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. 

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.

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 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.

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.

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The post The 4–3 Split: How Rapid Growth is Fracturing Erie’s Politics appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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The post 2026 Summer Support Drive | Journalism That Answers to Readers 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.

Guest Contributor: Bernard Douthit

I wanted to thank Mike Broemmel for posting a thoughtful commentary about Governor Jared Polis and the broader question of political leadership in Colorado. I took some time to underscore Mike’s argument with some important details.

Like John Hickenlooper before him, Jared Polis has remained personally popular for much of his time in office. But popularity and branding are not the same as transformational leadership.

On some of Colorado’s most pressing challenges — healthcare costs, tax policy, housing affordability, and environmental justice — Polis often governed like a cautious purple-state technocrat rather than the leader of a state that has repeatedly shown a willingness to embrace ambitious public policy.

Colorado is not Mississippi or Alabama. This is a state that:

• Put single-payer healthcare on the ballot — 150,000+ signatures
• Repeatedly approved large transit expansions
• Legalized marijuana early
• Rejected hosting the Olympics
• Regularly supports local tax increases for schools, parks, and infrastructure

Yet Polis governed as though bold structural reform was politically impossible.

Healthcare is perhaps the clearest example.

Colorado Democrats repeatedly described healthcare affordability as an emergency, yet avoided the kind of political confrontation that real cost containment would require.

Instead of aggressively confronting hospital monopolies and market concentration, the state often relied on commissions, task forces, transparency measures, and heavily branded “public option” reforms that produced incremental change while leaving the underlying system largely intact.

According to multiple studies, including research from the RAND Corporation, Colorado still has some of the highest hospital prices and some of the most profitable hospital systems in the country. Polis governed more like a manager of the healthcare marketplace than a reformer willing to challenge entrenched economic power.

And contrary to the claim that Colorado is too moderate for ambitious healthcare reform, more than 150,000 Coloradans signed petitions to place single-payer healthcare on the ballot through Amendment 69. The measure ultimately failed, but it was also outspent by the healthcare industry by roughly 8-to-1. That history matters.

Tax policy presents a similar story.

Polis consistently opposed more progressive approaches to taxation and largely embraced Colorado’s libertarian tax culture rather than challenging it. Yet during the same period, homeowners across Colorado experienced dramatic increases in property taxes following the repeal of the Gallagher Amendment and the rapid rise in home values.

While Polis and legislators eventually passed relief measures, many homeowners still saw property tax increases far beyond what those policies offset. The response often felt technocratic and incremental rather than structural. And many Coloradans are still asking a simple question: with property values and tax collections rising so dramatically over the last decade, where exactly did all of that additional revenue go?

The same pattern appears with Suncor.

Colorado markets itself as environmentally conscious and climate-forward, yet one of the metro area’s largest and most controversial industrial polluters continues operating near densely populated communities. For decades, residents of north Denver and Commerce City have raised concerns about emissions, odors, and public health impacts, while Suncor has repeatedly faced fines and violations.

Why was there never a truly ambitious long-term plan to relocate, phase down, or fundamentally transform one of the region’s most problematic industrial facilities?

Important things are worth fighting for. Clean air for millions of residents should have been one of them.

The contrast between Polis and other Democratic governors is striking.

Tim Walz pushed universal school meals and labor protections in Minnesota. Gavin Newsom moved California toward state-supported insulin manufacturing and aggressive climate initiatives. Gretchen Whitmer repealed right-to-work laws and advanced major infrastructure investments in Michigan. Jay Inslee built one of the country’s most ambitious state climate agendas in Washington.

Compared with many Democratic peers in similar political conditions, Polis often appeared more focused on political positioning, branding, and technocratic moderation than on pursuing defining structural reforms.

I voted for Jared Polis twice. Like many Coloradans, I hoped he would govern with more courage and ambition than he ultimately did.

Competence matters. But at a time when healthcare affordability, housing costs, environmental risks, and economic inequality are worsening, competence alone is not enough. Colorado needed leadership willing to confront entrenched interests and pursue solutions equal to the scale of the problems we face.

Jared Polis Once Sold Colorado (and the Nation) a Shimmering Emerald City

Original article by Mike Broemmel

He was the libertarian-minded tech governor. The “different kind” of Democrat. The wealthy entrepreneur who promised efficiency over ideology, innovation over inertia, and a fresh political vocabulary that supposedly transcended the stale battles of the past. For a time, many bought the performance. The curtain stayed firmly closed.

But eventually, in politics as in The Wizard of Oz, the machinery begins to sputter. The smoke thins. The booming voice loses resonance. And somewhere in the back of the chamber, Toto pulls at the curtain.

What remains is not the great and powerful wizard. What remains is merely a man frantically working levers.

The Leader Who Never Was

History is crowded with political figures who mistook branding for leadership.

There was Ron DeSantis, once marketed as the inevitable heir to Trumpism before collapsing beneath the weight of his own synthetic persona. There was Michael Dukakis, whose technocratic competence could never ignite genuine public trust. There was British Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose ideological theater imploded in real time before the world’s financial markets.

And now there is Jared Polis.

The tragedy — or perhaps the farce — of Polis is not simply that his governorship appears to be collapsing. It is that the collapse reveals something darker: there may never have been much substance there to begin with.

Polis governed like a man permanently auditioning for a future role. A presidential run. A national media identity. A carefully focus-grouped brand called “reasonable futurism.” He floated above conflict, avoided moral clarity whenever possible, and cultivated the image of being smarter than the room without ever proving capable of leading it.

Colorado increasingly became a state managed through vibes, branding campaigns, and social media aesthetics rather than coherent civic vision. And eventually, voters notice.

The Emerald City Illusion

For years, Polis benefited from Colorado’s broader economic and demographic momentum. The state grew. Wealth poured in. Tech money expanded. Denver transformed into a glossy urban postcard marketed to affluent transplants.

But underneath the emerald glow sat worsening affordability, deepening housing crises, visible urban deterioration, and growing public frustration about safety, infrastructure, and basic governmental competence. The contradiction became impossible to ignore.

Polis often seemed less interested in governing Colorado than in narrating Colorado — endlessly promoting an image of innovation while ordinary residents confronted a state increasingly unaffordable to live in.

The Wizard projected grandeur on the giant screen. Behind the curtain? Panic. Improvisation. Hollow performance. The problem with governing as branding is that eventually reality insists on participating.

The Politics of Evasion

Great leaders absorb political risk when principle demands it. Polis perfected the opposite instinct.

Again and again, he positioned himself slightly outside the emotional center of consequential debates, forever triangulating, forever calculating. During moments requiring moral force, he often defaulted to managerial language and carefully sterilized ambiguity.

That instinct has now reached its grotesque culmination in the Tina Peters clemency debacle.

The decision to commute the sentence of the former Mesa County clerk convicted in an election security breach tied to 2020 election conspiracy theories detonated across Colorado’s political landscape. Even members of Polis’s own party reacted with fury and disbelief. Critics argued the move rewarded election denialism while signaling weakness in the face of pressure from Donald Trump and his allies.

Polis defended the clemency as a response to sentencing disparity concerns after an appeals court questioned aspects of Peters’s sentencing. But politically — symbolically — the damage may already be irreversible.

Because the issue is no longer merely Tina Peters. The issue is collapse.

The Final Flame in the Inferno

Every failed governing regime has its final defining image:

For Richard Nixon, it was the helicopter departure from the White House lawn.
For Rudy Giuliani, it was Four Seasons Total Landscaping.

For Jared Polis, it may well be the moment he chose clemency for Tina Peters.

Not because the legal arguments are entirely frivolous. Reasonable debate exists over sentencing severity. But leadership is not merely legal interpretation. Leadership is moral comprehension. It is understanding the symbolic weight of decisions within historical context.

And this decision landed like gasoline on an already raging fire.

At precisely the moment democratic institutions remain under sustained assault by election conspiracists, Polis handed one of the movement’s most celebrated figures a political victory. Trumpworld rejoiced. Election deniers claimed vindication. Colorado Democrats openly revolted. The wizard’s machinery exploded in plain view.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

That line from The Wizard of Oz endures because it captures an eternal political truth: power often depends upon performance more than substance.

Jared Polis mastered performance politics. But performances cannot govern forever.

Eventually citizens ask harder questions. What did this administration actually build? What moral vision did it defend? What crises did it truly solve? What courage did it display when courage became expensive?

And increasingly, the answers feel uncomfortably thin.

The great irony is that Polis spent years cultivating the image of the pragmatic adult in the room — the sophisticated governor above partisan hysteria. Yet his governorship may ultimately be remembered for collapsing into exactly the kind of muddled opportunism he once implied he transcended.

The Emerald City flickers. The smoke machine dies. And standing behind the curtain is not a visionary statesman. Just another politician desperately pulling levers while the audience finally sees the truth.

—————————
From: Politix INK
https://mikebroemmel.com/politix-ink

The post Guest Opinion: Why Jared Polis has disappointed us. 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.

