5280 Magazine July_2020

REASONS TO LOVE DENVER THE DENVER MAGAZINE

From our community’s thoughtful response to the COVID-19 pandemic to its inspirational Black Lives Matter protests, we’ve never been prouder to be residents of the Mile High City.

JULY 2020 |

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Denver, there’s no better place to call home.

Of all the reasons to love Denver—the endless bluebird days, the lively arts scene, our sports teams, and spectacular mountains as far as the eye can see—our favorite is this incredible community.

In simpler times and in uncertain times, it’s the people who make our city the best place to live. We are humbled to have helped so many find their home in Denver.

Since opening our doors in January 2019, we’ve received incredible support from this community. Now with more than 300 real estate agents, thousands of homes sold, and knowing the best is yet to come, we are forever grateful to you Denver.

• Ranked the #1 brokerage in Denver by sales volume in 2020.

• Powered by the first-ever real estate technology platform.

• Committed to reimagining the real estate industry and making it easier than ever to find your dream home.

Compass is a licensed real estate broker in Colorado and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.

JEFF HENDLEY 303.877.6767 | jeff.hendley@compass.com

SUSIE DEWS 303.521.9009 | susie.dews@compass.com

“In Denver, individuality is celebrated. Our unconventional approach to real estate is just one example of how new ideas and unique perspectives can lead to positive change here.”

“It’s the incredible community that makes me fall in love with Denver over and over again.”

JESSICA NORTHROP 303.525.0200 | jessica@jessicanorthrop.com

JOSH MCKINLEY 720.375.3661 | josh.mckinley@compass.com

“I love Denver for its generosity. In my 23 years selling real estate here, I’ve met so many individuals pouring their heart and souls into giving back to the community. That’s a place I choose to be.”

“Denver has an abundance of forward thinkers. I love that we’re evolving into a tech hub where innovative ideas can succeed and flourish.”

C H E R RY C R E E K

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DENVER TECH CENTER

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C O M PA S S . C O M

Reimagining real estate.

NANCY AUSTIN 720.371.9779 nancy.austin@compass.com

THE BUGARIN TEAM 720.899.8966 info@bugarinhometeam.com

KRIS CALDWELL 720.987.0162 kris@compass.com

NOREEN DOYLE 303.525.4440 noreen.doyle@compass.com

MARIA GALLUCCI 720.366.6050 maria@uptownmg.com

NANCY GREAGER 720.938.9001 Nancy@NancyGreager.com

WES HARTMAN 303.803.7737 wes.hartman@compass.com

HELM WEAVER HELM 303.548.1996 helmweaverhelm@compass.com

KIM KOUBA – NPRE TEAM 303.204.8215 kim.kouba@compass.com

C H E R RY C R E E K

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DENVER TECH CENTER

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DIANNA MAY 303.941.9632 dianna.may@compass.com

SAAB PROPERTIES tony.saab@compass.com gina.saab@compass.com

THE SCHLICHTER TEAM 720.440.2340 david@schlichterteam.com

CHRISSY SMITH 303.947.2043 Chrissy@ChrissySmith.com

LINDSAY MICK WATNE 720.280.1570 lindsay.watne@compass.com

COLIN WHITENACK 303.912.5394 Colin@ColinCo.com

KRISTEN WINKLER 303.944.3900 kristen.winkler@compass.com

WOLFE + EPPERSON 303.886.6606 jay.epperson@compass.com

THE YEDDIS GROUP 303.619.3600 TheYeddisGroup@compass.com

C H E R RY C R E E K

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DENVER TECH CENTER

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Systemic racism is a powerful force in our judicial system that works against communities of color even in the personal injury context.

Black personal injury plaintiffs receive smaller settlements for the same injuries than white plaintiffs1, and are less likely to have juries find in their favor2.

Their very lives are undervalued because racial disparities are embedded in the wage and life expectancy tables used to calculate damages3.

As Colorado lawyers, we have a duty to use our platform to not only speak up and speak out in solidarity with the black community, but in our everyday work by using our voices to demand equality of justice in our society.

We are humbled by the privilege to advocate as personal injury counsel on behalf of clients of color, because BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Evan P. Banker Partner, Chalat Hatten & Banker PC

Black Lives Matter.

Silence is not an option, and saying it is not enough.

Today and every day, we commit ourselves to using our voices, our actions, and our privilege to help bend the arc of the moral universe towards justice.

Chalat Law stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

chalatlaw.com/community 1 2

Wash. State, Minority and Justice Task Force: Final Report 118 (1990)

Audrey Chin & Mark A. Peterson, Deep Pockets, Empty Pockets: Who Wins in Cook County Jury Trials 3 (1985) 3

Dariely Rodriguez & Hope Kwiatkowski, How Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Impact Your Life’s Worth: Discrimination in Civil Damage Awards, Lawyers’ Comm. for Civil Rights Under Law (July 2018)

LOCATION, LOCATION,

DESTI– NATION. Whether you’re living in the city, mountains or somewhere in between, at Koelbel we believe you should look forward to coming home. Gorgeous homes with irresistible amenities are available now in neighborhoods all over Denver and the surrounding areas. Explore our properties online and discover for yourself what coming home should feel like.

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8 || We All Love This City.

FEATURES 56

Reasons To Love Denver We were in the midst of a global pandemic when a black man named George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, igniting massive protests across the country, including here in the Mile High City. It’s an unprecedented time in Denver, and yet the responses to these tragedies have given us hope, inspiration, and a newfound appreciation for the place we call home.

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Under Its Influence

Elect The Wolf?

Denverites like to drink.

And that’s OK—in moderation. However, statistics released in 2019 suggest roughly 27 percent of our residents binge drink. That makes us susceptible to potential health problems that most of us don’t think about when we order just one more.

This November, Centennial State voters will have a historic opportunity to decide if the state should bring gray wolves back to Colorado.

BY CALLY CARSWELL

BY LINDSEY B. KING

High school senior Brianna Johnson speaks at a Black Lives Matter rally in Civic Center Park in June.

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Kevin Mohatt

BY THE 5280 STAFF

DEPTS.

DIALOGUE 20

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DINING GUIDE 86

26 COMPASS 23 SPORTS

Globe-trotting soccer star Lindsey Horan was headed for greatness at the Summer Olympics.

Now, the Golden native is stuck at home—just like the rest of us.

26 BUSINESS

28 ENVIRONMENT

An inside look at every wildfire’s worst nightmare: the Colorado Springs–based Global SuperTanker aircraft.

EAT & DRINK 35 NEW

Sherry’s Soda Shoppe sells frozen comfort—and nostalgia—by the scoop.

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36 WHAT’S HOT

Plenty of Texas-style barbecue joints have opened in Colorado over the past two years.

We tip our 10-gallon hat to five more-than-welcome additions to Denver’s smoke scene.

30 MUSIC

If concerts return this summer, they could look very different.

How local venues are trying to let the shows go on safely.

38 REVIEW

Frasca’s Friuli Food and Wine is part cookbook, part wine guide, and part travelogue.

32 OUTDOORS

Area adventurers provide tips for attracting birds to your backyard, recreating safely in the time of COVID-19, and teaching Fido to stay at your side while hiking.

BY SCOTT MOWBRAY

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COLUMN 46 PERSPECTIVE

A Colorado prison program puts inmates on wildland fire lines.

But what happens when they can’t use their firefighting skills after they’re released?

BY HUDSON LINDENBERGER

BACKSTORY

ON THE COVER

Photograph by Sarah Boyum Imaging by Sean Parsons

120 WE WANT TO BELIEVE Strap on your tinfoil hat and investigate some of our state’s most out-there UFO sightings.

46 5280 (ISSN 10826815) is published monthly by 5280 Publishing, Inc., 1675 Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202. Subscriptions are $16 for one year (12 issues). Back issues are available for $5.99 plus tax and shipping by visiting shop.5280.com. Periodical postage paid at Denver, CO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (see DMM 707.4.12.5). NONPOSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to 5280 Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 37270, Boone, IA 50037-4270. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. #40065056 Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. 5280® is a federally registered trademark owned by 5280 Publishing, Inc. 5280 also owns trademark registrations for TOP OF THE TOWN, DENVER’S TOP DOCTORS, DENVER MAGAZINE, COLORADO PARENT, and COUTURE COLORADO. © 2020 5280 Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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DIALOGUE debilitating illness.... I don’t understand the current aversion to inoculations. I FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

What Will We Do?

The July edition of 5280 is always one of our readers’ favorites: The “Top Of The Town” feature takes up a massive amount of real estate in the issue and spotlights the things to do, places to go, and uniquely Denver experiences we’re excited about. We are not publishing that feature this year. ¶ Months ago, we decided it would be impossible to do that package right; because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we didn’t know which establishments would be open in July, let alone how we could accurately evaluate them. ¶ All of that seems so long ago. As we remade “Top Of The Town” into “Reasons To Love Denver” (page 56), an appreciation of how our residents faced the pandemic, a white Minneapolis police officer killed a black man named George Floyd, leading to widespread protests. On May 28, the demonstrations reached Denver, and they were still going well into June, at which point we decided it was important to include these developments in our story. The confluence of events—a wildly contagious and deadly virus and a lethal social virus that has dehumanized black Americans for centuries—upended life in the United States like nothing since, perhaps, the Great Depression. This time is a reckoning for all of us. Our health care system is broken, and we all know it. Our society is built on institutional racism, and we all know it. The question now is, what will we do about it? Where will we go from here? One place to start is to acknowledge the inspiring acts we’ve witnessed over the past few months, many of which we’ve highlighted in our package. The rest is up to us, individually and collectively.

GEOFF VAN DYKE

“The Viruses Among Us” June 2020

Deputy editor Lindsey B. King’s essay examining the role American privilege has played in the spread of the novel coronavirus inspired

many to consider our country’s relationship with empathy—or lack thereof. “I agreed with

every word,” Margaret Olek Esler wrote. “We desperately need to

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Beth Hemphill identified her own feelings in King’s words, too: “You articulated for me what I have noticed for the past few years—that our sense of individualism and lack of caring for our fellow man has caused us so much harm. As a pediatrician, I cherish this quote: ‘But I also hope they explain that getting the vaccine is itself an act of compassion; not only could it

save their lives, but also potentially many other lives.’ Preach, sister.”

Inoculations weighed heavily on the minds of readers. “I’m 79 and remember my mother’s smallpox vaccination scar,” Joyce Paavola wrote. “I had all the

usual childhood shots at a community center on our street. I didn’t enjoy the needles, but understood the necessity in my later years.

I, too, have traveled extensively around the world and got all the recommended vaccinations. Except for Montezuma’s revenge a couple of times, I’ve never contracted any

“A List of the Black Owners and Chefs Leading the Front Range Culinary Scene” June 2, 2020

5280.com published this resource for anyone looking to support black-led businesses. “Thank you!” @sfbishop25 wrote. “I live in tiny rural Colorado, and I don’t know too many ways to help. But putting my

dollars where they count and visiting these establishments when I visit the city hopefully helps in a tiny way.” Others were just excited to treat themselves to some delicious fare.

“Ugh,” @jackieb777 wrote.

“Reading this list makes me hungry! Can’t wait to check

“Our sense of individualism and lack of caring for our fellow man has caused us so much harm.”

out some of these places this weekend!”

CORRECTIONS

In June’s “How To Have The Best Summer Ever (No Matter What),” we incorrectly reported the name of the owner of Saba Jam. Her name is Saba Parsa, not Saba Moraba. In the same issue’s “Scooter Saga,” we identified Denver’s Department of Transportation & Infrastructure by its former name, Denver Public Works. We regret the errors.

CO NTAC T US Send email to letters@5280.com or mail your feedback to Letters, 5280, 1675 Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202.

Please include your name, address, and telephone number. Letters and posts may be edited for length and clarity. You can also follow us and join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest (all @5280Magazine).

Clockwise from top left: Sarah Boyum (2); Getty Images

recognize that being lucky enough to live in America does not make us immune (literally) to the perils of disease, nor does it make us superior in any way.”

believe our younger people don’t remember the devastating illnesses they protect us against.”

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Waiting Game Globe-trotting soccer star Lindsey Horan was headed for greatness at the Summer Olympics. Now, she’s stuck at home—just like the rest of us.

Courtesy of Adidas

For the past few years, Golden native Lindsey Horan has lived with her bags constantly packed, regularly crisscrossing the globe to play as a member of the Portland Thorns and the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT).

With the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season originally scheduled to begin in April and the Tokyo Olympics slated for this month, 2020 promised more of the same. That is, until play was suspended

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SPORTS

GOAL RUSH With the Olympics postponed and the NWSL’s return date still undecided, it’s the perfect time to catch up with Lindsey Horan’s past glories.

A CROWN FOR THORNS

Horan scored the only goal during the 2017 NWSL Championship, a screamer off her right foot that brought the Portland Thorns their second title.

on account of the novel coronavirus. While Horan has been holing up here in the Centennial State, 5280 chatted with the 26-year-old about the perks of being home, the disappointment of missing the biggest events on her calendar, and her two newest loves. —SHANE MONAGHAN 5280: Were you in Colorado when everything got postponed?

Lindsey Horan: I was actually in Portland. I played in the SheBelieves Cup with the national team in early March and came home to Denver for a few days to grab some things before heading to Portland to start preseason training with the Thorns. After about a week in Oregon, it was clear [the season] wasn’t starting anytime soon. I came back here around March 20.

Is this the most time you’ve spent in Colorado since going pro?

I think so. I typically get about two to three months off, but I’ve had to travel with the national team during that time the past few years. I have a place downtown, and I’ve been seeing my family as much as possible. This is where I grew up, and this is my favorite place to be.

Have you been able to train?

I’ve been trying to do as much as I can, and that means a lot of at-home workouts and lifting. I like that I’ve been forced to try new things to stay fit—like trail running, which has helped me see more of Colorado. I went on a run last weekend in Evergreen. It’s beautiful.

Are you talking with teammates and coaches?

I’ve been having Zoom calls every week with the Portland team and the national team. It’s been helpful to see that everyone else is also losing their minds. And you know coaches these days: They want to do tactical

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meetings and check in on our fitness and such. It all kind of makes me feel like I have a regular job.

It sounds like not being able to play soccer is taking a bit of a mental toll.

It’s tough not to be around teammates and coaches doing the thing you love to do. I have just come to accept that there will be moments when that drives me crazy, and that’s OK. You also can’t help but be a little bummed about not being able to go to the Olympics. It takes a lot to go to a World Cup and then a year later be working toward the Olympics.

Your full focus is on that one tournament, so there’s certainly an emotional letdown.

Especially because you seemed poised for a big role under new USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski.

I do feel a little bit more trust from him. I know exactly what he wants from me, and that makes me more confident on the field. Going into this year, the goal was to be more of a standout player.

I saw you got a French bulldog puppy.

Surely he’s lifting your spirits.

Thank goodness I have him during this time! Given the circumstances, Top: Lindsey I have been able to spend every Horan has made second with him. That’s one of my 74 appearances for the USWNT. positives through this whole thing.

During the 2018 NWSL season, Horan recorded 14 goals and three assists, earning the Colorado native an MVP award and putting her in the conversation for best player alive.

GOING STREAKING

At the 2018 Tournament of Nations, Australia was on the brink of ending the USWNT’s 17-game unbeaten streak—until Horan’s dramatic goal in the 90th minute preserved a run that would continue until early 2019.

From top: Courtesy of Kyle Hannon; Pras Boonwong/EyeEm/Getty Images (tablet); Dpa Picture Alliance/Alamy Stock Photo (Lindsey Horan)

BEST FOOT Y FORWARD

CONTINUED

BUSINESS Extreme Gear Makeover Boulder’s Green Guru gives “trash bags” a new meaning.

PEAKS AND VALLEYS The Climbing Grief Fund supports adventurers confronting despair.

Tommy Caldwell (pictured) has been kidnapped, divorced, and once sawed off his own finger. Still, says the Estes Park–based climber, “I never let myself go to those dark places.” The idea that you have to compartmentalize to climb well isn’t unheard of, according to Madaleine Sorkin, founder of the Climbing Grief Fund (CGF). But unaddressed pain rarely encourages a happier life. The CGF, started in 2018 as part of Golden’s American Alpine Club, sets climbers on a better route with an online directory of mental health professionals who understand the sport. Climbers, alpinists, and ski mountaineers facing trauma can apply for a $600 grant for mental health services (all 15 have been claimed this year; the CGF will offer more in 2021). To attract donations, the CGF will unveil a free 22-minute documentary from July 7 to 20. A Thousand Ways To Kiss the Ground, directed

by Henna Taylor, features interviews with Caldwell, Alex Honnold, and other climbing stars to help spread awareness about mental health needs in the community. american alpineclub.org/grieffund —SPENCER CAMPBELL

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From top: Bligh Gillies/Red Bull Media House/Sender Films/Alamy Stock Photo; Sarah Boyum

In 2007, Michael Franti strolled into the Green Guru booth at Kansas’ Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival and beelined for a messenger bag. Astonished by its quality, the hip-hop artist told Green Guru founder Davidson Lewis that he couldn’t believe it was made of recyclables. But Franti got the bag and was still using it when Lewis ran into him a decade later.

Now a six-figure business based in Boulder, Green Guru converts discarded recyclables and outdoor gear into durable backpacks, panniers, and more. While upcycling isn’t unusual today, it was when Green Guru launched 15 years ago this month. “The idea that you could make top-line gear out of discarded items was unheard of then,” says Jay Getzel, who partnered with Green Guru when he was president of Golden’s Mountainsmith backpack company in the mid-2010s.

Like many visionaries, Lewis started young, rescuing old bike tubes at the bicycle shop he worked at—“I hated seeing them get tossed,” he says—and turning them into tie-down straps.

Lewis later designed upcycled backpacks for his senior thesis project at Virginia Tech; the idea stuck with him after he moved to Boulder to design gear for Case Logic. “The disconnect between companies’ messaging about protecting the environment while working with petroleum-based materials that ultimately end up in dumps motivated me to try something different,” Lewis says.

So, he quit his job to launch Green Guru from his garage in 2005, at age 27. For the next five years, Lewis peddled his packs at every eco-festival and trade show he could find. Word of his sturdy bags spread until 2010, when REI began carrying Green Guru products and Patagonia contracted the company to make koozies from old wetsuits. “His success showed bigger brands that upcycling was possible,” says Getzel, now the director of sales for Nite Ize’s Outdoor Division.

Lewis no longer has to convince doubters. Patagonia and other retailers donate discarded gear to Green Guru, and companies like Big Agnes and New Belgium hire Lewis to turn their excess materials into gear for sale or marketing swag. Through these efforts, Green Guru has diverted more than one million pounds of garbage. That number stands to grow early next month, when REI debuts 3,000 toiletry kits made in partnership with Green Guru, available for $35 each. Each is constructed of salvaged sleeping pads, bike tubes, and climbing Green Guru’s new toiletry kit ropes—so they’ll feel right at home in your gear closet. —HUDSON LINDENBERGER

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ENVIRONMENT SIZE MATTERS

The Colorado Springs–based Global SuperTanker may be the world’s largest firefighting aircraft, but that doesn’t mean it’s slow: The Boeing 747-400 can travel 575 mph, enabling it to reach anywhere in North America in less than four and a half hours and almost any location around the globe in fewer than 20. Those aren’t the only impressive facts related to the jumbo jet, though. As wildfire season heats up, we gathered the details on every blaze’s worst nightmare. —LILY CAPSTICK

The jet has a 211-foot wingspan— about the length of five RTD buses.

That’s 56 feet longer than the next largest tanker, a DC-10 passenger plane converted and operated by the U.S. Forest Service.

DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT

During a single mission, the massive plane, which has been designated as a Very Large Airtanker by the U.S. Forest Service, can release 19,200 gallons of water and a lot of fire retardant. It would take a jet with the next largest classification, Large Airtanker, seven trips to deliver the same amount.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

It took Cliff Hale 16 years to turn the retired 747-400 into a firefighting machine. He bought the plane in 2000 while chief pilot at Evergreen International Aviation. Financial woes stymied his plans until Global SuperTanker Services, run by firefighting-by-air veterans (including Hale), bought and finished fixing it in 2016. The firm contracts with state and federal governments to support wildfire suppression.

