Bills ,
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WHAT YOUR LOCAL LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING ON FOR 2025 P. 4
Boulder weighs high-density housing P. 9
BoCo braces for Trump (again) P. 10
Sex advice for seniors P. 24
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What your local lawmakers are working
With Colorado’s 2025 legislative session starting Jan. 8, we checked in with Boulder County’s state lawmakers to see what bills they’ll be bringing forward this year. Colorado’s projected $750 million
budget shortfall is top of mind for elected officials as they propose new legislation. Judy Amabile, newly elected to the Senate District 18 seat after serving in the state house since 2021, will serve on the joint budget committee and as chair of the Senate’s appropriations body.
“The JBC formulates the overarching budget bill state lawmakers will vote on in March,” Amabile explained in an email to Boulder Weekly. “Our goal is to be fiscally responsible while balancing needs. We will have to make some very difficult choices.”
“We must find ways to help Colorado without creating a new cost to the bud-
JANUARY 9, 2025
Volume 32, Number 21
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get,” Karen McCormick, the House District 11 Representative, wrote via email. McCormick’s proposed bills “should have little to no fiscal impact.”
Lawmakers are focused on economic relief in other ways, from a third attempt at universal, statewide healthcare to worker protections and safeguards against predatory business practices.
Junie Joseph, the HD10 Representative who this year fended off a primary challenge and won re-election, encouraged constituents to get involved.
“The work I do is only as effective as the input I receive from you,” Joseph wrote. “By staying engaged, you can
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help shape the policies that impact our lives and our future.”
Lawmakers’ written and emailed responses were edited for clarity and brevity.
Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, SD17 and Representative Kyle Brown, HD12, did not respond to requests for comment. Incoming representatives Dan Woog, HD19, and Lesley Smith, HD49, also did not reply.
“This will be the third session that we present this bill for a vote,” wrote McCormick of a proposed analysis of “publicly financed, privately delivered” universal health care in Colorado.
“We need the data on whether or not this idea is possible, and a previous attempt at the ballot box failed partly because there were too many unanswered questions surrounding such a system,” McCormick wrote. “It is time we get the data so the people of Colorado know if we can move forward with the idea of a universal health care payment system.”
McCormick also plans to sponsor a bill reforming ambulance billing.
“When people call 911 for an ambulance, they don’t get a choice on who shows up at their door and have no way to know if their insurance policy will cover the entire cost or not,” she wrote. “With this bill, those followup invoices on ground ambulance services will be a thing of the past.”
Amabile is bringing forward legislation aimed at insurance parity for mental health care. It “mandates that private health insurers provide coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders based on a determination of medical necessity by a qualified medical professional, not by the insurer,” she wrote.
Amabile is sponsoring legislation titled, “Community Investment Grants for
The for-cause eviction bill, meant to provide stability and protection for renters, made it harder for nonprofits to provide temporary housing for families and individuals exiting homelessness. (Read more: bit.ly/ HousingSNAFU)
The bill’s sponsors said they are planning a legislative fix, according to Judy Amabile.
“My colleagues who sponsored the bill recognize these issues and will bring a legislative fix forward in 2025,” Amabile wrote in response to emailed questions. “I will support logically exempting transitional housing providers from certain provisions of the bill, so that they can continue to provide critical short-term housing in our communities.”
None of HB-1098’s sponsors responded to Boulder Weekly’s requests for comment. In December, District 3 Senator Nick Hinrichsen said he would be open to exploring a legislative fix, but did not elaborate on details or timing.
Homeownership,” which “makes new financial resources available to communities to expand local homeownership,” she wrote.
“Housing access isn’t just about building affordable housing — it’s about pro-
tecting the people who live here now,” Joseph wrote. “This year, I’m working on legislation to strengthen renter protections, especially for seniors and other vulnerable residents. We need to put stronger guardrails around fees, notices and eviction processes to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.”
Joseph plans two bills to provide economic relief on the micro and macro levels.
“I’m working on a bill that could help address the state’s budget shortfall. While it’s still in the early stages, the idea is to convert a rebate into a tax credit that would free up $8 million in the state budget,” she wrote. “While $8 million might not solve the entire $700 million shortfall, every bit counts.”
She also intends to tighten regulation of companies that place boots on motor vehicles.
“Many of you, especially those in lowincome neighborhoods, have reached out to me about how these companies target vulnerable residents — elderly people and
non-English speakers — in an unfair and exploitative way. I’ve seen it myself, and it’s unacceptable.”
“We need to make sure that no one is unfairly taken advantage of, especially our most vulnerable members.”
McCormick, who will chair the House Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee, is bringing forward three pieces of water-related legislation.
One will create a task force “to study the issue we have with decreasing funding from severance tax from oil and gas operations and the ability to continue to fund important water projects throughout the state.”
“The goal is to find potential new revenue sources for water funding so that we can continue to pay for critical water projects and protect Colorado’s water well into the future,” she wrote.
Another bill would create a new permit type to “allow increased participation in the cleanup of abandoned mines,” McCormick wrote. “It is estimated that 1,800 miles of Colorado streams are impaired due to acid-mine-drainage-related pollutants, and approximately 5,000 legacy sites could be reclaimed to reduce the impacts to surface waters and watersheds through clean-up operations.”
In partnership with D49’s Smith, McCormick hopes to “further the state’s effort to promote water conservation efforts especially in regard to the use of non-functional turf. Non-functional turf is considered non-native grass that is used mainly for landscape purposes and has a high water consumption need.”
Joseph is “working on legislation that will help our residents retrofit their homes to be more energyefficient. As the climate crisis grows, we must do everything we can to decarbonize our communities. But we can’t rely solely on developers to make this happen — we need to empower individuals to take action in their own homes.”
Amabile
Efficacy: 91% (49 of 54 bills on which Amabile was a primary sponsor were sent to or signed by the governor)
Behavioral Health Crisis Response
Recommendations - Creates a repository of information regarding alternative response programs around the state (e.g., co-responder programs), addresses emergency mental health holds and mandates payment for additional inpatient treatment.
NGRI Subcommittee
Recommendations - Modifies aspects of Colorado’s Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity statute.
Competency in Criminal Justice System Services & Bail - Modifies aspects of bail requirements for defendants who have been determined to be incompetent to proceed.
Deflection Supports for JusticeInvolved Youth - Modifies aspects of the youthful offender system in the Department of Corrections.
Communication Rights for Persons in Custody - Clarifies that people in custody have the right to receive private and unrecorded telephone calls and audiovisual conferencing without cost from their attorney.
Financial Assistance for County JailsTasks the state judicial branch’s Underfunded Courthouse Facility Cash Fund Commission with expanding its purview to include jails, and evaluating grant applications by those jails for repairs, renovations, improvements and expansion.
Incentives for a Regional Jail
Approach - Current law requires counties with a population of 2,000 or more to maintain a county jail. This bill allows counties to combine resources and gain efficiencies by operating a multijurisdictional county jail.
BUSINESS
Regulating liquor licenses - Takes steps to help Colorado’s independent liquor
stores compete fairly with large, national chain retail stores.
Labeling transparency for intoxicating substances - Sets minimum labeling requirements and applies new regulations for marijuana and “natural medicine” product sales to create greater consumer awareness and safety.
Allowing credit unions to purchase bank assets - Allows credit unions to expand through regulated purchases of banks that are seeking to sell their assets.
Fairness and Transparency in Municipal Courts - Addresses glaring discrepancies in criminal sentencing between municipal courts (much harsher) and state district courts.
Deflection from the Criminal Justice System for Children Under 12 Accused of Crime - Mandates deflection from the criminal justice system and referral to appropriate treatment for children ages 10 or 11 who are accused of a crime.
Community Schoolyards - Expands resources for outdoor play facilities to help our young people get outdoors, move and thrive.
For information and updates on any of the bills I am working on, people can contact my office to be added to our stakeholder lists: judy@judyamabile.com
Want to read the draft of Amabile’s proposed bills? Read this article online: bit.ly/2025SeshBW
Efficacy: 70% (21 of 30 bills sent to or signed by governor)
the Dangerous Dog Statute - This bill aims to update state law regarding dangerous dogs who inflict serious bodily injury on those who work in animal care fields such as animal control officers, shelter workers, dog groomers, veterinarians, etc. Currently these folks do not have equity in legal protections if they suffer serious bodily injury from a dog while on the job.
The bill will remove the exemption for animal welfare personnel so that all per-
sons attacked to the degree of serious bodily injury, will have the same protections in law and the owner of the dog could be charged under the dangerous dog law.
Fix Gendered Language in Title 35The bill substitutes gender-neutral language for gendered language in title 35, the Department of Agriculture section of the Colorado Revised Statutes. For example, it will replace the pronoun “he” with “The Commissioner” or “the State Veterinarian.”
One title at a time, we will work to update our statute to remove outdated and antiquated language.
Choice of Gender on Death Certificates - Currently in many states (including Colorado) death certificates typically list the sex assigned at birth, rather than the gender identity a person has lived throughout their life. Colorado has enacted laws that allow for individuals to choose or change their gender marker on birth certificates and driver licenses. This bill would seek to do the same for death certificates.
Licensing of Dietitians - The purpose of this bill is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public by providing for the licensure of persons engaged in the practice of medical nutrition therapy, establishment of educational standards for those persons and regulation of their practice of dietetics and nutrition. Individuals are prohibited from engaging in or offering to provide medical nutrition therapy unless the individual is licensed by the board. Many states already regulate this profession and Colorado is soon to join them, making sure the public knows when they seek qualified and credentialed dieticians that they have been licensed and overseen by the state.