As a person with a disability, my personal experiences with job employment have been poor. Nearly every summer I suffer the pain of not getting personal work or job opportunities. I remember on one particular occasion when I tried to get a job as a lifeguard, I was dismissed from the position even though I proved that I am an extraordinary swimmer and treader in water. It made me wonder whether they chose to focus on me only as a person with a disability. 

The unemployment rate for people with disabilities sits at 7.8%, nearly double the 4.6% rate of those without. Likewise, the labor force participation rate for men with a disability is 43.0%, compared to 40.8% for women. This stat is significant because it measures the percentage of the population that is either actively working or looking for work. A lower rate highlights that a large portion of disabled individuals face systemic barriers to entry, effectively excluding them from the economic workforce entirely before unemployment numbers are even counted. This means roughly 60% of disabled individuals are neither working nor looking for work. This high inactivity rate is often due to severe barriers like a lack of workplace accommodations, inaccessible transportation, and the fear of losing essential disability benefits.

There are programs in place to help those with disabilities find employment. However, there should be a greater focus on programs that help individuals gain specific experience for the career paths they actually want to pursue. Furthermore, the interview process itself must be structured with built-in accommodations to ensure candidates with disabilities have the resources they need to succeed from day one.

While some individuals navigate this system successfully, experiences vary wildly. My friend Andrew, a Colorado Springs resident with a disability, has had a remarkably positive journey with his career aspirations.

“Right now I work for the RMAC for Colorado Springs, however my dream is to be a commissioner there,” Andrew said. “I feel like I can achieve a lot of things and face no challenges.”

While I am incredibly happy for Andrew and inspired by his optimism, his smooth experience is unfortunately not the reality for the vast majority of people with disabilities. Financial and work conditions are not the only challenges that disabled people face, because navigating daily life also means dealing with major health barriers.

People with disabilities risk developing more health issues in their lives. According to the World Health Organization, some persons with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities.

Luckily, there are services in place to help people overcome these health barriers. For example, Colorado has programs to help those in need. People who are blind or deaf can receive services to help them safely navigate and communicate. The Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Communities has a direct goal to help people connect, participate, and thrive. Their program opens up access to technology, mentorship, and legal support.  Another great solution to these health issues would be creating more workout and personal training programs specifically for people with disabilities. This would give everyone the opportunity to stay active, be healthy, and prevent future health issues.

At the same time, staying safe and healthy is hard to do when the people who are supposed to protect you are the ones causing harm.

Law enforcement is helpful in many ways, but sometimes officers abuse their power due to prejudices they hold against people with disabilities. The actions taken by police and the government often raise more problems than solutions because of false claims and profiling of innocent people.

For instance, an article published by CBS highlighted a case where a thirteen year old boy was mistaken for bringing a bomb into school, only for officials to find out it was actually a toy bunny. Even more recently, an article on Courthouse News Service from March 2026 detailed how Special Olympics athlete Shawn Nicholas, who has an intellectual disability, was arrested and unlawfully thrown to the ground with excessive force.

To solve this serious problem, law enforcement officers must learn about people with disabilities through required training and government funded classes. But the issues do not just stop with the police; they are deeply rooted in how everyday people view us.

My personal experience with ableism from society is very widespread. What impacts and hurts me the most is how much society spreads the belief that there are only certain jobs people with intellectual disabilities can do, like working at a grocery store, retail, or janitorial work. The society I have grown up with has often made me feel like an alien and unnatural. Ableism is the discrimination against people with dyslexia, language disorders, Tourette syndrome, autism, and other disabilities. Ableist people believe their actions are fair, and they are quick to be unwelcoming to anyone who has a disability.

I experienced this firsthand while scrolling on social media, where I found a creator who makes supportive content for the disability community. In one video, she talked about a horrible post from a woman online who wrote, “If you rely on someone for care constantly, you are a burden on them, get used to it, and learn to be more thankful.” The creator and I both reacted in shock at how discriminatory that is.

When discussing this with others, one interviewee told me, “Discrimination against people with disabilities is wrong and not good, it makes us feel very upset.” Overall, ableism in today’s society is harming people in all parts of the world, and it is absolutely crucial that society changes.

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The post The Structural Barriers Facing Disabled Coloradans appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Boulder Chamber Orchestra will perform its annual season finale concert at Macky Auditorium on Saturday, May 23rd. The concert, “A Toast To Music: 21 Years of Musical Excellence,” closes the 2025-2026 season. The primary highlight is the premiere of The Sibelius Project: Symphony to Save the Planet, a film experience created by Chamber Orchestra conductor and music director Bahman Saless in collaboration with Academy-Award-nominated filmmaker David McGowan. The program also includes the Colorado premiere of “Ode to the Rockies,” a composition by Saless, and a performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. Recently, we jumped on the phone with Saless to talk about the project’s premiere and his connection with composer Jean Sibelius.

Photo by Keith Bobo

Jamie Lammers: Can you talk a little bit about this performance?
Bahman Saless: About five years ago, during COVID, I dedicated most of my time to studying Sibelius’ symphonies, mostly because there was nothing else to do. The Sibelius Project kind of came during one of those days, when I was in the Rocky Mountain National Park. During this stormy hike, I realized that Sibelius’s 7th could potentially be presented in an alternative way if we could put together a visual story to it. The story turned out to be about conservation of habitats and environmental conservation. The symphony is untouched, but the imagery is fit to the symphony.

Jamie: Can you share how this project came to be?
Bahman: I knew David McGowan from 25 years ago, when we did a lot of nature documentaries together. He’s a good friend of mine, so I called him up right after that hike. It took us about five years to grab all the video clips from YouTube, find who the owners and distributors are, and acquire licenses for all the clips to put together this final product. In a way, it’s like a musical Trojan horse.

Jamie: I’m curious how long you’ve been involved with the Chamber Orchestra and other projects you’ve worked on.
Bahman: I used to play the violin for the Boulder Philharmonic when I was in graduate school here at the University of Colorado. When I was in Los Angeles, working as a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Lab, I started taking film scoring classes, and that got me involved with the whole world of scoring background music for movies. I worked as a composer for Hollywood, for Universal Studios, about 25, 30 years ago. When I moved back to Colorado in 2004, I created the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. The Boulder Philharmonic was a semi-professional orchestra before, but it turned into a fully professional orchestra, so a lot of these musicians were looking for a new gig. It has been under my direction since then.

Jamie: What has connected with you about Sibelius specifically?
Bahman: In the world of classical music, we have the big three Bs – [Ludwig van] Beethoven, [Johann Sebastian] Bach, and [Johannes] Brahms. In terms of symphonic writers, after Beethoven, you have a few other composers like Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and [Dmitri] Shostakovich. Rarely, at least in the United States, is the name of Sibelius coming up. [Gustav] Mahler’s a big icon in the US, but Sibelius is not, and I think some of it has to do with the nature of his music. It’s very Finnish and Eastern European, but it doesn’t have the salt-and-pepper flavor of Tchaikovsky. It’s a little dry and very nationalistic, and our country here is not very versed with Finland. One of the reasons I want to push him into the world is because he really deserves to be known more. I thought this would be one way – a typical person can go to the theater, watch this movie, and be affected by the visuals. It would hopefully create a call to action to think about saving our environment, but at the same time, they would walk out of the theater and go, “My gosh, that music was incredible. I didn’t know who Sibelius was.”

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The post Spotlight: The Sibelius Project from Boulder Chamber Orchestra appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Erie Town Council is discussing a proposal for a north-south connector road near Erie Municipal Airport. The proposal became controversial following the release of feasibility study on May 5 that found the project would cost roughly $50 million, face major environmental and regulatory hurdles, and save drivers only about 2 minutes of travel time.

The plan l, known as the Airpark North-South Connectivity Study, would connect County Line Road to Colorado Highway 7 through or near airport property south of Vista Parkway. 

At Erie’s April 2 State of the Town event, Mayor Andrew Moore described the proposal as an exploratory effort intended to relieve congestion on Vista Parkway while potentially unlocking economic development opportunities near the airport.

“This is a thought and I just want to stress this is a thought,” Moore said during the event. “This is not a done deal. We’re waiting for the feasibility study to come back.”

Mayor Moore explaining the project to residents at the State of the Town Meeting, April 2.

Moore argued that a new connection to Highway 7 could divert traffic away from Vista Parkway, which experienced increased traffic after County Line Road was rerouted westward as part of Erie’s settlement with Lafayette. He also emphasized the possibility of future commercial growth.

“If you can get the road there, all of a sudden land on both sides of that road becomes economically viable where it isn’t as viable today for economic reasons,” Moore said. “Businesses that could come in there.”

But the feasibility study presented to council May 5 painted a far more complicated picture.

According to town staff and consultants, both proposed roadway alternatives would cost between $49 million and $50 million before right-of-way acquisition costs. 

Alternate routes of the Airpark North-South Connectivity project, presented by town staff on May 5.The study found the routes would provide only about two minutes of travel-time savings compared to existing routes via Coal Creek Boulevard.

The report also concluded that both alternatives scored below 0.50 on benefit-cost analysis metrics commonly used for federal transportation funding competitiveness, making outside funding uncertain.

Staff presentations identified several “high risk” barriers to the project, including floodplain impacts, complications involving a Highway 7 signalized connection requiring Colorado Department of Transportation approval, and impacts to already entitled land uses. Environmental approvals were labeled a “moderate risk.”

