“We’ve seen what happens when senators cut special deals for Nebraska or Louisiana or Florida,” he told a crowd gathered outside his office. “What we haven’t seen—and what we desperately need—is at least one member of the U.S. Senate who will stand up for the United States of America. One senator who will say no to back room deals. One senator who will take on Washington’s political class by turning down the corporate cash that corrupts it.”

Romanoff announced that his campaign will be funded almost fully by Coloradans, and he reiterated that he would not accept funds from special interests or corporations. He says he will be a senator for the people—not for the PACs.

About a week after his press conference, Romanoff spoke with me, expounding on his campaign and platform. He did not necessarily put a honing target on Bennet’s back, but he spoke about systematic flaws in the modern political machine. His is a message of populism—at a time when populist rage has become chic.

“There is something in the water supply in the Capitol that makes politicians forget who they work for,” Romanoff says. “I don’t want to have to pick between what is good for my constituents and what it is profitable to my contributors.

“There is a reason all those special interests pour money into campaigns for Congress. Voters have a right to know what those companies get in return for their money,” he continues. “What those groups expect in return is the ear of the senator. You dance with them. You end up spending too much time appeasing your contributors and not enough time serving your constituents.”

Romanoff does not consider himself a small fish in the big, back room-dealing pond of Washington DC—despite early polling and fund-raising numbers that show him behind both the Democratic incumbent and Republican frontrunner Jane Norton. Though a recent Rasmussen poll has former lieutenant governor Norton taking a 7-point lead over Romanoff and a 14-point lead over Bennet.

Romanoff says he is no underdog. He is “for the underdogs.” Still, the well-regarded Colorado Democrat speaks as though he is a bit of a lone wolf.

“I worked hard to build the Democratic Party in Colorado over the last 15 years,” Romanoff says. “I’m proud of creating the majority. But it’s clear that the national Democratic Party is against me. They’ve circled the wagons for the incumbents, but the good thing is that they don’t live in Colorado. I think most voters have not made a decision yet. And I’m gonna work awfully hard over the next 10 months to earn their support.
“I’ve said it before, I’m not entitled to serve in the Senate. This is a job you have to earn, and that is what I am going to do.”

Romanoff is positioning himself as a reformer. But truth be told, last year when I sat down with Bennet, he spoke of himself as a reformer and a political outsider too—a tenderfoot politician who had never actually run in an election. Last year, when then Sen. Ken Salazar was appointed as Interior Secretary by the Obama administration, Gov. Bill Ritter selected Bennet—who had worked in business, as John Hickenlooper’s chief of staff and as the superintendent of Denver Public Schools—to be Colorado’s junior senator. More than one Colorado Dem had expected Romanoff to get the job, so the move came as a surprise to many.

Still, Romanoff says that even now he is the right politician for the post. He quotes FDR: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” It’s one of the reasons he became a Democrat and the reason he became a politician.

“I think our obligation as a nation and as humans is to help provide an opportunity for each person to succeed,” he says. “We can’t guarantee the outcome, but we can guarantee that everyone has an education and a safe place to live or the chance to see a doctor.”

For Romanoff, that means breaking down the highly noxious climate that has seized Pennsylvania Avenue. As much as others talk about bipartisanship, Romanoff does have a solid record of finding solutions and making progress despite partisan roadblocks. He’s a political wonk without being an ideologue.

“I know how to build coalitions. I know how to find common ground. And I know where to draw the line,” he says. “Right now, the majority does not know it’s in charge and the minority has no interest in governing any more.

“I think it is a lot tougher in DC right now. The ranks of moderate Republican have been thinned. There are not a lot of moderates. That makes bipartisanship tougher,” Romanoff continues. “But bipartisanship should be a means, not an end. You don’t sacrifice your principals just so you can reach across the aisle.”