More on ambulance billing reform: This bill’s main function will be to prohibit an ambulance service from billing an individual covered under a health insurance coverage plan any outstanding balance for a covered service not paid for by an insurance carrier (excluding any co-insurance, deductible, or copayment amount required to be paid by the patient).
If a covered person makes a payment for an “out-of-network” ambulance service, the payment must be applied to the covered person’s in-network deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. This will
close the loophole some areas in our state are experiencing when bills are received for ambulance services that the covered individual had every right to assume were covered by their insurance policy.
Joseph Efficacy: 78% (21 of 27 bills sent to or signed by governor)
One of my colleagues, Bob Marshall, recently wrote, “The goal of being elected to any office should never be perpetual reelection and popularity, but to leave things better than you found them for future generations.”
As I prepare to begin my third term in the state legislature, this quote resonates with me deeply. It reminds me that my work isn’t about staying in office — it’s about making a real difference for the people I represent.
With the recent election and the trust you’ve placed in me, I’m asking myself: How can I ensure that Boulder is better off this year than it was last?
Over the last two years, I’ve worked with Disability Law Colorado to advance legislation that makes our community more accessible, and this year, I’m pushing for a bill that will require local governments to ensure their building codes meet or exceed international accessibility standards. Accessibility isn’t just a matter of following the law — it’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can fully participate in community life.
In a society that often celebrates individuality, we cannot forget those who need our support the most. This bill will help create a more inclusive Boulder for all of us.
The bills outlined in this piece are just five of the key pieces of legislation I’m focused on this year. There are more, but these represent the issues that matter most to me and to our community.
Together, we can continue building a Boulder that works for everyone — where fairness, opportunity and community are at the center of our work. I’m excited for the year ahead and look forward to continuing this important work with all of you.
attorney was preparing legal advice for confidential review and staff was looking at ways “to try to minimize disruptions as much as possible without infringing on the right of our residents to communicate with their elected officials.”
BY KAYLEE HARTER
Boulder city council members and staff may soon implement new rules to curb “disruptive and inappropriate behavior” in council meetings.
“[I]n our desire to provide the greatest latitude for individuals to speak at our Council meetings, we have lost control of the meetings themselves,” council member Mark Wallach wrote in a Dec. 30 public email.
He pointed to “chanting, screaming, and threatening conduct that has created a hostile environment for other attendees and Council members” in the email.
The email came after council’s most recent, Dec. 19 meeting, which Wallach called “case in point.” Several community members spoke during the open comment session about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Islamophobia, antisemitism and criticized council for not pursuing a ceasefire resolution. Some cities across the country have implemented such resolutions, but Boulder declined to do so in February 2024, as did other municipalities such as Longmont and Denver.
After one speaker shouted “fuck you” to council after his time expired, Mayor Aaron Brockett called for a recess, during which council retreated to a secure area.
Council’s rules prohibit “disruptive conduct,” and Wallach wrote those rules need to be enforced and taken “a step further.” He suggested a warning for disruptions, followed by being asked to leave. He said those who won’t leave should be removed by police and banned from future meetings for a given amount of time.
“I believe this would effectively serve as a deterrent to the behaviors that have plagued us for the past several months,” he wrote.
City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde responded to Wallach’s email saying the concern was shared. She said the city
Boulder law allows city council and the city manager “to exclude or limit the public from in-person attendance … where a public health or safety concern exists.” At the request of one or more members, council will vote at the remote Jan. 9 meeting to move the Jan. 16 and Feb. 6 meetings from in-person to virtual.
Boulder County’s purchase of Dowe Flats CEMEX property east of Lyons will not be complete in early 2025 as initially planned. County commissioners recently agreed to postpone the purchase at the recommendation of staff until reclamation activities are complete.
“The county has been anticipating owning the Dowe Flats-CEMEX property for more than 22 years, but it is important to delay closing until reclamation activities are complete,” according to a Dec. 17 staff memo.
The delay will not only allow CEMEX to complete the required initial reclamation — which includes restoring vegetative cover, controlling invasive weeds and limiting erosion — but will also prevent the county “from unnecessarily stepping into potential liability to complete reclamation activities,” the memo stated.
CEMEX has committed to completing reclamation activities on 766 acres of property and submitting documentation to the state by late June, according to the memo.
“If all goes smoothly, closing could occur in late 2025,” the memo states. However, “it is infeasible to estimate an actual closing date,” since it’s unknown how long it will take the state to review CEMEX’s application to release its bond, which is contingent on the reclamation.
Once purchased, the site will be managed by Parks and Open Space and returned to a native grassland, according to the county.
All food wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and grocery stores in Longmont are required to have composting collection as of Jan. 1.
The requirement is the third phase of the city’s Universal Recycling Ordinance, passed in 2023 and aiming to divert 75% of the city’s waste from landfills by 2030 and 95% by 2050. Composting will be required for certain other businesses later this year and for landscaping companies in 2029.
All commercial and multifamily properties were required to have recycling services beginning in 2024.
Though exemptions are available, some businesses have said they might need financial help to get in compliance with the requirements, according to a city email. Information on assistance is available at bit.ly/URO-Financial-Assistance.
Seven students were evacuated and Half Fast Subs (1215 13th St.) is still closed after a fire on University Hill early Sunday, Jan. 5.
There were no injuries. Boulder Fire Rescue is working with the Red Cross to find placement and resources for those displaced, according to a Jan. 5 post on X from the fire department. Three of 17 units in the student apartments were occupied during the incident, according to a BFR spokesperson.
Half Fast Subs wrote in a Facebook post that it had incurred significant water damage. The sandwich shop has launched a GoFundMe to support its 18 employees while it is closed “for some time.”
“We’ll let you know once we have a timeline for reopening,” the shop wrote in a Facebook post.
• Naropa’s presidential search is underway after being delayed in 2023. The new president is expected to take the role in spring or summer of this year.
• Superior’s Waste Yard Site (2125 Honey Creek Lane) is open for Christmas tree recycling through Jan. 31 for the town’s residents. Erie’s Recycling Center (1000 Briggs St.) is open year-round.
• Superior’s Community Park has some new workers — 300 goats. Goat Bros and their herd will conduct wildfire mitigation grazing at the park for the next three months.
• Boulder is building a new multi-use path from 61st Street to the existing pedestrian bridge and path at South Boulder Creek. The route is “one of several key missing links for people walking, biking and rolling between Gunbarrel and Boulder” and is expected to be completed this summer, according to a Jan. 2 press release.
What your local officials are up to this week
BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF
On Jan. 9, council will:
• Vote to locally permit and regulate natural medicine healing centers in adherence to Colorado Senate Bill 23-290, which decriminalized psychedelic drugs for medicinal use and created a regulatory body for healing centers. The proposed ordinance requires such businesses to be located 500 feet away from middle, junior and high schools. City staff are recommending the ordinance be passed on an emergency vote, requiring a two-thirds majority of council. Laws passed on emergency go into effect 30 days from the vote. The state plans to begin issuing healing center licenses in February and March.
• Hold a public hearing on and vote to implement the Family Friendly Vibrant Neighborhoods project, which would amend city codes to allow for higher housing density in mixed residential and rural zoned areas. The project is intended to create more middle housing — affordable, often multi-family homes in walkable neighborhoods — which currently makes up only 9% of Boulder’s housing stock, according to the city.
The proposed amendments would reduce the density standard of one unit per 6,000 square foot lot to 2,500 square feet in mixed residential zones, one unit per 3,000 square foot lot to 2,000 square feet in medium residential zones, and allow more duplexes in rural residential zones along bus corridors. This meeting will be held virtually. To speak during the public hearing, register here: bit.ly/FamilyHoodsHearingBW. On Jan. 16, council will:
• Hold a public hearing during a site review for the proposed construction at the St Julien Hotel. The 55-foot tall structure will be approximately 50,000
square feet, adding a meeting space, mechanical mezzanine and an upper level of hotel rooms that will be attached to the existing St Julien building.
On Jan. 7, commissioners:
• Adopted the final report from the U.S. 287 Vision Zero Safety & Mobility Study, which examined mobility needs and addressed safety issues along a 24-mile stretch of road from Broomfield to Longmont. From 2011-2020, 34 died along this section of highway — more than any other road in Boulder County.
Courtesy: St Julien
The study recommends a number of safety improvements, including speed reduction in targeted areas, adjustments to traffic signals and construction of a center median barrier along two sections of the highway where crashes were disproportionately higher than others.
On Jan. 7, council:
• Discussed the necessity of council liaison roles to the city’s 22 citizen-based boards and commissions during an informal pre-session. Council members agreed that there is value in attending the meetings as liaisons, however several representatives, including at-large
member Sean McCoy, said that attending meetings for some boards could be limited to once a quarter. No official decision regarding liaison roles was made.
On Jan. 8:
• The application period for the vacant Ward 2 city council seat closed at 5 p.m. The city is set to release a complete list of applicants Thursday, Jan. 9 after publication. For a complete list of applicants, go to: bit.ly/GovtWatchJan9. Qualified applicants will be interviewed at the Jan. 21 meeting, where council will then appoint a Ward 2 representative to serve the remaining 11 months of Marcia Martin’s term, who resigned Dec. 31 after participating remotely from New York for more than six months.
On Jan. 7, council:
• Reviewed the results of the 2024 Small Business Capital Grant Program. The program was created to provide small businesses with matching grants to improve the interior or exterior of their buildings; $100,000 was allocated to 22 projects.
• Approved an ordinance allowing planning staff to review and approve building additions and new accessory buildings for commercial and industrial properties that do not exceed a 10% floor area increase without planning commission or city council approval.