Jason Neumeyer Director of Survey Research speaks about feasibility study

The project corridor crosses Coal Creek floodplain areas that would require FEMA review and approval, according to the presentation.

Perhaps most notably, the study’s feasibility findings showed that the staff did not recommend moving forward with either major connector alternative. Instead, staff recommended continued buildout of Coal Creek Boulevard, improvements to Vista Parkway, and developer-funded Airport Drive signal enhancements.

Those conclusions fueled sharp disagreement during the May 5 study session.

Councilmember Dan Hoback argued the project should end immediately, calling the proposal “a solution to nothing.” He also criticized the design concept as unsafe and inconsistent with Erie’s standards. “That’s not a gateway. That’s an alleyway and it’s unsafe for pedestrians and bikes at a horrific cost.” 

Another point of contention centered on whether the road would meaningfully reduce traffic congestion at all. The feasibility study’s traffic redistribution estimates showed only modest reductions in traffic volumes on Vista Parkway and surrounding roads.

Still, Moore resisted fully abandoning the concept, instead advocating for keeping future options open while gathering additional traffic data and exploring whether alternate alignments or developer participation could reduce costs.

During the meeting, developers connected to nearby projects warned that prolonged uncertainty surrounding the roadway could affect planning timelines and investments already underway. Councilmembers also discussed whether continued staff work on the project would take resources away from existing priorities.

At one point, officials acknowledged the connector project is not currently part of Erie’s active work plan.

The contrast between the State of the Town presentation and the May feasibility study discussion shows gaps in public discussion of issues. While the April presentation emphasized congestion relief and economic potential, the May study session focused heavily on floodplain permitting, multimillion-dollar bridge costs, weak funding potential and uncertainty over whether the road would substantially improve traffic conditions at all.

For now,the council  has given no formal direction to proceed or terminate the proposal. Instead, officials appeared split between those who see the concept as a long-term economic and transportation opportunity and those who view it as an expensive, high-risk project searching for a problem to solve.

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The post Erie’s airport connector road faces scrutiny after feasibility study appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The punk band Hayley and the Crushers, hailing from Detroit, Michigan, will be coming to the Oriental Theater in Denver on May 23rd, opening for long-running punk groups Screeching Weasel and The Dwarves. We sat down virtually with Hayley Crusher herself (Hayley Cain, joined by her chihuahua Gidget, the band’s “tour manager”) to talk about the band and their return to Denver.

Jamie Lammers: How did you guys get started as a group?
Hayley Cain: I’ve been on and off in bands since I was a teenager, and all sorts of genres, from punk to rock, bluegrass, country. Haley and the Crushers was my attempt to start a band with my name on it, so I could not chicken out, and it worked out that way. We started in 2016 in San Luis Obispo, California, which is sort of a sleepy beach town. Even when we try to be edgy or hardcore, we’re a sunny California band. We say our genre is “poolside glitter trash,” and we combine the grit and glitter elements of rock, punk, pop, melody, and oldies, putting it all together.

Jamie: Is there a primary songwriter in the group?
Hayley: The band started with my songs. It’s always come from a place of desire from my heart to write these songs, so I would say I’m definitely at the forefront of songwriting. My husband [band member Reid Cain/Dr. Cain ESQ] and I, since we met about 13 years ago, we’ve pretty much put out at least an album every year, or some sort of release. Part of what I love about our creative partnership is that we do get to write songs together. I may come up with a lyric concept and a couple chords, and he may come up with the whole verse, and it allows me to play to what he’s bringing to the band, too. We’re both songwriters, but I feel like the trajectory of the band has always been from a woman’s perspective.

Jamie: What’s it been like for you being able to write songs and bring them to a group like this?
Hayley: I think it’s cool. It’s like collecting tattoos. You can look back and see where you were in certain places. I think for every songwriter, there’s this evolution; a lot of songwriters, and artists in general, when they start, that’s the only way they can metabolize the world. That’s great, and that’s an outlet, but to step up into creating music and art from a universal place takes time and maturity. I think I’m at a place now where when I think about what I’m trying to say with songs, it’s not a bodily function as much as it was when I was in my 20s. I try to construct from a place of something beyond myself that isn’t purely a diary entry, but something that people can connect to. I think, in general, we have a joyful vibe about us, and that’s what keeps people interested in the band. Not everyone’s going to a show to smile, but I think we attract people that are looking for joy, freedom, to not take themselves too seriously.

Jamie: Is that a favorite aspect of being able to perform live in general?
Hayley: Yeah. I think as a female performer, just the act of getting on stage is its own rebellion and message. We don’t think about how rare it is to see women on stage expressing their emotions and points of view while backed by a band and a loud, amplified instrument. That’s an incredibly liberating and important experience for women and girls to see. It’s not what I set out to do, but I know that’s change I’m affecting. We talk as a band about how it’s not about being cool, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about the Crusher-verse, a place where everybody can belong. It’s playful and fun, and we get to be that portal for people, just the way bands like The Clash or X or Ramones were portals for me as a young kid. Now, our audiences are punk dads and their creative daughters, and it’s the best demographic I could have asked for.

Jamie: Is that something you hope people take away, that inspiration, that drive?
Hayley: Sure, I mean, we all bring something to the stage. The way we look at it is, it’s our personalities cranked to 11. I’m an awkward person; I like to have fun, laugh at myself, and the world. I think we need that, I need that, to survive in this world, so I bring that fully and amp it up. We all just bring who we are authentically, and I think that resonates.

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This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Satire and Opinion section. It employs parody, irony, and fictionalized scenarios for comedic effect; as such, it should not be interpreted as a factual news report. At Yellow Scene, our opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud (sometimes with a dose of irony).

Americans breathed a collective sigh of relief last Tuesday after the latest CPI report showed inflation was increasing only because of soaring energy prices, war in the Middle East, collapsing supply chains, and a slowly unraveling global economy.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices rose 0.6% in April and 3.8% year over year, marking the highest inflation reading since 2023 as gasoline prices, airfare, shelter costs, and basic consumer goods continued climbing.

“Honestly, this is the best-case scenario,” said one visibly exhausted Federal Reserve economist while pouring lighter fluid directly onto a stack of economic forecasts. “At least inflation isn’t being driven by something scary like strong consumer demand or wage growth. This is just geopolitical instability, oil shocks, and broad-based pricing pressure spreading through the entire economy.”

Markets initially fell following the report before rebounding slightly after investors remembered there is no alternative to pretending everything is fine.

Economists noted that gasoline prices surged more than 28% year over year as oil prices remained elevated amid continued tensions involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

“This is temporary,” explained one Wall Street strategist. “And by temporary, I mean until the next temporary inflation event happens.”

Meanwhile, Americans reported adapting to higher prices through a variety of practical measures, including canceling vacations, driving 11 fewer miles per week, replacing beef with despair, and pretending eggs are now a luxury item similar to caviar.

At press time, the Federal Reserve was reportedly debating whether to hold interest rates steady, raise rates again, or simply walk into the ocean.

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The post Americans Relieved Inflation Rising Due to Civilizational Collapse appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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

Leah Brenner Clack

Executive Director and Founder, Street Wise Arts

hello@streetwisearts.org  

720-352-8194

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2026

Superior, Colorado –  Street Wise Arts and the Town of Superior will co-produce the Superior Mural Festival, celebrating the Town’s growing community through public art installations and events on October 4, 2026. Street Wise Arts has produced seven successful mural festivals and installed more than 170 murals in Boulder County. This partnership with the Town of Superior creates a new and impactful mural festival uniquely designed for the Superior community.

“Superior’s vibrant community and active public spaces represent everything we look for in a partner,” says Leah Brenner Clack, Founder and Executive Director of Street Wise Arts. “We look forward to working alongside the Town to celebrate its unique character through world-class public art that neighbors can enjoy for years to come.”

The Superior Mural Festival presented by Street Wise Arts aims to activate the Town of Superior’s public spaces, foster community pride, and support local artists. Street Wise Arts collaborated with Superior’s Cultural Arts and Public Spaces Advisory Committee (CAPS) to select a variety of walls for the festival. The walls vary in size from small to large, which will contribute to a robust and impactful first year mural festival and provide opportunities for artists from a variety of career stages. 

The Town and CAPS selected a theme of nature and regrowth, encouraging artists to consider contemporary, unique, and creative approaches to the theme within their mural designs. The theme celebrates the Town’s unparalleled connections with nature through its 630 acres of parks, green space, and open space and 35 miles of trails. Additionally, it offers opportunities for reflection as the Town continues to expand and define its cultural identity. 

“Downtown Superior is evolving, and this is exactly the kind of energy we want to build—creative, public, and something people can be part of,” says Mark Lacis, Mayor of the Town of Superior. The Superior Mural Festival presented by Street Wise Arts will headquarter itself at the Superior Civic Space, located in the heart of Downtown Superior and surrounded by the festival walls. 