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HITTING THE MARK

A pressurized system gives the plane’s three crew members precise control over how quickly they can spray water and retardant, allowing them to better target incendiary spots from about 250 feet above the fire.

The goal is to make towering flames more manageable for firefighters on the ground.

STAYING BUSY

The Global SuperTanker has completed 406 missions during its four years of operation. That includes 149 trips in 2019 alone to help the Bolivian government control flames in the Amazon. The plane has also made journeys to other far-off locales like Israel, as well as some closer to home in Washington and California.

Courtesy of Global SuperTanker

A BIT OF A STRETCH

AMERICA’S VENUE FOR AMERICA’S VICTORS. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | USOPM.ORG

MUSIC Staging A Comeback

It’s been nearly four months since Coloradans have been able to enjoy live music—and there’s little indication that will change anytime soon.

With the threat of COVID-19 still looming, many venues, including Hudson Gardens & Event Center, and concert series, like City Park Jazz, have canceled all summer shows. Some music industry experts are predicting that in-person performances won’t return until 2021.

Not everyone, though, is ready to give up ear-splitting live guitar riffs: Crested Butte Music Festival has pointed to later this month for its potential return date, and Levitt Pavilion in Ruby Hill hopes to resume concerts come August. “Nobody wants to jump the gun and get a bunch of people sick,” says Chris Zacher, the executive director of Levitt Pavilion. “We are trying to be cautiously optimistic.”

Zacher’s confidence has a lot to do with Levitt’s massive lawn, which extends into Ruby Hill Park and may make it possible for people to social distance while jamming out. To make sure that happens, Levitt plans to reduce the maximum attendees allowed for each show and intends to limit concession sales and scatter hand-sanitizer stations around the grounds. While Crested Butte hasn’t finalized return strategies just yet, organizers say they’re considering similar precautions at the expansive outdoor settings that host the town’s weekly concert series.

Some smaller, indoor spaces also aren’t ready to call 2020 a wash. Dave Weingarden, vice president of concerts and events at Z2 Entertainment, which operates a number of Colorado venues, including Boulder’s Fox Theatre, has kept fall shows on the calendar in hopes he can reopen by then. Curtis Wallach, manager of the Hi-Dive in Baker, is doing the same. “A lot of options are on the table,” Weingarden says. “They all involve new safety measures like deeper cleanings and mask policies.”

At press time, Governor Jared Polis was noncommittal about a timetable for allowing large stadiums and performance halls to open. In the interim, area venues have procured government loans and used other business ploys, like selling credits for future shows, to keep cash flowing. Still, serious financial calculus will be needed to ensure survival: “I have four different models The Verve Pipe that look at whether we will get in, say, 10 shows versus 30 shows,” Zacher says, “and I performs at Levitt Pavilion in 2019. am trying to figure out how we keep operating in each situation.” —SM

If concerts return this summer, they could look very different.

ON LOCATION Visiting movie theaters might be on pause, but you can still keep up with the latest efforts of Colorado filmmakers from home. —LC

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Colorado writer and director Kaily Smith Westbrook tells the story of Bree, a 12-year-old girl who’s never been kissed and enters a closet for “seven minutes in heaven” with the popular Connor, in her 2019 short. Free, shortoftheweek.com DEALBREAKER

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From top: Courtesy of Listen Productions; Courtesy of Joel Rekiel

7 minutes

Jack’s best friends are ghosts—a detail he might want to avoid sharing with his date tonight.

Directors Travis Lindner and Justin Tyrrell’s short comedy was the winner of Denver’s 48-hour Film Project in 2019. Free, youtube.com

OUTDOORS Q: I never want my adventures to land me in the hospital—especially this year, when a COVID-19 patient might need that bed. Should I hang up my hiking boots?

A: We still encourage people to enjoy mountains and parks—do what you need to do to maintain sanity. Just avoid unnecessary risks. For example, don’t hop into a raft with a bunch of people you don’t know. If you’ve never done a multiday backpacking trip in the backcountry, this might not be the best year to try it. Yes, you could wind up in the hospital, but you could also endanger your rescuers. What if you’re an asymptomatic carrier of the new coronavirus? Search and rescue teams can’t social distance when carrying you out of the mountains in a litter. Plus, we’re sometimes wearing N95 masks, which can inhibit breathing, so hauling you to safety is even tougher, especially at high elevation.

AN ADVE NTURE R

My surprising quarantine revelation: I really enjoy backyard birding. What should I keep an eye out for this time of year, and how can I attract them?

Rufous hummingbirds are especially entertaining to watch during the late summer and early fall, when they migrate from the mountains through urban areas. The males are red with pink throats that become iridescent in the sun, and they are cranky little guys—aggressive eaters, they terrorize locals, like meeker black-chinned hummingbirds (pictured), at feeding stations. Larger birds begin their fall migrations around this time, too, so you might see some Swainson’s hawks as they move south. They’re the size of frequently seen red-tailed hawks but usually are black and white underneath with a chestnut bib. Red-tinted house finches, scholarly black-capped chickadees, and vibrant yellow warblers are all flying around Denver now.

I’d recommend visiting a shop like Front Range Birding Company or Wild Birds Unlimited, whose experts can help you pick out a feeder and seed that will appeal to whatever species you’d like to see. Be careful to take the feeders inside in the evening if you live near the foothills, though. There’s nothing worse than fending off a bear while you’re trying to enjoy the sunset.

—Peter Burke, board member for Colorado Field Ornithologists, a nonprofit birding organization

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Q: I love hiking with my dog, but her desire to play with other canine friends is leading to a lot of tangled leashes—not exactly ideal for social distancing.

What do I do?

A: I sometimes refer to training as dating. I would much rather hear, “I like it when you hold my hand” than “How come we never hold hands anymore?” Tell me what you want and reinforce it. So, with the dogs, I don’t use, “No! Stop! Cut it out!” Instead, I try to focus a dog’s attention into a positive, rewardable behavior.

If Fido sees another puppy or a wild animal on the trail and yanks your leash arm out of its shoulder socket trying to get at them, give a “sit” or “come” command. Once they do it, reward them with a “good dog,” a treat, and maybe a belly rub, and it turns into a positive experience.

—Anthony Bracciante, trainer and owner of Sit Means Sit Dog Training in Denver

Steven Greenfield/500px/Getty Images

ASK

—Jeff Sparhawk, president of the nonprofit Colorado Search and Rescue Association

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WHAT’S HOT



REVIEW

EAT DRINK &

Sweet Spot Sherry’s Soda Shoppe sells frozen comfort by the scoop.

Courtesy of From the Hip Photo

Joshua Pollack’s maternal grandmother, Sherry Rosenberg, was a hugger. She was also a sassy woman who loved pistachio ice cream almost as much as she loved her family. “She came from the post–World War II generation that valued hard work and saving money,” Pollack says, “but she also appreciated the finer things and spoiled me rotten.”

Now, Pollack is indulging Denverites with an ode to his “nanny”: Sherry’s Soda Shoppe, located next door to Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen in Five Points. The 1950s-style soda fountain spent six days slinging phosphate sodas, malts, and scoops before it was forced to close due to the pandemic, but the love didn’t stop then and there. Sherry’s continued to (and still does) offer pints of its ice cream at Rosenberg’s and Lou’s Italian Specialties (named for Sherry’s husband), and the shop reopened in June.

Go for the rich pistachio flavor, of course, but don’t overlook the vegan peanut butter and Oreo ice cream or tangy raspberrylime sorbet. Between two cookies, on a cone, or transformed into a sundae, Sherry’s treats are edible nostalgia. —DENISE MICKELSEN

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WHAT’S HOT From left: Cay Wittenberg and Alex Barbosa of Barbosa’s Barbeque; a smoked meat feast at AJ’s Pit BarB-Q; the loaded potato at Hank’s Texas Barbecue

POST OAK BARBECUE Est. June 2019 Berkeley

Plenty of Texas-style barbecue joints have opened in Colorado over the past year and a half. We tip our 10-gallon hat to these more-than-welcome additions to Denver’s smoke scene. —PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG AND DENISE MICKELSEN

HANK’S TEXAS BARBECUE

AJ’S PIT BAR-B-Q

BARBOSA’S BARBEQUE

Est. February 2019 Hale

Est. January 2019 Overland

Est. March 2020 Various Denver breweries

Pit boss Christopher Nicki’s loaded smoked potatoes have turned us into Hank’s regulars. A native of Spring, Texas, he oils and salts the biggest russets he can get before wrapping each in foil for its journey into a post-oak-fueled smoker. Once they’re “squishy,” Nicki tops each spud with butter, extra-sharp cheddar, and your choice of meat; his favorites are chopped fatty brisket and the Sunday-only smoked prime rib.

A drizzle of house barbecue sauce (the not-so-secret ingredient is Dr. Pepper), a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of scallions finish the masterpiece.

For his extraordinary pastrami, Chicago native and owner Jared Leonard, who trained in the Lone Star State, brines wagyu brisket, sourced from Idaho’s famed Snake River Farms, for a week before rubbing it with a mix of coriander and black and green peppercorns. Then it goes into AJ’s Bewley offset smoker for 15 hours over smoldering post oak until succulent and juicy.

Pair it with custardy cornbread and never-mushy collard greens, cooked the traditional Texas way with smoked ham hock and seasoned with a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Born and raised in Victoria, Texas, Alex Barbosa began professionally smoking the South Texas way—in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he ran a popular pop-up—in 2016. Since launching his Colorado-based trailer in mid-March, however, he’s been garnering a Denver following with chicken, pork ribs, and brisket smoked over local oak and fruit woods. Don’t miss his special Vietnamese menu: Smoked meats go into banh mi and vermicelli bowls, and his girlfriend, Cay Wittenberg, makes decadent iced-coffee cheesecake for dessert.

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OWLBEAR BARBECUE Est. September 2015 RiNo

Karl Fallenius, who apprenticed under legendary Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin, opened Owlbear’s original Finn’s Manor food truck in 2015, but his Larimer Street brick-and-mortar shop began smoking with oak in May 2019—and local brisket lovers rejoiced. The object of their affection is seasoned with brown sugar, coffee grounds, black pepper, granulated garlic and onion, celery seeds, and salt and then smoked for 12 hours. It’s best with Owlbear’s penne mac and cheese, a gooey symphony of mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fontina.  Find details and contact information

for these establishments and more in our Dining Guide on page 86.

From left: Courtesy of Adrienne Thomas; Courtesy of AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q; Courtesy of Alyssa Albert Bain/Butterscotch Rose Photography

Pleased To Meat You

Time and love are the keys to what owner Nick Prince calls his “Texas trinity of barbecue”: slowsmoked brisket, sausage links, and pork ribs cooked over the restaurant’s namesake wood. For the last, Prince rubs St. Louis–style spareribs with a blend of black pepper, garlic and onion powders, and turbinado sugar before smoking them for five hours to butter-tender perfection. The ideal side dish? Deconstructed “elote,” or blistered off-the-cob corn with Cotija, cilantro-lime sauce, and roasted poblanos.

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REVIEW

From Italy, With Love Frasca’s Friuli Food and Wine is part cookbook, part wine guide, and part travelogue. B Y S C O T T M O W B R AY

I spent most of the first three months of the novel coronavirus lockdown astonished to find myself glad to have an excuse not to go anywhere. With trips to Sicily and Japan canceled, I felt relief more than disappointment. I wondered if the travel bug that had relentlessly buzzed in my head in recent years was finally dormant. It seemed so—until I read Friuli Food and Wine: Frasca Cooking from Northern Italy’s Mountains, Vineyards, and Seaside (Ten Speed Press).

Friuli is a cookbook, out this month, by chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and sommelier Bobby Stuckey, the Boulder-based duo behind Frasca Food and Wine, Colorado’s most celebrated restaurant. Friuli Venezia Giulia, meanwhile, for which the book is named, is the obscure alpine region of northeastern Italy upon whose cuisine and wines Mackinnon-Patterson and Stuckey staked their restaurant’s future when they opened it in 2004. Both had recently exited jobs at what was then America’s leading temple of haute cuisine, the French Laundry in Napa Valley; Boulder was, at the time, an unlikely location for a restaurant celebrating the cuisine of an unlikely location.

Fine restaurants in the mold of the French Laundry (of which Frasca, in its own modest way, is one) often yield cookbooks that are closer to art volumes or culinary monographs than anything a

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home cook would sanely consider cooking from before hiring a staff of 35. Mackinnon-Patterson and Stuckey avoid this fate by devoting Friuli entirely to the rustic region they evangelize.

This is a hybrid book—part cultural exploration, part winery guide, part recipe collection—whose success has more than a little to do with co-author Meredith Erickson, who also helped pen the brilliant Montreal restaurant cookbook-guidememoir mashup The Art of Living According to Joe Beef back in 2011.

William Hereford/Courtesy of Frasca Food and Wine Inc. (2)

From left: Friuli Venezia Giulia; a bowl of Jota Triestina, a rustic pork and bean soup

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Friuli also wins the reader over through the quirks and passions of the Frasca partners. One moment, they’re admiring the San Daniele workshop that produces the finest prosciutto slicers in the world. The next, we’re reminded that in their off-time, the Frasca boys enjoy serious cycling. The headnote to one egg dish reads: “After a long ride over a mountain, we love to have this frittata as a recovery snack.” That’s both ridiculous and winning.

What an offbeat, appealing region Friuli seems to be. It sits among the Carnic and Julian Alps, with plains to the south ending at the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia is to the east, while Austria forms its northern border. A small coastal leg extends southeast to polyglot Trieste, about two dozen miles from Croatia. Stuckey notes that Italians regard the province as more Austrian and Slavic than Italian. This multicultural aspect of Friulian cuisine is manifested in the unfamiliar names of some dishes—buckwheat noodles called “blecs” or a hand-rolled pasta with sea urchin sauce known as “pljukanci con ricci di mare”—and the pleasingly off-piste ingredients involved, such as poppy seeds and heavy cream, sauerkrautlike pickled turnips, and spaetzle made with spelt flour.

The book, a $50 hardcover with ample, if occasionally scattershot, pictures of scenery, people, and food, begins with almost 60 pages about wine. To understand the region and the Boulder restaurant, don’t skip these (for instance, we learn that “frasca” refers to a bough hung outside Friulian wineries to indicate new product for sale). The writing is never dry, with touches of spritzy style; Stuckey is a Master Sommelier, a sort of super-Ph.D. distinction, but seems not to have a pompous bone in his body.

William Hereford/Courtesy of Frasca Food and Wine Inc.

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He tells us that Friulano, a white variety that anchors the list at Frasca, is a wine with an “incredible bell curve” of flavor profiles. Malvasia Istriana will appeal to lovers of Rhône whites because it has the “same aromatics but trades in a little bit of that Liberace flash for a dash of salinity and minerality that the very famous white Rhônes lack.” The book’s winemaker profiles are born of affectionate respect gained over many glasses shared.

Stuckey convinces us that the huge collection of both familiar and obscure grapes in Friuli—who knew about Vitovska, Ribolla Gialla, or Schioppettino?—combined with a catholic winemaking approach Tagliolini in a proyields a region with sciutto and poppy seed cream sauce remarkable diversity.

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On a single day there, you might sample excellent white wines fermented in steel tanks, small oak barrels, clay amphorae, cement tanks, or big wooden barrels.

You begin to get drunk on Stuckey’s excitement, until Friuli sounds like a viniferous Shangri-La. Mackinnon-Patterson’s 70-some recipes are divided into three sections— Land, Sea, and Mountains—and focus largely on meat or pasta. Vegetables, fruit, and, frequently, mushrooms play supporting roles. There are a few showoff recipes (woven lasagna resting on a spinach sauce) and a few for splurging (thin, eggy noodles with an ounce of white truffle), but mostly the book contains hearty, often simple country cooking closer, I suspect, to what you’d find in Friulian homes or country restaurants than the refined presentations you’ll see

William Hereford/Courtesy of Frasca Food and Wine Inc.

M E A N S

REVIEW

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at Frasca. Most required ingredients are reasonably easy to procure, though you will want to track down a local supplier of Friuli’s star cheese, Montasio.

The best of the recipes I tested were a real pleasure. Simplest and most delicious was the frico caldo, a sort of giant potato-Montasio croquette cooked in a cast-iron pan, fluffy inside with a light, crisp crust and finished with an herb vinaigrette. The dough for the buckwheat blecs produced lovely noodles with earthy flavor and chew. The accompanying sauce of braised chicken and rosemary was so spare—only eight ingredients, including salt and pepper—that I worried it would taste bland, but it was an ideal match.

Similarly easy was a soup of pork shoulder and white beans called Jota Triestina, elevated with zing from the aforementioned pickled turnips. And don’t skip the recipe for pasta with prosciutto chunks, cream, and poppy seeds, which is draped in thin slices of prosciutto; it’s a dazzler, with a rich, salty funk that goes well with a big, acidic, and blessedly unoaked bottle of Friulian producer Edi Keber’s Collio Bianco.

Not every recipe made the tricky transition from restaurant execution to home kitchen reality. The batter of a polenta cake made with hazelnut meal, lemon peel, and rosemary struck me as too scant for the called-for pan and indeed produced a much thinner result than in the photo. I tried the cake again in a smaller, square pan: Bingo. A beef ragu made with three quarts of stock and one-and-a-half cups of red wine wouldn’t reduce to a syrupy state in two hours on low as indicated, and in any case, the dish called for two tablespoons of salt for six eaters—more salt than I need unless I have sweated on my Seven bike over half of the Julian Alps. Friuli is one of those books that an experienced home cook will read with his or her note-to-self editing function turned on.

Those were bumps on the journey, though, rather than wipeouts, in a book that widens horizons. I will happily continue to cook from Friuli, rather than shelve it in the Admired and Unused section. Then, once the plague is suppressed, I will book a flight to the source of all this inspiration. Friuli Food and Wine does what the best of such cookbooks do: It revives your travel bug even as you get out your pots and pans. m

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A Colorado prison program puts inmates on wildland fire lines. But what happens when they can’t use their firefighting skills after they’re released?

B

lasts of heat and the stench of burnt ozone and timber assailed David Schmidt as soon as he stepped out of the fire buggy. The blaze wasn’t far away. Around him, wildland firefighters in yellow shirts and green pants prepped their gear: They checked chainsaws and reviewed the contents of heavy packs. Schmidt pulled his radio out of its holster to ensure it was operational then tugged on his red helmet, conveying his status as a leader. At sixfoot-four, Schmidt towered over most of the men, but his affable nature endeared him to them.

“Circle up,” crew boss Todd Snyder said. Twenty men lined up, and all talk ceased. Snyder outlined the details: The Beaver Creek fire, which would become Colorado’s largest blaze of 2016, was ripping through huge stands of beetle-kill trees. Eventually it would claim 38,380 acres and 17 structures. Schmidt listened intently, anticipation mingling with pride. Surrounded by the other firefighters, he felt a sense of shared dignity. No one here cared that earlier that day he’d woken up inside the Rifle Correctional Center.

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COLOR ADO, LIKE MOST WESTERN STATES, is facing an epidemic of devastating wildfires. The 20 biggest blazes in state history all occurred after 2000—including the 54,000-acre 416 fire near Durango and the massive Spring Creek fire, which claimed more than 140 buildings near Fort Garland, both in 2018. This summer, experts predict Colorado will see more than 4,500 fires, consuming 100,000 acres of land. The state has no full-time crews dedicated to fighting these wildland fires. Instead it relies on seasonal help, assistance from the 375 county and municipal fire departments spread throughout Colorado (which are sure to be taxed by the continuing presence of the novel coronavirus), and men like Schmidt who are part of the State Wildland Inmate Fire Team (SWIFT).

Established in 2002 as a volunteer Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) program, SWIFT has crews that operate out of the male-only Rifle, Buena Vista, and Cañon City prisons. Each year, between 70 and 95 inmates fight as many as 25 fires. Hundreds apply from facilities around the state for spots on the SWIFT crews, but only a few are selected to join the teams annually. Composed

Clockwise from top left: Shiloh Briggs/Courtesy of David Schmidt (2); Courtesy of David Schmidt (2)

Inmates In Action The SWIFT crew on fires in 2016

of nonviolent offenders, SWIFT accepts only model prisoners: They must be eligible for parole in no more than three years, have clean records as inmates, pass a physical fitness test, and get final signoff from their wardens.