Colorado voters approved medical marijuana in 2000, but a storm of municipal concern and debate started only recently—more specifically, after President Obama announced he would stop raids on medical marijuana businesses—when pot shops sprouted up in numerous Colorado cities, including Boulder, Longmont and Fort Collins. Numerous cities have responded with moratoriums, giving themselves time to regulate dispensaries. While cities are still struggling (and will continue to struggle) with how to regulate the onslaught of medical marijuana dispensaries, it’s expected to be an issue at the state level as well.

When questioned about any tasty stories for Yellow Scene’s legislative preview, state Rep. Paul Weissmann of Louisville eschewed such lofty issues as the death penalty for the kaleidoscopic marijuana mess, which involves everything from zoning ordinances for dispensary locations to care providers now having to offer “additional services” such as yoga or lawn-mowing.

“I will be very involved in this,” Weissmann said, “looking out for the people who are using medical marijuana and making sure that the legal supply is not cut off.”
As a state representative since 1992, Weissmann has been fighting the fugacious War on Drugs with fervor and has personally followed Colorado’s marijuana policy for more than 30 years now, ever since his bygone days in college when—“like most people my age”—he dabbled in a bit of pot himself.

“Although, it’s been years,” he makes sure to note, “and I’ve lived to tell about it!”
“I’ve never thought that it made much sense to spend millions…to ban a substance that, while not healthy, is not any worse than legal products like booze or tobacco. …It would make more sense to legalize and regulate it.”

Opining that the majority of Boulder County denizens would indeed support a proposal to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana for recreational use, Weissmann may in fact be ahead of his time.

Proving how nebulous an issue this has become, at the time of our discussion, Weissmann lamented that medical marijuana dispensaries only pay income taxes and license fees. A mere few days after our confab, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter stated that he plans on directing dispensaries to start paying sales tax as well, now that Attorney General John Suthers has made it clear that medical marijuana is “personal property” and should be so taxed. Unlike tax-exempt prescription drugs and more like, well, alcohol and cigarettes.

Denver is already on its way to imposing such taxes, and the rest of Colorado’s dispensaries will have to just hold their breath in rapt anticipation. Perhaps this step will finally legitimize what has long been considered a “black-market” community, Courtney Tanning of the Colorado Wellness Association recently told the Denver Post. “I think the (medical marijuana) community is willing…to pay dues to be taken seriously,” she said.

Not to mention all the good levying sales tax on medical marijuana could do for Colorado’s $320 million deficit. The General Assembly has already transferred $35 million from tobacco moneys to the General Fund that will assist in the budget gap, and after state lawmakers lifted the archaically puritanical ban on Sunday liquor sales back in 2008, excise tax went up 7 percent. According to the US News and World Report, similar surges in tax money hit the other 12 states across the country who did the same, earning together more than $200 million in annual revenue.

Around $15 million—what Colorado lawmakers are estimating we’ll take in once legitimized medical marijuana is taxed appropriately—may seem like a drop in the bucket, but at least it’s a start. Better than having to eliminate more than the 270 full-time state employees Gov. Ritter is eighty-sixing thanks to 2009 state budget cuts. Better also than having to implement further wage and hiring freezes statewide, or having to extend the already enacted year-long suspension on senior citizen property tax exemption.

Maybe your neighbors should be slightly more flexible the next time they notice a pungent smell wafting in the air. As long as you’re paying sales tax on it, of course.

Also on Dec. 1, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus will perform at 7pm at the First United Methodist Church in Boulder. Tickets are $15. Visit bcap.org for more information.

Some cities have billboards that greet visitors with a giant “welcome.” Some city entryways are more artistic, conceptual or abstract. Others are more like warnings: “Welcome to Paradise, Pop. 384. No Loitering.” But Longmont’s new unofficial welcome mat makes a different kind of statement: Longmont, Chug it Down! Last month, Oskar Blues Brewery unveiled its grain-silo-turned-giant-beer-can at the southwest end of town, where Hover meets Ken Pratt, the junction where Boulderites descending from grace enter Longmont. The 68-year-old silo is a part of what will soon become Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids, the Lyons-based brewery’s newest venture. The transformation of the silo, while approved by the city, did receive some criticism. Despite naysayers, Oskar Blues’ can-do attitude persisted, and the silo was eventually painted to resemble a 39-foot can of beer. It’s a great marketing boon for Oskar Blues; the city, on the other hand, should just pop the top and drink it in. Cheers!

