When Jacob Giron graduated high school, he was shocked by the price of student housing  and tuition at the University of Colorado Boulder. Giron, like many prospective students in Boulder and East County, initially desired to attend CU Boulder. But CU and other public universities in Colorado enforce on campus housing during a student’s freshman year. So when Giron saw the tuition and housing costs that the University would require, he instead opted to attend Front Range Community College. 

The price for residence housing at Boulder ranges from $8,000-$10,000 per semester on top of tuition. “I remember looking at the prices of (living on campus), it became very inaccessible to me,” said Giron. “When I live close enough to drive to campus, why should I have to pay for a dorm?” 

Although Giron is satisfied with his university choice from a financial perspective, he has found that Front Range has not brought the same sense of community as a four-year university would. Lacking on-campus housing, a football team, and a vast range of clubs that would otherwise be found at CU, Giron finds Front Range missing that crucial experience in student involvement and social dynamics. 

“I want to go to a school with a lot of people. It makes it easier to find your niche, something that interests you,” he said. 

At Boulder, students are afforded more accessible student life opportunities, extracurriculars, and a surplus of amenities. For Giron, life at CU Boulder seemed to be a perfect fit. Yet financial barriers have increasingly made CU out of reach for Giron and many of other students.

  CU’s tuition has steadily increased seven years in a row. In 2026, incoming undergraduate students will face a 3% increase in their already substantial tuition. On top of that, students are charged fees for on-campus services such as recreation, transportation, educational resources, and athletics. For students, education at a large public university like CU Boulder comes with a looming financial burden: loans and student debt. Now, some are wondering if tuition and cost increases actually lead to improvements in education and the well-being of students. 

Max Harte, an out-of-state CU Boulder student from Texas, was aware of CU’s high tuition cost. For students who live outside of Colorado, tuition is approximately double the in-state rate. Nevertheless, hundreds of out of state students still find themselves drawn to the CU system.

Harte is grateful for the opportunity to study psychology at CU Boulder. They make an effort to attend all of their classes, noting the financial costs that their family has incurred for them to study. Nonetheless, Harte acknowledges a public university system that has become unattainable for many students purely due to cost. 

Buckingham Hall undergraduate student housing dorm at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) campus in Boulder, Colorado, with the Flatirons in the distance.

“The value of education isn’t valued as highly because it is so difficult, financially, to attain,” said Harte. “I have several friends (back home) that don’t go to college simply because they can’t afford to, not even for in-state schools, let alone out-of-state ones.”

Despite the increase in tuition for new students, Harte has not seen renovations within their department. Harte notes a lack of investment in student research opportunities that are crucial to secure an undergraduate psychology degree. The lack of investment has left some students struggling to secure them. Harte acknowledges that these students are missing out on a key component of attaining an undergraduate psychology degree from the school. On top of the disadvantaged students, Harte themselves have never been paid for any of the research which they have conducted. Some students, like Harte, are fortunate enough to still land a research opportunity. Nonetheless, they feel that the school should be utilizing students’ expensive tuition to ensure research success within the psychology department. 

“It shows what the university cares about, where they put their money, and it’s not toward the psychology department,” said Harte. 

The contrast between Harte’s tuition and the educational struggles within their department are stark. While they value their education in Boulder, Harte wishes that they could feel the impact of their hefty tuition bill in their day-to-day education. 

Giron and Harte’s experience with university tuition are not remotely unique to CU Boulder. Nearly every public university in the U.S. has steadily increased tuition over the last two decades. Understandably, these universities face increasing development costs and payroll for already underpaid educators. Nonetheless, these financial burdens are often offloaded onto students through a raised tuition and increased fees. Instead of incurring these costs, some Colorado students have opted for a different path in life. 

In Colorado, the popularity of community college is rapidly growing. From 2024 to 2025, data from the National Student Clearinghouse Project saw a 3.9% increase of enrolled students into community college. At the same time, the number of incoming freshmen at big universities in Colorado has fallen. The state’s public universities have experienced an enrollment drop of 0.5%, while private ones saw a drop of almost 9%. For some, tuition is expensive enough to rule out college altogether. For others, the high cost means sacrificing their top choices for whichever institution offers the best financial aid package. Many of Colorado’s student population simply take what they can get.

Mooji Boldbaatar graduated from the University of Denver in 2017. She mainly relied on scholarships to pay her way through college because, although she had lived in the U.S. since she was 10 years old, Boldbaatar was still classified as an international student from Mongolia. Due to her status, she was not able to receive adequate financial aid from a public university despite consistent academic success. The University of Denver, a private institution, offered her scholarships, and she ended up studying there instead. Originally, she wanted to attend Colorado School of Mines to study chemical engineering.

“I got into Mines, and then I couldn’t attend because I couldn’t afford it,” said Boldbaatar. “The lack of finances dictated which school I could go to.” 

A lack of aid was not the only barrier for Boldbaatar in obtaining her college education. Out-of-state tuition was worse. She researched and applied to out-of-state universities and, similar to DU, she was able to receive financial aid from some of the schools. But it wasn’t enough; the financial burden of an out-of-state school wasn’t worth the acceptance. 

“I really wanted to study elsewhere, but in order to save on living expenses, I had to stay in Colorado. It was another difficulty for me,” said Boldbaatar. 

Boldbaatar, like numerous other students, finished her degree from the University of Denver while working almost full-time hours. There was also the cost of room and board at the University; the high costs forced Boldbaatar to live with family off-campus. The result was a daily commute of about an hour and 20 minutes. For her, it was the only way to financially sustain herself while pursuing her education. 

After she graduated, Boldbaatar used her college degree to kickstart a professional career working with other young students. She is now a program manager with the Mongolian School of Colorado. While not directly related to her studies, she values the knowledge and experience that her education gave her. Boldbaatar credits higher education for her work ethic and time management. 

“Getting my education opened up doors that I had never really thought about,” said Boldbaatar. “The most valuable part (of my education) was the mindset that I got from it.”

But for many other young Coloradans, a college degree isn’t always attainable or valued. Are tuition, student loans, and lifetime debt worth it for the degree? While people like Max Harte have the incredible opportunity to attend a four-year public university, for others like Jacob Giron, a community college degree was the only option. Academically, Giron has been happy with his experience studying at Front Range Community College. But as a whole, he was looking for something more out of his college education—and, due to the increasingly unaffordable tuition bills at prominent state universities, Giron can’t help but feel that he may have missed out on a valuable experience. 

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

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The post Priced Out the Quad: Colorado’s Vanishing College Dream appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The following letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication.

Dear Mayor and Members of the Erie Town Council,

I want to begin by thanking each of you for your service to the people of Erie. As a fellow elected official and former city council member, I understand that public service is often demanding work with little recognition. Yet you continue to show up and make difficult decisions on behalf of your community, and for that I am grateful.

Last night, at the invitation of several community members, I attended your meeting regarding the proposed sale of Erie’s mineral rights. I remained in the audience from approximately 7:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. because I felt it was more important to listen than to speak. I wanted to hear directly from the residents whose lives will be affected by this decision.

While I do not represent Erie in the Colorado House, environmental and public health impacts do not stop at municipal boundaries, which is why I felt compelled to attend and listen.

What I witnessed was a community deeply engaged in its future. Residents came prepared, spoke thoughtfully, and shared their concerns with sincerity and conviction. Their testimony moved me.

I also want to acknowledge Council Members Anil Pesaramelli, Emily Baer, and Dan Hoback for their willingness to voice concerns and advocate for the constituents they represent. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, public service requires courage, and I am grateful for their commitment to the community.

It is clear that members of the council believe they acted in what they view as the best interests of Erie. The central question, however, is whether the long-term costs of this decision may ultimately outweigh its benefits. That question cannot be fully answered today.

During the meeting, you heard from an extraordinary range of community leaders and residents, including former Mayor Justin Brooks and School Board Director Meosha Babbs. While perspectives differed, a common theme emerged: many residents believe that a decision of this magnitude should have been submitted directly to Erie voters.

Several speakers argued that a ballot measure would have provided an opportunity for public education, robust debate, and community ownership of the outcome. Whether one supports or opposes the mineral rights sale, there is value in allowing residents to make an informed decision on an issue that could shape the future of their town for generations.

Among the testimonies that resonated most deeply with me was that of a cancer survivor who urged the council to proceed with extreme caution. Equally powerful was a resident who urged all of us to approach these conversations with softer voices and greater empathy. She reminded us that policy debates are not merely about numbers or contracts; they are about people. Her words have stayed with me: if a decision causes harm to even one child or one family, we must carefully weigh whether the benefits justify the risk. She also spoke of the need to give both the land and the people a chance to rest. I do not recall her name, but her remarks were among the most compelling of the evening.

Director Babbs offered another sobering perspective, sharing her experience from a Texas community that she said incurred more than $2 billion in costs associated with addressing the impacts of extensive oil and gas development. Her testimony served as a reminder that communities elsewhere have confronted challenges that deserve careful consideration as Erie charts its own course.

I also want to acknowledge that supporters of the agreement have identified tangible benefits. According to a CBS report, these include approximately 158 acres of land, revenue estimated at roughly $20 million over the coming years, the plugging of certain existing wells, and inspection and oversight provisions associated with the project.

The question remains: do those benefits outweigh the potential long-term costs?

According to the same CBS reporting on the proposal, this project could become one of the largest oil and gas operations in Colorado. We do not know today what the ultimate environmental, health, or infrastructure impacts may be. We do know, however, that residents have raised serious concerns and have asked their elected leaders to proceed with caution.

This issue is larger than any individual elected official, organization, or political perspective. It is fundamentally about stewardship, about what kind of community and environment we hope to leave for the next generation.

One comment from Council Member Emily Baer particularly resonated with me. She observed that a municipality’s ability to provide basic services should not be dependent upon continued oil and gas extraction. That observation raises an important challenge for all of us in Colorado. If we are serious about transitioning to a cleaner energy future, we must provide communities with realistic pathways to maintain essential services without forcing them to choose between immediate fiscal needs and long-term environmental considerations.

The reality is that local governments face difficult choices. Immediate needs often carry greater urgency than future risks. It is therefore incumbent upon state leaders, local governments, and stakeholders to work together to ensure communities are not placed in that position.

Although the vote has been taken, I hope the Town continues to engage residents transparently, rigorously monitor potential impacts, and ensure that community concerns remain central as this project moves forward.

Thank you again for your service and for the thoughtful deliberation you bring to these difficult issues. While I respectfully disagree with the outcome, I remain grateful for your commitment to Erie and to the democratic process.

Respectfully,

Junie Joseph

Colorado State Representative

The post Letter to the Editor: Reflections on Erie Mineral Rights Ordinance and Community Testimony appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient is a record-holding troupe devoted to shadow casting, an art they showcase in union with Rainbow Cult. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jolee Harston, the Head of Marketing, in anticipation of the upcoming Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Play, which has been entertaining at Denver’s Meow Wolf installation over the past few years. Tickets are available for this year’s Summer Beach Party Extravaganza on July 9th and 10th.

Tommy Milo: Given the improvisational aspect of the Rocky Horror performances, from a rotating cast to ample room for ad libbing, has there ever been a feeling that the text of Rocky Horror has been changed for a new audience?
Jolee Harston: Part of the joy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and shadow casting is that we are constantly working on adding/updating callbacks to be relevant to current events. We have a callback script that we mostly stick to, but we work together as a cast to come up with new jokes and bits, as well as checking in with any callbacks that may not feel appropriate in the current day and age. The original callback script for Rocky Horror is still very present in our performance.

Photo provided by rockyhorrordenver

Milo: After attending multiple shows, I’ve noticed small changes to the cast’s traditions and catch phrases. How do you meet the moment and remain conscious of the audience and surroundings while making changes like these?
Harston: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, at its core, is a film meant to challenge norms and remain somewhat shocking. We try to find a balance between still bringing humor and pushing boundaries, while also being aware of certain things in the Rocky community that may have worked at one point, but no longer hold the same meaning and may be considered offensive. Language is ever-changing, and that gives us an opportunity to be creative and find new ways to express certain sentiments in a new way.

Photo provided by rockyhorrordenver

Milo: There was a recent controversy surrounding the PACE Center performing arts in Parker, Colorado, having to do with the censorship of LGBTQ flags. In such a contentious time for representation and diversity among the performing arts, how does Rainbow Cult break the mold?
Harston: I can’t speak for Rainbow Cult, but Colorado’s Elusive Ingredient breaks this mold by being LOUD, PROUD, AND UNAPOLOGETIC about the message of the film and our cast’s beliefs. Before every show, our MC delivers a speech where we clearly state our shows are not a place for hate in any form – racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and F*CK NAZIS. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has historically been a safe place for the queer community and those looking for freedom and rebellion. The film and shadow casting community is about breaking gender norms, and we hope anyone who comes to our performances leaves with a little more freedom and confidence to express themselves authentically in all areas of life.

Photo provided by rockyhorrordenver

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Spotlight: Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Play appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Harriman Sisters Live at Ned General, Jun. 26:

Ned General will be hosting a laid-back evening of live folk and bluegrass music from The Harriman Sisters. This Lafayette-based family trio is known for creating a unique Americana sound that masterfully blends classic and contemporary elements in both their original songs and their covers, all delivered through unforgettable live performances.

The Harriman Sisters Live at Ned General | Jun. 26 • Ned General, Nederland

On the Library Stage: Pity+Fear, Jun. 27:

Experience the original one-woman dark comedy “Pity+Fear (a travesty)” re-written and re-performed by Miriam Suzanne. A tale of queerness, Greek mythology, realism, and choice, this production promises to be different this time, but still with the same gripping effect, perfect as a celebration and questioning of Pride Month and what it means to be queer.

On the Library Stage: Pity+Fear | Jun. 27 • Westminster College Hill Library, Westminster

Disco Revue: An Electric Night of Disco Hits, Jun. 27

Experience the golden age of disco with Colorado’s own Disco Revue at Nissi’s. Founded by the musicians of The Petty Nicks Experience, this seven-piece live band brings the sounds and energy of Manhattan’s iconic Studio 54 back to life. Disco Revue is not just a band, it’s a full-on disco experience that keeps the groove going all night long.

Disco Revue: An Electric Night of Disco Hits | Jun. 27 • Nissi’s, Lafayette

Independence Weekend with the Longmont Museum, Jul. 3rd and 4th 

Experience the magic of Independence Day weekend with the Longmont Museum. Kickstart your celebration with a free “Backyard Concert” in Roosevelt Park at 6 PM. Enjoy live music and lots of food in a family-friendly outdoor environment. Next, bring your loved ones to 2nd Avenue and Emery Street for the Free Family Festival on Jul. 4th at 5 PM. Enjoy fireworks, entertainment, live music, games, and activities for all ages.

Independence Weekend with the Longmont Museum | Jul. 3rd and 4th • Roosevelt Park and Granary Townhomes, Longmont

Boulder Symphony’s July 4th Celebration, July 4

Boulder Symphony celebrates the Fourth of July with a sparkling live orchestra concert in Boulder’s Central Park. The red, white, and tunes performed will feature patriotic favorites, cinematic blockbuster scores, and classic American ensembles. Catch the star-spangled music at 7 PM. Tickets start at $10 and are available on the Boulder Symphony website.

Boulder Symphony’s July 4th Celebration | July 4 • Boulder Bandshell, Boulder

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Scene Stealers: Week of June 24th appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Saturday, June 20, the Town of Erie made an announcement that Councilmember Brian O’Connor had reconsidered the mineral rights deal and was bringing the motion back to a vote on June 23. On June 16, the vote failed in a 3-3 tie, with Councilmember Dan Hoback absent and O’Connor opposing the deal. 

Tonight, 47 residents spoke in public comment regarding the deal, with 35 in opposition. Residents also submitted over 428 pages of comments online, with analyses showing over 90% of the letters submitted in opposition. Those efforts also included a letter to the council with 227 signatures requesting that council vote no. O’Connor appeared to hesitate in his closing speech, but his position was clear in his verbiage throughout the meeting.

Consistent with previous votes, which had been controversial among residents (such as Redtail Ranch, pride flag policy and Executive Session transparency), the council chose to vote 4-3 in favor of Erie selling its mineral rights. Councilmembers Anil Pesamarelli, Emily Baer, and Dan Hoback voted against, while Mayor Andrew Moore,  Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell, and Councilmembers O’Connor and John Mortellaro were in favor.

While supporters emphasized the purported safety measures and fiduciary benefits, the opposition scrutinized the processes of the deal itself, raising legal and ethical concerns that have escalated over the past months.

These include violation of town procurement policies when hiring the consultant firm Alameda Mineral Advisors, improper use of confidential Executive Session meetings, possible violations of Alameda’s contract with the town, and lobbying from Alameda CEO Matthew Owens for residents to contact O’Connor and ask him to reconsider his no vote.

Mayor Moore stated that town staff in charge of the procurement process did not follow town guidelines, and that none of the councilmembers were aware of this breach of policy. Hoback stated it differently. “As for not following the town procurement process, to my knowledge, that process was never passed to town staff. Town council was in complete control of the vendor selection process.”

He continued to say, “This deal, since the beginning, has had valuations all over the place.”

Bell spoke for over 24 minutes, as he did at the June 16 meeting. His comments focused on the inevitability of the Draco Pad, the estimated 30 to 44 million dollars of the deal and advice to his critics, whose comments he characterized as “not even worthy of discussion.”

The evening ran long, but after three hours, the council voted 4-3 in favor of selling the mineral rights. Selling mineral or water rights is a permanent, high-stakes financial decision, and one that should not be taken lightly.

The post Rocky mineral rights deal passes in 4-3 vote in spite of opposition appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Driving down Public road in Lafayette, you may notice black tall cameras, adorned with a solar panel, taking continuous snapshots of vehicles’ rear license plates. These Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Flock AI-cameras from Flock Safety have  centered in community discourse due to growing concerns surrounding surveillance and risk of misuse by police and federal agents.

30 cameras were installed in 2022 by the Lafayette Police Department (PD) around the city, with no more installed since. Community interest for discussion around the cameras was not high at first, but Detective Commander Scott Emerson noticed more concern after an influx of social media posts and alleged “misinformation” around Flock, said Emerson.

Perhaps due to this growing interest, on June 17th, more than a dozen Lafayette community members settled into a dimly lit room in the Lafayette PD building as three officers and two Flock camera spokespeople put on “Cop Talks #2: Facts About Flock Safety Cameras.”

The Cop Talk, part of a series of presentations held by the Lafayette PD meant for conversations within the community, began with a presentation given by Detective Sergeant Jason Thompson. The PD began searching for a “law enforcement force multiplier” after a spike in car-related crimes in 2020.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety May 2026 Newsletter, in Lafayette, auto thefts skyrocketed from 61 in 2020 to 120 in 2022, an increase of 64%. In Colorado overall, auto theft rates dropped from 18,450 in 2022 to 7,480 in 2025. Detective Thompson said this large drop can be attributed to the Flock cameras. Chart is courtesy of coloradocrimestats.state.co.us/tops

These cameras are different from the Blissway speeding cameras on Diagonal Highway. Unlike the speeding cameras in Boulder, Flock cameras are fixed, motion-activated ALPRs meant to investigate crimes and wanted persons. The PD originally hoped to use the cameras for traffic enforcement as well. Flock’s speeding cameras would require photos with identifying features in them. The public was concerned with the possibility of discriminatory policing based on these photos, as well as worries that these cameras would be abused by the department to profit from speeding tickets. Lafayette PD scrapped the idea after the backlash.

The current Lafayette AI Flock Safety system has two primary components: The hotlist and audits. According to the PD, Flock cameras can provide police officers with near real time alerts as well a hotlist, or a database of license plates and vehicle descriptors associated with the wanted car and photos of the rear of the vehicle. 

Officers also have to click a legal agreement before signing into the Flock Safety system, pressing a small button saying “Accept and Continue” below a compliance message. In accordance with Colorado law, “We are not using this for unauthorized purposes,” said Thompson, “we’re not using it for immigration enforcement or reproductive care.” He said the legal agreement before sign-in is “an important accountability piece.”

An example of a hotlist on the Flock Safety website, narrowed down to a specific timeframe. Flock provides a photo of the vehicle’s rear, the color/make/style/other notable descriptors of the vehicle, the date and time the image was captured, and the direction of travel. The Lafayette PD says this data is “common practice” to have. Photo courtesy of Finn Feldman

While these statements regarding how Lafayette intends to use Flock are important, their practical application faces a hard legal reality. As Yellow Scene Magazine has previously reported, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) emphasizes that local data protection claims are essentially hollow; regardless of what a city government promises, the federal government can demand access to their citizen data at any time, for any purpose, because state and federal laws prevent cities from withholding that information.

Lafayette PD says they looked at 9 different major ALPR systems and settled on Flock primarily for its proclaimed privacy concern considerations. Flock claims that it deletes photos taken after 30-days and that the company does not sell customer data. Flock also boasts that it has not had cloud data breaches. Contrary to these claims, local news reports demonstrate flock camera feeds have been exposed in an internet data breach, and their data on license plates have been accessed through search engines.  Denver removed all its Flock cameras after it was found federal agencies have bypassed ICE/DHS restrictions by having PDs run searches for them. A blog post by Flock says “ICE does not have direct access to Flock cameras, systems, or data, unless the agencies that control their data expressly and deliberately allow it.” 

Flock Safety Public Affairs Officers Bia Campbell (left) next to Jalen Johnson (right) answered a few questions at the Cop Talk, ending off by promoting themselves as an honest company whose clients are both the PD and the community. Courtesy of Finn Feldman

Unlike many of its neighbors, the city of Lafayette currently has a five year contract with Flock that started in 2022 after four community meetings and a city council workshop. The Lafayette PD argues that departments such as Fort Collins, Denver, and Louisville will fall behind with their abandonment of Flock cameras after widespread criticism of surveillance and AI caused these cities to end contracts. With the use of AI in Flock’s vehicle search system, Lafayette PD says officers must check to see if the AI correctly got the license plate—for example, to make sure Flock’s AI doesn’t read a 0 (zero) as an O on the plate. Another alleged “safeguard” is Flock’s AI auditing system, used to track if any suspicious activity is occurring with officers’ searches. Flagged audit reports are then sent to a team of four Lafayette PD administrators to review, and then an audit completion report to Emerson.

Chris Anderson, a community member who works in IT, has concerns over the AI camera use and auditing practices, saying “AI is foulable right now.” Anderson pressed the PD to have an external group check their reports, worried about how “their own system is auditing it.”

The PD in their presentation said these twice monthly searches are being done internally and externally, but later during community discussion said only the four administrators are checking the AI flagged/human created audits. Emerson said after his main take away is to look into how other PDs may be using an external auditing system for “best practice.”

Lafayette City Councilor Annemarie Jensen confirmed an external auditing system was brought up at past town meetings, but says “Lafayette is a small town with a small budget” and thinks it may not be worth the cost.

Anderson also questioned the PD around controversies surrounding Flock, including 404 Media’s reporting of ICE agents using the cameras for immigration enforcement and alleged improper storage of data, asking “How are you holding Flock accountable?” 

Emerson responded, “I have done my due diligence in looking into the matter,” and said all the claims were not verified. Spokesman Johnson responded as well, stating “these [allegations] are not verifiable.” 

Despite these refutations, local advocates and residents continue to challenge the police department’s stance. Among them is Will Freeman, founder of the anti-ALPR website DeFlock, who has filed a class-action lawsuit against the neighboring city of Boulder over its use of the technology. Freeman and another Boulder resident, Gwen Steel, are currently awaiting a court order for class certification, signaling that community pushback against automated surveillance remains a growing legal hurdle for local governments.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Lafayette Police hosts talk amid concerns around Flock cameras appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The following letter was sent to Mayor Andrew Moore, Councilmember Brian O’Connor, and the Erie Town Council via council@erieco.gov, and was signed by 227 residents. Yellow Scene Magazine was asked to republish it in the interest of community transparency and public accountability. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication.

Dear Mayor and Members of the Erie Town Council,

I am writing to urge the Town Council to vote NO on the proposed sale of Erie’s municipal mineral rights. This letter is submitted on behalf of myself and the 227 Erie residents listed below, all of whom oppose this transaction.

