›› Fracking jockeyed for the top spot among news items this week (competing with the murder trial of Kevin McGregor, more on that below), starting with the news that the state’s top oil and gas regulator has decided to join the state’s top law firm representing oil and gas companies. Dave Neslin practically wrote Colorado drilling regulations and once he joins Davis Graham & Stubbs on March 1, he’ll be assisting well operators to navigate them. Late in the week, Boulder County announced that it is imposing a moratorium on oil and gas drilling by suspending development planning for drilling applications that are in the pipeline. The issue of local control over drilling operations is one of the many issues dividing the state. Local governments responding to citizen concerns about potential health impacts of fracking are powerless to ban the practice outright … and that’s just the way that oil and gas companies, as well as some state officials (including Neslin and Gov. John Hickenlooper) want to keep it. Still, cities and counties have the power to impose certain guidelines through land-use rules and several (including Longmont and Commerce City, to name just a few) have halted new approvals while studying what other tools they might have at their disposal. Or, as Boulder County officials explained about its moratorium in a press release Thursday: “This will give us time to make sure that, within the limits of our legal authority, we are able to mitigate local impacts from these activities and to maximize protection for the people and environment of Boulder County.” The county will hold a public meeting on March 1 at 4 p.m. in the Commissioners Hearing Room on the third floor of the Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St. to get input from citizens.

›› Also late on Thursday, a jury in the first degree murder trial of Keven McGregor, accused of shooting and killing 20-year-old University of New Hampshire football player Todd Walker during a botched hold-up on The Hill was found guilty on all counts and immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole. The jury rejected the defense’s contention that McGregor accidentally shot Walker in a struggle over control of the gun. A Colorado Bureau of Investigation firearms expert testified earlier in the trial that evidence showed Walker could not have been shot from closer than five to six feet, casting doubt on the “grappling for the gun” theory. McGregor’s attorneys said they will appeal. See a comprehensive article about yesterday’s verdict in the Daily Camera here.

›› In the lightening round of lighter fare we have: Boulder Police arrested a very hungry man who gives a new perspective on folks who say “I’m going to destroy this meal” before scarfing into a plate of vittles … he’s accused of literally destroying (and eating) about $1,000 worth of prepared food he pawed through after breaking into the Alfalfa’s Market to satisfy a case of the late night munchies. / Judy Volc, the beloved storytime reader from the Boulder Public Library who was unceremoniously and arbitrarily fired from the volunteer position she’d held for more 50 years by new library Director Valerie Maginnis, essentially told Maginnis to pound sand when rejecting Maginnis’s feeble counter-offer intended to turn down some of the heat the decision has generated. Maginnis wanted Volc to act as a “greeter” at the library, for free. According to the Daily Camera, Volc responded by saying, “If I wanted to drive four or five miles to meet and greet, I would do it at Walmart and get paid.” BAM. / And lastly, while Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter, some rodent called “Flatiron Freddy” saw overcast skies in Boulder and prematurely called for the onset of spring. As we dig out from a nice winter drubbing less than 24 hours later, it’s easy to see that Freddy still has a to learn from Phil.

The flap began last month when out of the blue Maginnis sacked Volc, who has volunteered to read to children for 50 years. The public reaction was swift and brutal and the hate-mail floodgates were opened. “Some of the email was very violent and profane,” she told the Daily Camera at the time, clearly caught unawares by how seriously Boulderites take their kids’ storytime.

But the truth is that she had no real reason to fire Volc other than a vague need to create a “uniform” storytime program at all library branches, even though the only inconsistency seems to be Volc was a volunteer and not a paid staff member, as readers are at other branches. At the Boulder Library Commission meeting Wednesday night, she finally admitted after repeated questioning that she’s never received any complaints about Volc.

According to the Daily Camera, Maginnis got an earful at the meeting. Commissioners weren’t told about the decision in advance and said they felt “blindsided.” They asked Maginnis to see the error of her ways and to address the ill will she’s created in the community by reversing course.

“When the community feels very strongly, it’s our responsibility to hear that, and we’ve heard it loud and clear,” said commissioner Anne Sawyer. “But I don’t see any movement on your part.”

Maginnis seems to be sticking to her guns, bending only so far as to offer Volc a role as “library greeter,” which Volc isn’t interested in.

“If I wanted to drive four or five miles to meet and greet, I would do it at Walmart and get paid,” Volc told the paper.