In addition to the live mural installation, the festival will offer free public programming, including an exhibition of artworks by the artist lineup, artist panel discussion, mural walking tours, and art education workshops. These programs offer community members the ability to connect with and get to know their neighbors as well as the local artists creating murals during the festival. The Superior Mural Festival will take place in conjunction with the annual Fall Festival, which brings a variety of vendors and live music to Downtown Superior.

“Superior residents have been asking for more murals in town,” says Andrew Vaughan, chair of CAPS. “The 2026 Superior Mural Festival is the beginning of a beautiful tradition of answering that call.”

The call for artists opens May 1-31. Street Wise Arts will work with the Town of Superior to review applications and invite a diverse group of local artists to participate in the festival.

Visit superiormuralfestival.com for more information, ways to get involved, and to sponsor or donate to the Superior Mural Festival.    

About Street Wise Arts

Street Wise Arts is a 501c3 nonprofit arts organization based in Colorado. Our mission is to uplift artists and to build vibrant, resilient communities through public art projects, creative events, and hands-on education programs that beautify spaces and amplify cultural diversity and social justice. Our core values include ensuring equitable access to the arts, supporting diverse artists of all ages and skill levels, and providing opportunities for the community to participate in public art programs.

About Town of Superior

The Town of Superior is a vibrant small town of 14,000 nestled in between Boulder and Denver. With its roots in agriculture and coal mining, the four-square mile town has an ample amount of open space and number of parks, with unparalleled views of the Flatirons and Rocky Mountains. The Town recently achieved a Bird City Colorado designation in 2025 and has also been recognized as a Tree City USA for 26 years.

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The post Street Wise Arts and Town of Superior Announce Inaugural Superior Mural Festival, Coming October 2026 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

For years, Colorado’s Front Range passenger rail proposal, a long-running effort to create a rail alternative along the heavily congested Interstate 25 corridor, has existed as one of the state’s most persistent transportation ambitions. Now branded the Colorado Connector, or “CoCo,” the project is shifting from concept to early-stage development, bringing renewed scrutiny over cost, funding structure, environmental claims, and long-term viability.

Supporters describe the proposed system as a long-overdue investment in regional mobility that could reduce traffic congestion, improve transportation access, and support economic growth across one of the fastest-growing corridors in the western United States. Critics, however, argue the project carries financial risks and operational uncertainties that could leave taxpayers absorbing long-term subsidies without guaranteed ridership returns.

At the center of the debate is a core question: can Colorado build a passenger rail system that is both functional and financially sustainable?

The Front Range Passenger Rail District envisions a phased rail system connecting Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, and eventually Pueblo.,The current focus is an initial starter service between Fort Collins and Denver, which planners describe as the most viable first step due to existing infrastructure and population density along the northern Front Range. Recent regional funding actions include approximately $332 million in approved support through RTD and the Colorado Infrastructure Office for early-stage development tied to the starter corridor.

Sal Pace pictured

According to Sal Pace, General Manager of the Front Range Passenger Rail District, the starter service is designed to begin operations in 2029, with three daily round trips between Fort Collins and Denver.

“The initial starter service for the Colorado Connector is estimated at approximately $330 million and will deliver round-trip service between Fort Collins and Denver three times daily beginning in 2029,” Pace said in a statement provided to Yellow Scene. “What makes this approach different is that Colorado is leveraging existing rail infrastructure and partnering directly with freight rail operators, rather than building an entirely new rail corridor from scratch.”

Pace added that the long-term vision includes expansion southward toward Colorado Springs and Pueblo, with potential service extensions targeted around 2032. The phased approach is central to the project’s funding and political strategy, allowing officials to demonstrate early service viability before committing to full corridor buildout. However, the broader financial structure of the project continues to generate debate. Depending on infrastructure requirements, service frequency, station development, and long-term corridor improvements, publicly discussed estimates for the Colorado Connector range from hundreds of millions for initial service to multi-billion-dollar projections for full Front Range expansion. Transportation infrastructure projects of this scale routinely require long-term public investment, but critics argue passenger rail presents unique financial exposure because operating costs continue indefinitely after construction is complete. These costs include staffing, maintenance, fuel or power supply, equipment replacement, insurance, and ongoing infrastructure upkeep.

Drafted path for proposed Railway.

One of the most contested concerns is the potential long-term subsidy required per rider. Some critics have pointed to analyses suggesting costs could approach or exceed $1 per passenger mile depending on final ridership performance and operational conditions. While not an official projection from the district, the figure has become a focal point in broader public debate about rail efficiency compared to other transportation modes. Critics argue that when full lifecycle costs are considered — including infrastructure, operations, and maintenance — passenger rail systems can become significantly more expensive per traveler than driving or commercial air travel on a per-mile basis, particularly if ridership falls below projections. Supporters counter that such comparisons often ignore the broader context of transportation funding in the United States. Highways, airports, and roadway systems also rely heavily on public investment and ongoing subsidies, even if those costs are less visible in fare structures.

According to Pace, the Colorado Connector is designed as a cost-conscious model that prioritizes existing infrastructure to reduce upfront construction costs and accelerate delivery timelines.

“What makes the Colorado Connector notable is that we have intentionally structured it as a cost-conscious public-private partnership that leverages existing infrastructure rather than pursuing far more expensive new rail construction,” Pace said.

He added that all major transportation systems require sustained public investment and that passenger rail should not be evaluated differently in that regard.

The debate ultimately reflects a broader policy question: whether transportation systems should be evaluated by direct cost recovery or by broader impacts such as congestion relief, mobility access, environmental benefit, and long-term economic development.

Colorado’s Front Range corridor continues to experience significant population growth, placing increasing pressure on Interstate 25 and surrounding road networks. Commuters regularly experience variable travel times between Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs, with congestion driven by population growth, tourism, construction, and accident-related delays. Rail supporters argue that highway expansion alone cannot sustainably accommodate future demand. However, operational challenges remain central to skepticism towards the Colorado Connector as a solution.

The Colorado Connector is expected to rely heavily on existing freight rail corridors during its initial phases, rather than constructing dedicated passenger rail lines. While this approach reduces construction costs significantly, it also introduces limitations related to scheduling coordination, freight priority, travel speeds, and service frequency. Passenger trains operating on shared freight corridors must often navigate dispatch constraints that can affect reliability and consistency compared to dedicated passenger systems Critics argue these constraints may reduce the system’s competitiveness against driving, particularly if service frequency or travel times do not meet public expectations.

Environmental considerations are also a major part of the project’s public messaging. Passenger rail is generally promoted as a lower-emission alternative to single-occupancy vehicle travel, and Colorado Connector has been framed as aligned with broader state efforts to reduce transportation emissions. However, the planned use of diesel or diesel-hybrid equipment during early operations has drawn scrutiny. At the time of publication, the Front Range Passenger Rail District had not provided additional comment from Tara Trujillo regarding the diesel implementation phase. District leadership has stated that diesel-hybrid equipment is intended to provide operational flexibility across existing freight infrastructure while reducing startup costs and allowing service to launch more quickly.

Though Pace noted, that future technological improvements in rail propulsion may allow for cleaner operating systems down the line. 

The tension between long-term environmental goals and near-term operational realities remains one of the most closely watched aspects of the project.

As Colorado moves toward potential implementation, the success of the Colorado Connector will likely depend less on initial branding and more on execution — including ridership levels, service reliability, and long-term financial performance. For now, the project remains suspended between vision and verification, with its ultimate outcome still uncertain. Whether it becomes a defining transportation investment or a costly lesson in infrastructure ambition will depend on whether projected benefits align with real-world performance once service begins.

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The post The Colorado Connector: Visionary Transit or Costly Gamble? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Update to include the Democratic Party of Denver statement.

Former Mesa County clerk and prominent election denier to be released after months of pressure from Trump and allies.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has commuted the prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, ordering her release on parole effective June 1.

Peters, a former Mesa County clerk who became one of the nation’s most prominent election deniers, was convicted in 2024 for allowing unauthorized access to election equipment after promoting false claims that the 2020 election had been stolen from Donald Trump. She was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison.

Polis said Friday that Peters committed a crime and deserved prison time, but argued her sentence was too harsh and may have improperly considered her protected speech. The Colorado Court of Appeals upheld Peters’ conviction in April but ordered that she be resentenced, finding concerns with how the original sentence was reached.

However, the decision also comes after months of sustained pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies, who repeatedly called for Peters’ release and portrayed her as a political prisoner. Trump publicly praised Peters and launched a barrage of criticism and political pressure directed at Colorado and Gov. Jared Polis over her imprisonment. Polis’ commutation effectively cuts her sentence to four years and four and a half months.

Polis repeatedly emphasized that the action was not a pardon.

“She’s a convicted felon. She deserves to be a convicted felon. She will remain a convicted felon,” Polis said.

Trump’s push for Peters’ release extended far beyond social media posts. Following his return to office, Colorado officials increasingly argued that Peters’ case had become intertwined with broader political retaliation against the state. State leaders pointed to disputes involving federal funding, proposed cuts and policy actions affecting Colorado, including fights over disaster aid, environmental transportation grants, efforts to dismantle NCAR in Boulder, SNAP requirements and the relocation of U.S. Space Command. Critics argued Peters had become a recurring flashpoint in broader political battles between Trump and Colorado.