Last week, the Council heard testimony from residents who have invested their lives in this community. The Council listened, and the sale failed on a 3–3 vote. We also know that the absent council member, Mr. Hoback, opposed the sale. The outcome reflected the will of the people who showed up, submitted comments, and remained engaged on this issue for more than two years.

One week later, the vote has been resurrected. Residents were given one business day’s notice that a re-vote would take place. Many had barely drawn a breath of relief before being asked to once again submit comments, prepare testimony, and restate a position that this Council heard clearly seven days ago.

I ask the Council to reject this sale based on the following critical points:

1. Erie’s Mineral Rights Are Not Symbolic—They Are the Town’s Strongest Tool

Under SB24-185, signed by Governor Polis on May 22, 2024, Erie’s unleased mineral interests cannot be force pooled. If Erie refuses to sell, SM Energy is legally required to avoid the Town’s unleased mineral interests. The Town’s own presentation to Council on June 2, 2026, confirmed this in plain language: “The unleased portions MUST be avoided unless leased or voluntarily pooled.”

This is the Town’s own legal assessment, presented by Town staff. Selling these rights means permanently surrendering the strongest legal tool Erie has to protect residents from drilling beneath their homes.

The claim that “drilling will happen regardless” is misleading. The Town’s minerals sit directly in the path of a significant number of planned laterals. Without these mineral rights, SM Energy cannot drill through those zones.

2. The Deal’s Value Has Been Significantly Overstated

The headline figure of $465 million includes speculative future property and sales tax revenues from undeveloped land—projections that depend on decades of assumptions, not contractual commitments from SM Energy.

The Mayor publicly acknowledged that the immediately quantifiable value is closer to $44 million. Other Town estimates place it at approximately $17 million over 20 years.

Meanwhile, retaining the mineral rights preserves Erie’s royalty interests and, critically, preserves the Town’s legal authority to prevent drilling through its mineral zones. That authority has value that cannot be reduced to a dollar figure because it protects residents’ health, safety, and property values on an ongoing basis.

3. Clear and Documented Conflict of Interest

The Town retained Alameda Mineral Advisors to negotiate this deal—a firm led by a former Civitas executive. Paying an industry insider to represent the same community that spent two years fighting Civitas creates a severe conflict of interest.

Furthermore, Alameda’s fee is contingent upon the deal closing. Its CEO is not a neutral advisor; he does not get paid unless the sale is approved.

Following the June 16 vote, Alameda’s CEO publicly stated on LinkedIn that he lobbied for a re-vote. That post was subsequently edited. Many Erie residents read the original statement and can attest to its contents.

When the person brokering a deal has a direct financial stake in the outcome and is actively lobbying elected officials after a failed vote, residents are entitled to question whose interests are being served.

4. Plugging Legacy Wells Is a Safety Obligation, Not a Bargaining Chip

The framing of plugging 17 old wells as a benefit or gift to the Town is misleading. Remediating aging and orphaned wells is a matter of basic public safety that should have been addressed long ago.

It is an industry obligation, not a concession that justifies a massive new mineral rights sale.

5. The Process Has Undermined Public Trust

Negotiating a deal of this magnitude largely in private executive sessions, retaining consultants with undisclosed industry ties, and rushing a re-vote within seven days of a failed motion have all eroded public confidence that this process is being conducted in residents’ best interests.

6. Erie Is Thriving Without This Deal

Our Town is thriving. Property values have skyrocketed. Downtown Erie has become a destination. Schools, restaurants, and local businesses have transformed this community—all without oil and gas involvement.

Erie is attractive to young professional families precisely because of what it is today. This deal puts that identity and growth trajectory at risk.

Residents have told this Council they will consider leaving if drilling proceeds beneath their homes. The economic damage from declining property values and departing families could far exceed whatever speculative benefits this transaction promises.

The community has spoken clearly and consistently. Hundreds of Erie residents submitted comments. The June 16 meeting filled the council chamber. Hundreds more have expressed opposition on social media. Letters have been sent to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. This letter alone carries the names of 227 residents asking you to vote NO.

This level of sustained community engagement is extraordinary for a town Erie’s size, and it points in one direction.

We are not asking for anything unreasonable. We are asking our elected officials to listen to the residents they represent, protect the legal leverage the State of Colorado granted this Town, and reject a deal that primarily benefits the operator and its paid intermediary.

A NO vote is not a rejection of economic opportunity. It is a decision to protect the Town’s most valuable assets—its families.

Please vote NO on the sale of Erie’s municipal mineral rights.

Submitted by 227 Erie Residents

The post Letter to the Editor: 227 Residents Sign Letter Opposing Mineral Rights Sale appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Opinion section. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent a reported news position. At Yellow Scene, opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud.

The birth announcement: once a small source of income for local newspapers, now a source of ‘likes’ and ‘engagement’. A few get cut out and pasted into the family scrapbook. A birth announcement in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town provided one of the play’s hidden laughs. On Instagram, a tasteful “Say hello to our new baby boy” might come across your feed. If the parents consider themselves nerds, they might hit you with a horror like “A New Challenger Has Appeared!” In print or in social media hell, the birth announcement seems doomed to ephemera.

This Father’s Day, I was thinking of a birth announcement from 1905. It was written by Lafayette, Colorado resident Harry C. Kephart. I remembered Kephart this past weekend because in his hands, the lowly birth announcement transcended into literature.

Harry C. Kephart, c. 1905

Harry Kephart was born in Iowa in 1870. He married Olive Dennis in 1895. They moved to Colorado in 1901. Like Doc Holliday before him, Kephart hoped Colorado’s dry climate would improve his health. He became the pastor at Lafayette’s Congregational Church (now the Arapaho Center Theater).

Harry C. Kephart was the pastor at Lafayette’s Congregational Church. Photo by Pen8uin, licensed under CC SA 4.0. This photo was taken when the name of the building was the Mary Miller Theater; it has since been renamed the Arapaho Center Theater.

In addition to his pastoral work, Kephart edited the News Free Press in Lafayette. He wrote editorials condemning the town’s racism. He went on to work for the Anti-Saloon League of Colorado.

The Kepharts’ house on Cannon Street in Lafayette, Colorado, where Harriet was born.

On August 20, 1905, Harry and Olive’s daughter Harriet was born. This was what Harry Kephart sent in to the Lafayette News:

Last Sunday evening between 7 and 8 o’clock there came to our home a little stranger. Her transportation reads, ‘From the house of many mansions.’ She bears the insignia of royalty. She had the light of other worlds in her eye, and upon her features the unmistakable working of divinity. We know nothing of her past, and neither by work or sign does she reveal her plans for the future. Her age is a mystery. She may be one day old. She may be older than the fixed stars. She sleeps and dreams and mutters strange and mysterious words from a language which I know to be older than the sea or winds and more difficult to interpret. We do not know how long she will be with us, another day, a week, a month, or she may be here when we are gone, and tired, oh, so tired of this round of earthly years. She will some day go out through the silent and mysterious doors of death in the arms of those who brought her here.

Olive Kephart, center, with daughters Harriet and Helen on either side, 1906. Public Domain.

That’s more than Instagram engagement, that’s the secrets of the universe. That’s holding time and space still to say, “You matter, little one. You matter to me.” I’d say Kephart deserved a pretty nice card for those words, but alas, the first Father’s Day wasn’t until 1909.

SOURCES:

– Lafayette, Colorado History: Treeless Plain to Thriving City, Lafayette Historical Society, pp. 245-246

– Colorado Historic Newspapers

The post Op-Ed: Our History Shows The Potential Of Birth Announcements appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Less than a week after the Erie Town Council’s deadlocked vote rejected a proposed mineral rights agreement tied to the Draco Pad, Councilmember Brian O’Connor has called for a reconsideration of the decision. The council is scheduled to revisit the topic on June 23, reopening one of the most divisive debates facing the town.

The request for a revote followed a social media post by Matthew Owens, CEO of Alameda Mineral Advisors, the firm hired by the town to negotiate the deal. In the original version of his LinkedIn post, Owens explicitly urged O’Connor to call for a reconsideration of his vote, a directive that was later edited out.

The original June 21 social media post by Matthew Owens, which explicitly urged Councilmember Brian O’Connor to reconsider his vote.

The edited version of the same post published later on June 21, with the direct appeal to O’Connor removed

Beyond the immediate political maneuvering, Owens’ public defense disclosed specific details from confidential Executive Sessions regarding bids, valuations, and negotiations. Residents were repeatedly denied this exact information prior to the vote under the guise of executive session confidentiality. While Owens released these details publicly to defend the merits of the deal, he did so without providing the underlying documentation. Furthermore, several of his assertions directly contradict the public record.

In his post, Owens outlined several key figures regarding the negotiations:

• Marketing Reach: Alameda solicited bids from 25 companies, 19 of which declined to submit offers.

• Competing Bids: The highest competing offer was approximately $5.5 million.

• Internal Valuations: SM Energy (formerly Civitas) internally valued the mineral rights between $54.7 million and $71.1 million. Unsolicited offers implied a baseline valuation of roughly $43 million.

• Contract Changes: Alterations made to the final agreement after Alameda’s active involvement ended allegedly reduced the deal’s total value by roughly $8 million.

Owens’ claim that Alameda actively solicited competitive bids directly contradicts his own previous statements. In a prior council study session, before being cut off by the Town Attorney, Owens told council members and a Yellow Scene reporter that he was “instructed not to” conduct a competitive bidding process by “the people who hired [him].”

Shown Matthew Owens at Counsel Hearing

When pressed in the comments of his post regarding competitive bidding, his editing choices, and SM Energy’s track record, Owens sidestepped the questions. Instead, he engaged critics with generalized political arguments and personal character attacks.

A public records analysis reveals that these claims vary significantly in their verifiability, falling into three distinct categories:

• Claims Supported by Public Records:

  • The Draco Pad project has already received state approval and is highly likely to proceed regardless of Erie’s decision on its mineral rights. The Town of Erie lacks the legal authority to revoke those state approvals.

• Claims Relying Heavily on Projections:

  • Alameda’s estimate asserts the agreement could generate up to $465 million in total value to Erie, projecting that transferred land could eventually generate hundreds of millions in future tax revenue. Conversely, the firm estimated that retaining the mineral rights would yield only $2.7 million to $4 million in royalty revenue over roughly 30 years.

• Claims Lacking Independent Verification:

  • Because no official documentation accompanied Owens’ post and the underlying materials remain shielded by executive session privacy, the public cannot verify the number of companies contacted, the actual value of competing offers, SM Energy’s internal valuation figures, or the alleged $8 million reduction caused by contract changes

The lack of transparency throughout this entire negotiation process has now drawn state scrutiny. The Colorado Attorney General’s office is currently reviewing a formal complaint filed by resident Steve Drew. The complaint alleges a pattern of procedural irregularities, including the lack of a Request for Proposal (RFP) process when hiring Alameda Mineral Advisors, a lack of competitive bidding during negotiations, the potential misuse of Executive Session confidentiality, and conflict of interest concerns.

This sequence of events has intensified the local debate over municipal transparency. The core issue is not whether local governments have the legal right to use executive sessions; Colorado law explicitly permits closed sessions to protect a municipality’s bargaining position during active negotiations. Rather, the controversy centers on whether Erie officials used confidentiality appropriately to safeguard a sensitive transaction, or whether they unnecessarily kept residents in the dark regarding the true mechanics and consequences of the deal.

Information that residents consistently requested during public meetings—including bidder participation, competing offers, and valuation ranges—was withheld from the citizenry only to be made public by a third-party contractor after the vote had occurred.

“The making of this deal is cloaked in secrecy of executive session,” resident Emily Brecht told the council on June 16. “We, the people of Erie, have valid questions. If people here are misinformed about the deal, it appears to be by design.”

The state’s review will proceed independently, but local action moves forward immediately. The Erie Town Council will reconvene to take a definitive vote on the mineral rights agreement on Tuesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m

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The post O’Connor Requests Vote After Contractor Lobbies on Social Media appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This Storyshare is republished in whole from The Conversation.

Featured Photo: Substance use disorders are common among pregnant people. Research shows that a fear of stigma prevents these patients from seeking health care. Halfpoint Images/Getty Images

by Karli Swenson, University of Colorado Anschutz

The obstetrics staff was surprised the first time it happened in June 2025. A pregnant woman who was dependent on methamphetamine arrived at the hospital in labor. She showed an image of graffiti spray-painted on a bridge in downtown Denver that read “Have your baby at Lutheran.” She was scared and in pain, but wanted to be somewhere she felt safe asking for help.

Not long after, it happened again.

Another laboring woman with the same image on her phone. Apparently, word was getting around that this labor and delivery unit did things differently.

The women showed up at the hospital months after providers there had participated in a training program about caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorders.

After delivery, both women engaged with recovery services, which include meeting with peer support, attending recovery meetings and sometimes moving into either detoxification centers or sober housing. They remained connected to these support systems, which are designed to improve outcomes for parents and families affected by substance use disorders.

Substance use disorders are common in general, but also common among people who get pregnant. Many pregnant people report experiences of judgment, stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings. Research has found that fear of negative treatment can discourage patients from disclosing substance use, engaging in prenatal care or seeking treatment services.

These barriers may contribute to a disturbing trend: Overdose has become a leading contributor to maternal mortality. In Colorado, accidental overdose is the second-leading cause of death among people during pregnancy and the first year after birth. Between 2016 and 2020, 33 people in Colorado died of overdose during pregnancy or in their first year after birth.

I have spent much of my career studying substance use during pregnancy. For three years, I worked with the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative, a public health organization dedicated to improving outcomes for parents and babies in Colorado, to develop and implement programs aimed at improving perinatal substance use care.

Stigmatized care for people who use substances

I worked with a team at the collaborative to survey labor and delivery nurses about their co-workers’ attitudes toward pregnant patients with substance use disorders.

Many nurses reported hearing their colleagues using stigmatizing language and dismissive behaviors. Some providers described assumptions that patients with substance use disorders were irresponsible, dishonest or less deserving of empathy than other patients. Others reported witnessing judgmental comments, gossiping, staff intentionally violating patient privacy, staff wanting to punish the patients for their actions and denial of pain management during labor.

These findings aligned with a growing body of literature documenting stigma toward pregnant people with substance use disorders across healthcare settings.

In my own experience with these providers, I’ve learned such attitudes are rarely held with malicious intent. Many clinicians work in demanding environments, care deeply about infant well-being, and may have limited formal training in addiction care. In short, they believed that shaming the moms may help their babies.

One survey participant said, “We definitely need more education and guidelines for these moms.”

Participants in the training took surveys and reported a need and want for more training on how to help patients with substance use disorders. These are some of their responses. Karli Swenson

Training to change minds and practice

The survey results led us to develop a training for obstetric and neonatal healthcare professionals. We partnered with HardBeauty, a Colorado organization led by women with lived experience of substance use and recovery.

Between 2023 and 2025, 1,454 healthcare professionals completed the training we developed in 33 hospitals, birth centers and community organizations in Colorado. Participants included nurses, physicians, midwives, social workers, lactation consultants and nursing educators. Many of the hospitals required their staff to complete the training as a way to address known gaps in care.

The training was 90 minutes either in person or on Zoom. For 45 minutes, the training focused on the trauma that predisposes people to substance use in pregnancy and the increasing prevalance of substance use in pregnancy during the opioid epidemic in Colorado.

Though few studies include the perspectives of patients with substance use directly, one study found that 87.1% of the participants with substance use in pregnancy experienced emotional abuse, 74.2% experienced physical abuse and 51.6% experienced sexual abuse. Knowing how patients start using substances to numb the pain of experiences like these helped participants empathize with patients who use substances.

We discussed real clinical scenarios, practiced talking to patients in ways that wouldn’t stigmatize them and learned strategies for connecting patients with local treatment and recovery resources.

Most importantly, the healthcare providers who participated spent the second half of the training in small groups with moms in recovery from HardBeauty who serve as peer support specialists. These moms told open, honest and raw stories of abuse, trauma, substance use, recovery, relapse and motherhood. They also shared their own experiences of being too afraid to ask for care while pregnant out of fear of losing their child. These conversations were difficult. Many ended in tears and hugs between healthcare staff and the peer support specialists.

The healthcare providers in our trainings later told us that these interactions made them see the patients who find themselves pregnant while suffering from a substance use disorder as human.

One participant said the training helped them to “see a story behind a patient and understand their perspective.”

Another wrote, “They are humans and deserve love and understanding just like anyone else.”

The survey results showed significant improvements in knowledge about substance use in pregnancy, maternal mortality and barriers to care.

Another healthcare provider said “going into this training I was frustrated that I was required to go to another training; by the end I was thankful.”

Our results showed that participants reported greater empathy toward pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorders than they had before the training. They learned that addiction is a treatable medical condition rather than a moral failing. They also described increased confidence discussing substance use with patients, identifying treatment resources, arranging referrals and responding to stigmatizing comments from colleagues.

One person’s survey response reflected the goal of the training: It “changed how I will approach patients in the future.”

Building trust and compassionate care

The two pregnant women who came to Lutheran after seeing that spray-painted message on the bridge were looking for caregivers they could trust.

Healthcare systems frequently measure outcomes such as length of stay, complications, readmissions and treatment utilization. Those metrics matter. But the experiences that patients have while receiving care matter, too.

When people feel respected, heard and supported, they are more likely to return for care, engage with treatment and recommend services to others. The long-term effects of these interactions between clinicians and new moms can be difficult to quantify, but they may influence entire communities.

If new moms with a history of substance use think the healthcare system is a safe space, they are more likely to attend recovery services, go to their postpartum appointments and take their child to their pediatric visits.

Read more of our stories about Colorado.

Karli Swenson, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post How Colorado hospitals are caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorders by overcoming stigma appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Dark money group funded by One Main Street spends $70,000 on HD19 Democratic primary

ERIE, CO, June 16, 2026 — An independent expenditure committee called “Blue Collar Progressives” has spent nearly $70,000 to support Jillaire McMillan in the June 30 Democratic primary for House District 19, according to itemized filings with the Colorado Secretary of State. The committee is already the subject of an open state campaign finance complaint.

The complaint (ED2026-35, filed by David Sabados, received June 5) alleges that Blue Collar Progressives registered to support state legislative candidates but is also actually running ads for county commissioner races, outside its stated purpose. It claims the committee is misleading the public and filing false documentation with the Secretary of State, under the “prohibited expenditure” and “inaccurate filing” categories.

Blue Collar Progressives registered as an independent expenditure committee on May 27, just weeks before the primary. State filings show it has raised $305,000 and already spent nearly all of it in a matter of days. [Per its filings, the committee’s funding traces to One Main Street Colorado, a group that does not disclose its donors.]

One Main Street poured roughly $800,000 into Colorado Democratic legislative primaries during the 2024 cycle, backing candidates it called “pragmatic” over grassroots progressives. The same network funds the Colorado Opportunity Caucus, which is under investigation after approving a $30,000 retreat for lawmakers and lobbyists at a Vail resort.

“Voters in HD19 deserve to know who is trying to buy this seat,” said Colton Jonjak Plahn, a Democratic candidate running against McMillan. “Voters are tired of elected officials not looking out for their best interests. I am running a grassroots campaign that takes no corporate PAC and no establishment PAC money, and believe no one should be able to buy an election.”

Independent expenditure committees are legally barred from coordinating with the campaigns they support, and Jonjak Plahn’s campaign is not alleging coordination by McMillan or her campaign. The campaign’s concern is transparency: voters are seeing tens of thousands of dollars in outside spending on this race without knowing its original source.

Jonjak Plahn is a born-and-raised Coloradan, a Stanford-trained aerospace engineer who’s running to keep HD19 focused on the people of the district, not special interests. Learn more at coltonforcolorado.com.

###

The post Letter to the Editor: Dark money group spends $70,000 on HD19 Democratic primary appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

Colorado’s Democratic and Republican Parties must be shaking in their boots from the Unity Party riding into town for the primary election. They trotted out “Four Arse* Men of the Epic Collapse” (Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) to fire a warning shot. They ended up shooting themselves and their parties in the foot.

The Colorado Sun posted an opinion by former Governors Bill Owens and Bill Ritter, along with former U.S. Senators Tim Wirth and Hank Brown. Their “bipartisan” appeal to unaffiliated voters claimed, “The challenge is that too many voters do not believe the primary election matters. That perception is understandable — but it is wrong.” Actually, that claim is wrong! It’s merely a “partisan” ploy to keep these voters from finding the Unity Party. They know that unaffiliated voters are drifting toward the greener pastures of better solutions because they’ve been stuck in a rut of a two-party ghost town for too long. I offer better solutions. The “big hats” don’t want that drift to become a stampede.

By excluding mention of the Unity Party in their plea, they’re telling unaffiliated voters that they can vote only for Democrats and Republicans, and no one else. This partisan bias is especially rampant among news outlets in liberal Denver and northern Colorado. The Colorado Sun, KUSA, KGNU, and KUNC have also excluded the Unity Party and its candidates, Paul Noel Fiorino and Jeff Peckman, from their partisan voter guides. It’s likely that these non-profit and for-profit news outlets are violating IRS or FCC regulations to benefit especially the Democrats.

The Fort Collins Coloradoan voter guide even claimed that “Those [Unity Party] ballots can only be returned by party members”, which is a dang lie. Any of Colorado’s two million unaffiliated voters can vote a Unity Party ballot. They just need to request it from their county clerk or at the voting station. Another challenge for unaffiliated voters is easily finding accurate and complete information on county election websites that explain how they can vote a Unity Party ballot.

In contrast, news outlets in conservative Colorado Springs, such as KRDO, KOAA, KKTV, and Pikes Peak Media, have publicized the Unity Party primary. They have also invited Unity Party candidates to participate in either a non-partisan questionnaire, interview, or forum. They’re doing it legally and fairly.

The hypocrisy and partisan electioneering by liberal news media and these former major party politicians is creating the biggest stink since the Great Denver Horse Manure Crisis of 1894! It’s a “ripe” opportunity for vengeful Feds to force a showdown in Colorado’s “Not OK election corral”. An FBI posse might even charge into town and round up the entire election.

Perhaps we should all be thankful. The sun is setting for the two-party stranglehold on America. Times are changing. The powers of justice, truth, and karma have given these “Four Arse* Men” and liberal media varmints enough rope to hang themselves and the party they rode in on. [*Arse – irritating or contemptible person]

Jeff Peckman

Unity Party Candidate for Governor

The post Letter to the Editor: Did “Four Arse Men of the Epic Collapse” Hang GOP and Dems? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Longmont has long prided itself on being ahead of the curve. It was the first city in Colorado to offer municipal broadband, provides the majority of public utilities, and has been a community that has never shied away from embracing what comes next. But in December, residents packed city council chambers and forced a reckoning over surveillance cameras, pushing out one ALPR vendor in Flock and setting off three months of hard conversations about privacy, data and power. Now a new vendor is in, 15 cameras are headed back up, and Longmont finds itself with a chance to prove that being ahead of the curve means more than just adopting technology first: it also means governing it well. 

To understand what that actually looks like, I spoke with two anti-surveillance activists, two city council members and the police department’s leadership.

Andrew Palmer has been a fixture at the public comment stand in recent months. Raised by two educators, he was drawn to science and technology from a young age, eventually becoming a systems engineer at Advanced Space. He has spent his career studying complex systems, and pertinently, how they fail. 

Andrew Palmer

“Sometimes failures are an unknown consequence of actions that you couldn’t possibly have foreseen,” he said, citing his work on Boeing 737s.

That lens brought him to city council meetings. “The most complex and most important systems in our lives are the ones made up of both technology and people,” he told me. 

“Failures in those systems are critical and catastrophic and can affect people’s lives, even be life and death.” 

Palmer stressed the importance of “systems thinking” and believes the city should be applying it to the surveillance conversation. He is not alone. His efforts to raise the alarm about risks to citizen privacy led him to the Visible Government League, an activist group whose mission is to “encourage caution, transparency, and public oversight regarding government use of surveillance and other emerging technologies.”

For Palmer, the central ask is not necessarily the removal of cameras, it’s sequencing.

“By the time these technologies are implemented and part of city strategy, it’s often too late to do much about it,” he said. 

In his view, an emerging technologies advisory board is a prerequisite for smart policy. A board seated before the next technology arrives means the city can evaluate it on the front end, with civil rights lawyers and technical experts at the table, rather than scrambling to catch up after the fact. 