It’s hard to argue with that. The community doesn’t need a “library greeter”—it needs its longtime story reader back. It also needs a library director who responds to the community and who can admit when she’s wrong.

“Good things come in small packages.” (I’m only 5’1’’. Enough said).

February is a pretty small package compared to the rest of the months, but it’s jam-packed with awesomeness. Did you know that February is Stout Month? Who doesn’t love a good stout. And the Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery couldn’t be more excited about Stout Month. Check out this awesome list of locally produced stouts they put together for you. Rate your favorite stout beers and keep track of the ones you’ve tried here.

February also plays host to fun holidays like Groundhog Day (February 2^nd), and Fat Tuesday (February 21^st), and for those of you with a significant other—Valentine’s Day. (If I have to list the date of this classic Hallmark holiday, you probably shouldn’t be celebrating it). February is also Chocolate Lovers Month, and my personal favorite, National Bird Feeding Month. Who doesn’t like feeding birds, right?

So show February some appreciation by seriously indulging in the first weekend of this often overlooked month! Check out this line-up of events for Saturday. There’s a little something for everyone.

So everyone—enjoy!

CU Men’s Basketball vs. Oregon | Coors Event Center | Boulder | 7:00 p.m.
Go Buffs! Show my (yes, I said my) Buffs some support against the Oregon Ducks this Saturday at home. Enjoy game day drinks specials at Zolo Grill or grab a beer at Blues and Greens in the Outlook Hotel before you make you make your way over to the game. Remember, cheer loudly for the half-time Tuba Twirlers—they totally deserve it.

Super Firkin Saturday | Lucky Pie Pizza & Tap House | Louisville | 2 p.m.- 5 p.m.
February is the month of love, and there really isn’t anything that I love more than I beer-centric event hosted by my friends at Lucky Pie. What exactly is a firkin? In my opinion, it’s a great way to experiment with craft beer, but check out this Beer Advocate article for the technicalities behind it. This Saturday, Lucky Pie is featuring specialty firkins from Avery Brewing, Left Hand Brewing, Bristol Brewing and Black Fox Brewing—along with Lucky Pie munchies and the opportunity to rub elbows with representatives from each of these four, fantastic Colorado breweries. $20 gets you:  In, a glass of each firkin beer, the munchies and the rub elbows bit.

Interstate Stash Express and the Grant Farm | The Dicken’s Opera House | Longmont | 8:00 p.m.
I might be a little biased. I’ve been listening to Terry Kishiyama and the Interstate Stash Express band for years. They’re local. They’re fantastic. They’re going to make your foot twitch. Seriously. And I’ve heard fantastic things about The Grant Farm from fellow bluegrass enthusiasts. This show is a real one-two punch of all things revered in the local music scene.

Second Annual Bob Marley Birthday Party Benefit | The Shine Restaurant and Gathering Place | Boulder | 8:00 p.m.
Did you know that Bob Marley was an Aquarius? He totally was, and the new-kid-on-the-block, Shine, is celebrating Bob in style this Saturday at 8 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Colorado Jamaica Project and will feature the musical stylings of DJ Uplifter along with MC Black Rhino. Tickets are $10 and doors open at 8 p.m. Don’t worry about a thing, because every little thing at this event is going to be alright.

Playback Theater West: A Night of Improvisational Theater | The Dairy Center for the Arts | Boulder | 8 p.m.
If you are one of those exceptionally shy people—that’s okay—but I wouldn’t recommend going to this show. For this improve show, audience participation is a must, and performer’s will perform skits based on stories from the audience to “entertain, enrich and enlighten” audience members. This show is PG-13, which the rating everyone wants from an improv comedy show.

Davis Graham & Stubbs counts Encana Oil & Gas among its clients, the well operator that sparked a fracking controversy in Erie with plans to open an eight-well drilling pad just a few hundred yards from both of its elementary schools. Just weeks ago, Neslin attended an Erie Board of Trustees meeting to discuss fracking in his role as industry watchdog. Encana representatives were also present at the meeting and, as of March 1, he’ll be part of Encana’s outside legal team.

“This says a lot about where he’s been coming from when he’s been at public hearings for God knows how long,” said Erie resident Wendy Leonard, a member of an anti-fracking grassroots group called Erie Rising.

As an organization, Erie Rising had no comment on Neslin’s move, said spokeswoman April Beach.