• Approved a resolution stating that a petition for annexation of 10538 Arapahoe Road, a 35-acre parcel of land at the southwest corner of
Arapahoe Road and U.S. 287, is in substantial compliance with the Colorado Municipal Annexation Act of 1965.The petition was filed by Kensington Development Group on behalf of local property owner Stephen Tebo. The proposed mixed-use development includes a big box retailer, 160,000 square feet of retail, 350 apartments and 115 townhomes.
An annexation eligibility hearing is set for Feb. 18. Consideration of the annexation itself occurs later in the development process following staff review, and planning commission and city council public hearings.
On Jan. 8, council:
• Announced four finalists for the city manager position. To view a list of the finalist, visit: bit.ly/Gov’tWatchJan9. On Jan. 7, council:
• Met in executive session to conduct annual performance evaluations for the municipal judge, prosecuting attorney and city attorney.
• Approved tax breaks for targeted businesses, an extension of the city’s existing Business Assistance Program (BAP). This is a coordinated program with Boulder County and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) for targeted industries such as aerospace, bioscience and natural products.
All agenda items subject to change. Karen Norback and Mark Cathcart contributed reporting.
BY JACK ARMSTRONG
This is Part 1 of a two-part series. The next installment, publishing Jan. 16, will explore reproductive health and LGBTQ+ rights
President-elect Donald Trump has been making sweeping claims for his goals when he is in office: a call for mass deportation known as Operation: Aurora, threats to “end DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) and a pledge to eliminate the Department of Education. In early December, Trump announced via his social media platform, Truth Social, that he’ll impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and hike current tariffs on China by an additional 10%.
How much of this Trump will accomplish remains to be seen. He made good on fewer than half of his campaign promises in his first term, according to a PolitiFact analysis.
Regardless, advocacy groups, government officials and nonprofits are preparing for an incoming administration that could have significant impacts on Boulder County, where Trump received less than a quarter of voters’ approval.
At campaign rallies, Trump repeatedly name-checked Aurora, home to an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility as well as a sizable population of migrants. When Trump stopped there in October, he announced Operation: Aurora, an initiative expediting the arrest and deportation of migrant gang members.
they would likely need to deploy national guards across the county.”
Governors have to consent to deploying the National Guard, Robinson said.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who also chairs the National Governors Association, has publicly pushed for Congress to preserve and protect gubernatorial authority over National Guard deployment.
Operation: Aurora targets immigrants who are convicted criminals living in the United States, but looming plans to expand deportation efforts include threats to defund noncompliant local law enforcement and eliminating the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
“So when Trump came along [the first time] the question was, ‘Oh, no, he’s going to end DACA, right?’ He almost did. He tried to, but he didn’t kill it entirely. I think he likely will this time.”
An estimated 12% of Colorado’s labor force is foreign-born. Those laborers work “in the shadows,” Chapin said. While many industries, from farm work to restaurant service, are propped up by migrant labor, DACA provided a pathway outside of those industries.
“In reality, the staffing of ICE is not enough for what is purported to be the plan,” said Anaya Robinson, Senior Policy Strategist at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Colorado. “They need more bodies to do that and in doing so
“Colorado had 17,000 DACA recipients, and a lot of them ended up going to college,” said Violeta Chapin, professor at CU Boulder’s law school. “That really increased the number of students here at CU and across the state of Colorado to who were undocumented, who were enrolled in school.
Citizenship cases often involve information the federal government could use to have someone deported. Seeking asylum, applying for a green card and renewing an address for someone’s DACA citizenship require addresses to be disclosed.
Boulder is a sanctuary city, meaning that migrants who are witnesses or victims of crimes will not have their identity shared with immigration officials. Local law enforcement have moved to inform and protect undocumented community members.
“If we have a woman who’s sexually assaulted, she should be able to come forward and have justice done without fearing that she’s going to be deported
as a result of reporting the crime to the police and coming to the Justice Center,” said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty.
The DA’s office, in cooperation with county law enforcement and community groups, created and distributed a “Know Your Rights” document in English and Spanish so migrants can learn what constitutes grounds for deportation.
“I want people to make sure they know what their rights are right now,” Dougherty said. “If the Longmont Police Department pulls [an undocumented immigrant] over for a traffic offense, are they going to be reported to ICE when they get the speeding ticket? It’s really important to understand what protections our laws do and do not provide.”
Dougherty is also concerned about protecting community members against hate crimes. In an email to community members and advocates, he wrote: “Our mission is to protect all people from threats, hate crimes, and violent acts — and we remain deeply committed to it.”
On Nov. 25, 2024, the president-elect announced via Truth Social that he intends to impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and 25% on all goods coming from Mexico and Canada. Representatives for the Boulder Chamber said while there may be unintended consequences for local busi-
ness, they’re skeptical of any sweeping changes to the way companies operate in Boulder.
“There are probably some tariffs that may provide some element of parity for some of our businesses and consumers,” said Jonathan Singer, policy director at the Boulder Chamber, “and others that may actually have the opposite of the intended effect and really hurt local businesses and consumers.”
Singer said the best prescription for Boulder businesses before Trump’s second term begins is a reality check with his first.
“We need to be cautious, but also skeptical of anything that would look different,” he said. “I think jumping into [speculation] is not a healthy place to
be. We need to look at this in its totality and understand there’s a lot that can’t be done without the approval of our nation’s representatives.”
Josh Wolcott, owner of Vacuums R Us, a Boulder-based vacuum and sewing supplies store, says the tariffs make him nervous. Most of the components for Wolcott’s appliances come from Mexico.
Starting in 2018, the Trump administration enacted tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as appliances like foreign-made washing machines. Wolcott absorbed the cost of the tariffs as a business expense that didn’t get passed on to his customers. But if more tariffs are levied, Wolcott said he won’t be able to shoulder additional costs.
“We’ll be passing those on with everybody else. I don’t think anybody’s absorbing anything this time,” he said. “What happened last time is, a lot of companies such as ourselves would get a [cost] increase, and we would take weeks to increase our prices in the hopes that something would change, which it didn’t.”
Wolcott said those increased prices won’t just come from foreign product lines or products with foreign components. Every business buys light bulbs, cleaning products, technology and other supplies with imported components. When the cost to operate starts to rise, Wolcott predicted all businesses will start to increase their prices.
On a policy level, Singer said busi-
nesses should organize around tax breaks and programs that will benefit local businesses and the area’s workforce as a whole. He again urged folks — whether immigration advocates or business owners — not to react to every word the president-elect says.
“It is politically, fiscally and psychologically unwise to jump at every shadow,” Singer said. “The smartest thing any of us can do is respond to what is in front of us when it’s in front of us, because if we try to respond to everything all at once, we’re going to be stuck in neutral or going backward.
“Maybe [there is] too much of my own opinion in there, but that’s what I’m telling everybody. We can’t let anybody make us crazy.”
The women of Congress recount Jan. 6
BY MARIEL PADILLA THE 19TH
Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont, who was elected to the 118th Congress in 2022, said she was shaped and largely motivated by Jan. 6, 2021 — the day a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and temporarily halted the certification of the legitimate results of the 2020 election.
“A lot of the members who ran in the 118th and 119th Congress understood that we were running towards a house on fire and that being honestly democracy itself,” Balint said.
Balint said she vividly remembers Jan. 6, because it was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life: She was
being sworn in as the first woman to lead the Vermont Senate. When her security team popped into her office to tell her the U.S. Capitol was under attack, Balint said the footage “shook me to my core.”
The attack, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation called an act of domestic terrorism, sparked the Department of Justice’s largest criminal investigation in the country’s history and led to more than 1,500 people being federally charged. Rioters brought firearms, knives, hatchets, pepper spray, baseball bats, stun guns and explosive devices to fight Capitol Police officers and storm the building where lawmakers were actively voting to certify the 2020 election. Five people died during or soon after the riot, approximately 140 law enforcement officers were injured and $2.9 million worth of damage was done to the Capitol.
The day after the Capitol riot, Trump referred to the event as a “heinous attack” but has since promised to pardon those who were arrested in connection with the insurrection. Trump himself was indicted on felony charges in 2023 for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election — a criminal case that was dismissed shortly after he won the 2024 presidential election. The president-elect has since
started describing Jan. 6 as a “day of love,” as he did on the campaign trail.
With Congress again voting to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election, the country prepares to welcome back to the Oval Office the same man who denied his loss four years ago and threatened the country’s tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.
“It always sends a shiver down my spine when I hear people say ‘Americans don’t care about Jan. 6 anymore — move on,’” Balint said. “I’m not moving on. It was a dark day in our history, and I’m not moving on.”
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster of New Hampshire said she is still dealing with lasting post-traumatic stress disorder from Jan. 6, one of the “most impactful events” in her life.
Kuster was also one of the last five lawmakers to be evacuated from the House floor. She could hear the thundering crowds and pounding on the doors and experienced a panic attack as officers snuck them into an elevator and rushed them through an underground tunnel to safety. Kuster later saw security footage of insurrectionists with backpacks, bear mace and zip ties entering the same hallway she had just evacuated 30 seconds earlier.
“I’m haunted by the idea that if the police hadn’t pushed back five seconds here, five seconds there, pushing back on the bicycle racks, pushing back on the people who were crushed in the doors — that the five of us would have been kidnapped, murdered or maimed,” Kuster said. “It was only a five-vote majority and if we hadn’t been there, America might not have woken up to Joe Biden as the lawfully elected president of the United States.”