Colorado isn’t the only state with inmate fire crews. Currently, about 20 other states have similar teams. California’s program is by far the most robust, with more than 3,000 men and women participating (six of whom have died fighting blazes since 1983). In the almost two decades since Colorado’s program was established, about 2,250 male inmates have joined SWIFT crews. The teams have battled more than 750 fires, including the Four Mile Canyon, Lower North Fork, and Waldo Canyon fires, and have saved the state millions in firefighting costs. That’s largely because of pay; whereas a seasonal wildland firefighter earns about $145 per day, SWIFT crew members typically make about $6.

Inmates also get a day off their sentences for each day spent on a fire assignment.

Schmidt knocked about a year off his six-and-a-half-year sentence (for felony menacing and criminal mischief ) as

Finding Hope

a member of the Former SWIFT member David Schmidt Rifle SWIFT team.

The program aims to give prisoners more than just time off for good behavior, though. SWIFT aspires to equip inmates with skills that will aid their transition from incarceration and also lower recidivism.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

WHEN SCHMIDT ARRIVED at the low-risk wing of Sterling Correctional Facility, the state’s largest prison, he was lonely, lost, and a little angry. “I felt like the system had stuck it to me,” he says. “I knew that I had kind of screwed myself by my actions, but I still was upset. I didn’t know anyone, was locked in a small room, and had no idea what the next day would bring.”

The Littleton native had led a fairly unremarkable life until his conviction in February 2013. He’d been a decent student and athlete growing up and held a series of jobs, from fitness trainer to security guard, in his twenties. For fun he rode his motorcycle into the mountains and hiked. “I was like a lot of [people], kind of lost; I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” he says.

Then he lost his temper during a breakup with a girlfriend and threatened to harm her and her daughter. By the time he got to Sterling, Schmidt just wanted to keep his head down. He found a mentor in an older man who spent time with others wanting to keep out of trouble, and he learned about the SWIFT program from them.

It took Schmidt two tries to make it into SWIFT. When he moved to Rifle to meet

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PE R S PE C T I V E his new team, he felt an instant kinship.

Housed in their own area, the firefighters were dedicated. When not deployed, the SWIFT team spent all of its time working out, prepping gear, practicing skills, and training. Gone was the usual static of prison—the gangs, the drugs, the other temptations. The team policed itself. Part of the reason was self-preservation: If any member stumbled, he was tossed from the program, which could mean no deployments for anyone. The other reason was pride. “There was an incredible sense of comradeship, that everyone had each other’s back,” Schmidt says. “There also was a sense of normalcy, that we were not pieces of shit who had screwed up. We were giving back to the communities that we had hurt, and they were thanking us for it when we were out.”

Schmidt embraced the long hours and days spent outside. His work ethic and skills didn’t go unnoticed: He made connections with firefighters from across the country who offered encouragement and complimented him and his team. Snyder, a DOC employee who oversees the Rifle team, saw promise in the inmate. As Schmidt’s parole

date approached in March 2017, Snyder reached out to the Craig Hot Shots crew on Schmidt’s behalf. Schmidt spoke with two crew bosses several times. He’d been warned that post-prison employment as a firefighter was a long shot, but he couldn’t help hoping.

EMBLAZONED ON THE SIDE of each SWIFT truck is the program’s motto: “We Build Opportunity.” Given the post-prison placement rate, though, the catchphrase seems to be more than a little misplaced. “As far as I know, fewer than five graduates from the SWIFT program have successfully landed a full-time job with a fire department in Colorado,” says Garry Briese, executive director of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs.

The stigma of a felony closes a lot of doors for parolees, but especially for firefighters who are seeking positions in what studies have historically shown to be one of the most trusted professions in America.

This past year’s successful “ban the box” measure signed by Governor Jared Polis, which prohibits employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal history in an initial job application, removes only the first hurdle for former prisoners.

For SWIFT alumni, other roadblocks— like parole restrictions and the discretion of parole officers—still stand between them and a job. For example, after he was released, Schmidt was required to stay within a threemile radius of his parents’ house (where he was living), not venture out at night, and be available for urine analysis for the duration of his 27-month probation. The restrictions made it difficult to travel to Craig for an interview—never mind spending weeks at a time out on fires. Schmidt’s parole officer recommended early release, but his appeal was denied by superiors.

Further, the state’s own rules make hiring a SWIFT graduate for seasonal work impossible. Under the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control’s strict hiring standards, a felony is disqualifying, a fact that irritates Briese. “It comes down to a question of whether these individuals have paid the price for their crimes and are allowed to become members of our society,” he says.

Some states have already answered that question. In 2017, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey ordered the creation of Phoenix Crew 1, the first post-release wildland fire

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PE R S PE C T I V E crew in the nation. As state employees, the 20 full-time firefighters receive full benefits packages and competitive wages and have a built-in support group. Little wonder Phoenix Crew 1’s three-year recidivism rate is well below the national average of 49.7 percent—only about five percent of its members have gone back to prison. California also recently launched an 18-month program, at the Ventura Training Center, to provide advanced firefighter training to

released felons that qualifies them as certified responders with active resumés.

Briese, for one, would welcome similar programs in Colorado. He notes that applications for firefighting positions have dropped dramatically in recent years. The rigorous vetting process (physical tests, lie detector screenings, and, in some cases, EMT qualification) eliminates a lot of candidates, as does the nature of the work. “It’s a hard job with long hours that scares many

people off,” he says. “It makes no sense to me that we would not look at SWIFT as a way to land good, fully trained people.”

THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT of Corrections’ new executive director might offer some hope to men like Schmidt. Dean Williams has long been an advocate of prison reforms that better prepare inmates for life beyond bars. “If you hit the streets with nothing to lose, then you have nothing to lose,” he says. “But if you have something to lose, then that’s a whole new story. We have to set post-release inmates up so that they will hopefully succeed when out.”

Shortly after taking office in January 2019, Williams launched the Take TWO (Transitional Work Opportunity) Program, which allows low-risk inmates near the ends of their sentences to work full time outside prison for regular wages.

It eases reintegration into society, helps them earn money, builds their resumés, and hopefully leads to job offers upon release. Before the novel coronavirus, the Take TWO Program was set to expand to more than 100 inmates, many of whom would work for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Williams supports the intention behind the Arizona post-release firefighting program, too. “I am open to any and all ideas to help these SWIFT team members,” he says.

“If we could find a [department] to partner with, we would be open to discussing it.” Of course, in the era of COVID-19, Williams is busy simply trying to manage the spread of the virus among Colorado’s 30,000 inmates. So, despite his enthusiasm, it’s likely plans for any Phoenix-style program are on hold for now.

Meanwhile, the $3,500 worth of fire gear Schmidt bought when he got out of prison sits neatly folded inside a closet in his parents’ Littleton home. It’s been three years since he was released, and he has managed to get on just one fire, in 2018, as a parttime hire. Instead, Schmidt has worked at Whole Foods and Walgreens and done a few other odd jobs, often for minimum wage, to get by. At 38, he is approaching the age limit for many wildland fire teams. “It took me going to prison to find my passion, something I could dedicate my life to,” he says. “I am beginning to wonder if it will ever happen.” m

Hudson Lindenberger is a Boulder-based writer whose work has also appeared in Men’s Journal, Elevation Outdoors, and Fatherly.

Contact him at letters@5280.com

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LOVE

Muralist Austin ZucchiniFowler paid tribute to essential workers with winged portraits throughout the Mile High City.

REASONS

TO

DENVER

We were in the midst of a global pandemic when a black man named George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, igniting massive protests across the country, including here in the Mile High City. It’s an unprecedented time in Denver, and yet the responses to these tragedies have given us hope, inspiration, and a newfound appreciation for the place we call home. BY THE 5280 STAFF

MAYOR MICHAEL HANCOCK

GOVERNOR JARED POLIS

His empathy carried us through the early days of the pandemic.

But we’ll need an even greater show of compassion from the governor to heal our fractured communities. —JAY BOUCHARD Moments before he announced a statewide stay-at-home order on March 25, Governor Jared Polis took the podium at Colorado’s Emergency Operations Center in Centennial and began by giving a stark update on the toll of the COVID-19 outbreak in Colorado: 1,086 diagnosed cases, 148 hospitalizations, 19 deaths.

Later, the governor’s tone grew warm, expressive, even rhapsodic. “To everything there is a season,” he recited. “And a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Employing Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes (and Pete Seeger’s lyrics), Polis built toward an adapted crescendo: “Now is the time to stay at home.... Now is not the time to die.”

The dichotomy he presented at the press conference came to mark his leadership during the early days of the pandemic. He was invested in data, trusted science, and was direct when delivering distressing news. But he remained calm and—more important—human, helping us depend on him as a neighbor, a friend, and a goofy, blue-shoed Coloradan.

What Polis knew, and what others should have heeded, was that we needed a leader capable of both making wise decisions and connecting with us on a personal level. So he explained social distancing through Star Wars references. He answered questions in Spanish at a press conference. When reopening the state, he returned to humor and verse, this time Paul Simon’s, tweeting, “If you happen to be hanging out with Julio down by the schoolyard, or anywhere else for that matter, make sure to wear a mask, because you never know when you might run into Rosie, the queen of Corona.”

Maybe he was just looking for good PR. If so, it often didn’t make headlines. On March 6, a parent at St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver tested positive for the new coronavirus. Polis checked in with the institution’s head of school as well as with the Republican who ran against him in the 2018 election—former state Treasurer Walker Stapleton, whose daughter attends St. Anne’s. “He could have blown me off,” Stapleton says.

“He didn’t have to reach out, but he did.”

What lies ahead might be more difficult than what Polis faced in March. Already he’s taken criticism from many directions. Agitators objected to what they felt were unconstitutional stay-at-home orders in April, and when the state began reopening in May, critics, including MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki, argued that it was too soon, that not enough testing had been done, that contact tracing wasn’t in place, and that the curve wasn’t flat enough.

All that was before George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis sparked CONTINUED ON PAGE 98 58

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If it were to end today, the story of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s career as an elected official would begin with police officers killing a black man, and it would end that way, too. In July 2003, the same month Hancock joined the Denver City Council, officers fatally shot Paul Childs, a developmentally disabled 15-year-old in Northeast Park Hill.

Nearly two decades later, cops in Minneapolis killed George Floyd.

The prologue to this tale would include Hancock’s own profiling by police when, as a teenager, he was pulled over while driving his 1982 Pontiac Firebird in Cherry Creek. The officer told him he’d been stopped, Hancock told 5280 in 2015, for “driving in this neighborhood. In this car. And you’re black.” Before being a mayor, Hancock says, he is an African American man: “I can’t change that, nor do I want to. I am proud of who I am. When I see injustice anywhere, I believe I have a duty to stand up and speak about that injustice and try to right it.” Addressing the wrongs black people have faced in this city is too Herculean a task for any one man to accomplish. But as we begin the process of finding justice for Denver’s black community, it’s comforting to know the man leading us knows of what he speaks.

—Spencer Campbell

Previous spread: Courtesy of Austin Zucchini-Fowler/@austinzart. This page, from left: Courtesy of David Zalubowski/AP Photo; Evan Semón

Will his legacy be defined by how he handles the historic Black Lives Matter protests?

REASONS TO LOVE DENVER

OUR ENTERTAINERS

Von Miller

Whether they were making us laugh or filling our hearts, the shows went on in spite of it all. —JESSIC A L ARUSSO

“HoExotic in Quarantine,” former Denver mayoral candidate Kalyn Heffernan’s YouTube Tiger King spoof, showcased the innate comedic talents of her cats—“they say the black panthers is dangerous, but Huey Newton’s just cross-eyed”—and turtle.

Clockwise from top right: Gabriel Christus/Courtesy of the Denver Broncos; Charli Ornett; Courtesy of Patrick Kane McGregor; Courtesy of Denver Zoo; Getty Images (2); Sarah Boyum; Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Getty Images; Courtesy of Warm Cookies of the Revolution

Since Janae Burris couldn’t fulfill her duties as a guide for the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver’s Shit Talk Tours, she filmed herself roasting the decor in her house: “ ‘House Plant That’s Dying.’ This one’s by my roommate, who waters it on occasion.

This plant is desperately trying to leave the world.”

Whether about a quest for toilet paper (and finding love along with it) or facing mortality on the frontlines of the pandemic, the winners of Denverite’s flash-fiction short-story contest gave us all the feels.

Not only did the Denver Zoo let animal lovers watch baby rhino Joona 24/7 via live cam, but it also compiled video greetings from fans to play for its notoriously social emu, Ralph.

The cancellation of their Opening Day didn’t stop the Colorado Rockies from poking fun at the only sport with worse color commentary than baseball by tweeting out Rox highlights dubbed with golf audio during what would have been Masters weekend.

The stuck-at-home Colorado Symphony horn section couldn’t have chosen a more fitting (or hilarious) song to perform in a grid-view video: “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” by the Police.

Warm Cookies of the Revolution’s nearly hourlong video collage of performances by artists as varied as Colorado poet laureate Bobby LeFebre, the Buntport Theater Company, and Sikh activist Naureen Singh brought a bit of diversity to these monotonous days.

With commissions on hold, some street artists took to painting the plywood covering bar and restaurant windows with messages of hope and resilience—and, in Patrick Kane McGregor’s case, depictions of dogs wearing face masks.

THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTERS

Some names we knew, others we didn’t, but during the demonstrations, they all told Denver what it needed to hear.

“The time is always right to do what’s right. Once we have awareness, we’ve got to use our moral compass to make decisions on what’s right. Black, white, it doesn’t matter. It’s 2020. Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown are still fighting this fight, and it’s up to us to keep it going.”

—Von Miller “Telling someone who’s oppressed how to respond to oppression is not OK.” —Kenny White “We shouldn’t have to be here. The fact that it’s 2020, we’ve had a black president, we have a black mayor here, but nothing has really changed is telling.” —Tay Anderson “We’ve tried for years to be peaceful. But what’s happened?

We’re still out here. Where was the civility for Trayvon Martin?

Where was the peace for Eric Garner? Where was the nonviolence for George Floyd? These are the questions that we have to ask our elected officials. The prosecutors, the judges, the mayors. The only way they will listen to us is if we show up in masses like we have today. I just hope in 10 years, when I’m 27, I don’t have to be out here in front of the Capitol building.”

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THE FRONT RANGE DINING SCENE

Even though their tables were empty, culinary workers still found ways to provide sustenance.

—PATRICIA K AOWTHUMRONG & DENISE MICKELSEN

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS

New Hope Baptist Church pastor Quincy “Rev Q” Shannon shares insights he gleaned from helping organize Denver’s downtown protests. certain connotation of what you expect when someone is there. An action of us coming together can be viewed and done and made different ways. We might march with our hands up. We might sit silently outside of somewhere.”

“We take breaks to dance. If you’re sad and angry seven days in a row, you continue to traumatize yourself. Sometimes you need to take a breath.”

“If you can steer the boat the direction you want it to go, there are a lot of people willing to row it. It has been powerful to see people step up in ways I never would have expected.

It shows that although we all have different contexts in which we’re feeling the pain of this reality, when given the opportunity to come together it makes us strong.”

“The great thing about all of this is that there have been children and families who are willing to have the hard conversations with their parents or other family members. For the youth, it is as simple as giving them a chance to speak. We think they are too young to engage in some of these conversations. But they say, I hear the news. I see what’s happening. I see you. And I have something to say.”

“You can’t please everybody. There have been several members who have come up to me

and have been upset that we weren’t protesting or that we weren’t activating the hearts and minds in the way that they want to. Why aren’t we throwing things at the police? So there’s been criticism that people don’t often see.… My calling right now is to utilize peace in a way that we can get some of the results we want. If we are not able to, I’m not a person who’s against other means.”

“People keep asking, Will you be out here tomorrow or next week? I think the linear-ness of time doesn’t really apply when you have something as systemic as white supremacy and racism. To get the changes we need, there will be multiple actions and myriad amounts of time. That might look like people gathering. Or voting. Or people getting in positions of power and infiltrating from the inside like a Trojan horse. To understand that means you are invested and not thinking, I’m only going to do this for a week. I may be outside again tomorrow or not. If I’m not, it doesn’t mean my fight stops. It just means I might change my tactic.”

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150,000

Ready-to-eat meals Colorado Restaurant Response had prepared as of May 26 for laid-off hospitality staff, food-insecure families, and frontline workers. (A network of local businesses, donors, and foundations established the nonprofit on March 30.) In addition, the endeavor kept an average of 10 employees working at each of its six partner restaurants, which include Rioja, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Morin, Kachina Cantina, and Stanley Beer Hall.

7,700

Pounds of corn donated by Loveland’s Root Shoot Malting to 10 Colorado distilleries for making hand sanitizer. The Block Distilling Co., Ballmer Peak Distillery, and Golden Moon Distillery were among the spirits makers who turned their stills to the production of antimicrobials and gave them to first responders, health care providers, assisted living facilities, and other essential businesses.

From top: Kevin Mohatt; Courtesy of Colorado Restaurant Response; Courtesy of the Block Distilling Co.

“I call them actions as opposed to a protest. When you say the word protest, it brings a

REASONS TO LOVE DENVER

DENVER’S TEACHERS

Educators took a crash course in online learning to save the school year (and parents’ sanity) during the pandemic.

525

Families in Globeville and ElyriaSwansea who received emergency food deliveries from nonprofit urban farm and marketplace the GrowHaus. The nonprofit worked in partnership with Denver Food Rescue, We Don’t Waste, and Bondadosa, a local enterprise that uses technology and a fleet of cars to deliver groceries.

282,992

Bags of fresh food Boulder Valley School District’s Emergency Food Distribution Program had provided, at press time, since March 17 to families in the district experiencing financial hardship. The food offset disruptions to free and reducedprice cafeteria meals in the wake of statewide school closures.

$64,825

From top: Getty Images; Courtesy of Feeding Colorado Heroes; Courtesy of Alyssa Krizek

Amount raised by Feeding Colorado Heroes, a GoFundMe campaign started by Taylor Shields and Gretchen TeBockhorst at Prim Communications on March 20. The donations were

When Denver Public Schools announced in mid-March that it was shuttering schools, Lindsay Krizek hoped it would only be for a few weeks. But as the severity of the novel coronavirus pandemic became increasingly evident, the 32-year-old Steele Elementary School teacher realized the hiatus would be more than an extended spring break. (On April 3, the district declared in-person classes were canceled for the remainder of the school year.) So, like her peers, Krizek rushed to figure out various remote-learning technologies and create a stay-at-home curriculum that would keep her fourth and fifth graders engaged. Halfway through the two-and-a-half-month learning experiment, 5280 quizzed Krizek about the most challenging cram session of her career. —Shane Monaghan 5280: How did the flip to remote learning go?

Lindsay Krizek: The first week was chaos. It was the most stressful and nervewracking of all the weeks.

I know the parents felt it too. After that, I was like, OK, we can do this.

There was a big learning curve for the teachers, the kids, and the parents, but as more time went on, it became more manageable.

I do think it was helpful that the end of the school year was in sight.

What did the day-today look like?

My class had a 45-minute

meeting on Google Meet to start every day, but the rest of the day kids worked independently on stuff that I’d uploaded to various technology platforms.

We used an extension in Google Classroom called Pear Deck where you can create interactive slides and questions, rate students’ efforts, respond to their goals, and upload videos. I also had office hours a couple of times a week where I was on a Google Meet call if they had questions or just wanted to come and talk.

Virtual learning can be very inequitable for stu-

dents, though. I am lucky to be at a school with more resources: We have a really small percentage of kids on free and reduced lunch, so most of my kids already had computers.

Did teaching remotely require you to do more work?

It’s 10 times more work.

The feedback is the most time-consuming part.

The first few weeks I was trying to give the same amount I would in the classroom, but in-person feedback is mostly verbal. With

CONTINUED ON PAGE 98

used to order meals from local restaurants—including Urban Village, Steuben’s, Le French, and Reivers Bar & Grill—that were delivered to frontline workers.

As of May 29, the grassroots program had served 4,500 meals to health care workers and staff at area hospitals, jails, and other facilities.

175,000

Meals cooked for homebound seniors, low-income families, and immunocompromised people as of May 26 by Friends & Family, a Denver nonprofit comprised of hospitality workers.

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RAISED FISTS

Denver’s Black Lives Matter protests evolved over time, but the goal remained the same.