Davis Graham & Stubbs represented Encana as recently as last year, when it petitioned the state engineer for a finding that certain groundwater formations beneath Encana oil fields in Garfield County were “nontributary,” meaning Encana wouldn’t need to go through the added cost and headache of obtaining a water permit for extracting it as a byproduct of drilling activities from deep below the surface.

Chris Richardson, the law firm’s managing partner, said that although Encana is a client, they don’t get involved in the company’s day-to-day operational issues, which are usually left to in-house lawyers. Therefore, Encana spokeswoman Wendy Weidenbeck said, Neslin’s new job would have no impact on local issues.

Still, Davis Graham & Stubbs touts many areas of expertise among its lawyers that are of direct concern to Erie residents. On the law firm’s website are links to presentations detailing strategies for dealing with lawsuits alleging fracking-related health effects and updates on pending litigation and regulatory issues.

And regulatory issues are Neslin’s forte. Appointed as acting director of COGCC in 2007, he “piloted the overhaul of Colorado’s drilling regulations—a long and politically charged exercise,” writes the Denver Post. Thanks to Neslin, Colorado has what are widely regarded to be some of the toughest drilling regulations in the country and Davis Graham & Stubbs is clearly excited to have him on board to help its oil and gas clients navigate them.

“Dave’s expertise and history with the COGCC will be a tremendous asset to our energy clients who are committed to developing their projects in a responsible manner,” Richardson is quoted as saying in a press release.

To be sure, the law firm represents more oil and gas companies than just Encana. Richardson would only say that there are a “variety of them.” The law firm’s website goes into a bit more detail:

“These clients range from individuals, partnerships, independents, and small companies to major joint ventures and Fortune 500 companies,” it says. “Many of our clients are foreign, including companies based in Canada, France, Germany, England, Japan and Australia. We also assist U.S. clients with activities in numerous foreign countries.”

There is a bright side to the top state-level overseer of the oil and gas industry now working on behalf of that industry, at least in the eyes of one fracking opponent.

“The positive piece on this is that hopefully we’ll get someone in there that isn’t biased,” said Leonard.

Neslin could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

You’re so excited.

I am too.

And the first week in February is a fantastic precursor to all of the warm weather event madness to come.

Check out these upcoming events through Friday of this week, and stay tuned for my next post solely dedicated to the awesomeness that is this Saturday. Get your calendars out, because you’re going to want to be sure that these events on there!

Wednesday, February 1^st
Hump Day at the Fish House | Jax Fish House | Boulder
Aside from the awkward name, this event sounds pretty spectacular. Dine on a tasting menu created especially for the evening by Jax’s head chef, Adam Watts, and enjoy happy hour prices at the bar all night. Voted ‘Best Seafood in Boulder County’ in 2011, this unique weekly menu will be sure to satisfy your appetite. ($35 per person).

Thursday, February 2^nd
Groundhog Day Luau and Pig Roast | The Lyons Fork | Lyons
Get your party on Punxsutawney style this Groundhog Day and celebrate the little critter and the beginning of spring with a luau and a pig roast at the Lyons Fork. Break out your lei and grass skirt, catch some live tunes by Joe Kukla, indulge in a few of the Fork’s sinful margaritas or sip on some craft beer from Maui Brewing Co.

Thursday, February 2^nd
Satellite Tap Room | West End Tavern | Boulder
The idea of the Satellite Tap Room is genius, and the West End Tavern in Boulder is the perfect host for an event like this. This month’s guest brewery that will be taking over the West End taps on Thursday night is none other than the top Colorado craft beer producer, New Belgium. The Fort Collins brewery will be bringing in twenty-two beers, including favorites such as Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat, along with several specialty beers. Two New Belgium reps will be on hand to chat about the beer, and word on the street is that customers will have a chance to win one of the obnoxiously cool, red cruiser bikes.

Friday, February 3^rd
1^st Friday Art Walk | Old Town | Niwot
You drive by the tiny town of Niwot all of the time, but never take that turn and pull over to tour the quaint and inviting section of Old Town. Well, here’s your chance. Niwot is definitely a places that knows how to hold community events right. Every first Friday of the month, Old Town is packed with people wandering in out of the participating shops, snacking on refreshments, perusing local artwork and listening to live music. Take advantage of discounts offered by local stores along the way, and end your night with a glass of wine and dinner at Colterra.