Kuster decided to retire this year before Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and attributes Jan. 6 as one of the reasons for that decision. In addition to the lingering trauma, Kuster said she’s received more and more death threats and has noticed a marked increase of violent rhetoric in public discourse.
“He tried to kill me once,” Kuster said. “I’m not available for it again.”
“We learned a lot of lessons through this last election,” said Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio. “The American people know what they want to hear, whether it’s true or not.”
The 19th reached out to every woman in Congress to collect reflections on how Jan. 6 continues to impact them and the country. Here’s what some of them had to say:
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico: It makes me sick to my stomach that the people who desecrated our democracy will be pardoned and potentially invited back into the Capitol. It makes me incredibly sad to think that there will be Capitol Police — police who were brutalized and beaten by the mob — who will just have to stand there.
pictures. There are statements. There’s a record of this. And there were people that were convicted by juries of their peers.
Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida: People have short memories. People are more consumed with their own lives [when they go to the polls]. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing; it’s just an observation. What was probably on people’s minds? Their bank account, their rent, price of food, right?
Rep. Deborah Ross of North Carolina: I think the most important thing is to be brutally honest about what happened that day. Many of us were there to witness, and we’re here to testify. We cannot allow Donald Trump and his cronies to deny what needs to be preserved for history. The next generation should know how fragile our democracy is and march forward, cleareyed and ready to fight.
Rep. Sara Jacobs of California: I’ve been very nervous thinking about and leading up to Jan. 6. I still have lingering trauma from the first one. I don’t like big crowds and loud noises. And I just keep thinking that they have no incentive to be violent this time, right? But it still makes me very nervous because we haven’t actually done the sort of reconciliation and hard work and accountability work that we need to do as a country. … I know that people’s trust and faith in institutions is a key part of addressing political violence because political violence only happens when people don’t feel like the nonviolent, institutional way of doing things is actually going to create the effect they want.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon: I still have seared in my memory the images of Capitol Police officers and other people being beaten. People lost their lives. … It’s not like somebody made this up. There are videos. There are
Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey: I think [Trump] is going to do whatever he can to make Jan. 6 be remembered like it’s July 4. In his mind, I think it’s going to be put in the highest regard and glorify the day as much as he can. And he’s going to have four years to try and get the rest of the country to do the same.
Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida: I still tremble at the mere mention of the date Jan. 6, a day that is forever tainted with fear, violence and terror. To have lived it is to never ever forget it. America can never fathom what we experienced. It was like playing a role in a horror movie and hoping that it would soon come to an end.
Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio: We learned a lot of lessons through this last election. The American people know what they want to hear, whether it’s true or not.
The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy
Longmont’s source for BEAUTIFUL QUALITY GLASS
Lince opening in 2003, Four Paws & Co. has specialized in premium natural foods and treats, including frozen diets and raw bones. Along with the excellent choices in food for cats and dogs, we carry supplements, grooming supplies, leashes & collars, toys, beds, and cat condos. It’s safe to say there is something for every pet in the store. There is also the Friends of Four Paws Frequent Buyer Program. You receive a punch card and once that is filled, you will receive a $10 Four Paws gift card. Last, but certainly not least, Four Paws
offers two special services. We can deliver the food you need to your door, and we have a pet sitting service. Stop in soon and see how Four Paws & Co. can help you care for your best friend.
source our unique gifts from Fair Trade companies and local artisans. We also have gift cards and last-minute gift ideas. Stop in and let us explain our mission to Save the Songbirds one backyard at a time!
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1201 South Sunset Street
BY MICHELLE ANDREWS KFF HEALTH NEWS
When Michael Adams was researching health insurance options in 2023, he had one very specific requirement: coverage for prosthetic limbs.
Adams, 51, lost his right leg to cancer 40 years ago, and he has worn out more legs than he can count. He picked a gold plan on the Colorado health insurance marketplace that covered prosthetics, including microprocessor-controlled knees like the one he has used for many years. That function adds stability and helps prevent falls.
But when his leg needed replacing last January after about five years of everyday use, his new marketplace health plan wouldn’t authorize it. The roughly $50,000 leg with the electronically controlled knee wasn’t medically necessary, the insurer said, even though Colorado law leaves that determination up to the patient’s doctor, and his has prescribed a version of that leg for many years, starting when he had employer-sponsored coverage.
“The electronic prosthetic knee is lifechanging,” said Adams, who lives in Lafayette with his wife and two kids. Without it, “it would be like going back to having a wooden leg like I did when I was a kid.” The microprocessor in the knee responds to different surfaces and inclines, stiffening up if it detects movement that indicates its user is falling.
People who need surgery to replace a joint typically don’t encounter similar coverage roadblocks. In 2021, 1.5 million knee or hip joint replacements were performed in United States hospitals and hospital-owned ambulatory facilities, according to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The median price for a total hip or knee replacement without complications at top orthopedic hospitals was just over $68,000 in 2020, according to one
analysis, though health plans often negotiate lower rates.
To people in the amputee community, the coverage disparity amounts to discrimination.
“Insurance covers a knee replacement if it’s covered with skin, but if it’s covered with plastic, it’s not going to cover it,” said Jeffrey Cain, a family physician and former chair of the board of the Amputee Coalition, an advocacy group. Cain wears two prosthetic legs, having lost his after an airplane accident nearly 30 years ago.
AHIP, a trade group for health plans, said health plans generally provide coverage when the prosthetic is determined to be medically necessary, such as to replace a body part or function for walking and day-to-day activity. In practice, though, prosthetic coverage by private health plans varies tremendously, said Ashlie White, chief strategy and programs officer at the Amputee Coalition. Even though coverage for basic prostheses may be included in a plan, “often insurance companies will put caps on the devices and restrictions on the types of devices approved,” White said.
An estimated 2.3 million people are living with limb loss in the U.S., according to an analysis by Avalere, a healthcare consulting company. That number is expected to as much as double in coming years as people age and a growing number lose limbs to diabetes, trauma and other medical problems.
Fewer than half of people with limb loss have been prescribed a prosthesis, according to a report by the AHRQ. Plans may deny coverage for prosthetic limbs by claiming they aren’t medically necessary or are experimental devices, even though microprocessor-controlled knees like Adams’ have been in use for decades.
Cain was instrumental in getting passed a 2000 Colorado law that requires insurers to cover prosthetic arms and legs at parity with Medicare, which requires coverage with a 20% coinsurance payment. Since that measure was enacted, about half of states have passed “insurance fairness” laws that require prosthetic coverage on par with other covered medical services in a plan or laws that require coverage of prostheses that enable people to do sports.
payment of about $4,000 for his new leg, which reflected his portion of the insurer’s negotiated rate for the knee and foot portion of the leg but did not include the costly part that fits around his stump, which didn’t need replacing. The insurer approved the prosthetic leg on appeal, claiming it had made an administrative error, Adams said.
“We’re fortunate that we’re able to afford that 20%,” said Adams, who is a self-employed leadership consultant.
Leah Kaplan doesn’t have that financial flexibility. Born without a left hand, she did not have a prosthetic limb until a few years ago.
Growing up, “I didn’t want more reasons to be stared at,” said Kaplan, 32, of her decision not to use a prosthesis. A few years ago, the cycling enthusiast got a prosthetic hand specially designed for use with her bike. That device was covered under the health plan she has through her county government job in Spokane, Washington, helping developmentally disabled people transition from school to work.
But these laws apply only to plans regulated by the state. Over half of people with private coverage are in plans not governed by state law.
The Medicare program’s 80% coverage of prosthetic limbs mirrors its coverage for other services. Still, an October report by the Government Accountability Office found that only 30% of beneficiaries who lost a limb in 2016 received a prosthesis in the following three years.
“No matter your coverage, most people have to pay something on that device,” White said. As a result, “many people will be on a payment plan for their device.” Some may take out loans.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a rule that would prohibit lenders from repossessing medical devices such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs if people can’t repay their loans.
“It is a replacement limb,” said White, whose organization has heard of several cases in which lenders have repossessed wheelchairs or prostheses. Repossession is “literally a punishment to the individual.”
Adams ultimately owed a coinsurance
But when she tried to get approval for a prosthetic hand to use for everyday activities, her health plan turned her down. The myoelectric hand she requested would respond to electrical impulses in her arm that would move the hand to perform certain actions. Without insurance coverage, the hand would cost her just over $46,000, which she said she can’t afford.
Working with her doctor, she has appealed the decision to her insurer and been denied three times. Kaplan said she’s still not sure exactly what the rationale is, except that the insurer has questioned the medical necessity of the prosthetic hand. The next step is to file an appeal with an independent review organization certified by the state insurance commissioner’s office.
A prosthetic hand is not a luxury device, Kaplan said. The prosthetic clinic has ordered the hand and made the customized socket that will fit around the end of her arm. But until insurance coverage is sorted out, she can’t use it.
At this point, Kaplan feels defeated. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” she said.
KFF Health News produces in-depth journalism about health issues.
Rayland Baxter’s metamorphosis from Colorado snowboard instructor to indie-folk heavy hitter
BY AARON IRONS
For nearly the first three decades of his life, Rayland Baxter kept a healthy distance from the stage. Despite the fact that his late father “Bucky” was an established multi-instrumentalist — whose resume includes work with Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, The Beastie Boys and more — the younger Baxter managed to avoid the call of the spotlight. Until he couldn’t anymore.
Baxter first caught the bug during a stint in Colorado. He was working as a snowboard instructor at Vail Resorts and playing open mics at the Gold Pan Saloon in Breckenridge, where the Tennessee-born songwriter sharpened his emerging skills in front of a modest crowd each Wednesday.
