Boulder Weekly 07.25.2024

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

Courtesy: Universal Pictures

Adventures: If you want to travel here or to one of our unique lodges, we offer great packages or tailor-made adventures. Norrøna Stores: New York, Boston, Boulder, Castle Rock.

Address: Norrøna Concept Store Boulder, 1130 Pearl Street.

The lofoten collection

JULY 25, 2024

Volume 31, Number 49

COVER: Margo Price photographed by Alysse Gafkjen

PUBLISHER: Francis J. Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

INTERN: John Kowalski

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Jenn Ochs, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca, Gregory Wakeman, L. Kent Wolgamott

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Holden Hauke

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Chris Sawyer

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Austen Lopp

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. 690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO 80305 Phone: 303.494.5511, FAX: 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com

Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. ©2024 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved.

Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly.com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.

COMMENTARY

EDITOR’S

FARE THEE WILL

Boulder Weekly reporter leaving town

BY SHAY CASTLE

It’s a sad day for Boulder Weekly

This is the very last issue for reporter Will Matuska, who is moving to Nicaragua to teach English.

Will and Mr. Ziffel run in the Georgetown pack burro race on May 25.

Credit: Jay Holland

Will’s work is what got me to start reading Boulder Weekly regularly before I became editor, after years of being underwhelmed by their news coverage. I was impressed with the breadth and depth of his reporting, with the clarity of his writing, with the obvious dedication and passion behind each piece. I started checking the website each week to see what he had produced.

My admiration only increased when I started working with Will. He covered complex environmental issues with great care, breaking down difficult topics for readers. His playful personality really shone through in more feature-y writing; I highly recommend his recent piece on Colorado’s burro racing scene.

More than his writing, I enjoyed working with Will immensely. He was a cheerful and positive presence in the newsroom; quieter than some of his co-workers, for sure. But when he did speak up, it was usually something that got us all laughing.

I wish I had met Will sooner, either as a journalist or simply a friend. We will miss him terribly in the newsroom; I know readers will feel the loss as well. Boulder was lucky to have him here, and we wish him all the happiness and luck with the future.

WILL MATUSKA’S TIGHT FIVE

The best from Boulder Weekly’s longesttenured reporter

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

TROUBLED WATERS

Feb. 15, 2023

This is the story that really made me take notice of Will’s reporting. Concerns about crime and homelessness around Boulder Creek were well-documented. While other news outlets contented themselves with quoting concerned parents, kids and business owners, Will went a step further and looked at the data on crime. He also made sure to include the voices of unhoused folks, a population that many media outlets unfortunately overlook. — Shay Castle, editor-in-chief

‘UNTIL WE’RE ALL HOME’

Sept. 7, 2023

As the BW culture editor, I’m a sucker for a reported feature that anchors its lede in the arts. So when Will used a

concert at Planet Bluegrass to set the scene for his story on the 10th anniversary of the devastating Lyons flood of 2013, I knew readers were in for something more than a by-the-book update on the state of recovery.

Beginning with an offhand lyric from The Tallest Man on Earth performed at last year’s Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, the article zooms out to explore what Will describes as “the duality of the river as both a place of refuge and destruction.”

Featuring interviews from displaced locals, town leadership and meteorologists — along with a charming Boulder County update on John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” from one musically inclined resident — his compelling check-in is required reading about the resilience of community in the face of escalating climate change. — Jezy J. Gray, arts and culture editor

THE ONES WE LEAVE BEHIND

Aug. 17, 2023

This one is a tough read. It tackles the toll on kids, families and hospitals as supports for kids with autism, intellectual and developmental disorders, and high-acuity needs become underresourced and overburdened. Will reported that nearly 50 residential programs in Colorado have closed since 2007, sometimes leaving kids to sleep in hospitals or on cots in county offices that are ill-equipped to support them.

Prior to reading the story, I was completely unaware of this problem. It wasn’t an easy one to report hospitals have strict privacy laws — and as Will put it, the issue as a whole “can’t be traced back to one crack in the system, rather myriad fissures.” He approached each of these fissures with care and nuance, speaking with parents, human services workers and a state representative while weaving in data along the way. Despite the complexity of the issue, this urgent and emotional story never lost its humanness — a credit to Will’s empathy and strength as a reporter. Kaylee Harter, reporter

REWILDING THE WEST

Jan. 18, 2024

Many of us Front Rangers don’t think much about wolves beyond voting for their reintroduction to Colorado. After all, “commercial” ranchers — the loudest opponents of reintroduction — are easy to write off as “business interests” conflicting with nature. But Will’s piece forced me to care about the folks who face threats from these iconic predators (and the grim reality of the pain that cattle suffer after attacks). His story offered a way forward by including folks who are actively trying to bridge the cultural and political divide while respecting the place wolves have in our society and our environment. What struck me most was Will’s incredible capacity for exploring multiple

perspectives, truly the hallmark of a great reporter. — Shay Castle

‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ASS’

June 6, 2024

Will made his mark at Boulder Weekly with engaging news reporting, but I’ll always be partial to his adventure and culture stories. He brought us with him to unique excursions and compelling conversations. Will was our guide and our adventure buddy.

For me, no story exemplified this quite like his profile of Colorado’s official summer heritage sport: pack burro racing. Will put legends and newcomers of this summer series on a pedestal, all while breaking down its history clearly for readers. I remember when we pitched this idea to Will — he calmly accepted, as he always does, and little more was said. A day or two later, Will had a donkey rented (shoutout to Mr. Ziffel), an interview lined up with Bill Lee, the godfather of the sport, and his own spot in the race at Georgetown. If that’s not uncompromising journalism, nothing is. — Carter Ferryman, special project manager

BOULDER WEEKLY’S OTHER WILL IS LEAVING, TOO. CHECK OUT HIS FINAL COLUMN ON P. 39

Boulder Weekly staff stun shoppers at Westminster’s Orchard Town Center in their Canadian tuxedos.

Credit: JCPenney Portraits

brittany

bonny

OPINION

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS

The best and worst bus stops in Boulder for wheelchair users

BY JENN OCHS

Irely on public transit and ride share for my transportation. I prefer traveling in the summer and fall because of the weather: There aren’t heaters in bus shelters.

Shade or shelter is a necessity in any season. If the bus stop doesn’t have a shelter, then it automatically makes my ‘worst’ list. Speaking of… I present to you my nominees for best and worst bus stops in Boulder, based on years of using public transportation with a wheelchair.

BEST: PEARL STREET BETWEEN 30TH AND 28TH STREETS (IN FRONT OF WHOLE

FOODS)

I like this shelter because it has a section with a roof and no walls attached, a design that provides shade and fresh air. It’s easy for bad smells to build up in the small space where air currents are stagnant.

Another problem with walled shelters is that the bus drivers don’t see people waiting in them. If they don’t see you, buses don’t stop. I have had the unfortunate experience of the bus driving on by. I now make an effort to wait under the bus stop sign next to the curb.

WORST: ARAPAHOE AND 30TH

This stop has no shelter and a strange concrete curb that limits mobility when in a wheelchair. Plus, the built-in bench barely leaves enough room for the bus ramp to lower, making it difficult to maneuver the chair to board the bus. I’ve often run into the bench when trying to approach the ramp needed to board the bus.

Following general bus etiquette, I do not immediately board when the doors open because this prohibits the lowering of the ramp, which is necessary for me to depart. Once on the bus, I’m often trapped because I have maneuvered out into the aisle waiting for the ramp to be lowered, but it can’t be due to the able-bodied person standing on it who is trying to get around me to sit down.

It’s not easy to maneuver a power wheelchair in the tight space of a bus aisle. Usually the bus driver will hold out a stop hand, but some people don’t notice it because they jump on so quickly.

If you’re riding a bus with the accessible seats folded up and a passenger using a wheelchair boards, lift up the seats for them. It’s easy: The corners of the seats have levers for hoisting.

I understand that transporting a wheelchair user is rare, but we should all get used to seeing wheelchair users out and about. People with disabilities have the same right to be in public as able people, and everyone is just one accident or disease away from joining the disabled community. Simple aging can lead to the necessity of using a mobility device.

If you have a disability, hopefully this will encourage you to be more active. Visibility will help everyone become more aware of our existence and the challenges we face.

Jenn Ochs lives in Boulder and enjoys listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks while painting or drawing. She is a disability rights advocate and a graduate from Baylor University in Texas, which is where she realized that Boulder is the best place to live.

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

Juice, author Jenn Ochs’ lightweight, foldable wheelchair, is handy for navigating rideshares and tight spaces on the bus. Courtesy: Jenn Ochs

NEWS

GOV’T WATCH

What your local officials are up to this week

BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF

BOULDER CITY COUNCIL

Council is back from recess this week. Check out what’s on the July 25 agenda at bit.ly/GovWatchJuly25. At its Aug. 1 meeting council will:

• Take a preliminary vote on whether to place a number of items on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election. Those measures include increasing council member and mayor pay, decommissioning the airport and declining funding that would prolong the airport’s operation, and if decommissioned, repurposing the airport site into a mixeduse neighborhood with at least half of the housing units permanently affordable.

• Discuss natural medicine zoning and licensing in response to state law passed in 2023 laying out the regulatory framework for natural medicine and formally implementing the voter-approved Natural Medicine Health Act. The legilsation allows for use of psilocybin, also known as “magic mushrooms,” under the supervision of licensed facilitators at licensed healing centers and decriminalizes personal use and sharing of psilocybin, mescaline, ibogaine and DMT. Retail sales remain illegal.

BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

During the week of July 30, commissioners will:

• Take public testimony about Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) after its business meeting July 30 at 9:30 a.m. BCHA is the housing authority for all of the county outside the city limits of Boulder and Longmont, and has faced criticism from some residents over maintenance issues,

drug use and criminal activity. The housing authority manages 61 properties and serves more than 3,000 individuals, according to its 2023 annual report. Register to attend virtually at boco.org/BOCCJuly30AM or in-person at boco. org/InPerson-July30AM.

• Hold a public hearing on the draft Boulder County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which recommends wildfire risk reduction measures in the wildland urban interface (WUI). Feedback will be incorporated into the final draft, which will be approved at a future business meeting.

• Hold a public hearing and decide whether to refer the Eldorado Springs Public Improvement District (PID) to the ballot. The PID would operate and maintain the Eldorado Springs sewage treatment plant and sewage collection system for properties in the district as well as wastewater treatment and sewerage services. Public improvement districts are typically funded by property taxes. Those who live or own property in the proposed district would vote on its formation in the Nov. 5 election.

LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL

This week, council:

• Made a recommendation on creating a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for Old Town. Council is set to vote Aug. 6 on a draft ordinance referring the DDA to a vote of owners, residents and tenants within the district boundary.

• Received an update on U.S. 287 from Boulder County officials. A 24-mile section of the highway from U.S. 36 to the Larimer County line — has the highest number of fatal crashes in Boulder County.Recommendations to improve multi-modal travel along the corridor include rumble strips, center median barriers, traffic signal timing improvements and a walk-bike path.

