Boulder Weekly 10.05.2023

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I'm Dr. Nicole Speer

...and I’m running to be Boulder’s first elected Mayor. I’m a scientist, a mom, and a union member. After two years on City Council, 18 years in Boulder, and 30 years of inclusive leadership, I have the relationships, skills, and knowledge to help Boulder make faster progress on our climate, economic, and social challenges.

NICOLE SPEER

Everyone can access and afford basic needs like housing and transportation.

Our infrastructure and ecosystems are resilient and prepared for a hotter climate.

People have the care and social connections they need to thrive.

Immigrants and workers are valued and welcomed.

As your Mayor, I will work for a city where:

UNITED CAMPUS WORKERS

Boulder Mayor

Alcaldesa de Boulder

COMMENTARY

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Volume 31, Number 7

PUBLISHER: Fran Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caitlin Rockett

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska

FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

INTERN: Lily Fletcher

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dave Gil de Rubio, Dan Savage, Bart Schaneman, Toni Tresca, Gabby Vermeire, Colin Wrenn

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Chris Allred

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mark Goodman

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER: Emily Weinberg

FOUNDER/CEO: Stewart Sallo

OPINION

MENTAL HEALTH IS MEDICAL HEALTH

World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 highlights education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma

BY PAULA DUPRÉ PESMEN

Not long ago, I got a call from a friend that her 19-year-old daughter Liv had died by suicide. Their family was shaken to the core, never to be the same. My journey with Liv started when she was a young child. Her grandmother Penni was our first volunteer at There With Care, the nonprofit I started 18 years ago in Boulder to help children and families with a child facing a critical illness.

Young Liv and her whole family volunteered over the years to ease the burdens for the families we served. Yet as close as we were to her family, I was not aware of the struggles Liv had with her mental health. That was a secret they kept close due to the stigma around mental illness, which created isolation for Liv and her family. There weren’t meal trains, deliveries of flowers and cards, or visits and check-ins from the community.

At There With Care, of the thousands of families with a child with cancer or other critical illnesses that we had delivered food and essential support, we had never knowingly provided a meal to a family who had a child in a mental health crisis. Why was this different? Why was mental health treated so differently from the other patients we served?

Mental Health continued on page 7

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

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OPINION

Mental Health is medical health, which is why in April of 2020

There With Care launched a new program bringing essential care and community to families who have a child in a life-threatening phase of mental illness including severe eating disorders and self-harm.

In this program we learned the needs of all families in a medical crisis are nearly the same. These families need support, so they can focus on their children.

They face financial stress from loss of work, siblings suffer in silence, and people around them don’t know what to say or do, so often do nothing out of fear of doing the wrong thing. We are all more aware that kids are struggling more than ever with their mental health, and so many people are trying to figure out why.

Emergency room visits for mental health crises in children skyrocketed by 140% between 2016 and 2021, according to The Colorado Children’s Campaign. And these numbers are just those that have been reported among youth 18 or younger. How many were not reported?

By sharing their story, Liv’s family shined a light on this gap and raised awareness. Families are referred to There With Care through the social

workers at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Pediatric Mental Health Institute for support with food security, transportation assistance, housing stability, support for siblings, and patient and family essentials.

What’s more, a medical crisis doesn’t impact one person, it touches everyone, it threatens the wholeness of a family. This mental health support aids in stabilizing families so they can attend treatments, have financial security when one parent must leave work to care for their child in the hospital, and so much more.

There With Care’s Mental Health Program now works with an average of 30 families each day, and through this program has supported 1,275 family members during a child’s mental health crisis.

Mental health is medical health. Normalizing mental health crises and being there for others makes our shared community stronger. Join us to support these children and families.

Paula DuPré Pesmen is the founder and CEO of There With Care (therewithcare.org), a nonprofit that provides a wide range of services to families and children during a medical crisis. There With Care has offices in Denver and Boulder.

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

JUDI KERN FOR LOUISVILLE

A recent [letter to the editor,] “Let’s not recall Maxine Most,” published on Aug. 16, 2023, is a distraction from one of the key complaints the 580 recall petition signers have with Maxine Most as a leader in Ward 2. If you read the reasons under “Why Recall Maxine Most” on the team’s website at ward2recall.com closely, and without intent to distract and create fear among Ward 2 voters, you will find this has nothing to do with reproductive rights. This is an inference made by supporters of Maxine Most to distract from the key complaint, which is Maxine’s inability to compromise for the good of the voters she represents.

The benefits that Avista Hospital provides to the Louisville community cannot only be measured in tax revenue. Avista is a major employer in Louisville. The hospital provides Primary Stroke Center Certification, Chest Pain Center Accreditation and trauma centers to the community. Avista delivers and provides exceptional care to hundreds of mothers and newborns every year. I agree with many of Maxine Most’s viewpoints on climate change and reproductive rights; however, I don’t want my leaders making decisions about whether or not an existing hospital should continue to receive the unequivocal support of the City’s leaders based on a personal experience or belief.

Continued from page 6 Letters continued

The singular issue which caused the recall team to look at Maxine Most’s record and file a recall petition was her inability to look past her climate agenda and realize that some of her constituents were under stress and anxiety that most people cannot even imagine. We were asking the City Council for the option for every homeowner to look at their own individual insurance and financial situation and make a decision about building to a new set of codes, which had passed months earlier. We were asking for compromise and, thankfully, a majority of Council saw that and voted “yes.” It is worth noting that at last count, close to 60% of homeowners are building to the new code, or close to it.

Ward 2 voters want someone who is collaborative, has good communication skills and knows that compromise is often necessary, particularly in the event of a disaster like the Marshall fire. That person is Judi Kern. We want to convince our Ward 2 neighbors that Maxine Most failed in her first year in office, at a time when she could have stood up for the 300+ homeowners in her ward who lost a home. Louisville Ward 2 deserves better.

— Tim Crean / Louisville

THE ONLY MOTHER RUNNING FOR MAYOR

Boulder has a Hooverville. During the administration of President Herbert Hoover (1929-1933), a crisis of housing occurred due to unlivable low wages, a shortage of affordable housing and an enormous gap between the rich and the poor. This coincided with an economic depression. Shantytowns of tents and shacks sprang up in American cities, filled with hungry and poor people trying to survive, sometimes by theft, although mostly through the charity of the struggling middle class.

Today in Boulder and in cities across America, we are again plagued with Hoovervilles for the same reasons: unlivable low wages, a shortage of affordable housing and an enormous gap between the rich and the poor. Now the Hoovervilles are occurring during a time of American prosperity! The problem is made even worse by our having dumped the severely mentally ill onto our streets, and our federal government having made illegal the only effective treatments for addiction: psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin and ibogaine).

In Boulder, we have people living along the creek, by the municipal building and on the Pearl Street Mall. This is our Hooverville. The dominant response is to blame the citizens of Hooverville for their plight, sweep their camps, lock them up, drive them out

JASON’S LIFETIME COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING EDUCATION FOR ALL KIDS STARTED HERE

LETTERS

Continued from page 7 and stop attracting them with charity services.

There is no solution without a radical change in our tax laws, laws that were bought and paid for by the rich. As revolution does not appear imminent, let’s set up a managed Hooverville where water, sewer, trash collection and security are provided at the city of Boulder’s expense so that they need not live along the creek and on the Mall. While I would be inclined to nominate the city golf course on Arapahoe Avenue, there are probably better locations. We need a good leader to clean up our mess and direct us to a workable path. I understand that Nicole Speer, the only mother running for mayor, has realistic ideas for implementation.

— Charles F. Clark / Boulder

Jason is Endorsed by

Boulder Valley Education Association

:

“The BVSD board is set to have four new members— it’s critical that voters elect candidates with a solid background in education. I’m thrilled to endorse Jason.”

—former BVSD Board President Laurie Albright

"Jason has spent his career working to improve public education for all kids. I am impressed with the breadth of his experience, his commitment to BVSD, and i believe he is the qualied, pragmatic board member we need at this critical time."

—Colorado State Senate President Steve Fenberg

Current* & Former BVSD School Board Presidents Supporting Jason:

Kathy Gebhardt*

BOCO DEMS SHOULD SUPPORT JUNIE JOSEPH IN 2024

Boulder County is known for its progressive politics and its active Democratic Party. As a long-time resident of Boulder, I have witnessed how the party values diversity, encourages participation, and cultivates candidates. One of these candidates is Junie Joseph, who was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Edie Hooten in the State House of Representatives for District 10.

access, quality, and fairness in the justice system. These bills show her dedication to social justice, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability.

Junie Joseph has proven herself to be a competent and effective legislator who can get things done. Out of the 20 or 21 bills she sponsored in the State Assembly, 19 have been signed into law. This is an impressive achievement for a freshman legislator, and it shows that she has the skills and the vision to lead Boulder County in the future.

However, it seems that the leadership of the Boulder County Democratic Party is not fully supportive of Junie Joseph’s candidacy for re-election in 2024. It has become apparent that some party members are trying to undermine her campaign and favor another candidate who is less qualified and less experienced. This comment is based on several public endorsements made by at least three prominent party members. This is a disappointing and troubling development that goes against the party’s principles and goals.

I urge the leadership of the Boulder County Democratic Party to reconsider its stance and to endorse Junie Joseph for re-election in 2024. She is the best choice for District 10 and for Boulder County. She has earned the trust and respect of her constituents and her colleagues, and she deserves the support of her party. Junie Joseph is a true progressive leader who can make a difference for Boulder County and for Colorado.

— Kenneth M. Flowe Sr. / Boulder

Helayne Jones

Ken Roberge

Laurie Albright

Sam Fuqua

Stan Garnett (& frmr. Boulder Cty Dist Attorney)

Julie Phillips

Jim Reed

LEARN MORE ABOUT JASON! PLEASE VISIT: JASONforBVSD.com Español: JASONforBVSD.com/Hogar/

Linda Shoemaker PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JASON UNGER KARIN JOHNSON, TREASURER

Junie Joseph is a first-term City Council member who has shown her commitment to serving the people of Boulder. She has represented the city at the state and national level, and has been accessible and responsive to her constituents. She has also demonstrated her expertise in public policy and her passion for progressive ideals.

As a State Representative, Junie Joseph has sponsored and passed several bills that reflect the values and needs of Boulder County. Some of these bills include eviction protections for residential tenants, parent and child family time, and expanding

My rst class, Compton, CA

WRITERS ON THE RANGE GOATS CAN BE A FOREST’S BEST FRIEND

BY DAVE MARSTON

Goats are particularly good at one thing: Eating. Unlike a horse or cow that leaves noxious weeds behind, goats eat the whole menu of pesky weeds, bushes and small trees. That means goats can be one of the answers to the growing problem of tinder-dry, highly flammable forests.

In Durango, Colorado, former firefighter Jonathan Bartley runs a business called DuranGoats, along with partner Adrian Lacasse, and it’s so popular they’re booked daily. Their herd usually works along the wildland-urban interface of the San Juan National Forest, clearing undergrowth around private houses in heavily wooded, steep areas at the town’s periphery.

Thanks to his work, Bartley has come to a conclusion about newcomers to the West: “When people move here thinking ‘I’d love to live in the woods,’ they’re probably making a big mistake.”

Bartley knows fire well. He worked for a private company called Oregon Woods as part of a hand crew of 20 based in Eugene, Oregon. There, the Holiday Farm Fire started within a halfmile of his house. From that experience, he learned that our approach to wildfire is backward: “We react, rather than manage landscapes ahead of time. Spending a few million dollars on fire mitigation would have saved hundreds of millions of dollars.”

These days, he said, “I’m still fighting fires — just with goats.”

Bartley is quick to point out that fire itself is beneficial to forests. Even CalFire, the firefighting arm of the state of California, says on its website, “Fire removes low-growing underbrush, cleans the forest floor of debris, opens it up to sunlight and nourishes the soil.”

The problem across the West, Bartley said, is so many unmanaged dense forests full of deadfall and brush — “ladder fuels” — that allow fire to climb into tree canopies. “By the time wildfire gets into the treetops to

become crown fires,” Bartley said, “firefighters have evacuated and are miles away.”

Bartley has big ambitions for his goat herd, which can clear a quarter-acre in a day. DuranGoats charges $400 daily, he said, much less than the cost of a crew of landscapers armed with weed whackers and loppers on hilly, broken terrain. Moreover, the goats’ sharp hooves churn the dirt and fertilize it with poop and pee, setting up a regenerative cycle that improves the soil.

In northwestern Montana, former journalist David Reese has a similar business called Montana Goat. His herd moves daily, and once the animals strip leaves off small trees and gobble up the cheatgrass and knapweed, he said, it’s quick work to chainsaw small trees and dead branches.