“If we can’t satisfy certain requirements for this technology,” he said, “we shouldn’t have it.”

He wants residents who aren’t following this closely to understand what’s at stake:

 “These are not simply CCTV cameras. These are networked and capturing personal information of everyone entering and leaving the city.” 

And he has a message for anyone who thinks one voice doesn’t matter. “I have found that I’ve had a much greater impact than I thought I would,” he said. “One visit with a city council member, one email, one time attending one of these meetings can be hugely impactful.”

Palmer sees Longmont’s response to surveillance pushback as an opportunity for broader influence. “Denver watches us. All the cities around us watch us. And then the nation watches Denver and the Front Range,” he said. “I want Longmont to continue being the leader in what good use of technology looks like for other cities.”

Council member Matthew Popkin also considers himself a systems thinker. With a day job at Rocky Mountain Institute, this is not his first rodeo when it comes to approaching new technology on a municipal scale. He tracks emerging technologies across the energy, sustainability and municipal functions spaces, and one thing he keeps seeing is how much data management and data protection matter regardless of the sector.

Matthew Popkin

“We manage a lot of data,” he told me. 

“How we manage that matters, and how we protect that data is critical.” 

Popkin pointed out that ALPR technology reduces the number of direct interactions between officers and the public, because if a camera can determine whether a vehicle is even relevant to a case, an officer doesn’t need to make that stop.

“You can have a black Subaru with this license plate and suddenly you’re no longer concerned with all the rest of the black Subarus,” he said. “It allows our officers to focus just on that, and go into those situations more prepared.”

Kellen Lask, a local software engineer and member of Visible Government League, sees that differently. For Lask, a safer community isn’t built by officers surveilling it from a distance but rather from officers embedded in it, connecting with the people they serve. Lask is not reflexively anti-technology. In fact, he was the kid programming games on his graphing calculator in school and describes himself as fascinated with technology. 

Kellen Lask

Even so, he has doubts that the efficiency that comes with this surveillance technology will equate to safety.

As a fourth-generation Longmonter, former legislative staffer and teacher, Councilmember Jake Marsing comes at this from a different angle. He campaigned on fighting for working families, and when I asked him how that shapes his view on surveillance, you could tell the question carried real weight for him. He was also the one to make the motion to terminate the city’s contract with Flock during the December council meeting. Popkin seconded it.

Marsing considers the surveillance topic akin to issues like housing affordability in the sense that it begs the question: “What kind of governance are we doing, and what kind of community are we leaving our kids?” He expressed the desire to do everything he can to protect citizens’ privacy in an era where that is increasingly difficult. At a minimum, he believes, the city should ensure resident’s data is protected and not accessible to other jurisdictions except in active investigations. 

Lask echoed this sentiment, but frames the stakes more broadly. “What kind of community are we building?” he asked. 

“An automated eye in the sky tracking every single person? That feels like a very paranoid and distrustful community. That doesn’t feel like a happy, ‘I go help my neighbor’ kind of community.” 

If people assume the cameras are watching, he argues, they may stop watching out for each other. “We’re offloading the responsibility to our community to keep an eye out for each other” Lask maintains “Like ‘Oh the cameras will do that.’” 

A more disconnected community, Lask fears, could be one of the quieter, unintended consequences of building a future around this technology. He also worries about the impact on expression itself, and that perhaps the persistent awareness of being tracked suppresses behavior in ways that go beyond what any policy intends, leaving people less comfortable simply being out in the world. 

During his conversation with Yellow Scene Magazine, Council member Marsing spoke frankly about the fine balance a councilmember must strike. 

Jake Marsing

“We sit in this cross section of legislative branch policymaking and executive branch oversight, where we are also obligated to support our public safety department, to make sure the public safety team has the resources they need.” 

That tension is personal for him. His father was a Longmont officer for 14 years, retiring in 2010. The department’s headcount hasn’t grown meaningfully since, even as the population has increased by approximately 16%. “So when our public safety chief says, ‘If you’re going to take away these cameras, I need more bodies, I agree with them.”

When I asked Marsing about his vote to approve the Axon contract, which struck some community members as a hasty decision, he was direct. 

“It’s not that my thinking changed at all. It’s that my understanding of the reality here on the ground maybe shifted. I did not believe it was going to be possible for us to get cameras fully removed from the city. But what is possible is for us to work with a vendor that has significantly stronger data protection and does not involve a national data sharing model.” 

He has heard the argument that Axon and Flock are the same thing. 

“They’re not the same thing. Yes, the core camera tech is similar, but the back-end data sharing policies, the way that Axon has operated as a company for 20-plus years, do not have the same kind of data sharing practices that made me significantly more uncomfortable with Flock.”

Lask, who is particularly interested in trying to understand Axon’s architecture, agrees that the distinction matters, but stresses that the picture remains frustratingly incomplete. The questions he keeps returning to are technical and specific: when the data is transferred, is it encrypted? What encryption standard applies once it lands on a server? Who has access at that point? How much more secure is Azure Government than Azure?

“The details are just so deep and difficult to explore, even as a technical person,” he said.

One grey area  Lask pointed out is the possible use of an Axon platform called Fusus, marketed as a cloud-based, real-time crime center (RTCC) designed to unify public safety and community intelligence. The platform would allow the city to integrate privately owned cameras, including residential doorbell cameras such as Ring, into the Axon system when camera owners grant access. 

It has not been determined whether Longmont Public Safety will opt-in to this feature. 

Both Council members Marsing and Popkin kept coming back to one distinction above all others: the difference between Flock’s opt-out data sharing model and Axon’s opt-in. With Flock, Longmont’s data was visible to any partnering agency by default unless the city actively shut them out. That, Popkin told me, is how data ends up shared without anyone consciously deciding to share it. 

“That’s an operational default,” he said. “And that’s what other departments across the country are also realizing “‘hey, we didn’t even think to check that setting.’” 

With Axon, the starting point is zero. Longmont has to explicitly grant access agency by agency. 

“We’re keeping it tight,” Popkin said. “And that was part of the direction coming out of December.”

For residents whose anxiety centers on federal immigration enforcement, of which there are many, Popkin was measured but clear. The city cooperates with federal authorities on criminal warrants and active investigations. It does not enforce civil immigration violations. “It’s not Longmont’s role to enforce federal immigration law.” The default settings of the vendor, he argued, matter fundamentally to whether that policy holds in practice. It should be noted, however, that according to the Electronic Frontier Foun

dation (EFF), any resolution that claims to protect local data is null when the state and federal government do not allow cities to withhold data.

There are two other distinctions Popkin raised that have gotten less airtime. The first is that unlike Flock, Axon does not sell or share aggregated data collected through the platform. The second is that Axon does not use Longmont’s data to train AI.

The second distinction involves a platform Longmont already knows. All ALPR data through Axon is stored on Evidence.com, the same platform the department has used for seven years to store body camera footage. Popkin noted the significance of that. Body camera footage captures some of the most sensitive, private moments imaginable: officers entering homes during domestic violence calls, medical emergencies, moments of crisis. 

“That is some of the most personal, sensitive, and private information that we might have on someone,” he said. The department has trusted Axon with that material for nearly a decade. 

The ALPR data, by comparison, Popkin believes, is far less intimate. He notes that this is a photograph of a license plate, and nothing more.

Lask argues that this information, though simple in nature, can still portray an intimate picture of one’s life when aggregated. “Innocuous data adds up to a very personal picture,” he asserted, “your life is small bits of data that in isolation mean nothing, but across time it adds up to context.” The question of who holds that context, and what they can do with it, is where his concern lives. 

I wanted to hear what this conversation looks like from inside the Public Safety Department. I sat down with Police Chief David Moore and Assistant Chief Phil Piotrowski, the people  who are now navigating one of the most scrutinized technology decisions in the city’s recent memory.

Moore stepped into the chief role in October 2025, walking straight into the Flock controversy. He described the moment the Loveland data-sharing scandal broke that summer: “As soon as we found out about it, we took steps to assure that that wouldn’t happen with us.”

There is also a data misconception both officers were eager to address. When an ALPR camera captures a hit, all that exists in Axon’s system is a photograph of the rear of a vehicle and its license plate. No image of the driver. No personal information. Everything else, including the individual’s name, address and the details that make a plate number mean something, comes from NCIC and CCIC, national and state law enforcement databases that have existed for decades and operate entirely independently of any ALPR platform. Officers must verify a plate hit against those databases before making a stop. 

“That’s really important,” Piotrowski said, “because in anything that we do, especially with technology, it’s having that human in the loop to verify and make sure that information is correct, because if we’re not doing that, that’s how we get in trouble.”

At the same time, the national record gives some reason for pause. An 2016 Associated Press investigation found that between 2013 and 2015, more than 325 officers across the country were fired, resigned or suspended for unauthorized database queries, using law enforcement systems to stalk ex-partners, surveil neighbors and dig up dirt on journalists. A decade later, this threat has evolved into a coordinated targeting of constitutional rights. EFF datasets from 2025 reveal that over 50 law enforcement agencies have weaponized ALPRs to physically track protesters and reporters at demonstrations. By bypassing traditional warrant requirements to log hundreds of searches, police are effectively penalizing public assembly and dissenting speech through retroactive surveillance. For some police departments across the country, the human in the loop has been a source of abuse. 

Moore isn’t interested in framing ALPR as a replacement for officers. 

“It will never be a replacement for an officer doing the work,” he told Yellow Scene Magazine. But the math cuts both ways for Moore. “I can’t have someone standing on a corner, or in our case, in 15 different locations in the city, constantly watching for a stolen vehicle to pass or a homicide suspect to pass, and then alerting their fellow officers that, hey, I just saw that car go by,” Moore said, “It’s just not practical, we can’t do that 24/7.” 

The department has 15 cameras, positioned deliberately on main thoroughfares coming in and out of the city, not in residential neighborhoods. 

“We want to know if there’s a wanted felon, a stolen vehicle, a missing person- if they’re leaving or entering the city,” Moore said. “That’s really the use case for us[…]It’s just an invaluable tool when used the right way,” he said.

That phrase “used the right way” is exactly where the community’s anxiety lives, and Moore knows it. The department requires individual logins, dual authentication and a mandatory case justification for every search, backed by annual audit trail reviews. An officer can’t run a plate without logging a reason. “If there’s one mistake you can’t make, it’s an integrity issue,” Moore said plainly. 

Lask respects the intent but questions the scale. Other municipalities have reported query volumes upwards of 20,000 per month. 

“Are we really to believe that, in addition to everything else public safety is doing, someone is going to sit down and read every single entry in an access log and match it to the case and the officer?” 

When asked about alternative methods for secure access, Lask brought up his preference for the warrant system. “If you want to query someone’s phone records, you have to convince a judge it serves the public interest. You could build something similar here- some procedural, documented way to get sign-off from someone with no stake in the case. That keeps with the American tradition of following a process rather than just having unlimited access.” 

The voice you rarely hear in these council chambers, Moore noted, is the victim. This could be the person whose stolen car was recovered, whose case was closed, whose family got an answer. “What I think is lost in these conversations is bringing closure to victims.” Moore emphasized that community engagement is his No. 1 priority, and that the trusting relationship the department has built with city council is too important to jeopardize, especially over a piece of technology.

City council’s oversight measures reflect that same balancing act. The Axon approval came with a one-year review, regular audits and a transparency portal where the public will be able to see what communities Longmont is sharing data with at any given time, which was never possible with Flock. 

Perhaps the most anticipated development is the Technology Policy Advisory Board. Per the draft ordinance presented at the City Council Pre-Session on May 12, 2026, the board will serve to give technology policy recommendations to the council with no administrative or operational authority. Its responsibilities cover three key areas: resident data privacy rights, AI and algorithmic transparency, and camera and surveillance technologies. It will periodically review and update those policies as technology and laws evolve, deliver an annual report with recommendations and weigh in on high-impact technology issues when referred by council.

What surprised me most was learning that the Technology Policy Advisory Board, one of the central demands from the Visible Government League, was something the department itself helped set in motion. “We are not the experts at technology,” Moore said. “What we want are experts in technology that can bring an objective view on what the technology has to offer, what some potholes might be.” 

The board is expected to be seated Jan. 1, 2027.

“This board is going to be able to access and look at the back end of our data in a way that other boards can’t,” Marsing said, “and that’s on purpose, because I want them to be able to get the best possible expertise that they can.” Applications are expected to open in November 2026.

For Palmer, the board is the most meaningful outcome of this entire saga as it will allow the city to intelligently respond to emerging technology and its risks. 

For Lask, his focus  is more personal. As a queer person, he’s acutely aware that the populations most vulnerable to surveillance aren’t always the ones visible in these conversations. “Gender ideology has been declared terrorism-adjacent at the federal level,” he said. “I have friends who are much more vulnerable than I am.” A national network of cameras that can share data across jurisdictions, even informally, is not an abstract threat from where he stands. Recent public records show that when guardrails are weak, local police have used these networks to target specific identities rather than actual crimes. Between 2024 and 2025, over 80 law enforcement agencies across the country used the system to run sweeping searches targeting the Romani community based entirely on racial slurs and stereotypes. For Lask, the worry is how easily a local system can be weaponized against marginalized groups when oversight is left up to the departments themselves.

It’s a reminder that these conversations, however technical they become, are ultimately about the people. While the Axon contract is still being finalized, the advisory board has yet to convene, and privately owned ALPRs continue to operate without the restrictions the city is working to codify, one thing is clear: Longmonters from all walks of life are coming to the table and asking hard questions about the kind of city they want to live in. 

Marsing put it simply: “I remain really impressed by the engagement in our community and the care that folks put into our city, because that is what makes Longmont so special.”

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On Saturday, June 20th, the historic Boulder Airport will host the 18th Annual 1940s Ball, a celebration of live music, costumes, characters, and vehicles from the World War II era. From meeting historical figures such as Bob Hope and Edward R. Murrow to dancing underneath the stars in full 1940s glam, the celebration has only continued to grow. We recently jumped on the phone with Khyentse George, the creator of the 1940s Ball, to talk about the ball and its journey so far.

Photos taken from official reel

Jamie Lammers: Can you share what the plans are for this year?
Khyentse George: The theme this year is “Victory Through The Airwaves,” so we’re taking a throwback to how radio was used in the 1940s. We have a radio station that we’ve created called KBDU, which are actually the call letters for Boulder Airport. We’ve built a radio set, and attendees can come and take their turn at trying World War II radio broadcasting. We also have an improv group that does a radio show, and they’re gonna be bringing attendees up on the stage to get involved. The big part of the night is the dancing. We put a huge wooden dance floor out under the stars. You can see the Flatirons in the background. You watch the sunset, and the sky turns red and orange. There’s all these beautiful bright lanterns all over the dance floor, and the band is playing. There’s just so much going on, you’ll never get bored.

Jamie: That sounds absolutely gorgeous.
Khyentse: Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. In our 18th year, we’ve honed in on what is most special for guests and really sticking to the key elements of the event.

Jamie: How did you come up with the idea? How has it kept going for the last 18 years?
Khyentse: My grandparents were radio performers in the 1940s, and during WWII, they were in a radio show together. They both were really into music and performing, and were involved in all sorts of community organizations and had parties at the house. I really fell in love with their generation. It all fell together because I was working in non-profit, and I needed to throw a fundraiser. I was also working at the Boulder Airport at the time, at a flight school, and they had a gorgeous hangar. I was meeting all sorts of people that were into these old WWII planes. Little bit by little bit, things fell together, and we had such a great turnout that I decided it would make sense to do it again. We did it a second year, and it just started growing and growing. I think there were 200 people the first year, and now there’s 3,000.

Jamie: What’s it been like seeing that growth over that time?
Khyentse: It’s really cool to see. This was a fundraiser we made out of nothing. We had to figure out how to make those pieces work without a budget for advertising. Here I am going out and putting fliers on people’s cars at swing dances and senior centers. More people came, and then you’d see there’s stars in Boulder coming. This gentleman, who was a Doolittle raider, Bill Bower, he’s been a longtime Boulder resident. We happened to have the B-25, which is what he flew, at the ball that year, so we had him out there. He was like a rock star at the event, and that was just so special to see. There’s been these little markers through the years.

Jamie: Is there anything you hope people enjoy the most?
Khyentse: I think the most important thing about the event is the community, the chance to step away from the chaos of everyday life and go into a different time where things seemed to be more simple. People were very present and all together in something bigger than ourselves. That’s what’s really special about the ball. When you walk around, you see the sights, the planes flying overhead. You hear the music, and you’re dancing on the dance floor. There’s this interconnectedness between people, and friends are made that last a lifetime. That community grows and grows each year, so I think that’s a really special part of it. It goes one step beyond watching a show. It’s being a part of something that is pure joy, being present with all the senses. I think it’s a really special time for people who love history, have a romance for the 40s and 50s, and who like to do something that’s out of the ordinary.

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This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

As someone who writes a column about community and belonging, I know how important it is for elected offices to represent the whole community.

I ran for the Colorado State Senate 2 years ago because I didn’t feel represented in local leadership, and I met many people in Boulder County who felt the same.

This is one of many reasons I’m supporting Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer and Kubs Lalchandani for CU Regent.

Most of our local elected bodies are made up of people from similar demographic groups and backgrounds. Jenn and Kubs bring the professional acumen needed for these roles and perspectives that remain underrepresented here.

Jenn grew up in a low-income, single-parent household, earned a GED, served in the military, earned a business degree, and built a career in public and private leadership. She has served in local office and helped pass a federal bill protecting wildfire survivors.

Kubs is a man of color and the son of immigrants. Raised in Boulder, he understands challenges many families here face. He cares about equity, the impact of AI on future careers, and ensuring all students feel welcome in higher education, regardless of background.

Their journeys are different, but both understand what it means to overcome obstacles, persevere, and navigate systems that don’t work equally well for everyone.

I also know them both personally and have seen their integrity, humility, grace, and commitment to ensuring all voices are heard.

Our community is strongest when we have highly qualified leadership that reflects a wider range of expertise, experiences, and perspectives.

Jenn and Kubs will bring that and more.

Jovita Schiffer, Superior

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This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

To the Editor:

A Colorado woman is facing felony cruelty to animals charges after allegedly throwing a neighbor’s cat named Toby into a yard with her dogs, who then chased and killed him. It’s a horrifying story, but it should also be a wake-up call for anyone who believes it’s safe to let cats outdoors.

Every time a cat is allowed to roam, there is a chance he won’t come home. They are struck by cars, attacked by dogs or wildlife, exposed to disease and parasites, and poisoned by substances like antifreeze and pesticides. Some are shut inside garages or crawl spaces. Others disappear after encountering people who dislike cats and intentionally harm them.

This isn’t about blaming the family who lost Toby. Like many people, they likely believed their neighborhood was safe. But there is no truly safe neighborhood for a cat left to fend for himself outdoors.

Cats depend on us to protect them. Keeping them indoors gives them the safety they deserve.

Sincerely,

Melissa Rae Sanger, LVT

The PETA Foundation

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This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

Amanda Gonzalez is the candidate with the experience and courage to protect Colorado’s democracy

By Boulder County Commissioner Marta Loachamin

The right to vote is the foundation of every other right we have. If people cannot freely and fairly participate in our democracy, everything else is at risk.

Voters are not choosing a Secretary of State under normal conditions. As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary this summer, we find ourselves in the middle of the fight for its future.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act. Earlier this month, Tina Peters was released from prison and went straight to the studio to spout election denialism. Now, the USPS is under intense pressure to interfere in proven-safe mail ballot elections like ours.

At a time like this, we need a Secretary of State with the courage to stand up for our democracy and the experience to protect it.

Amanda Gonzalez has spent her career doing exactly that. As the only attorney running for Secretary of State, she wrote and implemented laws that expanded access to the ballot and established automatic voter registration to ensure every eligible Coloradan can participate in our democracy. As Jefferson County Clerk, she oversees elections for one of Colorado’s largest counties and has been on the front lines defending voters and election workers while strengthening public trust in our elections.

Amanda understands that protecting democracy is about more than administering an election. It means ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot, every ballot is counted accurately, and every election worker can do their job without intimidation or harassment. It means standing up to misinformation that erodes public trust and responding to new threats before they undermine confidence in our elections. These responsibilities require experience, sound judgment, and a deep understanding of both election law and election administration.

Colorado has built one of the strongest election systems in the country because leaders like Amanda have never taken our democracy for granted. She’s the only candidate who has made important strides in elections and voting every single year of the last decade because she’s the only candidate who has been singularly focused on it. She has spent her career working to make voting more accessible, more secure, and more transparent. That work has made Colorado a national model for election administration and helped earn the trust of voters across the political spectrum. As attacks on our election system become more frequent and more coordinated, Colorado cannot afford to hesitate or backslide. We need a Secretary of State who understands what is at stake and has a proven record of protecting and strengthening the systems that uphold our democracy.

As a Boulder County Commissioner, I understand the responsibility that comes with serving the public. Amid the current threats to our democracy, this is not a time for on-the-job training. Colorado needs a leader who understands both the law and the practical realities of running a safe, free, and fair election.

Coloradans want a leader who is on their side. They want an experienced fighter who will not only protect our election system from interference in the 2028 presidential election but also someone with a vision for a more inclusive democracy.

Amanda doesn’t wait for problems to emerge, and she’s not satisfied with the status quo. She has the experience to anticipate challenges, respond quickly, and stay ahead of threats to our elections. That foresight and leadership are exactly what Colorado needs as attacks on our democracy continue from every direction.

This moment calls for experience. It calls for courage. Amanda Gonzalez has both.

The post Letter to the Editor: Endorsing Amanda Gonzalez To Protect Colorado’s Democracy appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Louisville Street Faire: The Petty Nicks Experience, Jun. 19

Louisville’s Front Street comes back to life on Jun. 19 as the Petty Nicks Experience steals the stage. Paying homage to the works of Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks, this Colorado band breathes reimagined life into two of rock’n’roll’s most beloved acts. From the rockin’ highs of “American Girl” to the mellow tune of “Landslide”, this group promises a fun show for all ages.

Louisville Street Faire: The Petty Nicks Experience | Jun. 19 • Front Street, Louisville

Juneteenth Music Festival, Jun. 20

Denver’s largest and longest-running Juneteenth celebration holds its 15th year of music, culture, community, and resilience on Jun. 20th, with celebrations Jun. 19th through the 21st in Denver. Grammy-nominated artist SiR will take the main stage, along with other R&B, soul, and hip-hop artists, to bring the energy to this festival. Festival-goers can browse countless vendors featuring local businesses, food, art, and resources for the Denver community.

Juneteenth Music Festival | Jun. 20 • Five Points, Denver

1940s Ball, Jun. 20

In the 18th annual celebration of the 1940s Ball, attendees can compete for the title of Best Dressed, wander through a WWII base camp, meet historical figures, and dance underneath the stars to live musical performances, including from the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. Take a trip back in time for one unforgettable night as the historic Boulder Airport’s hangar transforms into a living historical snapshot.

1940s Ball | Jun. 20 • Boulder Airport, Boulder

Flatirons Sound Music Festival, Jun. 21

Join your friends and family in Chautauqua Park for Boulder’s free annual music festival. Enjoy music, food, craft beer, and plenty of bands against the backdrop of the Flatirons. From 1-8 PM, Neal Francis, Lindsay Lou, Armchair Boogie, Blessing Bled Chimanga, and Pick & Howl perform. Experience Funk, Blues and Americana in one of Boulder’s most beautiful parks. This is more than just a concert; it’s a celebration of community and a place for everyone to come together.

Flatirons Sound Music Festival | Jun. 21 • Chautauqua Park, Boulder

13 Fires, Jun. 24-26

The Executive Committee of African American Cultural Events honors Juneteenth with 13 Fires, an original play by Boulder local Curtis K. Rogers. 13 Fires chronicles the powerful rise and systematic dismantling of Indianapolis’ Indiana Avenue, a Black cultural hub once home to infamous jazz clubs, lucrative Black-owned businesses, and icons like Madam C.J. Walker. The cast will take the Dairy Arts stage Jun. 24-26, with each show starting at 6 PM. Tickets start at $17.25 and are available on The Dairy Arts Center website.

