Seriously. I get it. Hard week all around.

So take a load off tonight. You deserve it. Check out one of the events happening near you, and celebrate all of your hard work this week.

The Infamous String Dusters | Fox Theater – Boulder | 9 PM | $18
Any band that has the word ‘infamous’ in their name is probably worth checking out. This band has toured the country playing their unique blend of bluegrass—always making time for a trip to Boulder to cater to the enthusiastic bluegrass scene in the area. Tickets are only $18 and live music is a fantastic treat after a hard week.

Arts & Ales | Left Hand Brewing Tap Room | Longmont | 5-7 PM
Craft beer goes with just about everything, but has a special bond with art. Check out this monthly event at Left Hand’s buzzing tap room in collaboration with Longmont’s, Muse Gallery.  Rub elbows with local artists, chat about arty stuff, and sip on the much-buzzed-about Fade to Black Ale by the popular brewery.

Backcountry Film Festival | Neptune Mountaineering | Boulder | 8 PM | $10
Even though the snow isn’t falling outside today, you can still get your snow fix by checking out the winter-centric films being shown at the 2^nd Annual Backcountry Film Fest. Get together with like-minded backcountry enthusiasts, and “oh” and “ah” at the beautiful wintery scenes that have been a little scarce in Colorado this year.

Oskar Blues Beer Dinner @ Morning Glory Café | Lafayette | 6 PM | $25/person
In the craft beer world, ordering five beers will typically end up costing you well over $25. (The things we do for good beer). So imagine spending $25, and not only getting five beers from one of Colorado’s fastest growing breweries, but some delicious food to go along with it! If spending $50-$60 on a beer dinner is a little out of your budget, then this awesomely low-priced beer dinner is perfect for you! Make your reservations ASAP, and knock an additional $5 off of your bill by mentioning that you saw their saw their beer dinner post on Facebook!

Road to Winter X Games Aspen 2012 Grand Prize Giveaway | Avery Brewing |Boulder | 7-9 PM
Avery Brewing has been hyping locals up for this year’s Winter X Games in Aspen for the past few weeks now. Tonight, they are giving away the ultimate grand prize that includes: Two tickets to the Winter X Games Kick-Off Bash, 1-night stay for two at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen, two cases of amazing beer for the room,  two lift tickets to Buttermilk Mountain, and two X Games Events Passes for Thursday, January 26^th. Whoa. All you have to do is visit the Avery Tap Room this evening, post up with a pint of delicious beer and wait for your chance to win this skier/snowboarders dream trip!

Date Night | Zolo Grill | Boulder | $50 per couple (tax & gratuity not included)
Yum. Comfort food and tequila could perhaps be the best way to reward yourself for a tough work week. Stop by Zolo Grill for dinner tonight, and dine on a seasonal two-course dinner paired with drinks for just $50 per couple. Just remember, you still have one day left in the work week… and although tequila does pair well with Zolo’s mouth-watering menu—it does not pair well with a 6 am wake-up call the next morning.

Thanksgiving is hard work—for everyone. Whether you’re the one responsible for making enough edible food for the entire family, or you’re the smallest of the half-pints at the kids table with the biggest tummy ache from eating too much, Turkey Day definitely is not a piece of cake… or pie.

So why not eat out this year? Dining out on Thanksgiving is no longer reserved for cooking-impaired single parents or out-of-towners unable to make the trip home for the holidays. Dining out on Thanksgiving has become a trendy new tradition and several of Boulder County’s best dining establishments will be opening their doors this year and serving their take on a delicious, traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Check out this list of local restaurants serving turkey to the masses this week—and as I always say… make reservations! Trust me—your family will eventually forgive you if you burn a turkey, make inedible mashed potatoes and forget to buy booze for the meal, but they will not forgive you if they get stuck eating bags of chips and soda from the only convenience store still open on Thanksgiving day.

Peaceful Valley Ranch
475 Peaceful Valley Road | Lyons | 1-800-95-LODGE
Take the family to the mountains this year and dine on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner buffet at the scenic Peaceful Valley Ranch. Rent snowshoes, cross-country skis, or take a hike around the property grounds before or after your meal to help burn off that second piece of pumpkin pie while spending some quality time in the outdoors with the family.
Served buffet style from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
$24.95 Ages 13-54
$18.95 Ages 55 and older
$12.95 Ages 4-12 and Ages 3 and Under Eat Free

The St. Julien Hotel
900 Walnut St. | Boulder | 720-406-7399
Whether your family is the breakfast, brunch of dinner type on Thanksgiving, the St. Julien will have a meal ready for you. Early birds can catch breakfast from 6:30-9:30 a.m. The brunch type will dine from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and the dinner folk can get together from 5:30 – 10 p.m. Enjoy live piano music by Ralph Sharon throughout the day, and be sure to bring your family and friends to listen to one of my personal favorite local musicians, George Nelson, at 6:30 p.m.  
Breakfast and Brunch served buffet style and choose your own three-course meal for dinner.
Breakfast and Brunch: $44.95/adult | $19.95/kids
Dinner: $49.95/adult | $19.95/kids

Colterra
210 Franklin St. | Niwot | 303-652-0777
Colterra’s dining room has all the same intimate charm as your own dining room and is the perfect place to take your out of town friends and family to sample some of Colorado’s locally grown food. Invite your guests to choose their own three-course menus from Colterra’s Thanksgiving inspired special menu and enjoy wine from Colterra’s extensive wine list.
Three-course menu: $45.00/adult
                                          $22.50/children 12 & under  
 

Black Cat: Farm-to-Table Bistro
1964 13^th St | Boulder | 303-444-5500
Join Black Cat for Thanksgiving this year with a thoughtful and tasty way to not only celebrate the holiday, but to help support your community as well. The owners of the Black Cat are opening their doors for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner where guests are invited to pay what they can for their meal or leave a little extra to help someone less fortunate. All proceeds from this special meal will be donated to Community Food Share.

Schuler’s recent venture, Amaro Drinkery Italia, conveniently shares the same 27^th and Iris address in the same buzzing North Boulder neighborhood as its sister restaurants—Arugula Bar e Ristorante and popular breakfast/lunch spot, Tangerine.

Although Amaro is fresh off of their official grand opening, they generously invited in a large crowd of cocktail aficionados on Sunday night to make up the People’s Choice vote in the 303/Amaro Cocktail Competition, featuring cocktails conceived and concocted by some of Boulder’s best-know mixologists. Tyler Anderson of Salt the Bistro (big winner of the 303/Amaro Cocktail Contest), Greg Van Wagner of the close-to-reopening, Oak at Fourteenth and Bianca Huggins of Amaro all stood out with their unique, carefully crafted representations of their skills.