Like Bartley, Reese has found he has almost more business than he can handle. He plans to scale his herd to 400 goats, while Bartley aims to build up to 100 goats. Both are angling for bigger contracts from homeowners and also government agencies.

Finding four-legged workers is easy. “A male dairy goat has a life expectancy of a week,” said Bartley. “They’re not plump like meat goats, have no dairy value and often are dispatched at birth.”

Extra income for DuranGoats comes from outdoor weddings. Festooned with wildflowers and bells, goats roam the grounds and are a favorite with all the guests, even pitching in as ringbearers, or in a pinch, groomsmen. But like any single man at a wedding, they have a wandering eye, which means that flower arrangements can be gobbled up quickly.

Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Durango, Colorado.

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

Vote Guide Part

1

Our picks for state and county issues, plus Boulder and Longmont candidates and measures

Let’s be honest: Voting can feel overwhelming. Don’t be embarrassed. We’re journalists, we understand feeling cynical and burned out.

But we also know voting is a privilege, and — sorry to go Civics 101 on you — nowhere do our votes have more power than right here at home.

Each year Boulder Weekly creates a guide to help residents across the county vote in state, county and municipal elections. This year we’ve chosen to break our Vote Guide out across two issues. Ballots are being mailed later this year — Oct. 16 — meaning we can take a bit more time to research these candidates and issues and still present you with all the information you need before your ballot hits your mailbox. This first issue contains endorsements for the state and county ballot issues, and for Boulder and Longmont

NEXT WEEK: Part 2 BVSD Board of Education, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville, and Superior

city council candidates and ballot measures. Next week, on Oct. 12, we’ll cover Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Superior and the BVSD Board of Education.

Our endorsements were made through questionnaires, interviews and countless hours of research and conversation. There is no anonymous, corporate editorial board making these decisions, just four journalists: some who live in town, some who commute in, each of us renters. We share progressive values that uphold social justice, equal opportunities, compassion, social welfare, diversity and inclusion,

and we hope our endorsements reflect these principles.

While we’ve provided an endorsement for every candidate and issue, not every conclusion was easy. We’ve done our best to choose candidates we believe are driven by a similar progressive mission, but no one sees eye to eye on everything — and that’s the point of democracy, right?

Ballot measures typically deal with money, and with elevated inflation, rising property taxes and astronomical energy bills, we know the slew of measures seeking dollars, particularly in Longmont, might feel overwhelming to

some residents, especially those on fixed incomes who may have called Boulder County home for decades before the influx of tech bros, cannabis investors and remote workers.

We’ve provided context and background with our endorsements so whether you agree with our take or not, we hope we give you enough information to feel comfortable in your own opinion. You can scan QR codes to see questionnaires from council candidates, and the online version of this guide contains links to more information on every issue.

At the end of the day, we’re journalists. We just want to help you be informed — and by all means, tell us what we got wrong (but please don’t be afraid to tell us if we got something right). Send your thoughts to letters@ boulderweekly.com.

— Caitlin Rockett

COLORADO BALLOT ISSUES

PROPOSITION HH: REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES AND RETAIN STATE REVENUE

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

If approved, Proposition HH would reduce property taxes while allowing the state to keep money that would otherwise be distributed to individuals under Colorado’s so-called Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The measure would authorize the retention of those dollars through at least 2032 without voter approval, while placing a new property tax limit for most local governments. Retained funding would support education, rental assistance programs and reimbursements for local governments to cover reduced property tax revenue.

Tax relief for home and business owners amid historical spikes in residential property values will be an obvious selling point for many Colorado voters. The measure would also make it more feasible for older homeowners to downsize, which is a clear and substantial benefit for cities like Boulder whose populations are rapidly aging.

But our endorsement for Prop HH has less to do with the financial burdens of home ownership and more to do with securing the robust funding needed to support public education and rental assistance. Since its passage in 1992, the regressive stranglehold of TABOR has put a hard ceiling on what’s possible in the Centennial State by holding public investment hostage in favor of a fleeting payday. Colorado voters should dismantle this libertarian fantasy of what it means to live together in a society, and this measure is a good place to start.

PROPOSITION II: RETAIN NICOTINE TAX REVENUE IN EXCESS OF BLUE BOOK ESTIMATE

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

Passage of this measure would authorize the state to retain and allocate $23.65 million in tax revenue already collected with interest from the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine products. This money would be used to support the state’s universal preschool program. If voters do not approve Proposition II, this potential funding would be returned to industry wholesalers and distributors through direct refunds, temporary tax cuts or credits, or another method to be determined by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

Our decision to endorse Proposition II was a no-brainer. The endorsement hangs on a basic question: Who deserves this money — tobacco companies or our kids? The answer is clear, especially when you consider how funding would be used to help some of our most vulnerable children. In addition to providing partday preschool programming for students in the year before kindergarten, revenue kept and spent under the measure would provide the same for all three- and four-year-olds with disabilities, plus additional preschool programming for low-income families and at-risk kids.

Passage of this measure would retain the current tax rates on these products that were previously approved by a two-thirds majority of voters in 2020. Let others clutch their pearls over “government expansion” and corporate taxes. We know what’s right for our young people, and it’s a big fat Yes on Prop II.

BOULDER COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES

BALLOT ISSUE 1A: OPEN SPACE SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

Boulder County’s existing Open Space sales and use tax would be extended for another 15 years if voters approve this ballot measure. Passage would authorize the County to continue to collect 0.05% to help cover expenses related to the acquisition, improvement, management and maintenance of these publicly accessible lands.

Boulder Weekly supports this important commitment to maintaining the open space that has become a central part of public life here in our idyllic slice of the Front Range.

BALLOT ISSUE 1B: AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

This proposal would authorize a 15-year continuation of an existing countywide 0.185% sales and use tax supporting affordable and attainable housing and services in Boulder County.

It’s no secret that the housing crisis plaguing our community is severe and untenable. More than 16,000 households spend over half their income on rent each month, according to data from Boulder County Housing and Human Services. In a

familiar story, people of color and people with lower income are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Extending this tax support for another 15 years won’t get us out of this mess overnight, but it’s an important step in the effort.

BALLOT ISSUE 6A: NEDERLAND ECOPASS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT EXTENSION

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

In another proposed tax extension, this measure’s passage would continue the existing ad valorem property tax mill levy to offset the costs of administering the Regional Transportation District (RTD) EcoPass program — offering unlimited trips on all RTD services to residents of the Nederland EcoPass District. The rate of the mill levy is not to exceed 1.85 mills or approximately $12.52 in annual property tax per $100,000 in residential value, according to a Boulder County fact sheet. The measure would also allow RTD to implement an EcoPass program for non-resident workers in the district.

Boulder Weekly endorses this measure in part for its potential to boost the economy of Nederland and the surrounding region. In addition to helping local businesses retain and recruit workers through the employee EcoPass, extension of the program will help alleviate traffic and parking congestion in the area by taking more emission-producing cars off the road. No matter how you slice it, that’s a win for all of us.

BOULDER CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

BOULDER MAYOR

FIRST CHOICE: AARON BROCKETT

SECOND CHOICE: NICOLE SPEER

THIRD CHOICE: BOB YATES

FOURTH CHOICE: PAUL TWEEDLIE

This is the first year Boulder will choose its mayor in a rankedchoice election. Voters will be able to indicate a first, second, third and fourth choice for mayor. We’ve listed our endorsement above in order of preference.

Aaron Brockett was elected by fellow council members as mayor in 2021. Prior to that, he served on Council for eight years. That’s what stands out most with this candidate: experience. He knows City processes, and who to turn to for what. Perhaps of equal importance are his connections in the county and state, which are essential collaborations to solve regional and statewide issues, along with those in the city, who can help tackle issues like homelessness, climate action and transportation. Various endorsements from elected officials, like Gov. Jared Polis, Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann and all eight state legislators who represent Boulder County, give a glimpse into those connections.

But it’s not just the time Brockett’s spent representing Boulder, it’s also what he’s achieved. Over the last 10 years, he’s contributed to passing ordinances on issues like increasing affordable housing, gun violence prevention, immigrant protections and flood mitigation. He’s active in the community and has established connections with people from a variety of backgrounds by studying Spanish and frequently attending local events for nonprofits, schools and community groups. While homelessness and affordability have worsened during his tenure, Brockett supports creating more transitional housing and mental health and substance use treatment options, and is a proponent of revising zoning codes and permitting processes to increase affordable housing options like accessory dwelling units and triplexes. He knows the importance of a balanced approach to meet people across the aisle in creating successful policy.

Nicole Speer is our second choice endorsement because she has time remaining on Council: If Brockett is reelected as mayor, Speer will remain on Council; if Speer is elected mayor, Brockett is off Council. While we see both of these candidates as capable leaders in the mayoral seat, we also want both of these minds shaping the direction of our City. Speer is dedicated to bringing diverse perspectives into her decision-making, and we think her evidence-based approach to policies make her stand out as a leader in the community. If she doesn’t win this year, we want to see her run for mayor again.

Bob Yates gets our third preference for mayor. While we don’t agree with Yates’ support of initiatives like Safe Zones 4 Kids, or his flipflopping on rent control, or his defense of increased enforcement of laws against people experiencing homeless-

ness, we do agree with his support of the arts, the daytime shelter for the unhoused, the middle-income down payment assistance program and with helping to broker the settlement with Xcel after Boulder ended its bid for a municipal-run utility.

As for Paul Tweedlie, his answers to our questionnaire were flippant and paper thin, as were his answers during both the Chamber of Commerce and Create Boulder candidate forums.

BOULDER CITY COUNCIL

TERRI BRNCIC

JENNIFER ROBINS

AARON GABRIEL NEYER

JACQUES DECALO

SILAS ATKINS

WAYLON LEWIS

RYAN SCHUCHARD

TARA WINER

TINA MARQUIS

TAISHYA ADAMS

SILAS ATKINS

The main thrust of Atkins’ Council campaign is advocating for the basic needs of Boulder residents to be met. He says he will elevate the voices of people who haven’t been listened to, and will work to address their needs. We think he’s capable of this because he represents that demographic as a paraeducator and someone living in what he calls “insecure” housing.

His policies mirror those priorities. If elected to Council, he says he will prioritize housing solutions like establishing safe outdoor spaces with wraparound services, creating a homeless shelter with 24/7 services and ending encampment sweeps. Atkins is also focused on increasing the affordable housing stock, which he plans to do by simplifying permitting processes and advocating to change land-use codes to allow more multi-family housing to keep artists, teachers, medical workers and other blue-collar workers in town.

Boulder City Council continued on page 16

Scan this QR code to see candidates’ answers to our questionnaire.

Finally, he says he will support increasing the minimum wage to reflect Boulder’s high cost of living, and launch a full-time direct-cash assistance program following the end of the Elevate Boulder pilot program, an initiative he helped envision as a member of its task force. These policies, he says, will “make Boulder livable for everyone and reduce the cycle of homelessness.” Atkins has rented in Boulder for the last seven years, and has two kids. We think voting him onto the City Council will give support to those who need it most.

RYAN SCHUCHARD

Schuchard incorporates climate action into his policies perhaps more than any other candidate. At an arts and culture forum at the Dairy Arts Center on Sept. 26 that featured awkward performances, rhymes and jokes from candidates, Schuchard spoke candidly about how climate action might be inspired by the arts — something we need dearly. Schuchard brings experience in the climate space, both in government and private entities, that inform his robust,

VOTE GUIDE 2023

justice-centered policies. We think he has concrete ideas that will move the needle when it comes to environment, like developing a centralized team to learn more about Boulder’s vulnerabilities and create a more holistic plan moving forward, identifying and overcoming obstacles to the City’s Climate Action Plan through passing targeted ordinances, and starting a process for Council that will bring climate risk and opportunity to day-to-day agendas.

He’s also an appointed member of the City’s Transportation Advisory Board, where he’s helped advise City Council and staff on community transportation, launch the Core Arterial Network bikeway system and advocate for the e-bike incentive program. We think his experience on this board gives him a headstart on understanding the City’s bureaucracy.

BHe takes a nuanced approach to homelessness by wanting to keep sidewalks clear while increasing non-police responses and creating more places for people to shelter. He also brings ideas to the table like building more public toilets and other amenities to keep people healthy and parks clean.

We think Schuchard’s experiences in the Peace Corps, and in business, climate, transportation and public service spaces give him the tools to make a difference on the Council.

TAIYSHA ADAMS

Adams is a self-described educator, environmentalist and social-justice advocate who has lived in Boulder for more than a decade. She has extensive experience on environmental boards and councils, recently serving as a Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioner and a member of Boulder’s inaugural Police Oversight Panel (POP) that increases the community’s involvement in police supervision.