The proverbial duck to water, Baxter glided onto the national scene with 2012’s Feathers & Fish Hooks and subsequent offerings Imaginary Man and Wide Awake. After paying tribute to the late Mac Miller with a largely self-produced EP in 2019, Baxter continues his evolution on his latest album, If I Were a Butterfly Gestating throughout the early gasps of the COVID-19 pandemic, Baxter’s Butterfly plays with genre and sound in a manner recalling lateera Beatles or the ever-chimerical David Bowie. It’s a mixtape of the artist’s life, a reaching back and hurling forward that, like its title suggests, chronicles his metamorphosis.
“That’s what we’re doing,” Baxter, 41, says. “That Bob Dylan documentary where he says, ‘An artist is always in a state of becoming.’ Zooming out, a human, we’re all becoming — even on our deathbed. There’s always the next chapter.”
For his latest chapter, Baxter set up hearth and shop at Thunder Sound Studios in Franklin, Kentucky. Often
kind, whether you’re a chef, a painter, musician or a mechanic.”
Right: If I Were a Butterfly was released Nov. 4, 2022. Courtesy: ATO Records
Below: Rayland Baxter performs in support of Houndmouth at Denver’s Mission Ballroom on Jan. 17. Courtesy: Red Light Management
described as an “abandoned rubber band factory,” the description belies the location’s world-class recording space, living facility, event venue and pastoral allure amid 100 acres of Bluegrass State beauty, offering all the amenities of artistic freedom Baxter could want as the pandemic crashed down around him.
“All of these things were at my fingertips, and I was allowed to become more of a defined ‘me’ in that time,” he continues. “It’s the first record I’ve made where I leaned on myself a lot, thanks to the encouragement of guys like Shakey Graves, my friend Wes Schultz in The Lumineers and my dad. I love recording with producers, but this was my time to do this thing, and just be with my friends … there was no pressure.”
“Violence,” the Sgt. Pepper-y “Dirty Knees” (with its trumpet and claim that “the heart is a beautiful instrument”) and the deceptive funk of “Buckwheat,” a blend of impressionistic poetry and social commentary partly exploring his father’s unexpected death in 2020.
Looking for more opening acts to catch in 2025? Scan the QR code to read all about the artists supporting your favorite bands on the Front Range this year.
“The dogs in the chorus, those are all my dad’s dogs from childhood: ‘Chester, Chapel, Fiona, Moondog and Willy with the one eye blue,’” he says. “I was laying in my van one night, and that [line] just fit in the beat of the chorus. The bridge of that song, that’s about a dream I had the morning my dad passed. Before I knew [he died], he came to me in a dream. I was in Hawaii, and he was glowing white.”
With no prospect of touring and no immediate call from his home base ATO Records to issue an album, Baxter found an opportunity at Thunder Sound to take his time and stretch out into the creative process.
“I was there for a year, where the Swayze family rented me the studio for very cheap,” Baxter says in reference to the family of songwriter Billy Swayze, who founded the studio in 2016 before dying three short years later in a car crash. “There was no time limit — that was ideal incubation for an artist of any
The Butterfly title track and album opener mines family home recordings — a fouryear-old Rayland singing — before easing into arpeggio, reverb-drenched drum beats and Prince-like guitar flourishes. As the record soldiers on, dedicated headphones listeners will find sonic Easter eggs hidden throughout.
“We always refer to it as walking down a hallway after hours of your elementary school, mixed with The Labyrinth and the walk through the maze,” Baxter says. Highlights among the 10 tracks on Butterfly include the Tom Waits-ish “Tadpole,” the almost Gregorian
For those curious to how Baxter intends to carry the mosaic of all the family history coloring If I Were a Butterfly on tour — stopping at Denver’s Mission Ballroom on Jan. 17 in support of alt-country headliners Houndmouth — the artist says it’s a challenge he’s eager to embrace.
“I knew that it was going to be a little tricky when I was making the album. To really pull it off live … I would need 12 people in the band,” Baxter says. “[But] a song should exist in all forms. It should exist as a poetry reading, a chapter in a book.
The President of the United States should be able to read it and it makes sense to somebody, or with a symphony and anything in between. It might sound a little different than the record, but it’s going to pump in a whole new way.”
ON THE BILL: Houndmouth with Rayland Baxter. 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $40+
CU’s International Film Series returns for the spring semester
BY MICHAEL J. CASEY
They tried to warn us, but the lesson didn’t take.
Released in 2006, writerdirector Mike Judge’s Idiocracy was offloaded into theaters and damn near buried by distributor 20th Century Fox. In another world, Idiocracy would have come and gone with a few chuckles and plenty of groans. But then two decades of life passed, and the silly satire proved prescient — particularly the character played by Terry Crews, entertainer turned president Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.
Idiocracy — which will open the International Film Series’ spring 2025 calendar on Jan. 23 — is still funny and plenty cringy (maybe even more so than when it came out in 2006), but there’s an awful lot here that will draw some painful parallels, particularly when you consider the other significant event scheduled that week.
Idiocracy isn’t the only satire on the calendar this season — The Naked Gun
screens April 1, clever — but it does stand out in IFS’ usual slate of international, independent and award-winning picks. Oscar hopeful Anora screens on 35 mm on Jan. 27, with 2021’s Best Picture winner CODA on Jan. 30. And starting Feb. 7, this year’s nominees in the Oscar Shorts categories (Animation, Documentary and Live Action) will also grace IFS’ screen.
Also of note is week-long programming devoted to Black History Month, Feb. 20-28 (don’t miss Leslie Harris’ vibrant Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.); documentaries, March 14-19 (featuring Porcelain War from local producer Paula DuPré Pesmen); animation, April 2-6; and the 25th anniversary of Y2K, April 22-28 (if you haven’t seen Kinji Fukasaku’s rambunctious hybrid of sensationalized violence, high school emotions and reality TV in Battle Royale, here’s your chance).
There are more than 50 programs to choose from this season, including Funny Girl (March 20) and Stop Making Sense (April 11), both of which are bound to send you out into the world singing. I have a feeling we’re gonna need it. ON SCREEN: CU’s International Film Series, Jan. 23 through April 30, CU Boulder, 1905 Colorado Ave. Pricing and full schedule at internationalfilmseries.com.
Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC) kicks off 2025 with The Time is Always Right, a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through spoken word, music and dance. This one-night joint production with the Boulder Philharmonic and Boulder Ballet uplifts the legacy of the slain Civil Rights leader through art. See listing for details
Native cultures bloom in Headdress, a portrait series by multidisciplinary artist Dana Claxton (Wood Mountain Lakota First Nations) featuring inter-tribal and generation-spanning collections of beadwork, headwear, pow-wow/ peyote fans and more — on display at East Window in Boulder through Feb. 21. See listing for details
SHREK: THE MUSICAL Jan. 10 through March 30, Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St. Longmont. $35-$55
ANASTASIA. Jan. 17-26, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $15-$34
SISTERS OF SWING Through
Jan. 19, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. $39
SMOKE & MIRRORS Through Jan. 12, BMoCA, 1750 13th St., Boulder. $2
DARCIE SHIVELY: A WOVEN CHANNEL. Through Feb. 2, BMoCA @ Frasier, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder. Free
YOUR REFUSAL TO SEE: A NATIVE GUIDE PROJECT Through Feb. 21, East Window, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free
Set at a fictional video game development company in Boulder, Tara Tai’s debut novel Single Player is a queer rom-com unpacking the gender politics of the gaming industry. Keep an eye out for a Boulder Weekly feature on the author next week, ahead of their reading at Trident Booksellers & Cafe on Jan. 14. See listing for details
THE COLOR OF EVERYTHING: A JOURNEY TO QUIET THE CHAOS WITHIN BY CORY RICHARDS.
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St. Sold out
THE LIVING POETS SOCIETY BOOK CLUB: AN ORDINARY LIFE BY B.H. FAIRCHILD
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St. Free
ROOTS AND WINGS BY ALISON LITCHFIELD. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St. $5
BETC PRESENTS: THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, Dairy Arts Center - Gordon Gamm Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $50+ BW PICK OF THE WEEK
HOPE AND GRAVITY. Through Feb. 16, The Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe St., Denver. $25
THE RESERVOIR Jan. 17 through March 9, DCPA - Singleton Theatre, 1400 Curtis St., Denver. $N/A (ticket system down)
HEADDRESS Through April 26, East Window - Patio, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free BW PICK OF THE WEEK
INCEPTION: FIREHOUSE EDUCATORS SHOWCASE. Through Jan. 26, Firehouse Art Center, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free
DEBRA SMITH: SEEKING BALANCE Through Jan. 11, Nick Ryan Gallery, 1221 Pennsylvania Ave., Boulder. Free
ISCHIA BY GISELA HEFFES
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free
BLUEBIRD DAY BY MEGAN TADY
6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $5-$22
SINGLE PLAYER BY TARA TAI
7-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St. Free BW PICK OF THE WEEK
4-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free
Let loose with your favorite LPs in the tasting room at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont. This monthly vinyl night is the perfect excuse to enjoy award-winning beers and kick back with some great music, free of the Spotify algo. Bring a gem from your record collection for a free pint.
6:30-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, Full Cycle Cafe and Bar, 2355 30th St., Boulder. $20 advance / $25 at the door
Colorado blues quartet The Delta Sonics provide the soundtrack to this swanky night of music and cuisine at your local bike shop. This weekly transformation at Full Cycle in Boulder features a tapas menu from Chef Antonio Rullo alongside craft cocktails, beer and wine.
