This month, I was tasked with Notables—and this year, the focus has been on celebrating Yellow Scene’s 25 years in Boulder County media. From Top 25 Articles to “Where Are They Now?” features, this month I’m highlighting 25 of my favorite covers. And like the others, narrowing this list down wasn’t easy. Each comes with a story—some joyful, some complicated—but all meaningful.

Print is still magic. I watched two kids flipping through Yellow Scene, giggling and pointing out places they recognized. That doesn’t happen with a phone.

Not all 25 years of covers are on the website. The first eight years live in hard copies, CD-ROMs, and Zip drives in my basement. I was literally taking photos of old issues with my phone—because who still owns a CD-ROM drive?

YS has always been collaborative. The creativity behind these covers isn’t just mine—it’s the product of dozens of staff members over the years. Designers, writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, and interns have brought wild ideas to life and made them sing. I’ve had amazing teams pitch me ideas—some I thought were weird but turned out great. That kind of teamwork has defined our pages from the beginning. Editorial content always came first; our goal has been to make every page worth reading.

As I revisited the covers, the memories came rushing back. Sometimes I just liked the art, but most often it was the stories behind them. The greatest feeling I get is thinking about the people who made them. I’ve been lucky to work with inspired, creative minds who wanted to build something special.

When I left Boulder Weekly, clients started calling: “Where did you go?” Erie was exploding—4,000 new homes by 2000. I hadn’t planned to launch anything, but they encouraged me. I sold ads with no product, then figured it out.

The first issues were called The Gold Mine—local ads, local reach, and Easter eggs for fun. By edition four, we had content, a real name, and a growing following. We officially incorporated in February 2001 as Yellow Scene Magazine. We were Reader’s Digest-sized and called ourselves “East County’s cultural scene,” which some Boulder folks laughed at: “Do you have culture out there?” And I’d smile and think, yes—more than you know.

Fun fact: We’ve never put the Flatirons on a cover. Someone once called that a weird flex—but to me, it says a lot. They’re on everything. I wanted to reflect the people, the culture, the values—not just the scenery.

Early on, there was controversy. By issue three, I published letters to the editor that stirred things up. It was my first taste of being a publisher. Then came 9/11. And with it, a choice: what kind of media would we be? We chose bold. Our anti-war stance during Iraq got us letters and boycott threats—but I knew we were right.

The press is mightier than the sword. Yellow Scene has never shied away from the hard stuff. We follow the truth, and the creativity. 

THE COVERS

August 2000: The Gold Mine

June 2004: The Hot Issue

August 2007: The Smart Issue

August 2000: The Gold Mine

Our very first issue—and definitely our funkiest. Not the most beautiful, but it belongs here. Art by Shavonne Blades.

June 2004: The HOT Issue

We featured Left Hand Brewery with a local artist’s painting. Illustration Art: DeWayne Wolff (Longmont).

August 2007: The SMART Issue

One of my favorites—my son was our child model in the early years. Art Director Stephanie Mott crafted a brilliant concept from the shoot. Photography by Jessica Grenier (Denver).

February 2009: One Giant Food Issue

June 2009: The Hot Issue

July 2009: The Glasshouse of Boulder

February 2009

A fun, pivotal issue. This marked our expansion into Boulder. Until then, we were only in East County/North Metro. After the 2008 crash, I borrowed $80,000—the first time ever—to go big: perfect-bound, 100 pages, full gloss. It worked. Art Director: Stephanie Mott. Photography: Ed Corcoran (Golden).

June 2009: The HOT Issue

This was one of those wild staff ideas I almost said no to—a Harlequin romance parody. It turned out amazing. Art Director: Stephanie Mott. Concept: Andra Coberly. Photography: Julie Levy (Boulder).

July 2009: The Glasshouse of Boulder

An architectural shoot inside a stunning home. Architect: Matt McMullen. Art Direction: Stephanie Mott. Photography: Jessica Grenier (Denver).

July 2011: The Hot Issue

March 2012: SuperKids Issue

April 2012: Best Of The West

July 2011: The HOT Issue

Stephanie Mott transitioned to Creative Consultant after this issue, and Brittany Wigham stepped in as Associate Art Director. She nailed this sizzling cover. Art Direction: Brittany Wigham.

March 2012: SuperKids Issue

“82 Ways to Spend a Summer Day” was born from an idea by Editor-in-Chief Andra Coberly. Art by Brittney Wigham, who always said: “In design, no detail is too small.”