Adams is the most vocal candidate for social justice and equity. When asked if she supported ballot measure 2A (0.15% sales and use tax extension) at a candidate forum, she vehemently opposed, saying the regressive nature of sales and use tax puts too big a burden on folks with lower budgets. While we support 2A (see pg. 18), we appreciate Adams’ thinking. And, as a woman of color, she would bring a lived experience to council that we think is desperately needed. Adams has the professional experience, skill and connections that will help her represent other historically marginalized people who call Boulder home. Adams’ service on POP is an example of that work and priority already in motion.

She champions herself as an environmental advocate, which her policies reflect. Balancing growth with climate resiliency and biodiversity restoration is one of her priorities, and she wants to do so by collaborating across government agencies, businesses and community members. But she wants to accomplish those goals with equity top-of-mind. For example, while she calls for more e-bike investments, she is critical of the recent e-bike incentive program, saying “a $500 rebate on a $1,200 bike will not meet the needs of our multigenerational/large families, families with children at different schools and multiple jobs, or people with disabilities.”

Without diving into Adams’ takes on affordability and homelessness (which resonate with us), we think her voice and experience is critical for the City Council.

TARA WINER

Winer is the only incumbent running to retain her seat on City Council. She won the Council’s fifth spot in 2021, which netted her a two-year term. Boulder Weekly did not endorse Winer in her inaugural campaign. Prior to her seat on Council, Winer was a small business owner for more than 25 years. In the decade-plus since she moved to Boulder, she’s been involved in advising positions all over the city, including roles on the Chautauqua Access Management Plan Community Working Group, Capital Tax Renewal Advisory Committee, Boulder Urban Renewal Authority Board and the Downtown Boulder Community Initiatives Board.

One thing is for certain: Winer isn’t afraid to get out in the community. She’s vocal about how much she listens to community members and seeks resident input by going door-todoor and giving out her number to all constituents.

That strategy helps her meet folks across the aisle. While she didn’t say directly in her answers to our questionnaire or on her website if she supports the Safe Zones 4 Kids ballot measure, she wrote on her website that “we must increase safety in the areas directly surrounding our schools, especially Boulder High School. I support enforcing the camping ban and enforcing a drug-free zone.” At the same time, Jennifer Livovich, a formerly unhoused community member who has founded two local homelessness advocacy nonprofits, endorses Winer, according to the candidate’s campaign website.

Serving two years on Council also gives Winer an understanding of systems and processes. She has good ideas on how to tackle big topics like affordable housing and homelessness while also focusing on “easier-to-solve” problems like fixing potholes and adding lighting to bike underpasses.

While Winer might lean more on the conservative side for Boulder Weekly’s taste, a representative council needs folks who hear both sides. We think that’s what Winer brings to the table.

I'm Waylon Lewis, and I’m running to serve you as your next City Council member here in our wonderful, yet troubled Boulder.

As the only prominent candidate independent of factions, I will help our Boulder through conflict culture and toward actual solutions through coalition-building and public support.

Born in raised in Boulder by a hardworking, caring single mom, my deep community connections and successful local business background will help me to address our crucial concerns: safety and homelessness, climate crisis, and (lack of) affordability.

My approach is one of listening to stakeholders and experts over my own opinions, followed by bold leadership to help make Boulder the community we all want it to be. ~

Endorsements listed at waylonlewis.com:

BETTER BOULDER, SIERRA CLUB, Senate President Steve Fenberg, 5 Boulder Mayors incl. Aaron Brockett, honorable mention: Bob Yates, most candidates & council members from all sides, Dorothy Rupert, Rep. Junie Joseph, Jill Grano, restaurant owners, climbers, cyclists, regenerative Farmers, Naropa President Chuck Lief, local eco entrepreneurs, artists, Families incl. Jenny & Scott Jurek, Moms Demand Action, Bedrooms are for People. I’ve served non-profit boards incl. New Era Colorado, Nude Foods, New Local, the Co-op.

WAYLON LEWIS FOR BOULDER CITY COUNCIL

“By far the best

Waylon

BOULDER BALLOT ISSUES

BALLOT ISSUE 2A: CITY SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION (TABOR)

FOR THE MEASURE AGAINST THE MEASURE

This ballot measure proposes allocating $3.6 million annually to support arts and culture by extending an existing 0.15% sales and use tax. All of the dollars collected by that tax as it’s written right now, estimated at $7.2 million, go to the City’s general fund to support a variety of items including fire and emergency response, homelessness solutions and human services. It’s set to expire at the end of 2024. The ballot issue at hand proposes to split the tax 50-50 between the general fund and a dedicated arts fund through Dec. 31, 2044.

Proponents of 2A highlight the lack of consistent and stable support for the arts community in Boulder, and say this tax extension is a way to change that. Organizations currently compete in a grant process capped at $50,000 a year. Melissa Fathman, executive director of the Dairy Arts Center, said at the Sept. 26 Council candidates arts forum that the arts community is a “delicate financial ecosystem that cannot exist without community support,” and that the Dairy currently cannot provide competitive wages for staff.

One reason people oppose the ballot measure is because sales and use tax are regressive, meaning people with lower incomes pay a higher proportion of their budget. About half of the City’s total revenue comes from sales and use tax.

This measure is a product of a compromise established by the City Council between the ballot petition, which sought to dedicate 100% of this tax’s revenue to the arts, and the measure from the City to renew the tax as originally written. Mayoral candidate and

current Council member Nicole Speer says she doesn’t support the 50-50 tax extension compromise because it didn’t get the financial review process budget items typically encounter, and she wanted to see more opportunity for community engagement.

Two Council candidates, Taishya Adams and Silas Atkins, and one mayoral candidate, Speer, showed they did not support 2A at the arts forum.

While there will be fewer dollars from this tax going to the general fund if this ballot measure is passed, the formation of the library district means the City has $5 million of unallocated dollars to play with and therefore won’t have to cut any programs, like much-needed housing and human services, previously funded by the tax. And, while it has yet to be approved, the 2024 recommended City budget proposed allocating more than $2 million more to human services compared to the actual 2023 budget (“Now you know,” Sept. 21, 2023), showing us the City is prioritizing that major community need.

If 2A isn’t passed this November, the 0.15% tax won’t expire until the end of 2024, meaning next November could be another opportunity to extend it. Boulder Weekly knows the power and widespread impact of the arts, and we want to see this community, which is known for its art and culture, put its money where its mouth is and support these important organizations and artists.

BALLOT QUESTION 2B: ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATIVE CHARTER CLEANUP FOR THE MEASURE AGAINST THE MEASURE

This question looks to expedite some City processes related to petitions to get measures on upcoming ballots. For example, in the year of our lord

2023, there is absolutely no reason for people to sign a petition in front of the city clerk to support a mayoral or Council candidate. The measure also looks to:

• Clarify that state law governs the process for charter amendments;

• Change the timing provisions of filing a petition to 160 days before an election instead of 150 days;

• Change the number of days the city clerk has to approve a petition from 10 days to 15 days, and

• Change the number of days the city clerk has to verify petition signatures from 10 days to 15 days Some of these adjustments give more time to the public or to the city clerk, and while some might gripe over potentially slower City processes, we support it.

BALLOT QUESTION 302: SAFE ZONES 4 KIDS

FOR THE MEASURE AGAINST THE MEASURE

A group of parents launched the Safe Zones 4 Kids ballot initiative in October 2022 in response to “the increasing amount of criminal activity occurring around Boulder schools and pathways.’’ If passed by voters this November, the police department will give higher priority to the removal of tents, propane tanks and other prohibited items on City property within 500 feet of schools or 50 feet on both sides of any multi-use path or sidewalk.

Boulder Weekly strongly opposes Safe Zones 4 Kids. While the measure purports to protect children, it does nothing more than further criminalize homelessness and attempt to hide Boulder’s growing unhoused population. The priority areas laid out in Safe Zones 4 Kids “would not add to Boulder’s enforcement toolkit,” the City states on its website, “because camping is already banned near schools and in all

other public spaces” through Boulder’s citywide camping policy enforcement.

The City already prioritizes removing a person or property, without notice, when a City street or multi-use path obstruction creates “potential for an accident or harm to other path users.” The City also allocated $1.3 million to its Safe and Managed Spaces program in 2023 to add an additional “encampment management” team to conduct “sweeps” that remove people experiencing homelessness from public spaces.

Rather than shuffling people from one place to the next with stricter enforcement policies, homelessness advocates, like Boulder nonprofit Feet Forward, say the City needs more options and resources to mitigate the rise of unmanaged mental health and addiction rates in the unhoused community. In an attempt to address these issues, City Council is working to establish a day shelter and addiction recovery centers through Project Recovery.

It’s clear homelessness is getting worse in Boulder. The 2023 Point-InTime Count in Boulder County, which captures a snapshot of the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, recorded more than 800 total unhoused individuals, with nearly 250 sheltered. The previous

year’s total count was just more than 450. Colorado ranks in the bottom five states nationally in prevalence of mental illness (including substance use disorder) and access to care, according to Mental Health America.

But Safe Zones 4 Kids is not an answer. It’s poorly constructed legislation that reinforces the compassionless concept that homelessness is a crime that can be policed away.

Andrew Brandt School Board why vote

I’m a dad with two kids who attend BVSD sc hools.

I will defend, suppor t, and expand BVSD’s existing diversity, equity, inclusion, and mental health initiatives to benefit students, staff, and hers.

I am thoughtful and collaborative with teams who wor k to solve complex problems, under budget.

I will analyze data, and listen to creative ideas from exper ts to improve xpand educational oppor tunities for all c hildren in the district.

Endorsed by:

LONGMONT CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

MAYOR (CHOOSE ONE)

ETHAN AUGREEN JOAN PECK (INCUMBENT) TERRI GOON

Longmont Mayor Joan Peck has two years under her belt as mayor and an additional six years on Council. Boulder Weekly has endorsed Peck in years past, (every year she’s run since her election to Council in 2015, except for the 2021 mayoral election), particularly because of her focus on environmental protection.

Our initial support for Peck stemmed from work she did prior to her election to Council. Peck co-led the successful effort to get a ban on fracking on Longmont’s ballot in 2012, a move that ultimately led to a Colorado Supreme Court decision giving municipalities the right to prohibit the practice. She was instrumental in bringing air quality monitoring to Longmont. Peck also has a pre-Council track record of advocating for better transportation, and currently serves on the board of the Front Range Passenger Rail District.

She says her top priority heading into a new term would be to find alignment with RTD to bring a commuter rail to Longmont, or to simply “have an exit plan” for the long-languishing RTD FasTracks deal if it’s not going to come to fruition. Creating affordable and attainable housing is another prime concern for Peck, something she’s worked for during her time on Council and where she feels she still has unfinished business. For people experiencing homelessness, Peck has remained against

encampment sweeps, and has supported Boulder County’s first “safe lot,” where people can sleep in cars or RVs in the undisclosed parking lot of a Longmont church.

Peck’s tenure on Council has not been without conflict: She’s drawn ire from fellow Council members for everything from limiting discussions during meetings to hashing out public business through her private email. Her answers to Boulder Weekly’s candidate questionnaire were less robust than one would imagine from someone who has sat on Council for eight years.

Still, Peck has the experience in the job that her competitors on the ballot simply do not.

AT-LARGE (CHOOSE ONE)

Sean McCoy is a lifetime Longmont resident, a U.S. government teacher at Monarch High School and a father of two. He’s also the current Longmont City Council member at-large with three decades of public service experience in the books. If elected, this will be Sean McCoy’s third term on Council. His first was 2007 to 2011 as the Ward III representative, and he was reelected in 2022 in a special election. He’s also served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Housing and Human Services Board, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission, to name a few. To address homelessness, McCoy

first wants to find ways to keep people in their homes through rental- and billassistance programs and accessible treatment for mental and physical illnesses. He’d also like to see a shortterm RV park complete with services to help people get on their feet. He joins the rest of us in Boulder County in wanting the commuter rail between Longmont and Denver to get built — something he says will reduce emissions, lead to increased wages in Longmont and enhance the community overall and proposes hiring City-paid grant writers to make it happen. McCoy has realistic goals and plans to achieve them. That, combined with his wealth of experience, make him a good pick for Council.

We also think first-time council candidate Beka Venturella shows passion for making change and has already proven herself successful at building relationships at the local and state level, particularly around the issue of gun control. While she doesn’t get our endorsement this year, we hope to see her name on the ballot in future elections.

WARD 1 (CHOOSE ONE)

DIANE CRIST

NIA WASSINK

HARRISON EARL

With a background in nonprofit work, DEI consulting, and campaign management, Nia Wassink brings political know-how and knowledge across sectors that we believe will make her successful on Longmont City Council. While it’s clear Harrison Earl takes a similarly progressive approach to pressing issues like affordable housing and sustainability, we appreciated the specificity and depth to Wassink’s answers to our questionnaire. She has actionable, multipronged plans to work with City staff to address Longmont’s housing issues and cares deeply about making sure all community members’ voices are heard not just those who can show up for

Council’s public comment. She understands how Council, City staff, nonprofits and other entities can work together to affect positive change for Longmont. Endorsements from two sitting Council members (Aren Rodriguez and Sahquita Yarbrough) also bode well for Wassink’s ability to work well with the current Council.