Friday, February 3^rd
Hazel Miller | The Dicken’s Opera House | Longmont
This lady rocks. Seriously. Hazel Miller is known all over Colorado and the country for having a set of killer pipes and for putting on one hell-of-a show! If you’ve been waiting for a chance to put your dancing shoes on and hit the town—here’s your chance. This high energy blend of jazz, blues, pop and soul will have you on your feet all night!

Boulder police on Saturday arrested a man they caught in Alfalfa’s Market at 3 a.m. giving in to a serious grazing binge. Twenty-seven-year-old Anthony Nathaniel Tornowski is accused of “eating or destroying about $1,000 worth of food,” according to the Daily Camera. The article didn’t mention whether or not he was stoned, as a pantry raid of that scale might indicate, but notes that police believe he’d been drinking.

Tornowski most likey entered the store through an unlocked door and helped himself to prepared food in the display case, scarfing on sushi, muffins, potato salad and roasted chicken. Alerted by a motion alarm, the cops caught him hiding in the deli a mere four minutes after he entered the store. Enter this guy in an eating contest.

The Camera reports that Tornowski told police that he’d entered the store with another person—someone called “Jeff”—but no one else was found and surveillance videotape showed that he gave in to his cravings all on his own. Food was found scattered throughout the store.

He was arrested on suspicion of second degree burglary and bonded out later on Saturday for $500. Read his arrest report here.

Pamela and Leon Phillips have been living in Boulder while Leon, a chemistry professor, is a visiting fellow at JILA, a joint venture of CU-Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Pamela Phillips was enamored enough of Boulder’s extensive system of bike paths, bike lanes and bike/motorist accommodations that she wrote a lengthy piece in her hometown newspaper The Press, hoping to encourage a rebuilt Christchurch to follow Boulder’s lead.

“When we arrived from earthquake-ravaged Christchurch for a six-month stay in Boulder, we were struck by the similarities between the two cities,” she wrote, “and wondered if some features of the Boulder lifestyle could be beneficial in a rebuilt Christchurch.”

The Feb. 22, 2011 earthquake caused widespread damage in the central city and eastern suburbs, requiring a near-total rebuild at an estimated cost of $16-$24 billion.

Among Boulder’s bike friendly amenities that Phillips suggests for Christchurch:

• It’s 310 miles of bike lanes, routes, designated shoulders and paths;

• Enhanced crosswalks and intersections;

• The B-cycle bike sharing program;

• Boulder’s extensive bus network and PR programs aimed at reducing vehicle travel;

• And its numerous bike racks, locked shelters at bus stops, and bike friendly busses.

She also touts the city’s lawmakers for striking a balance between the freedom of bicycling and bicyclists’ responsibilities to safety, noting laws prohibiting drunk cycling, requiring lighting after dark, and a proposal to impose a speed limit on bike paths.

Boulder’s bike culture “makes me think nostalgically about the time when Christchurch was also bicycle-friendly, with an average of four bicycles to a household,” she wrote.

But there are things, she writes, that Boulder could also learn from Christchurch—the New Zealand city is ahead of Boulder in terms of its waste management goals.

“In l997 the city adopted a waste management plan which commits the city council to zero waste by 2020,” she writes of Christchurch. “Boulder County passed a zero waste resolution in 2005 and aims to achieve zero waste or ‘damn near’ by 2025.”

Of course, Boulder has long been a model for other communities in alternate transportation, especially as it regards bicycling (it was awarded a platinum designation by the League of American Bicyclists in 2008), but it’s still nice to know that the efforts are noticed by visitors … and in this case, that they might spur other communities to follow suit.

So that’s cool. You’re engaged. And now that the holiday hype is officially a thing of the past,  it’s time for you to get serious about your future. There’s a good chance that you’ve already started planning. Which is great. Because the first thing that people are going to ask you once they finish fawning over your perfect ring and giving you a solid congratulatory hand-shake—is “how’s the planning going?” and “when’s the big day?” With so many people asking you such hard-hitting questions right off of the bat, it’s hard not to feel pressured to jump straight into the planning and start trying to sort out the perfect vision of you and your partner’s idea of wedding day bliss.

So instead of jumping feet first into a world of stress and panic, check out this upcoming, local bridal show in Boulder. Find some direction. Get some ideas. Taste some delicious food. You’ll be happy that you did. You might even find your perfect venue! Which, next to finding the perfect partner and the perfect dress, is pretty much the most exciting thing about planning your perfect wedding.

