The month in review, May 2012

Actor Mark Ruffalo lauded Erie mothers who formed the anti-fracking group Erie Rising, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited Northern Colorado to deliver a stump speech to oil and gas workers. In his continuing effort to prove he’s the nerdiest Congressman ever, Rep. Jared Polis compared Romney to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character Gul Dukat, a reptilian looking Cardassian; Senate majority leader Frank McNulty blamed the need for a special legislative session on a gay Obama conspiracy; and Boulder was ranked the third best biking city in the United States by Bicycling Magazine. It was bested by Portland, Ore., and Minneapolis, Minn. Bears reportedly wandered around Nederland and thieves stole a laptop out from under a Foolish Craig’s patron, while he was typing. A teenage fisherman from Longmont couldn’t claim the state record for landing the largest striped bass in the state—a 31-pounder—because he lied about where he caught the fish; he originally said it had been caught at a lake in Longmont when in fact it was plucked from a pond on Boulder County Open Space, where he was legally required to release it. Instead, he kept it in an attempt to claim the title. The fish “was pretty much almost dead,” he told the Daily Camera. Longmont considered offering free WiFi in city parks. Denver outlawed camping in its parks and public areas.

Small Talk

“We are philosophically as far apart as you can get.”—Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer, comparing her county’s political philosophies to Boulder County’s.

“I don’t know whether Barack Obama was born in the United States or not.”—Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman, going full-birther at a fundraiser. Coffman has repeatedly apologized and said he “misspoke.”

“We see this pretty frequently.”—Boulder DA Stan Garnett, commenting on a 21-year-old woman who drunkenly entered a stranger’s home and was shot by homeowners. The woman is expected to recover.

“It’s like people aren’t even connected to the outside world anymore.”—Denver Fire Department spokesman Phil Champagne on why Denver ambulances are now equipped with earth-shaking subwoofers to get motorists’ attention.

“I shouldn’t have to even argue that pizza isn’t a vegetable, but such is life in #darncongress.”—A tweet from Boulder Congressman Jared Polis (@jaredpolis)

Numbers