WARD 3 (CHOOSE ONE)

RON GALLEGOS

GARY HODGES

SUSIE HIDALGO-

FAHRING (INCUMBENT)

SPENCER ADAMS

An educator of 30 years and a Council member of four years, Susie HidalgoFahring brings both experience and a working class perspective to the dais. When we endorsed her in 2019, we called her a doer and problem-solver who has a heart for people who are struggling, and that still holds true. During her time on council, she worked on the creation of an Attainable Housing Fund and supported the Zinnia Project, a development that will provide 55 permanent units and wraparound services for residents experiencing homelessness. She also helped navigate the challenges of the pandemic by working with the City and school district to help get residents access to internet, housing and mental health care. She’s a native Spanish speaker and one of the only people on the Longmont ballot who pays rent, something we believe allows her to connect with and advocate for a range of Longmont residents. Her answers to our questionnaire reflected an understanding of local processes and a strong motivation to approach issues with an equity lens. Her top priorities include affordability, community mental health support and wraparound services for the unhoused. Because of her track record on Council and her ability to get things done, we strongly endorse Hidalgo-Fahring for a second term.

BEKA VENTURELLA STEVE ALTSCHULER SEAN MCCOY (INCUMBENT)

Scan this QR code to see candidates’ answers to our questionnaire.

A once in a generation opportunity in the City of Boulder to secure long-term funding for critical community needs.

Continuing an existing 0.15% sales tax, allocating 50% of the tax revenue to arts and culture.

Designating 50% into the City General Fund to support homeless solutions, behavioral health, public safety, human services, parks, and other general needs.

A Broad Coalition of Community Organizations are A Broad Coalition of Community Organizations are Supporting 2A Supporting 2A 3rd Law Dance/Theater, BMoCA, Boulder Ballet, Boulder County Arts Alliance, BETC, Boulder International Film Festival, Boulder JCC, Boulder Phil, Boulder Studio Arts, Colorado Chautauqua Association, Colorado Music Festival, Dairy Arts Center, El Centro Amistad, Frequent Flyers, eTown Hall, Local Theater Company, Junkyard Social Club, Mi Chantli, Museum of Boulder, NOBO Arts District, Open Studios, Parlando School of Musical Arts, Social Venture Partners Boulder County, Street Wise Arts and 20+ More

Mural Art by Detour

Junie Joseph

Marta Loachamin

Aaron Brockett

Nicole Speer

Lauren Folkerts

LONGMONT BALLOT ISSUES

Ballot issues 3C, 3D, and 3E each ask residents to vote on proposed property and sales tax increases to fund public amenities like a performing arts center, library branch and recreation centers — seven taxes in total. We think each of these proposed projects would be positive contributions to Longmont’s economy and culture, but we also understand that with inflation and rising costs of living, it’s a tough time to ask residents to increase their taxes — especially when we could characterize most of these projects as “wants,” not “needs.” Though we support each of these measures, we understand if voting for all of them would be too much stress on your bottom line.

BALLOT ISSUE 3C: CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LIBRARY BRANCH

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

This ballot measure asks residents to approve the construction of a new branch library which will cost an estimated $27.7 million. Approving the measure will increase sales tax by 0.15% and increase property taxes by $35.75 a year for a $500,000 home, for no more than 20 years. In addition to the new branch, those funds would go toward ongoing maintenance and operations of all Longmont libraries. The ballot issue doesn’t specify a location, but Council members have indicated that the preferred site would be at Dry Creek Park with the proposed new rec center on the ballot (see Ballot Issue 3E).

es being put before Longmont voters — and all of the services offered would be free and accessible to everyone, which isn’t the case with the amenities offered in the other two ballot issues. In addition to free books, the library provides digital resources, homework help, meeting rooms and a full slate of programming that includes bilingual story time for kids and conversation groups to practice English or Spanish. We’re all for expanding access to information and education, so we endorse a yes/for vote on Ballot Issue 3C.

BALLOT ISSUE 3D: FUNDING FOR A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

This ballot issue asks residents to approve the funding of a new performing arts center that will cost the City $45 million, paid for by a property tax increase that amounts to about $76 annually for a $500,000 home for no more than 20 years, and a 0.09% bump in sales tax. The nonprofit Longmont Performing Arts Initiative has pledged to raise $35 million through a capital campaign if the measure is passed, making it a good deal for the City. The property tax will only kick in if the money is raised and donated to the City, which Council member Marcia Martin has stated would take at least three years. The sales tax will begin six months prior to the center’s projected completion date.

Jill Grano

David Ensign

Josie Heath

Wanda James Ja’mal Gilmore

Doug Schnitzspahn

Helanius Wilkins

Andrew Currie

Martha Wilson

Marisol Rodriguez

The resolution to support the issue notes that the current library was built in 1993 to serve a population of 63,000 and as of 2022, Longmont has more than 100,000 residents. This is the least expensive of the tax increas-

The location isn’t specified in the ballot measure, but Council has indentified two possible locations: an original plan at Boston Avenue and Main Street or, more likely, at the city’s long-defunct sugar mill. The former beet pulp shed on the mill prop-

erty would be transformed into two back-to-back theaters: one a 5,000 standing-capacity amphitheater, the other a 1,000-seat formal auditorium. The downtown location would only include one formal concert hall.

According to the resolution to support the issue, the center could host between 500 and 600 events per year and include rehearsal rooms, classrooms, back-of-house support and parking. The potential sugar shed plans sound pretty cool. The center also has the potential to generate economic activity in Longmont through job creation and entertainment tourism — though Mayor Joan Peck in a Sept. 5 Council meeting voiced caution against putting too much stock in potential economic boosts from the center as arts centers close around the state. Boulder Weekly has a long history of supporting the arts, and this center is a good opportunity to do that again.

BALLOT ISSUE 3E: REC CENTERS AND LAND SWAP

YES / FOR NO / AGAINST

This one was tricky for us because it asks a lot of voters and bundles multiple projects into one issue. Essentially, this issue is asking voters to support three taxes: 1) A property tax increase of nearly $100 on a $500,000 property for 20 years starting in 2024 to fund the construction of a new recreation center at Dry Creek Park that will have a lap pool, fitness

center, gymnasium, childcare, youth and senior activities, multi-purpose meeting rooms and outdoor spaces; 2) a sales tax increase of 0.11% for ongoing maintenance and operations of the Dry Creek center beginning in 2025; and 3) approve a land swap with the YMCA of Northern Colorado that will trade the current Y location land for the Centennial Pool land. The Y will construct a new facility with affordable housing, a pool, an ice rink and childcare and the City will contribute $12 million for the affordable housing portion funded through a property tax increase of $71.50 per year on a $500,000 home for three years once the Y receives a low-income housing tax credit award. While it’s not in the ballot language, Council members have said this ballot issue will also fund renovations to the existing rec center on Quail Road. We wish that Council had broken these into separate issues for voters, as we think the land swap and the new Y are distinct from building and maintaining City-owned rec centers. Putting them all into one issue creates an all-or-nothing decision for voters that we don’t think is quite fair. That being said, Longmont is in desperate need of affordable housing stock, and in addition to the 100 units the Y says it will build, the City also plans to build affordable or attainable housing on the old Y property. Fixing the ailing Centennial Pool would be costly — $8 million to fill it with basketball courts or $23 million to repair it. So: $12 million to get an upgraded Y, with a pool, access to which the nonprofit and City say will be subsidized for rec pass holders, plus expanded childcare and affordable housing is a good deal. We also understand that putting each of these into the same ballot measure ensures that, if passed, three different areas of the city will have access to improved recreation facilities: the northeast with the YMCA, the southeast with renovations at Quail Road and the southwest with the Dry Creek facility. We give this measure a weak yes/for.

‘Sugar shed’ rendering, courtesy City of Longmont

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Jena Griswold Douglas Brinkley

Xiye Bastida Bill Ritter

Dr. Sylvia Earle Gen. Wesley K. Clark

Louis Psihoyos Alice Madden Timothy Wirth Henk Rogers

Delia Malone Paul Watson Kumiko Hayashi Jimmy Piaguaje

‘GOOD TO SEE YOU’

Reunited bluegrass icons Nickel Creek return to the Front Range

BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO

Dissonance isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind when you think about Nickel Creek. But the progressive bluegrass outfit’s latest offering, Celebrants — their first release in nearly a decade — finds the trio “embracing the friction inherent in real human connection.”

The seeds for this ambitious project were planted when the musicians and their families decamped to Santa Monica for a month of writing in the spring of 2021. For fiddle player Sara Watkins, the close quarters yielded plenty of fruitful creative moments on the heels of the pandemic lockdown.

“It was this wonderful full-circle moment … of reconnecting our families in this new stage of life,” Watkins says.

“Meanwhile, we still feel like the kids we always were, and to be able to reconnect, which ended up being what a lot of this album was about … it was a special experience to be able to sort through that together and to talk about it in real conversation.”

Reconnecting with producer Eric Valentine, Nickel Creek also invited longtime friend Mike Elizondo to get in on the action. A producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in his own right — who has worked with everyone from Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Eminem to Cassandra Wilson, Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban — Elizondo was a welcome addition to the process.

“He’s a musical monster, absolute sweetheart and a ridiculous supersuccessful producer,” Watkins says. “We knew that we wanted to work

with [him] as our producer … he and Eric Valentine have never worked together, but they were both mutual fans of each other. We were able to meet up with Mike after that first month of writing and get his fingerprints on the album pretty early on. It would be a very different record had he not been a part of it.”

REUNITED (AND IT FEELS SO GOOD)

Ambition runs wild on Celebrants. You’ll hear it in the rollercoaster ride of the instrumental “Going Out…,” which finds Thile’s fingerpicked mandolin jousting with Watkins’ frenetic fiddle runs, along with the rich harmonies of “From the Beach” and the dramatic dynamic shifts of “Stone’s Throw.” Watkins’ singing is often as fiery as her fiddle-playing, which Front Range audiences will

experience first hand when the trio comes to the Mission Ballroom in Denver on Oct. 18.

“We’re really looking forward to the live show and are really excited about the look and feel in a way that we haven’t emphasized before,” she says. “We’re shooting to … show the cohesiveness that exists with the material that spans from whenever our first album came out [through] now.”

While the ’90s saw the onetime teen prodigies build a devoted fan base through a combination of stellar live shows and a pair of independent releases — 1993’s Little Cowpoke and 1997’s Here to There — it was the crossover success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack that helped spark interest in Nickel Creek when the trio dropped their self-titled Sugar Hill Records debut at the turn of the century. It also didn’t hurt that rootsmusic legend Alison Krauss agreed to produce the 12-song effort.

Over the next two decades, Nickel Creek released another three records, separating to pursue other projects between activities with the group. Watkins says each member’s ability to work on side projects during lengthy breaks is musical fertilizer for an album like Celebrants “Interpersonally, I think the breaks are important,” she says. “In solo proj-

ects, we each get to take the reins and lead it 100 percent from our individual perspective. When we are in different bands, we play different roles and there are new challenges in each band. From each of those projects, we take new skills and lessons learned. Then we come back together and have new things to show each other — new skills and new fun toys, in terms of musical and human perspective. A lot of times, when you’re only in one band, it can feel pretty monochromatic pretty quickly.”

But it seems there’s plenty of color in store for the future of Nickel Creek. With the band back together, and a new album of material in tow, Watkins says she is grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with both her bandmates and fans in a new chapter for the legendary trio.

“When we were thinking about what we wanted to say to our audience when we come back on tour, it is that sentiment people hear at the beginning of the record in the song ‘Celebrants’: ‘My god, it’s good to see you.’”

ON THE BILL: Nickel Creek with Monica Martin. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $50

‘Celebrants,’ the fifth LP from progressive bluegrass outfit Nickel Creek, is out now via Thirty Tigers.

Nickel Creek performs at the Mission Ballroom in Denver with Monica Martin on Oct. 18. Photo by Josh Goleman.

WINDSWEPT

Boulder author’s new novel spotlights the foster care system

BY BART SCHANEMAN

Michelle Theall and her wife were in the process of taking in a foster child when they got a call that a boy and a girl had just been removed from their home.

The older brother was holding his sister’s hand in the backseat of the car on their way to what seemed to be a new life. “Just think of this as the next adventure,” Theall recalls him telling his sibling. “As long as we’re together, we’re going to be fine.”

The kids ended up going back to their mom, but that moment stuck in Theall’s mind. And those two kids became Sky and Ben, the main characters in her new novel, The Wind Will Catch You, out now on Alcove Press.