Through his viewfinder, Denver photographer Kevin Mohatt watched as the demonstrations downtown morphed from heated clashes to peaceful sit-ins to, at times, an almost celebratory atmosphere. “That has caught me,” says Mohatt, who spent several days capturing images of the protests in late May and early June. “They’re happy. These people are showing that we’re going to keep marching no matter what.” Mohatt is quick to explain, however, that like others in the black community he, too, is angry—but it’s a constructive anger from which he believes positive energy can flow.

This image, taken in Civic Center Park, “sums up the demonstrations for me,” he says. “It’s peaceful, but it emphasizes that the black community is fighting for something important.” See more of Mohatt’s images from the Black Lives Matter protests at 5280.com and on Instagram (@kevin.mohatt)

Credits Tk

PHOTOGR APH BY KEVIN MOHAT T

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Credits Tk

REASONS TO LOVE DENVER

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THE SIMPLE THINGS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

State Representative Leslie Herod on the generation that may be able to transform this moment into a movement.

COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests have given us the chance to prove that altruism does still exist, as evidenced by these acts of benevolence.

1. Thousands of citizens—individuals and groups—volunteered on mornings after the protests to help collect trash and scrub graffiti in an effort organized by the Downtown Denver Partnership.

2. The owners of a brick bungalow in Washington Park hung a sign—“Need A Mask? Take one!”—and a mesh basket full of homemade face coverings on their picket fence.

3. Often marked by homemade red crosses, dozens of “street medics”—some professionally trained, some with basic skills, all there on their own time—circulated through the protest crowds to distribute first-aid supplies, such as eyewash, gauze, ointments, and water.

really sad for our young people, who are growing up in a society that doesn’t think they’re worth justice.

I thought Floyd’s murder would be another instance of police brutality that went unchecked. So I was proud when the demonstrations exploded—I was just so proud to see my city turn out in the way we did. It was a really tough few days for a lot of us, and I was really saddened by the vandalism, but the light shone through the darkness.

Now we need to make sure the protests spur substantive CONTINUED ON PAGE 100 change.

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4. As Paul and Stephanie Vitulli struggled to keep their Glendale restaurant, Pie Society Pizza, open, every neighbor on their street coordinated to order a pie from the pizzeria.

5. North High School student Gabi Isom, 15, organized a march down Tennyson Street on June 3. Hundreds of residents were joined

by Denver police, who walked with the blocks-long crowd.

“We are here because this world and this country are desperate for change,” Isom said.

6. Shelsea Ochoa and Brice Maiurro’s Go Outside and Howl at 8 p.m.

Facebook group inspired nearly 600,000 members, from Denver to Brazil, to howl for communion, support, or just to yell.

7. Artists Armina Jusufagic and Karlee Mariel transformed some of the many boarded-up windows around downtown Denver into murals celebrating George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests. “As artists,” Mariel said, “this is the way we can contribute to peaceful protests.”

8. Darrius Newton and other McMeen Elementary School teachers volunteered during the protests by supervising a stash of free water bottles for demonstrators. “All of these have been donated by people,” Newton said.

“Random strangers just come up and drop them off.”

9. The owners of the Optiv Building, one of Denver’s tallest skyscrapers, used whiteboards and pink LED lights to fashion a gleaming eight-story Bat-Signal-style heart over downtown.

10. An anonymous customer left more than just two months of scruff behind on the first day of Denver’s safer-at-home phase, dropping $5,800 in combined tips on a $27 haircut for the staff of Floyd’s Barbershop in the University neighborhood.

Clockwise from top right: Trever Jacques; David Zalubowski/AP Photo; Getty Images (2); Kasey Cordell; Getty Images; David Zalubowski/AP Photo; Getty Images (2)

When I first saw the video of George Floyd’s killing, I didn’t believe that it would spark this level of protest. When folks see someone murdered on social media, that person is often reduced to a hashtag and forgotten about within a week.

It’s infuriating and it’s dehumanizing, and it makes me

REASONS TO LOVE DENVER

FRONTLINE WORKERS

Clockwise from top left: Courtesy of Zachary Laux; Courtesy of Snarf’s; Courtesy of Colorado State University

With much of the city at home during the pandemic, essential employees entered an uncertain world to make our food, deliver our packages, and protect our most vulnerable. We asked three such workers to tell us about how their lives have changed.

Tiffany Buskirk, mail carrier, U.S. Postal Service Customers on my route were scared. They’d be outside playing or working in the yard, and when they saw me coming, they would run inside. They’d spray down packages and—I never thought I’d see this—disinfect mailboxes.

One house attached a bottle of hand sanitizer to the mailbox. You get a lot more thank-yous right now, too, but I’ve always loved my route. I took it over last year after my predecessor died of cancer. He was just one of the most generous, kindest people ever. It was his example that inspired me to do something for the graduating seniors on my route. I kept seeing all these signs for 2020 graduates and thinking about all of the memories they and their families would miss. What could I do? Well, I decided to send each graduate a card with $20 inside. I think it cost me $300 total. But it’s OK; I’m an essential worker who still gets a paycheck, plus I had my stimulus check. I was lucky.

Nicole Ehrhart, director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University (CSU) The state was missing a lot of cases by only screening for fever and cough, which isn’t going to protect vulnerable populations. Still, when [CSU professor Greg Ebel and I] started testing asymptomatic workers in skilled nursing centers, we expected low rates. What we found was about a 14 percent positive rate—shocking, even to us. First, we felt an urgency to get people to understand that this was something that needed more attention and funding. It was frustrating because we knew rapid deployment would be critical. But as our data grew, we got more street cred from policymakers. [Based on the results, Governor Jared Polis expanded the testing program from five to every nursing facility in the state, which house thousands of patients.] That was so gratifying. What started as a homegrown

project that we had to pay for ourselves turned into a huge state-funded initiative that is going to save a lot of lives.

What’s also encouraging, and an area I think deserves more attention from the media, is that because of this global problem you have all the best scientists in the world putting their heads together. That’s never happened before. Ever.

Innovation is occurring so rapidly. We know 1,000 times more than we knew six weeks ago. In six weeks, we’re going to know 10,000 times more.

We’re doing the best we can with the tools we have. But more tools are coming.

Eric Gotta, regional manager, Snarf’s Sandwiches At the start of this thing, we had to furlough 25 percent of our hourly workforce, so salaried employees like me had to spend six days a week in the restaurants. I was worried—I really was. The not knowing.

I saw the numbers growing every day, and I started to think about how many people I interact with, especially managers who are going to different stores. Fortunately, our customers are so loyal, and there’ve been lots of generous people. One guy bought a bag of chips and left a $20 tip. We still see people not wearing masks, who after six weeks of this are still frustrated that they can’t just come in and order. Honestly, I was against masks at first too; they’re hot and impede our ability to communicate on the line. Now I realize people will be wearing masks for a long time. I feel like a social outcast not wearing one. m J U LY 2 0 2 0

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UNDER INFLUENCE

BY LI N DSE Y B. KI NG

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Denverites like to drink. And that’s OK —in moderation.

However, statistics released in 2019 suggest roughly 27 percent of Mile High City residents binge drink. That makes us susceptible to potential health problems that most of us don’t think about when we order just one more.

PHOTO I LLUSTR ATIONS BY STUART BR ADFORD

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It’s nearing midnight on a Saturday when a thirtysomething in a baseball cap bellies up to the bar at Washington Park West’s bustling Kentucky Inn. He catches the attention of the barkeep, who promptly lines up three shots of brown liquor in front of him. In less than 30 seconds, he downs the trio and walks out into the night. When asked how often she sees something like that, the bartender stops pulling a Juicy Banger IPA just long enough to say, “Every night.”

Every night is not a physicianrecommended pattern of behavior when it comes to ingesting booze. But Dr. Bill Burman, director of Denver Public Health, sees just as much of a problem with the bottomless mimosas, 68

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burger-and-a-beer lunch combos, and all-day “happy hours” that restaurants and bars marketed before the COVID-19 lockdown—and will revive after it’s over.

That’s not to mention the drinkall-day vibe that local breweries can engender. “What concerns me,” Burman says, “is the socialization of gradually increasing our alcohol intake.” Although it’s his job to worry about making Denver healthier, Burman’s interest in local alcohol culture and its impact on the city led him and his Denver Public Health cohorts to conduct a study in late 2018, the conclusions of which were released in May 2019. The results were disconcerting.

The standout statistic: More than one in four Denver adults reported

Getty Images

INTOXICATING

binge drinking in the previous 30 days.

That puts our penchant for quaffing ahead of residents in every other comparable Western city, including Seattle, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Austin, Texas. In medical parlance, binge drinking is a manner of imbibing that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 or higher. This generally occurs when women consume four or more drinks or men put away five or more in approximately two hours. So, basically, something that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the most “costly and deadly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States” is what many in Denver call Tuesday night.

It’s understandable why many Coloradans—and Americans in general—don’t view alcohol as harmful.

As recently as early 2018, much of the medical literature had suggested that low levels of alcohol consumption were mostly innocuous and even potentially protective against maladies like heart disease. (What we read: Drinking is good for you! Shots for everyone!) However, in August of that year, a widely acclaimed study on global alcohol use appeared on the website of the Lancet, a peerreviewed medical journal. In short, the research determined that alcohol “causes substantial health loss” and that “the safest level of drinking is none.”

We’ll wait for Denverites’ collective guffaw to die down before we point out that exactly no one is suggesting another go at Prohibition, especially in a place that not only exhibits libertarianism when it comes to intoxicating substances but also sees a $3 billion economic effect from the craft brewing industry. What experts want us to understand, though, is this: Binge drinking is associated with some serious adverse outcomes—for individuals and city systems, like police departments and emergency medical services—some of which you probably aren’t aware of. “Most everyone has the sense that the alcohol use of the guy who is falling-down drunk every day is not healthy,” Burman says. “But there is a range of use here in Denver that is completely socially acceptable but is also not healthy.” That is where our story begins.

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35%

38%

Percentage increase in the death rate from alcoholic liver disease in Denver County between 1999 and 2017

OVER-SERVED Studies show that alcohol has a vast array of deleterious effects on users and society. Based on statistics, the damage associated with alcohol use in Denver —and in Colorado as a whole —is nothing short of devastating.

53,293 Number of 911 calls in the city of Denver in 2018 (out of 169,642) in which the caller indicated recent alcohol consumption or that alcohol was a contributing factor to the call

$5 billion The yearly economic cost—including lost productivity, health care expenditures, and criminal justice costs—of excessive drinking in Colorado; binge drinking is responsible for roughly 75 percent of those costs

Anecdotally Speaking

SolStock/Getty Images

2,035

Hard numbers are difficult to come by in some arenas, but health care pros regularly see the well-known secondhand effects of alcohol.

Alcohol exposures reported to the poison center in Colorado in 2015, 2016, and 2017; in the same time frame, only 679 marijuana exposures were reported

PARENTAL NEGLECT

“I ask my patients about how alcohol impacts their relationships, and they tell me their kids get upset when they drink, mostly because they are less present and don’t pay attention to the things they should.”

—Dr. Susan Calcaterra, addiction medicine physician, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital

“Today, liver disease is really affecting women and the young,” says Dr. James Burton, a transplant hepatologist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital.

“The idea of evaluating a 25-year-old for this 15 years ago would’ve been unthinkable.”

5 Deaths each day in the state of Colorado that can be attributed to excessive drinking; 54 percent of those deaths can be attributed to binge drinking “Statistics suggest that if you die of an alcohol-related cause,” Denver Health’s Dr. Julie Taub says, “your life was likely shortened by an average of 30 years.”

36% Percentage of Denver Health ER visits for substance use in 2018 due to alcohol (the second highest category was psychoactive substances at 14 percent) “In the ER, we are concerned with flow—getting patients in, treated, and out,” says Dr. Christine Riguzzi, an emergency medicine doctor at Boulder Community Hospital.

“People who come in with alcohol intoxication can be in the ER for hours while they sober up. There have been times when I felt bad a kid with croup was still in the waiting room because some drunk guy was taking up a bed.”

DIVORCE

—Dr. Josh Blum, addiction medicine physician, Denver Health

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80%

Percentage of driving deaths in Denver involving alcohol (U.S. average: 29 percent)

“I hear it all the time. ‘Arguments with my spouse were way worse when I was on alcohol.’ ”

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Percentage of the domestic violence perpetrators who killed their partners in Colorado in 2018 (43 deaths total) who had histories of alcohol and/or drug abuse

14,965 Ambulance transports by the Denver Health Paramedic Division in 2019 due to acute alcohol intoxication— roughly 15 percent of the annual call volume “Alcohol is a significant impact and stressor for paramedics,” says operations lieutenant Michael Morris, with the Paramedic Division for Denver Health and Hospital Authority. “People on alcohol don’t follow commands. They get frustrated, they vomit, they spit on you, they lose control of bodily functions— they can create small hazmat scenes in an ambulance.”

SUICIDE

“Depression and substance abuse go hand in hand. If someone tells me they have bouts of depression, I do a deeper dive on their substance abuse, because alcohol can be disinhibiting enough to lead to self-harm.”

—Dr. Ken Cohen, internal medicine physician, New West Physicians

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YOUR CUP RUNNETH OVER Why having two drinks can sometimes mean having four.

We’ve all said it, even though we know the phrase I only had a couple is a pathetically weak defense against what is likely unflattering evidence to the contrary. The truth is that although we may have consumed the liquid from only two containers, the hooch held therein may have constituted more than two drinks. Everyone from the CDC to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism agrees that a so-called standard drink contains 0.6 ounces of pure booze. “The problem is, people don’t think in ‘standard drinks,’ ” says Dr. Josh Blum, an addiction medicine physician at Denver Health. Instead, we look at that Big Tex margarita on the menu at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant and trick ourselves into thinking that tall glass of cocktail-y goodness—which has three ounces of tequila and cordial—is one drink. In fact, based on the widely agreed-upon measures of pure alcohol found in different adult beverages (shown below), that tasty margarita actually constitutes roughly two.

WINE Five ounces at about 12 percent ABV

BEER 12 ounces at about five percent ABV

HARD LIQUOR 1.5 ounces of an 80-proof spirit

KEEP IN MIND: California Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons, French Rhônes, Italian Barolos, and a host of other vinos can have ABVs 13.5 percent or higher. Also: Contrary to popular belief, there are five standard drinks in a bottle of 12 percent ABV wine, not four.

KEEP IN MIND: Many Colorado craft

KEEP IN MIND: Alcohol content in cocktails is difficult to gauge. For example, a traditional martini has roughly 2.25 ounces of fluid with 32 percent alcohol, making it equivalent to 1.2 standard drinks.

How Much Is Too Much?

There’s a general lack of awareness about the definitions surrounding alcohol use. Here, an easy way to help you self-diagnose your drinking habits, all of which could have shortor long-term consequences (see “Your Body On Booze,” page 72).

brews contain well over five percent ABV; if you’re sipping a 10 percenter, you’re drinking two standard drinks for the price of one. Also: A pint isn’t 12 ounces—it’s 16—so factor that into your beer math as well.

YOU ARE CONSIDERED…

IF YOU HAVE…

A moderate drinker

Up to one drink a day for women or up to two drinks a day for men

A binge drinker

Four or more drinks in about two hours for women or five or more drinks in about two hours for men

A heavy drinker

Eight or more per week for women or 15 or more per week for men

Alcohol dependent*

Lost control over your alcohol intake, use alcohol compulsively, and experience a negative emotional state when not using alcohol *Possibly with a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder; see “Hard Questions,” page 77

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From left: Markus Gann/EyeEm/Getty Images; Jack Andersen/Getty Images; Yaroslav Danylchenko/500px/Getty Images

ONE STANDARD DRINK

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which I met in therapy, others I later realized I already knew from work—had a diverse membership: business owners, young parents, teachers, college students, and, of course, a 23-year-old waitress who really hadn’t understood how bad things had gotten. The months that followed were painful. The financial repercussions—fines assessed by the court and fees to hire a lawyer—were straightforward. The emotional toll of a DUI conviction was far more nuanced.

I had plenty of time to reflect on my wrongdoings. The results of an alcohol evaluation meant hours of mandatory therapy as well as time spent enduring random weekly blood alcohol level and urine tests. A 12-month driver’s license revocation confined me to my suburban home and forced me to rely on family and friends for rides to and from alcohol

A FEW TOO MANY It’s been 10 years, but I can still feel the flush of shame when I think about getting arrested for driving under the influence.

The dial tone of the collect call phone.

The sensation of the cold concrete floor under my feet. The hum of the Saturday morning news on the 24-inch box TV. These are the details I can remember from my three-hour stint in the Boulder County Jail a decade ago.

I was arrested on the corner of Canyon Boulevard and Broadway on the morning of August 14, 2010, for driving under the influence. After a late night out with co-workers, I was so drunk I couldn’t recall how many cocktails I’d had or how I’d ended up in a friend’s guest bedroom, but I do remember getting into my car and leaving her place around 7 a.m. after grabbing a few hours of sleep. Turns out, I should’ve stayed in bed.

I wish I could say my behavior that evening was rare, but it was a ritual I’d participated in about three times a week for more than two years. I worked at a pizza joint on Pearl Street, often imbibing during work hours and joining other industry folks out at the bars before and after shifts. Like many other servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff

members, I was lost in the cycle of the alcohol-fueled restaurant industry. While I frequented watering holes in Boulder, I lived in Superior, meaning the joy of sleeping in my own bed required a $50 taxi ride or driving home intoxicated, something I’m ashamed to admit I did many, many times. Having avoided repercussions, I’d deluded myself into thinking my habits were reasonable.

That is, until I found myself under the fluorescent lights of the county jail, shoeless (footwear is retained with the rest of arrestees’ belongings during bookings) and bleeding more dignity with every passing minute. Before my first ride in the back of a cop car, I’d caught the eye of a police officer who arrested me after she watched me run over a curb. A blood alcohol level test revealed I had a reading of 0.08—and that was roughly seven hours after I’d stopped drinking.

The moment I blew over the legal limit, I was inducted into a club I never wanted to join. Alcohol abuse doesn’t discriminate, which means the Hangover From Hell Society—some members of

The financial repercussions— fines assessed by the court and fees to hire a lawyer— were straightforward. The emotional toll of a DUI conviction was far more nuanced. screenings, work, and therapy. The shame was overwhelming, and pervasive. I felt it during silent car rides with my father to visit my probation officer; while a person who I was sure was judging me watched me pee during screenings; and while walking more than three miles home from the bus stop when no cabs were available.

It’s been 10 years, but rarely does a day go by when I don’t think about that time in my life. With every boozy brunch and every happy hour comes the knowledge that I once allowed alcohol to make my decisions for me. And they weren’t good decisions. I wasn’t an alcoholic, but I’d abused the privilege—and neglected the responsibility—that comes with turning 21. I put myself and others in danger. I became someone I didn’t want to be. It’s a shame that it took losing my shoes for me to realize that, but I’m ultimately glad it did.

—PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG

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HABIT CHECK

YOUR BODY ON BOOZE

Coloradans like their hooch —do they really have to give it up?

Alcohol is the only intoxicating substance that affects nearly every part of the human body. Here’s how.

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HEART

Drinking too much, too quickly can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature, and gag reflex—and can lead to coma or death.

PANCREAS

Alcohol use can lead to heart problems, including heart failure, arrhythmias (like atrial fibrillation), and valve problems.

Heavy drinking is associated with chronic high blood pressure.

Roughly 70 percent of cases of chronic pancreatitis—a swollen pancreas that can cause abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and may require hospitalization—are caused by long-term alcohol use.

Because alcohol affects balance and gait, heavy use has been linked to more frequent falls and subsequent bone fractures (some of which likely can be attributed to alcoholrelated osteoporosis).

GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

Alcohol-induced digestive disorders and damage in the gastrointestinal tract can cause an array of problems, including loss of appetite and a host of abdominal complaints, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

BONES

Alcohol can interfere with the balance and absorption of calcium and certain hormones that affect bone density and strength, leading to osteoporosis.

KIDNEYS

Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone that typically sends signals to the kidneys causing them to retain fluid. As a result, alcohol increases urination.