All agendas are subject to change. Karen Norback contributed to this reporting.

• Cosmetic Skin Care Treatment

• Hormone Replacement

• Medically Supervised Weight Loss

• Mental Health Medications

• Sports and Camp Physicals

• Illness & Injury Care

&

BELOW OUR FEET

How Boulder County fits into Colorado’s growing groundwater use

BY WILL MATUSKA

Whether it’s skiing champagne powder in the mountains or floating down one of the state’s rivers, Coloradans interact with water in more ways than one. But out of view, there’s another part of the picture.

Nineteen of the state’s 64 counties “rely heavily” on groundwater, according to Water Education Colorado. Some of those areas, like the San Luis Valley, south Denver and the eastern plains, are having to reevaluate water usage as more wells deplete the available resource. That’s also happening nationally, as an investigation from the New York Times found that aquifers around the country are being “severely depleted” due to farming, residential development and less precipitation.

Water use in this state mostly comes from the surface (rivers and streams), but reliance on groundwater is increasing. Meanwhile, a recent study published in the Journal of Climate predicted Colorado River flows could increase between 2026 and 2050, but demonstrate heightened variability in the shape of “extreme low and high flows.”

Boulder County is somewhat sheltered from these realities — most residents are served by municipal utilities that almost exclusively draw from the

surface water, with rights that give them first dibs.

But not all of those people are connected to city water. There are just over 10,000 wells hooked up to groundwater, most of them permitted for certain uses with minimal regulatory oversight standards or monitoring requirements.

While these “exempt” wells aren’t allowed to use as much water as larger capacity wells used for irrigation or commercial business, Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) water quality and sustainability specialist Erin Dodge said they are in a “regulatory gap,” making people more vulnerable to issues in water quality and quantity.

“Private well owners are basically completely unregulated,” Dodge said.

When monitoring does happen in the county, it’s collected by a patchwork of entities, making it difficult to discern long-term trends and creating uncertainty related to how growing human consumption and environmental factors, like climate change or drought, are impacting the system.

“We want to understand groundwater as well as we understand surface water. Surface water is a lot more sexy and it’s easier to measure, and people are excited about it because they can walk along the river,” said Tim Wellman, who sits on Shannon Water and

Sanitation District’s (SWSD) board of directors in unincorporated Boulder County. “But measuring groundwater more effectively would help us understand the long term and be able to make some better decisions.”

WHAT IS GROUNDWATER?

More than 95% of all freshwater in the world, excluding the polar ice caps, is groundwater. It’s found almost everywhere, depending on geology, as water fills empty spaces beneath the surface. The source of all groundwater is precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, hail and all other liquid that falls from the sky.

It’s hard to say exactly how many people rely on the water that collects naturally below the surface in the Centennial State. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says it supplies around 11% of the state’s population, while the Colorado Geological Survey puts it closer to 20%.

A comprehensive assessment of the resource underfoot in Colorado has never been completed, but it’s estimated to be significant. Water Education Colorado’s Citizen Guide calls it “a vital and perhaps under-appreciated piece of the state’s water portfolio.”

There are more than 285,000 permits currently issued for wells in Colorado and 4,000 new ones request-

ed per year to the state’s overseeing agency, the Division of Water Resources (DWR). Nearly 80% of the wells in Colorado are for domestic or household use, but irrigation draws 86% of the total groundwater used in the state.

There are three different kinds of rock or sediment that hold groundwater, called aquifers, found in Boulder County, each with their own distinct properties.

In the mountains are igneous aquifers that trap water in rock fractures and faults, such as granite, that have limited connectivity and often different water levels and yields. Shallow alluvial aquifers on the plains are made up of materials saturated with water and considered “tributary,” meaning they are connected to the surface water system. Finally, the southeast part of the county beneath sections of Broomfield and Louisville is above the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer, the deepest of four bedrock aquifers in a geological formation from Greeley to Colorado Springs called the Denver Basin.

According to state data, the vast majority of wells constructed in the county don’t have a specified source aquifer, but multiple sources said most groundwater users tap into alluvial and granite systems.

WHAT’S COMING IN AND GOING OUT

When it comes to groundwater levels, Lesley Sebol, a senior hydrogeologist at the Colorado Geological Survey, said it’s a limited dataset and surveillance tends to focus more on quality.

“Water level data is the least monitored groundwater dataset in the state,” Sebol wrote in an email responding to questions. “There is no one go-to resource.”

Historically, the USGS monitored 537 wells in Boulder County, dating back to 1949. But less than 100 of them took more than one water level measurement, and the last readings from those wells was in 1986.

Connor Newman, a groundwater specialist at the Colorado Water Science Center within the USGS, said the federal agency monitors based on the needs of the public, which have changed over time.

“In essence, this means that in the early 1970s through mid-1980s, it appears to me that local agencies (Boulder County) had a keen interest in understanding groundwater resources,” Newman wrote in an email to Boulder Weekly, “but that those interests decreased through time.”

Today, BCPH water quality specialist Carl Job says “when it comes to ongoing groundwater monitoring, both in terms of quality and quantity, there’s not a whole lot of that going on [in Boulder County].”

DWR is the primary regulatory authority of water in the state. It administers water rights, monitors streamflow and water use, maintains databases of water information and gives out permits. Because groundwater and surface water are often connected, Colorado regulates groundwater within its system of “prior appropriation” unless proven otherwise.

The agency has a network of well monitoring across the Denver Basin. One of them, the only in Boulder County, has recorded water levels dropping nearly 30 feet between 2005 and 2023 at that point in the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer. One year recorded 150 feet of fluctuation.

When asked about the potential causes of those changes, a county

spokesperson said “groundwater levels are influenced by a variety of different factors. Large fluctuations over short intervals of time are often a result of groundwater pumping.”

According to state records, SWSD is the largest public water supplier that solely uses groundwater to serve a community (450 people) in Boulder County. Wellman said SWSD’s three wells are allocated up to 29.6 million gallons of pumping a year from the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer, but they actually use about 10% of that.

The district doesn’t have ongoing water level testing, but Wellman found its wells “recharged quickly” after a recent test. As a public water provider, SWSD faces stricter regulations than exempt wells, but Wellman said water level surveillance “is really gallons pumped.”

“I think we want to understand the resource better, which means more monitoring wells to measure what the aquifer is doing,” Wellman said. “That would help us understand the overall amount of groundwater available and whether or not we are depleting it at a really fast rate … or if it’s more of a sustainable use.”

Since 2000, there has been an average of about 100 wells built in Boulder County per year. Most of them are pri-

statute, according to DWR officials. Job said there’s “ambiguity” around total water consumption with private wells because they are not regulated the same way as public systems like SWSD.

“Once the wells are in the ground, they’re kind of operating under their own oversight,” said Job about the roughly 9,650 exempt wells in the county.

vate, exempt wells designated for domestic or household use and limited to pumping 15 gallons per minute, much less than other well uses such as irrigation.

Sustainability of the aquifer is not considered when evaluating exempt well permits because it isn’t required in

The cities and towns of Lyons, Boulder, Lafayette and Superior all told Boulder Weekly they do not use groundwater and have no plans to develop it for public use in the future. Reasons varied from having adequate surface water supplies to a lack of nearby quality aquifers.

The City of Louisville has done some “basic high-level evaluations” of using groundwater, but it doesn’t have plans to advance the resource’s development, according to the city.

A spokesperson for one town, Erie, said the town anticipates up to 20% of its future maximum daily demand to come from groundwater, which will be augmented using water from Windy Gap reservoir. Augmentation plans are a way to replace water after pumping and are often required for “non-exempt”

wells, like those permitted for subdivisions and municipalities providing public drinking water.

The City of Longmont also relies almost completely on surface water, said water resources manager Ken Huson, but it does have conditional rights for around 20 non-exempt well sites the city could drill. Huson said developing those wells is a long-term project and “further down the list of priorities” to meet demand in dry periods.

“It allows us to retime the water where you can take the water when you’re in a drought and replace it during periods when you have an excess supply.”

LOW PRIORITY

Part of the reason for limited water level monitoring in Boulder County is because it isn’t required, according to Corey DeAngelis, water resources engineer at DWR.

“We’re not going to start requiring everybody with a well to start reporting, or we’re not going to go out and monitor the groundwater necessarily, because we don’t have statutory authority,” he said. “We are really cautious to look at the law, that’s what drives us in our duties.”

Water managers agree that more monitoring is better, but said it isn’t a priority because surface water is more readily available and used in the area.

NEWS

“We’re so high up in the watershed [in Boulder County] that it may be over the top to try to monitor groundwater up here,” said Wellman, adding that equipment used to measure water levels, like pressure transducers, can cost up to $800 per well.

When asked about the depth of knowledge regarding groundwater levels and resources in Boulder County, Kevin Donegan, chief of DWR’s hydroecology section, said “it is going to be pretty restricted to private landowner, individual well records” because his office focuses more on monitoring areas where groundwater is the only supply, like other parts of the Denver Basin.

Boulder County’s varying types of groundwater also means that not all aquifers are interconnected, and even individual aquifer characteristics like depth and quality can change significantly. Much of the space around Boulder and Longmont is also known as the “Boulder Complex Area” where, due to the nearby mountains, a series of faults creates complicated geological layers, limiting groundwater supply.

Reid Polmanteer, a hydrologist who works with the Colorado Groundwater Association, said that increases the value of localized testing.

“The best monitoring point for a person reliant on groundwater is their own water well,” he wrote in response to emailed questions.

In areas without monitoring, DeAngelis said DWR generally might start “when there is an issue or something changes that could be problematic.”

“If it’s not an issue or a problem, then maybe that’s why there’s not the requirement, because it would take effort, reporting and more requirements on individual well owners to monitor and report all of that to us,” said DeAngelis. “And then the big question is well, why are we doing this?”

DEEP DIVE

Over the last year and a half, BCPH has received funding from the sustainability tax, approved by Boulder County voters in 2016, to “think about how water quality and quantity are impacting our most vulnerable populations.”

Part of that effort has meant reaching out to private well owners to better understand groundwater and moving beyond what Dodge called “textbook knowledge” to a “data-driven, true understanding of the state of water quality and quantity in our county.”

In one project, the county discovered elevated levels of PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals, in private wells within the Sugarloaf and Boulder Mountain fire protection districts. Other areas found trace amounts of uranium.

In some cases, water levels may drop below a pump intake, also known as wells going “dry.” The state doesn’t track those occurrences, but BCPH said they’ve heard anecdotal reports of that and reduced pumping rates happening in the county.

Job said to understand groundwater level trends, especially relating to the influence of climate change and drought, long-term groundwater level records are needed — something that isn’t available.

“You need consistent groundwater level measurements being taken at dedicated monitor wells,” he said. “From the research we’ve done here in the last couple of months especially, there seems to be an absence of a lot of that taking place throughout the county.”