As the story begins, Sky is growing more entangled with her caseworker when she gets a call that a comatose man in the hospital may be her brother. That can’t be, because Ben died when they were kids.

The narrative travels back and forth in time, weaving several threads along the way, but Theall doesn’t use flashbacks in the common sense. For one, Ben’s journals play a large part in the way the story is told. Ben had always wanted to be a writer, so the diary entries are evocative and detailed. It would be a disservice to the reader and

spoil the plot to talk about the storyline much further.

“I had to be really careful tying together the mystery of whether or not Ben is alive, if he’s the man in the hospital or whether he really did die, and keeping that alive without revealing too much,” Theall says.

Theall lives in Boulder and works as editor and photographer for Alaska Magazine. Prior to The Wind Will Catch You, Theall wrote Teaching the Cat to Sit, a memoir about her experience as a gay Catholic woman balancing being a daughter and a mother raising her son with her partner. The book started as an essay, which was eventually nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, in the Denver-based 5280 Magazine.

As emotionally raw as this book is, with heavy themes including child abuse, patricide and forced adoption, Theall was less fearful about it being out in the world than when she published the memoir. “It was much less emotional,” she says. “It’s not my story.”

SHINE A LIGHT

The Wind Will Catch You may not be based on Theall’s life, but she and her wife were foster parents and adopted their son from Boulder County foster care. She knows firsthand the problems in the system.

“There are outcries and movements for so many things that are important, but the U.S. foster system we’ve just left in shambles,” she says. “There’s no protests or outcries and these kids have no one to stand up for them. It breaks my heart.”

After her book was published, Theall asked her friends: On a scale of one to 10, how much do you know about the foster care system in the United States? “People are saying ‘zero,’” Theall recalls.

Theall’s book is fiction, but she says the gut-wrenching parts about America’s broken foster care system could “absolutely be true.”

She hopes that if anything comes

from publishing the novel, it spurs discussion about its different themes, which also include incarceration, teen pregnancy and LGBTQ identity. Even if that wasn’t Theall’s intent when she set out to write it.

“I didn’t really want to change the world with the book, or preach,” she says. “I wanted it to be a page-turner. I wanted people to sit down and have something they needed to talk about afterward.”

WRITING THE LANDSCAPE

According to Theall, her new book will appeal to fans of Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead and Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone in the way those writers incorporate a sense of place.

Theall grew up in Texas before she “escaped,” and the landscape of the Lone Star State almost serves as a character of its own in The Wind Will Catch You

“That’s definitely something a Colorado audience can relate to,” Theall says. “The way that we’re part of [the landscape], that it plays a part in our survival and understanding of the world.”

And not unlike the dedication required to scale some of the Centennial State’s most daunting 14ers, the 320-page novel took Theall nine years to write. She knew the beginning and the end — it was the part in the middle that she tweaked and obsessed over for years.

She’s part of the same Boulder writing group as Buzzy Jackson, who recently published the historical novel To Die Beautiful; and like Jackson, Theall credits the group with keeping her going and finding the story.

“It was just me spending the time, layer after layer after layer,” Theall says. “Taking layers off, putting them back on, until the story really made sense.”

ON THE PAGE: Colorado Local Authors Open House feat. Michelle Theall. 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, Nederland Community Library, 200 CO-72. Free

The Wind Will Catch You by Michelle Theall was released Sept. 19 via Alcove Press. Photo courtesy the author.

HEADS WILL ROLL

CU Boulder stages a vibrant collision of history and humor in ‘The Revolutionists’

BY TONI TRESCA

In the heart of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, where disorder ruled and heads rolled, playwright Lauren Gunderson saw a story about the resilience and audacity of women. That’s also what grabbed Tamara Meneghini, an associate professor of theater at CU Boulder, who fell in love with Gunderson’s play The Revolutionists after attending BETC’s regional premiere in 2017.

“I was moved by the women, their stories and the gravity of their circumstances,” says Meneghini, who is directing an upcoming production at CU Boulder’s Department of Theatre and Dance, Oct. 6 through Oct. 15. “I enjoy working on historical plays ... that feature characters whose voices we might not otherwise hear. Three of the four characters in this play are real people whose stories have largely been crafted through a male lens, so I was interested in learning more about the reality of these women’s lives.”

This intrepid comedy dives into the French Revolution of 1793 with a keen focus on four remarkable women. In the heart of extremist Paris, Olympe de Gouges is working on a play she hopes will advance freedom when she meets assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and a fictionalized Haitian freedom fighter named Marianne Angelle, who debate their legacies and try to change the world even as they approach their untimely deaths.

“The Revolutionists is a really interesting character piece,” says assistant director Allison Wilson. “It’s not necessarily a plot-driven play because, if you know the history of the women at all, you know that they are going to be guillotined by the end of it, but it is fascinating to watch these four very different women from very different backgrounds interact with and learn from each other. Even though it’s a historical piece, it’s

written in a very contemporary, accessible way, with a nice mixture of laugh-out-loud jokes and tender dramatic moments.”

STAGING A REVOLUTION

Bringing the 18th-century setting to life demanded a delicate balance between historical accuracy and contemporary relevance. The challenge for Meneghini and dramaturg Sam Collier lay in understanding the nuances of the characters’ lives during a time when corsets, giant dresses and wigs were the norm.

“My vision is really pretty simple: It’s a period play, which means we have to understand these women in the time period in which they were living,” Meneghini says. “I believe there is real value in students learning about this time period. I spent my summer diving into history; I read a couple of books about Marie Antoinette and the other two real-life characters [Olympe de Gouges and Charlotte Corday], listened to a lot of podcasts on walks, and talked with a professor at Sewanee College who teaches a class on Olympe.”

The team also researched the Haitian Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when the people of the small island nation overthrew their French colonial rulers in the world’s first successful slave rebellion. The process helped provide direction for portraying the fictional Marianne Angelle.

“She’s a composite character based on several women who played key roles in the Haitian Revolution. This gave me a lot of room to build her from

the ground up,” says MarieAntoinette Banks, one of the actors who plays Marianne. “I focused on Marianne’s relationships with the other women in this play; she is the only character who has oneon-one moments with all of the other three. Marianne’s presence is grounding, and her love is palpable — she keeps the spirit of this play and story alive.”

Since there are only four characters in The Revolutionists, the department decided to double-cast the production to increase opportunities for engagement. During rehearsals, one cast would block a scene onstage while the other cast took notes until their turn to perform.

“We wanted as many people as possible to have the opportunity to do a show,” Meneghini says. “If people can see it twice, they should see it twice, because the casts are so brilliant and it’s been fun getting to develop two different versions of the same characters.”

There will be eight public performances, with each cast presenting to an audience four times. For performers like Matilda Musser, who plays Marie Antionette in her first doublecast role, the process offered an opportunity to see their characters from a new vantage while building community with fellow cast members.

“At first, I was a bit intimidated. I was afraid it was going to turn into a comparison game or something between casts,” Musser says. “But it’s been really lovely having that extra support and getting ideas from watching their interpretation of the character. I believe it worked out; both casts are looking forward to seeing each other’s opening nights and cheering each other on.” ON

‘The Revolutionists’ explores a tumultuous period in world history through the eyes of Olympe de Gouges, Charlotte Corday, Marie Antoinette and a fictionalized Haitian freedom fighter named Marianne Angelle.

‘The Revolutionists’ runs at CU Boulder through Oct. 15. Photo courtesy CU Presents.

VYBE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL

2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 through 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, The Vermillion, 9202 Vermillion Road, Longmont. $55+

Enjoy three days of music, art and holistic wellness at The Vermillion in Longmont. On top of a diverse music lineup, festivalgoers at this 21+ event will enjoy Charkra-themed workshops, a vendor village with unique crafts and camping opportunities.

7

LONG STITCH BOOKBINDING CLASS

9 a.m.-noon. Saturday, Oct. 7, Firehouse Art Center, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. $45

Ever wondered how to bind your own book? Instructor Brandy Coons invites craft lovers of all stripes to join together for a book-binding event hosted by the Firehouse Art Center. All decorative paper covers, stitching materials and embellishments will be provided.

7

BOHEMIAN OKTOBERFEST

11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, and 5:308 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, Bohemian Biergarten, 2017 13th St. Boulder. $75

Celebrate Oktoberfest this weekend with Bohemian Biergarten’s 10th annual celebration. Traditional activities like stein-holding contests, table games, giveaways and tastings will be supplemented by live music — and a free round of beers and a giant pretzel is included in your purchase.

ROLLING

COLORADO PYGMY GOAT SHOW

5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. Free

Join the Colorado Pygmy Goat Club for a goblins and ghouls-themed show. Participants are invited to dress up themselves and their goats for this cute-and-spooky event at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. Come see who takes home the award for best costume and stall decoration.

7

PICNIC IN THE PARK

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, North Boulder Park, 9th and Dellwood, Boulder. Free

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Boulder County hosts an event to celebrate and acknowledge their local community and volunteers. Participants are encouraged to bring a dish to share during the potluck picnic at North Boulder Park, and all are welcome to attend.

7

ERIE BREWFEST

Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Historic Downtown Erie, 645 Holbrook St. $35

Calling all hop heads! Local breweries, music, crafts and games collide at the annual Erie Brewfest. A commemorative festival glass will be included with tickets to this 21+ event, with free admission for all designated drivers.

7

LAFAYETTE MUSIC FEST

Noon-midnight, Saturday, Oct. 7, multiple Locations, Lafayette. $30

Celebrate the sounds of the Front Range across five Lafayette locations during this homegrown music festival featuring more than 20 bands — from established mainstays like Hazel Miller to emerging artists like Denver indierock trio Blankslate and more.

9

‘THE LAND OF GIANTS’

7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $24

Explore the most iconic mountains on earth in The Land of Giants, a new adventure film by Matchstick Productions following world-class skiers as they take on extreme conditions at mountain ranges from Alaska to Norway.

EVENTS

8

BOULDERTHON

7:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, 1400 Pearl St., Boulder. $65+

This scenic race is back and bigger than ever with a cap of 7,500 runners. All participants will receive a bib and electronic timing, plus a finisher medal, T-shirt and a free beer. Options include a full marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k and a kids run.

10

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY HIKE

5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, Ranger Cottage, Kinnikinnick Road, Boulder. Free

Immerse yourself in nature and escape from your everyday stress and hustle with an outdoor celebration of World Mental Health Day. Learn and connect with others on the topic of mental wellness during this hike that is open to all experience and fitness levels.

10-11

BOCO FLAMENCO FALL ’23

6:30-8 p.m. Oct. 10-11, Dairy Arts CenterGordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $55+

Join flamenco legends Rafael Riqueni and Juani de la Isla for a two-night musical celebration at the Dairy Arts Center. Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a longtime fan of the folkloric tradition from southern Spain, you won’t want to miss this event featuring two celebrated guitarists sure to dazzle with their impressionist and contemporary style.

FRI. 10/6 - 8:00PM BiRds oF Play

THU. 10/12 - 8:00PM

FRI. 10/13 - 7:30PM

12

PAINT-A-PET FUNDRAISER

6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, The Flats Beer Garden, 11229 Colorado 93, Golden. $50

Want to immortalize your pet through art? Denver Art Days and The Flats Beer Garden invite you to do just that during this paint-by-numbers event supporting Soul Dog Rescue. Guests who paint shelter dogs will have their paintings gifted to the pets’ future owners.