13 Fires | Jun. 24-26 • The Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

Ziua Iei, Jun. 27

Boulder Public Library will be celebrating Ziua Iei (Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse) through a rich display of traditions that have been passed down for generations. This celebration paints a beautifully rich picture of Romanian culture through vibrant showcases of traditional music, dance, folk art, clothing, film, and more.

Ziua Iei | Jun. 27 • Canyon Theater, Boulder

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Media Contact: Chea Franz, chea@indiecreativeco.com

A new neighborhood restaurant honoring the women who taught us to cook and the tables that brought us together. 

DENVER, CO (June 15, 2026)— Mother Other, a new vegan bar and restaurant rooted in family recipes, seasonal ingredients, and radical hospitality, is set to open its doors in Denver’s Baker neighborhood on June 27. Located in the Denver Design District, the restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Alexi Mandolini and Beverage Director Taylor Herbert, the team behind The Easy Vegan. Mother Other is the brick-and-mortar realization of six years of pop-ups, farmers markets, and a long-held dream to give their food a permanent place at the table.

The name says it all. Mother Other is a love letter to the women who defined hospitality long before it was an industry: the grandmothers, mothers, and chosen family who made food feel like belonging. Their recipes, handwritten, dog-eared, and passed down through generations, will hang on the walls as a living archive of the women who taught us that feeding someone is an act of love.

Mother Other is also an act of defiance, where professional kitchens have often sidelined and tokenized women, Mother Other places them at the center. The restaurant is committed to pay equity, a positive workplace, and extending genuine care to its team as much as its guests. Don’t expect a special occasion spot. Expect your neighborhood restaurant—the one that feels like walking into your Italian grandmother’s kitchen with 50 years of patina on every surface and the food polished to a five-star shine.

“Women have always been the backbone of hospitality, and we want our kitchen to reflect that, but Mother Other is also for everyone who has ever needed a third place to call their own,” says Mandolini. “Queer folks, chosen families, people who found their people at a neighborhood bar. Hospitality, to us, means everyone at the table.”

The menu tells the story of both founders: Mandolini’s Chicago roots, her grandmother Doree’s table, her father’s foraging trips, and Herbert’s years of craft behind the bar. Shareables set the tone: the Giarancini, a panko-crusted deep-fried risotto served with house giardiniera, celery root puree, and chive aioli, is a love letter to Mandolini’s Chicago roots, while the Spring Pea + Leek Dumpling arrives in a ginger and porcini brodo with charred peas and pea shoot. Vegetable-forward plates include a Japanese Sweet Potato crowned with miso and black garlic whipped potato, tempura-fried onion, truffled taro chip, and sesame chili oil, and the Carrot + Ginger Bisque finished with coconut cream and a house carrot chip.

For heartier appetites, expect Potato + Chive Pierogi with ruby kraut, coconut sour cream, braised apple, and caramelized onion, a The Easy Vegan fan favorite, alongside a Rigatoni alla Vodka with signature sauce, whipped almond ricotta, basil oil, and aleppo crumb. And for something sweet: a Chocolate Budino layered with vanilla sponge cake, passionfruit curd, chocolate cashew pudding, and shortbread crumb, and a Brioche Doughnut served with vanilla custard and poached rhubarb with basil. The bar program will feature house-carbonated vegetable sodas (think carrot, tomato, and celery root), creative cocktails using the same seasonal produce from the kitchen, and true to form, a cold cheap beer and a shot.

“Farmers markets are an incredible proving ground, but they can’t replicate the full dining experience,” says Herbert. “My background is in bartending and bar management, and there’s a craft to that work that I’ve been eager to bring back, such as developing cocktail menus, working behind the bar, creating drinks that speak the same language as the food on the plate. At Mother Other, the bar program and the kitchen aren’t separate conversations. They’re the same one.”

Mandolini is a graduate of Kendall College’s culinary program in Chicago and became executive chef of a Chicago catering company before she could legally drink. Herbert has spent most of her adult life working behind the pine–from bartending and managing primarily at LGBTQ+ nightclubs and bars from North Carolina to Denver.

The two met in 2018 when Mandolini moved to Denver from Chicago and Herbert served her her first beer in town at Asbury Provisions and they have been partners in life and business ever since. The duo rose to national attention in 2023 when their team won Season 16 of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race. In building out Mother Other, the pair has stayed true to their DIY spirit—completing much of the physical build themselves with the help of friends and family, from plumbing to light construction, rather than taking on a six-figure contractor loan.

Mother Other will be located at 675 South Broadway Ste. 300, Denver, CO 80209. Opening is anticipated for June 27. For updates, follow @motherotherdenver on Instagram or motherother.com.

Mother Other hours of operation: Thursday – Sunday, 4-10 p.m.

About Mother Other

Mother Other exists at the crossroads of artful sophistication and a warm embrace—a vegan bar and restaurant that feels less like going out and more like being invited over to your grandmother’s house, sitting down with the whole family, and noshing on the recipes that have been passed down, argued over, and perfected for generations.

Everyone says their mom makes the best version of something. Mother Other is all of your mothers’ favorite recipes, reimagined through a plant-based lens and served without the pomp, the pretense, or the price tag that fine dining so often demands. Founded in 2026 by Chef Alexi Mandolini and Beverage Director Taylor Herbert, Mother Other is located in the Denver Design District in the Baker neighborhood. Rooted in radical hospitality, the restaurant is committed to matriarchal leadership, pay equity, and a warmth that extends as generously to its team as it does to every guest who walks through the door.

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The post Mother Other to Open on June 27 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Mayor Andrew Moore, Town of Erie, CO

Tensions were already running high Tuesday night before Erie Town Council voted on the town’s controversial mineral rights agreement. During public comment, resident Steve Drew delivered a compelling address urging councilmembers to reject the deal, drawing sustained applause from a packed audience (11:31). Mayor Andrew Moore announced a recess at (17:51), he and Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell exited the chamber together after Drew mentioned that the Colorado Attorney General’s Office was reviewing complaints related to the process, as audience members cheered for Drew. This lead to jeering as residents expressed dissatisfaction of the walk-out.

The meeting’s pivotal moment came more than an hour later when Councilmember Brian O’Connor explained his decision. Speaking at 1:26:45, O’Connor said he agreed with residents who argued they still lacked sufficient information to make an informed decision about the proposed agreement. While O’Connor had previously raised concerns about the process, his comments signaled growing skepticism about moving forward without additional transparency, creating uncertainty about the vote’s outcome.

That uncertainty became reality when the council took up the vote beginning at 2:28:05; Councilmember Dan Hoback was absent but widely expected to oppose the agreement. O’Connor joined Councilmembers Emily Baer and Anil Pesaramelli in voting no, preventing the mineral rights deal from advancing. The failed vote marks a dramatic setback for a proposal that has dominated Erie politics for months and generated intense public scrutiny over transparency, procurement procedures, and the town’s negotiations with energy companies.

This is a developing story. A more detailed account of the vote will follow.

Featured Image: Mayor Andrew Moore and Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell walk out of the hearing.

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This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

I am a resident of Erie who is not directly impacted by the Draco Pad project footprint and I have zero political aspirations. I also believe that there is a place for oil and natural gas extraction in our energy supply. That said, I stepped off the sidelines and entered into discussions with Mayor Moore and the Town Council four months ago about the potential sale of the Town of Erie mineral rights.

Myself, and other Erie resident requests for Mayor Moore and the Town Council have been straightforward:

1) Provide a forum for all Erie residents to express their concerns or their support related to the potential sale of Erie’s mineral rights. Listen to these concerns and follow-up with third-party studies that help provide answers. 

2) Allow residents of Erie to vote on whether they want these Town-owned mineral rights to be sold, held and/or used to push back against the Draco Pad. This decision has a huge financial impact on the Town of Erie and an enormous impact on residents.

3) If Erie residents choose to sell these mineral rights then run a legitimate process to sell. Issue an RFP to find a low-cost and high-quality Consultant who will run a competitive bid and solicitation process. This will ensure that Erie gets fair representation and that our Town gets top dollar. 

Mayor Moore and his loyal block of Town Council voters (Mayor Pro Tem Bell, Council Member Brian O’Connor and Council Member John Mortellaro) chose to not give residents of Erie a voice or a vote. They chose to withhold all information from Erie residents – feeding messages that this group wants residents to hear while withholding the rest in confidential sessions. Irrespective of your view, Mayor Moore has led a process that has denied you your voice and your vote.

This group also chose to hire the founder of Civitas for $4.5 million of Erie taxpayer money to represent Town of Erie residents in this sale…to SM Energy, who merged with Civitas earlier this year. Per explosive comments from Town Council Members and the Consultant during the June 2nd Town Council Study Session, it does not appear that this Consultant completed his contract. 

The Consultant’s contract required him to complete a competitive bid and solicitation process and to provide competitive offers to the Town Council for them to consider. Instead, the Consultant brought only a single offer from SM Energy / Civitas. His former company.  Rather than addressing this issue, Mayor Moore scheduled a vote for the sale of Erie’s Town-owned mineral rights to SM Energy for June 16th. 

COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE INVOLVEMENT

On June 11th, over 120 Erie Residents sent a letter to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asking for State help in this situation. 

On Friday, June 12th, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office (AGO) responded that the AGO has started an official process to review our situation on behalf of Erie residents. The AGO asked me to provide them with all materials related to the Town Council issues noted above, which I sent off over the weekend. I believe others in Erie are supplying details to the Attorney General’s Office for this review as well.

The AGO noted that the official review process could take weeks – well past the June 16th scheduled vote.

Will the Erie Town Council move forward with a vote on June 16th knowing that the Colorado Attorney General’s Office is officially involved? Good question for Mayor Moore and the Town Council. Especially given all of <waves vaguely at the hot mess this group facilitated> this. 

Will Mayor Moore and this Town Council do what’s right for the Town of Erie by working with the AGO and Colorado Attorney General? To officially address all concerns from the AGO and residents prior to a vote? Goodness – I hope so. Better to start doing the right thing late rather than not at all.

Whether you are for the sale of Town-owned mineral rights or whether you are against, please show up to the Town Council meeting on June 16th  where they are set to vote. Let Mayor Moore and the Town Council know that we need a legitimate process to be completed prior to approval of any contract. That all Erie residents – irrespective of their views – should have a voice and a vote in what happens to our Town of Erie mineral rights.

Signed Erie resident,

Steve Drew

The post Letter to the Editor: Attorney General’s Office to Review Erie Residents’ Complaint appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Dear Editor,

Adams County needs more than just more growth. We need a thoughtful leader who will actually listen to our residents and will put working families first. Right now, Adams County families are facing immense affordability pressures – from rising housing costs to groceries to child care. These issues are bleeding Adams County families dry. We need leadership that understands how to transparently leverage the County Budget in a way that supports our agricultural families and helps to expand local businesses (such as affordable daycares). That leader is Tyler Quick.

Tyler was born and raised in Adams County, and he brings a powerful blend of experience, community roots, and new energy to the table. As an educator, research consultant, and dedicated union organizer, Tyler has spent his career fighting for working people. Tyler knows that government is about serving the people, and that transparent government means listening to the community.

As the June 30 primary election approaches – and with ballots landing in mailboxes – I encourage you to vote for Tyler Quick for Adams County Commissioner. Tyler brings the right approach and fresh vision our county needs.

Bev Bishop

Westminster

The post Letter to the Editor: Tyler Quick for Adams County Commissioner appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

I am proud to support Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer.

Jenn is qualified for this job. She has served in the military, worked in diplomacy, managed finances, worked in real estate, and served on the Superior Town Council. But my support for Jenn comes from something more important: I have seen her lead.

After the Marshall Fire, Jenn got to work. She helped fire survivors deal with insurance, cleanup, rebuilding, bureaucracy, and the exhausting financial challenges that followed the disaster. She then used that experience to help other fire-impacted communities, including Maui and California. She also traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for changes to the tax code so fire survivors would not be penalized for insurance proceeds needed to rebuild.

I have worked closely with Jenn on the Superior Town Council. She is prepared, tough, persistent, and serious about solving problems. Jenn is not someone who just talks about public service. She shows up, does the work, and gets results.

The Treasurer’s office requires judgment, diligence, transparency, and respect for public dollars. Jenn has those qualities.

Boulder County would be fortunate to have Jenn Kaaoush as Treasurer.

Mark Lacis

Mayor, Town of Superior

The post Letter to the Editor: Boulder County Treasurer Endorsement From Mark Lacis appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Residents in Lafayette are pushing back against a proposed self-storage facility, arguing that the project would bring an oversized, industrial building to a site that does not fit the surrounding neighborhood.

1784 Capital Holdings LLC is proposing to develop a new 89,592-square-foot, climate-controlled self-storage building, with a caretaker dwelling unit, at 685 Aspen Ridge Drive. According to a Planning Commission memo, the project requires a Special Use Review (SUR) and a Site Plan and Architectural Review (SPAR). Staff analysis notes that SUR criteria include municipal code compliance, environmental impacts, and compatibility with the character of the surrounding area, hours of intrusion, and noise levels. Several residents, like Megan Rast and Christy Clarke, complain that this proposed unit fails to meet these criteria.

This friction stems from the fact that self-storage facilities do not fit neatly into residential or mixed-use districts, meaning developers need special approvals where the use is conditional. Compatibility concerns are the most consistently documented issue, and distance measurements between the building and adjacent homes remain disputed. Because planners increasingly view these facilities as “low-value” land that creates “dead zones” instead of contributing to active, walkable development, cities like Arvada and Denver have enacted moratoriums specifically prohibiting storage facilities in key growth areas.

Beyond land-use compatibility, neighborhood opposition is also driven by pressing safety concerns, particularly regarding fire risk. Colorado has seen multiple self-storage fires in recent years, demonstrating that even with modern construction, these facilities can pose challenges. Across the US, self-storage fires have resulted in major structural damage, destroying dozens to hundreds of units. A study released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in December 2025 found that these buildings present challenges to fire services due to “compartmentalization and unknown content loads.” The NFPA study argues that modern buildings are larger, more complex, and harder to access than older ones, concluding that departments and owners need to plan together before construction.

Mockup of site plan courtesy of the city

While the Lafayette Comprehensive Plan emphasizes a “connected, vibrant and walkable community” to guide future development, city officials ultimately determined the project met local requirements. In a statement to Yellow Scene Magazine, Lafayette officials said the city council carefully reviewed both the SPAR and SUR criteria before approving the application by a 5-2 vote with conditions. The city emphasized that the decision turned on the evidence in the record and the council’s discretion, particularly its finding that the proposed use was compatible with the surrounding area. Officials also noted that Black Diamond, where the property is located, was zoned industrial in the 1980s, while Anna’s Farm was approved for residential development in 2002–2003 with the acknowledgement that it bordered industrial land.

“City staff believes that the self-storage special use is less impactful to the neighbors than other industrial uses, which can be developed by-right in Black Diamond. Staff’s review was also influenced by the fact that another self-storage facility exists within the Black Diamond subdivision and was previously found to be compatible with the area. The fact that the by-right industrial uses would be more impactful to residents and were found to be compatible in 2002-2003 when residential development associated with the Anna’s Farm subdivision was approved could have been explicitly stated in the staff memo.”

This local dispute reflects a broader pattern for 1784 Capital Holdings, a Denver-based private equity firm that buys industrial and self-storage properties across the West. Its role in Lafayette sits within a larger, national conversation about how investor-driven development occurs on historically and culturally sensitive land. In Maryland, the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (BACC) has been struggling since 2017 to protect Moses Macedonia African Cemetery from what it terms “desecration” after 1784 Capital Holdings bought land covering the cemetery to build a multi-level self-storage facility.

“The Bethesda area has extraordinary demographics and extraordinary market fundamentals,” the company’s CEO said in a press release at the time.

“It is a significantly undersupplied market with three times the national average for rent. We chose the site because it’s one of the last zoned and developable parcels of land for self-storage in Bethesda.”

A statement by Kelly McKone of Capital Holdings said that the BACC is “spreading misinformation about the project,” but the coalition maintains that the site is historically significant and may contain human remains. A 2017 independent review by The Ottery Group found that the area was used as a burial ground, though it said more investigation was needed, and the company found evidence that the land was used as a cemetery beginning in 1911.

Capital Holdings did not respond to request to comment.

Back in Lafayette, residents worry that the city is prioritizing developer-driven industrial and storage uses over the day-to-day quality of life in nearby neighborhoods. Christy Clarke discussed this tension in an interview with Yellow Scene Magazine.

“One of the things that I am increasingly considering important is like, if not this situation, then when does public input really matter?” Clarke said. She noted that the bigger question is when public input actually matters if it does not seem to change the outcome, pointing to a perceived fear of litigation. “There seems to be a fear of litigation, with city decisions seemingly driven by the concern that a developer might sue. While legal risk does matter, it shouldn’t outweigh everything else in a planning decision.”

Despite the setback, residents maintain that organizing the opposition brought the community closer together. Clarke emphasized that even if residents ultimately lose this fight, the process has still been worth it if it strengthens community ties and helps future neighborhoods challenge questionable proposals more effectively. Their efforts have already brought people together, and she believes the message should not be that the efforts were wasted, but that residents participated in the democratic process, got to know their neighbors, and perhaps helped set a better precedent for what happens next.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Lafayette Approves Disputed Self-Storage Facility in 5-2 Vote appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

After the Erie Town Council voted 4-2 to stay with the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) on May 26, some might view the decision as a simple $3 million expenditure. However, the vote represents a deeper commitment to a water strategy marked by rising costs and declining participation, yet defended by supporters as a critical hedge against Colorado’s growing water scarcity.

To reach this decision, the council spent over an hour weighing financial risks against future development needs. Supporters argued that abandoning the project would waste approximately $30 million invested over two decades. Conversely, opponents questioned the wisdom of exposing the town to further financial risk as other communities scale back or withdraw entirely.

Erie remains committed to NISP, which involves diverting high spring flows from the Cache la Poudre River into the planned Glade and Galeton reservoirs. After years of environmental reviews and litigation, the regional project is now nearing major construction. For Erie, NISP is a massive long-term investment originally projected to provide 6,500 acre-feet of water annually—enough for roughly 13,000 households.

Despite its history, council members are increasingly questioning the project’s value. Updated modeling discussed this week suggests a lower participation level of 4,500 acre-feet, prompting concerns that the current economics no longer align with original assumptions. This shift is exacerbated by the departure of participants like the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District, which cited rising costs as a reason for withdrawal.

As other partners have stepped away, Erie’s responsibility has grown. Mayor Andrew Moore noted that the town’s share of the project has climbed from 16% to 23%, increasing its financial exposure. Staff projections indicate Erie could face a $6.44 million contribution in 2027, with water costs estimated between $85,000 and $95,000 per acre-foot—figures that some members noted are higher than Colorado-Big Thompson water shares.

The financial debate is fueled by NISP’s total cost projections, which have jumped from $2 billion to nearly $2.7 billion. While critics point to withdrawals as evidence of a failing model, staff emphasized that Erie lacks a comparable replacement source for such a high volume of water. Proponents further argue that current costs are secondary to the larger issue of long-term resilience.

This decision comes as Colorado faces some of its poorest snowpack levels in recent history, with federal forecasts indicating runoff in parts of the Colorado River Basin could fall below 30% of average. Supporters warned that if NISP fails, competition for existing supplies will intensify, potentially driving water prices even higher.

The divide on council centered on whether NISP is the most responsible way to handle this uncertainty. Mayor Moore framed the project as a question of equity, arguing that current residents should not subsidize infrastructure for new development. Others viewed it as a necessary investment in town-wide water security, noting that leaving would mean forfeiting decades of investment and a future water yield.

Ultimately, the vote to stay does not provide immediate water or lower utility rates; it merely preserves Erie’s stake and its $30 million investment. Mayor Pro Tem Bell and council members Baer, Hoback, and Pesamarrelli carried the motion, while Moore and Council Member Mortellaro voted in opposition.

The decision is far from final, as significantly larger financial commitments are expected by 2027. For now, Erie remains tied to a project that began as a tool for growth but is now a high-stakes gamble on an increasingly dry future.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Erie Votes 4-2 to Stay in NISP as Town’s Financial Stake Rises appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The post Coloradans are getting squeezed by credit cards while trying to navigate high costs appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Storyshare provided by Laura Frank and COLabs

This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Opinion section. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent a reported news position. At Yellow Scene, opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud.

Former Colorado Governors and U.S. Senators from Across the Aisle Agree on Primary Voting

Op-Ed for Colorado News Media

Colorado’s Most Important Election May Be the One You’re Skipping

Every November, Colorado voters turn out in impressive numbers.

Every June, a different story unfolds.

Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who faithfully vote in general elections never cast a ballot in the primary elections that help determine which candidates appear on the November ballot in the first place. Many of these voters are unaffiliated voters, who comprise more than half of Colorado’s electorate. Many independent voters don’t realize how much influence they have or how easy it is to participate.

This matters because primary elections shape the choices voters ultimately see in November.

Whether your priorities are housing, education, public safety, the environment, or Colorado’s economic future, it is important to recognize that many elections are effectively decided in the primary.

In many districts, the candidate who wins a party’s nomination is strongly favored to win in November. That means voters who skip the primary may miss their best opportunity to influence who ultimately represents them.

For many races, participation cannot begin in November. It starts in June.

The challenge is not that voting is difficult. Colorado has built one of the strongest, most accessible election systems in the country. Ballots are mailed directly to voters. Registration is straightforward. Election information is widely available.

The challenge is that too many voters do not believe the primary election matters.

That perception is understandable—but it is wrong. 

For unaffiliated voters, the opportunity is especially significant.

Colorado law allows unaffiliated voters to participate in either party’s primary election. Voters can choose either a Democratic or Republican primary ballot without joining either party. Casting a primary ballot does not change their unaffiliated status. It simply gives them a voice in selecting candidates from one party before the general election arrives.

Opting out of a party does not mean opting out of the primary process.

Broader participation means elections more accurately reflect the communities they serve. It means more perspectives are heard, and more Coloradans have a stake in the outcome.

This is not about supporting one party or one candidate. It is not about advancing a political agenda or influencing a particular race.

It is about putting the best Coloradans forward to represent us in elected office.

Primary elections deserve the same attention and consideration that we routinely give to general elections.

As ballots arrive this June, we encourage every eligible voter, especially those who regularly vote in November but have never voted in a primary, to take a closer look.

You do not need to know everything before you participate. You do not need to belong to a political party. You do not need to become a political expert.

You simply need to use the voice you already have.

Colorado’s future is shaped long before Election Day.

The primary election is where that process begins.

Former Colorado Governors Bill Owens (R) and Bill Ritter (D)

Former U.S. Senators Hank Brown (R) and Tim Wirth (D)

The post Op-Ed: Colorado’s Most Important Election May Be the One You’re Skipping appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

More than 100 Erie residents are now asking Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser to review the town’s controversial mineral rights process, and a Boulder attorney has formally challenged the town’s handling of consultant contracts and procurement procedures.

The twin actions come less than a week before Erie Town Council is scheduled to vote on a proposed mineral rights agreement with SM Energy, a deal that a minority of supporters say would provide significant financial benefits and operational protections for the town.

For many residents, however, the debate is no longer focused solely on the merits of the proposed agreement. Instead, concerns have shifted toward the process used to negotiate it. 

Over the past several months, residents have raised questions about the town’s selection of Alameda Mineral Advisors, the extensive use of executive sessions during negotiations and the role of consultant Matthew Owens, who acknowledged during a June 2 study session that he did not complete the competitive bid solicitation process outlined in his contract with the town. Owens later said he had been instructed not to do so.

When asked who provided that instruction, Owens said it came from “the people that hired me.”  Because Owens was hired specifically to evaluate and market the town’s mineral assets, his admission became central to the legal and ethical criticism against the process. 

Pictured Owens being questioned regarding competitive bidding process

Town officials have acknowledged that discussions surrounding the proposed mineral rights transaction began as early as September 2025. However, details of those negotiations remained largely out of public view until February 2026, when the issue first came to broader public attention through Yellow Scene reporting on an offer for the town’s mineral rights.

Those unanswered questions (and the months-long gap between private discussions and public disclosure) prompted Erie resident Steven Drew to seek outside review.