In an appropriately dimly lit room with a steady stream of catchy beats mixing in the background, six guest bartenders duked it out for local bragging rights, serving guests cocktails with names like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and the “Hanky Panky”. Bitters, (Amaro’s namesake in Italian), was the most popular drink ingredient and guests were invited to dine on an assortment of Amaro’s small plate menu items which were available to enhance the sampling experience and give guests a break from a steady stream of cocktails mixed with a healthy dose of local distillery, 303’s vodka, gin and mouthwatering whiskey. In a room tastefully decorated with artistic collages of antique corkscrews and inviting furniture, I took a walk down mixology lane and sampled drinks with everything from frothy egg whites and nutmeg to simple syrup and jalapeno peppers to bitters and coffee liqueur.

The mind of a good mixologist is filled with chef-like notions. Creating, tasting, re-tasting and reconfiguring recipes until they reach their full potential. And thankfully, Boulder has created a safe place for recipe experimentation. Amaro’s Cocktail Contest wasn’t the first opportunity to gather the great minds of local mixology chef’s. Earlier this year, 303 Vodka held a competition to find the best mixologist in Boulder, and cocktail competitions stacked with Boulder favorites are becoming popular all along the Front Range.

If you missed the cocktail contest on Sunday, it’s not the end of the world. Amaro features over 36 handcrafted cocktails that are served to you warm, cold, or smokin’ with components consisting of everything from caramel vodka, artichoke liqueur, fever tree ginger beer and cat daddy Carolina moonshine.

And Amaro Drinkery Italia isn’t just the perfect place for a cocktail competition. It’s also the perfect place to visit to get your weekend shenanigans started or finish with a delicious, unique cocktail handcrafted by some of the best mixologists around.

You can find Amaro, Arugula Bar e Ristorante and Tangerine in the Diagonal Plaza in North Boulder.

Tyler Anderson’s Winning Cocktail Recipe:
Big Willie Style

1.5 oz 303 Vodka
.5 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Luxardo Amaro
1 oz Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
3 Slices of Cucumber
Garnished with Fresh Serrano Pepper

Treats for Tots (kids under 12):

Firehouse Halloween Party for Families

Oct. 22, 5 pm

Denver Firefighters Museum

1326 Tremont Pl., Denver

denverfirefightersmuseum.org

This annual event for kids 5 and older features dinner, crafts, ghost stories, a costume contest and a visit from a real, ghostly fire engine. Make reservations before Oct. 19.

Murder in the Haunted Mansion

Oct. 22 and 29

Adams Mystery Playhouse

2406 Federal Blvd., Denver

adamsmysteryplayhouse.com

Adams Mystery Playhouse presents another fantastic mystery where you solve a crime. Two shows: Murder in the Haunted Mansion, recommended for ages 8-16, and Mystery of the Wizard’s Wand for ages 5-12.

Bug-A-Boo

Oct. 22–23

Butterfly Pavilion

6252 West 104th Ave., Westminster

butterflies.org

Games, costumes, candy, trick-or-treating and the Butterfly Pavilion’s signature creepy crawlies!

Safe Street Halloween

Oct. 23, 5:30–8:30 pm

Northglenn High School

601 West 100th Pl., Northglenn

tinyurl.com/northglennhighschool

Trick-or-treat around the school in this safe, controlled environment for all ages.

Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 6th Annual Halloween House

Oct. 23, 12:30–4 pm

1134 University Ave., Boulder

This sorority soiree features trick-or-treating, games, crafts, music, storytelling and a cupcake walk for children younger than 12 and proceeds benefit BoulderReads!, an organization that helps adults and children discover the joys of reading.

Longmont Halloween Parade and Trick-or-Treat Street

Oct. 29, 9:30 am–noon

Downtown Longmont

ci.longmont.co.us/rec/special/halloween.htm

Start the festivities off right with the annual Halloween parade. Line up begins at 9:30 am in front of the St. Vrain Memorial Building, 700 Longs Peak Ave., then parade through downtown in costume. The library will offer make and take crafts from 10:30 am to noon, and streets will remain closed after the parade for little spooks to trick-or-treat at participating downtown merchants.

Super Science Saturday

Oct. 29, 10 am–4 pm

NCAR’s Mesa Lab

1850 Table Mesa Dr., Boulder

ucar.edu/educ_outreach/visit/

Free public event features hands-on science demonstrations by NCAR scientists, workshops, activity tables, music and games.

Niwot Great Pumpkin Party

Oct. 29, 10 am–2 pm

Old Town Niwot

niwot.com/events/great_pumpkin_party

Starting at 10 am, kids can trick-or-treat through Old Town and Cottonwood Square followed by the kids and animals parade at 11 am, hayrides through town, and a spooky haunted house at the Niwot Grange. Admission is $2 with all proceeds going to benefit the Our Center.

Boo At The Zoo

Oct. 29–30

Denver Zoo

denverzoo.org

In its 27th year, Boo at the Zoo is a perennial favorite, with more than 25 trick-or-treat stations, animal demonstrations and family-friendly entertainment, all free with zoo admission. This year, a special nighttime edition of Boo at the Zoo will feature the zoo’s nocturnal creatures in a new program Friday, Oct. 28, from 6–9 pm.

Trick or Treat Train

Oct. 29-30, 10 am–4 pm

Colorado Railroad Museum

17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden

crrm.org

All aboard! The Trick or Treat Train departs every 30 minutes between 10 am and 4 pm through Trick or Treat Town where you can fill your bag with goodies. Visit the “not so spooky” haunted railcar or the Olde Railroaders silly graveyard and the Pumpkin Patch. Then warm up around the Hobo Campfire and listen to kid-friendly storytelling.

Trick or Treat Street

Oct. 29–31

Children’s Museum of Denver

2121 Children’s Museum Dr.

cmdenver.org

Free with admission to the museum, the Halloween activities start with trick-or-treating from one treat house to the next to collect goodies, and continues with Halloween crafts, a Monster Carnival and Pumpkin Hill.

Munchkin Masquerade

Oct. 31, 2–5 pm

Pearl Street, Boulder

boulderdowntown.com/events

Every year, Pearl Street is taken over by hoards of tiny ghosts and goblins—as well as fairy princesses, superheroes and pirates—for the annual Munchkin Masquerade. Although this event is always packed, it’s guaranteed fun for kiddos who love to trick-or-treat along the mall. Last year, a flash mob of zombies even “livened” up the fun.

Halloween Parade & safe halloween night

Parade on Oct. 29, 9:30 am line-up, parade at 10 am. Safe Night on Oct. 31, 6–8:30 pm

Longmont Recreation Center

310 Quail Rd.

ci.longmont.co.us/rec

Free events geared toward ages 10 and younger.  Halloween night features carnival games, bounce houses and boat rides, and the parade is just good ol’ fashioned Halloween fun (aka candy!).

Tricks for Teens (ages 12 to adult):

Mile High Horror Film Festival

Oct. 7–9

Tivoli Theater at the Starz Film Center

900 Auraria Pkwy., Denver

milehighhorrorfestival.com

Three days of fun, parties, panels, events and, most importantly, chilling independent horror films from around the world.