Boulder County as a government agency isn’t a water provider, unlike other municipalities in the area. Dodge said the county is still figuring out its role moving forward.

“We have upward of 10,000 wells in the county,” she said. “And I think it’s one of those questions that at some point, we’ll have to have a conversation and the county will ultimately need to decide what our role will be in supporting that community that’s not really part of a larger planning effort.”

Amid increasing demand and growing populations, Wellman said there should be more awareness regarding the ways we use water.

“The challenge is consciousness at the tap, at the household level, and all the way up through larger water users,” he said. “Elevating consciousness around overall water use and trying to get at that sustainability, and the reality that a lot of this water is finite.”

MEMES KAMALA IS BRAT

Memes proliferate for VP Harris’ presidential campaign

BY MYKRA MORENO

THE

19TH

Before President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential election, users on X and TikTok had already started campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris with a meme-forward strategy.

Among the most popular memes was a “fancam” — a style of video that compiles short clips of a celebrity and usually featuring a trending song — of Harris delivering her nowviral “coconut tree” speech and dancing with Charli XCX’s “Von dutch” playing.

The video, originally posted July 3, has amassed over 3.6 million views on X. One user posted the video with the caption “I’m not kidding, she should run this as an ad if she becomes the nominee.”

Another viral fancam posted to TikTok on July 5 shows Harris laughing and dancing while “360” by Charli XCX plays. The video shows the words “I’m so Kamala” every time Charli XCX sings “I’m so Julia.” The original caption: “brat presidency.”

The featured songs are the two lead singles from brat, the latest and hugely popular album by Charli XCX. The singer, like Harris, is of Indian heritage on her mother’s side. Social media users, brands, influencers and even news publications have adopted the album’s signature lime green cover and simple typography into their logos or as filters over their photos.

Until Sunday, there was no indication the vice president had been aware of the meme.

But shortly after Biden announced his endorsement of Harris for president, Charli XCX posted to X: “kamala IS brat.” Then, the official X account for Biden’s campaign was rebranded to campaign for Harris and the profile header changed to a brat-green image that reads “kamala hq.”

The subtle acknowledgment of the videos that have turned meme-forward millennials and gen-z social media users into Harris supporters sent the internet into a frenzy and further circulated the fancams.

Elections aren’t won on memes, and Trump backers have their own set of internet content creators. But, along with Harris’ initial eye-popping fundraising numbers — the vice president’s campaign has already brought in more than $100 million — the brat meme is a sign of energy that Democrats had been missing, especially in the weeks after Biden’s faltering debate performance.

Gov. Jared Polis endorsed Harris on Sunday, shortly after Biden’s announcement. The Colorado Democrats followed suit on Tuesday, Colorado Newsline reported.

The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.

Social media users are remixing Kamala Harris’ viral “coconut tree” speech with popular songs from artists Charli XCX, Taylor Swift and Kesha. Courtesy: United States Senate

SCIENCE

SEE YOU IN HAIL

Two tornado scientists on the real world of storm chasing

BY YVETTE RICHARDSON AND PAUL MARKOWSKI THE CONVERSATION

Storm chasing for science can be exciting and stressful — we know, because we do it. It has also been essential for developing today’s understanding of how tornadoes form and how they behave.

In 1996, the movie Twister with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton brought storm-chasing scientists into the public imagination and inspired a generation of atmospheric scientists. With the new Twisters movie hitting theaters, we’ve been getting questions about storm chasing — or storm intercepts, as we call them.

Here are some answers.

What does a day of storm chasing really look like?

The morning of a chase day starts with a good breakfast, because there might not be any chance to eat a solid meal later in the day. The team looks at the weather conditions, the National Weather Service computer forecast models and outlooks from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center to determine the target.

Storms often take time to develop before they’re capable of producing tornadoes. So we watch the storm carefully on radar and with our eyes, if possible, staying well ahead of it until it matures. Often, we’ll watch multiple storms and look for signs that one might be more likely to generate tornadoes.

Once the mission scientist declares a deployment, everyone scrambles to get into position.

We use a lot of different instruments to track and measure tornadoes, and there is an art to determining when and where to deploy them. Each instrument needs to be in a specific location relative to the tornado. Some need to be deployed well ahead of the storm and

then stay stationary. Others are carmounted and are driven back and forth within the storm.

If all goes well, team members will be concentrating on the data coming in.

Some will be launching weather balloons at various distances from the tornado, while others will be placing “pods” containing weather instruments directly in the path of the tornado. A network of observing stations will have been set up, with radars collecting data from multiple angles, photographers capturing the storm from different vantages, and instrumented vehicles transecting key areas of the storm.

Not all of our work is focused on the tornado itself. We often target areas around the tornado or within other parts of the storm to understand how the rotation forms. Theories suggest this rotation can be generated by temperature variations within the storm’s precipitation region, potentially many miles from where the tornado forms.

What do all those instruments tell you about the storm?

One of the most important tools of storm-chasing is weather radar. It captures what’s happening with precipitation and winds above the ground.

We use several types of radars, typically attached to trucks so we can move fast. Some transmit with a longer wavelength that helps us see farther into a storm, but at the cost of a broader width to their beam, resulting in a fuzzier picture. They are good for collecting data across the entire storm.

Smaller-wavelength radars cannot penetrate as far into the precipitation, but they do offer the high-resolution view necessary to capture small-scale phenomena like tornadoes. We put these radars closer to the developing tornado.

We also monitor wind, air pressure, temperature and humidity along the ground using various instruments attached to moving vehicles, or by temporarily deploying stationary arrays of these instruments ahead of the approaching storm. Some of these are meant to be hit by the tornado.

Weather balloons provide crucial data, too. Some are designed to ascend through the atmosphere and capture the conditions outside the storm. Others travel through the storm itself, measuring the important temperature variations in the rain-cooled air beneath the storm. Scientists are now using drones in the same way in parts of the storm.

How do you stay safe while chasing tornadoes?

A storm can cycle, developing a new tornado downstream of the previous one. Tornadoes can change direction, particularly as they are dying or when they have a complex structure with multiple funnels. Storm chasers know to look at the entire storm, not just the tornado, and to be on alert for other storms that might sneak up. An escape plan based on the storm’s expected motion and the road network is essential.

Driving is actually the most dangerous part of storm chasing, particularly when roads are wet and visibility is poor. During the chase, the driving danger can be compounded by erratic driving of other storm chasers and traffic jams around storms.

What happens to all the data you collect while storm chasing?

After we collect the data, we spend years analyzing it. Combining data from all the instruments to get a complete picture of the storm and how it evolved takes time and patience. But having data on the wind, temperature, relative humidity and pressure from many different angles and instruments allows us to test theories about how tornadoes develop.

Although the analysis process is slow, the discoveries are often as exciting as the tornado itself.

Yvette Richardson and Paul Markowski are professors of meteorology at Penn State.

In 1973, National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) scientists were able to identify the Tornado Vortex Signature pattern in Doppler radar data for the first time. Courtesy: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

VORTEX2 was the largest tornado research project in history to explore how, when and why tornadoes form. Courtesy: NOAA

BOCO, BRIEFLY

Local news at a glance

BY SHAY CASTLE

BOULDER IS A FINALIST TO HOST SUNDANCE

Boulder is one of six cities recently selected as finalists to host the migrating Sundance Film Festival.

“With the beautiful backdrop of the Flatirons, Boulder’s historical ties to the [festival-founding] Redford Family, and the capacity to support a growing, inclusive festival, we are confident that Boulder, Colorado, is the right home for the Sundance Film Festival,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a joint announcement with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Visit Boulder announced last month that it submitted a bid, with support from the state’s tourism office. Sundance officials have been mulling a possible move since earlier this year, although a combination of Park City, Utah — its current home — and Salt Lake City is still in the running.

Atlanta; Cincinnati; Sante Fe, New Mexico; and Louisville, Kentucky, were also announced as finalists. A final selection is anticipated early next year.

NEW FRACKING WELLS PLANNED NEAR ERIE

A new, 26-well pad is proposed near Erie, according to town officials. The oil and gas development will employ hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking.

The Draco Pad, a project of Denver-based Extraction Oil and Gas and Civitas Resources, will be located on 19.45 acres in unincorporated Weld County, two miles from Erie High School. Wells would be drilled to 7,000 feet and extend horizontally for five miles toward U.S. 287, crossing into Boulder County and northwest of Lafayette city limits.

“We have no legal jurisdiction to participate in the permitting process-

es” because the pad itself is located in Weld County, Kim Sanchez, Boulder County’s deputy planning director wrote in response to emailed questions. Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) “has all regulatory authority over operations below the surface.”

“We are monitoring the process at the ECMC and will likely provide public comment,” Sanchez wrote, “but that is the extent of our legal powers.”

Weld County approved the development Feb. 29. Lafayette’s city council met in executive session July 16 to receive legal counsel about oil and gas development; it’s not clear if that meeting was related to the proposed wells.

A public hearing date has tentatively been set for Aug. 28. Those wishing to speak at the meeting can sign up the week prior. Learn more: bit.ly/ HearingAug28.

SLOWER SPEED LIMITS COMING TO BOULDER

The City of Boulder is planning to lower speed limits by 5-10 miles per hour on sections of 13 city streets, including Arapahoe, Violet and University avenues and 55th Street. The move is part of Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate serious injuries and deaths from car crashes.

New speed limits will be in place by the end of September, city officials said.

Boulder in 2020 lowered the speed limit on neighborhood streets from 25 to 20 mph, an initiative known as Twenty is Plenty. Drivers did not slow

down in the first year of lower limits, city staff found.

Further analysis of Twenty is Plenty has not been conducted, but traffic monitoring related to Vision Zero did show “some speed reduction,” according to a city spokesperson.

“While our current priority is the Core Arterial Network — the city’s busiest streets, on which a majority (67%) of severe crashes occur — we understand the importance of reducing speeding on residential streets and anticipate future efforts around this work,” Aisha Ozaslan wrote in response to emailed questions.

Learn more about the city’s plans: bit.ly/SpeedLimitsBW.

IN OTHER NEWS…

• Boulder Shelter for the Homeless has changed its name to All Roads to better reflect the nonprofit’s mission of providing housing as the ultimate solution for homelessness rather than temporary emergency

shelter. All Roads manages 180 clients in housing and 180 overnight beds at its North Boulder location.

• CU Boulder inked a 20-year deal with Pivot Energy that will provide an estimated 9.5 million kilowatthours (kWh) of solar power to Colorado’s energy grid annually beginning in 2026. The panels will be located in Weld County; the university will receive renewable energy credits for the site’s production via a process called virtual net metering allowed under state law.