Drew said he spent months attending meetings, reviewing contracts and attempting to obtain information about the mineral rights negotiations before concluding that residents had exhausted their options at the local level.

“The short answer from the town was we had no rights in this process,” Drew said.

“So where I ended up was in a void where this behavior had no recourse except for those two areas, and that is the attorney general and the civil process.”

On June 11, Drew and more than 100 residents signed a letter asking the Colorado Attorney General’s Office to review the mineral rights process before council votes on the proposed agreement. The signatories include current and former Erie residents, former public officials and professionals with backgrounds in transportation, environmental protection and public administration. The letter alleges that town officials bypassed competitive procurement requirements, failed to conduct required bid solicitations and relied heavily on executive-session discussions during negotiations.

Drew said the goal is not to prevent council from making a decision, but to ensure residents can trust the process that produced it. If the Attorney General’s Office chooses to review the allegations, it could provide the first outside examination of the mineral rights process. 

The same day, Louisville attorney Darren O’Connor, representing Drew, sent a formal demand letter to the town seeking records and explanations related to the mineral rights negotiations. The letter challenges both the consultant procurement process and Owens’ failure to perform the bid solicitation work described in his contract. It also requests documentation showing who instructed Owens not to complete that work and asks the town to delay final action on the proposed agreement until those questions are resolved.

The issue surfaced publicly again during Tuesday night’s council meeting when a motion to enter executive session failed on a 4-3 vote. Councilmembers Emily Baer, Dan Hoback and Anil Pesamarelli voted against entering the closed-door session, citing concerns about transparency and the amount of public business being discussed outside public view. The disagreement led to a tense exchange among council members over issues that have emerged throughout the mineral rights debate. In an interview with Yellow Scene following the meeting, Councilmember Dan Hoback said he was unaware of any public vote, council consensus or contract amendment authorizing a change to Owens’ responsibilities.

“We never went to a straw vote or a poll … certainly not consensus,” Hoback said. “I’m quite sure [council as a whole] never consented to anything of that nature.”

Hoback said that if Owens was instructed not to complete the competitive solicitation process required by his contract, he does not know who gave that instruction.

“If we went behind those doors and modified that contract, well, we broke the law”,Hoback said.

Hoback added that he was unaware of any communication authorizing such a change. “I was not a part of any emails and texts,” he said. “I’m wondering where [Moore] got that.”

Mayor Andrew Moore and Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell have defended the use of executive sessions, arguing that certain negotiations and real-estate matters cannot be conducted publicly without undermining the town’s position. A few supporters of the SM Energy agreement have also argued that the deal secures valuable concessions, protections and financial benefits for Erie.

Whether the Attorney General’s Office takes action before the June 16 vote remains unclear. What is clear is that the controversy has expanded beyond the proposed agreement itself. For a growing number of residents, the central question is no longer whether the deal is good or bad, but whether the process used to reach it followed the town’s own rules.

Yellow Scene reached out to each town council member for comment and did not receive a response.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Erie residents demand answers before pivotal mineral rights vote appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

In politics, I believe leadership should not be measured by the title you hold, but by how you show up for your community. That is why I am proud to support Anil.

Anil embodies the kind of public servant I strive to be. He does not wait for the cameras or the headlines—he is present. He shows up at marches, protests, and community gatherings because he genuinely believes in standing alongside the people of Colorado.

During his time on the Erie Town Council, Anil has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, demonstrating the courage to stand up for equality and inclusion even when it is difficult. He understands that leadership means fighting for every member of our community and ensuring everyone feels seen, valued, and protected.

What is so refreshing about supporting Anil is his work ethic and his authenticity. He is not someone who only appears during election season. Day after day, he puts in the work, listens to residents, and fights for the people of Erie.

As someone who has dedicated my own service to showing up for the people of Boulder, I recognize that same commitment in Anil. We share the belief that public office is about service, compassion, and a willingness to stand with people in their moments of need.

Colorado needs more leaders who do the work when no one is watching. Leaders who listen. Leaders who care. Leaders who show up.

Anil is that kind of leader, and that is why I am proud to stand with him.

Junie Joseph

House District 10 Representative

Democratic House Majority Caucus Co-Chair

Secretary of the Democratic Black Caucus

Aerospace and Defense Caucus Co-Chair

Member of the House Environment & Energy Committee

Member of the House Appropriations Committee

Member of the House Finance

Junie4colorado.com

Twitter: Junie4colorado

Facebook: Junieforcolorado

The post Letter to the Editor: Junie Joseph’s Endorsement for Anil Pesaramelli appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The following is a letter from Erie residents that was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. We are publishing it in pursuit of community transparency and public accountability. Signed by over 100 community members, the letter calls on the Colorado Attorney General to intervene in the ongoing, controversial sale of local mineral rights.

Dear Attorney General Weiser,

This letter is from Erie residents related to the Town of Erie and the potential sale of Town-owned mineral rights and real estate assets to SM Energy (Civitas). This is a legal and ethical matter where there is no recourse for these issues at the Town level. 

We are reaching out to you for State assistance to investigate and hopefully resolve these matters on behalf of residents of the Town of Erie. Please note that I have been in correspondence with your office prior, but the situation has grown more urgent. 

The Council is set to vote on the sale of these mineral rights Tuesday, June 16th. In open meetings and during the Study Session on June 2nd it was revealed that several important and legal steps were not completed in this process including:

1. The Town Council signed a Consultant contract involving a bid and solicitation process that was ignored in favor of a single-source agreement with SM Energy; and
2. Town of Erie policy required the issuance of an RFP to select the Consultant in a $4.5 million contract and, instead, the Consultant was sole-sourced without vetting.

The Town of Erie Town Council has placed a significant amount of information related to this transaction within Executive Sessions. Please note that this timeline and information are based on what has been made publicly available to-date.

MINERAL RIGHTS SALE TIMELINE

In December 2025, four Town Council Members led by Mayor Andrew Moore approved the hire of Alameda Minerals Partners as a sole-source $4.5 million contract to represent the Town of Erie in the potential sale of Town-owned mineral rights. However, this was done behind closed doors, of which the public did not learn of the discussions that had been occurring for over a year until Feb 2026 when local reporting revealed it. 

• Alameda Minerals Partners CEO is Matthew Owens, a founder of Civitas Energy (now SM Energy) who owned the Draco Pad at that time. The Town Council did not vet Owens for financial conflicts of interest and, at a later date, Mayor Moore advised that he knew Owens had ongoing financial interests with Civitas.
• When asked why the Town did not issue an RFP for this $4.5 million contract, Town employee David Frank is on record stating they did not seek any other consultants, and that “they didn’t know any other consultants.” Not knowing is a core reason as to why RFPs are conducted.
• There are three versions of how Owens and the Town of Erie started working together. The Mayor stating he had a conversation, then others stating Owens came to the Town. Regardless, it appears that the Mayor was in talks with Owens for 6 months before the council was aware. 
• This was a sole-sourced contract without an RFP. The Town Interim Manager advised the Council during a June 2nd Study Session that this violated Town procurement policy. 
• Per the Contract with the Town, Alameda Minerals Partners was required to run a competitive bid and solicitation process and to provide those results to the Town Council. The public learned during the June 2nd Town of Erie Study Session that Owens did not run this process and that Town Council members have not seen competitive bids.
• Owens indicated during the meeting and stated specifically to a reporter after the meeting that he was advised by certain Town Council members to not run a competitive bid and procurement process.
• The public has limited information about discussions, processes and details around this potential transaction as Mayor Moore has held both confidential and traditionally non-confidential information within rolling Executive Sessions. This includes inappropriate direction from the Town Council to Owens to breach his Contract and not conduct competitive bid and solicitations.
• The process run by Owens resulted in a single offer from SM Energy (Civitas), his former company. There is no record that Owens reached out to competitors, confirmed by the acting Town Administrator and Town Attorney, as well as Owens himself
• The Town Council was advised by Erie residents during the June 9th Town Council open session about this breach of contract and how this violates Town Council’s role in that contract as well as Town Council fiduciary duty.
• The contract from SM Energy appears to be significantly one-sided in favor of SM Energy. The Town’s financial and negotiation representation through Owens and his conflicts of interest may have had a significant impact on the terms of agreement and the value of the Town’s assets.
• Mayor Moore set a vote for June 16th to approve the offer from SM Energy. Per Moore’s voting block of four Town Council members, residents expect this contract to be approved in a 4-3 vote.

Residents are clearly against this decision and have been showing up and speaking out in large numbers since learning about it. What adds another layer is that SM Energy has a timeline to meet per the ECMC and Erie holding onto their mineral rights requires them to work around that location. With ownership it opens up their access considerably. Mayor Moore has been meeting in secret for months, and rushing the process without proper vetting and without following proper RFP procedures. Mayor Moore is placing this single-source contract with SM Energy up for vote on June 16th knowing that a competitive bid and solicitation process was required, but not completed. 

For these reasons we believe the Attorney General should step in to ensure this process is meeting the legal standards at the State level, set in the Consultant contract and the Town Charter. 

TOWN OF ERIE RESIDENTS

The following Town of Erie residents agreed to be part of this letter and are asking for direct assistance from the Office of The Attorney General.

• Steven Drew

• Deborah Cameron

• Leah Burns

• Tim Burns

• Selena Maranjian

• Kelli Bercovitch

• Maria Veronica Drew

• Amy Mitchell

• Bill Rigler

• Chelsea Campbell

• Sunshine Axlund

• Eric Axlund 

• Tiffany Breaux Pritchett 

• Mari Hobkirk 

• Neha Pesaramelli 

• DeWayne D. Drummond

• Karen Drummond

• Rosy Maranjian 

• John McAllister

• Gloria Pearlstein

• Ann Manette Ansay

• Tonia Sharp

• Martha Dasovic

• Barbara Nichols 

• William Geithman

• Donna Geithman 

• Helen Hoekstra

• Barb Benner 

• Diana Middleton

• Luanne Lee

• Forrest Johnson

• Nancy Cacy 

• Sharleen Bakeman, Retired Colorado DOT & USDOT

• Dr. Mark E. Bakeman, Retired Washington State DOT

• Carol Campbell, Retired Assistant Regional Administrator, Office of Ecosystems Protection and Remediation, US EPA Region 8Marifay Makssour

• Elaine Patriquin

• Colleen Dame

• Laurel Warner 

• Jennifer Herrin

• Amanda Tuominen 

• Gerry Wright

• Jim McGlashan

• Suzy Swanson 

• Steve Swanson 

• Barbara Kusinitz 

• Chanel K. Adams

• Ryan C. Adams

• Cheryl Kelso 

• Charlene Kam

• Steve Kelso

• Louise Hannahoe 

• Kim Hannahoe 

• John Ghumm

• Shavonne Blades 

• Emily Brecht 

• Robert de Jong

• Donna Lasater

• James Salvaggio

• Peg Salvaggio

• Barb Mejer

• Nancy Loehr

• Danny Loehr

• Jackie Connor 

• Penny T. Landis

• Debbie Shinn

• Frank Landis

• Rabbi Frederick Greene 

• Deborah Greene

• James Stull

• Penny Stull

• Donna Thumma

• John Thumma

• Robin Berlin 

• Karyn Lankford 

• Sharon Matayus

• Lindsey Terranova

• Adam Terranova

• Winfried Reichelt 

• Mari Hobkirk

• Rebecca Robb

• Bob Braudes

• Cherry Landen

• Cammie Arneson

• Jeanne DeVries

• Donna Smith

• Elaine Green 

• Donna Canode 

• Patricia Reed

• Wyncia Clute

• Larry Kinney

• Lauren Fulton

• Sharon Schuessler

• Ann Cohrs

• Steve Nelson

• Jacquelynn Sigl

• Laura Schmid

• Brian Schmid

• Justin Brooks

• Ashlee White

• Montgomery White

• Samanth Julie Hosmer

• Julie Gleason

• Kelly Wagner-Grull

• Amy Wagner-Grull

• Lenore Kingston 

• Michiko Elizabeth Mackanin 

• Christiaan van Woudenberg

• Kristen Moore

• Robyn Levey

• Aaron Levey

• Leticia Clendenen

• Krystyn Mitchell

• Heather Sabo

• Derek Webb

• Jenni Glomb

• Lyle Brecht

• Lorrie McAllister 

• Meghan Hughes 

• Josh Gaffga 
• Beth Gaffga

The post Over 100 Erie Residents Sign Letter To Attorney General appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Opinion section. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent a reported news position. At Yellow Scene, opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud.

by Kevin Cheek

Those who shout loudest about freedom are often the ones quickest to suppress it.

When asked exactly what they mean by “freedom”, I imagine they will define it as what America is, what the flag stands for, and what the Marines fought and died for, without ever approaching what freedom actually is. For many, it is a jingoistic term devoid of meaning except as a symbol. What are they free to do? What are they free from? Why are those freedoms important?

They are important. They do define the USA directly in the Constitution:

Supposedly, we are free to speak our minds – except people want to silence any opinions not in line with their view.

Supposedly, we are free to worship or not worship as we see fit – except there is a massive movement to promote a particular form of Christianity above other faiths and enshrine its principles in government.

Supposedly, we are free to have a voice in the political and legal decisions that affect us – except that having one’s voice heard costs increasing millions of dollars, effectively silencing the rest of us.

Supposedly, we are free to vote our conscience – except that they want to limit access to voting, especially in any precinct where the votes are likely to go against them.

Supposedly, we are free from illegal search and seizure without just cause and due process – except that anyone who doesn’t look “American” enough for the current power in charge is subject to exactly that. Their protests of legal status are increasingly difficult to have acknowledged.

So what do they mean by freedom? Do they mean freedom to be controlled by a state whose authoritarian dictator they happen to like? Or do they merely mean freedom for themselves and no one else?

–

Originally published: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/10/800053191/community/when-freedom-isnt-for-the-free

The post Op-Ed: When Freedom Isn’t For The Free appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder Pride Fest, Jun. 13

Rocky Mountain Equality celebrates the freedom to love and self-express with Boulder Pride Fest. From 11 AM to 4 PM, listen to an array of queer performers, buy Pride merchandise from local vendors, partake in giveaways, and fill your day with fun activities. With over 27 community partners, including Yellow Scene Magazine, Boulder Pride Fest illuminates the power of human connection, belonging, and joy.

Boulder Pride Fest |  Jun. 13 • Boulder Main Library, Boulder

Juneteenth Concert with Dzirae Gold, Jun. 17

Headlined by “Denver’s Golden Girl” Dzirae Gold and opened by award-winning Rex Peoples, Broomfield’s Juneteenth Celebration and Concert is set to be a rich celebration of Black culture and music featuring live performances of soul, jazz, R&B, and blues—all delivered through impossibly smooth vocals in an unforgettable evening of community. 

Juneteenth Concert with Dzirae Gold | Jun. 17 • Anthem Community Park, Broomfield

Nicole Zuraitis, Jun. 17

Wind down with Nicole Zuraitis at Dazzle for a beautiful evening filled with the Grammy-winning jazz vocalist, pianist, and songwriter. Hosted in the Denver staple jazz club Dazzle, Nicole Zuraitis will bring her enchanting voice for one night only in Denver.

Nicole Zuraitis | Jun. 17 • Dazzle, Denver

Van Zeppelin with Judgement Day, Jun. 19

Denver’s own Van Zeppelin and special guest Judgement Day come to Nissi’s in Lafayette on June 19th. Van Halen and Led Zeppelin fans are in for a treat as Denver’s latest and greatest tribute act brings the biggest hits from two of rock’n roll’s biggest acts. Judgement Day, named after Whitesnake’s 1989 hit, brings the best Whitesnake tribute experience in Colorado.

Van Zeppelin with Judgement Day | Jun. 19 • Nissi’s, Lafayette

Longmont Juneteenth 2026, Jun. 20

Celebrate Juneteenth on June 20th with the City of Longmont in Roosevelt Park. Juneteenth marks the emancipation of African Americans from slavery and honors Black heritage, culture, and contributions. Join us in the park from 10 AM to 2 PM for food, entertainment, and special guests.

Longmont Juneteenth 2026 | Jun. 20 • Roosevelt Park, Longmont

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

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This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

Hi Council, Town Attorney, and Acting Town Manager.

As a resident of Erie, I have to say there is a complete lack of transparency when the Town Council goes into executive session.
As Mayor Pro Tem Branden Bell said in last night’s meeting, the same generic statement is made every time to go into session about a property negotiation. Apparently, the law requires “the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose” of the executive session. I do not believe you are meeting this requirement by using a generic statement.

Erie Town Council, June 9th, 2026

From my research – quoted info from AI.

“For example, these notices become progressively more informative:

• Property acquisition.
• Property acquisition related to airport operations.
• Property acquisition in the Airport Park area.
• Property acquisition of a parcel adjacent to Airport Park.

The law seems to require the council to move as far down that list as it reasonably can before it would jeopardize negotiations.”

You are not doing this. AI told me to ask you this –

“The Open Meetings Law requires identification of the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose of the executive session. Can the Town explain why identifying the general location or project associated with the property transaction would compromise the negotiation?”

There is no way I would have been able to tell from the agenda whether you were talking about the Draco purchase or the Airport purchase.  The Mayor did mention the Airport property, but this was verbal, not in the written agenda.

“What I find particularly telling is that once the motion failed, nobody in the room seemed concerned that merely saying “the airport” would destroy the negotiation. In fact, several speakers openly referenced the airport on the record. That tends to support the argument that at least some additional public description could probably have been included in the agenda notice.” 

And the courts support as much detail as possible.  “What is interesting is that Colorado courts have already pushed back against local governments that simply repeated the statutory language.

In the well-known Basalt case, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the town violated the Open Meetings Law because it provided only the broad statutory categories and failed to give meaningful detail about the subject being discussed.”

Erie Town Council, May 5, 2026

It was good to see Acting Town Manager Muth say she would work with the Town attorney on a procedure to be transparent. Hoping that means for the public.  Just because the Council member knows what the subject is, that is not sufficient; the residents should also know.

So I am hoping the Town Attorney and Acting Town Manager can implement better procedures to provide transparency in the agenda presented to the residents.

Sincerely, DeWayne Drummond

My chat with AI follows if you are interested.

Please explain to me the requirement for notification of going into executive session at a town council meeting. Our town always puts out the following statement “EXECUTIVE SESSION to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations, and/or instruct negotiators, pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(e); and to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property, pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(a); for which a topic cannot be disclosed without compromising the purpose of the executive session.” Now my question is why can it not tell what Property they are considering? like “and to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property at the Airport park, pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(a); ” IE specify where the property rather just a generic statement. Citizens do not trust the council with the generic statement

Your concern is actually at the heart of Colorado’s Open Meetings Law.

The key language in Colorado law is that before going into executive session, the council must identify:

“the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose for which the executive session is authorized.”

That phrase creates a balancing test:

1. The public is entitled to know what is being discussed.
2. The government is allowed to withhold details that would defeat the purpose of the executive session.

For property transactions

The property exception under C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(a) allows executive sessions for:

“The purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer, or sale of any real, personal, or other property interest.”

The usual justification is that publicly identifying the property before negotiations are complete could:

• Drive up the price.
• Alert competing buyers.
• Weaken the town’s negotiating position.
• Cause speculation in surrounding properties.

So if the town is negotiating to buy a specific parcel, it may argue that naming it publicly would compromise the negotiation. That is exactly what the statute contemplates.

But can they be too vague?

Yes.

The law does not say a council can simply recite the statute and stop there.

The statute requires identification of the “particular matter” in as much detail as possible. Merely saying:

“purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real property”

without any additional description may be vulnerable to challenge if more detail could have been provided without harming negotiations.

For example, these provide progressively more information:

Very vague

• “Property matters.”

Better

• “Possible acquisition of property for future park purposes.”

Even better

• “Possible acquisition of property in the Airport Park area.”

Most specific

• “Possible acquisition of Parcel X adjacent to Airport Park.”

The question becomes: would revealing the location “Airport Park” actually compromise the negotiation?

Your Airport Park example

If the council agenda said:

“…to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of property interests in the Airport Park area…”

I think many citizens would view that as a reasonable balance between transparency and confidentiality.

The town might respond that even identifying “Airport Park” would reveal the parcel under discussion because there may be only one tract available there.

Whether that argument is convincing depends on the facts.

What Colorado courts generally look for

If challenged, a court would likely ask:

• Did the council cite the correct statutory authority?
• Did the council identify the subject matter?
• Did it provide as much detail as reasonably possible?
• Would additional detail have harmed the negotiation?

If the answer to the last question is “no,” then the notice may have been unnecessarily vague.

A practical citizen question

A fair question to ask during public comment or by email is:

“The Open Meetings Law requires identification of the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose of the executive session. Can the Town explain why identifying the general location or project associated with the property transaction would compromise the negotiation?”

That puts the discussion squarely on the statutory standard rather than on whether citizens “trust” the council.

If you tell me which Colorado town this is (for example, Erie, Thornton, etc.) and whether the executive session language comes from the agenda or from the motion made at the meeting, I can help evaluate whether their notice is merely conservative or arguably falls short of Colorado’s transparency requirements.

Town of Erie, in the agenda for a town council meeting

For Erie specifically, I think you have a stronger argument than you might realize.

I found the exact agenda language from a January 2026 Erie Town Council special meeting, and it is essentially identical to what you quoted:

“…to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations… and to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property… for which a topic cannot be disclosed without compromising the purpose of the executive session.”

The issue is that Colorado law requires more than merely citing the statutory category. The council must identify:

“the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose” of the executive session.

What is interesting is that Colorado courts have already pushed back against local governments that simply repeated the statutory language.

In the well-known Basalt case, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the town violated the Open Meetings Law because it provided only the broad statutory categories and failed to give meaningful detail about the subject being discussed.

So the real question is not:

“Can Erie legally withhold the exact parcel number?”

The real question is:

“Has Erie provided as much information as possible without harming negotiations?”

Those are very different questions.

Could Erie identify “Airport Park”?

Possibly yes.

For example, these notices become progressively more informative:

• Property acquisition.
• Property acquisition related to airport operations.
• Property acquisition in the Airport Park area.
• Property acquisition of a parcel adjacent to Airport Park.

The law seems to require the council to move as far down that list as it reasonably can before it would jeopardize negotiations.

If saying “Airport Park area” would not reveal the specific seller or bargaining position, then citizens could reasonably argue that the public deserves that level of information.

Why councils like generic wording

From the council’s perspective, the safest legal approach is often:

“We’re discussing property and negotiations, and disclosing more would compromise the executive session.”

That avoids any risk of accidentally revealing confidential negotiations.

But it also creates exactly the trust problem you describe. Citizens hear:

“We’re talking about some property somewhere.”

and have no way to know whether it concerns:

• Airport expansion,
• open space,
• water rights,
• downtown redevelopment,
• mineral rights,
• municipal facilities,
• or something else entirely.

A question I would ask Erie

Rather than accusing them of violating the law, I would ask:

“Colorado law requires identification of the particular matter to be discussed in as much detail as possible without compromising the purpose of the executive session. Why is the Town unable to identify even the general project area, such as Airport Park, municipal airport property, water rights, or open space acquisitions?”

That is a very difficult question for a council to dismiss because it goes directly to the statutory standard.

My personal reading of the agenda language Erie has been using is that it is about as generic as a notice can be while still citing the correct statute. Whether it satisfies the “as much detail as possible” requirement would depend on the specific property matter being discussed. The Basalt court decision suggests that simply repeating statutory categories is not automatically enough.

My overall impression

After reading the transcript, I do not think the dispute was really about whether executive sessions are legal.

I think the dispute was about trust and transparency.

The mayor, staff, and Bell appear to be saying:

“The council already knew the topic. This is a normal property-negotiation executive session.”

Hoback appears to be saying:

“The public doesn’t know enough, and the council shouldn’t automatically approve executive sessions without better explanation.”

Those are both reasonable positions.

Regarding your original question

If I were advising Erie, I would suggest that the agenda could probably be more informative while still protecting negotiations.

For example:

Executive session to discuss potential airport-related property negotiations pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(a) and (e).

or

Executive session regarding potential acquisition or disposition of property interests associated with airport operations.

Those descriptions tell citizens substantially more than the current boilerplate language, yet they still do not identify the parcel, seller, price, or negotiating strategy.