Victorian Horrors at The Molly Brown House Museum

Oct. 14–15 and Oct. 21–22

Molly Brown House Museum

1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver

mollybrown.org

Classic stories of Edgar Allan Poe, HG Wells and others are brought to life in the dim,
flickering candlelight.

Shake, Rattle and Run 5K

Oct. 22, 8 am

Orchard Town Center

14697 Delaware St., Westminster

Shape up with the whole family—in costume—with a little jog then visit the St. Anthony North Health Tent for health screenings.

Denver Zombie Crawl

Oct. 22, 2 pm

Downtown Denver

eyeheartbrains.com

Put on your best (worst?) zombie regalia and join the largest zombie gathering in history at Skyline Park. Entry fee is a non-perishable food item to donate to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

Living History: Mary Shelley

Oct. 26, 7 pm

George Reynolds Branch Library

3595 Table Mesa Dr., Boulder

boulderlibrary.org/locations/grb.html

Susan Marie Frontczak portrays English writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. Free, but call 303.441.3120 to reserve your space, as seating is limited.

Boulder City Council

*Five seats open

Ken Wilson {i}

Ken Wilson, an engineer and scientist by trade, has served as deputy mayor. He prides himself on his work with property owners during discussions about SmartRegs for rentals and says he helped bring landlords into the conversation. Wilson wants to continue to fund economic incentives to keep and attract local businesses that fit Boulder, and he warns municipalization could become expensive, risky and not necessarily green.

Dan King

The owner of the Boulder Outlook Hotel served on Boulder’s Blue Ribbon Commission and other local organizations and boards. He makes clear he is not an ideologue, and he’d like to see community-based solutions and cooperation on many issues, including fiscal stability. He’d like to see encouragement rather than punishment when it comes to attracting businesses, and one of his campaign positions is to “keep Boulder cool.”

Fenno Hoffman

Fenno Hoffman tends to focus on the issues of land-use and planning—specifically compact development and density—but he also offers a straight-forward and sensible outlook that he would bring to all decision-making. He says the corporate personhood amendment oversteps the council’s scope, and he would like to see Boulder improve regional collaboration, especially on land-use and transportation issues.

George Karakehian {i}

George Karakehian has been a small-business owner on Pearl Street for decades, and he’s served on the council the last two years. He would like to focus on moving forward with the development of Transit Village and a Boulder conference center as well as reinvigoration of The Hill. He promotes encouraging tourism to increase sales tax revenues.

Jonathan Hondorf

Jonathan Hondorf is a longtime Boulder resident and a small-business owner. He’s running on what he calls the “four Es”: energy, environment, economy and education. He supports municipalization, as it allows the city to move away from fossil fuels, produce more jobs and control its energy productions. He says the council should be more proactive and focus more on the “big picture.”

Kevin Hotaling

Kevin Hotaling has a thoughtful, less-is-more take on city politics: He says the council oversteps its reach when it takes up issues such as corporate personhood and sidewalk shoveling. He proposes a car-sharing program for city vehicles—like Philadelphia—to save money and limit emissions. He’s opposed to municipalization, and he’s running on a “results without divisiveness” platform.

Lisa Morzel {i}

Lisa Morzel set out to make city processes more inclusive and transparent. That was more than two decades ago. Morzel has served on council for 12 years, and she prides herself on the council’s work on environmental issues and acquiring open space. She is a proponent of 2B and 2C as well as Boulder’s sister city efforts. Morzel says Boulder’s open space is “being loved to death” and she wants a reduction in use for some areas.

Mark Gelband

Irritated over the backlog of deferred maintenance in Boulder, Mark Gelband wants the council to focus on core city services. If elected, he’d look at mitigating “chronic vagrancy in downtown and around the creek path” and examining current zoning as it relates to growth and affordable housing; such as relaxing zoning to be able to transform accessory units into housing for the creative class.

Tim Plass

Tim Plass got his start as a neighborhood activist—but the word “activist” doesn’t reflect his sense of balance. Plass has sat on the landmark and planning boards. He wants council to focus on finding long-term solutions to funding affordable housing, which he says is at the center of Boulder’s primary issues: transportation, economy and environment. He supports 2B and 2C and would like to see progress on the city’s “Sustainable Streets and Centers” initiative.

Suzanne Jones

Suzanne Jones is the regional director for The Wilderness Society’s Colorado Office, and she’s served on Boulder’s Environmental Advisory Board, Boulder’s Blue Ribbon Commission II and the PLAN-Boulder County board. Jones is a supporter of municipalization for the potential of reducing reliance on fossil fuels. As a city council member, she would emphasize development of the area between Broadway and 17th streets, Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue.

Thomas Johnston

Tom Johnston believes in the phrase “keep it simple, stupid.” Much of his motivation to run reflects what he calls, “city council’s over-involvement.” He supports bringing in big box stores to boost sales tax revenue, and he opposes municipalization because he says Boulder would acquire old technology.

Daniel Ziskin

This scientist-turned-real-estate-developer supports policies that foster local and independent business and encourage residents to limit car-use through transit, bikes and car-sharing. He would like to see council focus on streamlining the Eco Pass application process, making it more user-friendly. He would like to see a strong emphasis on creating housing and lifestyle options for middle-income residents.

Stephen Keenan

Stephen Keenan’s main motivation for running is the progression toward developing a municipal utility. He calls 2B and 2C a “win-win” situation, allowing Boulder to better negotiate with Xcel or take the first step toward independence. He’d like to see the council improve the city’s relationship with the university and says it should be more proactive in addressing infrastructure needs and demands.

YS votes for Lisa Morzel, George Karakehian, Ken Wilson, Fenno Hoffman and Dan King. We selected well-rounded candidates who balance experience and policy knowledge with passion.

Boulder Ballot Issues

2A

Ballot issue 2A allows Boulder to sell up to $49 million in bonds to fund capital improvement projects. That includes repairing and maintaining streets and pathways, renovating and updating city facilities and equipment, and replacing old bridges. Because the city has finished paying off old bonds, the servicing of the debt of the new bonds would not increase city spending. It’s a much needed boost to the city’s deferred maintenance.

YS votes Yes.

2B and 2C

We find that it’s difficult to be pro or anti municipalization without the details that the city would glean from the passage of 2B and 2C. 2B would increase residents’ utility occupation tax—about $1 per month per resident—to study the feasibility of developing a municipal utility. 2C allows the city to establish a municipal light and power utility. Protections include: rates will not exceed Xcel’s rates at the time of start up, and the development of a municipal utility will only progress if reliability and rate requirements can be met. Voting for 2B and 2C puts Boulder in a better place to negotiate with Xcel and allows the city to legitimately explore the reality of a municipal utility with precautions.

YS votes Yes

2D

Amends the city charter to reflect updated names of specific departments and positions.

YS votes Yes

2E

The ballot question ups the penalty for violating the city charter from $100 to $1,000.