Peters’ case also unfolded amid years of attacks on Colorado’s election system from Trump and election denial advocates. Trump repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Colorado’s mail-in voting system and election process were vulnerable to widespread fraud or manipulation. Election officials across the political spectrum have pushed back on those claims, noting that Colorado’s system has long been regarded as one of the nation’s strongest and most secure. The state’s election process includes paper ballots, signature verification, ballot tracking and post-election audits, and repeated reviews have found no evidence of widespread election fraud.

The reaction across Colorado was immediate. Election officials, Democratic leaders and many residents flooded social media and political channels with criticism, with some calling the decision reckless and others accusing Polis of capitulating to pressure from Trump allies. The controversy places the governor at odds with many within his own political coalition during the final year of his administration.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called the commutation “mind-boggling and wrong,” arguing that Peters was convicted by a jury for tampering with election equipment and undermining public trust in elections. Weiser warned that “caving to this president will only lead to more abuse from the bullying Trump administration.”

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold also sharply criticized the decision, calling the commutation “an affront to our democracy, the people of Colorado, and election officials across the country.” Griswold warned the move could “validate and embolden the election denial movement” and leave “a dark, dangerous imprint on American democracy for years to come.”

Griswold also pointed to the real-world impact of Peters’ actions. According to the Secretary of State’s office, the Mesa County voting equipment breach forced the county to replace nearly $1 million in election equipment and led Colorado to adopt new protections against insider threats involving election systems.

Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association and a Republican, warned that the decision sends a dangerous message to election workers. The organization accused Polis of “bending the knee” to political forces undermining confidence in elections and said county clerks felt abandoned by the governor’s decision.

Polis said Peters privately admitted wrongdoing in her clemency application, writing: “I made mistakes four years ago. I misled the Secretary of State when allowing a person to gain access to county voting equipment. That was wrong.”

Peters later thanked Polis publicly and said she plans to continue supporting what she describes as election integrity efforts and prison reform after her release.

A larger question may now follow the commutation: if months of pressure surrounding Tina Peters included threats, funding disputes and public attacks directed at Colorado, what happens next? Critics repeatedly argued that granting clemency would not halt broader political pressure from Trump or his administration. If those pressures continue after Peters’ release, the debate around Polis’ decision may shift from whether it was politically costly to whether it changed anything at all.

Democratic Party of Denver Statement:

The post Polis Commutes Election Denier Tina Peters’ Sentence, Orders June 1 Parole appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Curb Surfer with Liquid Chicken, HopeBound & Short Bus, May 15

This Friday, Fox Theatre hosts Curb Surfer, an exciting four-man rock band from right here in Boulder. Their show provides audiences with a high-intensity music experience filled with local Colorado flair. Liquid Chicken, HopeBound, and Short Bus all bring their unique rock-n-roll vibes to the show, making sure to keep viewers constantly entertained. To witness one of Boulder’s most unique summer shows, book your tickets for the Fox Theatre this Friday.

Curb Surfer with Liquid Chicken, HopeBound & Short Bus | May 15 | Fox Theatre, Boulder

All Your Friends, HQ Denver, May 16

LCD Soundsystem, MGMT, and Crystal Castles are the post-punk revival of this house party. HQ Denver has the indie classics of the early 2010s that romanticized synths and high-energy to keep us dancing long into the night. DJ Eli dedicates a vinyl set to the nostalgia of these bands at All Your Friends (the title to perhaps one of the greatest songs to come out of this era) and all of its basement-floor classics.

All Your Friends | May 16 | HQ Denver, Denver

Plays With Fire 2026, May 16 and 17

The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company brings its “Plays With Fire” event back for 2026 with two staged readings of comedies. The first is a ten-minute comedy, “Bonnet” by John Patrick Shanley, followed by a 70-minute memoir comedy, “The Wheelchair on My Face” by Sonya Kelly. This event will be shown in Denver on Saturday and in Boulder on Thursday and Sunday. Attendees will also have the chance to hear about BETC’s upcoming season from two of its directors.

Plays With Fire 2026 | May 16 and 17 | The Savoy Denver, Denver, and The Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

The Props, Skiimo, and Silver and Gold @ Lion’s Lair, May 18

Looking to make your Monday night a little louder? Head to Lion’s Lair on May 18 for a stacked lineup featuring The Props, Skiimo, and Silver and Gold. The show runs from 7 to 10 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. It is the perfect event to help you ease into the week with some live music. Whether you’re already familiar with the bands or just looking for a reason to get out, this 21+ show is a solid excuse to spend your Monday at one of Denver’s staple music spots.

The Props, Skiimo, and Silver and Gold | May 18 | Lion’s Lair, Denver

Boulder Creek Festival Returns Memorial Day Weekend, May 22–25

Downtown Boulder transforms into a four-day community celebration along the creek, with 30+ bands across three stages, 200+ artisan vendors, food trucks, and family programming — all free to attend. Kick things off Friday evening, then settle in for a full weekend of live music, local makers, and picnic-friendly afternoons in the sun. The Creekside Beer Fest offers ticketed tastings from 20+ Colorado breweries.

Boulder Creek Festival | May 22-25 | Boulder Creek, Boulder

Bloom and Glow, May 23

Come down to Brunner Farm House in Broomfield from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to connect with local vendors and your community on building healthy self-care habits. With features like a build-your-own-bouquet bar, wellness and self-care workshops, and chances to pamper yourself, this is a wonderful day out for friends looking to relax and build new self-care routines just in time for summer! All proceeds from this event also go to the Broomfield Council on the Arts and Humanities, which funds spaces for local artists to shine and grow year-round throughout the community. Show your support and spoil yourself a little!

Bloom and Glow | May 23 | Brunner Farmhouse, Broomfield

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The post Scene Stealers: Week of May 15th appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Sherpa Kitchen taught us something; in Nepalese culture “the guest is God.” Owner Ombo Sherpa surprised his regulars, the mayor of Boulder, and members of the Yellow Scene Magazine Staff with gifts in honor of their 7th anniversary. 

The Sherpa Family with Boulder Mayor, Aaron Brockett

Rasoj Shrestha, nicknamed RJ, led the invited group to a community table in the center of the restaurant. Guests were greeted with appetizers and drinks while sitting with genuine Sherpas that had guided countless tourists along the Nepalese mountains including Mt. Everest. Seated with Aaron Brockett, the mayor of Boulder, were neighbors of the kitchen including a resident of Gunbarrel that traveled to indulge in Sherpa Kitchen’s cuisine frequently. 

Nima, a niece of Ombo, led the festivities showing a video of Pasang Tendi Sherpa climbing Mt. Everest with the Sherpa Kitchen flag in hand. Afterwards the Sherpa Kitchen family gifted hand-made plaques engraved with their regulars’ names to each of the guests invited. To our surprise the Yellow Scene Magazine Publisher, Shavonne Blades, was gifted a shawl made in Nepal. Yellow Scene’s Business Development Manager, Peter Constas was gifted a sash with the Nepalese flag and American flag. 

Akriti Rai, the president of the Rocky Mountain Friends of Nepal, demonstrated a donated collection of mountain-climbing gear used by Sherpas, still climbing to this day. The night was filled with celebration as Nima thanked the loyal customers who helped them endure the pandemic. She reminded the crowd of another celebration; The Nepal Day Parade scheduled on May 16th. 

Beautiful table placement for Sherpa Kitchen’s 7th Anniversary

It was beautiful to see the looks on the unsuspecting faces of everyone as each one was announced and given a sincere gift of gratitude. The food was incredible as Ombo handed out curry and naan, showering the community table with generosity.

The night was a beautiful cultural exchange, and gave everyone in the room a chance to feel grateful. No one invited was expecting a gift, much more, a custom engraved plaque of their name commemorating their contribution to Sherpa Kitchen’s success. 

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The post At Sherpa Kitchen’s 7th Anniversary, the Guests Received the Gifts 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.

Protecting our Public Lands

Alex Kelloff for Congress | Colorado’s 3rd District

Western and Southern Colorado (CD3) contains some of our country’s most prestigious public lands. The scenic landscapes provide some of the greatest opportunities for recreation, including hiking, rafting, biking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and much more. These lands are also home to over 900 species of wildlife, including the largest elk herd in the country. Public lands in Western and Southern Colorado not only provide enrichment but are also vital for our economy, providing over $30 billion in revenue annually. This comes from recreation, tourism, and hospitality, driving Western and Southern Colorado’s job market.

I am running to represent one of the most significant public land districts in the country because the increasing threats from the Trump administration are putting at risk the accessibility and existence of these public spaces. Pressures from development, natural resource extraction, and climate change are tremendous risks. More than 20 million acres of national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, and national parks define our economy, our way of life, and our future. These lands are not just scenic; they are essential. And once they are gone, we will never get them back.

A survey conducted in Colorado by Southwick Associates in partnership with Teel and Bruyere found that economic output in relation to outdoor recreation by Colorado residents amounted to $65.8 billion in 2023, which contributed $36.5 billion to the state’s GDP and $11.2 billion in tax revenue. The outdoor recreation industry also supported more than 404,000 jobs in the state, representing 12% of Colorado’s labor force, and producing $22.2 billion in salaries and wages.