• Environmental sustainability and improved graduation rates are among the stated priorities of CU Boulder’s new chancellor, Justin Schwartz, who took up the post earlier this month. Read more from CU Independent: bit.ly/SchwartzCUI

• Thirty-six wild horses and 12 burros are available for adoption in Colorado “to individuals who are eligible and can provide good homes,” Bureau of Land Management officials announced this week. Animals can be viewed at the El Paso County Fair and Events Complex in Calhan near Colorado Springs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2 and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. Competitive bidding will begin at 10:30 a.m. Learn more: blm.gov/ whb

Karen Norback contributed reporting.

Justin Schwartz.

Courtesy: CU Boulder

An oil and gas well in an Erie neighborhood. Credit: Joel Dyer

Courtesy: Jack’s Solar Garden

WHAT’S NEW, OLD SPORT?

Kiteboarding, breakdancing and more niche athletics will debut at Paris games

BY JILL JARACAZ STACKER

You’re used to seeing track and field, gymnastics and swimming at the Summer Olympics, but did you know breakdancing is now an Olympic sport? Stacker examined the new sports and events coming to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Many sports vie to be in the Olympics for greater visibility and to fuel participation. The International Olympic Committee’s revenue-sharing model doesn’t hurt either — after the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the IOC distributed nearly $523 million to the international federations governing the sports in the Olympic program.

Though many sports try, getting onto the Olympic program is a complex process that can take years. There are two elements of the Olympic sports program: The initial program consists of the core sports you see at every Games and hosts city-selected sports.

To be considered for Olympic inclusion, the sport must have an international federation that the IOC “recognizes.” Recognized international federations have participation from a wide range of countries and continents, a

world championship and abide by many rules, including those against doping and competition manipulation.

Recognized status does not guarantee Olympic inclusion — chess, billiards and cheerleading are all IOCrecognized sports but have yet to be in the Olympics.

IOC membership votes on the initial sports program about seven years before an Olympics occurs. Once a sport is on this list, it’s almost permanently put on the program, although that’s not always the case.

Host cities may also add sports to the program — with IOC approval — to make their Olympics unique. Host cities make their selections using a framework of 35 considerations, including the number of athletes, appeal to youth, costs and local popularity. The number of new sports can vary — the 2020 Tokyo Olympics had five new sports. Paris kept new sports like skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing and added one new sport to the mix.

Sports may also change their events from Olympic year to Olympic year to modernize them, appeal to younger generations and provide more opportunities for women. In Tokyo, basketball

added a 3x3 event, giving urban halfcourt play an Olympic platform. In Paris, you’ll also see several new events that will change up the Games.

BREAKING

The one new sport for Paris 2024, breaking (or breakdancing), originated in the 1970s with the emergence of hiphop culture in the United States. While some consider it more of an art form embedded in the culture, a competitive version evolved as a sport.

The World DanceSport Federation took breaking under its wing in its quest to get competitive dance in the Olympics. The IOC included it in the program at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, where it got more and more attention. Seeking a Games with a youthful, urban feel, Paris nominated it for the sports program.

The competition in Paris will feature men’s and women’s events with 16 B-boys and B-girls each. They’ll compete in a head-to-head battle of three one-minute rounds where competitors throw down their moves. Judges look for the best physicality, creativity and personal style because they compare dancers against each other rather than against a set of execution metrics like in gymnastics routines. Look for American B-girl Sunny Choi, Japan’s B-boy Shigekix and B-girl Ami, and Canada’s B-Boy Phil Wizard to spin up some moves in the competition.

MEN IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING

When artistic swimming — formerly known as synchronized swimming — was introduced to the Olympics in

1984, it was a sport for women only. However, men had participated in the sport as far back as the 1940s but were eventually pushed out as universities looked for ways to offer women’s sports to adhere to Title IX requirements.

While men still competed at lower levels of the sport, World Aquatics, the sport’s governing body, only welcomed them to the world championships in 2015. In 2022, it announced that men could compete at the Olympics. At the Olympics, men will only be allowed to compete in the team event — the duet will remain women-only, and they can only take up to two slots on the eight-person team. Not every team is expected to have men, but Italy’s team may include Giorgio Minisini, the first man to compete in a team at a senior-level event. The U.S. may feature 45-year-old Bill May, a pioneer and activist for male inclusion in the sport.

KITEBOARDING

Competed at every Olympics since 1900, sailing has continually evolved to feature categories of boats that are popular within the sport. In 2024, kiteboarding for men and women will join the schedule. In this racing class, athletes balance on boards and hang onto a large kite that catches the wind to propel them along the water. With strong enough winds, competitors can reach 45 miles per hour (74 kilometers per hour). Players can also wow the crowd with high jumps and tricks. The competition consists of multiple races over several days to determine who moves on to the semifinal rounds. Look for American Daniela Moroz, who has won multiple world titles, to be in contention for the podium.

MARATHON RACE WALK MIXED RELAY

As the IOC pushes for more gender equality, many sports have added mixed relay events to give women more medal opportunities. In track and field — also called athletics — women racewalk-

Credit: Ilja Tulit

ers have historically experienced a lot of disparity. Race walking was first included in the 1908 London Games as a men’s event. Meanwhile, women didn’t get an Olympic event until 2000, the 20-kilometer.

After the 2020 Summer Olympics, World Athletics opted to remove the men’s 50-kilometer race not only because it deemed shorter distances more marketable but also to make room for a mixed relay event to give both men and women an opportunity to win two medals.

The event will pit 22 teams of two who will each walk two legs of the relay to complete 42.195 kilometers, the marathon length. Although the event is designed to promote gender equality, men will still walk farther — they’ll do legs of 12.195 and 10 kilometers, while women will complete two 10-kilometer legs.

KAYAK CROSS

Traditionally, Olympic kayak slalom has been a solo event with athletes competing against the clock as they traverse a roaring whitewater course. The new kayak cross event turns this into a full-contact sport, as four athletes go down the whitewater course simultaneously, vying to be the first to cross the finish line.

Rather than start in the water, athletes drop from an overhead ramp onto the course, paddling downstream and upstream around gates, jostling each other to get the best line. Another added feature is the roll zone, a section of the course where paddlers must fully roll over in their boat, including a full head submersion. American Evy Leibfarth, Australian Jessica Fox and Brit Joe Clarke are names to watch in this debut event.

Credit: Soňa Maléterová

Credit: Antoine Lamielle

BUSABA AUTHENIC THAI CUISINE

Busaba means “flower” in thai - life emerging from the elements growing toward the light and emanating its brilliant colors as a gift. Our Family has lovingly created this restaurant as our “busaba” and are offering it to you with flavorful food as our gift. At Busaba, we are committed to preserving the environment and strive to reduce waste. Our taste using fresh ingredients locally available.

Now Open: Downtown Boulder 1035 Pearl Street, #102 Hours: 11:30a-9:00p Daily

Louisville Location: 133 McCaslin Blvd Unit H, Louisville

Boulder, Baseline Location: 4800 Baseline Road, Unit A-110

Erie Location: 3120 Vista Village Drive, Suite 102

Opening soon in Longmont 2343 Clover Basin Dr

FOUR PAWS & CO

Since opening in 2003, Four Paws & Co. has specialized in premium natural foods and treats, including frozen diets and raw bones. Along with the excellent choices in food for cats and dogs, we carry supplements, grooming supplies, leashes & collars, toys, beds, and cat condos. It’s safe to say there is something for every pet in the store. There is also the Friends of Four Paws Frequent Buyer Program. You receive a punch card and once that is filled, you will receive a $10 Four Paws gift

card. Last, but certainly not least, Four Paws offers two special services. We can deliver the food you need to your door, and we have a pet sitting service. Stop in soon and see how Four Paws & Co. can help you care for your best friend.

1225 Ken Pratt Blvd. #108 Longmont, CO 303-485-1565 www.fourpawsandco.com

MOUNTAIN FOUNTAIN COUNTRY STORE

At The Mountain Fountain, there’s a little something for everyone. Located smack dab in the center of Hygiene, our eclectic market and deli sources meats from local pastures, and homemade gluten-free bread to die for — combine the two, and you’ve got one of Boulder County’s best gluten-free sandwiches. As a matter of fact, everything at our bakery is homemade — and it makes all

the difference — resulting in an airy, light bite across all products: banana bread, brownies, pies, countryloafs, and so much more. Our butcher shop is many local’s little secret, but the word is out — you will walk out with the best, locally-sourced meat in the area. Grab a coffee, a sandwich and and a seat at The Mountain Fountain— we’ve got what you need.

11809 N. 75th Street, Longmont, CO 80503 (720) 487-2571 mtnftnmarket@gmail.com

Featuring June 12 The Reminders

June 19 ZiMBiRA

June 26 Hazel Miller & The Collective

July 3 Foxfeather

July 10 The 5280’s Band

July 17 Mighty Mystic

July 24 Roka Hueka

July 31 The Long Run 6PM Opening Acts Perform.

LIKE A ROLLING STONE

Country music chameleon Margo Price can’t sit still

BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT

When it comes to making music, Margo Price is a student of history who doesn’t play by the book.

Take for example the Nashville Americana star’s 2016 album Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, a raucous collection of hardcore honky-tonk songs that put a contemporary spin on traditional country. Next came another shake-up with her All American Made LP, adding a splash of R&B to the mix. Then 2020’s That’s How Rumors Get Started shifted Price into classic rock territory.

Now the stylistic shapeshifter returns with Strays II, an expanded version of the album she released earlier in 2023. The record spins ’60s psychedelia into a genre-defying, roots-music amalgam, continuing the process of reinvention that has brought her where she is today.

“It’s scary as hell,” Price says. “You know, you make a record, there’s finally a breakthrough — my first album was incredibly kind of ’60s-’70s traditional country, pedal steel, walking songs and fiddle and all that stuff. I think a lot of people really expected [me] to stay in that lane and just do that forever.”

‘DOING

SONGS DIFFERENTLY’

Price attributes her creative restlessness to inspiration from music’s master changeling: Bob Dylan.

“Dylan saw folk music as a vehicle — it could take him where he needed to go,” she says. “I kind of felt that way with country music. I had been a student of folk, blues, rock ‘n’ roll and all those things in the melting pot. I think Dylan is kind of the ultimate figure. If somebody can do any genre, it’s him.”

Price made those comments during a recent on-stage interview during The World of Bob Dylan conference in

Tulsa, Oklahoma, an event dedicated to the Nobel laureate’s life, work and cultural influence.

That influence was pivotal for Price when she moved to Nashville from rural Illinois. There, she spent hours listening to Dylan’s music under a famous 1966-era poster, going beyond the greatest hits she’d previously absorbed.

“I dove in headfirst and started listening to all the albums, because my parents were trying to convince me I needed to go to Belmont [University], look at this music degree and all this stuff,” Price says. “I think listening to the entire Bob Dylan catalog was a better use of my time than educational pursuits.”

Along the way, Price found that Dylan had just as strong of an influence on country music as he did in folk and rock.

“I always kind of feel nobody can do what Bob Dylan can do,” she says. “But of course, you try to take pieces and vignettes in his sketches, things that he’s done. It makes me feel less afraid to use any vocabulary and track any tempo or even doing songs differently.”