From a citizen’s perspective, that kind of disclosure would likely improve confidence without significantly impairing negotiations.

What I find particularly telling is that once the motion failed, nobody in the room seemed concerned that merely saying “the airport” would destroy the negotiation. In fact, several speakers openly referenced the airport on the record. That tends to support the argument that at least some additional public description could probably have been included in the agenda notice.

The post Letter to the Editor: Erie Executive Session Transparency appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

720.470.9098 NEWS FLASH

A routine Erie Town Council meeting took an unexpected turn tonight, June 9, when three council members voted against entering executive session, halting a planned closed-door discussion related to airport negotiations and triggering a heated exchange on the dais.

Much of the evening focused on routine business, including Juneteenth and Loving Day proclamations, updates from the Erie Chamber of Commerce and We Love Erie Business Collective, and approval of landscaping code changes intended to promote water conservation. But the meeting’s final minutes quickly overshadowed those discussions. Councilmembers Emily Baer, Dan Hoback and Anil Pesaramelli voted against entering executive session. When asked by Andrew Moore to explain his vote, Hoback said the item had been added to the agenda without sufficient explanation and argued that residents were increasingly uneasy about closed-door discussions. “I think we need to bring more transparency into it, as to what these are for,” he said.

Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell pushed back, saying council members had received information about the topic in advance and that executive sessions are routinely used when negotiating real estate transactions. Bell said concerns that the session was intended to discuss the town’s controversial mineral rights negotiations were unfounded and called it “a little disingenuous” to suggest council was attempting to hide information from the public. 

After Bell urged one of the three council members to reconsider the motion, Hoback responded that he did not appreciate “once again, time and time again, being called disingenuous.” As Mayor Moore attempted to regain control of the discussion, Hoback interrupted, telling the mayor, “You let him get away with his crap, Mayor. I’m tired of it.” Moore adjourned the meeting moments later. The clash comes one week before council is scheduled to vote on a proposed agreement with SM Energy regarding the sale of the town’s mineral rights, a decision that has generated months of public debate and scrutiny. 

This is a developing story. A more detailed account of the executive session dispute and the pending mineral rights vote will follow.

2:00:00 Moore’s closing comments followed by the vote to decline Executive Session

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

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The post Erie Council Clash Erupts After Three Members Vote Against Executive Session appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

By Former Adams County Commissioner Eva Henry

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

When we talk about building a local economy that works for everyone, we often default to macro-economics—gross county product, commercial development zoning, and corporate tax bases. But for the vast majority of families living in Thornton, Westminster, and Northglenn, the true measure of our economy isn’t found in a spreadsheet at the county administration building. It is measured at the kitchen table, balanced between the cost of groceries and the staggering price of local childcare.

Adams County has always been a place defined by its grit, its deep agricultural heritage, and its working-class roots. But right now, our working families are facing an unprecedented financial squeeze. As local leaders, we must recognize that a thriving community requires more than just managing growth; it requires protecting the people who make that growth possible. True economic dignity means ensuring that our neighbors who work here can actually afford to live, raise their families, and thrive here.

That is why inclusive governance is not an abstract progressive ideal—it is an absolute economic necessity.

When we invest in county-level childcare and housing solutions, we aren’t just providing a safety net; we are building infrastructure. High-quality, affordable childcare is the ultimate workforce multiplier, allowing parents to re-enter the job market or pursue continuing education with peace of mind. Furthermore, as our region expands, our infrastructure must keep pace. We need a balanced approach to regional growth that secures critical funding for road repairs and flood mitigation while fiercely protecting our clean air, open spaces, and our vital agricultural spaces.

But infrastructure alone isn’t enough. We must tie our county’s development directly to high-quality local livelihoods. By creating 21st-century green energy and technology manufacturing union jobs, we ensure that public investments translate into sustainable, middle-class careers for our residents. We also have a responsibility to foster a collaborative, supportive environment for our local small businesses—working hand-in-hand with owners through proactive programs like Achieving Compliance Together rather than defaulting to heavy-handed, punitive fines.

To achieve this, we need a county government that is accessible, efficient, and thoroughly competent. We must actively reject the divisive national political rhetoric that stalls progress and focus squarely on local, transparent results. This month, as primary ballots arrive in mailboxes, Adams County voters have a distinct choice to make about the direction of our community.

Tyler Quick

We need a new generation of energetic, transparent leadership on the County Commission—leaders who share the lived financial realities of everyday working people. That is exactly why I am proud to stand alongside community advocates like Tyler Quick for District 4. Tyler grew up right here, went to Flynn Elementary, and understands the paycheck-to-paycheck realities facing our neighborhoods.

Let’s move past stale political habits and build an inclusive, efficient, and competent county government that ensures every single resident has a permanent seat at the table.

The post The Economic Imperative of Inclusive Governance in Adams County appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

Our initial draft discussing the House District 33 race contained regrettable errors and typos concerning Kenny Nguyen. In the interest of fairness and accurate local reporting, we are happy to publish Mr. Nguyen’s response to our criticism. Yellow Scene Magazine stands by its final endorsement decision, but we welcome the opportunity to correct the record and offer any criticized candidate a platform to share their perspective. Please note that the commentary below represents the candidate’s own beliefs and does not constitute an endorsement or reflection of our editorial board’s views.

Hello Yellow Magazine readers! I know my name may be new to some of you. I’m Representative Kenny Nguyen. On January 12th, I was appointed as Colorado’s newest lawmaker for Colorado House District 33.

I was elected by a vacancy committee to replace former Representative William Lindstedt when he, in turn, was elected to fill the seat held by the late Senator Faith Winter. I’m honored to be serving our community.

Previously I served as a Broomfield City Council Member for Ward 1 before resigning to take this role. I was also the Executive Assistant to Colorado’s 50th Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, worked in the Colorado Tourism office, and most recently in the Department of Revenue. I’m an AmeriCorps Service Member Alum having served with the “I Have a Dream” Foundation at Boulder County after graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder.

I’m Colorado’s first Vietnamese American to serve in the Colorado General Assembly.

Less than three weeks into my term I supported SJR26-006 which recognizes the value that immigrants bring to Colorado and calls upon our federal partners to uphold transparency, accountability, and humane enforcement practices so that every family, regardless of their immigration status may fully participate in the communities they build and sustain.

HB26-1276, HB26-1283, and SB26-005 were bills I supported and that passed through the state legislature aimed at safeguarding constitutional rights for immigrants. HB26-1276 permits local health agencies and CDPHE to inspect facilities not operated directly by the federal government that house noncitizens detained for immigration purposes while requiring new training standards related to peace officer compliance with civil immigrant detainers to be adopted and certified by July 1, 2027. HB26-1283 prohibits an employer or their agent from demanding, confiscating, retaining or otherwise requiring an individual to surrender their government issued ID card for long periods of time and prohibits threats of sharing an individual’s ID with federal authorities. SB26-005 allows for individuals whose constitutional rights were violated by those participating in civil immigration enforcement to be liable for legal or equitable relief.

Another bill that wasn’t passed through the state legislature that I supported was SB26-176 which would have allowed for individuals whose constitutional rights were violated to sue federal, state and local officials who violated said rights which includes ICE agents.

SB26-070 Ban Government Access Historical Location Information Database (PEEPs Act)

I was proud to be a sponsor of this bipartisan bill aimed at protecting the privacy of residents. This bill addresses License Plate Readers (LPR), commonly known as FLOCK cameras because of the primary company involved. LPRs do not simply keep track of license plates; they record data on car make, vehicle colors, driver racial profiles, and geographic locations of vehicles. SB26-070 would have placed guardrails on data retention by private companies and requires a judicial warrant by law enforcement agencies (including ICE) seeking LPR data. Unfortunately this bill did not pass the senate last week, but I’m committed to addressing this issue again next year.

HB26-1001 Housing Developments on Qualifying Properties (HOME Act)
The HOME Act seeks to address affordable housing by allowing organizations with a history of building housing such as nonprofits, universities, and housing authorities to create more housing projects. Homeownership has become out of reach for too many, and rental prices continue to climb. While I am not a sponsor, The HOME act has nearly unanimous support from Democrats in both chambers. I was proud to vote to support alongside Broomfield’s Senator William Lindstadt and the majority of our caucus. We need smart, sustainable growth that helps create housing people can afford, while reining in unsustainable sprawl. Governor Polis signed this bill on March 25th.

HB26-1320 Accessible Language Statutory Ballot Title Requirements.
In Colorado, we cherish our right to direct democracy – we love ballot measures. Unfortunately, sometimes those initiatives are filled with language that can be challenging for voters to understand: double negatives, confusing tax language, and obscure terminology. I’m sponsoring this measure that will require ballot measures to provide a plain language version with clear information about the tax implications of any ballot measure. Governor Polis signed this bill on May 29th.

HB26-1335 Abortion Medication Access on College Campuses

Across the country, reproductive rights and women’s access to healthcare are under attack. As one of the younger members of the legislature and a CU graduate, I’m sponsoring this bill alongside two female legislators to ensure that college students can access medications, ideally on campus when possible. Governor Polis signed this bill on May 27th.

HB26-1318 Traffic Safety Near Schools

The safety of our streets near schools is especially important. This bill, which I am sponsoring, clarifies what is considered a school zone and makes traffic enforcement near schools easier to help protect kids. The bill passed both chambers and is now named the Liam Stewart in honor of a 7th grader that was killed while biking to school. Governor Polis signed this bill on May 29th.

HB26-1099 Protect Financial Condition of Homeowners Associations

I became a sponsor for this bill because as a new homeowner, I understand the important roles Homeowner Associations (HOAs) play but also the problems caused by management changes. This bill would create transparency and address HOA accountability. It would also codify that when an HOA changes management companies, the former company must provide the new HOA management company the property, records, and accounts and be held liable to the financial conditions of the HOA. This protects HOA members and holds management companies accountable for their transfers. Governor Polis signed this bill on April 13th.

I’m committed to serving the people of Colorado with integrity and respect, and uplifting marginalized voices in this time of division. My hope is to bridge divisions and to serve all of House District 33. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or thoughts; we’re here to serve you. You can email my office at kenny.nguyen.house@coleg.gov or call us at 303-866-4667.

The post Letter to the Editor: Why My Record Matters for House District 33 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

With the June 16 vote on a proposed agreement selling the town’s mineral rights approaching, debate in Erie is shifting from fracking itself to the process behind the deal. In particular, residents and some council members are asking whether the negotiations followed the expectations laid out in the town’s contract and purchasing policies.

The proposed agreement is tied to the Draco oil and gas project, a state-approved development operated by SM Energy, formerly Civitas. The project would drill 26 horizontal wells extending roughly five miles underground beneath portions of Erie. In exchange for selling town-owned mineral rights that lie in the path of the project, officials say Erie would receive a package of cash, royalties, land and environmental concessions from SM Energy, while critics continue to press for details on both the value of the deal and the process used to negotiate it. 

Residents crowded into a June 2 public study session seeking answers about well locations, groundwater impacts, wastewater disposal and what a mineral-rights sale could mean for the town’s future development. 

Beyond the drilling itself, the agreement could shape how Erie grows in the coming years. In exchange for its mineral interests, the town would receive a package of cash, royalties, land and other concessions that officials say could support future development. Some residents, however, remain concerned about potential environmental and public health impacts, as well as whether selling town-owned mineral rights outright is preferable to retaining or leasing those assets for future revenue. 

Mayor Andrew Moore has consistently framed the mineral-rights agreement as an economic-development opportunity rather than solely an oil and gas debate. In his April State of the Town meeting, Moore argued that Erie’s infrastructure and growth needs were going to outpace available capital funding and portrayed the deal as an important source of future revenue. However, previous Yellow Scene reporting found that Erie’s capital reserves and projected revenues appeared stronger than suggested during those discussions, raising questions about how essential the agreement is to the town’s long-term financial plans. 

Moore reiterated that argument during the June 2 study session.

“Yeah, I guess the way I look at this is the first offer was $2.85 million, which is that land. And now we’re up to roughly $35 million plus the value of the land going forward, which goes to over $200 million,” Moore said. “And so, yeah, maybe this isn’t the best deal we can get, but maybe it is by far the best deal we can get.”

Town officials repeatedly emphasized that rejecting the agreement would not necessarily stop the Draco project. During the June 2 study session, Environmental Services Director David Frank said the town’s unsold mineral rights would have to be “avoided,” but what that means in practice remains uncertain. “It could be that the overall direction of those laterals changes to avoid physically contacting those areas,” Frank said. “It’s also possible that they may drill right through our mineral rights and simply not perforate and frack those sections of the casing.” Later in the discussion, Frank acknowledged that the state has not provided a definitive answer on how such a scenario would be handled. “It’s highly unlikely that Draco, which is a $1.5 billion operation, is going to go away,” he said. “Their attorneys told me that they will go forward without the town’s minerals.” 

Toward the end of nearly two hours of discussion, however, council members began asking whether the consultant hired by the town to assist with the negotiations had fulfilled a contractual requirement to solicit bids and whether the town’s purchasing guidelines had been followed when he was hired. Discussion focused heavily on uncertainties about the process itself alongside the specifics of the proposed agreement. 

Currently, council is considering an agreement with SM Energy that town officials have described as one of the largest mineral-rights transactions in Erie’s history. According to information presented during the negotiations, the wellbores would be the longest ever proposed in Colorado and would be drilled beneath an established suburban community rather than a remote oil and gas field, which has been a cause for concern for many residents.

The proposed deal would involve the town selling mineral interests associated with the approved Draco Pad development in exchange for a package of cash payments, production revenue, land transfers, additional monitoring provisions and commitments to plug aging wells. While officials have argued that the agreement would provide significant benefits to the community, residents and council members alike have continued to ask how the town determined that this proposal represented the best available option.

The town’s selection of Alameda Mineral Advisors has itself become a subject of scrutiny, as public explanations of how the firm was identified and brought into the process have shifted over time.

During a March 10 council meeting, Mayor Andrew Moore said Alameda had been recommended by town staff and that council had not played a role in identifying the firm.

“With Alameda Minerals … they were recommended to us by staff and that’s how that contract came about,” Moore said. “There is nobody that personally advocated for them … nobody on council … that was brought to us by staff.”

A different account emerged during an April 21 discussion. Responding to a question from Councilmember Emily Baer about how Owens became involved, Director of Environmental Services David Frank said Moore had provided Owens’ contact information to town staff.

“Mayor Moore sent me an email and said, ‘here’s some contact information from a gentleman. I think it would be a good idea to reach out to him and hear him out,'” Frank said. “I gave him a call. He gave me his pitch…”

Moore offered another explanation during the June 2 study session, describing Owens as someone uniquely positioned to help the town negotiate with Civitas because of his previous experience inside the company.

“Matt was brought in for his unique knowledge of knowing the inside workings of a Civitas,” Moore said. “If you’re negotiating, you always want to have information from those you’re negotiating against.”

Those explanations are not necessarily contradictory, but they describe different accounts of how Alameda entered the process, ranging from a staff recommendation to a referral that originated with the mayor. 

When asked about the hiring process for Alameda Mineral Advisors, Town Attorney Breena N. Meng focused on the town’s procurement policy.

“There is a requirement that was adopted in a purchasing policy that was approved by council to conduct RFPs or solicitations for services like this,” Meng said. “That did not happen.”

In other words, Erie’s purchasing policy requires a public Request for Proposal, where the town publicizes the need for services and companies can submit proposals explaining how they would perform the work in hopes of being selected for the contract. The town is then supposed to choose the best proposal for the services needed.

The admission means Alameda was hired outside the process the town’s purchasing policy requires.

Scrutiny of how Alameda entered the process was compounded by a second issue raised during the June 2 study session: whether the firm completed a key responsibility outlined in its contract with the town. 

Matthew Owens of Alameda Mineral Advisors

At the center of the discussion is the scope of work agreed upon when Erie hired Matthew Owens of Alameda Mineral Advisors in December 2025. The contract’s scope of work states that the consultant shall solicit bids for the sale of town-owned mineral rights and property with comparative analyses of upfront proceeds versus projected cash flows.

The contract language requires more than finding a buyer. It requires that Alameda Mineral Advisors reaches out to a variety of companies that might be interested in buying the mineral rights. Then, all of the offers have to be presented to the town with comparisons of up-front profits, future royalties, and other non-monetary terms. 

That requirement became the focus of a tense exchange between Councilmember Hoback and Owens.

“How did you actually solicit bids?” Hoback asked. (1:19:23)

Owens responded by describing work he had performed before being hired by the town. 

“Before you guys hired me, I worked for a client in this unit, who had a whole bunch of minerals at the end of last year,” Owens said. “So I solicited a whole bunch of bids for him to lease or to monetize them. I followed up in early January and got back to the same folks to ask them about their bids and if they were still in the same range… it was substantially lower than what this deal would be. And so at that point, I was determined to just focus on this deal, since the value discrepancy was so great.”

Hoback immediately questioned whether that satisfied the contract’s requirements.

“That does not sound like a competitive bid to me,” he said.

He continued pressing the issue.

“It’s one thing to have, you know, prior discussions, going back to them. That still is not a competitive bidding process. And your scope of work says you’ll complete a competitive bidding process.”

Owens began to respond. (1:19:30)

“It does, that is why in that Executive Session, we had been specifically asked…”

Before he could finish, Town Attorney Breena N. Meng interrupted him, saying the answer would pertain to matters discussed in executive session.

The topic resurfaced later in the meeting when Councilmember Emily Baer attempted to revisit it. Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell objected.

“I want to make a point of order… we cannot talk about what was talked about in an executive session. I feel this line of questioning is completely disingenuous because you all know what you heard.”

Baer disputed that characterization.

“I have never heard another offer from any other entity… That’s good that we can’t talk about executive session things because that is not something we’ve ever talked about.”

After the study session adjourned, Owens was again asked whether he had completed the solicitation of competitive bids described in his contract.

“I was instructed not to… by the people who hired me,” Owens said. Owens did not identify who gave the instruction.

The statement prompted council members to discuss whether the town’s procurement practices had been followed and whether the contract’s scope of work had been fulfilled.

Councilmember Baer said she wasn’t sure whether the consultant had met the contract’s expectations.

“I do have concerns that the contract, scope of work for the contract hasn’t been met with a competitive bid,” she said. “I would like to understand more about that. Was that a violation of our expected scope of work of the contract that we signed? That’s what people in the community are asking me.”

The issue raised during the study session was not whether the town ultimately received a favorable offer, but whether the process outlined in the contract was completed in the manner council expected when it approved the agreement. 

The discussion continued when Mayor Andrew Moore suggested that auditors review the issue. Interim Town Manager Meredyth Muth responded that auditors had already identified it.

“[Auditors] have noted it as a finding or possible finding,” Muth said. Neither Muth nor other officials elaborated during the study session on the nature of the finding or whether it related specifically to procurement procedures, contract administration or another aspect of the process. 

None of the officials suggested rejecting the proposed agreement because of these discrepancies. 

Town officials continued to argue that the agreement would provide substantial value to the community. According to information presented by the town, Erie owns approximately 183 acres of mineral rights associated with the Draco area. Of that total, roughly 103 acres remain unleased while about 80 acres are already subject to existing leases. Officials repeatedly emphasized that the town’s unleased mineral interests represent only a small percentage of the overall drilling unit and argued that recent changes in Colorado law increased the town’s negotiating leverage by limiting the circumstances under which municipal mineral interests can be pooled into development without the town’s consent.

Officials also argued that the proposed agreement would convert that leverage into tangible benefits for residents. According to town presentations, the package includes a multimillion-dollar upfront payment, future royalty revenue, approximately 158 acres of land along County Line Road, commitments to plug additional wells and inspection access at the Draco facility. 

Representatives of the negotiating team argued that the town would forgo significant benefits if it rejected the agreement. They also noted that the Draco project has already been approved by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, meaning the debate before council is no longer whether the project will be drilled, but whether Erie should seek compensation and concessions tied to that development.

Not everyone on council accepted the negotiating team’s assessment of the town’s leverage. Throughout the study session, questions surfaced about whether Erie had adequately tested the market, whether other operators may have been interested and whether the town’s mineral position provided more bargaining power than officials suggested. 

For many residents, however, the conversation extended beyond the financial terms of the deal. Residents repeatedly focused on where water used for hydraulic fracturing would come from, how wastewater would be handled, whether groundwater resources could be affected and what authority Erie would have if environmental problems occurred in the future.

Officials acknowledged that while the town negotiated monitoring and inspection provisions, much of the regulatory authority over drilling operations remains with state agencies. Residents also asked whether the proposed land parcels are worth as much as stated and how much of the transferred acreage could realistically be developed.

Several residents noted that council is expected to vote on the agreement only weeks after the first major public discussion of its details, which they noted as a major issue they wanted addressed.

Those continuing worries come after months of criticism regarding how much of the process occurred in executive session and how little information was publicly available before the proposed agreement reached council. During the June 2 discussion, questions surrounding executive session matters were redirected, renewing the public’s concern about the confidentiality of the negotiations.

Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed agreement June 16. 

By the conclusion of the meeting, many of the concerns raised by residents remained unresolved. Alongside issues of water, drilling and future development, council members found themselves conflicted over procurement, transparency and accountability.

The post Town Council to Vote on Mineral Rights Sale June 16; Bidding Process Draws Scrutiny appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Backrooms at Sie FilmCenter, Jun. 1-11

An endless maze of empty rooms, only accessible by leaving this reality. Venture into the unknown at Sie FilmCenter with their screenings of the new horror movie based on a creepypasta and internet legends. Bring your friends and something to calm down with after watching this psychological horror.

Backrooms Movie Screening | Jun. 1-11  • Sie FilmCenter, Denver

Burning Spear with Jesse Royal, Jun. 5

88.5 KGNU and Westword bring reggae legend Burning Spear to the Boulder Theater for an uplifting night of love and unity. Drawing inspiration from Bob Marley, the two-time Grammy Award-winner uses reggae as a tool of resistance against racial oppression, often reflecting themes of African self-reliance and determination in his lyrics. Doors open at 7 PM, with the show beginning at 8 PM. Tickets start at $67.74 and are available on the Boulder Theater’s website.

Burning Spear with Jesse Royal | Jun. 5 • Boulder Theater, Boulder

Be Keith Haring for a Day, Jun. 7

One part presentation and one part interactive art workshop, Meadows Library’s Be Keith Haring for a Day combines learning and creation in order to paint a picture of Keith Haring’s life and work. In this all-ages event, participants will explore Haring’s artistic legacy through analyzing his most distinct works before transitioning into creating their own works in the style of Haring.

Be Keith Haring for a Day | Jun. 7 • Meadows Library, Boulder

Lafayette Music Fest Kickoff Party, Jun. 11

Lafayette Music Fest kicks off with a party at Acreage Restaurant on Thursday, June 11th. Enjoy some honky-tonk tunes from Brandywine and the Mighty Fines while you savor the Flatiron views and relish some tasty drinks from Stem Ciders. Stick around for the 2026 lineup announcement and for a chance to mingle with the 2026 performers after you purchase your wristband for October’s festival.

Lafayette Music Fest Kickoff Party | Jun. 11 • Acreage, Lafayette

Third Annual Longmont Fly-In, Jun. 13

Come celebrate planes and all things aviation on Saturday, June 13, from 8 AM to 12 PM at Vance Brand Airport in Longmont. Bring yourself and your friends to discover drones, model airplanes, flight simulators, and gliders. The event kicks off with a flyover from the Rocky Mountain Ravens, followed by a pancake breakfast and silent auction. There is no gate fee.

Third Annual Longmont Fly-In | Jun. 13 • Vance Brand Airport, Longmont

The post Scene Stealers: Week of June 4th appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Music festival organizer Luna Wolf will be hosting the 4th annual LunaFest, a multi-genre festival in Longmont featuring 100+ bands over the course of nine days (June 14th through 21st at Grossen Bart Brewery with an afterparty on June 22nd at Bizarre Electronics Repair). We got on the phone with Luna to talk about her expectations for the upcoming festival.

Jamie Lammers: Do you mind introducing yourself?
Luna Wolf: Long story short, I came from Florida – it was highly transphobic. I lived homeless for a little bit in the Boulder area and started LunaFest ‘24 from the back seat of a truck. It had around 80 bands and was quite a success. From there, it temporarily took the name of Warped Wolf because of the LunaFest Film Festival. They actually stopped doing that festival, so I brought LunaFest back for 2026 and have spawned off Warped Wolf as an additional event.