FRI. 10/20 - 8:00PM

Rock indie 102.3. Pick oF the Month

SAT. 10/21 - 7:00PM an evening w/ hazel MilleR

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, OCT. 5

THE GALENTINES WITH CIRCLING GIRL AND BETTER WEATHER

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

THE FRETLINERS WITH DEREK DAMES OHL AND JACK CLOONAN

9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $14

BEN JORDAN AND FRIENDS

8 p.m. The Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

ROSELIT BONE WITH SNAKES AND KING ROPES. 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $15

DEAD POET SOCIETY WITH PUBLIC THEATRE 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $22

GOOSE (NIGHT 1) 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $58

DROELOE WITH NASAYA AND DEMOTAPES. 9 p.m. Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $30

FRIDAY, OCT. 6

MOON HOOCH WITH CLOUDCHORD. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $18

BIRDS OF PLAY. 8 p.m. The Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. Free

VON DISCO. 9:30 p.m. License No. 1, 2115 13th St., Boulder. Free

A PLACE FOR OWLS WITH MLADY, JAMES BARRETT AND A MOUTHFUL OF THUNDER. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Moe’s Original BBQ, 3295 S. Broadway, Englewood. $12

BW Pick of the Week

FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS WITH WINE LIPS (NIGHT 1) 9 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $22

AMZY WITH ELEKTRIC ANIMALS AND A PINK RANGER! 9 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $20

ON THE BILL

Front Range emo-rock outfit A Place for Owls bring their soaring and sincere sound to Moe’s Original BBQ in Englewood for an Oct. 6 show with mlady, James Barrett and A Mouthful of Thunder. Now is the perfect time to catch this emerging local act in an intimate setting before they open for Y2K radio-rock hitmakers Switchfoot at The Ogden Theater on Nov. 2. Scan the QR code for a BW feature on the band. See listing for details

GOOSE (NIGHT 2) 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $58

ARMAND HAMMER WITH TIME

8 p.m. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. $20

SATURDAY, OCT. 7

LAFAYETTE MUSIC FESTIVAL

Noon-midnight. Various locations, Lafayette. $35

DEAD POET SOCIETY WITH PUBLIC THEATRE AND CLEMENTINE

7 p.m. The Coast, 254 Linden St., Fort Collins. $16

VOODOO LILY 9:30 p.m. License No. 1, 2115 13th St., Boulder. Free

FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS WINE LIPS (NIGHT 2). 9 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $22

SLOW PULP WITH BABEHOVEN

8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. Denver. $40

CODY JINKS WITH CLUTCH AND TENNESSEE JET. 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $82

YEULE WITH SASAMI. 8 p.m. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. $25

SUNDAY, OCT. 8

SAY SHE SHE WITH NICKY EGAN 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $20

DAKOTA BLONDE 7 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $20

IAN ARGYS QUARTET. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

DJUNAH QUITS WITH ALMANAC MAN. 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $12

CARL COX HYBRID LIVE WITH NICOLE MOUDABER, WILL CLARKE AND THE BORDAS BROTHERS 6 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $44

MONDAY, OCT. 9

THE MARS VOLTA WITH TERRY GENDER BENDER. 8 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $50

ADEKUNLE GOLD. 7 p.m. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St., Denver. $17

BORIS AND MELVINS. 7 p.m. Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St., Denver. $35

TUESDAY, OCT. 10

PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS WITH NOLAN POTTER’S NIGHTMARE BAND 8 p.m. Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave., Fort Collins. $22

FACE. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $25

THUNDERCAT WITH SMINO, THE LINDA LINDAS, AND ZACK FOX 6 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $55

MYKE TOWERS.7 p.m. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 N.Clarkson St., Denver. $50

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11

DEYA DOVA WITH DRUMSPYDER, BLOOMURIAN, AND DAMIYR 7 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $35

THE ZOMBIES. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater. 2032 14th St. $40

VITALWILD WITH ZAJE 9 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

BOURBON BLUES WITH GROOVES DALE CISEK BAND 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. Free

GEORGE NELSON BAND. 8 p.m. License No. 1, 2115 13th St., Boulder. Free

SAN HOLO WITH WHETHAN, WILLIAM BLACK, ROME IN SILVER AND ODDKIDOUT 6 p.m. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $50

GUS DAPPERTON WITH ABBY SAGE 8 p.m. Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $25

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

Credit: Eric Wencel

ON STAGE

It’s your last week to catch Miss Rhythm: The Legend of Ruth Brown, on stage through Oct. 15 at the Garner Galleria Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. This interpretive musical from Sheryl McCallum and David Nehls gives the audience an inside look at the music, life and legacy of “the Queen of R&B.” Scan the QR code for a BW review of the show. See listing for details

ON VIEW

MISS RHYTHM: THE LEGEND OF RUTH BROWN Through Oct. 15, DCPA - Garner Galleria Theatre, 1101 13th St., Denver. $46 BW Pick of the Week

THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Oct. 6-15, The Spark, 4847 Pearl St., Unit B4, Boulder. $20+

THE REVOLUTIONISTS. Oct. 6-15, CU Boulder Theatre Department - University Theatre Building, 261 University of Colorado. $20 Story on p. 29

YOU ENJOY MYSELF Through Oct. 14, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $35+

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Through Oct. 22, Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont. $20

SWEENEY TODD - ADULT CAST Through Oct. 31, The Unitiive Theatre and Performing Arts School, 800 South Hover St., Longmont. $15

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM BEING A ZOMBIE. Through Oct. 29, Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road & 9th Street, Boulder. $21

ON THE PAGE

The work of photographer Zig Jackson / Rising Buffalo (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) draws from his experiences growing up on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. Opening at East Window Gallery in Boulder on Oct. 9, Commodities (Food of My People) breaks down myths and stereotypes to explore the “socio-political issues of the ‘Indian Condition.’” See listing for details

GIGANTES Through Oct. 8, Firehouse Art Center - South Gallery, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free

KRISTEN ABBOTT: THE LANGUAGE OF LEAVES. Tuesdays and Thursdays (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) through Oct. 8, The New Local Annex, 713 Pearl St., Boulder. Free. Story at boulderweekly.com

THE SILHOUETTE PROJECT: NEWCOMERS Through Oct. 21, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (by appointment)

FLAT SPACE: WHITMAN LINDSTROM

Through Oct. 29, Dairy Arts Center - Caruso Lounge, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

JOHN LAKE: SQUINTING GRIEF Through Nov. 12, BMoCA at Macky, CU Boulder1595 Pleasant St., Unit 104. Free

NEURON FOREST: KATIE CARON

Through Nov. 11, McMahon Gallery - Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

COMMODITIES (FOOD OF MY PEOPLE): ZIG JACKSON AKA RISING BUFFALO Oct. 9-Nov. 5, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (by appointment) BW Pick of the Week

STAY SWEET: TALES OF QUIRKY SOUTHERN LOVE BY CHRIS CHANDLER. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5

MAKING IT SO: A MEMOIR BY PATRICK STEWART 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Glenn Miller Ballroom, University Memorial Center. 1669 Euclid Ave., Boulder. Sold out

Author and herbalist Grace Yoon comes to Trident Booksellers and Cafe in Boulder on Oct. 6 for a reading and release party to celebrate her new book, The Korean Herbal Apothecary. The evening will include live music by Chris Ripper and “elixirs inspired by ancient Korean medicine.” See listing for details

HOPE IN THE VALLEY BY MITALI PERKINS 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. Free

STARLING HOUSE BY ALIX E. HARROW 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE BY LILY WILLIAMS 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. Free

THE KOREAN HERBAL APOTHECARY BY GRACE YOON

6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Trident Booksellers & Cafe. 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free. BW Pick of the Week

A Program of:

XIII

Denver, CO. Oct 22 to Dec 10, 2023

afcanatura.org

ALEF XIII is an intersectional convening platform to harness the power of art, education, and collaboration to advance equal access to the health, climate, and economic benefits of trees.

INVITES YOU TO JOIN OUR:

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Latino Ultra Nature Adventure, LUNA

5 km, 10 km, a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) , and 55km (34 miles)

LUNA reframes the Ultra athletics experience to inspire participants to engage in the sport for the rst time AND to invite established athletes to join a more inclusive and culture driven ultra challenge

In partnership with

Honoring the Tarahumara / Raramuri Community and Caballo Blanco Ultra Running Legacy of Korima (What I Have,You Have To o- Mi Casa Es Tu Casa)

Scan code to signup. LUNA is a nonpro t event intent on bridging inclusion gaps in the outdoor recreation and sports workspace. For this reason we are requiring only a $20.00 sign up fee. Youth 18 and under pay no fees but must still register. All participants are encouraged to make a tax deductible DONATION to support the inclusive mandate of our program and the e orts of our sta and volunteers.

UPCOMING EVENTS

americaslatinoecofestival.org

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25 TO WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29

Community tree planting FEST

Community tree planting workshops and events in partnership with the City of Denver's O ce of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resilience.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30 TO SATURDAY DECEMBER 02

The Giving Tree

The 13th ALEF aims to foster collaboration, raise awareness, and inspire action.

11/30 Tree Equity Summit & AFC+A's 15 Years.

12/01Tree Equity Workshop & Trainings

12/02 Forest Bathing Fest

SUNDAY DECEMBER 03

The Giving Tree Family Day

Artivist Exhibits & Workshops, Performances, Eco shorts forum, Films, Green Exhibitors & Vendors Hall, Eco book fair, Storytelling

SUNDAY DECEMBER 10

Xmas Forest Health Tree Cutting

AFC+A and the local US Forest Service o ce invites our Familias to join us for this annual adventure hosted since 2014. Families cut a free tree and receive an Every Kid in The Park Pass (4thgraders), learn about forest management, re mitigation, and the health bene ts of forest bathing

DEAR WHOLE FOODS DADDY

BY GABBY VERMEIRE

We all have questions and need advice, but sometimes the pseudo therapy in the Instagram stories of astrology girls doesn’t cut it. Or maybe the gate-keeping culture of adventure bros has you fearing the judgment that comes with revealing yourself as a newbie at anything. This advice column exists to hold space for you and your Boulder queries (especially the uncool ones).

WHAT’S THE BEST BURRITO IN BOULDER?

Perhaps even more defining than choosing to be a Pub or Downer person in Boulder is choosing to be a Santo burrito or an Illegal Pete’s burrito person. (Those who identify as Whole Foods hot bar burrito people have dark and sinister energies and should be avoided.)

WHAT’S THE BEST BOULDER HIKE FOR A TINDER DATE THAT WON’T KILL ME?

Yes, plenty of psychos use the Sanitas Loop — the steep, uphill, clockwise one if they’re particularly malicious — as a sick physical screener for a partner. It’s downright primal to watch Brody from Hinge betray his weak genetic makeup as he sneaks a vape hit after being told for the tenth time that no, that yonder big rock still isn’t the top.

But for the rest of us, those who have come to realize that any dynamic requiring you to quiet your breathing to appear sexier to a man from the internet who you don’t owe a goddamn thing, contributes to the fundamental inauthenticity of modern dating. Give some love to yourself and your date; take the flattest of dusk strolls on Shanahan Ridge for an orgasmic panorama sunset, and maybe steal a kiss next to a cow grazing on your taxpayer dollarfunded open space as God intended.

Illegal Pete’s burritos are as reliable and grounded as the arthritic yet nimble fingers of an elderly green-vest McGuckin’s employee. But nothing screams sex appeal like tater tots, and there’s nothing sexier than a man with the metabolism of a hummingbird unexpectedly pulling a day-old Santo offering out of his pocket.

That being said, the best burrito in Boulder is one that cures a hangover after a heroic amount of tequila shots — which can be purchased within walking distance of the bed of the bartender who provided them for free. There is no better morning accessory to a freak dress than bacon grease and Cholula drippings.

SHOULD I DATE MY BOSS?

There’s no doomed romance more classic than a chaotic CU student working in the service industry who decides to become a set piece in the midlife crisis of her manager on duty. This person inevitably finds that the glares of coworkers suspecting seat-

ing-map favoritism are the price you pay for a few stolen moments in the walk-in fridge.

Are you a lowly bike mechanic at an unnamed Boulder bike shop whose supervisor’s tattoos and absolutely stoked Strava stats tempt your good judgment as much as the thrillingly problematic power dynamics? Why not destroy both a marriage and the entire company culture for a fling that either results in termination for either or both of you, or the un-sexy type of sexual tension that comes from being professionally beholden to a former lover?

Do it — for the years of therapy, for the story, and mostly for the drama for your co-workers.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BUD TENDER IS FLIRTING WITH ME OR IS JUST STONED?

Ever since the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, hot dispensary girls evoking the sensual boredom of Free People models have been breaking stoner hearts across the state — and parting many a toker with his crumpled, kinda skunky-smelling cash in the process.

If I had a dime for every time a Boulder dispo chick with thick-rimmed glasses — looking impossibly chic in the baggiest of Dead shirts — and dripping with salesman’s charisma convinced me to spend far more than I’d intended, I’d have even more cash to pathetically fumble with as she lazily looks on, knowing full well the effect of her powers.

As with many things in life, it’s best to not think too hard and enjoy the

ride. Sure, your budtender is into you: The fact that they confided that prerolls are BOGO on Thursdays means they’re probably even in love. You should definitely leave a tip!

I’VE SYNCED WITH MY BF’S MOM. HE HAS TOLD BOTH OF US. WHAT SHOULD I FEEL?

Listen, we love Boulder’s tolerant attitudes. Moms loudly conversing about the effect of their postpartum kegel practice on their sex lives in line at Beleza is objectively a good thing for society.

However, it needs to be said: Boulder has become too permissive. Your boyfriend is not enlightened; he needs better boundaries. The question I’m too scared to ask is how this man knows that you have synced with his mom, dear lord.

Got a burning Boulder question or conundrum? Follow @wholefoods_ daddy on Instagram, or email letters@ boulderweekly.com with the subject line “Dear Whole Foods Daddy.”

Your burning Boulder questions, asked and answered

BALANCING ACT

Return of the Boulder Jewish Film Festival

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

Now in its second decade, the Boulder Jewish Film Festival is trying something new.