[politics]
‘Just a Feather in Your Cap’
Rep. Jared Polis shocked audiences last month when he did a beer bong on national TV and admitted that he does not, in fact, wear a feathery cap. On popular news talk show The Colbert Report, Polis sat down with pundit and comedy journalist Stephen Colbert to discuss Colorado’s “fightin’ 2nd” (that’s 2nd District for you plebs out there) in a segment known as Even Better-er Know a District. The show also featured an introduction to the region, featuring our famed giant volleyball players and the slopes of Vail. Colbert declared Boulder the tea-bagging capital of America (who doesn’t love tea!?!). Polis and Colbert also discussed the congressman’s homosexuality, Colbert’s love for the ladies and Polis’ name change. They touched on Polis’ earlier remark that Congress is a lot like college. That’s when Colbert whipped out a beer bong and a six-pack of Coors Light. Polis knocked back only about half a beer, making it clear that he did not attend CU.

[Crime and punishment]
Laying Down the Law
It’s one thing to have your buzz ruined, but it’s a life-altering experience to get tackled by a dude with no pants on. Police responded to an attempted car theft in Boulder and found Benjamin Smith being detained by Justin Chentnik. Apparently, Chentnik—who sleeps in the nude—was woken by his roommate, who said someone was in the house. Police say Smith had come over looking for a place to party; he supposedly broke in and took a set of keys, so he could listen to music. With his nobleness showing (as well as his twig and berries), Chentnik jumped out of bed, ran out to the car and grabbed the keys. There was a struggle; Smith ended up on his back with Chentnik atop him. Police had a tough time figuring out who was the victim; we guess Smith will continue to wonder about that as well.

2} You Down With BEC?
Broomfield City Council approved the contract late last month that secures Peak Entertainment, LLC, as the new BEC manager. Peak, a joint venture between well-known entertainment promoter AEG Live and sporting venue manager Kroenke Sports Enterprises, will replace Broomfield Sports and Entertainment. The three-year contract can be renewed up to 30 years and will make Broomfield more financially vested in the venue than in the past. The city will be required to pay for the first $450,000 in losses over the first three years of the contract. Broomfield and Peak Entertainment will share initial improvement costs up to $1 million; the city will pay up to $500,000 of those. Broomfield will share in revenue as well. What’s Next: Peak Entertainment took over operation on Sept. 1. They will continue to announce plans.

3} Renovating 36
“Going forward, U.S. 36 is all about money.” That’s what Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Russell George told a crowd during the launch of the Help Us Fix U.S. 36 campaign, which supporters are hoping will raise awareness and bring in cash for Highway 36 improvements. Planners have introduced possible options for an overhaul of 36, including managed lanes for carpools and toll payers, bus rapid transit, corridor walkways and updates to aging bridges and pavement. It’s expected to cost $1.3 billion. Political leaders and transportation officials at the launch discussed seeking federal support in upcoming months. “Highway 36 is my top highway to fund,” Rep. Jared Polis said during the event. What’s Next: The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the renovation of Highway 36 will be released in mid September.

4} Doors Wide Shut
The Longmont Times-Call, a Lehman Communications newspaper, filed suit against the Longmont City Council in August. The newspaper claims the council violated Colorado open-meetings laws when it allegedly adopted a decision on a legal matter during a June 23 executive session. According to the suit, following the meeting Mayor Roger Lange and a member of council told Times-Call reporter Rachel Carter that City Council had done a “straw poll” and decided during the closed-door meeting to appeal a recent court ruling. “This conduct constitutes the ‘adoption of a position’ by the City Council, an action that the Colorado Open Meetings Law expressly prohibits a local public body from doing in the course of an executive session,” the suit reads. Times-Call is asking the court to listen to the meeting tapes. What’s Next: The city has since filed an answer to the suit, denying wrong doing and saying the meeting was properly closed. Times-Call is expected to file a reply in September.