This spread: Getty Images (12); Sean Parsons (sleep and cancer icons)

“Doughnuts,” Dr. James Burton says. “I want you to think about doughnuts and then think about beer.” As the medical director of liver transplantation at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Burton sees some of the worst outcomes when it comes to abuse of alcohol. But his point is well-taken: Rarely has anyone ever said you can never have another doughnut because doughnuts are bad for you. Says Burton: “It’s about moderation, right?”

For many physicians and counselors who toil in the realm of alcohol use and abuse, being pragmatic about consumption is imperative. “We lose credibility when we don’t acknowledge why someone might want to drink, why someone might enjoy drinking,” says Denver Health’s Dr. Josh Blum. “Instead of finger wagging less-thanideal behavior, we should try to help with harm reduction.” Blum says the medical community should explore patients’ use and talk about negative consequences. Sometimes, he says, people don’t see that their alcohol use isn’t OK until someone “plants the seed of doubt.” That might mean pointing out that being late for work because of nasty hangovers or gaining weight because you’re quaffing 1,000 calories a night are clues that you should reevaluate your habits.

The notion of simply mitigating the ramifications might sound irresolute to those who think alcoholism—or alcohol use disorder (AUD), in medical lingo—is the biggest problem when it comes to abusing alcohol. In truth, only about 15 percent of people who imbibe qualify for an AUD diagnosis. “There’s a lot of emphasis on the severe end of the spectrum,” says Denver Health’s Dr. Julie Taub. “It’s the middle of the spectrum where changes—having two instead of four—make the most impact.”

That impact isn’t just about helping people get to work on time. Consumption of any kind has short- and long-term health effects. Even minor decreases can have positive results, because, as Taub points out, “the across-the-board trajectory is that the more alcohol you intake, the worse the consequences are going to be.”

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Abuse of alcohol can cause liver failure, including acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and fatty liver disease; the risk of alcoholic liver disease is higher for women than for men.

Large amounts of alcohol increase fat in the blood and can increase the risk of clots, which can cause heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism.

BLOOD

Because of body structure and chemistry, women absorb more alcohol than men and take longer to break down booze and remove it from their bodies.

Upon drinking equal amounts, women will have higher alcohol levels in their blood than men.

LIVER

Because alcohol can be a short-term anxiolytic—a substance that inhibits anxiety—many people use it to relax. But the overuse of the substance disrupts serotonin and blood-sugar levels and can actually make you feel more anxious.

Alcohol affects the mood centers of the brain, potentially exacerbating depression; its disinhibiting effects can lead to acts of self harm.

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Withdrawal from alcohol— which is a consequence of drinking cessation after longterm use has forced the brain to chemically adjust itself to a constant influx of a depressive substance—creates a cascade of potentially serious and/or fatal medical problems, including nausea, anxiety, sweating, and delirium tremens, a dangerous set of symptoms that can include hallucinations, seizures, disorientation, agitation, and tremors.

BRAIN

Although it’s unclear why, long-term alcohol use can cause neuropathy—a deadening of nerves in the peripheral nervous system that causes tingling, numbing, or burning sensations, often in the feet, hands, arms, and legs.

Excessive alcohol use may increase the risk of dementia. Short-term memory is also negatively affected by booze.

BONE MARROW

SLEEP IMMUNE SYSTEM

CANCER

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Alcohol can seem like a short-term fix for bad sleep because it’s a depressant and makes you drowsy.

However, studies have shown that alcohol contributes to poor sleep quality, sometimes interrupting the circadian rhythm and rapid eye movement sleep, sending you to the bathroom during the night, and aggravating breathing problems.

Alcohol suppresses the immune system, making it more difficult for you to fight off infection.

Alcohol can hinder women’s menstrual cycles and increase the risk of infertility. In men, alcohol can inhibit testicular function and male hormone production, leading to impotence and fertility reduction.

Alcohol can damage the bone marrow, where new blood cells are born. This can cause low platelet counts and result in bleeding and bruising.

Drinking while pregnant increases the chances of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature delivery plus fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and sudden infant death syndrome for the baby.

Alcohol use increases the chances for developing cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon in both sexes. In women, it significantly increases the risk of breast cancer.

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CULTIVATING ALCOHOL CULTURE Experts say there are at least three reasons why Colorado is such a good incubator for one of the most widely used intoxicating substances on Earth.

REASON

REASON

REASON

1

2

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IT’S EVERYWHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE

Most people don’t know that booze is subject to both federal and state excise taxes. Colorado’s tariffs went into effect in 1935—and haven’t changed since. The state’s taxes were low to begin with, but the erosion of them due to inflation has created a scenario in which the purpose of these “sin” taxes—to raise prices on superfluous products to decrease their use and, in some cases, pay for negative consequences—has lost its effectiveness.

Among U.S. states, Colorado ranks 40th for taxes on wine, 46th for beer, and 47th for distilled spirits. “Hundreds of studies show that an increase in the price of alcohol decreases drinking,” says Dr. Tim Naimi, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health, who has long studied the public health aspects of alcohol. Even if someone spearheaded a movement to increase excise taxes in Colorado, the measure would have to go through voters as a ballot initiative.

Denver is absolutely saturated with alcohol. Seemingly every restaurant has a liquor license, even the breakfast joints.

There are approximately 150 breweries, a dozen wineries, and a handful of cideries. And that’s not to mention the grocery chains and liquor stores that live on every corner. “Along with cost, availability is a huge factor in rates of alcohol consumption,” Naimi says. “Availability is an accelerant on a simmering fire.” If that’s the case, Denver is a conflagration: Compared to all 3,142 counties and county equivalents across the country, Denver County ranks 20th for alcohol accessibility, according to a study printed in the International Journal of Health Geographics in 2018. Not surprisingly, certain neighborhoods within Denver proper have particularly high accessibility, including Berkeley, West Highland, RiNo, LoDo, Baker, Capitol Hill, City Park, Cherry Creek, and Platt Park.

In Search Of A Slogan Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in the country—so why haven’t you seen one PSA about it?

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EVERYONE WANTS TO GET IN ON THE COLORADO LIFESTYLE

At least, that’s what the marketing departments at, oh, every single alcohol purveyor operating in the Centennial State want you to think. And what exactly is the Colorado lifestyle? Well, it’s an athleisure-bedecked thirtysomething sitting on a patio sipping a skinny margarita mixed with agave spirits from Boulder.

It’s a snowboarder taking a break on Vail Mountain with a Bud Light. Hell, some of Colorado’s most famous craft breweries extort the Colorado way right on their labels (see: Fat Tire). The message? Booze and Colorado are like peas and carrots.

But it’s not just the manufacturers pushing the ostensibly inextricable connection. “I was getting some ski boots fit at Neptune Mountaineering,” Denver Health’s Dr. Josh Blum says, “and they asked me what kind of beer I wanted while I was waiting.

I’m an addiction medicine doctor, but I was like, ‘This is awesome.’ ”

For decades we’ve seen messages about why we shouldn’t smoke and why we should exercise, which makes sense considering deaths related to cigarette use and obesity are the top two causes of preventable death in America. Strangely, though, you probably can’t remember seeing a social marketing campaign that told you to reduce your Chardonnay intake. “Alcohol is a big underlying cause of health problems,” says Denver Public Health’s Dr. Bill Burman, “yet there are almost no alcohol awareness campaigns to speak of.” The reasons for this include factors like the Big Alcohol lobby; the failure of Prohibition; and the fact that alcohol plays an important role in society. There’s also the pesky problem that the effectiveness of PSAs—for illegal drugs, for smoking—has been mixed. “Education does not usually help people quit,” says Denver Health’s Dr. Julie Taub. “It does seem to help them not start.” Still, Denver Public Health has been studying how to turn medical knowledge about alcohol into consistent messaging to counter the ubiquitous marketing of booze. “I don’t know what the messaging will be yet,” Burman says, “but we’re so used to alcohol we don’t even see it as a substance anymore.”

Suzanne Clements/Stocksy

NO NEW TAXES

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THE LAST DRINK A Grand Junction man didn’t know he was sick —until he was dying.

Brian Elam was what you might call a social drinker. He and his wife, Leigh, rarely drank at home, but for roughly three years Brian had gotten in the habit of knocking back five or more beers after work with his colleagues almost every day. He’d get a buzz on, but he wasn’t coming home sloshed. “I never considered myself an alcohol abuser,” Elam says. “I mean, I just drank beer.

Never hard liquor.”

The then 43-year-old knew he was drinking more than was healthy, though, so when he scheduled a routine physical in June 2016, he decided to take a few days off from the Bud Light ahead of the visit. It was too little too late. “The doctor called me just hours after I left her office to tell me my bilirubin was off the charts,” Elam says, adding the only symptom he’d had until then was some jaundice. “I was in liver failure.”

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Within a week, it was as if a switch had been flipped: Elam’s health deteriorated. He ended up in the ER, where doctors told him he likely needed a liver transplant, a procedure for which he’d have to see Denver-area specialists. By mid-July, Elam and his wife were in Dr. James Burton’s office at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora.

“At my first appointment, Dr. Burton came in and simply said, ‘You’re gonna die if you don’t get a liver transplant,’ ” Elam says.

But getting a new organ doesn’t just happen. Being placed on the transplant list requires a long checklist of machinations, including sobriety testing. Then, once a patient qualifies, it’s a special kind of purgatory on Earth. “I was getting sicker and sicker as we waited,” Elam

Amanda Matilda Photography

“My body was swelling. I looked like I’d swallowed a basketball. My ex-wife brought my two teenage kids to Colorado to say goodbye to me.” says, his voice cracking at the memory.

“My body was swelling. I looked like I’d swallowed a basketball. My ex-wife brought my two teenage kids to Colorado to say goodbye to me.”

Unlike so many others, however, Elam was fortunate. The call came on October 11, 2016. A new liver was waiting for him in Denver. Although he experienced some complications with excessive bleeding and an early rejection scare, Elam couldn’t believe how good he felt just a few days after the surgery. “I hadn’t realized just how sick I’d been,” he says, “even though I knew I was dying.”

The beer Elam drank three days before that fateful physical exam was his last drink—ever. He jokes that sales of Bud Light have plummeted on the Western Slope since he got sick but says he hasn’t missed drinking at all. “When you get that close to death, things change,” he says. “Plus, this liver was a gift. I can’t destroy that gift.”

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reason. My body craves it. The craving becomes an obsession.

I kinda go back and forth between being sober and drinking now.

I’m single so no one is watching me. I find myself sneaking anyway. I had a big discussion with my doctor recently because my liver function isn’t great. I’ve got a fatty liver, but he says my liver can recover if I stop drinking or decrease my drinking. He asked me if I can try to just have one. I laughed and said, “One is a thousand to an alcoholic.”

I know I need to get sober again.

I know I can get better. I know there’s a chance I will lose everything—again— if I don’t stop soon. Right now, I have two good jobs and my family is doing OK and I have a home. But after a long day—every day feels like Groundhog Day to me—the best thing is a drink. And sometimes that drink is a 12-pack.

DESPERATELY SEEKING SOBRIETY A 50-year -old Denver woman talks about why she drinks, why she should stop, and why that’s so difficult for those with alcohol addiction.

I drank for the first time at 15. I went to high school in Westminster, and it was what we did. I drank all through high school. But I was one of those who drank until she threw up. I never, maybe in my entire life, had just three drinks.

My father was an alcoholic. I have to look at that and wonder if I inherited the gene. And now I look at my kids, who are adults, and I see problems with their habits. It concerns me.

I’ve gotten sober off and on throughout my life. I didn’t drink when I was pregnant, but I wanted to. I drank the moment I was no longer pregnant. I did stop for two years after one of my babies was born. But then there was a divorce, and my second husband was a drinker. I started drinking again and tried 76

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to keep up with him. We weren’t a good match; we fought a lot. Had physical fights, especially when we were drunk. I drank to numb myself from it all.

I’ve lost two jobs over the years because I couldn’t stay sober. I was actually fired once for drinking on the job.

At one point, I got sober for about 12 years. Alcoholics Anonymous helped me do that, although I stopped going after about seven years of sobriety.

AA is the answer in my opinion because it’s free. Rehab is just impossible for most people to afford.

When Donald Trump got elected, I relapsed. I like to say that’s the reason, but there is no reason. I drink because I’m an alcoholic and not for any other

I’ve been thinking about going back to AA. But it’s so humiliating to go back to AA after relapsing or when you’re struggling. It can be a very judgy place, to be honest. There are old men there that have been there forever, and they try to give you the tough love. I hate tough love.

So many women die from this addiction. So many whom I’ve known.

One of them sticks in my mind. I try to stay sober for her.

I used to drink rum or vodka. But hard liquor makes me mean. Wine makes me black out. I recently went to seltzer. It’s not so harsh. I negotiate with myself about alcohol. I’m the best negotiator ever. No hard liquor. Well, maybe only this much. No wine. Well, you can have three. Problem is I never follow through with my negotiated terms.

When I’m not drinking I’m usually OK to be around people who are drinking. The worst part isn’t the alcohol; it’s that people ask me if it’s OK if they drink around me. I want to yell at them and say, “Have what you want!” I’ve learned it’s not socially acceptable not to drink here. People think you’re odd.

U N DE R

Nobody Remembers Being Here Roughly 95 people a day end up at Denver CARES, a detox center for the Mile High City’s public inebriates.

Lieutenant Aaron Rebeterano works what he calls the “out crowd” in LoDo on weekend nights. When the bars close down, he, along with 15 other Denver Police Department officers, monitors the tipsy masses and diffuses tension among the drunken hordes.

“One drunk guy bumps another drunk guy in the food truck line,” Rebeterano says, “and a fight can break out real quick.” When that happens, police officers often have to intercede and decide

Getty Images

Regaining Control

If you need help with substance abuse, these local services and facilities might be able to help.

who (if anyone) is going to jail and who is going to Denver CARES. For the past 50 years, Denver CARES (Community Addictions Rehabilitation and Evaluation Services) has been the drunk tank of choice for officers who don’t want to toss someone in jail for being intoxicated—but who can’t be left out in public either. The 91-bed social detox unit associated with Denver Health serves three populations: the nightlife crowd, people experiencing homelessness, and those who are seeking help to get on the wagon permanently. “Most of our patients are here to sober up safely after a night of too much fun,” says Denver CARES operations manager Allison Pohlmann, “but everyone meets with a counselor to make sure there isn’t a larger problem.”

Of course, not everyone is always happy about being involuntarily admitted by the cops, but Denver CARES relieves pressure on local jails and ERs, neither of which can afford to spare resources on 35-year-olds who should’ve stopped three old fashioneds ago. “We have certified RNs, medical assistants, and addiction specialists,” Pohlmann says, “but we also have TVs and beds and showers and warm meals—it’s not the worst place to be if you can’t be at home.” It’s also not the worst place to turn if you need help beyond the average 12-hour stay. People who need to prove sobriety for insurance purposes or those who may need 60- to 90-day residential treatment can find both at Denver CARES. “There’s a waitlist for most of those beds,” Pohlmann says but adds the professionals there will always do their best to help someone suffering with addiction find the help he needs.

Aurora Mental Health Center, aumhc.org Denver Area Central Committee of Alcoholics Anonymous, daccaa.org Denver CARES, denverhealth.org Denver Women’s Recovery, womensrecovery.com

Behavioral Health Services, Substance Use Intensive Outpatient Program, centura.org Center for Dependency Addiction and Rehabilitation, cedarcolorado.org

ITS

I N FLU E NCE

Hard Questions If your answers to two or more of these inquiries are yes, you should talk to your doctor about whether you have an alcohol use disorder.

IN THE PAST YEAR, HAVE YOU…

1. Drank more or for longer than you intended?

2. Wanted to cut down or stop drinking, but just couldn’t?

3. Experienced lots of hangovers?

4. Had a strong urge to drink?

5. Found that drinking—or being sick from drinking—interfered with your family responsibilities or caused problems at work?

6. Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with friends or family?

7. Given up or cut back on activities that were important to you or gave you pleasure to drink?

8. Gotten into a situation while intoxicated that increased your chances of getting hurt (like driving or having unsafe sex)?

9. Continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or exacerbating another health problem?

10. Had to drink more than you once did to get the desired effect?

11. Found that when the effects of alcohol wear off, you’ve had minor withdrawal symptoms?

Harmony Foundation, harmonyfoundationinc.com Mental Health Center of Denver, mhcd.org Sandstone Care, sandstonecare.com West Pines Behavioral Health, sclhealth.org m

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ELECT THE WOLF?

THIS NOVEMBER, CENTENNIAL STATE VOTERS WILL HAVE A HISTORIC

OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE IF THE STATE SHOULD BRING GRAY WOLVES BACK TO COLORADO.

BY CALLY CARSWELL

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CARNEY, HALF OF THE CRAIG PRESS’ TWO-PERSON REPORTING TEAM, GOT A NEWS TIP. A LOCAL WOMAN SAID THAT WHILE HUNTING IN NORTHWESTERN COLORADO’S IRISH CANYON RECENTLY, HER BROTHER HAD COME ACROSS AN ELK CARCASS THAT HAD BEEN “RIPPED TO PIECES.” IN THE SNOW BESIDE IT, THE

predator had left a series of tracks shaped like dog paws, save for one distinguishing feature: They were big. Really big. Big enough for a wolf.

Although Carney, 27, had only been on the job a few months, he’d already looked into several similar leads. When he’d called Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), his inquiries were usually met with a chuckle. Yes, CPW had checked it out, and, no, it wasn’t a wolf. “The calls have happened forever,” Carney says.

“People can’t tell the difference between a wolf and a coyote.”

Nevertheless, when he got to work on January 5, Carney called CPW again, and this time, they suggested he file a records request.

The next morning, CPW delivered the goods. Another hunter had spotted six large canids back in October, just a couple of miles from where the elk carcass had been found, and he’d caught two on video. The new carcass and tracks, plus that video evidence, had led CPW officers to an extraordinary conclusion: After forceful extermination 75 years earlier, wolves appeared to again be making a home in Colorado.

Carney banged out a story, getting a big scoop for a little paper and a crash course in the emotionally wrought politics of wolves. The calls, emails, and social media comments came in a flood. Denver TV stations asked Carney for interviews. The paper’s Facebook followers expressed dismay and predicted the demise of deer and elk, with at least one man writing that he’d use his gun in self-defense. Wolf lovers, meanwhile, dominated Carney’s inbox, and some accused him of sensationalism for his description of the carcass. One even came to the office to berate him in person. “It was a weird time,” Carney recalls. “I was relatively new to the job and that was the first one where I was like, ‘Wow—what happened?’ ” Wittingly or not, Carney had waded into the wolf wars, and he had done so with uncanny timing. The day before his story broke, Initiative 107 was certified for the 2020 ballot. If it passes, the citizen-backed measure will direct CPW to develop a plan for actively reintroducing wolves to the state’s mountain landscapes and to put paws on the ground by 2023. It’s the first time voters in any state will have a direct say in reintroducing North America’s most controversial carnivore.

TRUCKING PACKS OF WOLVES into remote reaches of the San Juans or West Elks and setting them loose may seem like a radical proposition. But if you take the long view, it’s wolves’ absence from the 80

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state that is the anomaly. Ancient bones excavated from Larimer County put wolves in what is now Colorado as many as 12,000 years ago, when they shared territory with grizzly bears, wolverines, Pleistocene jaguars, and eaglelike vultures. As those jaguars and vultures blinked out, wolves persisted and probably thrived any place where there were bison, deer, or elk to eat, which means wolves were everywhere. A map included in a 1994 federal study on the potential for reintroduction in Colorado is dotted with historical wolf sightings so numerous and widespread it looks like the state has chickenpox.

The European-American colonists who arrived in the 1800s did see wolves as a kind of disease. The settlers quickly decimated wild game herds, over-hunting to such a degree that elk largely disappeared from Colorado’s national forests and required their own reintroduction effort in the early 1900s. As wolves’ food sources dwindled, cattle herds grew, and wolves adapted. The animals began to make their living the same way many people did—on both game and cattle—so settlers used guns, traps, and poison to eliminate the competition. Wolves were largely erased from Colorado by the 1930s, with the last one likely killed in 1945. The same story played out all over the West. From then on, the fate of wolves would depend on the proclivities of man.