Jamie: How did last year’s festival go?
Luna: Warped Wolf went pretty good, actually. I had better attendance than I did at LunaFest ‘24. LunaFest ‘24 didn’t do great on attendance because I was still new to the area and nobody believed I was actually going to have 80 bands. Since then, I’ve grown a presence and trust. I think ‘26 is gonna be huge.

Jamie: What are you looking forward to most about LunaFest ‘26?
Luna: Definitely seeing a lot of new bands and seeing some bands that I previously loved again.

Jamie: Over your time hosting events like this, what have you loved most about connecting with these musicians and bringing these events to life?
Luna: I think bringing new music to my arsenal has been great. I’m huge on music, obviously, so meeting and hearing new artists is one of the most rewarding things. Seeing the artists intermingle and connect and get to know each other is also a huge value.

Jamie: What else can people expect at LunaFest?
Luna: There are food trucks every day, as well as art vendors of all types.

Jamie: Is there anything you hope people take away when they come to an event like this, particularly LunaFest ‘26?
Luna: Yeah, I’m hoping people get introduced to new artists, especially when people think they don’t like a genre. Part of the benefit of it being multi-genre is they might hear an artist in a genre that they felt they didn’t like and get introduced to something new.

Jamie: Is there anything else you want people to know about?
Luna: I’m hosting events at least once a month, sometimes twice a month, at my day job at Bizarre Electronics. Also, check out lunarluxfest.org. There’s a lot of info there.

The post Spotlight: LunaFest 2026 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

I hail from the left, and am not shy about it: a democratic socialist, an out trans and queer person, a union organizer, and a feminist. And I have advocated on all of those fronts for many years.

Right now, though, I am both disturbed and disappointed by some of my fellow lefties, who have become the unwitting tools of White Christian Nationalists by crossing the line into clear antisemitism. Some have even gone so far as to embrace such a misguided worldview that they’ve convinced themselves that hostility toward Jews is morally justified.

I’ve seen it on social media and heard it on the streets: people behaving in clearly abhorrent ways towards American Jews (street harassment, bullying, even openly saying that Jews deserve violence or death). And far too much of it is rooted in assigning collective blame for the worst of the Netanyahu administration’s atrocities.

Enough. Individual Jewish Americans are no more responsible for Netanyahu’s evils than individual Russian Americans are responsible for Putin’s. Bernie Sanders does not share in some sort of collective blame for the horrific abuses of violent settlers in the West Bank because he is a Jew from Brooklyn. In fact, he clearly abhors that violence – as do most American Jews, a supermajority of whom agree that under Netanyahu, Israel is committing war crimes, according to Washington Post polling (though of course everyone deserves safety, no matter their political ideology).

At the same time, “antisemitism” is being cynically co-opted and weaponized by MAGA forces to attack our civil liberties and our immigrant neighbors, something Jewish organizations have rebuked (1, 2). But as we stand in the shadow of the June 1 anniversary of the firebombing on the Pearl Street Mall, I’m talking about the real kind – the hatred and dehumanization of Jews because they are Jews.

That firebombing was one of the more horrifying acts of hate violence in our state’s history. Marking this anniversary, it is essential that we all have the courage to name and face hard truths. We must stiffen our spines against hatred because the death of Karen Diamond demands it, as does the pain of all the survivors and the broader Jewish community. We cannot and will not find the healing that is needed here until we do. But we also must do so because all of our fates, and our liberations, are bound together.

As the German saying goes, “antisemitism is the socialism of fools” — a once oft-spoken refrain purportedly repeated by Engels and Marx both. All those who said it knew a simple thing: that if they allowed themselves to be drawn into the base antisemitic trope that Jews as a people were somehow responsible for the worst evils of the world, they would be falling into a divide-and-conquer trap laid for them by those at the top.

As a unionist, I know the truth in my bones, and I’ve seen it with my eyes. The only thing that advances real justice is working people uniting together across the things that divide us: race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. And the oligarchs who do not wish to see working people hold real power will always seek to exacerbate and inflame those divisions because if we are fighting each other, we can’t fight effectively against them.

This is why, for literally millennia, one of the core features of antisemitism has been the fomenting of conspiracy theories about how Jews are sinister figures who secretly control everything and create the world’s worst ills. That awful lie has a purpose: if we believe it, we turn our anger on our Jewish compatriots instead of the ones actually rigging the systems against us.

It is also one of the core lies that gave rise to the Third Reich. Now, the Christian Nationalists of today are fanning the flames of this oldie-but-definitely-not-goodie via intentionally destructive and manipulative schemes like the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther. In that horrific endeavor, the same organization behind Project 2025 worked to redefine antisemitism to justify MAGA attacks on free speech, thus advancing the twin authoritarian aims of curtailing civil liberties and setting Jews up as the scapegoats for that erosion.

If we are fighting for collective liberation, we have to stop falling for the tricks laid for us by those who hate and oppress us all. We need all of our siblings with us to protect each other and defeat White Christian Nationalism, and that means no exceptions. It also means being brave enough to speak up and call in those who refuse to see and hold the full humanity of all people, including Jews.

On the left, we often say that none of us can be free until all of us are free. It’s past time we all fully live out that mantra – and the knowledge that it does and must include our Jewish siblings. The only true path out of this mess and towards justice is for all of us to find a way to walk side by side. If we cannot, we will unfortunately be the worst kind of fools.

Wynn Howell (they/them) is the Colorado State Director of the Working Families Party and is a leader in the labor and LGBTQ+ movements who has spent over 25 years working as a union, community, and political organizer.

The post Letter to the Editor: The Socialism of Fools appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Featured photo: Migrant workers from Mexico make up a large portion of the agricultural labor needed across the state. John Moore/Getty Images

Written by Ernesto Sagás, Colorado State University

In Colorado, a national debate about the role of Latinos in American society has deep roots in the state’s history, current identity — and future.

I’m a professor of ethnic studies at Colorado State University. I recently published a book titled “Latino Colorado: The Struggle for Equality in the Centennial State.” In it, I explore how Latinos in Colorado have bridged Old West and New West industries to help our state grow. As a longtime resident of the state, I have witnessed many of these socioeconomic phenomena firsthand and through my research.

Latinos have always been a part of the Colorado story. Let’s look at some ways Latinos help drive the state’s economy and contribute to its unique culture and lifestyle.

Latino labor in Colorado

Latinos were the first Coloradans.

San Luis was founded in 1851 by Hispanic settlers from northern New Mexico. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town in the state. In the late 19th century, Hispanic Coloradans and immigrants from Mexico fanned across the territory and later the state to work in mining, the railroad industry and the emerging agricultural sector.

Workers harvesting potatoes in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado in 1939.
GHI/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

In the first decades of the 20th century, Colorado’s sugar beet industry relied heavily on Latino workers. Those workers then established Hispanic neighborhoods in cities along the Front Range and the Eastern Plains.

Colorado’s geographic diversity has led to the development of numerous economic sectors from so-called Old West industries like agriculture, cattle ranching and mining to New West industries like tourism, real estate and tech startups.

The running thread of Colorado’s diverse economic picture is its reliance on Latino labor, whether from U.S.-born or immigrant workers. The state has relied on this labor practically since the territory was acquired from Mexico in 1848. The region known as the Western Slope is a good example of this trend.

In the Western Slope, Latino workers were the muscle behind the building of railroad lines and the growth of the sugar beet industry in the early 20th century. Latino immigrants still work in the oil and gas industry and the fruit orchards that dot the region. But, more recently, their descendants have moved into the middle class. They’ve opened small businesses, and some have even become white-collar professionals.

As tourism began to flourish in the Western Slope in the 1990s, Latinos quickly became the indispensable labor force that kept the ski resorts, hotels and restaurants running. And as Baby Boomers began to retire and move to the region, Latino labor supported the construction boom fueled by this demographic shift. There is practically no sector of the Western Slope’s — and the state’s — economy that does not rely on Latino labor.

Latino demographic shifts

Latinos have also driven the Western Slope’s demographic growth. The expansion of the real estate and tourism sectors around the turn of the 21st century attracted tens of thousands of Latinos to the region. They came from Colorado’s Front Range, other U.S. states, and Mexico and Central America.

Their presence has revitalized towns historically afflicted by the woes of the boom-and-bust cycles of the oil and gas industry. For example, along the west I-70 corridor, towns such as Eagle, Edwards, and Gypsum in Eagle County, and towns like Glenwood Springs, Parachute, Rifle and Silt in Garfield County, have seen their Latino populations soar with the arrival of families attracted to job opportunities in resort destinations like Vail and Aspen. By 2020, Latinos made up more than a third of these counties’ total populations compared to the 1990s when Latinos made up less than 10% of the population in the region.

Further west, Montrose’s Latino population has grown in tandem with the popular resort town of Telluride’s economic expansion. Nowadays, Latinos represent more than 20% of the Montrose County population compared to 12% three decades ago. Mesa County has the largest number of Latinos on the Western Slope, about 25,000, who make up 15% of the population. Latinos are mostly clustered in and around Grand Junction, the largest metro hub between Denver and Salt Lake City.

Like most working-class Coloradans, these Latino families typically cannot afford to live in the ritzy communities where they work. Many make long commutes over treacherous mountain roads to get to their workplace. Some juggle multiple jobs and rely on carpooling because they don’t own cars and don’t make enough money to afford their long, potentially dangerous commutes.

While the first-generation immigrants who came to Colorado’s Western Slope in the 1990s- 2000s have a limited educational background and speak little English, their second-generation children are trying to realize the American Dream by moving into the middle class. This second generation benefits from a public education, command of the English language, and greater knowledge of American society than their parents.

The U.S.-born descendants of Latino immigrants represent a tip-of-the-iceberg phenomenon. They currently make up a large component of the school-age population in these counties. In another decade or two, they will join the labor force, pay taxes, vote, and likely transform the demographics, culture, and political status quo of these mountain communities.

Challenges facing Latino Coloradans

Latino Coloradans’ story is fraught with challenges, too.

First-generation Latino laborers often endure long work hours for low pay, a high cost of living, occupational hazards and the stigma of racial discrimination. Moreover, shifting political winds represent a significant challenge for Latinos concerned about changes in U.S. immigration policies.

President Donald Trump’s recent immigration dragnet has reached the Western Slope, where Latino individuals have been routinely arrested and Latino families fear deportation. Many Latino families in Colorado are mixed-status families, in which some family members may lack U.S. citizenship or work visas and are subject to deportation. They feel targeted for the color of their skin, their accent or the jobs they do. The immigration operations are having an impact on the economy and social fabric of the communities where Latinos live and work.

Still, Latinos have grown deep roots in Western Slope communities. Grand Junction has a thriving Latino middle class and is home to the Western Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce. Latinos, such as State Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, are running for office in the region and getting elected. Velasco represents House District 57, which covers Glenwood Springs and Aspen.

Latinos have always been an intrinsic feature of the Western Slope’s socioeconomic landscape, as ubiquitous as the area’s mountains, mesas and canyons. In cities like Grand Junction and Durango, and ski towns like Aspen, Telluride and Vail, they enrich the region’s economy, society and culture.

Read more of our stories about Colorado.

Ernesto Sagás, Professor of Ethnic Studies, Colorado State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post From The San Luis Valley To Vail, Latino Labor Powers Every Sector Of Colorado’s Economy appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Correction: An earlier version of Yellow Scene’s 2026 Primary Election Endorsements incorrectly identified Heidi Henkel as the incumbent in House District 33. The incumbent is Rep. Kenny Nguyen. The error was corrected shortly after publication.

Editorial endorsements are a longstanding function of journalism. Yet as media has consolidated and nonprofit restrictions have reshaped the industry, fewer newsrooms continue the practice.

Yellow Scene believes election endorsements remain an important public service. Our editorial board debates the issues, examines policy and records in depth, and does not lightly arrive at endorsement decisions, particularly in closely contested races. This guide focuses on races within Yellow Scene’s Boulder County and North Metro coverage region rather than attempting to cover every contest statewide. Over 26 years, Yellow Scene’s Election Guide has received multiple journalism awards, including three first-place honors, and earned a reputation for asking difficult questions and examining candidates beyond campaign slogans.

U.S. Senate

John Hickenlooper v. Julie Gonzales

The Pick: Julie Gonzales

Julie Gonzales

John Hickenlooper

State Democrats deemed this the most contested statewide race this spring. At the state assembly, activist turned politician Julie Gonzales took home nearly 75% of the delegate share. Gonzales, who has been working in the Colorado Senate since 2018, will face incumbent US Senator John Hickenlooper. While the Hickenlooper campaign leans into terms like “grassroots” and “independent perspective,” his lengthy résumé as the former mayor of Denver, Colorado governor, and current senator tells a different story.

Having taken over $500,000 in AIPAC money, Hickenlooper’s narrative conflicts with his status as a political insider. Some argue Hickenlooper has been unable to meet the political moment, voting with Trump 11% of the time in his first term and saying Democrats need to “select our battles.” In 2020, an ethics committee ruled he violated state law by flying in a donor’s private plane.

Gonzales has decried the war in Gaza, pledged to back antitrust enforcement to break up monopolies, and supported Medicare for all, positions that demonstrate she has the energy and fresh perspectives the party needs.

Governorship

Michael Bennett v. Phil Weiser

The Pick: Phil Weiser

Phil Weiser

This race features two prominent Colorado politicians vying for higher office, starting with Michael Bennet, a former school superintendent turned U.S. senator. During his years in Washington, Bennet has drawn criticism for confirming eight of Donald Trump’s nominees and for his extensive campaign support from major donors and political action committees.

Michael Bennet

He has accepted over $300,000 in AIPAC funds and holds a significant edge in super PAC support. In fact, a May report showed Bennet tallying over $4 million, including substantial “dark money” from undisclosed donors, compared to Weiser’s just over $1 million. Policy-wise, Bennet’s affordability platform caps housing costs at 30% of household income, and he champions a public Medicare option alongside childcare tax credits. However, these are proposals that some progressive Colorado Democrats might view as lukewarm or tepid at best.

In contrast, Phil Weiser enters the race as the state’s former attorney general and one of the few Colorado leaders boasting a rising approval rating. As AG, Weiser built a reputation as a consistent fighter during the Trump administration, taking the federal government to court when it threatened funding for hospitals, Social Security, and Medicare. He has also leaned heavily into consumer protection, returning millions of dollars to Coloradans by taking on corporate landlords, fraudsters, and major pharmaceutical companies.

Attorney General

Hetal Doshi v. Michael Dougherty v. Jena Griswold v. David Seligman

The Pick: David Seligman

David Seligman

Jena Griswold

Jena Griswold, current CO Secretary of State, has leveraged internal polling to claim her campaign is running away with this race. Griswold claims a lack of familiarity with the other candidates is solidifying her position among voters. In her time in office, she attempted to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot and urged the Supreme Court to remove him as president. She is hoping her name recognition and history of standing up to the administration will win her the race.

Michael Dougherty has perhaps the most impressive experience of these candidates. He has a string of high-profile, Colorado DA endorsements. In Manhattan, he led the sex crimes unit at the DA’s office. In Colorado, he developed a DV response team and a vehicular response team. He prosecuted the King Soopers mass shooting and the Boulder Pearl street firebombing.

Michael Dougherty

Dougherty, however, has a lackluster vision for AI, vaguely promising to enact “smart policies” at a time when data centers are contaminating water in states facing droughts. Dougherty has faced harsh criticism for his decision to neither press charges nor launch a criminal investigation into the death of Jeanette Alatorre. Furthermore, he remained silent when the city moved to illegally block access to the body camera footage. While his extensive experience is undeniable, Dougherty’s platform ultimately plays it too safe and misses the vision Colorado needs.

Hetal Doshi

Hetal Doshi is a first-generation American who has been an assistant attorney in CO and a Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. Her career has focused on breaking up big tech monopolies and protecting Colorado from Trump’s funding cuts. In Colorado, though she supports investing in “entrepreneurs working in tech,” a position at odds with her previous work against monopolies. Doshi also maintains a stance against oligarchs, a group Seligman has promised to go after. Whereas Seligman’s proposals are comprehensive, Doshi’s are vague.

David Seligman is the director of the nonprofit Towards Justice, which he built to support labor rights. He was the Supreme Court Chair of the Harvard Law Review. Seligman is more of an outsider than the other candidates, and it shows in his policy proposals. He’s focusing on breaking up tech monopolies and holding corporations that exploit workers and drive up housing and healthcare costs accountable, and drive up housing and healthcare costs. Affordability is one of the biggest political issues facing Coloradans, and people need elected officials who will fight for it fiercely.

For that reason, we think that Seligman’s ambition makes him the strongest candidate.

Secretary of State

Jessie Danielson v. Amanda Gonzales

The Pick: Jessie Danielson

Jessie Danielson

As the first Latina and openly queer recorder in Jefferson County, Amanda Gonzalez would certainly bring a fresh voice to the state office. However, in contrast to Danielson, her experience is underwhelming.

Amanda Gonzalez

At her nonprofit, Jessie Danielson helped develop the bills that would become voter modernization acts in Colorado. Appointed by the governor at the time, she expanded mail-in ballots and access for those with disabilities. She also helped codify abortion into Colorado law.

Her track record makes her the best option for Democrats in this race.

Congressional District 1

Diana Degette v. Wanda James v. Melat Kiros

The Pick: Melat Kiros

Melat Kiros

Diana DeGette

This district features three candidates. Diana DeGette, the incumbent, has a great track record on climate but has come under fire for tiptoeing around the war in Gaza, as well as taking corporate money. 

Wanda James

On the other hand, Wanda James built the first Black-owned dispensary in Colorado and serves on the CU Board of Regents. Her campaign focuses heavily on serving Black and Brown communities and peaceful foreign policy. She is, however, in favor of “smart, technology-driven” border security, which is linguistic cover for technologies that harvest biometrics and drive racial profiling. She has a weaker position on combating ICE and supports entrepreneurs like herself. Her withdrawal from assembly and switch to petition also signal a lack of local support.

Melat Kiros is the Democratic Socialist candidate. She is championing the types of policies that have won the mayoral election in New York and have launched Graham Platner into political stardom in Maine. She supports federally subsidizing 30% of all long-term house developments, universal childcare, an end to military aid to Israel, and a zero-emissions US grid.

Democrats who want to see the continued growth of a bolder party with a clear vision for the future should vote for Kiros.

Congressional District 8

Shannon Bird v. Evan Munsing v. Manny Rutinel

The Pick: Shannon Bird

Shannon Bird

Manny Rutinel, a rising star in the party, tore through the assembly process, garnering over 90% of the delegate vote. He is a fresh, young voice whose background as an economist for the Army Corps of Engineers promises to combat Colorado voters’ most important issue: affordability.

Manny Rutinel

Evan Munsing

Evan Munsing also has a military background. The former Marine’s bare-bones platform and lack of vision on immigration suggest that the candidate’s plans may be under-conceived.

Incumbent from the 29th District, Bird was ranked the most effective Colorado lawmaker in the ‘23-’24 term by the independent organization, Center for Effective Lawmaking. She is now running to face off the Gabe Evans, the incumbent in District 8. That effectiveness is reflected in the detailed, clear proposals Bird has made central to her campaign. Of particular note are her detailed pragmatic proposals for restraining ICE. In the same study, Rutinel was ranked 45th out of 50. Bird sponsored 104 bills in 2025, passing bills supporting affordable housing, workers’ rights, and education, among others. Bird was one of 17 subjects of an ethics complaint related to a dark-money-funded 2024 retreat connected to the Opportunity Caucus. The complaint was ultimately dismissed, however, and Bird was neither part of the caucus at the time nor did she attend the event.

Her record makes Bird the choice.

State House District 19

Jillaire McMillan v. Anil Pesaramelli v. Colton Jonjak Plahn

The Pick: Anil Pesaramelli

Anil Pesaramelli

Anil Pesaramelli has taken the traditional approach in this election; he knocked on 4,000 doors, gathering local support and listening to the community about local issues. He is an immigrant and former engineer. He has stood firm during several closely divided 4–3 Erie Town Council votes, challenging the council majority on issues including mineral rights negotiations tied to Draco, housing affordability, and support for local nonprofits and community organizations.

Colton Jonjak Plahn

Colton Jonjak Plahn was a late addition to the ballot in this district. At 25, he would be the youngest state legislator in Colorado. While his idealism and separation from political money and machinery make him an exciting voice, his limited experience weighs heavily in our consideration.

Jillaire McMillan

Jillaire McMillan, a small business owner and community leader, is no slouch either: she ran in 2024 when the incumbent dropped out with only 89 days left and only lost by 110 votes. Her experiences in legislation are limited, and while she states civic engagement, it is Pesaramelli who is hitting the streets.

Pesaramelli’s support for universal healthcare and stronger unions align him more with what the electorate in Colorado desires. McMillan has establishment endorsements without a stronghold of local support.

Pesaramelli is the pick. 

State House District 31

Gabriel Cervantes v. Jacque Phillips

The Pick: Gabriel Cervantes

Gabriel Cervantes

Gabriel Cervantes, a nonprofit cofounder, places a large emphasis on affordable housing, specifically blocking private equity and corporate entities from buying single-family homes. His campaign also promises to explore avenues to prosecute ICE agents overstepping their authority. He supports grants and tax credits for Colorado’s growing senior population, an under-discussed issue in this election. Cervantes also has an endorsement from Julie Gonzales.

Jacque Phillips

Incumbent Jacque Phillips’ platform offers no plan on immigration, vague promises on climate change, and broad references to “high-quality jobs and vocational training.” While her voting record is okay, she is an establishment, smaller-scope candidate whose vision pales beside Cervantes’ ambition.

Our choice is Gabriel Cervantes.

State House District 33

Heidi Henkel v. Kenny Nguyen

The Pick: Heidi Henkel

Heidi Henkel

Henkel has been working for Broomfield since 2007, where she was a teacher and a math tutor. She worked on the Broomfield Resettlement Task Force, helping refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan. Henkel supported Senate Bill 181, legislation born from years of advocacy that returned greater local control over oil and gas development near homes and schools. Henkel also garnered over 60% of the delegate share at assembly.

Incumbent Kenny Nguyen has worked for nonprofits as well as the lieutenant governor in recent years. However, Nguyen brings less experience and a less developed policy platform than Henkel in this district. His platform on climate and workers’ rights lacks specificity, and while his platform mentions immigration, it makes no reference to ICE.

With her focus on affordability, Democrats should be excited to see what Henkel can do in this term.

The post 2026 Colorado Primary Election Endorsements appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

This letter has previously been published by the Longmont Times-Call.

I am strongly supporting Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer because of her outstanding character and deep commitment to the community. She proved her leadership during one of the most intense public crises Boulder County has faced: the Marshall Fire on 12/30/2021, which destroyed over 1,000 homes. In the wake of this trauma, Jenn was an essential resource for survivors navigating the overwhelming processes of financial recovery, including FEMA, SBA, insurance claims, and rebuilding challenges. Recognizing the need for long-term support, she co-founded Superior Rising. Perhaps her most critical contribution was her successful advocacy in Washington, D.C., for the extension of federal wildfire tax relief protections. This legislation ensured survivors would not be taxed on qualified recovery funds, a measure that provided essential financial aid to families like mine who had lost everything and found their insurance insufficient due to Covid-era price increases. Jenn’s commitment is what voters need to know about her candidacy. She is impressive because she understands both the complex financial systems and the crucial human side of recovery. She didn’t just discuss helping people; she actively showed up and did the work. This proven, hands-on leadership is exactly what I want for the Boulder County Treasurer’s office.

– Tucker Collins

Louisville, CO

The post Letter to the Editor: Tucker Collins Supports Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

My name is Neal Shah. I serve on the Superior Town Council and am a former Mayor Pro Tem. I am writing in support of Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer.

In the weeks after the Marshall Fire, I was looking for volunteers to help lead the community’s recovery. Jenn was one of the people who stepped forward. She joined a small team that built Superior Rising into a real organization and did the hard, unglamorous work of helping families rebuild. What I did not fully appreciate at the time was that Jenn took on that work before she had even assessed how badly her own home was damaged. She was helping other families navigate their losses while still sorting through her own.