7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, Yoga Pearl, 900 Pearl St., Unit 4, Boulder. $27 (free with membership)
Start 2025 right with a guided meditation for centering and grounding. Practitioner AJ Accardi will show the way during this session featuring breathwork exercises to “help you feel supported and clear when you are ready to incite positive change in your life that really matters.”
3-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Boulder County Fairgrounds - Exhibit Building, 9595 Nelson Road. , Longmont. $15
Start your year with some full-contact sports. Enjoy beer and food truck fare from the sidelines as you watch the Penalty Punks take on the Rink Ratz at 6 p.m. Come early (4 p.m.) to watch the juniors bout: Boulder County’s own Devils vs. The World.
8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. $20+
Get medieval on their asses during this contest of steel weaponry and armor at the historic Boulder Theater. The night of high-octane competition is presented by Colorado Wardens, the state’s preeminent armored combat team.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Lyons Farmette, 4121 Ute Hwy. $250+
Weavers of all skill levels are welcome at this two-day workshop led by Lyonsbased crafter and poet April Tierney. Beginning Jan. 11 with a second session on Jan. 18, you’ll learn the basics to create your own functional piece of wearable art. No experience required.
1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Tilted Brick, 333 1st Ave., Longmont. $30
“We still talk about you.” Honor the memory of a furry friend who has passed over the rainbow bridge during this folio workshop at Titled Brick in Longmont. Bring photos of your beloved pat, or add them at home, and enjoy coupons from 300 Suns Brewing and Dee-O-Gee. Register: bit.ly/PetFolioBW
3-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Lyons Classic Pinball, 339 W. Main St. $10 / free for first-time players
Go full tilt at this open tourney at Lyons Classic Pinball. Groups of 7-8 will face off in head-to-head matchups with six games guaranteed for each player. The top eight will compete for prize money in a three-game bank in groups of four. WPPR points are awarded, so you’ll be an internationally ranked pinball player just by joining in on the fun.
8-11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $40+
Let the queer times roll during this throwback cabaret at Roots Music Project in Boulder. The festivities kick off with a cocktail hour and music from Avasso, followed by a burlesque revue led by emcee Enigmatic Juice — featuring a live band, an interactive boudoir photoshoot space and more.
2-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $10-$15
Lift your voice and sing during this new monthly community event at Boulder’s eTown Hall. No auditions or training is necessary to pitch in and make new friends as you “experience the joy of creating something bigger than ourselves through song.” Colorado singer-songwriter Emma Kieran Schaefer leads the first session of the new year.
4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. $29+
Violinist Tessa Lark takes the stage with the Boulder Philharmonic for moving renditions of Michael Torke’s Grammyand Pulitzer-nominated “Sky” and the world premiere of Stephen Lias’s “Wind, Water, Sand,” which draws from his experiences as composer-in-residence at a dozen U.S. National Parks, including Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
Noon to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, Firehouse Art Center, 667 4th Ave., Longmont. Free
An artist’s life can be lonely, so why not enjoy a little creative camaraderie? Join makers of all mediums during this free community-building conversation series where you can connect, share your work and discuss your own inspiration and road blocks.
THURSDAY, JAN. 9
HOT BUTTERED RUM WITH SAM WALKER 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge 2037 13th St., Boulder. $26
CREEK WITH SUMMER OF PERIL, OVERHANG AND CIRCLING OVER 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $19
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
BEAR HAT WITH NORTHWOODS AND STEEPLAND STRING
BAND. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20
CAM ALLEN. 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $23
THEE SACRED SOULS. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $55
RABBLEFISH 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20
ORYX WITH MIDWIFE, MANY BLESSINGS AND ARIDUS 8 p.m. Hi Dive 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $25 BW PICK OF THE WEEK
ROOSTER PRESENTS RUSH ARCHIVES WITH SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE BROOMFIELD HOUSE BAND. 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St. $15+
DRUNKEN HEARTS: ANDREW MCCONATHY 4-8 p.m. Knotted Root Brewing Company, 250 N. Caribou St., Nederland. Free
THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS WITH SIERRA HULL 6:45 p.m. Mission Ballroom 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $55
SUNDAY, JAN. 12
GLOBAL ROOTS ENSEMBLE
7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $25
TREVOR MICHAEL WITH CHRIS WEIST (OF WOOD BELLY), HOLLOW HEAD AND AUBREY DALE. 5 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $19
EVERY CHOIR 2-3:30 p.m. eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder. $15
SATURDAY, JAN. 11
CHRIS KNIGHT WITH CHANCE STANLEY AND THE THREADBARONS. 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $37
BOOT GUN WITH IPECAC AND RADIO FLUKE 8 p.m. Hi Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $23
K-POP SCREAM WITH IMLAY, 2SPADE, J.E.B. AND YUNJI 7:30 p.m. Bluebird Theater 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $32
TUESDAY, JAN. 14
MANIA - THE ABBA TRIBUTE 7:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $48+
THURSDAY, JAN. 16
JJ MURPHY WITH EXPERIMENTAL BRUNCH. 7 p.m. Roots Music Project 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $18
ADAM STARK WITH DISCOGNITION B2B HAUSMAN AND PARADIGM B2B GOLDSTAR 9 p.m. Bluebird Theater 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $30
Colorado’s own Madeline Johnston brings her dreamy and forlorn bedroom pop act Midwife to Hi Dive alongside Many Blessings, ambient side project of Primitive Man’s Ethan McCarthy, in support of Denver sludge metal purveyors ORYX on Jan. 10. Hit the QR code for a Boulder Weekly interview with Johnston before you go. See listing for details
EMMET COHEN TRIO 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $40+
THE WILDWOODS WITH BOB BARRICK 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge 2037 13th St., Boulder. $24
FRIDAY, JAN. 17
YOUNG & DEAD WITH RIVER SPELL AND HUCK N’ PRAY
8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder $20
HOUNDMOUTH WITH RAYLAND BAXTER. 8 p.m. Mission Ballroom 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $55. STORY ON P. 16
TANK AND THE BANGAS WITH AUSTIN BROWN AND BLVK
CVSTLE 8 p.m. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $51
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
O’CONNOR BROTHERS BAND WITH HUNTER JAMES & THE TITANIC 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $21
ABANDONS WITH CHURCH FIRE AND OYARSA. 8 p.m. Hi Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $15
GABRIEL & DRESDEN. 9 p.m. Bluebird Theater 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. $43
SUNDAY, JAN. 19
GREG KOCH WITH THE KOCHMARSHALL TRIO 8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $24
Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.
BY DAN SAVAGE
I’m a male in my late 60’s with what I think is an unusual problem. My wife of almost 40 years and I have a good sex life, and it’s gotten better since the kids moved out.
Every two or three days, I give my wife a neck and deep gluteal massage and then she gives me a blow job.
Sometimes I manually stimulate her to orgasm, usually while I’m in her mouth. She has occasionally wanted vaginal sex, which we used to have, and I can’t get quite hard enough to perform. After I penetrate her, we have sex for a while, but I don’t orgasm. When this happens, I wash myself and she gives me a blow job, but she’s frustrated because she thinks the problem is her when the problem is all mine. She worries I don’t find her attractive anymore, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve tried three prescription medicines, but none helped.
harder for you to obtain and sustain an erection as you’ve grown older, BJOB, the work it takes to suck you off — they’re called blowjobs for a reason — has gotten harder for her as she’s grown older.
you’re toy shopping, a couple of penetrative toys, and — if it’s long penetration sessions your wife wants — get a dildo harness.
And then when your wife does suck your dick, BJOB, you’ll know it’s because she’s feeling it, and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy that blowjob without guilt.
Three data points:
1. Same-sex marriage of 10 years.
2. He is 60, I am 71.
3. I still love him and believe that he loves me.
When I first met my husband, the sex was the best I had ever had. Now my husband claims he doesn’t want to have sex because he has gained weight.
Three sex questions:
1. Seek sex outside the marriage? If so, how do I broach this subject?
2. Hold on for another (period of time?) and if no change, seek a separation/ divorce?
3. Give up as this has gone on for some time now?
– Justifying Increasingly Sexless Marriage
I think that my problem is that I’ve always enjoyed oral sex more than vaginal sex, so I have no problems getting erections for oral sex, and I don’t get quite as excited when we have vaginal sex. She has suggested that I contact a psychologist who specializes in sex therapy, but they’re expensive and I don’t think they will be any help.
– Blow Jobs Often Better
The problem isn’t that you don’t find your wife of 40 years attractive but that you’ve always found oral sex more arousing, e.g., oral was always likelier to get you there. And it may not be as simple as a strong preference anymore: sex acts/positions/narratives that were arousing enough to get you all the way there at 30 may not be arousing enough to get you hard, keep you hard, etc., at age 60.
Meanwhile, BJOB, your wife wants to get PIV into regular rotation because… well, I can only speculate. Maybe vaginal intercourse is more pleasurable for her. Maybe she wants to look into your eyes once in a while. Maybe, after nearly 40 years, she’s done sucking your cock. (It happens.) Just as it’s gotten
I would urge you to see a sex therapist together, BJOB, someone who can facilitate a conversation between you and your wife about your shared sexual interests, your aging bodies, what used to work, what still works, and the sexual compromises and hacks that can make sex better for both of you. And maybe hearing you tell someone else that you’re still very attracted to your wife will convince her it’s true.
A few practical sex tips: Instead of starting with vaginal intercourse and then pivoting to oral — after breaking for a quick whore’s bath — why not start with oral, get really close and then finish with vaginal? And if being manually stimulated to orgasm is good enough for the wife (most of the time), BJOB, it should be good enough for you (most of the time): while they can be annoying to clean, a high-quality Fleshlight masturbatory aide — when lubed up and wielded the right way — comes close to simulating oral sex, and cleaning one is less work than giving a blowjob. Get some vibrators while
When we do have sex, it consists of me giving him a blowjob as he just lies there. This occurs about six times a year. At best, I get his hand on my cock until he cums, then I have to finish myself off. This is not enough for me in regard to frequency or mutual engagement.