5} Teachers’ Dirty Looks
The Boulder Valley School District saga continued when hundreds of outraged teachers—including those from other districts, showing solidarity—filled a school board meeting to support union leaders, who called contract offers “demeaning.” A week prior, union members rejected a contract that gave a one-year, 1-percent stipend and no cost of living increase. Similarly, St. Vrain School District also struggled to resolve contract issues; as of press time, St. Vrain’s union had rejected two district offers. What’s Next: Both districts and unions continue to seek mediation; reports from the Colorado Education Association are due out soon.

The 14ers were a feeder team for the Nuggets, not to mention one of the only big draws at the flailing BEC. Unfortunately, their departure could be another nail in the coffin for the center which has had management and funding issues over the last year.

These days, with the way youngsters are, Girls Gone Wild seems like mild sexual exploitation and youthful rebellion. Sneaking into dad’s Playboy collection, like Atari and the concept of the family phone, has become passé. And the playground—where prior generations learned how to flirt and fight—has been traded in for a different playing field: Facebook and Myspace, text message and instant message, Twitter and YouTube.

And who knows what else?

Adolescence and the digital revolution have collided: tech-savvy kids are coming of age online and experiencing communication, relationships and life through text-message shorthand, LCD monitors and Kanye West’s tweets. Porky’s-era tomfoolery of youth, lust and puberty has gone worldwide and wireless, leaving some convinced that puppy love and teen angst are not PC compatible.

“You have a generation that is way more isolated than past generations—even with all the information they are sending back and forth,” said Leslie Seppinni, doctor of clinical psychology, family therapist and national mental health examiner for Examiner.com. “It’s a real problem. It’s creating a false social sense and a false sense of group and network. It’s a false sense of interaction.”

The kids are not all right. Or at least, experts say, when parents are too busy, too clueless or too unconcerned, social media and cell phones can become a child’s personal Sin City. Sexting—taking provocative photos of oneself or others with a cell phone and texting them to friends—has become the Girls Gone Wild of the text generation: Who needs to go to Cancun to show off her goodies when she can do it from the comfort of her princess bed?

Not only has sexting become something of a buzzword for parents and educators, it is now a quagmire for the judicial system: Can we charge kids with making and transmitting pornographic images of themselves? But the hype has given hope to some psychologists and family experts, who say public awareness may bring attention to the problem and eventual solutions. Still, they are left asking what happened to common sense, modesty and flirting?

While there are many theories, most say it is simply a perfect storm for the digital age.

Peter Ferioli, director of operations for Net Nanny, which creates parental-control software, says technology and teens have matured together and the rest of the world is playing catch-up. Parents and educators who barely understand what Twitter and OMG mean now have the job of curbing things like cyber-bullying, compulsive Facebooking and sexting.

“Technology is passing us by as parents,” Ferioli said. “We were never prepared to turn these tools over to teens. We empowered kids with the ability to contact anyone anywhere without giving them a curriculum of how to deal with this responsibility.”

Some posit that it’s the increasingly overt and gratuitous sexuality seen in media that has seeped into the psyche of unsuspecting youth, triggering a questionable barometer of what one should or shouldn’t capture on tape. Corinne Gregory, founder and president of SocialSmarts, a program that puts “civil” back in civilization by teaching children and teens behavior, character and social skills, says increasingly scandalous media has caused a “removal of stigma,” which teaches kids that showing skin is a normal way of getting attention.

“It’s a popularity contest, and it’s all about the shock factor,” Gregory said. “…So, on some level, they are getting exactly what they want: attention and notoriety.”