“The reality of programming is that I don’t get to invite the movies that are out there; I have to deal with the movies that I actually have,” says founding director Kathryn Bernheimer. “And sometimes they just present themselves in such a way that it makes sense to create a series within the festival that allows people to gain a deeper understanding of the subject, to look at something from various perspectives.”

Bernheimer, a former critic and author of two books on Jewish movies, has been programming the Boulder Jewish Film Festival (BJFF) for 11 years now, and her festival has a history of covering all aspects of the cinematic Jewish experience.

“I always want to have a variety of films,” she says. “So I have documentaries and features. I have contemporary films, films that deal with history. I have upbeat, amusing, entertaining,

and I have serious, heavier films — so it all has to be a balance.”

And for this year’s BJFF, running Nov. 2 through Nov. 12 at the Dairy Arts Center, Bernheimer will strike that balance while devoting more than half the lineup to two governing themes: Vanished World, which explores the culture of shtetls, and Israel at 75, which looks at the history of the Jewish nation-state established in 1948.

“I’m not at all focused on the conflict in the Middle East,” Bernheimer is quick to explain about Israel at 75. “That’s sort of defined the narrative of Israel for so long and there’s so much more to look at. So we’re trying to put a human face on Israel.”

‘TO CREATE COMMUNITY’

And though the five movies of Israel at 75 — Elik and Jimmy, June Zero, 1341 Frames of Love and War, Barren

and Reckonings — came together through intention, the movies that comprise Vanished World came together almost coincidentally around the new release, Shttl Set in a shtetl on the PolishUkrainian border on the eve of the 1941 Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the Yiddish Shttl has garnered positive reviews on the film festival circuit, so Bernheimer booked it right away.

“Then I was approached by CU’s College of Music, Yonatan Malin [an associate professor at CU’s College of Music and Program in Jewish Studies],” Bernheimer says. “And he wanted to bring in a violinist, Alicia Svigals, who was a founding member of The Klezmatics, a world foremost klezmer violinist, to play with a Jewish silent film.”

That film, The Man Without a World — also set in a shtetl — is the first silent film to grace the BJFF. And since Svigals will be attending the festival, Bernheimer decided that some context might be helpful for audiences and booked the 2010 documentary about The Klezmatics and klezmer music: On Holy Ground

Add to that lineup Vishniac, a documentary about Roman Vishniac’s photographs of shtetls, and BJFF attendees have a chance to understand a culture and a way of life that has all but been eradicated.

“Our mission is to create community. To engage the

community, to provide opportunity for social interaction and group learning,” Bernheimer says. “And we use film to accomplish that.”

ACTIVE LISTENING

As you may expect from these selections, BJFF also uses music to achieve its goal of bringing people together.

“The mitzvah of music or the magic of music,” as Bernheimer puts it.

To that end, two contemporary documentaries will bookend this year’s festival: Rock Camp, about Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp founder David Fishof, and Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?

And like the movies featured in Vanished World and Israel at 75, talkbacks will follow each screening.

“From the very beginning, I have never presented a film without a discussion afterward,” Bernheimer says. “They’re not lectures. I’m not trying to get panel discussions up there. I want the audience to have an opportunity, just as you would with your family: You go to a movie, you come home and you talk about it.”

And that family atmosphere, free of pretension and full of exploration, is Bernheimer’s aim with BJFF — a place for those “who want to understand the Jewish experience as it’s depicted on screen.”

ON SCREEN: Boulder

Jewish Film Festival. Nov. 2-12, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $18-$25 per screening (on sale Oct. 6)

The 2022 film ‘Shttl’ screens Nov. 5 at the Dairy Arts Center as part of the Boulder Jewish Film Festival. Photo courtesy Ukrainian Producers Hub.

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): I’ve been doing interviews in support of my new book Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle. Now and then, I’m asked this question: “Do you actually believe all that mystical woo-woo you write about?” I respond diplomatically, though inwardly I’m screaming, “How profoundly hypocritical I would be if I did not believe in the ‘mystical woo-woo’ I have spent my adult studying and teaching!” But here’s my polite answer: I love and revere the venerable spiritual philosophies that some demean as “mystical woo-woo.” I see it as my job to translate those subtle ideas into wellgrounded, practical suggestions that my readers can use to enhance their lives. Everything I just said is the prelude for your assignment, Aries: Work with extra focus to actuate your high ideals and deep values in the ordinary events of your daily life. As the American idioms advise: Walk your talk and practice what you preach

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I’m happy to see the expanding use of service animals. Initially, there were guide dogs to assist humans with imperfect vision. Later, there came mobility animals for those who need aid in moving around and hearing animals for those who can’t detect ringing doorbells. In recent years, emotional support animals have provided comfort for people who benefit from mental health assistance. I foresee a future in which all of us feel free and eager to call on the nurturing of companion animals. You may already have such friends, Taurus. If so, I urge you to express extra appreciation for them in the coming weeks. Ripen your relationship. And if not, now is an excellent time to explore the boost you can get from loving animals.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Gemini author

Chuck Klosterman jokes, “I eat sugared cereal almost exclusively. This is because I’m the opposite of a ‘no-nonsense’ guy. I’m an ‘all-nonsense’ guy.” The coming weeks will be a constructive and liberating time for you to experiment with being an all-nonsense person, dear Gemini. How? Start by temporarily suspending any deep attachment you have to being a serious, hyper-rational adult doing staid, weighty adult things. Be mischievously committed to playing a lot and having maximum fun. Dancing sex! Ice cream uproars! Renegade fantasies! Laughter orgies! Joke romps! Giddy brainstorms and euphoric heartstorms!

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Cancerian comedian Gilda Radner said, “I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” Let’s use that as a prime metaphor for you in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be wise to opt for what feels good over what merely looks good. You will make the right choices if you are committed to loving yourself more than trying to figure out how to get others to love you. Celebrate highly functional beauty, dear Cancerian. Exult in the clear intuitions that arise as you circumvent self-consciousness and revel in festive self-love.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The amazingly creative Leo singer-songwriter Tori Amos gives this testimony: “All creators go through a period where they’re dry and don’t know how to get back to the creative source. Where is that waterfall? At a certain point, you say, ‘I’ll take a rivulet.’” Her testimony is true for all of us in our quest to find what we want and need. Of course, we would prefer to have permanent, unwavering access to the waterfall. But that’s not realistic. Besides, sometimes the rivulet is sufficient. And if we follow the rivulet, it may eventually lead to the waterfall.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Do you perform experiments on yourself? I do on myself. I formulate hypotheses about what might be healthy for me, then carry out tests to gather evidence about whether they are. A recent one was: Do I feel my best if I eat five small meals per day or three bigger ones? Another: Is my sleep most rejuvenating if I go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 7 a.m. or if I sleep from midnight to 9 a.m.? I recommend

you engage in such experiments in the coming weeks. Your body has many clues and revelations it wants to offer you.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Take a few deep, slow breaths. Let your mind be a blue sky where a few high clouds float. Hum your favorite melody. Relax as if you have all the time in the world to be whoever you want to be. Fantasize that you have slipped into a phase of your cycle when you are free to act as calm and unhurried as you like. Imagine you have access to resources in your secret core that will make you stable and solid and secure. Now read this Mary Oliver poem aloud: “You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): An Oklahoma woman named Mary Clamswer used a wheelchair from age 19 to 42 because multiple sclerosis made it hard to use her legs. Then a miracle happened. During a thunderstorm, she was hit by lightning. The blast not only didn’t kill her; it cured the multiple sclerosis. Over the subsequent months, she recovered her ability to walk. Now I’m not saying I hope you will be hit by a literal bolt of healing lightning, Scorpio, nor do I predict any such thing. But I suspect a comparable event or situation that may initially seem unsettling could ultimately bring you blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): What are your favorite mind-altering substances? Coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, or tobacco? Alcohol, pot, cocaine, or opioids? Psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, or MDMA? Others? All the above? Whatever they are, the coming weeks will be a favorable time to reevaluate your relationship with them. Consider whether they are sometimes more hurtful than helpful, or vice versa; and whether the original reasons that led you to them are still true; and how your connection with them affects your close relationships. Ask other questions, too! PS: I don’t know what the answers are. My goal is simply to inspire you to take an inventory.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In his book Meditations for Miserable People Who Want to Stay That Way, Dan Goodman says, “It’s not that I have nothing to give, but rather that no one wants what I have.” If you have ever been tempted to entertain dour fantasies like that, I predict you will be purged of them in the coming weeks and months. Maybe more than ever before, your influence will be sought by others. Your viewpoints will be asked for. Your gifts will be desired, and your input will be invited. I trust you won’t feel overwhelmed!

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): William James (1842–1910) was a paragon of reason and logic. So influential were his books about philosophy and psychology that he is regarded as a leading thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the other hand, he was eager to explore the possibilities of supernatural phenomena like telepathy. He even consulted a trance medium named Leonora Piper. James said, “If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, it is enough if you prove that one crow is white. My white crow is Mrs. Piper.” I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you will soon discover a white crow of your own. As a result, long-standing beliefs may come into question; a certainty could become ambiguous; an incontrovertible truth may be shaken. This is a good thing!

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): If we hope to cure our wounds, we must cultivate a focused desire to be healed. A second essential is to be ingenious in gathering the resources we need to get healed. Here’s the third requirement: We must be bold and brave enough to scramble up out of our sense of defeat as we claim our right to be vigorous and whole again. I wish all these powers for you in the coming weeks.

Nana Marina is a traditional healer and spiritual guide from the Maya Tz‘utujil tribe of the Lago Atitlan region in Guatemaya. She will be serving sacred Cacao medicine, which opens the heart, oxygenates the mind, and connects body with soul.

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

DEAR DAN: I’m a man in my mid-30s and I feel like I’m not old enough to have the problem I do. When I first got together with my female partner a few years ago, I could last a while and it was pleasurable for both of us. Now she regularly asks me if there’s “something wrong” with what she’s doing. “Is it my body?” she asks. I try to reassure her that it’s my body. I want to last but can’t seem to these days. I tried to bring this up with my doctor to no avail. I feel foolish because in the moment I think, “Am I going to come yet?” Or I think I lasted a while, but it wasn’t long enough for her. What can I do to last longer? I recently tried some off-brand meds, but still no luck. I haven’t tried much edging to help but don’t know what I’m doing there. I just want to get out of my headspace, enjoy my time with my partner, and really last.

— Suddenly Lasting Orgasms Wanting

DEAR SLOW: There are potential treatments that could help, SLOW, from a little cognitive behavioral therapy (to figure out whether it’s a headspace issue), to some doctor-prescribed, on-brand, low-dose SSRIs (proven effective for headspace and physiological issues where premature ejaculation is concerned), to experimenting with edging — which isn’t hard to figure out, SLOW. You watch some hot porn and/or think some dirty thoughts while stroking yourself. Slowly bring yourself to the very edge of orgasm — get as close as you can to the point of orgasmic inevitability without going past it (may take some practice) — then stop before you come. Bring yourself to the edge again and again, ideally while using a well-lubricated masturbation sleeve or Fleshlight-style toy (practice with something that feels like the orifice

you wanna last longer inside), and then use whatever breathing and/or concentration techniques help delay orgasm during your solo edging sessions to partnered sex.

P.S. I spent a summer getting fucked by a guy who “solved” his premature ejaculation problem — but he didn’t solve it with medications or therapy or edging sessions. He would suck my dick, eat my ass, use toys on me, edge me, get me close or desperate or both… and then replace the dildo with his dick and we would come at the same time. He never lasted more than 30 seconds once his dick was inside me, SLOW, but he was without a doubt some of the best (vanilla) sex I’ve ever had. So, learning to work with your dick — and bringing it in other ways — is one way to solve what can be most problematic about premature ejaculation: leaving your partner feeling unfulfilled.

P.P.S. Just wanna be very clear here: There are guys out there who can’t last long during penetrative sex who are great in bed and guys who can last for-fucking-ever who are terrible in bed. Confidence and a commitment to give your partner the best possible experience you can — whatever you’ve got and whatever it takes is the real key, not endless PIV or PIB.

AN ADAPTABLE CHEF

Decades after a life-chaning injury, Niwot’s Justin Hirshfield focues on flavor and fun

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

On any given Saturday at 7 p.m., nearly every table is occupied at 1914 House restaurant in downtown Niwot.

In the kitchen, chef Justin Hirshfield is working multiple orders at the stove, instructing cooks and getting waitpeople ready to deliver to the downstairs and upstairs dining areas.

Hirshfield’s menu ranges from wild

salad to upscaled versions of fried chicken, burgers and mac and cheese. His focus on simplicity and flavor is on full display in dishes like grilled wasabi-marinated ribeye plated with asparagus, roasted fingerling potatoes, tempura-fried mushrooms and bulgogi sauce.