“When he came in, even Kris Kristofferson said everybody kind of looked at songwriting differently after that,” Price says. “I often think about this Neil Young quote: ‘I just see what Bob Dylan’s doing and then I just do it a little less better than him.’

SEE WHAT FITS

To that end, Price now alters the live versions of songs from Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, changing tempo, keys and even some lyrics. The idea is to take a page from the Dylan playbook by keeping the songs fresh and alive, and avoid becoming a human jukebox.

Price, 41, wasn’t born when Dylan released his now-classic ’60s songs. Nor was it likely she heard many of them on the radio growing up. But when she discovered Dylan as a teenager, it was like flipping on a light switch.

“I think that’s like the tablet that came down, the scrolls. I’ve just learned so many things from his catalog,” she says “We’ve covered so many songs, deep cuts that nobody would ever do from like ‘Basement Tapes’ or like ‘Hazel.’”

One thing Price gleaned from Dylan

is an adeptness for storytelling. That much is on display in the Strays standout “Lydia,” unspooling a powerful narrative about a troubled pregnant woman and her right to choose an abortion. Inspired by scenes she experienced on tour from methadone clinics to women’s health clinics, Dylan’s fingerprints can be seen in Price’s closely observed details — one of many ways the artist is putting what she’s learned from him to work in her own music.

“So much of that is just in my subconscious now. It’s just in the fiber of my being and, really, learning,” Price says. “Now, obviously, I think it’s important to write your own songs and have your own voice and do your own thing. But when I was young and coming up with this every single song that I covered, it was kind of like trying on a new outfit. See how that fit, you know? Then from there, you could construct your own.”

ON THE BILL: Tedeschi Trucks Band with Margo Price. 7 p.m. July 26–27, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $59+

Celebrated singer-songwriter Margo Price has never been afraid to buck convention. Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

Margo Price’s latest album, Strays II, was released Oct. 13, 2023. Courtesy: Loma Vista

NEW GROWTH

Local Theater Company continues a tradition of ‘development and reinvention’

BY TONI TRESCA

New is the name of the game for Local Theater Company (LTC). Since launching more than a decade ago, the mission of the Boulder-based nomadic theater troupe has focused on the development of never-before-seen plays — from the page to the stage.

Ranging from the Phish-centric You Enjoy Myself to the historical housing drama 237 Virginia Avenue, last year’s offerings continued the company’s tradition of bringing embryonic works to life. As the group prepares to mount its 14th season with the community-driven We the People: The Democracy Cycle, company leadership is looking forward to diving back into the development process.

“The greatest joy of working with LTC is watching a play grow from infant to teenager to adult, and seeing it happen again and again,” says co-artistic director Betty Hart. “Season 13 allowed us to be in the room with three incredible playwrights — Topher Payne, David Yee and David Myers — and witness their plays transform in beautiful, often unexpected ways.”

This commitment to supporting original work from emerging voices distinguishes LTC from its peers in the Colorado arts scene. But co-artistic director Pesha Rudnick says the group’s support for in-development projects makes for a “highly unpredictable” model. She admits that it is difficult to gauge theatergoers’ eagerness for material they’ve never seen before.

“We are still watching the trends of audiences right now and constantly learning new things every day about what they want to watch,” Rudnick says. “Some days we hear people want to be entertained, while others want to be challenged, making it difficult to calibrate and program for the audience’s appetite. People show up for great work, so our job as artistic

directors is to concentrate our efforts on producing excellence. However, funders don’t always see it like that.”

THE PRICE OF NEW

Producing new work presents significant financial challenges, including direct production expenses and marketing previously unheard-of plays to audiences. Costs have skyrocketed, and keeping up with these expenses while maintaining donor support is no small feat for a nonprofit theater company operating on a roughly $400,000 annual budget.

“The truth is, it costs us four times more to produce a show in 2024 than a show we produced in 2019, and we have not caught our donors up with that level of giving,” Rudnick says. “We are attempting to navigate both the audience’s appetite for seeing theater and the donors’ appetite for giving to the theater. But necessity is the mother of invention, and we are in a period of expansion and reinvention — these things take time to develop.”

Development and reinvention is central to LTC’s Season 14. Its programming begins July 27 with The Democracy Cycle, a series of staged readings based on concerns in a trio of Colorado communities that will be performed in three cities across the state.

This project was inspired by Rudnick’s time as education coordinator at Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles, where they created original works based on conversations with local community groups. To do something similar, LTC collaborated with Curious Theatre Company and the

Gunnison Valley Theatre Festival in early 2024 to host three story circles with a diverse group of residents in Boulder, Denver and Gunnison.

“The Democracy Cycle is the culmination of a season-long project,” says co-artistic director Nick Chase. “The questions we asked each community were the controlled variables, and their responses were the uncontrolled variables. We did not focus on the binary distinctions that usually divide us in these story circles, which we felt was important, especially given the upcoming federal election. The project’s goal is to promote civil discourse, and we believe this is the best way to do that.”

LOOKING AHEAD

LTC’s upcoming season will feature two world premieres: Stockade by Andrew Rosendorf, with dramaturgy by Carlyn Aquiline, and Chasing Breadcrumbs by Michelle Tyrene Johnson. Both plays were developed

through LTC’s Local Lab, an incubator for new plays.

“It’s a great pleasure to say that the two world premiere productions were born at Local Lab 13,” Chase says. “It’s lovely to be with a play from its early stages and see it grow. We are also thrilled that both productions will be exclusively at the Dairy. As a Boulder-based company, that feels very important. Then, in April, we will be at the Nomad in North Boulder for Local Lab 14, which will be new for us and our audiences.”

Season 14 starts locally at the Boulder Public Library’s main branch with the first of three performances of The Democracy Cycle. These free staged readings center on concerns related to housing accessibility, an issue discussed by community members in all three LTC-hosted story circles. Plays include Steven Cole Hughes’ The Heavy Work that Will Make Everything Lighter, Kenya Mahogany Fashaw’s Intersectionality and Nick Malakhow’s Parallel Lives Each play is about 30 minutes long, and the performances will conclude with a post-show conversation. Staged readings will take place in Boulder on July 27, Gunnison on Aug. 1 and Denver on Aug. 3. The Boulder event will feature Mayor Aaron Brockett performing in The Heavy Work That Will Make Everything Lighter, serving as LTC’s season kickoff party with free food, mocktails and conversation.

“Our event on the 27th is for people who care about Boulder’s future as a place to raise families and run a business, because housing affects all of us,” Rudnick says. “But we are doing it in a really fun way, because that’s the Local way.”

ON STAGE: We the People:

The Democracy Cycle. 6 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Boulder Public Library –Canyon Theater, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Free

Chasing Breadcrumbs by Michelle Tyrene Johnson is one of two world premieres in Local Theater Company’s upcoming 14th season. Credit: Michael Ensminger

Left to right: Local Theater Company co-artistic directors Nick Chase, Pesha Rudnick and Betty Hart. Credit: Michael Ensminger

SCREEN

Y’ALL MEANS ALL

Colorado-raised filmmaker explores queer rodeo community in ‘National Anthem’

BY GREGORY WAKEMAN

When Luke Gilford was cowriting and directing his debut feature film National Anthem, he couldn’t help but think back to his youth in Colorado.

Based on his photography book of the same name, the drama revolves around a 21-year-old construction worker who finds solace in a community of queer ranchers and rodeo performers as he tries to support his little brother and alcoholic mother.

Born in Denver and raised partly in Evergreen, Gilford regularly attended rodeos in Colorado with his father who belonged to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

“All my earliest memories are at rodeos,” Gilford says. “I always loved riding horses. But my dad would constantly break his neck and back. That really stopped my motivation to do it myself. Instead, I loved the visuals of it. Stetson hats, snakeskin boots and giant belt buckles. Barbecue. Beer. The community and connection between folks.

“The rodeo brings American mythology to life,” Gilford, 38, continues. “It’s just so beautiful, and it always inspires me. I really missed that part of my life once I moved to California, studied at

UCLA, then moved to New York.”

Gilford says he was always a visual person, but he credits being a competitive swimmer with kick-starting his career as a photographer and filmmaker.

“I was underwater so much, practicing for the Olympic trials, that I always had these visual ideas,” he says. “When I quit, I just immediately picked up a camera and used it to express myself.”

‘EVERYONE IS WELCOME’

But even as Gilford hit extraordinary heights at a young age — shooting for Vanity Fair and other magazines while he was still in college — he found himself craving a connection with Southwestern culture. These feelings were made all the more complex as he got older and realized how the mainstream rodeo circuit was often not a safe space for people of color, queer people and women.

Then, in 2016, Gilford discovered the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA). This gave him an entry point back into the world that he’d grown

Save a horse, ride a cowboy: Scan the QR code for a Boulder Weeklycurated Big Gay Rodeo

up in, with his hometown Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo being the site of the world’s longest-running gay rodeo. It also showed him a different side of the equestrian sport that made him fall in love with it all over again.

“This is a rodeo where everyone is welcome,” he says. “Where everyone is safe. It’s a very family-friendly place. It’s just a really beautiful thing.”

The filmmaker’s fascination with the IGRA started to get his creative juices flowing. The renowned photographer — who by now had worked with Prada, Mercedes Benz, Jane Fonda, Pamela Anderson and Hari Nef — traveled with the organization for four years to make the photos that would populate his book. He realized he needed to tell a story about the community-building power of the IGRA.

“I had been so warmly embraced by them,” he says. “It gave me this electric charge of belonging.”

He was also struck by the patriotism on display. They’d fly the American flag proudly and sing the national anthem passionately.

“It was really shocking to me,” Gilford says. “Because I think we equate the flag and patriotism in general to the radical right.”

Gilford was inspired by how they’d taken back these symbols of America and claimed their own space within it. When he started co-writing National Anthem with Kevin Best and David Largman Murray, he wanted to explore

this tension and the symbol of the cowboy.

“Growing up, the cowboy represented dominance and even violence,” he says. “So it was beautiful to see so many women, trans people, queer people and people of color embrace the cowboy archetypes. It showed that they could be cowboys, too, while it also revealed a bit more of a feminine, softer and tender side.”

‘A SYMBOL OF AMERICA’

When Gilford shot National Anthem over 17 days in New Mexico, he returned to the images from his upbringing in Colorado. Having already been inspired by his own memories while making his book, he wanted to make sure that he recreated its “aesthetic and intimacy with its subjects.” This meant juxtaposing “very, very close up shots of the subjects with vibrant colored tones and wide epic landscapes.”

Even now, having long finished the film, Gilford can’t help but reflect on how Colorado continues to be an inspiration to him.

“Colorado is a symbol of America. It’s full of what makes America beautiful,” he says. “It’s a reminder that America is never just one thing. Its greatness and promise and idealism is proportionate to its diversity and nature. I hope this film is evidence that places like Colorado and New Mexico have a way of life that’s not just a fantasy, but is an opportunity for all of us.”