April 2012: Best of the West

A Beatles “Abbey Road” homage with our staff in downtown Louisville. Brittney Wigham led the creative. Photography: Joe Hodgson (Denver).

December 2012: The 65+ Issue

June 2013: The Hot Issue

August 2013: The Smart Issue

December 2012: The 65+ Issue

Titled “The Silver Tsunami,” this cover highlighted the boomer wave of retirements. Some people didn’t love the bold image—but that’s exactly why I do. Art Direction: Brittney Wigham. Editor: Andra Coberly.

June 2013: The HOT Issue

I rejected the initial cover (ice cream, tilted sunglasses—too canned). We were down to the wire when I spotted a photo of Mona Lott, a drag queen from our Faces of Summer feature. “Can we put a drag queen on the cover?” the staff asked. Damn straight we can. Art: Brittney Wigham. Photo: Paul Wedlake.

August 2013: The SMART Issue

Michael Kennedy (aka Colonel Matlock) obsessed over every detail. There’s a flaw only he sees—and he still talks about it. I call it brilliant. 

December 2013: Health Issue

March 2014: SuperKids Issue

2015: Album Cover Series

December 2013: Health Issue

We spotlighted tattoo culture. Joe Friend shot the stunning visuals. Michael Kennedy brought it to life with graphic design. And yes, there’s a little surprise in the article.

March 2014: Super Kids Issue

We just re-featured this photo in 2025 for “Where Are They Now?” Paul Wedlake shot both the original and the update. Art: Brittney Wigham.

2015: Album Cover Series

An all-time staff favorite. Readers played along all year, guessing the inspiration behind each cover. My pick for Top 25? Sgt. Pepper’s. Editorial Concept: Brett Callwood. Art Direction: Trish Himmler & Katherine Preucill.

February 2017: Best Of The West – Find-A-Word

May 2017: The Hot Issue

August 2017: The Smart Issue

February 2017: Best of the West – Find-A-Word

We hid puzzles in this one and gave prizes for solving them. Readers loved it. Art Direction: Jennifer Ho.

May 2017: The HOT Issue

A hard moment—Brides and Babies closed that year. However, we stayed true to our values, and despite financial challenges, I commissioned this piece to honor Colorado’s music festival scene. Illustration: Brittany Henson.

August 2017: The SMART Issue

Commissioned art reflecting education funding challenges. Illustration: Christina Ullman.

February 2018: Best Of The West

September 2018: Indulgence Issue

March 2019: Divercity Series

February 2018: Best of the West

After the 2015 series, I wanted more themed covers. This one featured winners standing in front of the Boulder Theater (shoutout to them for putting us on the marquee!). Art: Irina Ratzek. Photography: Paul Wedlake.

September 2018: Indulgence Issue

Restaurant folks, a remote sugar mill road, a ladder, and a cop car. Yep, Longmont PD told us to move—but not before Paul got the shot. Art: Irina Ratzek. Photo: Paul Wedlake.

March 2019: DiverCity Series

A love letter to black-and-white print and typography. Every piece was text-forward. I chose Andrea Gibson for this list—an icon who just left us. Art Direction: Irina Ratzek, Photo: Paul Wedlake.

April 2020: 20th Anniversary Series

February 2021: The Actionist Series Featuring Candice Bailey

February 2022: Heroes Series – Firefighers

April 2020: 20th Anniversary Series

We planned to spotlight past and present staff—then COVID hit. We skipped March and folded what we could into April. The pandemic shaped every shoot after. Featured: Stephanie Mott. Photo: Paul Wedlake.

February 2021: The Actionist Series featuring Candice Bailey

It was hard to choose just one from this series—we featured amazing people, including former Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre. But I chose Candice because I have the utmost admiration for her. Her bold spirit is exactly what this world needs. Art Direction: Irina Ratzek. Photography: Paul Wedlake.

February 2022: Heroes Series – Firefighters

Originally planned for nurses post-COVID, but after the Marshall Fire, we pivoted. The hoses in the photo? They’re the ones crews had to cut and abandon to escape the flames. Multiple departments were involved. Photo: Paul Wedlake.

April 2023: The History Series Featuring Erie, Colorado

April 2023: The History Series featuring Erie, Colorado

In 2023, we launched a series exploring the histories of the towns we serve across Boulder County and the North Metro. Beautifully written by Doug Geiling, the research and storytelling were fascinating. I chose Erie for this list because it’s my hometown—and the last standing mine in the area still sits there. Art Direction: Irina Ratzek. Photography: Paul Wedlake.

If you want to explore more then head over too yellowscene.com/archives