The public lands in our district are the headwaters of 25 major rivers, providing water to more than 40 million people across seven Western states. That water supports families and communities, ranchers and agricultural producers, and countless cities and industries in the Western United States. Protecting these lands means protecting the water that millions depend on every day.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Recent federal actions have created uncertainty and put pressure on public lands, risking access to recreation and hunting, the stability for ranchers and water users, long-term economic growth, and the future of our outdoor economy. The political extremes have intensified under the Trump administration, which has led to rapid resource extraction, aggressive regulatory rollbacks, and neglected public participation. We cannot implement long-term plans needed to sustain our lands and water if we have major policy swings under every new administration. My goal is to move away from policies that ignore the voices of the communities that live and work on this land. I will seek to strengthen local participation and input, while legislating to provide greater regulatory certainty and transparency.

How will we do this?
We need a new approach to protecting our public lands while supporting the people who depend on them. Decisions about our lands should not come from Washington alone. We must ensure local voices are included in federal decision-making. We also need to work directly with ranchers, sportsmen, small businesses, and community leaders to build policies that reflect real- world needs in CD3.

Water is our most critical resource. We will protect our water by safeguarding watersheds and headwaters. We will support sustainable agriculture and responsible land use, and ensure long-term water security for rural and urban communities.

Public lands should drive opportunity. I will support small businesses tied to outdoor recreation and agriculture. We will do this by building and maintaining critical infrastructure like housing, water, energy, telecommunications, and transportation to enable responsible growth and lower the cost of living. This will help fortify our communities against the risk of wildfire and drought, and create and support good local jobs in the process. We will invest in areas that allow people to live and work locally, and keep more value in our communities, like rancher-owned meat processing facilities, farming co-ops, creative arts centers, and local business incubators.

We don’t have to choose between protecting land and using it responsibly. We need to maintain access for recreation, hunting, and grazing, and protect critical habitats and ecosystems. Also, promoting responsible stewardship for future generations.

My family’s roots in this region go back generations. I understand what these lands mean, not just economically, but personally. This campaign is about making sure our public lands are protected, and our communities are heard. That our local economies remain strong and vibrant, and our way of life is preserved.

Public lands are not just a national asset; they are the foundation of life in Colorado’s Third District. With the right leadership, we will protect our natural resources, strengthen our economy, lower living costs for families, and ensure future generations can enjoy the same opportunities we have today.

Alex Kelloff for Congress

Protecting our land. Strengthening our communities. Building our future.

Congressional Public Lands Score – click to see how members of Congress vote on America’s national parks, national forests, monuments, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges

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The post Op-Ed: Congressional Candidate Alex Kelloff on Protecting Our Public Lands appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Correction (5/13): A previous version of this article incorrectly referenced Rachel Friend in connection with Laura Gonzales; that reference has been removed.

A Boulder resident is being targeted with criminal charges for protesting Israel and their occupation of Gaza. Her attorneys argue the prosecution is a direct violation of her right to free speech. 

A Boulder resident since 2011, Laura Gonzalez has spent the last three years as a prominent advocate for Palestine at city council meetings. Her activism is rooted in a complex personal history: she is the youngest of ten children, the first American born to undocumented immigrants, and the child of a survivor of the Guatemalan genocide. Gonzalez, who is Indigenous with Mayan ancestry, views her vocalism as a direct resistance to the erasure of marginalized people.

“Silence is erasure,” Gonzalez said. “We have 500 years of white-washed history in the United States and I don’t want that to happen to Palestine.”

Gonzalez now faces multiple legal hurdles, including a felony charge following an incident with council member Matt Benjamin. Police arrested her at her home the day after that encounter. She also faces a misdemeanor and a separate accusation of graffiti.

Represented by attorneys Cameron Bedard and Andy McNulty, Gonzalez noted that rules of decorum changed quickly before she was hit with charges like “harassment of a public official.” She maintains the legal action is targeted. “I’m being used as a scapegoat,” Gonzalez stated. “But this is all about Palestine.”

Gonzalez was referencing Boulder’s $35 million dollar portfolio holdings in corporations profiting from Israeli military occupation. Boulder’s portfolio includes Microsoft, which has supported the Israeli military and settlement’s technological needs, and Caterpillar, which supplied bulldozers used in Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza that allegedly buried wounded civilians alive. 

“Boulder is more focused on investments and corporations than it used to be,” Gonzalez emphasized. 

Cameron Bedard, Gonzalez’ defense attorney, also expressed disappointment in Boulder’s shifting priorities. “This fits a growing trend nationally using the legal system to discourage activism,” Bedard remarked. “Boulder is a seemingly progressive bastion, but when over a hundred other progressive cities like Atlanta, San Francisco, and Detroit passed a symbolic ceasefire, Boulder refused to do so.” 

Gonzalez, among other Boulderites, publicly protested the council’s decision, and for three instances of protest she is facing legal retaliation. Andy McNulty is Gonzalez’ civil rights attorney for a charge of “graffiti” for writing “Boulder City Council invests $30m/yr in genocide and ecocide in Palestine” in washable chalk on Pearl Street Mall. McNulty explained, “Freedom of speech violations are broad, but 1st Amendment violations are much narrower [to claim]” 

In a direct response to pro-Palestinian’s protests and increased intensity at city council meetings following the June 1st Pearl Street attack targeting Jewish community members, rules for public comment changed: the time for each speaker was reduced from three minutes to two, the visual component of recording speakers was removed, and a randomization system to pick 20 speakers from the public comment list was put in place. Removing visual components from speakers made it so protestors couldn’t use signs to convey their messages, or fly Palestinian flags, as noted by Gonzalez. 

The randomization system does not have a transparency statement on the city of Boulder’s website, but the city clerk did provide details on the process upon request, including the use of Formstack and Excel’s randomization formula. City Clerk Elesha Johnson said, “The data is sorted after community members that were selected to speak at the last meeting are removed in accordance with our Council Rules of Procedures that prohibits speakers to be selected for 2 consecutive meetings.” 

McNulty, responding to the changes made to public comment, stated “There are no First Amendment violations in changing the rules of public comment. There is no First Amendment reason that city councils have to have a public comment portion at all.” Places like Weld County have removed public comment from their board meetings altogether. He continued, “But what is a first amendment violation: that Laura is banned for a year from city council meetings for speaking out against Israel. That is viewpoint discrimination.” 

One of the incidents for which Gonzalez faces charges, she asked a council member over a megaphone whether “the hundreds of thousands of children that are dead because of your money” mattered. This amongst other pointed questions were cited as “true threats” or “fighting words”, and begs the question of what the line is between dissent and harassment. 

Gonzalez responded to claims of harassment from elected officials, saying “The difference between [the council member’s fear] and my anger is that my anger comes from pain and trauma, and their fear comes from the fear that [pro-Palestinians and Indigenous] are going to do to them what their ancestors did to us, which is not true. All we want is freedom.”

While free speech is being threatened nationwide, Gonzalez’s lawyer Cameron Bedard supports her and others’ right to be politically outspoken, stating, “This is a righteous case. A state institution prosecuting apparatus targeting a person for voicing their concerns and speaking out against genocide is wrong.” He continued, “I don’t care which side of the equation you’re on – if you are pro Zionism or anti-Zionism. The First amendment doesn’t care.” 

As Boulder leaders and residents navigate the legal and social fallout of these cases, the focus remains on the intersection of municipal law and constitutional rights. Gonzalez and her legal team argue that the prosecution serves as an attempt to silence opposition to the city’s financial and political ties to the conflict in Gaza. They contend that the outcome of her case carries implications for all Boulder citizens, regardless of their political stance on international issues.

“They don’t have to like me, or my tone, or my opinions,” Gonzalez said. “I’m still fighting for their rights [to free speech] and if they don’t fight with me and I go down, they’re going to go down too.”

While the city maintains that the charges are a matter of public decorum and safety, the defense insists the criminalization of these protests sets a dangerous precedent. The proceedings continue to draw attention to the boundaries of protected speech within local government chambers.

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The post Is Free Speech legal in Boulder? The Case for 1 Protestor appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This article, written by Kyle Manley, is republished in whole from The Conversation.

Featured image: Large-scale wildfires seem to turn visitors away, while prescribed burning may have the opposite effect. Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Colorado’s two largest fires on record, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires, burned hundreds of thousands of acres across some of the state’s most visited landscapes in 2020.

The fires scorched trails, campgrounds, and beloved ecosystems in and around Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapahoe and Roosevelt national forests.

More than five years later, the scars remain stark: blackened hillsides, closed trails, and bare slopes where forests once stood. According to our recent research, which has not yet been peer reviewed, the fires caused significant and lasting declines in visitation at the burned sites.

Even after the 2020 fires, Rocky Mountain National Park attracted 4.2 million visitors in 2024, generating US$862 million in economic output in local gateway communities such as Estes Park and Grand Lake. Rocky Mountain National Park is a significant contributor to the nearly 1 billion annual visits and $700 billion in spending that public lands generate nationwide as outdoor recreation continues to grow. It also supports a variety of important social values beyond the economy, including mental health and well-being, cultural and spiritual connection, and the sense of place that binds people to landscapes.