As he developed the film, Gilford knew he didn’t want to sensationalize or make the story needlessly traumatic. He wanted to show how hopeful organizations like the IGRA are for marginalized groups, especially with so many gay cowboy movies ending in tragedy.

“It’s hard enough for most people to live their lives out there,” he says. “So why not make something that is more celebratory and joyful and about love and connection and tenderness? That also exists in the world, and I want to see it on screen.”

ON SCREEN: National Anthem is out now in wide release.

Born and raised on the Front Range, filmmaker Luke Gilford drew from childhood rodeo memories in crafting his new film National Anthem, in theaters now. Courtesy: Luke Gilford

Charlie Plummer and Mason Alexander Park star in National Anthem Courtesy: LD Entertainment

Playlist.

HALL OF MIRRORS

‘Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play.’ is precisely that

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

It was the mirrors that caught my attention. I hadn’t seen Jeremy O. Harris’ groundbreaking Slave Play, but Charles McNulty’s review in the Los Angeles Times heralding the West Coast premiere made me very curious. A stage with mirrors behind the actors, so the audience had no choice but to watch themselves while watching the actors on stage. That kind of self-reflexive recursion is like ice cream to me.

Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. takes those mirrors and aims them at each other in a way that could blissfully trap you in Harris’ 80-minute documentary forever. But is documentary the right word? Harris’ title isn’t just playful; it’s a guide. Using the same three-act structure of his play — Work, Process, Exercise — Harris uses multiple cameras to workshop the Tony Awardnominated Slave Play, capture the suc-

cess surrounding it and then reconfigure all of that in the editing room.

It’s a radical work that feels like punk rock, Samuel Beckett, a Jean-Luc Godard essay film and a Kevin B. Lee desktop documentary wrapped around Harris’ commanding voice. As he tells a group of students, film everything because you never know what you’ll want to use.

Streaming on Max, Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. (hereafter Not a Movie) is probably the best chance audiences will get to see elements of Slave Play the stage show. As Harris tells his editor, Pete Ohs, in the doc: A play can be stopped, the audience can engage the actors and force them to respond — evident in Not a Movie’s opening scene. A movie really can’t. But a movie can reach a much broader audience than the stage ever could.

And here’s where Harris really has fun: A movie can engage subjectively with material in ways that would be herculean on stage. Yes, the content of Slave Play — following three interracial couples undergoing “Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy” — is what triggered all those discourses about race and sexual relationships, but it was the how that made it notable. Those mirrors made people sit up and take notice. To get there, Harris relied on style and a radical bit of set dressing to reinvigorate one of the oldest art forms. If you were in the audience, you didn’t just see yourself in one or two or all of the characters; you saw yourself among them.

But movies, even the most pedestrian of them, do that all the time. Closeups, point of view, subjective storytelling and unreliable narrators are just four tricks filmmakers employ to get audiences to empathize and identify with all the characters in a movie, from the protagonist to the antagonist to the clerk running the bodega down the street.

One of the pleasures of Not a Movie is watching Harris discover how easy it is to create and manipu-

late with a camera. One scene shows Harris and Ohs editing Not a Movie while simultaneously creating images for the movie. You can almost see Harris’ mind come alive, and that’s just with one camera and two screens. Ever seen an Instagram reel of a baby trying chocolate cake for the first time? It’s kind of like that. But what is Slave Play about, and why did it become a firebrand? Harris does such a good job as an on-camera presence and behind-the-scenes author in Not a Movie that anything I could add would be superfluous. The hook here is watching Harris at work — a brilliant mind in constant motion, constant revision, constant revelation. It’s like he’s inside his own hall of mirrors, discovering new ideas and hearing new rhythms within the same material. For some artists, that’s a place you don’t want to be. For Harris, it looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

ON SCREEN: Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. is available to stream on Max.

Jeremy O. Harris in Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play Courtesy: Max

EVENTS

25

ELK RUN FARM VOLUNTEER DAYS

4:30-7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, Elk Run Farm, 12191 Foothills Highway, Longmont. Free

Get your hands dirty at the beautiful Elk Run forest garden. This volunteer event will help you connect with the land and your community in a fun environment including farm-fresh snacks and beverages. Please wear closed-toe shoes and bring a full water bottle.

25

COPPER SKY TRIVIA NIGHT

7-9 p.m. Thursday, July 25, Copper Sky Distillery, 110 Emery St., Suite C, Longmont. Free

“Impress your friends and outsmart your enemies” during this bi-weekly trivia night with host Trevonious Monk at Copper Sky Distillery in Longmont. There’s a six-person team limit with prizes for the top three teams.

25

SUMMER RUN CLUB SERIES

5-7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, La Sportiva, 2100 Broadway, Boulder. Free

Grab the squad and head to La Sportiva for its bi-weekly group trail running event featuring demo shoes and jogging tips. The run is usually around six miles on one of the local trails, with complimentary light refreshments waiting at the finish. Shoe demo starts at 5 p.m., and the run starts 30 minutes after.

26

OPENING RECEPTION:

‘DRIP | RUN | FREEZE | CRACK | MELT’

5 p.m. Friday, July 26, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

Head to the Dairy Arts Center for the opening reception of Drip | Run | Freeze | Crack | Melt, a group exhibition focusing on the role of water in our changing climate by artists Brenda Biondo, Jarod Charzewski, James Tapscott and Christopher Warren.

27

SATURDAY MORNING YOGA CLUB

8-9 a.m. Saturday, July 27, St Julien Hotel & Spa, 900 Walnut St., Boulder. $12

Join Yoga Pearl for a Saturday morning yoga session on the lawn at the St Julien Hotel & Spa. This gentle flow will help you start the weekend off on the right foot, with a pay-on-your-own brunch at Jill’s to follow.

27

WILDFLOWER CERAMICS WORKSHOP

10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, July 27, The New Local Annex, 713 Pearl St., Boulder. $95 (includes materials)

Ceramicist Lynette Errante will be your guide during this two-hour workshop exploring wildflower-print ceramics. Learn basic slab-building techniques and imprint your work with local flora during this hands-on class where you’ll leave with your own creations.

27

STAINED GLASS DATE NIGHT

5-6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Colorado Glass Works, 1500 Pearl St., Boulder. $175 (per couple)

Looking to add a little color to your average date night? Head to Colorado Glass Works to make your own prechosen stained glass piece with a partner or a friend. All materials will be provided during this hands-on night of art making.

27

ALEBRIJE WORKSHOP

11 a.m. to noon. Saturday, July 27, Lafayette Public Library, 775 W. Baseline Road. Free

Join representatives from the Lafayette Arts and Cultural Resources Department for a new perspective on the traveling exhibition Alebrije, Xolotl: Dios Perro by Mexican artist Oscar Becerra-Mora. Explore the art of cartonería (papier-mâché sculptures) during this hands-on workshop.

DRESS UP DOWNTOWN

5 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Downtown Longmont. Free

Life’s a beach during this downtown costume crawl in Longmont. Dress up in your best oceanside digs and enjoy discounts from local businesses like free cocktail shooters at Jefes Tacos and Tequila and 99 Bar.

27

27

WE THE PEOPLE: THE DEMOCRACY CYCLE

4-7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Blvd. Free

Local Theater Company presents three staged readings about housing accessibility based on the real-world concerns of communities in Boulder, Denver and Gunnison. The event kicks off with a party followed by a 6 p.m. performance. For more, check out our feature on p. 25

28

RAINFOREST YOGA

7:45-8:45 a.m. Sunday, July 28, Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W 104th Ave., Westminster. $10 for members, $12 for non-members

Relax your mind and body amid lush exotic plants and colorful flitting wings that will leave you feeling transported at the Butterfly Garden. This immersive experience is open to all skill levels — just make sure to bring your own mat and register in advance. Visit butterflies.org for additional dates and registration info.

CALLIGRAPHY CLASSES WITH

AMANDA NICOLE

10 a.m. to noon. Saturday, July 27, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway. $50

Try your hand at calligraphy with the expert instruction of artist Amanda Nicole during this community workshop at the Museum of Boulder. You’ll learn everything from the basics to strategies for adding “style and bounce” to your letters.

28

SUNDAYS ON WEST PEARL

10 a.m. to noon. Sunday, July 28, The New Local, 741 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Boulder’s new weekly cultural series continues with another round of free art activities, live painting demos, performances and more. The morning starts at Spruce Confections with coffee and a live jazz trio, followed by artforward fun at The New Local.

1

PICNIC ON THE PLAZA

Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, Festival Plaza, 311 S. Public Road, Lafayette. Free

Lafayette’s weekly outdoor festival continues with free live music on the lawn at Festival Plaza. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy an afternoon of tunes from Scott Fowler in the city’s historic downtown.

kATIE miNTLE

lIONEL yOUNG dUO

Cass Clayton Band with Kory montgomey Paul Dehaven & Patrick Dethlefs with claire

Chris Koza

Lionel Young

Max Seidman

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, JULY 25

HOLLY AND THE HUSBANDS 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

WANDERING ROADS 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

THE LAST AMERICAN TRIO. 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

JACKSON CLOUD 6 p.m. Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

THE DEL MCCOURY BAND WITH ANN SAVOY 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $43

WYATT FLORES WITH NOELINE HOFMANN. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $25

LIONEL YOUNG DUO 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th Ave., Boulder. Free

CRICK WOODER 9 p.m. Southern Sun Pub, 627 S. Broadway St., Boulder. Free FRIDAY, JULY 26

CASS CLAYTON BAND WITH KORY MONTGOMERY 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $19

BOB BARRICK 8 p.m. The Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

MATT FLAHERTY 9 p.m. Mountain Sun Pub, 1535 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

SATURDAY,

JULY 27

ROCKYGRASS FESTIVAL (DAY 2) Noon. Planet Bluegrass, 500 W. Main St., Lyons. Prices vary

BOULDER SYMPHONY AND MUSIC ACADEMY DRUM CIRCLE 1 p.m. Boulder Symphony and Music Academy, 4730 Table Mesa Drive, Suite I-300, Boulder. Free (donations accepted)

ON THE RISE CONCERT SERIES (FEATURING JACK BROWN BAND, BEAR HAT, LIT SOCIETY AND MORE) 4 p.m. The Hill, 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Boulder. Free

LUKE BULLA 5:30 p.m. Stone Cottage Studios, 3091 7th St., Boulder. $35

BENJIE WEST 6 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free

ROCKYGRASS FESTIVAL (DAY 1). Noon. Planet Bluegrass, 500 W. Main St., Lyons. Prices vary BW PICK OF THE WEEK

THE LIL SMOKIES 5:30 p.m. Steinbaugh Pavilion, 824 Front St., Louisville. Free

ANNIE AND THE BANG BANG 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

CAT JERKY 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND WITH MARGO PRICE (NIGHT 1). 7 p.m. Friday, July 26, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $59+ STORY ON P. 23