We talked about the infrequency issue two years ago and agreed to schedule sex. That did not last. A year ago, we talked about his lack of engagement and the response was that he did not feel sexy or attractive anymore. But I still find him as sexy and attractive as ever!
He refused my suggestion that we could see a counselor and insists he wants to work this out privately. I am increasingly impatient — I need to fuck and get fucked — and worried this situation will not improve.
1. This particular subject — opening up your marriage — seems easily broached, JISM, seeing as most gay marriages are open. And seeing as gay couples are less likely to divorce than straight or lesbian couples, a little realism about outside sexual contact appears to be a stabilizing force in our marriages, JISM, not a destabilizing one. Take your relationship: Right now you’re contemplating divorce because you’re not getting the sex you need at home. If you were allowed to get a little of that sex elsewhere, you wouldn’t be contemplating divorce.
2. I might advise you to end your marriage in the hopes of finding someone who was the complete package if you were a younger man, JISM. But starting over at your age seems like much a bigger lift than getting your husband to OK seeking sex outside your marriage.
3. I think you should give up — not on your marriage, JISM, but on forcing your husband to have sex he doesn’t wanna have. It’s possible your husband has lost interest in sex and his weight gain is just an excuse; it’s also possible your husband is depressed or may be suffering from a hormonal imbalance. Encourage him to see his doctor and get a full physical and mental health workup. But if he’s fine and his hormone levels are normal and he isn’t willing to do what it takes (physically or emotionally) to feel more comfortable in his body, you should insist on being released from the monogamous commitment you made when he did wanna fuck you.
I’m a bisexual cis man in my late 60s. I’ve been in a loving companionate marriage for more than 40 years. My wife learned I
was bi when we were dating. I was monogamous for many years but that changed after our last child was born and my wife lost virtually all interest in sex. DADT worked well for us, and I was blessed with some wonderful male FWBs over the years. We’re a great team — and we love each other very much.
I officially retired a couple of years ago, closing my business of 30 years. As circumstances would have it, I got involved in a project upon retirement that turned out to be a great success — arguably the biggest professional success in my life — and it involved some traveling. My wife accompanied me on one trip, but didn’t enjoy it much. She also has some health challenges that make physical activity a challenge for her.
My wife was hoping we would take things much easier in retirement. To have opportunities I never dreamed of during my “working years” is exciting beyond belief, and a big part of me really wants to continue to pursue them. But if this new project continues to take off it would keep me on the road a lot and seriously upend my wife’s expectations about what our lives would look like once I retired.
The traditional person in me recognizes the obligations to take care of her and to put her needs in front of mine. We have adult children, but none live nearby, so I can’t rely on any of them to pick up my slack if I am traveling. Any thoughts?
– Rethinking Everything That Involved Retirement Expectations Daily
People are going to think you’re a shit if you abandon your wife of 40 years to run off with the bisexual circus or a KISS cover band or whatever this new project is. Your wife will think you’re a shit, your kids will think you’re a shit, your advice columnist and his readers will think you’re a shit, and you will think you’re a shit. So, if you wanna do this without being a shit, RETIRED, you need to make it work for your wife too.
Zooming out for a second: You shared a few details about your wife’s health and her expectations about retirement, but you don’t mention how she feels about this new opportunity. Is she excited for you? Is she afraid for herself? The absence of any details about how she’s feeling leads me to believe you two are handling this opportunity the same way you used to handle your FWBs: she’s not asking, you’re not telling. If you’ve fallen into old patterns here — avoiding discussions and details that might be upsetting — you need to risk telling your wife exactly what you want and then asking her what she wants. If you’re going to do this without being a complete shit, RETIRED, you need to figure out — together with your wife — what the potential upsides are for her.
Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan. Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries poet Charles Baudelaire said that if you want to fully activate your personal genius, you will reclaim and restore the intelligence you had as a child. You will empower it anew with all the capacities you have developed as an adult. I believe this is sensational advice for you in 2025. In my understanding of the astrological omens, you will have an extraordinary potential to use your mature faculties to beautifully express the wise innocence and lucid perceptions you were blessed with when you were young.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): In many Asian myths, birds and snakes are depicted as adversaries. Their conflict symbolizes humanity’s problems in coordinating the concerns of earth and heaven. Desire may be at odds with morality. Unconscious motivations can be opposed to good intentions. Pride, self-interest and ambition might seem incompatible with spiritual aspirations, high-minded ideals and the quest to transcend suffering. But here’s the good news for you, Taurus: In 2025, I suspect that birds and snakes will cooperate rather harmoniously. You and they will have stirring, provocative adventures together.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Using a fork to eat food was slow to gain acceptance in the Western world. Upper-class Europeans began to make it a habit in the 11th century, but most common folk regarded it as a pretentious irrelevancy for hundreds of years. Grabbing grub with the fingers was perfectly acceptable. I suspect this scenario might serve as an apt metaphor for you in 2025. You are primed to be an early adapter who launches trends. You will be the first to try novel approaches and experiment with variations in how things have always been done. Enjoy your special capacity, Gemini. Be bold in generating innovations.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Psychologist Abraham Maslow defined “peak experiences” as “rare, exciting, oceanic, deeply moving, exhilarating, elevating experiences that generate an advanced form of perceiving reality, and are even mystic and magical in their effect upon the experimenter.” The moment of falling in love is one example. Another may happen when a creative artist makes an inspiring breakthrough in their work. These transcendent interludes may also come from dreamwork, exciting teachings, walks in nature, and responsible drug use. (Read more here: tinyurl.com/PeakInterludes) I bring these ideas to your attention, Cancerian, because I believe the months ahead will be prime time for you to cultivate and attract peak experiences.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your life in 2025 will be pretty free of grueling karmic necessity. You will be granted exemptions from cosmic compulsion. You won’t be stymied by the oppressive inertia of the past. To state this happy turn of events more positively, you will have clearance to move and groove with daring expansiveness. Obligations and duties won’t disappear, but they’re more likely to be interesting than boring and arduous. Special dispensations and kind favors will flow more abundantly than they have in a long time.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): One of my most enjoyable goals in life has been to expunge my “isms.” I’m pleased that I have made dramatic progress in liquidating much of the perverse cultural conditioning that imprinted me as I was growing up. I’ve largely liberated myself from racism, sexism, classism, ableism, heteronormativity, looksism and even egotism. How are you doing with that stuff, Virgo? The coming months will be a favorable time to work on this honorable task. What habits of mind and feeling have you absorbed from the world that are not in sync with your highest ideals?
BY ROB BREZSNY
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Here’s one of my predictions for you in 2025, Libra: You will reach the outer limits of your domain and then push on to explore beyond those limits. Here’s another prediction: You will realize with a pleasant shock that some old expectations about your destiny are too small, and soon you will be expanding those expectations. Can you handle one further mind-opening, soulstretching prophecy? You will demolish at least one mental block, break at least one taboo and dismantle an old wall that has interfered with your ability to give and receive love.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): If you’re not married and would like to be, 2025 might be your best chance in years to find wedded bliss. If an existing intimate bond is less than optimal, the coming months will bring inspiration and breakthroughs to improve it. Let’s think even bigger and stronger, Scorpio, and speculate that you could be on the verge of all kinds of enhanced synergetic connections. I bet business and artistic partnerships will thrive if you decide you want them to. Links to valuable resources will be extra available if you work to refine your skills at collaboration and togetherness.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): I wonder how you will feel about the fact that I’m declaring 2025 to be the Year of the Muses for you Sagittarians. Will you be happy that I expect you to be flooded with provocative clues from inspiring influences? Or will you regard the influx of teachings and revelations as chaotic, confusing or inconvenient? In the hope you adopt my view, I urge you to expand your understanding of the nature of muses. They may be intriguing people, and might also take the form of voices in your head, ancestral mentors, beloved animals, famous creators or spirit guides.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Astrologers in ancient China had the appalling view that over two-thirds of all omens are negative, threatening or scary. I haven’t seen formal research into the biases of modern Western stargazers, but my anecdotal evidence suggests they tend to be equally pessimistic. I regard this as an unjustified travesty. My studies have shown that there is no such thing as an inherently ominous astrological configuration. All portents are revelations about how to successfully wrangle with our problems, perpetrate liberation, ameliorate suffering, find redemption and perform ingenious tweaks that liberate us from our mind-forged manacles. They always have the potential to help us discover the deeper meanings beneath our experiences. Everything I just said is essential for you to keep in mind during 2025.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Over the years, a few people who don’t know me well have accused me of “thinking too much” or “overthinking.” They are wrong. While I aspire to always be open to constructive criticism, I am sure that I don’t think too much. Not all my thoughts are magnificent, original and high-quality, of course; some are generated by fear and habit. However, I meticulously monitor the flow of all my thoughts and am skilled at knowing which ones I should question or not take seriously. The popular adage, “Don’t believe everything you think” is one of my axioms. In 2025, I invite you Aquarians to adopt my approach. Go right ahead and think as much as you want, even as you heighten your awareness of which of your thoughts are excellent and which are not.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): I’m pleased, bordering on gleeful, that your homecoming is well underway. All the signs suggest that as 2025 unfolds, you will ripen the processes of deepening your roots and building a stronger foundation. As a result, I expect and predict that your levels of domestic bliss will reach unprecedented heights. You may even create a deeply fulfilled sense of loving yourself exactly as you are and feeling like you truly belong to the world you are surrounded by. Dear Pisces, I dare you to cultivate more peace of mind than you have ever managed to arouse. I double-dare you to update traditions whose emotional potency has waned.
he didn’t
BY JOHN LEHNDORFF
The Coach Prime effect is real.
