comments: Nibbles@BoulderWeekly.com

Isha Rae and Kay of Rae’s of Kay’s Authentic Puerto Rican and Soul Food in Boulder.

Credit: Susan France

Jamestown Pie Contest.

Credit: John Lehndorff

A taste of modern Japan in the heart of Boulder

Whether the sun is shining or snow is falling, our little corner of Pearl Street is the perfect place to soak up winter in beautiful Boulder! Feast alongside the jellyfish, sink into a lounge or take a seat at one of our lively bars.

Prefer the great outdoors? Our fireside patios are the coziest place to savor those mild winter days. When your own couch is calling, all of your favorites are available for curbside pickup too. No matter how you choose to dine don’t miss our ever-evolving specials, delicious seasonal cocktails, and latest rare whiskey!

A.M. OG

Brunch returns to Mateo

BY COLIN WRENN

The top of the menu at Mateo reads: “It is around the table that friends understand best the warmth of being together.” It doesn’t take long to tell this is more than a tagline.

Owner Matthew Jansen has a long friendship with the Laudisio family, whose eponymous Italian eatery in North Boulder was loved and lauded for its lively atmosphere and woodfired pizzas.

“Antonio [Laudisio] is sort of my surrogate father,” says Jansen, who moved to Boulder from Jamaica as a youngster and quickly befriended Antonio’s son, Tavio.

To this day, you might still find Antonio sitting down at Mateo to enjoy a glass or two alongside a band of boisterous regulars who appear to know the menu as well as they do each other.

BECOMING THE SCENE

Mateo opened in 2001 at its East Pearl location.

“I think people in Boulder love new things,” Jansen says. “At the time, there was nothing happening on the East End,” which has now become the scene.

Jansen helmed the kitchen for the majority of the last two decades.

“For the first year and a half I handled front of house and wine buying,” he says. “I was pretty much the maître d’.”

Using local ingredients to make stunning renditions of Provencal cuisine has always been a big part of what Mateo dishes up. Jansen’s early adoption of farm-to-table ethics comes from time in San Francisco working as wine director for the Michael Mina Group, the powerhouse behind Mina’s two Michelin-starred namesake restaurants in San Fran (now closed) and Las Vegas.

“We’re proud to be a part of the surge of sourcing outrageously great local ingredients,” Jansen says.

His own love of food and wine began early in life. He started working at Laudisio when he was 18, kickstarting a passion for Italian wines.

“Right around 1992 was when I got to go over to Italy to do my first harvest with some of the great producers of Piedmont,” he says. He’s since gone on to earn the advanced sommelier title, as well as acquiring his Italian Somme Guild certificate.

Jansen attended the French Culinary Academy in Lyon and apprenticed at some of the region’s finest restaurants. His resume includes a stint at Valentino, the legendary Santa Monica joint known for nearly 50 years as one of the country’s great halls of Italian cuisine and wine.

While Jansen isn’t on the line the way he used to be, the food at Mateo is in good hands with Corey Smith, Jansen’s business partner and director of culinary operations, and chef de

cuisine Artemio Portillo, who’s been with the restaurant since day one. The three will still build rotating seasonal menus with staples like paté, poulet, steak frites and duck confit.

PRIME TIME

Mateo seems to be in its prime after a few iterations over the years.

“We went through the cigar craze, the mixologist craze, but wine’s always been the common theme here,” Jansen says.

Like everyone else, Mateo had to make cuts to survive the pandemic, dropping lunch and brunch. Lunch returned when the restaurant was allowed to operate at full capacity, and brunch finally rejoined the roster this May, with a largely new menu built heavily by Smith, only on Sundays.

“You see a lot more bottles of wine and cocktails going out with lunch than you used to,” Jansen says. “There’s not as much of a constraint for racing back to the office.”

Brunch guests can expect plenty of elegant staples. Beignets are made inhouse, served with a marvelous dollop of lemon curd. There’s housemade granola with fresh fruit, and sturdier plates like the sunshine burger with caramelized onions, bacon jam, avocado, fried egg and frites, or steak and eggs with roasted potatoes and some of what is surely the region’s best bernaise.

“We’re doing a lot of composed dishes as opposed to build-your-own breakfasts,” Jansen says. “It’s nice and perfectly simple.”

There are plans to expand brunch to Saturdays come August.

SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES

Federal health agency says cannabis addiction is rampant — the public disagrees

BY WILL BRENDZA

As cannabis legalization spreads across the country, addiction has become the rallying cry for opposition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claim “cannabis use disorder” affects 30% of users. People who develop it use marijuana impulsively “even though it is causing health and social problems in their life.”

Researchers at Columbia recently designed an experimental drug to treat cannabis use disorder, calling their preliminary findings “very encouraging.”

According to the CDC’s own data, more than 48 million Americans use cannabis regularly — around 18% of the national population. If the CDC’s assertions about the prevalence of cannabis use disorder are correct, that means some 14 million Americans (5%) are using cannabis to the point of physical and social detriment.

For a bit of perspective, the CDC says opioid use disorder currently affects just 3 million Americans. Despite this grim epidemic apparently destroying lives across the country, the perception of cannabis is trending positively in the U.S. More people are using it and more scientific research is being

conducted on it than ever before. The stigma that has built up around this herb over decades is finally starting to dissolve.

A new poll published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) this month lends credence to that. It shows that most adults in the U.S. generally perceive cannabis as “safe” — safer than alcohol and cigarettes, at least — and that as far as addiction goes, people believe it’s even less addictive than technology.

The annual APA survey polled more than 2,000 adults about technology, cigarettes, cannabis, vapes, alcohol, unprescribed opioids and prescribed opioids. Respondents were asked how often they engage in the use of each, then if they considered them to be “very unsafe” or “somewhat unsafe,” and if they viewed them as “very addictive” or “somewhat addictive.”

The results aren’t exactly surprising: No one thinks cigarettes are healthy (84%), and it seems like word is out about vapes too, with 76% labeling them unsafe. A quarter of respondents

called non-prescription opioids unsafe, while 66% believe even prescription opioids are risky. A whopping 65% consider alcohol harmful.

Only 38% characterized cannabis as “very or somewhat unsafe.” The only category deemed safer than cannabis in the eyes of respondents was technology, which only 23% described as unsafe.

When it came to scoring the level of addictiveness, the results were similarly ranked with a couple notable differences: More than 60% said they believe cannabis can be addictive, and technology was described by 75% of respondents as “very or somewhat addictive.”

“It is clear that we have gotten the message through that cigarettes are dangerous and addictive,” APA president Petros Levounis said in a press release. Tobacco and cigarette education and public awareness campaigns have helped reduce use significantly across the country since they were implemented in the ’90s.

“We can help prevent more Americans from other potentially addictive behaviors, like drinking alcohol and technology use,” Levounis said.

To that end, the APA is launching a public awareness campaign focusing specifically on vaping and opioids this summer, then another focusing on alcohol, and a fourth targeting technology by the end of the year.

However, the APA made no mention of any plans to pursue a campaign targeting cannabis.