In that same fashion, sexting is also a means of getting overworked, under-concerned parents to pay attention. It’s the familial 15 minutes of fame: kids acting out in ways they know will shock, embarrass or horrify their parents. And when that youthful want for attention is combined with “our society’s gladiator mentality for the raw and unedited and you throw in a little technology, you have a powder keg that was waiting to go off,” Gregory said.

“Kids aren’t playing postman anymore,” she said with no hint of humor.

Others would certainly agree: Sexting and cyber-bullying are not the products of one societal flaw but of a cocktail that packs a mighty punch (the veracity and force of the hangover we have yet to see).

“It’s a change in culture. People feel anonymous when they are online and that they don’t have consequences,” said Judi Warren of Web Wise Kids and Ask.com, two entities that are working on a program called Safe Search Schools for schools to increase online protections for students. “I used to spend hours on the phone. Now, we are seeing the same motivation to connect but in a completely different way. Everything is global and everyone is texting instead of talking. There will be implications to that, especially because we are seeing kids share intimacy more quickly and with a broader audience.”

Many kids do not yet understand the repercussions to their online actions. It is not until the photo or conversation is posted on Myspace or texted to everyone in school that they realize nothing is sacred. It’s then they learn that dirty old men are not the only people they should be wary of encountering online—but their friends, love interests and acquaintances as well.

“Kids want to be liked and loved. Most sexting is sent to a partner they think they will be in a relationship with at some point or they are currently in a relationship with. They think it will not be abused,” Warren said. “They don’t understand that they might not be in that relationship forever—or that when that relationship is done that he or she is capable of doing horrible things, like exposing those pictures.”

Local public school systems are already starting to tackle issues like sexting. St. Vrain Valley School District held an information session for parents and students about technology, specifically discussing sexting. And Boulder Valley School District has brought the issues of sexting into classroom conversations within health and other curricula.

“We are really trying to be proactive instead of reactive,” said Geoff Sandfort, health curriculum coordinator for BVSD. “…Our over-arching message is that we believe in open communication with students. We want to provide kids with information that can help them make safe choices.”

If they haven’t already, parents might want to take notes from educators. In fact, child psychologists and web safety specialists have a message for you: join the “instant parenting” world. Begin by setting some restrictions; don’t be afraid to see what your kid is up to online—get yourself a Facebook page and befriend your children and their friends—and teach your kids about the dangers.

“Parents should see their kids’ online activity as a partnership. It’s very important. If they take them off the Internet entirely, their kids will not be willing to talk to them openly about what they encounter online,” Warren said. “You want to foster communication. Parents can help their kids understand the ramifications of sending a picture.”

Listening to psychologists, media or youth experts talk about this generation of tweens and teens may feel like watching a TV special on the predictions of Nostradamus: a bit scary and fairly depressing. But that’s not to say we should give up on the text generation. In fact, it’s now about taking action—something must be done before innocence is lost.

“The ideal of what we always wanted childhood to be is going by the wayside—unless we do something to turn the Titanic,” Gregory said.

You can’t go a day off the bike, the river calls your name and your home has become secondary to the mountains. But your shoulders and knees can feel it…When You Love Colorado Too Much

The Myth of the Weekend Warrior:

1. From desk to dirt
Going from your office to the road can take a toll on your body. Even something as a simple as being in a recreational soccer league can put you at risk for injury, especially if you don’t exercise on your non-game days. “If there is someone getting regular exercise—even enough to keep their heart rate up for 20 minutes each day—they will recover that much better and faster on the harder workouts than someone who is sedentary,” said Lynn Voss, orthopedic surgeon at Boulder Orthopedics.

2. Your body is a Trek
Maybe it’s procrastination. Maybe, ironically, it’s laziness. But weekend warriors tend to be fairly reactionary when it comes to their bods. Experts advise athletes to treat their muscles, bones and joints like they treat their bikes or cars: You wouldn’t wait until the engine blows or the frame is busted to take it to the shop would you? Even though your muscles feel strong, maintenance is vital to preserving your pace.