Deion Sanders has had an undeniable impact on life and the economy in Boulder since becoming CU Boulder’s football coach. The Buffs matter again.
While in Boulder, Sanders has chronicled some of his dining adventures and spotlighted a series of breakfast spots, even awarding an online A- grade to the iconic Village Coffee Shop.
Why the “minus”?
“I’m a Southern boy, they had no grits,” Sanders said on his Instagram Reel. “The pancakes, though, was thicker than the heel of an Air Force One. And that was good, but they didn’t have no grits.”
Understandably, the Village Coffee Shop and several other Boulder cafes took the hint and have added the dish to their menus.
That simple act combined with Coach Sanders’ larger-than-life persona has generated a street food myth circulating among those who don’t actually live or dine in Boulder. Recently, two Denver
sports radio commentators were talking about Sanders’ celebrity glow and Boulder.
One breathlessly stated:
“Before Coach Prime arrived, there were no grits available in Boulder. He brought them to the city.”
Sanders has never claimed to be the bringer of grits. He’s just a fan of the dish, like so many of us who have enjoyed it at Boulder restaurants since the 1980s — Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Dot’s Diner and other earlier eateries.
Grits were even cooked in Boulder by one of the most famous chefs in American history. Several decades ago, New Orleans cuisine innovator Paul Prudhomme came through Boulder promoting a cookbook.
When he arrived at the radio station to be interviewed, I said: “Welcome to Boulder!” Prudhomme smiled and said he had actually lived in Boulder in the early 1970s: He worked at an eatery on The
Hill and served little-known Cajun/Creole dishes including shrimp and grits.
For the uninitiated, grits — it’s always plural — are simply ground corn cooked in water, milk or broth. It’s a humble, comfy, a.m. savory sidekick often topped with butter or cheese. It can become a Creole dinner under a layer of spicy shrimp. Purists may be horrified, but some of us like our grits with syrup and butter.
If you choose another corn variety, the same dish is called polenta and is served at many of Boulder’s top-rated restaurants. No matter what you call it, the dish was traditional among Native American tribes who shared it with New World colonists.
The grits experts at South Carolina’s Anson Mills offer a great basic recipe at ansonmills.com/recipes/489. YouTube is also full of videos on how to properly prepare creamy grits, but some advice is common.
• Don’t use instant grits! Get coarse ground grits.
• Rinse the grits several times to skim off the chaff and hulls.
• Soaking grits overnight can reduce the cooking time by about half.
• On the stove, grits need to be cooked low and slow and must be stirred frequently to avoid scorching. Various experts suggest cooking them in a double boiler, oven or microwave to avoid hovering and stirring.
• Pueblo Seed & Food Company, a family farm in Cortez, produces white corn grits from certified organic heirloom corn. farmdirectseed.com While Boulder is admittedly not in the Southern “grits belt,” they are on the menu at Dot’s Diner, Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Parkway Cafe, Foolish Craig’s Cafe, Snooze, The Buff Restaurant, Walnut Cafe, South Side Walnut Cafe, Chautauqua Dining Hall and many other local restaurants.
We can thank the late 39th president for Boulder’s central role in America’s beer renaissance. According to the Boulder-based American Homebrewers Association (AHA), President Jimmy Carter signed a bill on Oct.14, 1978 federally legalizing home beer- and winemaking. Soon thereafter, celebrated homebrew teacher Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen founded the AHA in Boulder. In 1979, two CU Boulder professors opened Boulder Brewing Company, initially brewing in a goat shed. The first Great American Beer Festival took place in 1982 in Boulder. From 89 breweries in 1978, the number of U.S. brewers grew to 9,906 in 2023, according to the Boulder-based Brewers Association
Owners Lisa and Patrick Balcom have announced their award-winning farm-to-table Farow Restaurant will close in Niwot on Jan. 11. In a social media post, they noted “the rising costs of doing business have made it impossible to continue in a sustainable way.” In December, the couple had announced the closing of their Japanese eatery, Baa Hachi, in Longmont’s Parkway Food Hall
DJ’s Watering Hole, which uniquely featured authentic barbecue and Indian fare, has closed at 988 W. Dillon Road in Louisville.
A fire has indefinitely closed Half Fast Subs on the Hill.
We wanted to recognize the recent passing of Boulder restaurateur Nick Skodras at the age of 79. The Greek-born immigrant and his family opened The Aristocrat Steak House in 1971 in downtown Boulder serving breakfast, lunch and Greek fare in a loud, smoky atmosphere. Skodras created The Aristocrat’s largerthan-life six-egg Nick’s Special Omelet, which arrived with separate platters of hash browns and toast.
Upgrade your 2025 gardening experience by attending the annual Boulder County Seed Swap on Jan. 25 in Niwot. Get advice and pick up seeds for unusual varieties like cardoons, lovage, wonderberry, Malabar spinach, rat-tail radishes and other seeds not found at big box stores. Details: bit.ly/SeedSwapBW
Coming soon: CineCHEF, the tasting event featuring eight Colorado chefs, launches the annual Boulder International Film Festival on March 13. biff1.com/cinechef
Fans of true big city delis never get over their love of great pastrami and will pilgrimage to savor it again. Fleishman’s Bagels and Delicatessen offers the real thing — juicy, not too lean, thinly sliced and well spiced. When I stopped by the food truck set up in front of Full Cycle Cafe & Bar, 2355 30th St., I went for griddled pastrami, cooked-to-order eggs and Swiss cheese on a freshly boiled, baked, buttered and toasted garlic-studded bagel. It restored my faith in sandwiches.
“There could be no picture making without pastrami.”
– Orson Welles, director of Citizen Kane
John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Podcasts: kgnu.org/category/radio-nibbles
DEA ruling on psychedelic compounds expected later this year
BY GINA GIORGIO
What do students, a billion-dollar federal agency and scientific experts on niche research chemicals have in common? A stake in shaping the future of science, public health and policy — and a desire to protect the American people.
From Nov. 12-19, the team at Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) were in a legal battle at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) headquarters, defending the scheduling status of lesser-known psychedelic research compounds 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC), cornerstones in neuroscience research.
SSDP, the largest national youth-led network dedicated to ending the War on Drugs, has twice challenged the DEA, including requesting a formal hearing.
“None of us were experts on administrative hearings, we were just a couple of passionate scientists who wanted to make a difference,” says Elijah Ullman, PhD, pharmacologist and co-founder of
SSDP’s Science Policy Council, who joined SSDP when he was only a high school student. “Now our group has gone up in front of the federal government and made our voices heard.”
(Read Boulder Weekly’s story about the proposed ban: bit.ly/DEABan.)
DOI and DOC’s status as unscheduled compounds has made them de facto tools for researchers studying serotonin 5-HT2A receptors (which are activated by commonly used psychedelics) and its roles in pain management, combatting depression and preventing drug addiction.
These chemicals remain largely unpopular as recreational drugs since they produce a 20-30 hour effect duration and, according to some researchers, produce an “unpleasant” high.
SSDP and the government agreed there is no evidence of physiological or psychic dependence or documentation of human use in medical literature. But federal officials in favor of scheduling say they are ultimately concerned about a general rise in phenethylamine use.
The government’s primary arguments for scheduling DOI and DOC is that they lack any approved medical use and are not sought in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) applications, thereby failing to meet criteria for accepted therapeutic utility. The DEA further argues that because DOI and DOC are similar to other Schedule I drugs, they should be as well.
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) legal team, staff, scientific witnesses and science policy committee members outside of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Springfield, Virginia, headquarters in November. Courtesy: SSDP
When Dr. Theresa Carbonaro, the DEA expert witness and pharmacologist, was asked if drug use equates to abuse, she stated “Yes” and that any reports of DOI outside of a controlled, clinical setting are evidence of abuse and trafficking — “reports” here meaning anonymous posts on online drug use forums and Reddit comments.
This groundbreaking DOI and DOC case is the first hearing of its kind since the scheduling of MDMA (commonly known as molly or ecstasy) in 1985, as well as the first time “research harm evidence” has been formally considered in a DEA scheduling case.
Placement into Schedule I would create major regulatory and financial barriers that could delay crucial research by
months or years. Psychedelic regulation by the DEA has kept people out of the field for over 50 years.
Spanning across three full days, SSDP testimony included nearly a dozen scientific expert witnesses who argued against the scheduling, highlighting how criminalization exacerbates social inequities and public health challenges. This case, and the others that stood before, highlights the need for greater discernment and thorough evaluation of evidence in drug scheduling decisions, with a focus on their long-term societal implications.
When Dr. David Nichols, pharmacologist and the world’s leading expert on DOI, took the stand, he recounted how his son Charles realized the substance is one of the world’s most powerful antiinflammatory agents, more so than steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — a discovery that would not have been made if DOI was scheduled.
A scheduling recommendation from DEA Administrative Law Judge Paul E. Soeffing will follow a review of the courtroom transcripts and submission of the post-hearing briefs. This process is estimated to take several months, but SSDP remains steadfast in its mission to advocate for evidence-based drug policies and protect the freedom of scientific inquiry.
Gina Giorgio is the Director of Strategy and Development at Students for Sensible Drug Policy. She is a tea aficionado, avid pilates practitioner and psychedelic media enthusiast.
This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of Boulder Weekly.