UNDERGROUND MUSIC SHOWCASE (DAY 1) All day, South Broadway, Denver. Prices vary

UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE. 6 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free

THE BAD MAMMA JAMAS 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

SILENT BEAR 8 p.m. License No. 1, 2115 13th St., Boulder. Free

THE FRAY. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $90

STEVE & THE CRUISERS. 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

MOJOMAMA. 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

UNDERGROUND MUSIC SHOWCASE (DAY 2). All day, South Broadway, Denver. Prices vary

DARRELL SCOTT WITH JANA MILA. 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $33

ROCK THE OPERA. 7 p.m. Dickens Opera House, 300 Main St., Longmont. $15

PAUL DEHAVEN WITH PATRICK DETHLEFS AND CLAIRE HEYWOOD 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $19

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND WITH MARGO PRICE (NIGHT 2). 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $100+

THE DESERT FURS. 9 p.m. Longs Peak Pub, 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont. Free MATT FLAHERTY BAND 9 p.m. Mountain Sun Pub, 1535 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

SUNDAY, JULY 28

ROCKYGRASS FESTIVAL (DAY 3) Noon. Planet Bluegrass,

Lyons. Prices vary

LIVE MUSIC

ON THE BILL

The 52nd annual RockyGrass Festival returns to Planet Bluegrass in Lyons for another round of down-home jams on the banks of the North St. Vrain. Featuring locals like the Cody Sisters alongside giants like Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn and Dan Tyminski, this year’s lineup is once again full of rising stars and familiar mainstays. Scan the QR code for an interview with Saturday-night headliner Sam Bush before you go. See listing for details

LOCO UKELELE JAM 2 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

MANY MOUNTAINS 3 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

FRANK JAMES WITH FELONIUS SMITH

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

UNDERGROUND MUSIC SHOWCASE (DAY 3) All day, South Broadway, Denver. Prices vary

SCOTT VON 4 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO WITH REBUILDER 7:30 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $37

ANNA MOSS & THE NIGHTSHADES WITH MAMA MAGNOLIA 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $19

MONDAY, JULY 29

BOULDER CONCERT BAND 7 p.m. Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. Free

FLORRY WITH TOMATO SOUP 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $20

SANTANA WITH COUNTING CROWS (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $250+

TUESDAY, JULY 30

DOC ROBINSON 7 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $22

DANISH STRING QUARTET 7:30 p.m. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. $40

NAI PALM 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $35

SANTANA WITH COUNTING CROWS (NIGHT 2) 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $250+

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31

BANDS ON THE BRICKS 5:30 p.m. 1300 Block of Pearl St., Boulder. Free

RESPONDER’S OLDIES BAND. 6 p.m. Rosalee’s Pizzeria, 461 Main St., Longmont. Free

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS WITH AFI, POPPY AND KENNYHOOPLA. 6:30 p.m.

Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $60

RAYLAND BAXTER 7 p.m. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. $30

CHRIS KOZA 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

MILES NIELSEN AND THE RUSTED HEARTS 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $25

RIVER MANN. 9 p.m. Southern Sun Pub, 627 S. Broadway, Boulder. Free

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

doghousemusic com • 303 664 1600 • Lafayette, CO

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries singersongwriter Lady Gaga has written many songs for herself and other artists. She has famously declared that some of her most successful songs took her just 10 minutes to compose. They include “Just Dance,” “Poker Face” and “Born This Way.” According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, you could be rising to Lady Gaga levels of creativity in your own sphere during the coming weeks. And I won’t be surprised if your imaginative innovations flow with expeditious clarity, like Gaga at her most efficient.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): During the winter, some animals hibernate. They enter a state of dormancy, slowing their metabolism, breathing and heart rate. Other animals enter a similar state during the summer, conserving energy when the weather is hot and dry. It’s called estivation. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, many of you Tauruses would benefit from a modified version of estivation in the next couple of weeks. You’re in prime time to recharge your energy through deep relaxation and rest.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The English word “amphibian” is derived from the Greek term amphibios, which means “living a double life.” The original meaning of the English word was “combining two qualities; having two modes of life,” though eventually it came to be used primarily to describe animals that function well on both land and in water. You Geminis are of course the most amphibious of all the astrological tribes. You can feel at home in a variety of situations. This may sometimes stir up confusion, but I see it as one of your greatest potential strengths. In the coming weeks, I hope you enjoy it to the maximum. It should serve you well. Wield it to take advantage of the sweet perks of versatility.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): I dreamed that a young elephant appeared on the back deck of my house and stuck its trunk through the open sliding glass door. I got up from my chair and gently pushed the animal away, then closed the door. But after I woke up, I was sorry I had done that in my dream. What was I afraid of? The elephant posed no danger; it may have been a good omen. In some cultures, elephants in dreams and visions are symbols of good luck, vitality, long life and the removal of obstacles. So I dropped into a deep meditative state and reimagined the dream. This time, I welcomed the creature into my home. I gave her the name Beatrice. We wrestled playfully and had fun playing with a red rubber ball. Amazingly, later that day, a certain obstacle in my actual waking life magically disappeared. The moral of the story, my fellow Cancerian: Welcome the elephant.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Some bamboo species grow very quickly — as much as 36 inches per day. I suspect your capacity to burgeon and blossom will display a similar vigor in the coming weeks. You may be surprised at how dramatic your development is. I’m hoping, of course, that you will be acutely focused on channeling your fertility in positive ways. Don’t feed an urge to recklessly gamble, for instance. Don’t pursue connections with influences that are no damn good for you. Instead, decide right now what areas of your life you want to be the beneficiaries of your growth spurt. Choose the beauty and power you will encourage to ripen.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): For months, we heard and saw crows pecking on the roof of our rental house. Why? Were they grubbing for food? It was mildly annoying, but seemingly no big deal. Then one night, their small, regular acts of mayhem climaxed in an unexpected event. Rain began to fall around 8 p.m. It was constant, though not heavy. At 9, the ceilings in five rooms began to leak. By 10:30, our house was flooded. We managed to rescue most of our precious items, but the house was damaged. We had to find a new place to live. I don’t expect anything nearly this drastic to befall you, dear Virgo. But I do encourage you to check to see if any small problem is gradually growing bigger. Now is a favorable time to intervene and forestall an unfavorable development.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Two Scottish veterinarians researched the health of rhesus monkeys that are compelled by human handlers to dance on the streets of Islamabad, Pakistan. When I first learned about this, my response was, “Wow! Don’t those doctors have anything better to do? That is the most obscure research I have ever heard of.” But later, I decided I admired the doctors because they were motivated primarily by compassion. They found the monkeys were under severe stress, and they publicized the fact as a public service. Their work will ultimately lead to better treatment of the monkeys. In accordance with astrological omens, Libra, I advise you to seek out comparable ways to express altruism in the coming weeks. By engaging in noble and idealistic acts, you will attract good fortune into your sphere both for yourself and others.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Do you place any limits on how deep and expansive you allow your yearnings to be? Are you ever worried that maybe you desire too much and are at risk of asking for too much? If you answered yes to those questions, Scorpio, I will give you a temporary license to rebel against your wariness. In accordance with astrological rhythms, I authorize you to experiment with feeling the biggest, strongest, wildest longings you have ever felt. Please note that I am not advising you to immediately go out and actually express those longings to the hilt. For now, I’d like you to simply have the experience of entertaining their full intensity. This will be a healing experience.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): You will never guess the identity of the strongest animal on the planet. It’s not the gorilla, tiger or elephant. It’s the dung beetle, which can lug loads that weigh 1,141 times as much as it does. The equivalent for you would be to pull six double-decker buses crammed with people. I’m happy to inform you that although you won’t be able to accomplish that feat in the coming weeks, your emotional and spiritual strength will be formidable. You may be surprised at how robust and mighty you are. What do you plan to do with all that power?

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): By age 35, you have already shed over 50 pounds of skin. The flesh that covers you is in a constant state of renewal. In the coming weeks, I expect your rate of regeneration to be even higher than usual — not only in regard to your skin, but everything else in your life. Here’s a proviso: Renewal and regeneration are always preceded by withering or dwindling. To enjoy the thrill of revitalization, you must allow the loss of what was once vital but is no longer.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Among people who go hiking a lot, “death march” is a term that refers to a long trudge through boring scenery in bad weather. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I believe you have recently finished your own metaphorical version of a “death march.” Any minute now, you will begin a far more enjoyable series of experiences. Get ready for an entertaining meander through interesting terrains in fine weather. Be alert for unpredictable encounters with inspiration and education.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Alex Larenty gives massages to lions at the Lion Park near Johannesburg, South Africa. They especially love foot rubs. Even Jamu, king of the local beasts, rolls onto his back so Larenty can get a good angle while caressing and kneading his paws. I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because it’s a good metaphor for the unique power you will have in the coming days: a knack for dealing successfully with wild influences and elemental powers through the magic of kindness, affection and service.

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

For the longest time I’ve been into the feederism kink. It’s specifically the weight gain aspect of this kink making myself or others bigger — that turns me on. I’ve always felt uneasy about this due to the health risks and have kept it hidden.

I recently got a wonderful girlfriend, our relationship is great, and we have really great sex. She’s curvy but wants to lose weight. I also want to lose weight with her and for both of us to be healthy. But occasionally I’m overcome with the urge to get into weight gain kink play. I told my girlfriend about my kink, and although she accepts it and accepts me, she doesn’t want to pursue anything related to it. When I feel the need to indulge this fetish, I scratch the itch with strangers I meet online. I wish I could just turn this part of me off and enjoy the wonderful relationship that I have.

explore your kinks with strangers on the Internet is the price she should pay, and pay happily, to be with you.

My partner and I enthusiastically adopted your #fuckfirst philosophy (having sex before big, romantic outings like Valentine’s Day dinner) and doing so has improved our lives

immeasurably! But I have noticed that on social occasions when it’s not an option, I often find myself feeling disconnected and prone to being testy with my partner. Is our relationship too dependent on sex?

Can a fetish like this be made to fade over time or am I just going to try and focus on other things when these urges come on?

— Can I Yuck My Own Yum?

Unlike old soldiers, kinks don’t fade away, CIYMOY. A kinky person particularly a kinky person in a relationship with a vanilla partner who can’t or won’t go there — needs an outlet that allows them to explore their kinks in a safe and controlled manner. Without that outlet, a kinkster will seize or create an opportunity to get their kink on, often with a disinhibiting assist from drugs and alcohol, and these seized opportunities have a much greater chance of blowing up lives and destroying relationships. Seeing as your girlfriend already knows about your kink, CIYMOY, she must know that you’re having a wank about it once in a while. And if not getting to act out your fantasies IRL is the price of admission you’re willing to pay to be with her, allowing you to

I couldn’t tell you — but if you stay together long enough, i.e., if you’re together into advanced old age, you’ll find out.

How can a girl help her vanilla husband get more comfortable being an aggressive Dom top sometimes?