3. Whoa, cowboy
Overtraining is a one-way road to Hurtsville. It’s too much too soon, and it can get you into trouble. Voss of Boulder Orthopedics recommends athletes who are in training build up 10 percent a week for three weeks, back off 20 percent for a week, build up 10 percent for three more weeks, and again back off 20 percent. “You need to rest to increase strength,” Voss said.

4. To stretch or not to stretch
There’s been something of a controversy about stretching for some time: one study will recommend stretching only after exercise and another will suggest stretching before. Voss says it’s best to start with a quick warm up—break a light sweat during a quick jog or bike ride—then stretch and go about your workout. The same goes for those doing “overhead sports,” like basketball or baseball: toss a few to get warmed up, stretch and then start putting zip on the balls.

5. Variety is the spice of sports
You are a “runner.” You love running. You refuse to swim unless there’s a flood. But experts say cross-training can be beneficial to serious athletes. Tracey Bernett, a Longmont runner who has done triathlons for 30 years, mixes in Pilates and weight training to build up her core muscles, sport-specific muscles and complimentary muscles.

6. When the going gets tough…
Bernett, the Longmont runner, suggests that athletes increase massage right before and after a big event. “If I get a massage right after a marathon, I skip an entire painful day of recovery,” she said. Sally McJoynt Pillsbury, owner of Performance Sports Massage, says a post-event massage is for flushing out toxins and aiding in lymphatic drainage—not tackling deep tissue.

7. get Rolfing
If you’ve heard one thing about Rolfing, you’ve heard about the pain. But Jonathan Martine, certified Rolfer and Rolfing instructor at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, says times have changed in the Rolfing industry. “Over the years, we’ve adjusted the way we work with the body,” Martine said. “We now work with the person rather than on them.” Rolfing tackles the fascia of the body (a form of soft tissue) and works to improve posture, balance and alignment.

8. The myth of the Weekend Warrior
Diane Dandeneau has two choices: She can work out every day, enjoy 100-mile rides on Saturdays, and then comfortably relax the rest of her weekend, or she can do nothing throughout the week and then endure a weekend ride that leaves her exhausted, sore and in pain. This is why the 47-year-old road cyclist, mountain biker and avid hiker says there is a myth about the weekend warrior: “Being fit and getting workouts in throughout the week allows me to have a blast on the weekend,” she said. “You can’t just be a weekend warrior.”

9. Massage: not just for the busted and broken
You wait until your muscles begin revolting against the stress and strain of your lifestyle…and then you call the massage therapist. McJoynt Pillsbury, a longtime Boulder sports massage therapist who has worked on both pros and weekend warriors, says seeing a therapist regularly ensures athletes are aware of the conditions of their muscles. “We can tell where they need to strength train or stretch, which can help prevent injuries,” she said.

10. The right kind of doping
Voss suggests taking a Motrin right before the big event. “You’ll be in less pain during the event and less sore after,” he said.

Liquor Store
EC.c : & EC.r: Daveco Liquors
BD.c : & EC.r: Liquor Mart

Date Night
EC.c : Praha
EC.r : Sugarbeet
BD.c : John’s Restaurant
BD.r : The Med

[criminal justice]
Not Enough Degrees of Separation
Wesley Francis Cox has got his legal briefs in a bunch. He says he can’t get a fair trial because he is distantly related to Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett; he is the cousin of Garnett’s brother-in-law. Cox wants a special prosecutor—not his cousin-in-law—to handle the pending case stemming from charges that he broke into several women’s homes to steal their panties, bras, thongs and even a Boulder High cheerleader uniform. He allegedly videotaped himself playing with his stolen goods, masturbating with them and even returned to secretly videotape the undergarments’ owners having sex. Family ties can be strong, but we think DA Garnett probably won’t be doing any favors in this case.