The 15^th Annual Boulder Wedding Showcase
Sunday, January 29^th | 11 am – 3 pm

Wedding showcases are hands down the best way to get a sense of exactly what type of wedding details fit your style. This popular Boulder Wedding Showcase will give you an idea of the different culinary and photography companies that you can book in Boulder County. Sample food, check out photographer’s portfolios, listen to some live jazz music, and possibly find your perfect venue. The showcase will be hosted by the Boulder Theater and Rembrandt Yard, and you’ll get a good look at the space and the chance to ask the experts any questions that you might have about either venue. Maybe the funky, historic Boulder Theater, with its giant full bar and unique decorations is the perfect venue for you. Or maybe you’re the artsy type. Incorporate a little hipster into your big day and book a venue with tons of windows, tons of light, beautiful and serene décor and local artwork covering the walls. Either way, follow this link and mark this Sunday in your special wedding planning calendar today!

The latest case study is Yuri Wright, a high school football phenom from New Jersey who was courted by Michigan, Rutgers, Notre Dame and CU. Michigan, which the Daily Camera reports was Wright’s dream school, offered him a scholarship.

But then he was expelled from high school last week for posting an ongoing stream of thuggish and misogynistic tweets. The Camera reports that Wright ignored months of warnings from school officials to clean up his Twitter feed (which was protected, but he’d approved more than 1,600 followers). It was only after he was kicked out of school—and saw his Michigan scholarship offer withdrawn over concerns about his character—that he closed his account.

Wright committed to CU on Tuesday and told ESPN that he was “very grateful” that coach Jon Embree was still willing to have him in a Buffs uniform.

Not many of Wright’s tweets are fit for publication (but ChatSports.com, a sports news website, managed to snatch some before the account vanished and posted samples here), but it can be diplomatically said that he enjoys the company of women and, in one post, is intrigued by whether certain sexual reactions in women amount to “organisms.” His posts are littered with the N-word and numerous explicit references to sexual acts and anatomy. In one of the few tweets lacking in profanity or strong language, he wrote about how his “pops” drove by “some jewish lady” and splashed her with water.

It’s one thing to post a boneheaded tweet once in awhile (one of the forgiving things about the medium is that Twitter-memory can be short), but some of the tweets posted by ChatSports are dated in July.

Sports Illustrated reasonably points out that locker room vulgarity is nothing new with male athletes. The difference is that in the past it was confined to the locker room.

Wright “made a mistake common among the members of his generation,” wrote columnist Andy Staples. “He thought something 1,600 people could read was private.”

The short discussion on the #yuriwright Twitter thread displays a variety of opinions, ranging from “Glad my boy #YuriWright found a college that doesn’t care if you’re illiterate” and “Pleasantly surprised that schools still have standards” to “Leave #yuriwright alone! Our twitters/ facebooks are our personal. School is School our home life is our home life. Like wtf.”

For his part, Wright told ESPN that he’s sworn off Twitter and learned his lesson.

“I made a huge mistake,” he told writer Greg Biggins. “I definitely learned a valuable lesson, and I promise nothing like that will ever happen again.”

Several news outlets have quoted task force officials as saying that the busts had nothing to do with medical marijuana, but who also hinted that those arrested used the medical marijuana law to cover their illegal activities.

Agencies involved in the operation, code named Sweet Leaf, came from sheriff’s departments in nearly every county north of Denver and included agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the IRS and even the Postal Service. The suspects are believed to have grown the marijuana for distribution to other states, including by mailing it. There were also arrests in Breckenridge.

KMGH reports that the raids resembled paramilitary operations at some locations, including at a house in Northglenn where officers used armored cars and flash-bang grenades while executing a search warrant. The cul-de-sac near West 104th Avenue and Melody Drive was shut down early Wednesday morning with about 20 emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire trucks, the station reported on its website.

Despite the very high profile of marijuana in Colorado, equally high-profile crackdowns are less frequent than in California, where in some years such raids are a monthly occurrence. The Colorado honeymoon may well be over; U.S. Attorney John Walsh sent letters of warning earlier this month to Colorado dispensaries within 1,000 feet of elementary schools that the hammer will soon fall if they don’t relocate. Distribution of controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school is a sentencing enhancement that can double penalties upon conviction.

He described the pending legal action as a “first wave” of more to come, but marijuana growers—medical or otherwise—may be seeing the first ripples come ashore.