That same period, post-fire settlements were at risk of federal taxation that would have stripped a significant portion of the money families needed to rebuild. Jenn worked directly with members of Congress to help secure the only federal disaster tax bill passed in 2023, protecting hundreds of millions of dollars for Boulder County families. She also helped residents work through FEMA, SBA, insurance, and rebuilding processes that were overwhelming for many.

Her qualifications for the Treasurer’s office are substantive. Jenn is a fourth-generation Army veteran and former U.S. diplomat who led department operations in conflict zones. She has more than twenty years of managing complex financial systems, multi-million-dollar operating budgets, and teams in environments where precision and accountability are required. She currently serves on the Superior Town Council and its Finance Committee.

Jenn has already protected significant public resources for Boulder County families. I trust her to continue that work, and I ask you to support her candidacy.

Sincerely,

Neal Shah

Resident of Superior, CO

The post Letter of Support — Jenn Kaaoush for Boulder County Treasurer appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This letter was sent to Yellow Scene Magazine. As with all Letters to the Editor, the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. We value providing space for community voices.

Media Contact:

Jeff Peckman

jpeckman108@msn.com

Rampant Fraud in Colorado Election Says Gubernatorial Candidate

Jeff Peckman, a Unity Party candidate for governor, claims fraud is tarnishing Colorado’s “gold standard” elections. No one has voted yet. So, where’s the fraud?

Peckman said, “Colorado county election offices, 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, and commercial TV and radio stations are breaking the law by engaging in partisan politics. They’re defrauding unaffiliated voters by withholding critical election information. They’re illegally excluding minor party primary candidates from interviews, forums, debates, and voter guides. That benefits the two major political parties and undermines minor parties.

Over 90% of county election offices are not explaining how to vote a Unity Party primary ballot, or even that there is a Unity Party primary. Jefferson, Boulder, and Larimer counties are exceptions. They’re properly informing voters that they must request a Unity Party ballot from the county clerk or at the Voting Center.”

Major and other minor party members may also vote for a Unity Party ballot. However, they must first change their political party affiliation or withdraw their affiliation and become unaffiliated. June 8 is the deadline for either choice.

According to Peckman, “501(c)(3) non-profits, including churches and community news outlets, are hosting forums and debates, and publicizing ‘voter guides’ that illegally exclude Unity Party candidates. The IRS states on its website FAQ page that such organizations must provide, “…an equal opportunity to participate to all political candidates seeking the same office.’

Commercial TV and radio stations are violating federal law. 47 USC 315 states: ‘If any licensee shall permit any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any public office to use a broadcasting station, he shall afford equal opportunities to all other such candidates for that office in the use of such broadcasting station…”

Peckman asserts that “No legal basis exists for these various entities to exclude minor party primary candidates from official election information and these election opportunities, when major party candidates have been given such opportunities for the same office. The Colorado Public Radio voter guide has set the standard for equal and fair treatment of minor party candidates. Additionally, many county election websites and voter guides simply link to the website of the Colorado Secretary of State’s General Election FAQ page, which contains information that is incomplete, misleading, and confusing.”

Peckman added, “That’s why I filed a complaint with Secretary of State Griswold yesterday and requested an immediate remedy. All qualified voters are legally entitled to complete, accurate, and uniform election information that is not confusing. All qualified candidates are legally entitled to participate in these various election opportunities. This fraud needs to end so voters can make an informed election choice before ballots are mailed on June 8.”

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The post Rampant Fraud in Colorado Election, Says Gubernatorial Candidate appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Storyshare provided by Corey Hutchins, Inside the News in Colorado. Coverage is free today, but if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Inside the News in Colorado that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. Find Inside the News on Substack.

May 8, 2026

Among those whose work the Pulitzer Prize board this week bestowed the nation’s highest journalism honors was Kevin Mohatt, a freelance photojournalist in Denver.

His photojournalism was part of a portfolio submitted on behalf of the Reuters news organization that took home a finalist nod on Monday in the Breaking News Photography category.

Judges said photos from the Reuters team were deserving for their “coverage of wide-ranging immigration enforcement actions across the United States, a portfolio distinguished by its breadth, power and immediacy.”

Shortly after last year’s inauguration, Republican President Donald Trump ordered widespread immigration crackdowns — and he specifically name-checked Aurora, Colorado, as a target.

Mohatt moved into gear.

“I wanted to show what the impact was on people,” he said over the phone this week. “On families, and on children.”

To do so, he spent several nights inside an apartment complex sleeping on couches in the homes of families who were anticipating federal ICE agents roaming the hallways and knocking on doors.

“It was exhausting work,” he said. Being able to be there took time. He cultivated the trust of a source who introduced him to others.

The point was to show through news photography how rhetoric from the nation’s top officials was at odds with the reality on the ground in communities.

“The message at the time was, ‘We’re just going after the criminals,’ which is what they said throughout the campaign,” Mohatt said. “And I wanted to show that that’s not what was really happening — that they were going after families, children, and specifically people that had documentation that are here legally that have work permits.”

From the homes of those who let him in, he documented panic and uncertainty: families loading up cars or hunkered down, waiting anxiously for roving patrols. He sometimes had to find creative ways to not show someone’s face or easily recognizable characteristics, like tattoos.

“People were terrified,” he said. Others told him they had done nothing wrong, so had nothing to hide.

The cutline of his Pulitzer-honored photo reads: “With his bag packed, a Venezuelan man peeks out the window of his apartment looking for any signs of federal agents after hearing reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be coming to detain immigrants for deportation in Aurora, Colorado, January 30, 2025.”

One evening, sure enough, it happened.

While Mohatt was inside one apartment, the tell-tale signs came in quick succession: crowded footsteps in the hallway, fists pounding on doors, and loud voices in English: “Police, please open the door.”

In early February, photos he took and audio he recorded from inside an apartment at a raid in Aurora made it into a Reuters special report, not included in the Pulitzer package, titled “Inside Trump’s immigration crackdown as net widens.”

Mohatt also photographed police in ICE vests walking a man in handcuffs from Cedar Run apartments in Denver, an image that earned plenty of play across the news wires that day.

Mohatt has lived in Colorado for two decades and has been freelancing for Reuters since around 2019. He also shoots for outlets ranging from Colorado Public Radio, Colorado Newsline, 5280 magazine, and the Denver Post to the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

This comes from a portion of his personal website: “I became a journalist because I want to help tell the whole story.”

This week, Mohatt is on assignment in Alabama, where he’s covering the impacts of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

In recent days, plenty of accolades have come his way since his name and the word Pulitzer appeared in the same sentence.

He’s grateful for it, he said, adding, “I would be proud of this work regardless.”

The post Denver photojournalist on Pulitzer finalist nod: ‘I would be proud of this work regardless’ appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Erie Town Council will hold a public informational meeting on the Draco Well Pad and the selling of the town’s mineral rights on June 2 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Town Hall.

The meeting follows months of discussion over whether Erie should sell or lease town-owned mineral rights associated with the state-approved Draco oil and gas development. The issue has generated significant public interest, with residents and council members debating questions of transparency, local control and the town’s potential financial return. 

According to a Town of Erie Facebook post, the meeting is intended for discussion and information sharing only. No decisions will be made, and public comment will not be accepted. If a final agreement regarding the town’s mineral rights is reached in the future, officials say a separate public hearing will be scheduled with an opportunity for residents to provide feedback. The meeting can be found on the town’s calendar.

Yellow Scene first broke the news about the potential sale on February 24. Prior to this, discussions were being conducted in Executive Session outside of public view. Previous reporting has included concerns about negotiations occurring largely outside public view, questions about the town’s leverage over the project, and divisions among council members regarding the potential sale or lease of mineral assets.

For readers looking to catch up on the issue, see Yellow Scene’s previous reporting:

• Erie Mineral Rights Deal Advances Largely Out of Public View, Raising Concerns Over Transparency and Conflicts (March 23)
• Erie’s Mineral Rights: What’s at Stake (April 18)
• Erie Mineral Rights Hearing Divides Council Over Control, Transparency and Who Decides (April 24)

Meeting materials and a livestream link are expected to be available through the Town of Erie’s public calendar before the meeting.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, at Erie Town Hall.

A group of concerned citizens have stated they will be gathering on the lawn ahead of the meeting starting at 5:15 PM.

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The post Erie Council to Hold June 2 Public Hearing on Sale of Town Mineral Rights and Draco Impacts appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Colorado Shakespeare Festival, May 30-August 2

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival returns to Boulder, opening May 30.

CU Presents brings a full summer of Shakespeare to the historic Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, with three productions running through August 2 — Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, and Shakespeare in Love. Enjoy professional performances under the stars at one of Colorado’s most beloved outdoor venues. Tickets range from $31 to $98 depending on the performance.

Colorado Shakespeare Festival | May 30-August 2 | Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, Boulder

Fairy Tale Fantasy, May 30th

Poppy and Sage Studio presents their first annual spring dance recital. Come bring your friends and family for a magical night featuring 100+ dancers as they transport you to another land. Tickets are $12 for children and $25 for adults. Support the arts and these dancers by joining them in the Lyons High School auditorium from 2 to 4 PM.

Fairy Tale Fantasy | May 30 | Lyons High School Auditorium, Lyons

CRIMEWAVE: A Goth, Post-Punk & Darkwave Party, May 30

The Bluebird Theater hosts the popular CRIMEWAVE, a traveling dance party for everyone who swore it “isn’t a phase, mom!” Even if you aren’t still rocking the hot topic, let loose for one night on the dark, moody dance floor with music from bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Nine Inch Nails. Wear your fishnets and chunky platform boots and dance the night away.

CRIMEWAVE: A Goth, Post-Punk & Darkwave Party | May 30 | Bluebird Theater, Denver

Def Leggend, National Touring Def Leppard Tribute with Special Guest Kickstart My Heart, May 30

Nissi’s Entertainment Venue welcomes the critically acclaimed Def Leggend and Kickstart My Heart for a 21+ tribute to some of rock’n roll’s biggest names. Widely referred to as “the next best thing to Def Leppard,” Dallas-based Def Leggend works hard to earn its title with every show. Colorado’s hardest-working tribute to Mötley Crüe is heard in Kickstart My Heart, which pays a thundering tribute to one of rock’n roll’s most “dangerous” groups.

Def Leggend with Special Guest Kickstart My Heart | May 30 | Nissi’s Entertainment Venue & Event Center, Lafayette

Ballet in the Park, May 30-31

Boulder Ballet blends artistic expression and natural beauty with Ballet in the Park. Seasoned company dancers will perform company highlights under the backdrop of the Flatirons, showcasing the dance form’s versatility, precision, grace, and might. Prove Timothee Chalamet wrong and remind the world that people do still care about ballet by attending the Saturday performance at 7 PM or the Sunday performance at 2 PM. Tickets cost $12.60, and all proceeds support the Boulder Ballet.

Ballet in the Park | May 30-31 | Boulder Bandshell, Boulder

Prism Break with Special Guests, Jun. 5

Coming off their debut EP Call My Name, Prism Break is breaking into the local alternative scene with one-of-a-kind live music performances. Featuring a variety of covers and originals accompanied by classic funk rhythms, eclectic blending of rock subgenres, and smooth-as-butter guitar solos—Prism Break’s upcoming show at Chipper’s Lanes is set to be a ride like no other.

Prism Break with Special Guests | Jun. 5 • Chipper’s Lanes, Broomfield

The post Scene Stealers: Week of May 30th appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This Storyshare is republished in whole from The Conversation.

Featured Picture: Colorado’s peach industry is threatened by a fungal disease. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Authors: Jane Stewart, Colorado State University and David Sterle, Colorado State University

In western Colorado, home to the treasured Palisade peach, cytospora canker is one of the most economically consequential fungal diseases faced by growers.

A recent survey conducted by Colorado State University in Orchard Mesa found that 100% of the orchards have trees infected with cytospora canker. In some orchards, you can smell the sweetness of gummosis, the sweet oozing of sap from a tree that occurs from injury, stress, pathogen infection or insect damage.

We are part of a team of fruit tree growers, extension personnel and researchers who are developing tools for mitigating cytospora canker in fruit tree orchards in Colorado and Utah.

In a study we published, we estimate this disease results in at least US$3 million in annual economic losses for growers in Colorado. In infected large branches, which are called scaffolds, the damage can result in a 50% loss of peaches per tree.

Peaches were first planted in Palisade and Grand Junction in 1882 by one of the first white settlers to the area, John Harlow. Peaches and other fruit trees have been Colorado staples ever since. In 2024, Colorado farmers produced roughly 15,000 tons of peaches valued at $34 million.

However, fruit tree production in the Intermountain West, which covers Colorado, Utah and Idaho, is threatened by diminishing water supplies, spring frosts, variable winter temperatures and soils that are above the ideal pH range for peach trees. Further exacerbating the environmental stresses are pest problems and the persistent cytospora canker disease.

What is cytospora canker?

Cytospora canker is caused by fungi within the genus Cytospora. These pathogens are found globally and affect more than 70 species of woody shrubs and trees. These fungi have been present on fruit trees in the U.S. since at least 1892 when cytospora canker was first discovered on peach, plum and almond trees in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Cytospora canker was first described as only a disease of stressed trees, but now it is recognized as a destructive disease in tree fruit across the U.S.

Plant Talk Colorado: What is cytospora canker? A video from Colorado State University Extension.

Growers expect peach trees to live for 20 years. The first five of those years are initial growth. The next 10 years are full production. Then, the tree’s productivity tapers off in the last five years of its life. The disease has halved the life of an orchard in Colorado from 20 years to 10 years or fewer. Trees that get infected during the first or second year are typically dead by year four or five before they reach peak production.

Cytopora canker typically enters through wounded and woody branches or twigs. Wounding occurs when branches are pruned to maintain tree vigor or through severe freezing or hail events. Freeze events are common in Colorado and are particularly harmful in the fall if temperatures drop abruptly without giving trees enough time to acclimate to the temperature shift.

Ice formation within plants causes swelling and cracking in woody tissues, as well as the formation of ice crystals within plant cells that can puncture the cells, leaving them vulnerable to oxidative damage and infection. Small cracks enable cytospora spores, like the seeds of a plant, to enter and begin to cause infections.

Cytospora canker and freeze

In 2020, a major freeze event damaged many trees throughout Colorado.

Following a warm October, temperatures dropped from 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) to below 10 F (-23 C) in a 48-hour time span in the fruit region around the town of Hotchkiss. Because the recent temperatures had been in the 70s, there was not an appropriate amount of acclimation in the trees to be prepared for this large temperature drop. Leaves were still green, and sap was still flowing through the woody tissues.

The damage from this single freeze directly led to the death of tens of thousands of peach trees across the western slope of Colorado.

The sudden freeze also allowed for a proliferation of new cytospora canker infections on peaches trees that were not killed outright by the freeze. The surviving trees were often more vulnerable because the cracked skin and bark of peach branches was now exposed to infection by the fungus. This correlation between cytospora infection and cold damage is thought to be a major reason why cytospora canker is a particularly significant disease in Colorado.

A peach tree trunk infected with cytospora canker shows the characteristic gummosis symptom of the disease.

To manage the pathogen, growers can remove trees that are infected, protect wounds with chemicals to prevent new infections and ensure that established trees are free of stress. However, management strategies have limited efficacy due to the growing conditions. While Palisade has the most ideal peach-growing microclimate in Colorado, the cold season is near the limits of what peaches can tolerate.

In April 2026 there were several nights when the temperatures reached into the low 20s F (-7 degrees C) in different orchards in Delta County, Colorado. Fruit had already started to grow and was very susceptible to the cold temperatures. As a result, growers around Hotchkiss and Paonia lost their peach crop.

Palisade orchards avoided that level of damage because on those same nights the temperatures dropped only to the upper 20s F (-2 degrees C), which damaged some fruit but left enough behind to have a full crop in most cases. Spring frosts like these reduce fruit production but generally aren’t going to contribute to increased proliferation of cytospora canker.

Gummy ooze from a peach tree damaged by cytospora canker. David Sterle

Solutions in progress

Researchers from Colorado State University are working toward developing strategies to combat this disease. Our team has developed chemical options for conventional and organic growers that have helped slow the spread. We are determining whether some peach cultivars are tolerant to the pathogens, and we are continuing to understand the population biology of cytospora to help us develop new management strategies.

The pathogen can be spread through air, on insects, during irrigation and possibly with the movement of new peach trees into orchards. Many fungi that produce cankers in trees can move spores only short distances through rain splash. But spores of the fungus have been found in collection traps about 250 feet (76 meters) from a tree with canker that is making spores.

We have established the cytospora working group as a collaborative research, extension and grower group to collectively develop solutions for cytospora canker. We are continuing to better understand factors involved in disease development and establish best management practices to help growers combat this disease and keep the Colorado peach industry vibrant.

Read more of our stories about Colorado.

Jane Stewart, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Colorado State University, and David Sterle, Research Scientist in Pomology, Colorado State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post A Fungal Disease, Along With Climate Change, Threatens Colorado’s Prized Peaches appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Following Erie citizens’ approval of home rule in 2023, supporters argued that moving to the new system would empower Erie with better decision-making ability as the town continued to grow rapidly. However, less than two years after this historic vote, Erie continues to make crucial decisions in which the town’s future increasingly becomes defined by a stable four-member coalition on the Town Council that has consistently banded together on several of Erie’s major controversies.

These voting patterns have been observed on multiple occasions. Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Bell, and Town Council Members O’Connor and Mortellaro vote in favor; Town Council Members Pesaramelli, Baer and Hoback vote against the motions. During debates over Pride Flag policy, community grant programs, urban renewal financing, marijuana regulations, board reconfiguration, sustainability plans, annexation agreements, and redevelopment tools, the pattern is consistent.

Not all council decisions pit the two factions against each other, especially on issues related to the town’s physical development. Erie’s council has routinely agreed on road construction, water utility infrastructure upgrades, flood management initiatives, policing services, and even some development applications. It is primarily on issues relating to governance, civic identity, administrative structure and financing initiatives that these opposing factions tend to form.

Erie’s post-home-rule Town Council is clearly showing two sides when it comes to the future of the fast-growing town. The four-member majority seems to support policies that facilitate institutional expansion, structured governance, and regional cooperation, while a three-member minority consistently opposes these types of initiatives. The disagreements extend beyond headline-making issues like Pride Flag policy and marijuana legalization to other lesser-known policies such as board reconfigurations, grant oversight, metro district management and redevelopment tools.

Erie’s council appears committed to increasing the town’s use of urban renewal authorities, tax increment financing, redevelopment districts, and urban planning agreements as tools for long-term growth planning.

For instance, the council unanimously approved the town’s urban renewal plan for Erie Town Center and related tax increment financing agreements with Boulder County, the St. Vrain Valley School District, the Mountain View Fire Protection District and other entities. The plan officially designated certain areas of Erie Town Center as redevelopment areas and allowed for financing arrangements where any increase in tax revenue can be used for those purposes.

This represents another in a string of initiatives that use urban renewal and tax increment financing as tools to finance infrastructure and redevelopment efforts. The year prior, Erie Town Council had already approved a comparable urban renewal plan and associated tax increment financing mechanism for the Erie Gateway. Supporters believe these are necessary tools for the town to remain competitive with neighboring communities along the Front Range.

However, critics increasingly wonder how much oversight is possible once these complicated financing districts are created.

Some of these debates emerged over annexation and development agreements.

For example, during March 2024, the Town Council approved an annexation and zoning agreement for the controversial multi-family housing project proposed by Thompson Thrift for 111th Street and Arapahoe Road after widespread opposition over concerns about density, flooding, increased traffic congestion, and strained infrastructure systems resulting from rapid growth. Despite the opposition, the council voted to approve the annexation of the parcel.

The vote illustrated the lack of perfect ideological consistency when it came to growth.

Dan Hoback often aligns himself with the council minority on governance and civic-policy disputes but was supportive of this annexation, which shows Erie Town Council doesn’t have exact ideological consistency regarding growth policies and initiatives.

However, in general, what seems more apparent in these voting patterns is that the Town Council is divided regarding governance and civic philosophies rather than over the topic of growth.

Indeed, the recurring majority seems to be united behind one particular vision for the town – one that sees Erie transitioning into a metropolitan-style community.

This vision has appeared throughout multiple discussions involving sustainability planning, transportation coordination and administrative governance reformation.

The council adopted Erie’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan Agreement in January 2025 and went on to adopt initiatives related to beneficial electrification, air quality agreements, and floating solar energy systems at the Erie water reclamation facilities. The council also unanimously approved a range of agreements related to regional transportation coordination.

These include an RTD inclusion plan, the launch of Erie Flex Ride Transit Service, and Southwest Weld County Transportation Coordination.

On top of all of this, the majority has also repeatedly supported procedural and governance changes within town government.

An example of this appeared during the September 2025 special council meeting when the council decided by a vote of 4-3 to reduce board and commission terms. This happened following the restructuring of the entire municipal governance framework after home rule approval.

The vote occurred after a heated discussion between Council Member Emily Baer and the rest of the council in which she argued the initiative showed disrespect toward volunteers serving on the town’s various boards and commissions. 

Nevertheless, the council decided to go through with the reorganization as directed by staff. In addition to this governance reform, the majority has approved tightening the rules for Erie’s community grant programs and non-profits.

After adopting more detailed procedures in August 2025, opponents expressed concerns that the town will burden local cultural events with unnecessary bureaucratic requirements. The council, on the other hand, believes that these are necessary measures to ensure accountability among taxpayer programs.

Many of these debates around accountability and governance were brought to head during one of the most divisive council meetings in 2025 – the Pride Flag Policy meeting.

As the crowd packed the chambers, Council Member Emily Baer introduced a motion to add a discussion regarding the installation of Pride Flags at Town Hall to the meeting agenda. This was quickly approved by the council in a 6-1 vote where the Mayor alone voted against adding the motion.

However, the issue of what should be done regarding Pride flags was left unresolved.

In response, Mayor Andrew Moore introduced the motion to direct the Town Attorney to draft policies regarding these Pride flags. The measure received 4-3 support from the council, with Andew Moore, Brandon Bell, Brian O’Connor and John Mortellaro approving the direction to staff while the minority trio opposed the motion.

This vote echoed an earlier disagreement over marijuana policy in September 2024. The council passed regulations related to marijuana land use and licensing after months of deliberation, with council members Sawusch and Bell opposing the policy. 

The marijuana policy discussion highlighted yet again the fluid nature of alliances based on policy. However, it also illustrated the fact that the topics of civic identity and governance seem to generate the sharpest divisions.

Moreover, Erie’s most ambitious redevelopment projects continue to receive broad support from the council majority.

The council unanimously approved multiple agreements tied to Erie’s Town Center Development Strategy, including amendments to development agreements with Evergreen-County Line & Erie Parkway LLC. Council members also approved additional agreements related to Colliers Hill urban renewal financing, flood-control infrastructure, roadway feasibility studies and redevelopment-related land acquisitions. 

Most of the aforementioned votes were unanimously approved by the council, however, their cumulative effect amounts to multi-million dollar commitments to infrastructure development and redevelopment.

This combination of ambitious redevelopment projects coupled with divisive political debates reflects the very nature of Erie’s political transformation.

Erie is no longer just a semi-rural town governed locally.

Rather, it’s a growing municipality that makes decisions involving regional transportation agreements, urban renewal districts, annexations, sustainability strategies, regional water infrastructure coordination, and multi-million dollar redevelopment financing projects.

The political question, therefore, is no longer whether Erie should undergo development.

Erie is developing.

What needs to be addressed instead is how Erie’s growth priorities are shaped, who controls those decisions, and how those projects are financed.

The majority faction at the council appears comfortable facilitating Erie’s transition to a more metropolitan-style community using the new home-rule powers.

The minority faction, however, opposes moves toward increasing government complexity, suggesting that Erie risks losing transparency and its traditional character in the process.

This struggle will define the next phase of Erie politics. As redevelopment projects begin, annexation fights escalate, and more sophisticated financing tools are used, Erie residents will be called upon to trust more than just developers – they’ll also have to trust their elected representatives in directing Erie’s future.

Journalism That Answers To Readers

The post The 4–3 Split: How Rapid Growth is Fracturing Erie’s Politics appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.