But these landscapes are changing fast. Wildfires are affecting our public lands at an accelerating scale and increasing intensity. Yet how fire affects recreation has remained poorly understood.

That’s the question I set out to answer with an interdisciplinary team of researchers. As a scientist who studies the benefits nature provides to people and how those benefits are affected by climate change, I wanted to know whether fire is eroding one of the most recognized and valued benefits of nature: recreation.

The East Troublesome Fire burned nearly 200,000 acres. Years later, the area is still recovering. Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Tracking visitation across burned landscapes

Our first challenge was gathering data about visits to these outdoor areas.

A handful of monitored public lands track visitor counts, but those counts can tell us only so much about how fires affect recreation. Wildfires often cross boundaries, for example, from a national park into a national forest, and span dispersed remote areas where no one is monitoring visitation.

Alternatively, every time someone logs a hike on AllTrails, posts a nature photo to Flickr, reports a bird sighting on eBird, or simply carries a phone into the backcountry, they leave a precise digital trace of where and when they spent time outdoors. We trained a visitation model on the on-site counts that do exist at monitored sites, using millions of these digital traces, alongside other recreation drivers such as weather, land cover, and site characteristics, as predictors.

Across Colorado and California, this approach let us track visitation in burned areas across hundreds of wildfires and prescribed burns for years before and after each fire, even in the remote, unmonitored landscapes where most fires burn. But changes in visitation can have many causes, including weather, broader recreation trends, even pandemic effects. So we statistically paired each burned site with a very similar unburned site elsewhere on public lands. This let us measure not just what happened after each fire, but also what we could expect would have happened without it. The gap between those two is how fire actually affected recreation.

We found that it’s not simply fire itself that drives people away, but a confluence of the type and severity of a fire, the ecosystem that burned, and the social values connected to the fire-impacted landscape.

A family poses for a selfie in front of the Gore Range overlook in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The park saw 4.2 million visitors in 2024. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Wildfires that empty trails – and ones that don’t

In Colorado, the average wildfire reduced visitation to burned sites by 8% in the year of the fire. Those declines never recovered to prefire levels for the five-year postfire period we tracked.

As fires grew larger and burned more intensely, recreational losses sharpened. Visitation dropped 15% to 20% at sites burned at higher severity. These declines lasted years. Take the Cameron Peak Fire, for example. The Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests typically see about 8 million visits a year. Our model estimates that the area burned in the Cameron Peak Fire drew nearly 500,000 visits annually before the fire. Applying our 15% to 20% average declines estimated for moderate- to high-severity wildfires, that translates to roughly 70,000 to 100,000 fewer trips annually, losses our analysis finds persist for years.

But these postfire recreational losses were largely concentrated in forested landscapes. Wildfires that occurred in grasslands, such as the southeastern Colorado Cherry Canyon Fire in 2020, by contrast, seemed to barely register with visitors. Visitation at these grassland-dominated burn sites showed essentially no change. This pattern reveals something important. People’s recreational responses to fire are not just about the physical damage and accessibility impacts. They reflect the particular relationships people hold with different landscapes. Grasses recover within a season or two, and the wide-open vistas that draw people to those landscapes remain intact, even after a fire.

Forests are different. The towering canopies, shaded trails, and old-growth character that people value may take decades or centuries to return, if they return at all in a changing climate.

In California, our analysis reveals how these human-nature relationships also vary across regions, with much sharper and more persistent losses than in Colorado. Californian wildfires reduced visitation by 18% in the first year on average, and high-severity forest fires produced losses of 33% that showed no recovery five years after the fire. California’s fires tend to be significantly larger, more severe, and more concentrated in forested landscapes.

However, small fires in California actually increased visitation by 8%. This suggests that after years of megafires, a small burn may barely register. Californians have grown accustomed to a fire-shaped landscape, and a modest fire scar may not be enough to keep them off the trails.

A VOX video on how decades of stopping forest fires made them worse.

Prescribed fire tells a different story

As wildfire intensifies, land managers are responding by expanding prescribed fire programs. They are intentionally setting lower-intensity fires to clear out the dead trees, dry brush, and accumulated debris built up from over a century of fire suppression that can feed catastrophic wildfires.

Current prescribed fire planning tends to focus on reducing fire suppression costs and protecting properties, as well as managing ecosystems by reducing fuel loads and improving wildlife habitat. But managers are scaling up these programs without knowing how prescribed fire affects the recreationists who visit these landscapes, a gap our analysis sets out to fill.

In Colorado, we found that, on average, prescribed fire actually increased visitation by about 8% in the year of the fire. This increase may reflect improved trail conditions, enhanced wildlife habitat that attracts birders and hunters, or positive public perceptions of proactive management.

In California, prescribed fire on average decreased visitation by about 3%. Crucially, in stark contrast to wildfire, impacts were short-lived, with visitation returning to prefire levels within three years in both states.

Beyond their direct effects on recreation, prescribed burns also reduce the likelihood of future extreme fires – the very fires that drive the largest and longest-lasting recreation declines.

Why this matters beyond fire

Some of the Colorado communities that are most dependent economically on recreation experienced the steepest visitation declines in the period we studied. These are towns such as Grand Lake, Durango, and Gunnison, where shops, hotels, restaurants, and seasonal workers rely on a steady flow of visitors, and where sales tax from those visitors funds the infrastructure and daily life of the community. Persistent declines in visitation threaten the long-term viability of these places.

The implications run beyond fire. Calls to consider less tangible benefits of nature, such as recreation, into climate impact assessments, extreme events research, and conservation planning have grown recently. Turning those calls into action requires evidence that can help land managers make decisions. Our work provides some of that evidence for fire and a framework that can be used for other disturbances, such as floods and droughts. Without accounting for these less tangible values of nature, increasingly extreme climate impacts will keep eroding the experiences, livelihoods, and connections that sustain the well-being of millions of Americans.

Read more of our stories about Colorado.

The post Fire Is Transforming the US West’s Public Lands – Research Shows Overlooked Cost To Recreation appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Tough Knuckle Teddy, May 8

Tough Knuckle Teddy takes the stage at the Fox Theatre on May 8.

One of the scene’s most compelling rising acts brings their signature raw energy and dynamic sound to one of Boulder’s most storied venues. An all-ages show with doors opening at 7:30 PM and music beginning at 8:00 PM. An adult must accompany guests under 16.

Tough Knuckle Teddy | May 8 | Fox Theatre, Boulder

Hometown Half Marathon, 5k & 10k, May 10

Come by Chatfield State Park in Denver this Sunday for a morning that is perfect for outdoorsy families. The festivities begin with a kids’ dash and follow with a set of three competitive and rigorous races that bring Denver’s best young runners into the spotlight. All participants are awarded with a medal, free photos, and plenty of snacks. Come to Chatfield State Park for a fun set of events that bring out the local community.

Hometown Half Marathon, 5K and 10K | May 10 | Chatfield State Park, Denver

Charlie Puth at The Bellco Theatre, May 10

Charlie Puth has officially announced his Whatever’s Clever Tour, named after his most recent album, with Daniel Seavey, Lawrence, and Ally Salort. The serious musical talent of this singer and songwriter is showcased in his new vocals and sound as he explores a sense of refinement to his music. Located in the Colorado Convention Center, the Bellco Theatre will bring a new performance to the hits we all know.

Charlie Puth | May 10 | Bellco Theatre, Denver

May Soundpost Spotlight: The Cross-Eyed Possum with Travis McNamara, May 14

For May’s artist spotlight, The Soundpost Session presents local folk duo The Cross-Eyed Possum and national-touring artist Travis McNamara. The Soundpost Session hosts intimate concerts in a premier listening room at the Times Collaborative in Longmont.

The Cross-Eyed Possum with Travis McNamara | May 14 | The Times Collaborative, Longmont

NewDad live from the Bluebird Theater with support from Freakslug, May 14

Irish Rock Band NewDad is bringing their newest album, “Altar,” to Denver on Thursday, May 14. The band’s second studio album explores new vocal genres, blending heavier alt-rock textures, sharper vocals, and more confrontational songwriting, while still staying true to their signature shoegaze sound. The show, taking place at Denver’s iconic Bluebird Theater, will be opened by British indie rock musician Xenya Genovese, known by her stage name, Freak Slug, whose hazy, off-kilter indie pop has earned a growing cult following for its mix of dreamy melodies and raw lyricism. The two acts guarantee a night of immersive twists on classic indie rock performances.

NewDad and Freakslug | May 14 | Bluebird Theater Denver

Bloom: An Art Garden Pop-Up, May 16
This is the perfect opportunity for both casual and experienced plant fans to add a new tomato plant or succulent to their garden, collect a new pot or planter, or browse plant-themed ceramics to decorate their home. Featured items and plants are created and grown by Tracy Weil’s Heirloom Tomato Farms, Chris DeKnikker, Thomas Scharfenberg, Bendto, and the Arvada Center Ceramics Studio.
Bloom: An Art Garden Pop-Up | May 16 | Arvada Center, Arvada

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The post Scene Stealers: Week of May 8th 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.