A friend complained about her husband’s inability to dominate her properly a few years ago — he was doing what she asked, but that’s all. “It feels like he’s going through ‘topping’ motions,” she texted me, “but I need a top with an agenda.”

A year later, the same woman raved to me about her husband’s topping skills. Turns out, he just needed some time to get comfortable in the dominant role and a better, almost instinctive feel for what his wife wanted before he felt comfortable improvising. Give your husband detailed instructions, then give him time.

Send your burning questions to mailbox@savage.love Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love

LICENSE TO CHILL

Skip the ice cream: Cool your summer with bingsu, semifreddo and kulfi

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

In the middle of the summer swelter of 2024, frozen relief isn’t hard to find. Boulder County shops dish endless ice cream, gelato and sorbet — not to mention frozen custard, liquid nitrogen ice cream, mochi and soft serve — in some truly odd flavors. For instance, Boulder’s Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop famously offers limited-time combos like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese ice cream.

Interesting chill thrills are nothing new locally. In 1964, Manuel’s Sweet Shop, 1100 28th St., Boulder, was scooping 40 sundae varieties, according to the Boulder Daily Camera. One sundae on the menu (suggested by the Tri Delta sisters) was the Purple Passion: vanilla and peach ice creams topped with banana slices, berries, pecans, whipped cream and red wine sauce.

dessert. Unchurned, it has a dense texture, making it a slow-melting treat. Flavors range from rose and mango to cardamom and saffron kulfi. One eatery that makes its kulfi from scratch is Sherpa’s in Boulder.

Sherpa’s Adventure Restaurant & Bar, 825 Walnut St.

SNOW BINGSU: To make this Korean dessert, frozen ice cream is riced to produce a delicate texture. At Bowl Izakaya, snow bingsu is offered in several sweet variations. A huge bowl of riced ice cream — more than enough for two — is adorned with cheesecake chunks, almonds, caramel sauce and chocolate cookies that soak in the melting cream.

Bowl Izakaya, 1232 S. Hover St., Longmont

SEMIFREDDO: This Italian frozen dessert contains similar ingredients to ice cream, but it is whipped instead of churned. The result is a light, fluffy frozen mousse in traditional flavors like chocolate, mint, espresso and pistachio. Two Niwot eateries are currently featuring semifreddo on their dessert menus.

Farow, 7916 Niwot Road; Cimmini’s, 300 2nd Ave.

TASTE OF THE WEEK: RAMEN GONE WRONG

I love authentic ramen dishes, and I’ve sampled some fine local versions topped with soft boiled egg and sometimes soy sauce-braised pork belly. I would consider eating ramen for breakfast, but I was both repulsed and salivating when I spied Nissin Cup Noodles Breakfast Maple Syrup Pancakes, Sausage and Egg on the supermarket shelf.

If your buds have grown bored licking the same old Rocky Road, a global menu of exotic brain freeze opportuni-

ties is available at metro shops and restaurants — if you know where to look.

KULFI: Boulder County’s many Indian and Nepali grocery stores and restaurants offer this traditional frozen cream

DOLE WHIP: Dole Whip is a non-dairy soft-serve frozen treat. Originally made with pineapple, it can be found now in other flavors like orange, mango and raspberry. A Longmont potato doughnut destination offers this brain freezing treat.

Landline Doughnuts & Coffee, 321 Main St.

ITALIAN WATER ICE: Neither sorbet nor shave ice, finely textured Italian ices are made simply from sugar, water, fruit and flavors like limeade, orange cream, root beer and wild cherry. Rock City Pie & Ice makes it from scratch. Rock City Pie & Ice, 1386 U.S. Highway 287, Broomfield

THAI ROLLED ICE CREAM: Rather than an ancient tradition, rolled ice cream is a modern creation. Liquid ice cream base is poured on a sub-zero frozen sheet, then scraped, mixed with ingredients and rolled into a cone. Frozen Spirals, 5055 W. 72nd Ave., Westminster

Promised my “favorite breakfast flavors,” I microwaved it in five minutes. The result was a cup of standard ramen noodles with squishy bits of yellow egg and brown sausage awash in a sweet salty artificial maple gravy. The experience induced cognitive dissonance with a flavor that was like the remembrance of fast food breakfasts past.

Just because you can make a product, doesn’t mean you should, especially when you fill the cup with palm oil, sugar, dried sausage, corn syrup solids, salt, disodium guanylate, egg white, sodium tripolyphosphate, sucralose and “spice.” Nissin Cup Noodles Breakfast packs 380 calories, 7 grams of saturated fat and 54 carb grams in one serving. Is highly processed food like this addictive? I made the Noodle Breakfast to taste and rate it. To be totally transparent, I also ended up eating all of it and sipped that breakfast “juice.”

Thankfully, the product is a limited edition.

Eating Cup Noodles Breakfast was an experiment in cognitive dissonance. Credit: John Lehndorff

Caramel snow bingsu served at Longmont’s Bowl Izakaya. Credit: John Lehndorff

Manuel’s Sweet Shop, 1100 28th St. in Boulder, served 40 ice cream sundae varieties in 1964. Courtesy: Carnegie Museum for Local History

NIBBLES

HAWAIIAN SHAVE ICE: Unlike carnival snow cones that use crushed ice, it is thinly shaved for this dessert. The snowier texture absorbs various sweet syrups and toppings. Punch Buggy Shave Ice, 640 Main St., Louisville; 400 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette HALO HALO: A Filipino variation on Korean bingsu, halo halo (literally “mix-mix”) tops shave ice with tropical fruits, condensed milk, ice cream, flan and coconut jellies. Mix it all together before enjoying. Chowsun, 830 S. Buckley Road, Aurora NEW ZEALAND ICE CREAM: A specially designed machine blends

hard ice cream with frozen fruit to produce a swirled mashup of sorbet and soft serve. The signature flavor is Hokey Pokey — vanilla ice cream filled with bits of honeycomb toffee. Happy Cones, 5505 W. 20th Ave., Edgewater

SPAGHETTI ICE CREAM:

Aramark food service has introduced a new dessert called polar pasta: vanilla ice cream “spaghetti” topped with donut holes, strawberry syrup and mint. Unfortunately, you can only taste it by attending a game involving the pitiful Colorado Rockies. Section 119 at Coors Field, Denver

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: ANOTHER GUY FIERI VISIT

Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder was recently featured on Triple D Nation, Guy Fieri’s spinoff show of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Loving Cup is open at 1101 13th St. on the Hill serving coffee, tea, chai and a breakfast/lunch menu.

FSR Magazine’s list of the Top 50 Independent Restaurants in America for 2024 includes Boulder’s 30-year-old Jax Fish House Antonio’s Real New York Pizza is open at 325 Main St., Longmont.

Pita Grill is serving at 802 S. Public Road, Lafayette.

CULINARY CALENDAR: DINE OUT FOR UKRAINE

Brasserie Boulder, Pica’s Boulder, Hapa, Lucky Pie and other Front Range eateries will donate a portion of proceeds July 25 for the annual Dine Out for Ukraine. sunflowerseedsukraine.org

Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont hosts a July 27 event offering local produce, live music and solar farming tours. Cost: $5. givebutter. com/Harvesting_Home

Arvada’s Rheinlander Bakery celebrates early Christmas July 26 through 28 with eggnog strudel, decorated cookies, gingerbread, rum balls, yule logs and kringles.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: ’CUE INSIGHT

“I love how the men stand around cooking the barbie (BBQ) while the women have done all the work beforehand, and then everybody says, ‘What a great barbie’ to the guy cooking.” — Chef Curtis Stone

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Podcasts: kgnu.org/category/radio-nibbles

WEED BETWEEN THE LINES

PASSING THE TORCH

Farewell from the other Will

BY WILL BRENDZA

In the four years since I inherited this column, eight states have legalized recreational cannabis, Colorado has decriminalized psilocybin, ibogaine and mescaline for therapeutic use, Mexico and Thailand legalized cannabis, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has moved to officially reclassify cannabis — not to mention all we’ve learned about the scientific nature and medical applications of these substances.

The drug beat has been a wild ride. I’ve found myself talking to fascinating people — entrepreneurs, lawmakers, scientists, lawyers, chefs, convicted criminals, federal law enforcement officers, growers, brewers, artists, teachers, students, nurses and doctors — and learning so much from them. I’ve gotten to tour too many grow operations to count, been inside extraction labs and sampled a lot of the products along the way. This column won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and took me to Chicago on a nomination for an Association of Alternative Newsmedia award in 2022. I knew I’d have to pass the torch eventually, and that time has come. Weed Between the Lines (now On Drugs) has been a great source of

pride for me, but it was never my “baby.” Leeland Rucker started it in 2013 following the recreational legalization of cannabis in Colorado. Then it was helmed by Sarah Haas, Sidni West and a few others filling in here and there.

more than enough breaking news, policy, business and science to cover.

A few highlights from the years: I talked with John Nores, a retired fish and game warden from California, who spent his career busting illegal grow ops on public land (“Illegal grows go private,” May 22, 2024). I covered a groundbreaking initiative between Denver Beer Company and The Clinic dispensary, where gaseous carbon — captured from the beer brewing process — was used to stimulate cannabis plant growth (“Closing the Loop,” July 28, 2022). I detailed LifeTonic’s industry-first solventless CBD extraction pro-

I became the steward of this column in March 2020. This back page has been a welcome home for my words and stories since. The goal has always been to elevate the conversation around cannabis and drugs in general. I didn’t want to write strain reviews or product profiles. The world didn’t need another “stoner” column: There was

cess (“Solving the solvent problem,” Oct. 7, 2021). I wrote about how cannabis-detecting police K-9s were being retired en masse in Colorado because of the legalization of cannabis (“Hanging up the K-9 harness,” March 24, 2022). Once, Boulder Weekly even sent me to Boulder’s Center for Medicinal Mindfulness to participate in

a cannabis meditation ceremony (“The power of medicinal mindfulness,” Nov. 24, 2021).

It’s hard to pick favorites out of close to 200 articles. But those are a few of mine.

Letting go won’t be easy. I’ll miss the feeling of sitting down at a brewery (where I did most of the writing for this column) with a blank page, a good interview and a looming deadline. I’d be lying if I told you that weekly rush never caused me anxiety. But if there’s one truth I learned covering this topic, it’s that there is never a lack of subject matter. Policies are always shifting, people are always concocting new ways to grow, extract or sell cannabis and psychedelics, and scientists are constantly learning about these substances and their medical and therapeutic potential.

As much as I’d love to take credit for all of the progress made regarding cannabis and psychedelics over the last four years, I know this column reached a relatively small pool of Coloradans. But if even one person picked this newspaper up in the last four years, flipped to this back page and learned something or read a story that touched them, then I’m comfortable declaring mission success.

With that, I’m signing off to go see if the grass is any greener on the other side. It’s been a pleasure and an honor writing for this community about something so strange and close to my heart. I only hope whoever takes the reins from here enjoys it as much as I have.