We have wolves in the West today because human predilections change. In 1967, wolves were one of the first animals protected under the then new Endangered Species Act. Some 28 years later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for managing federally endangered species, began to restore wolves to the country’s Western mountains. In 1995, 29 wolves captured in Canada were released into Yellowstone National Park on the Wyoming-Montana border and the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho. From a biological perspective, the reintroduction has been a fantastic success. Today, roughly 2,000 wolves roam the northern Rocky Mountains, and they’ve dispersed into Oregon, Washington, and Northern California.

Back in 1995, when U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt carried one of those first wolves into Yellowstone in a steel crate, a young biologist named Mike Phillips trudged through the snow just ahead of him, wearing a gray National Park Service sweater and forest green skull cap. Phillips had arrived in Yellowstone from North Carolina, where he had been overseeing a federal effort to restore red wolves, to lead the park’s reintroduction efforts. Later, after leaving the National Park Service, he would spend years as an independent scientific adviser to federal wolf recovery efforts in New Mexico and Arizona, giving him a hand in every wolf reintroduction that’s been attempted in the United States. Now, in Colorado, he hopes to be part of what he views as the final chapter. Which is why, six years ago, Phillips convened a meeting of conservationists and political operatives at the Denver Zoo to talk about how to get wolves back into Colorado—and whether putting the question on the ballot was a legitimate option.

PHILLIPS, 62, IS FIT AND COMPACT, with wispy white hair. He lives in

Bozeman, Montana, where he directs the Turner Endangered Species Fund, an initiative of Ted Turner’s, and moonlights as a state

Previous spread and this page: Courtesy of the National Park Service

AROUND 9 P.M. ON JANUARY 4, JOSHUA

Sarah Boyum

ELECT THE WOLF?

senator. Phillips has a mischievous cackle and a low, rich voice, which he uses to orate as much as converse, often calling upon soaring language and pausing for dramatic effect. Had his politics leaned in a different direction, he might have had a successful career on right-wing talk radio. Instead, he’s spent years introducing mostly unsuccessful progressive bills to the conservative Montana State Legislature to, say, outlaw intentionally running over coyotes with snowmobiles, something people apparently do.

“My colleagues enjoy my hearings because the ideas are well presented,” he says. “But they never vote for them.”

The work of restoring wolves is in some ways its own Sisyphean task, full of endless and sometimes outlandish arguments over whether wolves do or don’t pose existential threats to ranching, do or don’t harbor bloodlust for human children, do or don’t possess transformative ecological powers. Phillips has stuck with it not because he’s particularly obsessed with wolves, but because wolves are powerful advocates for the cause that really animates him: the preservation of biodiversity in an age of extinction.

Wolves are useful in a practical sense because they require sprawling protected lands with minimal human presence, conditions that tend to benefit all sorts of other animals, plants, and

insects. But they are also potent symbols.

In a world where environmental narratives are overwhelmingly defined by loss, wolves tell a story of possibility. “So many endangered species are complicated,” Phillips says, explaining that decades of coddling can result in just a few hundred animals occupying mere pinches of their former habitats. Wolves aren’t like that.

Give a wolf food to eat, don’t poison it, and it will probably succeed. “It’s not a fucking black-footed ferret,” Phillips says.

Wolf people like Phillips have had an eye on Colorado for decades for a simple reason: It has ample and obvious wolf habitat in the form of millions of acres of public lands rife with deer and elk.

The 1994 federal study estimated that the state’s wild ungulate populations— including the largest number of elk in the nation—could sustain as many as 1,128 wolves, and it identified some level of opportunity for reintroduction in all of its national forests.

Phillips began working on the potential for wolf restoration in Colorado around the same time as that study. By then, he was advising the federal recovery team for Mexican wolves, which were reintroduced to New Mexico and Arizona in the late 1990s. The Mexican wolf project has always been more precarious than its sister effort in the northern Rockies, not least because the subspecies came perilously close to extinction and today’s survivors are genetically related.

Phillips believed that the wildlands of western Colorado represented the Mexican wolf ’s best shot at long-term survival This spread, from because they provided superior habitat left: Mike Phillips (left) helps release and a crucial link to the genetically rich a wolf into Yellowpopulations in Wyoming, Montana, and stone National Park Idaho. To meet its obligations under the in the mid-’90s; Rob Endangered Species Act, Phillips figured Edward, president of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would the Rocky Mountain eventually have to turn to Colorado. “For Wolf Action Fund the longest time I kept saying, ‘The feds are going to come,’ ” he says. “The next logical step is this biological mother lode of western Colorado.”

Phillips saw the state as the missing piece in a continental conservation campaign that would see an interconnected wolf population restored from Mexico to the Arctic—the entire length of its former range. In the modern world, successful restoration at such scales is prohibitively difficult, especially for large carnivores.

Just think of all the roads, cities, political boundaries, and land owners between the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Alaskan tundra. Yet for wolves, Colorado makes such an accomplishment possible. Says Phillips: “It’s the last great restoration landscape.”

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INITIATIVE 107 APPEARS TO have more than enough popular support

to succeed. This past August, researchers at Colorado State University conducted a public opinion survey of representative voters that found 84 percent intend to vote for wolf reintroduction.

According to the survey, majorities support the measure not only on the Front Range, but also on the more conservative Western Slope. Even large majorities of self-identified gun rights advocates, property rights advocates, hunters, and ranchers signaled support for reintroduction.

Marj Perry is not one of those people. Instead, she finds herself in a typecast role: She’s a rancher who opposes wolf reintroduction. Perry and her husband, both 67, run a few hundred head of cattle on their ranch in Carbondale and have grazing leases in the White River National Forest. Their ranch straddles the Crystal

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River for a mile. It’s land her grandfather raised cattle on, then her parents. When Perry was growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, Carbondale was a cow and coal town with unpaved roads. That was before it became a bedroom community for Aspen, a place service workers could afford to live, and then a place they probably couldn’t as it morphed into a lifestyle town of its own.

In mountain hamlets like Carbondale today, it’s difficult if not impossible to pay a mortgage with agriculture. And, if you already own land, agriculture is rarely the best way to squeeze the most money out of it. In the mid-1990s, Perry’s father sold 125 acres to a golf course developer. When her father died, the family sold most of the main ranch to wealthy neighbors. But Perry and her husband’s 600 acres have remained in the family and in production.

Eleven years ago, the couple put the land into a conservation easement, forgoing future development rights for $7.5 million while cementing its future availability for farming and ranching.

All of that is to say that Perry is intimately familiar with the financial incentives that work against agriculture in modern mountain towns, and she worries that wolves will be another weight on the scale in favor of cashing out. “We have a lot of risk of losing more private land in western valleys,” she says, “and it’s really critical land.” Mountain ranches are central to the character and aesthetic appeal of rural Colorado, and they provide habitat for birds and small mammals. “You introduce 30 wolves, there’s not going to be a big change,” Perry says. “But if you look at Montana, it’s apparent that costs of ranching are going up as wolves increase.”

Other opponents of wolf reintroduction can be found in the op-ed pages of local papers. In the Montrose Daily Press this past fall, one writer equated reintroduction to setting “50 serial killers on the loose in our mountains.” The organized opposition includes groups like the Farm Bureau Colorado, the Colorado Outfitters Association, and some cattlemen’s organizations who have lined up behind the Colorado Stop the Wolf Coalition. The group has sometimes promoted dubious claims—that wolves could spread the novel coronavirus to humans, for example—but it has also engaged wolf advocates in the tit-for-tat arguments that trail wolves wherever they go.

Like so many other political battles, the fight over wolves tends to chase its own tail, with opposing sides trading barbs for decades, scientists offering measured evidence, and no one seeming to change their minds.

Hunters fear competition for deer and elk; ranchers fear predation; and wolf advocates contend the fears are overblown. At a symposium in Durango in 2018, Phillips gave a talk in which he argued the struggle to accept wolves stemmed from a misguided belief that they kill on a whim. He pleaded for a debate based on facts. Tom Compton, a rancher from Hesperus, agreed about the need for reasonable dialogue when he took the stage later. “But when you look at me and see my cowboy hat,” he said, “you’re pretty dang sure my facts are going to be a little bit different from your facts.”

Twenty-five years into the wolf experiment in the northern Rockies, there are plenty of facts to consider. It’s evident that wolves have been one factor, among several, in shrinking the sizes of a few formerly hearty elk herds. It’s also true, according to data from state wildlife agencies, that elk populations remain healthy

Courtesty of Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Wolf Action Fund, the political entity pushing this coming November’s ballot initiative. The fund is supported by a coalition of grassroots activists and national conservation groups, with its political activities so far bankrolled in large part by the San Francisco–based progressive group Tides Center, conservation nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife, and private donors solicited by Phillips, who serves as a ringleader for reintroduction, but as a private citizen. For Edward, it’s the culmination of decades of plodding efforts. He spent the late 1990s giving wolf talks around the state as a staffer for Sinapu, a now defunct Boulder nonprofit that promoted carnivore restoration. Around that time, Sinapu received grants from the Turner fund, and Edward and Phillips collaborated to map potential reintroduction sites.

Then a two-year-old female wolf that had traveled all the way from Yellowstone was hit by a car on I-70 near Idaho Springs.

It was June 2004, and the incident triggered the first serious, statewide conversation about wolves. Edward was one of 14 stakeholders appointed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, CPW’s predecessor, to the Wolf Working Group, which included ranchers, biologists, hunters, and environmentalists and was charged with developing a management plan in case wolves pushed into the state on their own. “That was a successful effort to make Colorado more friendly for wolves,” Edward says. “We ultimately agreed that wolves should be able to roam freely throughout Colorado.” But while the group’s work helped prepare people for the idea of wolves in Colorado, it did nothing to put wolves inside state boundaries.

By 2013, it had become clear the feds would not do the job either. In fact, that year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing gray wolves from the Endangered Species list entirely. The agency looked at the thriving populations in the northern Rockies and Great Lakes region and decided to call it good. Although the proposal failed, it was a clear signal the feds were done shelling out political capital on wolves. That left two paths for the canines to return to Colorado: They could wander in on their own, or they could be actively reintroduced by the state.

“I said, ‘Screw it, let’s put this thing on the ballot,’ ” Phillips says. When he laid out the idea in the meeting at the Denver Zoo, “everyone looked at me like I was crazy.” Well, maybe not everyone. Edward was there that day, and the two men had batted around the idea for years. They’d hesitated because it was risky, something you only do when you’ve exhausted all other options.

“It’s kind of going nuclear,” Edward says. “If you spend a millionplus dollars to put a question before voters and they turn it down, you don’t have any leverage with policymakers going forward. You need to be pretty confident you can win.”

ELECT THE WOLF?

Blake Gordon

THE ESSENTIAL ROLE of the wolf in nature is

overall and that hunters harvest as many animals as they did before wolves’ resurgence. Wolves do kill sheep and cattle, with conflicts more common in areas with higher wolf and livestock densities, according to a 2018 study by Montana wildlife scientists. In that state, however, they take fewer livestock than both mountain lions and grizzlies. Livestock producers have developed strategies for minimizing wolf predation, and some ranchers have even learned to embrace wolves who show no taste for livestock. Because wolves are territorial, these animals can provide protection from problem predators. Put this all together and it’s clear that hunters and ranchers can live with wolves. Whether they want to, however, is an entirely different question.

For Perry, even a small risk of predation is one she’d rather live without. “I don’t think I could stand our cows getting killed by wolves,” she says. There’s an emotional cost as much as an economic one. On top of that, she struggles to understand the purpose of reintroduction. The pro-wolf campaign implores Coloradans to “restore the balance.” “It’s so vague,” Perry says. “Why do we want wolves? Just because they were here?” With the crush of development and a booming human population, Perry doesn’t think there’s room anymore: “What we have now is nothing like what they left.”

as an apex predator. Its job is to eat meat.

Predation is trickle-down ecology. Carnivores eat animals that mostly eat plants.

Keeping the herbivores’ numbers in check helps plants thrive, and healthy flora provides for the birds and bees.

When wolves were returned to Yellowstone, they did help restore a certain balance to the landscape, a balance between life and death. In the park, the absence of predation—from humans and animals—allowed elk populations to balloon. The old and weak animals that carnivores typically pick off saw their lifespans extended, and large elk herds mowed through willow and aspen saplings, degrading stream corridors. Since wolves returned to Yellowstone, some— but not all—of these afflicted areas have gained new life, with fewer elk allowing the vegetation to rebound. The vegetation invited back beavers, who eat and build with it, and their dams spread water across the landscape, another boon for plants. It’s a beautiful story, but not a tidy one.

“Everyone talked about wolves did this, wolves did that,” says Doug Smith, the leader of Yellowstone’s wolf project for the National Park Service. “Well, we have the richest array of carnivores anywhere in North America.” Few other places have three large predators, he explains. “We have six. And we have them all in high density.” Wolves did their part to check elk populations in Yellowstone, sure, but they had an assist from grizzlies, black bears, and cougars. That means the ecological lessons of Yellowstone won’t easily This spread, from translate to Colorado. Outside of heavleft: Tracks from a ily protected areas like parks, carnivores wolf pack left in the rarely rise to the kind of densities Smith northwest corner of Colorado; Marj is talking about because people kill them.

Perry inside a barn For that reason, Smith doesn’t expect on her property wolves would deliver ecological change to in Carbondale Colorado like that seen in Yellowstone.

Initiative 107’s proponents are well aware of the complicated nature of the Yellowstone story, but they argue it would be wrong to conclude that wolves hold no ecological value for Colorado. Delia Malone, a Redstone-based ecologist and member of the reintroduction campaign, points out that the holes predators like wolves leave in the natural system are evident in Colorado. In 2018, 45 percent of the state’s elk herds exceeded CPW’s population objectives. Get enough wolves in the right places, and they might have a part to play in regulating those herds.

Engage the campaign’s supporters in conversation long enough, though, and it becomes apparent that the value they see in wolves doesn’t primarily lie in their ability to solve a specific environmental problem. They want wolves because they believe they belong. If it was right, in the early 1900s, to remedy CONTINUED ON PAGE 102 J U LY 2 0 2 0

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There are

brighter days ahead,

thanks for your continued support!

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Introducing Dakota Frederick and Ben Stickland! Winners of the 2020 Colorado Garden Foundation Major Scholarship.

Dakota and Ben will have the next four years of their CSU college experience including their tuition, books and fees paid for by the Colorado Garden Foundation. We are proud to support scholarships like these along with the horticulture grant program in Colorado. Each year we award more than $700,000 in horticulture grants and scholarships in Colorado as a result of the Colorado Garden & Home Show and the Colorado Fall Home Show.

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DINING GUIDE $ UNDER $10



$$ $11 TO $15

$$$ $16 TO $25

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

$$$$ $26 AND HIGHER

the Rotary, and Bistro Georgette. Don’t miss the views of Denver from the rooftop patio. 3200 Pecos St., 720-269-4778. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

SYMBOL KEY NEW

Indicates a restaurant featured in 5280 for the first time (though not necessarily a restaurant that has just opened).

B

25 BEST

Indicates inclusion in our annual list of Denver’s best restaurants, released each October. These selections are at the discretion of 5280 editors and are subject to change.

Barbosa’s Barbeque

Acorn

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AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q

$$

Overland / Barbecue This wood-fired Texasstyle barbecue joint welcomes the public to savor dishes, such as beef brisket, house-cured and smoked pastrami, pit beans, and farm slaw.

2180 S. Delaware St., 720-815-5571. Lunch Annette

$$$

Arcana

$$$$

Aurora / New American Acorn’s former sous chef, Caroline Glover, brings a warm dining experience to Stanley Marketplace with Annette. Enjoy a family-style menu featuring seasonal salads, toasts, and wood-grilled fare. Reservations accepted.

Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Ste. 108, Aurora, 720-710-9975. Dinner, Brunch 25 B E S T

Boulder / American This charming restaurant explores the roots of American heritage through food. Pair a cider with the Colorado lamb or the farmer’s cheese toast. 909 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-3885. Dinner, Brunch Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage

$$

Avanti Food & Beverage

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Boulder / Pizza Feast on perfect New York-style sourdough pies dressed with inventive topping combinations. Order the PB&AJ, enhanced with prosciutto, burrata, arugula ,and house-made jam. 2675 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-2032.

Lunch, Dinner

Highland / Global Current tenants of this hip food collective include Street Feud, Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada, Meta Asian Kitchen, Quiero Arepas,

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Barolo Grill

Beast & Bottle

$$$$

$$$$

North Capitol Hill / Seasonal A sustainable-sourcing mantra permeates a menu featuring everything from local lamb to cod collars. Look for weekend farmers’ market pop-ups and to-go pastas and meal kits from sister restaurant, Coperta. 719 E. 17th Ave., 303-623-3223. Dinner, Brunch 25 B E S T

Beckon

$$$

$$$

Cherry Creek / Italian Dedication to authenticity translates to the food and extensive wine menu at this elegant eatery, which is focused on the cuisines of northern Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions.

Reservations accepted. 3030 E. Sixth Ave., 303-393-1040. Dinner 25 B E S T

Blackbelly

Boulder / New American Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s meaty menu focuses on charcuterie, small plates, and daily butcher specials. Try dishes like locally farmed rotisserie chicken with herbed butter. Check out the butcher shop and graband-go market, Blackbelly Butcher, located next door. 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303247-1000. Dinner

C 25 B E S T

25 B E S T

Five Points / New American Contemporary American cuisine with Southern and Moroccan notes is served from an oak-fired oven and grill at this mainstay inside the Source. Don’t miss the bar’s inventive cocktails. The Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd., 720-542-3721. Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

25 B E S T

Front Range / Barbecue Alex Barbosa serves Texas-style chicken, pork ribs, and brisket smoked over local wood out of a trailer he parks at area breweries. barbosasbarbeque.com, 361-6490241. Lunch, Dinner

A 25 B E S T

Visit our online listings at 5280.com/ restaurants.

$$$$

Five Points / Scandinavian Chef Duncan Holmes brings an elevated, intimate dining experience to Larimer Street. The Scandinavian-influenced menu changes seasonally, and wine pairings are available. 2843 Larimer St., 303-749-0020. Dinner

Cattivella

$$$

Stapleton / Italian Chef Elise Wiggins offers rustic, wood-fired Italian fare from a sprawling chef’s counter. Go for grilled oysters, seasonal pizzas, and fresh pastas. Reservations accepted. 10195 E. 29th Dr., Ste. 110, 303-645-3779. Dinner 25 B E S T

Comal Heritage Food Incubator

Globeville / Latin American You’ll find family recipes from Latin America and Syria at this restaurant, which has a rotating menu and provides culinary arts and business training to local women. 3455 Ringsby Ct., Ste. 105, 303-292-0770. Lunch 25 B E S T

Corrida

$$

$$$$

Boulder / Spanish Housed on the rooftop level of the Pearl West building, this elegant Spanish steak house offers stunning Flatiron views and fabulous cocktails and wines. Splurge on the Japanese wagyu or opt for a locally sourced steak. 1023 Walnut St., Ste. 400, Boulder, 303-444-1333. Dinner

Hot Slice Chef-owner Audrey Kelly’s passion for pizza inspired her to forgo a journalism career in pursuit of the perfect sourdough crust, and the fluffy, naturally leavened pies on the menu at five-year-old Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder are proof of her success. Order the Hot Honey Disco, which features salami, mushrooms, Calabrian chile honey, and basil. thepizzagarage.com

Sarah Boyum

PRICE KEY

(Average Entrée)

Need More Dining Options?

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DINING GUIDE

D

E

Denver Central Market

$$

Denver Milk Market

$$

RiNo / Global This marketplace features 11 vendors with dining options ranging from ceviche to ice cream.

Take your pick from Crema Bodega, Culture Meat & Cheese, Curio Bar, High Point Creamery, and more.

2669 Larimer St. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Downtown / Global Bonanno Concepts’ 16-venue collection of bars and restaurants features everything from fresh pasta and grocery items to poke bowls and charcuterie. Don’t miss the the signature fried chicken sandwiches at Lou’s Hot and Naked.

1800 Wazee St., 303-792-8242. Lunch, Dinner

Dimestore Delibar

$$

Highland / American This restaurant, bar, convenience store, and market serves elevated deli fare in an eclectic setting. Pair an old fashioned with the rolled focaccia meatloaf sandwich or pork belly BLT toast. 1575 Boulder St., Unit A, 303-537-5323.

Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

Dio Mio

$$

Five Points / Italian One thing you can count on at Alex Figura and Spencer White’s fast-casual Italian eatery: perfect pasta. Try the cacio e pepe or the squid ink fusilli with blue crab. The house-made sourdough is heavenly. 3264 Larimer St., 303562-1965. Dinner

dation). The elegant Friulian cuisine always wows.

Reservations accepted. 1738 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-6966. Dinner

Edgewater Public Market

$$

Edgewater / International Satisfy your cravings for everything from wild game sandwiches to Ethiopian fare at this eclectic collective of nearly two dozen food stalls and boutiques. 5505 W. 20th Ave., 303-797-9119. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Fruition Restaurant

F

G

Famous Original J’s Pizza

$$

Five Points / Pizza Josh Pollack’s New York-style and rectangular pies are totally customizable or available by the slice. 715 E. 26th Ave, 720-4209102. Lunch, Dinner

Flagstaff House

Gaetano’s

$$$

Highland / Italian This comfy neighborhood hangout features old-school favorites, such as chicken Parmesan. Reservations accepted. 3760 Tejon St., 303-455-9852. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

$$$$

Boulder / Contemporary Located atop Flagstaff Mountain, this restaurant has a huge wine list and spectacular views of Boulder. Reservations accepted. 1138 Flagstaff Rd., Boulder, 303-4424640. Dinner

25 B E S T

$$$$

Country Club / New American James Beard Award–winning chef Alex Seidel’s tiny kitchen focuses on seasonal dishes that are big on flavor.

Many ingredients come straight from Seidel’s farm.

Diners flock for the pasta carbonara. 1313 E. Sixth Ave., 303-831-1962. Dinner

Frasca Food and Wine

$$$$

Boulder / Italian Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey’s fine-dining mecca has racked up scores of accolades over the years (including nods from the James Beard Foun-

H Hank’s Texas BBQ

Hale / Barbecue This fast-casual barbecue joint serves tender, slow-cooked meats in sandwiches, tacos, and salads until supplies run out each day.

Try the smoked loaded baked potato. 5410 E. Colfax Ave., 720-277-3225. Lunch, Dinner

$$

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DINING GUIDE 25 B E S T

Hop Alley

I

$$$

Five Points / Chinese From Tommy Lee of Uncle, this neighborhood hangout serves dishes rooted in Chinese tradition with a touch of distinctive flair. Try the dan dan mian. 3500 Larimer St., 720-3798340. Dinner Hops & Pie

$$

Berkeley / Pizza Craft pizza and local brews are this spot’s forte. Load up your pie with toppings such as blackberry barbecue sauce and pickled jalapeño, and wash it all down with a choice of more than 20 beers. 3920 Tennyson St., 303-4777000. Lunch, Dinner

chicken and lamb vindaloo. Order a thali platter to try a combination of dishes. 8921 E. Hampden Ave., 303-755-4284. Lunch, Dinner

Imperial Chinese

$$$

India’s Restaurant

$$$

Baker / Asian This stalwart offers Cantonese, Mandarin, and Szechuan food in an elegant setting. Don’t miss the beef chow fun and the teasmoked duck. 431 S. Broadway, 303-698-2800.

Lunch, Dinner

Izakaya Den

J

Hampden / Indian This spot has an extensive menu of Indian fare, including specialities like tandoori

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$$

Platt Park / Japanese Ultra-fresh sushi, sashimi, and creative small plates are on the menu at this local favorite. 1487-A S. Pearl St., 303-777-0691.

Lunch, Dinner

Jamaican Grill

$$

Jerusalem Restaurant

$$

Julep

$$

Lincoln Park / Jamaican This family-owned Jamaican restaurant serves classic Caribbean-centric dishes, accompanied by a menu of rum-infused cocktails. 709 W. Eighth Ave., 303-623-0013.

Lunch, Dinner

University / Middle Eastern You can’t beat this spot’s tasty, affordable, and traditional Middle Eastern fare. 1890 E. Evans Ave., 303-777-8828.

Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

Five Points / Southern Chef Kyle Foster serves sophisticated dishes inspired by the flavors and techniques of the South, such as barbecued snails and pork and oyster sausage. Whatever you do, don’t miss the exemplary biscuits. Reservations accepted. 3258 Larimer St., 303-295-8977.

Dinner, Brunch

K Kobe An

$$$

Cherry Creek / Asian Everything is traditional at this Japanese restaurant. In addition to sushi and sashimi, the menu features favorites like tempura, gyoza, and yakisoba. 231 Milwaukee St., 303-989-5907. Lunch, Dinner

Come and experience why everyone has fallen in love with our food “BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT” - 5280, EVERY YEAR SINCE 2002

“BEST INDIAN & LUNCH BUFFET” - WESTWORD, PAST 17 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

L 25 B E S T

LeRoux

Little Beast Street Food

ESTABLISHED 1998

★

Takeout, Catering & Delivery Available Gluten Free Menu

Congress Park / American This casual joint has juicy brisket burgers, inventive sandwiches, and griddled tacos. 2730 E. Colfax Ave., 303-3994137. Lunch, Dinner

★

FOLLOW OUR FOOD TRUCK!

Your Neighborhood Restaurant of Choice proudly serving you for 22 years 330 E. 6TH AVE. | 303-871-9777

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$$$$

Downtown / French Lon Symensma’s upscale, European-inspired eatery features table-side preparations and a roving cheese cart. Don’t miss the Paris-Brest dessert. Reservations accepted. 1555 Blake St., Ste 102, 720-8451673. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

2390 S. DOWNING | 303-298-1939

LITTLEINDIAOFDENVER.COM

Logan Street

$

$$$

Capitol Hill / Mediterranean From the owners behind Carboy Winery, Logan Street serves woodfired fare, pastas, and flatbreads that pair well with the house-made vino. Reservations accepted. 400 E. Seventh Ave., 720-617-9410. Lunch, Dinner

DINING GUIDE

M Magnolia Restaurant

Syrian Food, Odaa Ethiopian, Golden Sky Asian, and Nepali Mountain Kitchen. The hospitality is as warm as the food is delicious. 10180 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-900-8639. Lunch, Dinner $$$

Platt Park / Cajun/Southern This cozy spot, situated in a Victorian house, offers Cajun cooking at its best. 1446 S. Broadway, 720-476-5518. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Mango House

$$

Aurora / International This immigrant- and refugee-led food hall is home to five outstanding culinary concepts, including Urban Burma, Jasmine

25 B E S T

Mercantile Dining & Provision

$$$

Downtown / New American Award-winning chefs Alex Seidel and Matt Vawter offer upscale, contemporary farm-to-table fare, including pasta dishes and family-style shared plates for the table.

Mercantile also features a more casual breakfast and lunch menu. Reservations accepted for dinner.

Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Ste. 155, 720-460-3733. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Misfit Snackbar

N New Saigon

O

ACCEPTING VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS.

NO WAIT TIME. ACCOMMODATING SOCIAL DISTANCING. CANDY BAR.

Owlbear Barbecue

P

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$$

Five Points / Barbecue The brick-and-mortar joint from pitmaster Karl Fallenius is serving brisket, ribs, and all of the fixings. 2826 Larimer St., 970-7083954. Lunch, Dinner

IN-CHAIR PARAFFIN WAX.

CDC COMPLIANT.

$$

Athmar Park / Vietnamese This spot serves an extensive menu featuring delicious Vietnamese noodle soups, rice bowls, fresh salads, and more. Order the fried soft shell crab. Reservations accepted. 630 S. Federal Blvd., 303-936-4954. Lunch, Dinner

BRAND-NEW LOCATION.

CONCIERGE SERVICE.

$$

City Park / Contemporary This walk-up kitchen inside Middleman cocktail bar serves imaginative twists on familiar pub fare. Try the kimchi croquettes with sambal aïoli and shaved Spam or the chicken-fried short rib sandwich. 3401 E. Colfax, 303-353-4207. Dinner

Post Oak Barbecue

$$

Berkeley / Barbecue Texas barbecue smoked over the restaurant’s namesake wood is the draw at this Tennyson Street joint. Don’t miss the pork ribs, brisket, and house-made sausage. 4000 Tennyson St., 303-458-1555. Lunch, Dinner

Potager

$$$

Capitol Hill / Contemporary This family-owned restaurant specializes in fresh, seasonal food.

The menu changes once a month. Save room for the chocolate cake. 1109 Ogden St., 303-8325788. Dinner

Q 25 B E S T

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City Park West / Chinese Enjoy a modern take on Chinese cuisine executed by chef Christopher Lin, an alum of Momofuku in New York City. Try the braised pork rice. 3421 E. Colfax Ave., 720729-8887. Dinner

Rioja

$$$$

Downtown / Mediterranean James Beard Award–winning chef Jennifer Jasinski creates high-end Mediterranean-influenced cuisine.

Reservations accepted. 1431 Larimer St., 303-820-2282. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

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DINING GUIDE Rosetta Hall

S

$$

Boulder / International Tenants of Boulder’s first food hall include Rose’s Classic Americana, Confit, the Ginger Pig, Jacaranda, La Tigella, Tierra, and Boxcar Coffee Roasters. 1109 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-323-5509. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Rye Society Delicatessen and Picklery

$$

RiNo / Deli Stop by this neighborhood Jewish deli for comfort-food favorites, including pastrami on rye, bagels with lox and freshly baked buttery apricot-walnut rugelach. 3090 Larimer St., 303-593-2713. Lunch

25 B E S T

Safta

$$$

Five Points / Mediterranean Acclaimed chef Alon Shaya brings modern Israeli fare to Denver. Start with the creamy hummus and pillowy woodoven pita before moving moving onto falafel, charred cabbage, and saffron rice. Save room for desserts like chocolate hazelnut babka and baklava. Reservations accepted. The Source Hotel & Market Hall, 3330 Brighton Blvd., 720-408-2444. Lunch, Dinner

Bites From The Bayou Eric McDaniel is a Cajun sausage expert, thanks to a childhood spent crafting boudin and andouille at his parents’ country store in Lafayette, Louisiana. You can taste his handiwork at eight-month-old Magnolia Restaurant in Platt Park, where McDaniel is cooking fried green tomatoes, po’ boys, and other family recipes. Our must-order: a link of spicy andouille—made with spiced pork shoulder and smoked on-site—atop a bowl of creamy New Orleans–style red beans and rice. magnoliacajundining.com

Summer Stays from $295 includes $100 Resort credit*

25 B E S T

Spuntino

$$$

Super Mega Bien

$$$

Highland / Italian Enjoy the locally sourced menu at this Italian-inspired spot. Try the seasonal pasta or any dish with Southern Indian influences. Reservations accepted. 2639 W. 32nd Ave., 303433-0949. Dinner 25 B E S T

Five Points / Latin American Chef Dana Rodriguez of Work & Class offers a combo of large-format items and Pan-Latin small plates. The Ramble Hotel, 1260 25th St., 720-269-4695. Dinner Sushi Den

$$$

Platt Park / Asian Sushi Den offers fresh, vibrant seafood flown in twice a week from Japan prepared by masterful sushi chefs. 1487 S. Pearl St., 303-777-0826. Lunch, Dinner

T 25 B E S T

Tavernetta

$$$$

Tessa Delicatessen

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South Park Hill / Deli This modern all-day eatery from Vince Howard, formerly of Del Rey Deli in Los Angeles, has excellent hot and cold sandwiches and salads. 5724 E. Colfax Ave., 720-746-9138.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Courtesy of Frankie Quintana

Downtown / Italian The team behind Boulder’s acclaimed Frasca Food and Wine offers the same attention to hospitality at their more casual Denver restaurant. The space is home to dishes from across Italy and a deep wine list. Reservations accepted. 1889 16th St, 720-605-1889.

Lunch, Dinner

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DINING GUIDE

U 25 B E S T

Uchi Denver

Union Station. Reservations accepted. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., 303-534-1970. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch $$$$

Curtis Park / Sushi James Beard Award–winning chef Tyson Cole combines unexpected flavors for his unique take on Japanese food. Try the sake toro aburi or the foie gras sushi. 2500 Lawrence St., 303-444-1922. Dinner Ultreia

$$$

Downtown / Spanish James Beard Award– winning chef Jennifer Jasinski brings Iberian fare to

W Weathervane Cafe

$

City Park West / American Enjoy a small menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads at this cozy cafe. 1725 E. 17th Ave., 303-355-5863.

Breakfast, Lunch

25 B E S T

The Wolf’s Tailor

$$$

Sunnyside / Contemporary Basta chef Kelly Whitaker fuses Asian and Italian techniques and ingredients at this hip Sunnyside eatery. The results, such as 7x brisket braised in dashi and red wine and house-extruded mafaldine pasta with koji tomatoes, are unique and delicious. 4058 Tejon St., 720-456-6507. Dinner Work & Class

$$$

Five Points / American This elevated meat-andthree concept offers a delicious hybrid of American and Latin cuisine in raucous, repurposed-shippingcontainer digs. Our pick: the Cajun rotisserie chicken, chickpea croquettes, lamb chorizo, and peppers five ways. 2500 Larimer St., 303292-0700. Dinner

Wynkoop Brewing Company

$$

Downtown / Pub Enjoy freshly brewed beer and feast on pub favorites such as the hanger steak or the corn and poblano chowder from one of Denver’s original brewpubs. 1634 18th St., 303-297-2700. Lunch, Dinner

Y Yahya’s Mediterranean Grill & Pastries

$$

City Park West / Mediterranean This family-run restaurant serves silky hummus, a variety of excellent grilled kebabs, and from-scratch sweets. Try the beef koobideh. 2207 E. Colfax Ave., 720-532-8746. Lunch, Dinner

Z Zeppelin Station

$$

RiNo / International This industrial-chic food hall is home to eight globally inspired food and drink vendors and two bars. Options include Vinh Xuong Bakery, La Rola Urban Columbian, Norm’s Deli, La Doña, Budlong Hot Chicken, and more. 3501 Wazee St., 720-460-1978. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Zocalito Latin Bistro

$$$

Downtown / Latin American Formerly located in Aspen, chef/owner Michael Beary’s upscale Oaxacan eatery found a home in the heart of Denver. Try Oaxacan dry-rubbed wings or the pork tenderloin with red mole sauce. Reservations accepted. 999 18th St., Ste. 107, 970-920-1991.

Lunch, Dinner

Zoe Ma Ma

$

Downtown / Chinese This cozy, counter-service spot offers Chinese home-style cooking. Order the Szechuan braised beef noodle soup, which features the homemade noodles, and the char sui pork buns. Also try the Boulder location. Reservations not accepted. 1625 Wynkoop St., 303-545-6262. Lunch, Dinner

 These listings are in no way related to advertising in 5280. If

you find that a restaurant differs significantly from the information in its listing or your favorite restaurant is missing from the Dining Guide, please let us know. Write us at 5280 Publishing, Inc., 1675 Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202 or dining@5280.com.

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GOVERNOR JARED POLIS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58

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protests against police brutality and systemic racism across the country, including in Denver. Polis voiced support for protesters. He firmly rebuked President Donald Trump’s militant rhetoric. He said he’d work with legislators on a new bill for greater police accountability. But Polis also deployed the National Guard to quell violence and kept his distance from the demonstrations. A spokesperson for Polis says he was concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and found other ways to support the movement, but his absence invited some to question his investment in the struggle of Colorado’s black community.

Now, in addition to navigating racial tensions and law enforcement reform, Polis has to oversee a stagnant economy and govern a population that—perhaps believing the worst of COVID-19 has passed—is itching to go to restaurants and bars again. In other words, he must maintain our trust. To do that, he needs to remember how he gained it in the first place: by offering his humanity and proving his decency; by being inclusive when the pandemic divided communities; and by connecting us through scripture and song. By reminding us that his fate is our fate is our neighbor’s fate—no matter the color of that neighbor’s skin. “People want to understand that you as a leader have empathy with their station in life,” Stapleton says.

“That’s easier said than done, but it’s really important...that’s what people are yearning for, regardless of their political affiliation.”

There’s a time to talk numbers. The governor has done that. There’s a time to remind Coloradans of our shared identity. He’s done that, too. There’s also a time to heal. That starts now.

DENVER’S TEACHERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61

remote learning I had to type all of that.

It takes a lot more time. I had to decide which students needed more feedback and which could work more independently.

For students, what’s been the most difficult part about not being at school?

During our morning meetings, it’s obvious they miss the conversation and the discussion. That was such a huge part of my kids’ lives in our classroom. Even if it was 98

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the wrong answer, their voices mattered.

Now, only having 45 minutes a day where they are able to talk about stuff with their classmates—even if it’s not about academic stuff—is hard for them. Speaking also helps kids develop their ideas for writing.

Research proves that their writing is better if they process it by verbalizing first. I read their writing and go, Oh man. If only I could have a conversation with them, this could be so much better.

Do you think this experience will make you a better teacher?

One hundred percent. I have found so many new tools. I don’t want my kids on the computer all day, but there is this application called Flipgrid where they can post videos and share artwork, ideas, and all of their talents. Keeping kids engaged has also been hard. It’s made me appreciate the level of effort they do bring when they’re in the classroom. I am not going to take that for granted ever again.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 64

My bill, which increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement, is a first step, but I can tell you that this bill is not a panacea. We need to have progressive district attorneys who will prosecute law enforcement officers, and we need to sweep out sheriffs and police chiefs if they don’t believe in addressing deep-rooted, systemic racism. This bill is a step in the right direction, but there are many more steps we need to take.

That’s where this next generation comes in. I hope one day I can say their voices were heard, that concrete changes were a result of their actions. I hope one day I can say that when they saw injustice in the world, they went out, took to the streets, and demanded change.

I was at the protests with Denver Public Schools students on June 7, and it was so inspiring to see so many young people fighting for justice. It was inspiring to see white students standing up for their friends who are facing discrimination and feel this angst, and saying, We’re not going to stand by and watch it happen anymore.

One of my friends wouldn’t allow her daughter to go to the protests because she was worried it was too dangerous. So the child stood on her street corner for hours with a sign demanding the acknowledgment and respect of black lives. That determination. That grit. That’s our future.

That girl is going to change the world.

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ELECT THE WOLF?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 83

the over-harvest of game by reintroducing elk, why shouldn’t it be right now to rectify the persecution of wolves by welcoming them home? “I always come down on the

side of restoring wolves,” says Gary Skiba, a retired Colorado Division of Wildlife employee who worked on wolf issues with the agency. “For me, that’s really an ethical and moral decision, not a scientific one. It’s about what we’ve done to ecosystems all over. Generally, any opportunity we have to restore a species, we should.”

AFTER 107 WAS CERTIFIED in early January, a sense of inevitability about wolves’ return began

The Museum and LEGO brick artist Nathan Sawaya are supporting our communities by offering The Art of the Brick free with general admission through Labor Day. Special ticket required.

El museo y el artista de ladrillos LEGO, Nathan Sawaya, apoyan a nuestras comunidades al ofrecer la exhibición The Art of the Brick (El arte del ladrillo) gratis con la entrada general hasta el Día del Trabajo. Se requiere entrada especial.

Now open | Exhibición abierta | DMNS.ORG/Brick

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​ermeating Colorado—and ultimately inp filtrated the Capitol. State Senator Kerry Donovan, a Democrat from Vail and a rancher, introduced a bill in January that would return wolves to the Western Slope without having to deploy the nuclear option of a ballot initiative. Donovan solicited input from stakeholders, including sportsmen, ranchers, and Initiative 107’s political advisers, as she revised the bill this spring, and before the pandemic shut down the Legislature, it looked like it might have had a shot at passage.

Donovan wanted to create an alternative path for reintroduction that would encourage 107’s proponents to withdraw it. Ballot measures are blunt and narrow instruments.

They pose complicated questions in a simple enough fashion so that people can vote “yes” or “no.” Initiative 107 would require CPW to develop a science-based plan to reintroduce wolves and implement it by the end of 2023, bringing an answer to the question of whether wolves would return to the Centennial State but little clarity on how and where. “One of the problems with doing it as a ballot measure,” Donovan says, “is you’re going to have the population centers of the state, which by and large don’t have direct connections to Western Slope agriculture, making a decision that will not impact them directly.”