YS votes Yes

2F

Updates specific sections of the city charter to reflect updated terminology and practices.

YS votes Yes

2G

Gives the city’s ballot initiative process an overhaul, requiring initiative petitions to be clear and simple, be submitted for review and comment prior to circulation and have signatures no older than 180 days prior to filing, among other updates.

YS votes Yes

2H

This ballot questions asks voters to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution saying that humans—not corporations—are entitled to constitutional rights; and “money is not speech, and therefore regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.” While this is not the partisan pandering we want our city focusing on, we do agree with the sentiment. However, we feel the language of the ballot issue is too broad and may have some unintended consequences.

YS votes No

Broomfield Mayor

Pat Quinn {i}

Mayor Pat Quinn has spent two terms in the office of mayor focused on mitigating the economy’s impact on Broomfield’s budget, progressing acquisition of open space and transportation projects. He touts the Broomfield Event Center/1STBank Center overhaul as a victory and has scored major funding for Highway 36. Quinn wants to see the council continue to work on identifying and acquiring more open space and continue to push for funding and solutions to the community’s transportation woes, FasTracks included.

Paul Madigan

Paul Madigan focuses on the under-represented residents of Broomfield: seniors and children. In his third election for the seat, Madigan’s message is on making improvements to the senior center and getting youth involved in the city government. If elected as mayor, Madigan would make a push to have the Broomfield City Council reduced to eight councilors, five for each district and three at-large. He says there is a “lack of leadership” in the mayoral position and says he would encourage more citizen involvement.

YS votes for Mayor Pat Quinn. Quinn deserves a third term. He’s made big strides for Broomfield’s roads and bottom line.

Broomfield City Council

Ward 1

Todd Schumacher {i}

Running unopposed

Ward 2

Mike Shelton

Running unopposed

Ward 3

Kevin Jacobs {i}

Running unopposed

Ward 4

David Jurcak

Running unopposed

Ward 5

Wayne L. Anderson

Running unopposed

Lafayette City Council

*Six seats open

Staci Lupberger {i}

During her two years on the council, Staci Lupberger has made decisions based on what is best for Lafayette residents. She’s not afraid to be the minority vote, as long as she’s voting for the greater good of the city. Lupberger wants the council to continue its Old Town revitalization momentum and would like to see continued economic development improvements to the South Boulder Road area. One of her key priorities is safety in the community, including dealing with graffiti.

Pete d’Oronzio {i}

Pete D’Oronzio was appointed to the city council about a year ago, and prior, D’Oronzio worked for transportation departments of both Boulder and Boulder County and served on the Lafayette Planning Commission. He’d like to see the city council develop a plan for pedestrians, mass transit and bikes, including paths, in Lafayette, and promote inclusion of youth and Latino populations.

Alexandra Lynch

Not so ironically, Alexandra Lynch was laid off by the city of Lafayette from her position as the city’s spokeswoman. While she has no visible hard feelings toward the city, she says she has a firm understanding of how the city functions, of the key issues and how the council works. She also understands how important the city’s fiscal stability is to the livelihoods of locals. Lynch would like to see a reconfiguration of zoning regulations to make development of multi-family housing more feasible, and she’d like to see the council engage local nonprofits.

Rosabelle Rice

Rosabelle Rice serves on the Latino advisory board, the PTA at Pioneer Elementary and the Lafayette Old Town Association. When it comes to the Old Town visioning process, Rice wants the city to build upon its strengths and find new, innovative ways to bring the stakeholders together. She’d like to see more incorporation of the city’s diversity.

Christine Berg

Christine Berg used to be an archaeologist (we think that’s pretty cool). These days she serves as the Colorado scheduler and Community Outreach Manager for Rep. Jared Polis as well as a member of the Lafayette Historic Preservation Board. As for the Old Town visioning process, she wants community members brought into the conversation. Berg wants to develop a “food policy advisory board” to help convene and promote local farms and restaurants. She puts accessibility as a top priority.

Steve Kracha {i}

Steve Kracha served on the Lafayette Planning Commission for two and a half years when he was given the chance to fill an open city council seat earlier this year. Kracha wants council to work with landowners on the downtown revitalization efforts, and he would like to see a greater focus on economic development of South Boulder Road. He wants the city to grow from the inside out and hopes to work with Louisville to develop the ball fields on 95th.

Brad Wiesley

Brad Wiesley has lived in Lafayette for 30 years. He’s served as a police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and interim police chief. Now he’s hoping to find another outlet for public service. Wiesley wants the city to expand its tax base and bring in both local “mom and pop” and national chain retail and businesses. If elected, he would put an emphasis on ensuring quality city services are maintained.

YS votes for Staci Lupberger, Pete d’Oronzio, Alexandra Lynch, Christine Berg, Steve Kracha and Rosabelle Rice. This was a difficult decision, as all candidates have aptitude and positive objectives. We focused on involvement as well as reflecting the city’s diverse interests.

Lafayette Ballot Questions

2A

After a certified citizen initiative is presented to city council, 2A would give the city 90 days—instead of 60—to hold a special election.

YS votes Yes

2B

2B allows for the creation of a youth advisory board. The development of the skate park showed how the youth voice could make a difference in this community, and we look forward to seeing what other tricks it has up its sleeves.

YS votes Yes

2C

2C allows the city to discontinue posting the full text of ordinances adopted by the city council in the newspaper. Headlines of ordinances will be published instead, and the full text will be printed at the city clerk’s office and elsewhere.

YS votes Yes

2D

This amendment basically clarifies in the city charter how members of boards and commissions should resign. This will help resignations go more smoothly.

YS votes Yes

2E

The ballot questions would eliminate specified obsolete provisions of the charter.

YS votes Yes

Longmont City Council

*One seat open for each ward and at large

Mayor

Bryan L. Baum {i}

Mayor Bryan Baum set out two years ago to settle city lawsuits with Firestone and make the city more of a regional player. And he’s accomplished that. Defending the sometimes divisive nature of the Longmont council, he says its activities have become more transparent and a majority of votes are unanimous. In his next term as mayor, Baum would like to finish the airport master plan, partner with a telecommunication company to bring “the best telecommunication services to the community” and work on developing the Sugar Mill Station, the Twin Peaks Mall and downtown.

Dennis L. Coombs

As one of the owners of Pumphouse Brewery, a major anchor to Old Town Longmont, and an engineer, Dennis Coombs has a unique perspective and a unique set of skills to lead the city and take part in selecting the next city manager. He says he’s a motivator, not a micro-manager. As mayor, Coombs would work to make council meetings less partisan and more civil. He would like to see the city allow businesses to pay sales tax online.

YS votes for Dennis Coombs because of his focus on boosting council’s civility and collaboration.