When the orders settle down, Hirshfield heads to the dining room to

Then he wheels back to the kitchen to crank out more dinner tickets.

Hirshfield has worked from a wheelchair for more than 22 years. “Everybody sees the wheelchair and wonders why I’m in it,” he says. “It’s the little kids who are the most inquisitive. They come up without any prompt and ask, ‘What happened?’”

The 1914 House is just the latest chapter in a career that led Hirshfield to become one of Boulder’s youngest executive chefs. It started with a meal alongside his parents at Boulder’s legendary Ristorante Laudisio. They sat at the bar looking into the open kitchen.

“I was tasting and watching those guys cook and thinking, ‘Oh, my God, this is the best thing I ever ate. I want to learn how to cook like that,’” Hirshfield says. “They looked like they were having so much fun.”

At that point, the 16-year-old’s cooking experience consisted of a workstudy experience as part of a class at Boulder High School.

“My resume was very short, but I went ahead and filled out an application,” Hirshfield says. “When I brought it to the chef, he said, ‘You want to get started?’ I got paid with a bowl of pasta at the end of the shift. I just kept showing up week after week after week and got hired.”

Eventually Hirshfield was sent to work in a restaurant in Italy and when he got back to Boulder, he became a sous chef. At the age of 24, Hirshfield was head chef at Ristorante Laudisio.

THE ACCIDENT CHANGED A FEW THINGS

On March 31, 2001, Hirshfield broke his back in a motocross accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. He moved to Niwot where he had a strong support system of family and friends.

He talks about the accident in a matter-of-fact way. “After I was finally released from the hospital, I had to take a minute to readjust,” he says. “My injury was low in my lumbar spine. I still had a lot of upper body strength, so I could push myself around in a manual wheelchair.”

Three months after the accident, his daughter Ariel was born.

“Having Ariel was a silver lining,” Hirshfield says. “I just had this beautiful

baby and she was a huge motivator for me. As I recovered, I was a stay-athome dad. I had this awesome amount of time to spend with her one on one.”

Post-accident, Hirshfield went back to school to get involved in the brewing industry, but he found himself at the Niwot Market as a volunteer chef for a benefit event.

“I got in there and realized that the kitchen was serviceable for me and also that I still loved to cook,” he says. “I started working there and everybody in Niwot got used to seeing me rolling around town.”

In the kitchen, Hirshfield did some of his knife work on a cutting board on his lap. “Initially, the regular prep tables were a little bit too high, so we finally rebuilt a table so I could just roll up underneath it,” he says. “You’re in a much more ergonomically correct cutting position. It’s easier and more efficient.”

At the Niwot Market, and now at 1914 House, the only customized adaptive piece of equipment is a table.

The 1914 House is accessible, at least in its first-floor dining room, Hirshfield says. But that’s not the case for all establishments. “If you look at the front door and see steps going into a restaurant, it’s a nonstarter,” Hirshfield says. “A lot of the time, the signage to the accessible entrance isn’t posted. I’ve definitely had experiences where a restaurant is packed so tightly that rolling through it with a wheelchair is impossible.”

And then there are the bathrooms. “Who are the knucklehead engineers who built these ‘accessible’ bathroom stalls with doors that swing inwards so you can’t close them?” Hirshfield says.

A QUESTION OF ATTITUDE

Hirshfield says living with an injury like his requires a shift in perspective. “When you experience something as catastrophic as a broken back, it totally changes your world. I was either bullheaded enough or disciplined enough to not give up. You have to be willing to adapt,” he says.

Hirshfield says embarking on new activities is another key to a healthy life post injury. “I actually have a lot of fun trying new things,” he says. “If it doesn’t work out, it’s not going to ruin my day.”

Justin Hirshfield at 1914 House in Niwot. Photo by Ariel S. Hirshfield.

But in the kitchen, Hirshfield often finds himself returning to familiar cuisine.

“Italian is still my comfort zone and I play around with risotto,” Hirshfield says. “It’s like a beautiful, blank palette every time you start. It brings me back to when I was first learning to cook.” The current menu at 1914 House features crispy-skin branzino served with creamy saffron risotto.

On occasion, Antonio Laudisio, owner of the late Ristorante Laudisio who now operates Laudisio Mobile catering, comes in to dine. “It’s fun to see him enjoying my food,” Hirshfield says. “He and his brothers

taught me so much, and gave me some tough love when I needed discipline in my life.”

At the age of 46, Justin Hirshfield has 30 years of cooking experience under his chef’s jacket. “I’m also 22 years post-injury and I’m still figuring it out,” he says.

But Hirshfield says cooking is no longer his whole life. “I have been so fortunate. I’ve been able to continue living in a very similar way to what I imagined it would be anyway,” he says. “Right now, I’m just waiting for the snow. My sport is sit skiing. I’m pretty good but I’ve definitely wiped out and taken some diggers.”

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: GREAT BAKERY NEWS

● A new cafe, Creature Comforts, is open at 1647 Pearl St., Boulder, serving coffee, tea and Japanese-style desserts from Broomfield’s Enchanted Oven

● A few blocks west in Boulder, Bitty & Beau’s, a cafe chain which focuses on hiring people with disabilities, is open at 1468 Pearl St.

● Arrive early if you want to grab goodies from an all-star lineup supplying the Baking a Difference Bake Sale, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m.-noon at 311 S. Public Road in Lafayette. Participating bakeries include Bittersweet Cafe, Daily Grains, Eats & Sweets, Enchanted Oven and Shamane’s Bakery Proceeds benefit Community Food Share

● Taste baked goods from 80 competing home bakers at the inaugural Denver Bake Fest at Denver’s Rebel Bread on Oct. 7. Tickets: rebelbreadco.com/bakefest

● Two episodes of Roots So Deep, a new docu-series on regenerative agriculture, are showing Oct. 10 at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. A free reception follows at Corrida (1023 Walnut St., Boulder). Registration: thedairy.org

WORDS TO CHEW ON: EATING THE EARTH

“The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps your most direct interaction with the earth.”

Frances Moore Lappé

Questions? Comments? Tips? Email: nibbles@boulderweekly.com

Rebel Bread, Denver. Credit: Broc Hunter

HEY MA

Colorado-based Mom Juice celebrates three years of transformative wine culture

BY COLIN WRENN

When KT Winery launched its flagship brand, Mom Juice, owners Kristin Taylor and Macie Mincey had a clear vision. “We wanted to shift wine culture and community,” says Taylor. On Aug. 13, the duo celebrated their company’s third anniversary, during which time it grew from a largely online operation to selling in nearly 300 stores. Most are in Colorado, with another 20 or so in Charlotte, North Carolina, “the places where we’ve both lived,” Taylor explains.

While Mom Juice is based in Denver, the wines are produced by veteran winemaker Brian Kosi out in Napa. Flavor profiles are decided by Taylor and Mincey, who travel to California roughly every other month to deliberate on the acid, sugar and tannin content of each release. “The brand has always had a life of its own. We were just quick enough to trademark it and excited enough to lean into it,” says Taylor. The current roster includes a cabernet sauvignon, a sauvignon blanc, a 2020 red blend and a California rosé. Each bottle sells for roughly $20, with no single item exceeding the $25 mark.

The wine itself is excellent, and a good reflection of Taylor and Mincey’s

palates. But the goal with Mom Juice has always been more about advancing perception and delivering wines that are more in line with the unstuffy millennial drinking culture that resonates with both founders. “I was just a consumer that liked wine. I was the girl drinking Kim Crawford with her friends at brunch,” says Taylor.

Mom Juice is also about representation. Of the roughly 11,500 wineries in America, only about 100 are Black owned. “With Mom Juice, we’re shifting the way we experience wine culture and how you experience us experiencing it.”

In August, the duo also signed a big contract with Momentum Beverage Team, who will now be handling Mom Juice distribution across Colorado. The products are already available in some of the biggest retailers, including Applejack Wine and Spirits, Bonnie Brae Liquors and most recently Hazel’s Beverage World. “Initially I decided to launch KT Winery because I was ready to offer something new and unique to the marketplace,” Taylor said in a press release. “I didn’t want to just put a label on a bottle of wine; I wanted to partner with a family-run vineyard and sea-

soned winemaker such as Brian Kosi. This new partnership with Momentum is really exciting since I’ve called Denver my home for the last few years, and to see Mom Juice continue to flourish in my backyard is so rewarding.”

Taylor says breaking into the wine game was no easy feat. “Napa has had an interesting reckoning when it comes to diversity,” she says. “Tenacity and gumption has gotten me much further than my skill set.”

She also says that despite some initial hurdles, there have been plenty of folks in the community who have been more than welcoming. She credits Russell Joy, one of the region’s stalwart wine industry executives, with being particularly forthcoming. “He gave me the keys. He literally wrote me an email about all the things I needed to do to make this happen,” Taylor says. “A lot

of the big fish don’t want you to swim in their pond.”

Since its debut, Mom Juice has stayed true to its ideals, continuing to build its own space from the ground up.

Future plans include the release of a no- or low-alcohol line, with pregnant women being considered the primary customer. “We’re thinking about the lifecycle of a mom,” says Taylor. “You still wanna be invited to girl’s night.”

She also says she’d love to do a Colorado wine, and has been enjoying discussions with Western Slope winemakers who might be able to make it a reality. A single-serve product is also set to launch in the coming months.

“Good wine is good wine, it doesn’t matter who makes it,” Taylor says. “We still sell out in stores where we’ve never done any advertising. We still sell out in zip codes we’ve never been to.”

Courtesy: Mom Juice

HIGH ACHIEVERS

NCAA committee formally recommends ending cannabis testing for studentathletes

BY WILL BRENDZA

Cannabis was the subject when a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) committee focused on promoting health and wellness for student-athletes convened in Indianapolis earlier this summer. The Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CCSMAS) wanted to review whether it was necessary to continue testing its college athletes for THC or any other cannabinoids.

According to a press release from June 16, the NCAA agreed that “cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug and that a harm reduction approach to cannabis is best implemented at the school level.”

The organization listed several more points of rationale behind the re-evaluation of this topic. It wanted to shift toward a “harm reduction philosophy” for cannabis, similar to that of alcohol, while at the same time focusing its efforts and resources on identifying actual performance-enhancing drug use, as well as “problematic cannabis use.”

However, it would require all three of the NCAA’s divisional governing bod-

ies to approve the proposal in order to remove cannabis from its banned substances list.

On Sept. 22, the committee announced it was formally recommending all three of those governing bodies enact legislation that would do exactly that. And if they do, the decision will affect more than 350 schools across the country — including CU Boulder.

“When making a decision on an important topic like this, we agree that the membership should have an opportunity to vote on the final outcome,” said James Houle, CCSMAS chair and lead sport psychologist at Ohio State. “We are recommending a big shift in the paradigm when it comes to cannabinoids.”

This comes after the organization enacted legislation in 2022 raising the THC threshold constituting a “positive test” for college athletes. It aligned its policy with that of the World Anti-Doping Agency, increasing it from 35 nanograms per milliliter to 150.

‘MODERNIZE THE STRATEGY’

It also comes following Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2019 change that removed cannabis from its list of banned substances. As well as the National Football Association’s (NFL) 2021 announcement that it would no longer be testing players in the off-season for THC. And in April of 2023, the National Basketball Association (NBA) similarly announced it was permanently removing cannabis from its own list of banned substances (Weed Between the Lines, “National Moneyball Association,” June 1, 2023).

CCSMAS says its recommendation is based on extensive studies informed by the December 2022 Summit on Cannabinoids in College Athletics. That summit solicited advice from industry and subject matter experts, including doctors, substance misuse experts,

and “membership practitioners.”

The policy suggested by CCSMAS would emphasize a focus on harmreduction strategies concerning cannabis. It would also prioritize education and support over penalties, according to the NCAA.

“We want to modernize the strategy with the most up-to-date research to give schools the best opportunity to support the health of student-athletes,” Houle said.

Should legislation pass to enact this change in NCAA policy, CU’s studentathletes would no longer be tested for THC or other cannabinoids. The Buffaloes could use cannabis both recreationally and medicinally.

With so much research, both anecdotal and medical, suggesting cannabis can help athletes recover after workouts, and manage anxiety, chronic pain, sleeplessness, inflammation, and more (Weed Between the Lines, “Running on CBD,” April 1, 2021), this could be an opportunity for many of Boulder’s student-athletes to better manage the “stress of the job” — without risking their scholarships or place on their team, and without using pharmaceutical drugs.

The NCAA’s three governing bodies have yet to vote. But the CCSMAS recommendation is a signal as to which way the scales are tilting. It acknowledges this in its statement. But in the end, the organization says it aims to recenter student-athlete health “while recognizing membership opinions and the shifting cultural and legal landscapes surrounding cannabinoids.”