Donovan’s bill—an implicit acknowledgment that wolf advocates hold the upper hand in the reintroduction debate—was a signal that the power dynamics surrounding land and wildlife in Colorado may be shifting in significant ways. Agricultural interests have long dominated these arenas, wielding considerable influence at the Capitol and holding majorities on CPW’s (and before it, the Division of Wildlife’s) politically appointed governing board through both Republican and Democratic administrations. As recently as 2016, that board—the Parks and Wildlife Commission—passed a resolution opposing any move by the feds to introduce Mexican wolves to Colorado.

In 2019, Rick Ridder, a paid political consultant for 107 and longtime Democratic operative, tried to find a sponsor for a bill like Donovan’s so that wolf advocates might have saved the money and effort a ballot campaign requires. Even after a decisive blue wave election, his efforts fizzled.

To 107’s supporters, this history shows that the state’s political institutions don’t reflect the will of the people—and they won’t unless someone forces the issue.

Neither CPW nor its current commission have taken a position on Initiative 107,

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ELECT THE WOLF? says spokeswoman Rebecca Ferrell, but the agency will comply with the mandate should the measure pass. If that time comes, Donovan’s bill could serve as a road map for how to approach questions like how many wolves constitute a recovered population and how to compensate ranchers who lose livestock. “There’s a couple of people who were like, ‘Hell no, no wolves,’ ” Donovan says of the input she received. But she explains that the confluence of recent events is also seeding more pragmatic attitudes: Wolves are already showing up in Colorado and many people seem to want them here, so it’s probably time to make it work.

O N JA N U A RY 1 9 , CPW officers investigated

another elk carcass in Moffat County, roughly six miles from the one Craig Press reporter Joshua Carney was tipped off about earlier that same month. It was surrounded by tracks measuring up to five and a half inches wide. The officers were following the trail through the snow when the silence was pierced by howls. Using binoculars, they located six wolves less than two miles away.

Rob Edward says the news filled him with hope, but he was maybe less buoyant

••

than you’d expect from a guy who’s spent 25 years angling for wolves. “None of the biologists that we’re in touch with think this small number of wolves is a harbinger of a newly jump-started recovery,” he says.

For one thing, DNA tests on scat samples have shown at least two of the wolves to be siblings. “You don’t want brothers and sisters mating,” he says, “unless you want a bluegrass band.”

For another, the journeys of the few wolves that have wandered into the state since the I-70 hit-and-run have generally not ended well. “There’s no question Colorado is within dispersal distance for wolves in Wyoming and Idaho,” Yellowstone’s Doug Smith says. But a combination of natural and human factors make it unlikely they’ll form a sustainable population on their own. In 2009, another Yellowstone wolf was discovered dead by illegal poison in Rio Blanco County. In 2015, a hunter shot a wolf near Kremmling, having mistaken it for a coyote. If these nomads don’t die, the likelihood they’ll find another wolf with whom to mate are slim. The chances that enough wolves could pair up to establish a whole population are slimmer still.

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Reintroduction, by contrast, brings certainty—and a more potent strain of hope for people like Edward. Environmental news these days is mostly dreary. The atmosphere is scorching, the oceans are acidifying, and hurricanes batter the East Coast while megadroughts parch the West. To 107’s supporters, wolves are an antidote. A vote for wolves is a vote for a future in which the natural world is a little less flattened by human influence and a little more complete.

“In places like Colorado, people embrace wildness; they embrace ecosystem restoration,” Smith says. “I know those sound to a rancher or hunter like, blah blah blah, more tree huggers blathering on, but it’s been a true sensation in Yellowstone. It really has made people’s lives better.” Travelers visit the park to experience a lost world in the process of reassembly—grizzly by grizzly, beaver by beaver, wolf by wolf. Many come to Yellowstone hoping to glimpse a wolf striding through the Lamar Valley. For others, that’s unnecessary. It’s enough to know they’re there. m Cally Carswell is a writer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Email her at letters@5280.com.

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Michael Fuhrmann 303.709.5570 michael.fuhrmann@coloradohomes.com The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker

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Thornton | $363,500 2BR/2BA on golf course featuring an open floor plan, kitchen with granite countertops, great room w/ fireplace, entertainment area w/ surround sound, master suite with vaulted ceiling & bath and an oversized garage. HOA does all exterior maintenance.

Morrison | $360,000 3B/1B ranch with great location near the foothills, Bear Creek Lake, and Weaver Hollow Park and Pool. Open floor plan with updated kitchen, unique copper penny backsplash, stainless steel appliances, and gas range. Separate driveway for RV parking.

Linda Gilbert 720.232.1990 linda.gilbert@coloradohomes.com | LindaGilbertHomes.com

Matt Brinkhoff 303.324.0241 matt.brinkhoff@coloradohomes.com | MattsColoradoHomes.com

Denver | $350,000 3BR / 2BA ranch style abode set on a quiet street featuring hardwood floors, beautifully landscaped yard with a nice covered backyard patio and a shed. 15 minutes to both downtown and Red Rocks!

Windsor | $345,000 3br/2ba w/a gas fireplace. The great room includes a bay window.

Open kitchen, easy for entertaining with solid surface tops. Master bedroom w/2 walk-in closets, vaulted ceilings and full bath.

Complete w/an unfinished and oversized 2-car garage.

Jon Vander Pol 303.748.4176 jon.vanderpol@coloradohomes.com

Jason Kingery 970.310.9660 jason@jasonkingery.com

Littleton | $265,000 2br/2ba condo. Remodeled, Updated and Upgraded. Great Open floor plan. New Windows, Carpet and Paint. Kitchen includes New Stainless Steel Appliances. Split dual master bedrooms w/large closets and remodeled full baths. Covered patio too. A Must See!

Lakewood | $240,000 2br/1ba condo w/new carpet throughout. Living room w/vaulted ceiling and wood burning fireplace. Kitchen w/stainless steel appliances. 2 bedrooms w/lots of closet space and in-unit laundry hook-ups. Complete w/private balcony and 1-car garage.

Stephanie Freadhoff 303.589.3777 stephaniesellshomes@outlook.com

Phoenix Rain 303.884.9489 phoenix.rain@coloradohomes.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Aurora | $500,000

Denver | $499,999

Erie | $492,000

5BR/3BA w/ concrete tile roof, fresh exterior paint, kitchen w/ ss appliances, tile backsplash, pantry & granite island, family room w/ fireplace & master w/ bath & 2 walk in closets.

2BR/3BA condo offers 1,609 sq ft of open living space, kitchen w/dining area & breakfast bar, family room w/patio access.

Master suite w/ walk-in closet, private balcony & 5pc bath.

4BR/3BA corner lot home w/bright & open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, main-level master, office, kitchen w/ss appliances & granite counters, loft, unfinished basement.

Danielle Martini 720.630.5500

Ellen Keenan 303.720.1234

Brie Fowler 303.882.8672

Littleton | Price Upon Request

Denver | Price Upon Request

Peyton | $460,000

2br/2.5ba bath patio home w/main floor master w/wood floors throughout. Open kitchen overlooks a great room w/a gas fireplace. Home w/2 master suites and a loft area. 2 car garage.

2BR/1BA- 1331 sq ft, hardwood floors, dining rm w/original builtin cabinetry, remodeled kitchen w/granite countertops, stainless appliances & cherry cabinets & new roof, gutters & AC.

5br/4ba 2 Story home in Meridian Ranch. Builder upgraded, open concept,gas fireplace, fin. basement, 3 car gar, office & new covered patio. HOA includes pools, workout facility & parks!

Dawn & Dennis Martin 303.877.0244

Reuben McKelvey 720.840.7763

Jennifer Hebert 303.929.9044

Arvada | $450,000

Lakewood | Price Upon Request

Longmont | $427,500

4BR/3BA w/ 11,686 sq ft lot, near park/open space, family rm w/ fireplace, freshly painted basement, front deck, patio, newer windows, driveway & garage floor & evaporative cooler.

4BR/2BA w/ updated kitchen w/ black stainless appliances & Bosch dishwasher, living rm w/ fireplace, heated 2-car garage, bonus rm, newer roof, new electric panel, furnace, A/C & deck.

4br/4ba home w/high ceilings. Expansive master bedroom w/ 5-piece en suite bath. Laundry room on the second floor. Complete w/a basement and a 2-car garage backing to an open space.

Ron Buss 303.808.5390

LaDawn Sperling 303.710.5817

Marcelle Partridge 303.945.0553

Littleton | $425,000

Aurora | $400,000

Aurora | $400,000

Gorgeous remodeled 3 bed/3 bath home with loft. Features custom designs throughout. Located in beautiful Roxborough, near Arrowhead, Waterton Canyon & two State Parks. Come and stay!

3BR/3BA features professional landscaping, hardwood floors, country styled kitchen w/ ss appliances, large den, deck & backyard w/ garden area. The basement is great for entertaining.

3br/3ba home in Saddle Rock Ridge w/wood floors on the main level, new carpet up w/updated baths, & walk-in shower. Kitchen w/granite counters & stainless steel appliances. CC Schools.

Kristine Stirling 303.881.4768

Dale Carroll 720.771.2500

Nita Wassenaar 720.560.1319

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

Denver | Price Upon Request

Wheat Ridge | Price Upon Request

Highlands Ranch | $370,000

Updated 3br/1ba home. Updated separate apartment w/2 bedrooms, 1 bath, a kitchen and living room has its own entrance and parking. Complete w/a fully fenced yard and 3-car carport.

2BR/1BA w/hardwood floors, updated kitchen w/concrete countertops, ss appliances & new microwave oven, sink, kitchen faucet, garage door and opener. Fenced yard with covered patio..!!!

2BR/2.5 townhome has family room w/ fireplace open to kitchen & eating area. Upstairs is the master en-suite w/ sitting room, 2nd fireplace, walk-in closet & bath. Rare 2-car garage.

Pam Smith 303.550.6446

Kathryn Farrow 720.987.8660

Debbie Joseph 303.842.8331

Denver | $325,000

Denver | $320,000

Denver | $300,000

2br/2ba condo w/open floor plan and hardwood flooring. Kitchen w/a butcher block breakfast counter and a granite counter.

Complete w/updated bathrooms and a west facing enclosed patio.

3BR/1BA showcases coved ceilings, arched doorways, kitchen, breakfast area, family room, partially finished basement & laundry room. Oversized garage, newer roof, siding & windows.

1BR/1BA corner unit condo w/ 540 sq ft, large great room & kitchen w/ ample storage, ss appliances, track lighting & bar counter. Complete with stacked washer/dryer & parking spot.

Colleen Teitelbaum 303.668.8186

Kathy Eichenberger 303.594.0563

LaDawn Sperling 303.710.5817

Denver | $280,000

Arvada | $280,000

Lakewood | $254,900

2BR/1BA condo w/ original architecture, crown molding, hardwoods, 1-car detached garage, storage & bike storage in complex. HOA - heat, water, sewer, trash, recycling & basic cable.

2BR/2BA offers a remodeled kitchen with new flooring, quartz countertops & backsplash. Open floorplan, patio w/gorgeous views & ample privacy, covered carport, storage unit & new AC.

2br/2ba condo w/an open floor plan, a wood burning fireplace and a walk-out balcony! Kitchen w/mountain views and storage space.

Complete w/a washer/dryer and 2 reserved parking spaces.

Angie Overlie and Dawn Tillson 303.598.1551

Jeanette Johnston-Starc 303.520.9425

Nita Kolarsick 303.250.8280

Aurora | $250,000

Louisville | $230,000

Denver | $215,000

2br/2ba townhome w/an open floor plan, abundant natural light and spacious kitchen. There is a private patio and a deck upstairs just off the master bedroom. Complete w/2-car garage.

Have you been considering purchasing an investment property?

This 1br/1ba condo is ready to live in yourself or rent out. Swim laps in the community and relax in the hot tub.

2br/1ba home w/ground floor living. Living room opens to a kitchen w/granite counters, tile back splash and white cabinetry.

Complete w/laundry closet, private patio and 1-car garage.

Nita Kolarsick 303.250.8280

Mary Hill 303.808.7796

Angela Atkinson 303.775.3031

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

BACKSTORY We Want To Believe

Don’t despair if your town put the kibosh on Fourth of July fireworks to discourage large gatherings. Colorado’s 142 UFO sightings in 2019 alone prove that mesmerizing entertainment fills our skies. But are the pretty lights just drones run amok? And, if they’re genuine extraterrestrial air shows, are they dangerous? We strapped on our tinfoil hats to investigate the veracity and terror level of some of the state’s most out-there alien sightings. —ANGELA UFHEIL

Fear Factor

LOW

Believability

HIGH

POLITICAL INTRIGUE

From the declassified documents of Project Blue Book, a federal investigation of UFOs from 1947 to 1969, emerged a 1955 report of a greenblue object shaped like a barrel in La Veta. The man blessed with the sighting?

Former state Senator Sam T. Taylor, who said the ship looked “jellylike” and flew silently. We don’t want to call Taylor a crackpot—then again, he did lobby the state to build a hydrogen bomb factory.

120 5 2 8 0

LOW

HIGH

HOLY SMOKES

“Ain’t no kind of aircraft, I’ll tell you that,” Tim Edwards says in the 1995 video he captured of a cigarlike object above his home in Salida. It darted around the sky quicker than any human plane, and a speck of light bounced off its surface like a ball ricocheting off an Atari Pong paddle. Sure, the video could have been doctored, but the gasps of Edwards’ daughter sound entirely unrehearsed.

LOW

HIGH

EYES ON THE SKY

Multiple people saw three glowing orbs hovering over Breckenridge on October 3, 2014. The National UFO Reporting Center, a private organization that investigates UFO sightings and alien encounters, suggested the discs might have been high-altitude balloons— though it admitted that it had never seen ones so close together. A Denverite in the area told Richard Estep, writer of Colorado UFOs, that the crafts did not appear to be of this Earth.

LOW

HIGH

WE CANNOT STAN

Since 2000, Loveland resident Stan Romanek has spun stories of encounters and abductions, even starring in a documentary.

But when ABC News requested an independent medical assessment of an implant he claimed aliens put in his leg (terrifying), Romanek said it suddenly disappeared (convenient).

He also was found guilty in 2017 of possessing child pornography, which he insists detractors planted to ruin him.

LOW

HIGH

EERIE EXPERIMENT

When a rancher discovered Lady (renamed “Snippy” by a reporter) on his San Luis Valley farm in 1967, the skin on the horse’s neck had been sliced away and, despite an intact skeleton, many organs were gone. Vets blamed wild animals or local kids. But eyewitnesses reported that the scene was bloodless and the flesh hot to the touch—obviously implicating aliens who, based on other livestock mutilations like this one, did not come in peace.

P H O T O I L L U S T R AT I O N BY S E A N PA R S O N S

J U LY 2 0 2 0

Getty Images (all source photos)

KEY

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SUMMER COCKTAILS FROM THE

7 LES, BUBB RIES E B R BLUE TT BA FE O & B

BRECKENRIDGE

DISTILLERY

Celebrate the summer sun with these refreshing cocktails from the Breckenridge Distillery. Whether you are BBQing in your backyard, throwing a summer party, or kicking your feet up around the pool, these 7 easy-to-make cocktails are sure to keep you cool this summer. In Breckenridge this summer? Stop by the Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant to soak up the Colorado sun with a hand-crafted cocktail.

P U R E . W H I S K E Y. PA S S I O N .

BUBBLES, BLUEBERRIES & BOBA FETT

This cocktail comes from our deep passion of whiskey and our love for fresh, seasonal fruits.

P.S.—have you ever seen what a passion fruit looks like? Not pretty, but they sure are tasty, especially paired with our Breck Bourbon and orange flower water.

To the bounty hunters out there, this will be sure to cool you off. A bright and refreshing patio pounder.

Fresh blueberries, a hint of maple, and peppercorn topped with Rocky Mountain effervescence.

• 2 oz Breckenridge Bourbon • 2 oz apple liqueur • 1 1/2 oz passion fruit juice • 1 1/4 oz lemon juice • 2 drops orange flower water Shake ingredients with ice. Serve up.

Garnish: dehydrated passion fruit slice.

TEA-KI VIBES This cocktail is what summer has been waiting for. It has beach vibes written all over it. Featuring our Spiced Rum, cream of coconut and double strength green tea, this cocktail will give you just the boost you need on those hot afternoons.

• 1 1/2 oz Breckenridge Vodka • 1 oz blueberry/maple/peppercorn shrub* • 1/2 oz lime juice • Soda Shake first three ingredients with ice. Strain over ice, top with soda. Garnish: blueberries. *Blueberry/maple/peppercorn shrub: 8 oz blueberries, 8 oz water, 8 oz sugar, 2 oz cider vinegar, 2 oz maple syrup, 1 bar spoon peppercorn. Muddle blueberries and peppercorn in a saucepan. Over medium heat add water, cider vinegar, maple syrup, and sugar.

Stir until dissolved.

SWANKY BANANA SWIZZLE

• 2 oz cream of coconut

A whole bunch of monkey business in this summer elixir. Breckenridge Bourbon, banana, in-house allspice dram, lime, mint and vintage goodness. You and your guests will love this fun cocktail.

• 2 oz double strength green tea

• 2 oz Breckenridge Bourbon

• 1 oz pineapple juice

• 1 oz banana simple syrup*

• Pinch of green matcha tea

• 1/2 oz allspice dram

Shake top 5 ingredients with ice. Strain over crushed ice. Garnish: mint and favorite tiki imaginations.

• 1/2 oz lime juice

DEWD…WHERE’S MY MOJITO

• 6 mint leaves

Our Breckenridge White Rum is the centerpiece for a refreshing and effervescent honeydew Mojito. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this bluebird sky and sunshine sipper.

Garnish: mint sprig

• 2 oz Breckenridge Spiced Rum

• 2 oz Breckenridge White Rum • 3 oz Honeydew melon shrub* • 1/2 oz lime juice • 1/4 oz mint tea • 11 mint leaves muddled Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain over ice. Top with soda. Garnish: mint bouquet. *Melon shrub: Blend a medium-sized honeydew with 4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar. Strain.

• 4 dashes Angostura Bitters

*Banana Simple Syrup: muddle mint, banana syrup, lime and dram. Add half a glass of crushed ice and swizzle with swizzle stick or bar spoon. Add more crushed ice and bourbon. Swizzle, top with crushed ice and bitters.

BARREL-SMOKED S T R A W B E R R Y H O R C H ATA Sip, savor, and celebrate this sumptuous tradition dating back to the 13th century. Breckenridge Spiced Rum, a touch of Breckenridge Espresso Vodka, coconut, fresh strawberries, almonds and cinnamon, then smoked with strawberry wood.

• 2 oz Breckenridge Spiced Rum

W H AT ’ S U P D O C

• 4 1/2 oz Horchata mix*

A must-try elixir. Healthy and vibrant made with a Breckenridge Bourbon brown butter wash, fresh carrot juice, apple, honey, and citrus.

• Bar Spoon lime juice

• 1 1/2 oz Breckenridge Bourbon

*Horchata mix: add 8 cups rice and 30 oz water.

Steep, blend, and strain. 13 oz cream of coconut, 10 strawberries, 1 oz cinnamon simple, 1/2 oz vanilla bean paste, 8 oz rice water—blend together and strain.

• 2 1/4 oz fresh carrot juice • 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice • 3/4 oz apple/honey simple syrup

Shake ingredients with ice. Garnish: freshly grated cinnamon and freeze-dried strawberry.

• A pinch of carrot powder Shake all ingredients with ice. Serve on the rocks. Garnish: candied carrot ribbon and dried Chrysanthemum.

B R E C K E N R I D G E D I S T I L L E R Y. C O M 970.547.WSKY (9759)

DENVER'S FAVORITE BURGER HAS NEVER TASTED

So Good

Our patios are open and theat good times are back at The burgers?

Cricket!

What is it about summertime the Cricket?

Is itflowing the award-winning Come Boozy celebrate summer burgers, beers, andusboozy shakes. shakes?

Longwith list ofyour coldfavorite craft brews?

You're making hungry.

SEE YOU AT THE CRICKET.

Two Denver Locations in the Cherry Creek North and Ballpark Neighborhoods

CherryCricket.com

VISIT OUR 2 LOCATIONS: Cherry Creek - 2641 E 2nd Ave, Denver CO | Ballpark - 2220 Blake St, Denver CO | CherryCricket.com