At Large

Ron Gallegos

Ron Gallegos served on the Longmont City Council from 1995 to 1999, and has served on the Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission, the Longmont Area Economic Council, the Colorado Municipal League and the National League of Cities. He wants to get council back to focusing on the needs of the people and not “petty squabbling.” He would like to reestablish regulations that all members of city boards and commissions are Longmont residents, and he’d like to see the city considered purchasing the Twin Peaks Mall.

James Young

When speaking with James Young, you get the sense of his genuine want to represent and proactively connect with the residents of Longmont. He says the city council needs to better listen and pay attention to residents, instead of “stomping” on their ideas and suggestions. He’d like to see the council work on reducing noise from the railroads and he wants city council members “to treat each other like human beings.”

Sarah Levison {i}

Sarah Levison overflows with information and thoughtful observations on Longmont and its challenges. She takes an academic approach to policy and representation. Levison has been on the board since 2007, and she championed a poverty program to focus on more than a dozen families with support, education and training. In her next term, she’d like to continue to focus on poverty issues as well as the First and Main train station for FasTracks and boosting jobs.

Heath R. Carroll

The funeral home and cemetery owner wants to see more businesspeople on council—because they have an understanding of challenges and issues that impact local companies. If elected, Carroll would focus on redevelopment, including the mall, the Butterball Turkey plant and Old Town. He supports council’s recent decision to nix its affordable housing program because the system was “broken,” and he’d like to see council work better as a team.

YS votes for Sarah Levison. Out of all the candidates, Levinson has most involved herself in workings of city government. She balances institutional knowledge with foresight. We look forward to seeing Carroll and Young get more community experience.

Ward 1

Brian Hansen {i}

Brian Hansen is a business owner and a scientist. He’s worked to expand community gardens and he’s proud of the council’s work with the county on land agreements. Hansen believes the dividing line on council reflects campaign contributors. He admits he is not at his best when it comes to returning emails and being contacted by phone.

Paul Tiger

Paul Tiger doesn’t really fit into any sort of mold. He’s an out-of-the-box thinker and he’s incredibly knowledgeable about city issues. He believes in being a representative of the people, and he says he’d like the council to better focus on the unintended consequences of its decisions (he uses the cruising ordinance and how it impacted auto-related businesses as an example).

Brian J. Bagley

No interview

Suzzanne Painter

Suzzanne Painter has worked in both the corporate world and in nonprofits (ie. local chambers of commerce), and she says she has the right skills to drive solutions. She’s focused on primary jobs, retail development and leadership. She’d like to help build unification on council and says the divide on council creates a divide in the community. Painter would like to see economic development staffers held accountable using a metric to gauge successes and she would like a retail scout brought in.

YS votes for Suzzanne Painter. Clearly the underdog, Painter shows a ton of promise, and she has practical ideas for boosting business. We could not endorse the incumbent, Hansen, because of his inability or unwillingness to be accessible—by phone or email—to residents.

Ward 3

Bonnie Finley

Bonnie Finley wants to the Longmont City Council to refocus how it examines issues: reframing debate so it’s not “us” versus “them,” redesigning public policies in the best interest of the residents, and limiting pontification during meetings, etc. Finley’s profession—she works for the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry—gives her a solid understanding of the business climate. She says Longmont is uniquely positioned to attract business, and she supports an extension of the runway at the Vance Brand Municipal Airport.

Sean McCoy {i}

Sean McCoy is a teacher and has been a city council member since 2007. While a Google search for this candidate can turn up some nasty sites, McCoy has worked toward improving Longmont’s environmental focus as well as improving the transparency of council decisions. He wants the city to be more proactive when it comes to economic development and working with local business.

YS votes for Bonnie Finley because she better conveyed her ideas and knowledge about bringing in and supporting business. She sees potential while McCoy sees doubt.

Longmont Ballot Questions

2A

In the late ’90s, Longmont purchased and installed a fiber-optic backbone network to boost economic vitality through enhanced telecommunications services, but in 2005, the Colorado State Legislature passed a bill that requires municipalities to get voter approval before it offers telecommunication services, advanced services or cable TV services. In 2009, Longmont voters turned down a similar proposal. We think voters should take advantage of the infrastructure the city has in place and see the potential for an economic boost from the enhanced services.

YS votes Yes

Louisville Mayor

Bob Muckle

Bob Muckle has been on the city council since 2005—motivated by his frustration of what he saw as a lack of representation on the council. Muckle says in the last six years he’s worked on many of the issues that aggravated him, and as mayor, he would continue to push the council to be responsive and transparent. He’d like the city to aggressively pursue retail and commercial development while being cautious about additional residential growth.

Sheri Marsella

Sheri Marsella is practically a full-time community leader. She’s been on the council since 2002, and wants the opportunity to become the top dog. As mayor, Marsella would focus on securing funding for an underpass at McCaslin and Washington as well as filling empty big box spaces with more retail; she says she’s open to creative solutions if the city cannot fill stores with retail. She says she will do everything she can to get ConocoPhillips to develop its site in Louisville.

YS votes for Bob Muckle who we feel is constantly pushing for improved governance.

Louisville City Council

Ward I

Bill Scanlon

Bill Scanlon, a former Rocky Mountain News reporter, has lived in Louisville for seven years, and he likes it just the way it is. Scanlon would like to maintain the city’s sense of community and residential balance. He would like to incentivize preservation of the commercial buildings in Old Town, and he does not want retail and commercial space taken over by more residential development and growth.

Jay Keany

Jay Keany just can’t get enough: He sat on the Louisville City Council from 1993 to 2005, and apparently, he misses it. Keany is not running with one particular issue on his mind; instead, he’d like to see a continued focus on keeping the city fiscally healthy and maintaining the sense of community and charm. If elected, he’d like to examine the possibility of developing another outdoor pool as well as the sufficiency of the Rec Center.

YS votes for Jay Keany because he has a tremendous amount of experience with and insight into Louisville’s key issues.

Ward II

Susan Loo

Susan Loo spent eight years on the Planning Commission and worked on two comprehensive plans and the Downtown Design Guidelines. She believes the city council has been proactively supportive of business and would like to continue those efforts. She believes in the power of incentives when it comes to encouraging preservation. She would like to ensure city services are maintained, no matter the economic situation.

Dean Smith

Dean Smith came to Louisville seven years ago and fell in love with the historic charm of the city. Now, he’s running for city council to help preserve the charm and historic character of the homes and buildings. He supports developing a tax similar to the Historic Preservation Tax to help restore commercial buildings, and he’d like to see the city give incentives to private property owners to maintain historic buildings.

YS votes for Susan Loo. Both candidates have similar ideologies, so we voted for experience.

Ward III

*Hank Dalton {i}

Running unopposed

Thornton Mayor

Mack Goodman

No interview

Val Vigil

Val Vigil is both tax accountant and politician. He’s served in the state legislature and the city council. Vigil says the city needs a strong leader to make jobs a priority and to boost awareness of the need for revitalization of original Thornton. He wants the city to reform its code compliance processes—the biggest complaint he hears from residents—for better community relations.

Heidi Williams

This small-business owner sat on the Adams 12 School Board and chaired the Thornton Revitalization Board. As mayor, she’d focus on job creation, revitalization of original Thornton and continuing to partner with school districts to create efficiencies. She’d like to see the city’s policies and processes more transparent and user-friendly.

YS votes for Val Vigil because he is in tune with residents’ priorities. He know government has the potential to make peoples’ lives better.

Thornton City Council

Ward 1

Lee Cantu

Lee Cantu wants the city council to attract more business. He believes residents have spent enough money on FasTracks and should not vote for another tax increase. Cantu says the city is spending too much money on police and fire and wants more money invested in renovating bridges. He’s running on a platform of more communication between council and residents.

Jenice (JJ) Dove

JJ Dove’s philosophy on the city council is about listening to and representing residents. When it comes to revitalizing south Thornton, she’d like the city to bring together the stakeholders to come up with solutions, and she wants the council to focus on incentives for attracting business. She’s pushing for Thornton to take a role in bringing recycling to mobile home developments.

YS votes for JJ Dove because she has practical common sense ideas that reflect her commitment to her constituents.

Ward 2

Richard Gianzero

No interview

Eva Henry {i}

Last election, Eva Henry knocked on 18,000 doors in Thornton to take down an incumbent. While on the council, she helped to get curbside recycling for residents and pushed for revitalization of south Thornton. Her No. 1 priority is bringing in primary jobs, and she wants to focus on business’ needs. Henry walks one Thornton precinct every quarter, and she sees herself as a voice for south Thornton.

YS votes for Eva Henry because she stays connected to the residents of Thornton, and she’s the kind of worker bee who gets things done.

Ward 3

Beth Humenik {i}

Beth Humenik is go, go, go. And it seems, that’s the way she likes it. Humenik has become involved in everything from transportation and communications to senior services. Humenik wants to see the city focus on additional senior housing as well as economic development that can provide livable wages for workers and put revenue back into city coffers.

Sam Nizam

Sam Nizam is a small-business owner, and business is his main motivation for running. He says the city needs to focus on economic development—adding fee and tax rebates for new businesses that are hiring workers. He says the city should better promote its business friendliness with a public relations campaign.

YS votes for Beth Humenik because she treats this position as a full-time job, and she’s a power hitter.

Ward 4

Eric Tade

Running unopposed

Westminster City Council

*Three seats open

Herbert L. Atchison

Herb Atchison has spent decades in project and construction management, and he formerly spent two terms on the Westminster City Council. That gives him institutional knowledge. Atchison was a decision maker during the planning of many of the city’s successful developments, and he’d like continued efforts to retain and attract business as well as identifying and implementing solid infill projects.

Bob Briggs {i}

Bob Briggs has been active in the Westminster community since the 1960s, and that includes a stint as an Adams County commissioner and a state representative. In his next term, he hopes to make the Westminster Center last a lifetime (as opposed to the 10-year lifespan of other malls), and he’d like to continue to develop trails throughout the community. Briggs wants the council to focus its efforts on transportation, including Highway 36 and FasTracks.

Faith Winter {i}

Faith Winter brings an “every woman” perspective to the council. She’s inspired to protect the most vulnerable residents, and she’s done so. Winter takes pride in the council’s work on economic development, including the facades programs and capital grants. The economy is her No. 1 priority; in her next term, she’d like to see one-on-one outreach and marketing when it comes to the city’s economic development programs. Winter wants to see the city fill empty big box stores, even if it means coming up with creative substitutions for large retailers.

Beau E. Martin

Beau Martin is a young business man who has a hankering for community involvement. He’d like to start a program that involves youth in local government, a “reality civics” course. Martin would like to see a city Facebook page that’s used to communicate with residents about issues and council decisions. He wants the Westminster Center plans to include out-of-the-box ideas—“not another outdoor mall.”

Jennifer Shannon

After serving on the Jefferson County Head Start board, Jennifer Shannon got the taste for public service. Now she’s craving it. Shannon wants the city to create a small business incubator and seminars for start-ups and independents, and she wants to see the Westminster Center developed with components, including housing, that attract young professionals.

Michael S. Melvin

Mike Melvin takes pride in the fact that he is not a politician. He’s instead, a retired businessman who is concerned about Westminster’s debt and business friendliness. He says the city has overly burdensome rules that detract businesses and make it harder for small businesses to thrive.

YS votes for Bob Briggs, Faith Winter and Herb Atchison. These candidates have stellar experience while still having unique points of view. We hope to see both Martin and Shannon in future elections.

Boulder Valley School District

Director District A

Shelly Benford

Running unopposed

Director District C

Laurie Albright {i}

This incumbent explodes with energy, facts and philosophies on the educational system and the district. She’s a proponent of Proposition 103, and she’s focused much of her efforts on school funding. She’d like to see the district continue to work on shrinking the achievement gap and ensure district schools are respectful and safe environments to learn in.

Leisha L. Conners Bauer

Leisha Conners Bauer is the program manager for the Boulder County Healthy Youth Alliance. Conners Bauer says the board should be clearer when it comes to leadership, collaborative relationships, measurement systems and advocacy during decision making, and if it better focused on those areas, the processes would go smoother. She’d like to see the district concentrate on building trust around the Educators Effectiveness Bill, especially for teachers.

YS votes for Laurie Albright. We love a policy wonk, and Albright balances her know-how with a continued passion for innovation.

Director District D

Sam Fuqua

The KGNU station manager has served on the Boulder Library Commission and the Affordable Housing Task Force, but he has a passion for education, especially with kids in BVSD schools. Fuqua is a proponent of neighborhood schools but supports choice in education. He’d like to create a task force to explore creating community partnerships, using the area’s “wealth of resources”—retirees and former educators—as volunteers in classrooms.

Mónica Olguín

Mónica Olguín has been an educator for more than two decades. She’s spent much of her career focused on bilingual education. If elected, she’d like to implement the Educators Effectiveness Bill without a punitive bent and with increased support for educators. Olguín would like to increase and broaden training for teachers of diverse populations and up communication with teachers and parents before and after the board makes decisions.

YS votes for Sam Fuqua because he has fresh ideas, and he offers a parent’s perspective.

Director District G

James Reed

Running unopposed

St. Vrain Valley School District

Director District A

Rick Hammans {i}

Rick Hammans philosophy is “the more time in school, the better.” He says the district has seen progress in keeping students in classrooms longer, and that will have long-term improvements in shrinking the achievement gap. And he would like to see the district resist pressure to narrow the curriculum by cutting or minimizing arts education and electives.

Arnold Hanuman

Arnold Hanuman is the Deputy District Attorney with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, and he has two teens in St. Vrain Valley District schools. If Proposition 103 passes, Hanuman wants the district to set aside “targeted funding” to promote new ideas and creativity over the long term. He says he represents a voice for diversity and a new generation.

YS votes for Rick Hammans. While Arnold Hanuman brings good ideas, Hammans has shown a lot of prudence and focus to the board.

Director District C

Robert J. Smith
Running unopposed

Director District E

John Creighton
Running unopposed

Director District G

Michael Schiers
Running unopposed

Co Ballot Issue

Proposition 103

This state-wide ballot measure would raise billions of dollars to fund schools by increasing state income tax back up to 5 percent (it was lowered to 4.63 percent in 2000) and the sales tax to 3 percent (it was lowered to 2.9 percent in 2000) during the next five years. If 103 is not passed, schools will cut millions of dollars from already emaciated budgets. We believe continued draining of districts’ coffers will have severe effects on the Colorado economy as well as the future success of our children. If it passes, legislators need to reform the funding structure of the education system and develop a long-term solution.

YS votes Yes

BOCO Ballot Issue

County Question 1A

BoCo’s sole ballot issue asks voters to allow the position of sheriff a fourth consecutive term—as long as voters grant another years. Experience is a luxury in a position like this, and we give voters the option to keep a solid sheriff in office.

YS votes Yes

Time for the leaves to shed their vibrant green colors and put on a light outer layer of yellows, reds and oranges.

Time for coffee shops to bulk up on all things pumpkin and cinnamon.

Time to go shopping for a new pair of got-have-‘em boots and light jackets—and time to say goodbye to the hot days of outdoor summer festivals and the beginning of a string of fun fall events!

Friday marks the first day of fall and Downtown Boulder is kicking off the season with a 3-day festival full of fun, local: food, beer and live music and tons of other events including fun stuff for the kids, an art show and entertainment provided by Ballet Nouveau Colorado and Taps are Talking, Inc.

DBI’s Fall Fest kicks off this Friday, and runs through Sunday evening along the ever-popular Pearl St. Mall in Downtown Boulder.

Friday’s Entertainment Features: Girls on Top—a “groovin’ dance band” known for their energetic R&B, soul and funk inspired tunes.

Saturday’s Entertainment Features: A string of bands providing live music throughout the day. Click here for a complete list of featured bands.

Sunday’s Entertainment Features: Artistic talent to end the festival in style.
Dancers from Ballet Nouveau Colorado and Taps are Talking, Inc. will be performing from 11-11:30 am and 11:45-12:15 pm, followed by one of my favorite locally produced bluegrass bands, Spring Creek and Colorado music scene favorite, Fierce Bad Rabbit.

Carefully crafted brews from Avery Brewing Co. will be served at the beer garden all day during the three days of the festival, and food, provided by a variety of restaurants that make up the Pearl St. restaurant scene, will be available throughout the day each day as well.

If you have kids—bring ‘em. Don’t leave your quarter-pints behind this weekend. The Children’s Carnival runs all day on 14^th St. between Spruce and Pearl and offers the usual carnival attractions to entertain your little ones along with something called “The Monkey Motion Bungee Trampoline”. Now I’m not entirely sure what this is… but it definitely sounds like something created to tire your little ones out, making bedtime a much easier task.

And if that’s not enough—over 30 Downtown Boulder merchants will be offering specials and discounts throughout the festival. From the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art to Full Cycle to Lilli, be sure to mix a little shopping into your fantastic fall-themed festivities.  Check out this full list of participating vendors.

Happy Fall Boulder County!

May the crisp fall air be perfect and the scenery be fall-tastic for your weekend BoCo festivities.

Tasting Room Hours
Open Year- Round | Friday – Monday | 11 am – 5 pm
Summer Hours | Open Daily through October 31st
Features:

• 5 Tastes for $5
• Shipping Available
• Spa On-Site
• Plenty of Seating in the Tasting Room and Around the Property
• Best Ambiance
• Guests are encouraged to bring their own food or create a mini picnic from a selection of cheese, fruit and smoked trout for sale in the tasting room
• On-Site Lodging (Click here for more info on the Rockin’ River Day Resort)
• Best Event Venue Rental (From weddings and rehearsal dinners to birthday and anniversary celebrations, Ciantano has a beautiful location to host your event at)

Summary:
Unless you live in the Lyons area, I would suggest making Ciatano the first stop on the tour. You’ll probably spend the most time here, wandering around the resort grounds that offer beautiful views, sounds of the nearby river, ponds filled with fish (note: fishing is allowed on the property, free of charge, unless you catch one of the monster trout and decide to take it home—in which case you’ll pay $1 per inch), and all of the makings for a romantic afternoon.

Boulder Creek Winery         
6440 Odell Place                   
Boulder, CO 80301                     

Tasting Room Hours:
Open-Year Round
Thursday – Sunday | 1 – 5:30 pm     
Features:

• 9 tastes for $3
• Informative Self-Guided Tours of the Facility
• Great Benefits for VIP Club Members (Including invites to winery parties, winemaker’s dinners, barrel tastings and more
• Event Venue Rental (Including Already Created Party Packages)
• Best Place to Purchase a Bottle

Summary:
Make this Gunbarrel Winery the 2^nd stop on the tour. Boulder Creek has the best “tasting” price and very reasonable bottle prices. The tasting room doesn’t have seating available, but you’ll be on the move for the most part anyway as you take yourself on a self-guided tour of the winery. Of all of the wineries, Boulder Creek definitely has the best tour system in place with easy-to-follow arrows highlighting the wine making process and detailed and informative signage on every piece of equipment. Be sure to buy a bag of the chocolate covered espresso beans to fuel the next two stops on the tour.

Bookcliff Vineyards                
1501 Lee Hill Road, Unit #17     
Boulder, CO 80304                    

Tasting Room Hours:
January – May | Friday – Sunday | 1 – 6 pm
June – December | Thursday – Sunday | 1 – 6 pm
Features:

• 5 tastes for $5
• Plenty of Seating in Tasting Room
• Wine Sold by the Glass and the Bottle (Bottle Prices Range from $10-$25)
• Wine Made In-House
• Knowledgeable Staff
• A Complete Online List of Restaurants, Bars and Liquor Stores Where Bookcliff Products are Sold
• Wine vs. Beer Dinners (with Upslope Brewing)
• Receives Scheduled Visits from the Comida Food Truck
• Best Tasting Room to Visit on FridaySummary:
  Plenty of seating in the tasting room makes Bookcliff the perfect place for the 3^rd stop of the tour. Sit down in spacious tasting room and enjoy one of Bookcliff’s many award-winning wines. Winery tours are available on request and provide a great deal of knowledge on the wine making process and what really separates the reds from the whites.

Redstone Meadery                          
4700 Pearl St., Unit 2 A                         
Boulder, CO 80301       

Tasting Room Hours:
Open Year-Round
Monday – Friday | noon- 6:30 pm
Saturday | noon – 5 pm             
Features:

• Free Tastings
• Plenty of Seating in Tasting Room
• Gluten-Free Product
• Live Music Beginning in October
• Knowledgeable Staff
• Guided Tours
• Best Place Sit Down and have a Glass

Summary:
End your Boulder County Winery Tour at Redstone Meadery. The tasting room offers plenty of seating, a mellow vibe, an informative staff to educate you on the history of mead and take you on a tour of facility. Tastings are free, which is great, because Redstone offers a variety of flavors and delicious products. Be sure to try the Black Raspberry Nectar and save some extra cash because you’ll definitely want to bring a bottle home.

On July 14, the public is invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the LoBo trail’s northern segment, a connector between Longmont and Niwot. The three-mile trail will stretch from Lefthand Creek Trail in Longmont to Lefthand Valley Grange Trailhead.

Organizers of the county’s regional trail program will eventually build a 12-mile, entirely off-road connector to extend through Gunbarrel. Using funds from a sales tax and a transportation grant, contributions also came from the involved cities. County communications specialist Dan Rowland said officials hope the trail creates unity.

“The idea is that we’re going to connect the larger community within the county,” Rowland said. “What we do is we work with other communities like the city of Boulder and the city of Longmont and often times they’ll all pitch in money also because they want to see these connections built.”

Designed to encourage alternative transportation, the trail will pass through open space areas and features a renovated pedestrian bridge underpass near Oxford Road. Boulder County capital projects coordinator Tim Swope said the bike trail is ideal for both commuters and recreation riders.

“The beauty of this trail is that it’s both recreational and for transportation needs,” Swope said. “It is great as a recreational trail, but it also provides a soft dirt service trail so that people can ride their bikes to work.”

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Community Cycles from Boulder and Bicycle Longmont will host group bike rides to christen the trail. Rowland said both groups were active in supporting the project.

“It’s kind of fun to have a group ride, a great way to celebrate the opening of a new trail,” Rowland said. “And it’ll be nice for us because we want to recognize (these groups) for all their efforts and for making this trail a reality.”

In 2012, the next phase will include a trail between Cottontail Trail and the Boulder Reservoir—but it will still lack a connection to the Lefthand Valley Grange Trailhead. Rowland said officials have not yet settled on a timeline.

“It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date on it right now,” Rowland said. “The vision for the complete build out of the trail is there and it’s in the planning phases now.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on July 14 at 4:30pm at the Lefthand Valley Grange Trailhead near the corner of 83rd Street and Niwot Road. Visit Community Cycles at communitycycles.org and Bicycle Longmont at bicyclelongmont.org for information regarding group rides.

Before you dig in, I want to acknowledge that a neighborhood is more than the sum of its parts (homes, schools and speed bumps). It should be judged by its proximity to the nearest Vic’s about as much as a woman should be judged by her collection of purses. Having a Whole Foods, a wine shop and a bagel place just around the corner is a perk, but a neighborhood it does not make.

More so, it is the spirit created by the people who call it home. It’s the essence of the neighborhood and the connection between the homes and the people within them. I know, sounds like a pageant speech.

But there is something so indescribably nostalgic and sacred about the idea of the neighborhood: a sense you get when you pull up in the moving van and neighbors offer a hand. It’s that feeling you have on a Sunday afternoon, watering the front lawn and an ice cream truck chortles by; on your morning run when the streets are empty; and when you look out the window to see your kids racing down the street on their bikes.

It’s the vital yet silent relationship we have with our homes and neighbors.

This spring, I was reading the newspaper in a downtown Longmont coffee shop—the one in my neighborhood. I was minding my own business when a men got my attention.

“’Scuse me,” one said. “Are you a local?”

He didn’t let me answer. Eyes sparkling, he awkwardly continued. “This is the best place to live in the country.”

It wasn’t really a question, yet he and his friend looked at me for approval. The men were on a day trip from Denver. They were scouting out America’s No. 1 Place to Live, he told me. Their wives were joining them later, for dinner and maybe drinks, in America’s No. 1 Place to Live. They loved the downtown, very sweet, just as they had heard. Of course it is. How else would it be in America’s No. 1  Place to Live?

“Longmont wasn’t named the No. 1 place to live,” I interrupted. “It was Louisville.”

Disappointment instantly shrouded their faces. Their jaws hung low and slack. Their cheeks blushed enough for me to realize that I had ruined their afternoon plans—if not the entire weekend. One got on the phone and called his wife, telling her they had come to the wrong place. The other turned back to me, clutching his car keys.

“Where’s Louisville?”

In minutes, they walked out the door, leaving Longmont in their dust.

I got on my bike and rode home, past immaculate historic homes with big yards shaded by big trees and front porches bigger than my bedroom. My neighbors were setting up for an afternoon barbecue. Another was taking care of the small garden she so artfully tends. Kids down the street were climbing the big oak out front. All was indescribably well and perfectly pleasant.

It was a nice moment to linger in.

Let the visitors have their maps, day trips to the ’burbs and magazine lists. I’ll take my neighborhood any day.

French Davis: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry since you got your start in the early ’90s, and how have they affected you?

John Medeski: Well, the obvious impact of rapidly changing technologies has created the biggest changes in the music “industry,” especially in terms of how people acquire and listen to recorded music. Which simply means: less record sales. Since we are an instrumental band that has never had a hit on commercial radio, or ever depended on record sales as our main source of income, it doesn’t impact us that much. We love making records, but playing music is what we do, and playing live has been what has sustained us, in terms of the “business.” The music business has always been changing, and we have always tried to find a way to make our music, get our recordings out, and play for people. We started with cassettes, some vinyl, moved to CDs, and now it’s downloads. We’ve always been independent, and that helps us to keep dancing, or at least treading water, in the ever changing music industry. We just have to adapt. The big companies come and go, whether its recording companies or promotion companies or venues, but music is a deep ancient human need. It will always be there, and that’s what we are here to do.

FD: You’ve collaborated with some of the biggest names in music across several genres; John Scofield, John Zorn, DJ Logic, Phish, etc. How have these collaborations influenced and impacted the evolution of your sound?

JM: I’m sure these collaborations have impacted our sound, but I don’t have an outside perspective on what we do, so I can’t really say. But, I can say that any time we add someone to the mix, it influences how we play. It’s like adding another person to a conversation. Another personality, another intelligence, or opinion enters into the equation and adds a different dimension.

FD: What have you learned in the last 20 years (2011 marks 20 years together, right?) that you wish you had known when you first broke?

JM: I wish I knew how to not care what anyone else thought. Well, care is not the right word, I wish I hadn’t worried about it at all. I always understood that we needed to be true to ourselves, and we always have been, but I wouldn’t waste time with those kinds of thoughts again—wanting to make everyone happy. I wish I had known to save money, too.

FD: What do you find inspiring about the musical landscape today?

JM: I love that it is so easy for almost anyone to get things out there for people to check out and enjoy, be inspired by, laugh at, be moved by, learn from, etc. …That the big record companies are no longer dictating what is available. They should have lost that privilege when they originally made profit their only priority.