My answer to that question is YES. Yesterday, I had a local farm tell me they don’t pay for advertising except Meta. I see local shops boosting posts and paying for ads on Meta every day.

Daggers in the heart, that one stings.

Money leaves the community when it flows upward into platforms that have no stake in the survival of local economies.

Journalism didn’t die. It’s been taken over by large and powerful forces who know that when you control the airwaves, you control the policies. Over my 40 years in media, I watched journalism slowly stop being treated as a public good and start being treated like a mechanism of control. What we are seeing now with Project 2025 didn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. The consolidation of media, attacks on education, weakening of anti-trust laws, and concentration of wealth have been building for decades.

They have had a pretty successful run. Today, most major media is controlled by six mega conglomerates with enormous billionaire influence. Schools have been defunded, anti-trust laws weakened, and we are now watching concentrated power reshape democratic institutions themselves.

Yet people still read and want high-touch experiences in their lives. Eighty-five percent of books sold are in print, and local bookstores are a rapidly growing market. Zines are in, and the analog wellness revolution is taking place.

At Yellow Scene, we use social media too. We post the articles we have published in print and online. Communities absolutely form there. But over the years we learned something important: likes don’t equal recall, and advertising metrics are often mistaken for meaningful engagement. We stopped boosting three years ago and have better engagement on stories now than before. That may be why print books, zines, local bookstores, record stores, and other human-scale experiences are resurging.

Even many successful streamers and independent news voices are proving the same point. Audiences still spend hours engaging with longform conversations, reporting, podcasts, interviews, books, and communities they trust. Social media often acts more like the messenger than the destination itself. The good ones are not succeeding because people suddenly love advertising interruptions or shallow engagement. In fact, 51% of audiences actively pay to avoid digital ads, with reports showing 93% now ignoring them altogether. Independent streamers succeed because people intentionally seek them out, trust their perspectives, and feel their time is being respected.

People did not stop consuming meaningful media. They stopped trusting media that stopped respecting them.

I recently interviewed a college intern who told me they got rid of their smartphone, switched to a flip phone, and eliminated social media entirely. Apparently, this isn’t unusual anymore.

Maybe there is just too much tech now to sort through it all?

It’s true most of us are not getting rid of our smartphones, computers, or Alexa, but what people need, since the beginning of humanity, is connection. They are finding that inside local bookstores, local farms, local music venues, and yes, local print journalism, when it offers something worth reading.

Yellow Scene’s Best of the West is just one example of authentic journalism, free from influence, while still writing about local businesses.

I do not think you will find a bigger advocate for shopping locally than the last and only locally owned news media platform serving all of Boulder County. Most other media platforms are now hedge fund-owned, corporate-owned, or franchise-operated.

We do have all the recent news nonprofit platforms starting up, some strong, but many are constrained by donor expectations to remain apolitical and nonpolarizing, avoiding the deeper “why” behind the stories.

We promote shopping local hard because we believe committing to circular economies is how we all survive the corporatization of everything by the billionaire class. Today, 75% of veterinarians and dentists are corporate-owned. This is happening to all industries, from auto repair to landscaping. Half of American homes are now owned by corporations. It used to be that 70% of businesses in America were sole proprietorships or small businesses. Today, it is down to 50%.

Local economies don’t survive on transactions alone. They survive on trust, shared information, accountability, and public participation. Local journalism is part of that infrastructure too.

At Yellow Scene, we resist that takeover.

Our press remains free. With a long 40-year career in media, I did not used to have to explain that we don’t accept quid pro quo. I did indeed drink the Seymour Hersh Kool-Aid that journalism matters. Not only are we the last locally owned publication, but we are also one of the few that do not accept sponsored content. Sponsored content is paid articles. In the old days, they said PAID ADVERTISEMENT on them, but not anymore. They are simply published as if they are independent journalism. Most people figure it out, though. When you have a full-page story on an insurance broker, it becomes obvious. Where it hits the slippery slope is when political organizations buy it while it’s presented as an actual article.

I won’t do it. I will quit before I do. I am committed to local journalism more than ever, even if it is not the pathway to riches. I think we have a lot more in common with our small local businesses than giant behemoths.

Sponsored content is a disservice to everyone, and I can’t believe after 40 years that this is what I am fighting. Not who does the better journalism, but who is still doing actual journalism. I’ve been doing this too long to spend my time putting out advertorials just to survive. We are focused on making something people actually want to read and, critically, coverage that is free of monetary influence.

That does not mean advertising itself is evil. It’s only evil if you do evil things with it. But there should be a clear line between what is editorial coverage and what is advertising, and respect should be given when people say they do not want advertising tracking them everywhere they go.

We happily help local businesses design advertisements that tell their stories in authentic and creative ways. One of the benefits of print is that advertisements exist alongside the reading experience instead of constantly interrupting it. Readers know what an ad is, and good ads can still add personality, discovery, and texture to the pages. Local businesses help make up our local community, and people often appreciate their print ads. The good streamers and independent media voices understand this too. They keep advertising separate from their coverage, or their audiences support them directly so they do not have to rely heavily on ads at all.

Do local businesses and organizations get coverage in Yellow Scene? All the time, but not for money.

We think the work local-owned shops are doing is important too. If people want to fight back against the corporate takeover of everything, shop local.

But to provide a free press, we still have to pay our writers, artists, printers, mailing costs, and drivers to produce, print, distribute, and deliver 25,000 copies filled with award-winning journalism. We understand our local organizations’ plight, as we operate on slim margins too.

Maybe Meta is less the problem than the symptom of a very confusing advertising world. For the last 20 years, small businesses have been told print was dead, digital was the future, and journalism was going by the wayside. Somewhere along the line, likes and analytics became mistaken for meaningful engagement.

But journalism will never die. There will always be truth tellers in this world. Sometimes people just want to sit down and read something worth their time, and that they can trust.

If communities want independent journalism free from corporate or political influence, they have to participate in the same circular economy they advocate for when they say “shop local.”

People are searching for real connection more than ever in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, corporate consolidation, and manufactured engagement.

In today’s corporate world, finding true, honest journalism is getting harder, and that includes local news, too. From corporate takeovers to the nonprofit industry, finding reporters willing to ask the hard questions seems like a thing of the past.

Which is why Yellow Scene remains fiercely independent and never, ever accepts quid pro quo. We are only beholden to our readers, not funders.

The truth is, we really cannot do this without you. If you value our journalism, become a sustaining supporter for $8 a month. Your support keeps honest reporting alive and gets the hard copy delivered to your home.

The post Is local media part of the circular economy eco-system? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

On May 7th, 2026, starting at 9 a.m., the Boulder County Justice Center hosted a hearing, overseen by Judge Nancy Woodruff Salomone, for The People of The State of Colorado v. Soliman, Mohamed Sabry.

The defendant, 46-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, pleaded guilty to 101 substantive charges with 67 sentence enhancers against him related to a firebombing attack on June 1st, 2025, on Boulder’s Pearl Street. An interpreter relayed Salomone’s English statements to Soliman in Arabic simultaneously with her.

Charges against Soliman included class 1 felony charges of first-degree murder, both in extreme indifference and as an intentional and deliberate action, for the death of 82-year-old woman Karen Diamond. Both charges sentence Soliman to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

They also included 26 separate charges of intentional attempted first-degree murder and 26 separate charges of indifferent first-degree murder for the other named victims in the attack. These charges sentence Soliman to anywhere between 16 and 48 years in the Department of Corrections to be served consecutively. Ultimately, the remaining charges tied an additional 2,128 years to Soliman’s final sentence.

After pleading guilty to all charges, the court returned from a 15-minute break to hear sentencing statements from named victims of the attack and their family members. District Attorney Michael Dougherty, on behalf of the people, read statements from those who could not attend and from those who chose not to speak before the court.

In a written statement, Andrew and Ethan Diamond, sons of Karen Diamond and her husband Louis Diamond (another named victim of the attack), said that they chose not to attend the hearing because they did not want to relive the memories of the incident by seeing the murderer in court.

They described the lengthy recovery process for their parents, stating that the experience taught them the true meaning of the expressions “living hell” and “fate worse than death.” Additionally, they asked the media covering the hearing to name Karen directly, rather than merely labeling her as an elderly victim.

Many statements encouraged embracing the values of love and acceptance of one another, countering Soliman’s decisions on the day of the attack. In her written statement, 88-year-old Barbara Steimintz, a Holocaust survivor involved in the attack, stated that she had spent her entire life running from people like Soliman.

Steimintz continued by saying that she hopes Soliman can work to implement values of respect during his time in prison, both for himself and others. She also emphasized the resiliency of the Jewish community in Boulder. Her statement closed with the sentiment, “After thousands of years of persecution, we are here, and we will be.”

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The post Man Pleads Guilty To All Charges In Boulder Pearl Street Attack appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Abstract artist Mollie Jackson will be featured at the NoBo Art Center in the commissioned display Catharsis, which runs through May 23. NoBo will also host a special workshop, Making Emotions Visible, in the exhibition on May 16. We recently sat down (virtually) with Jackson, who will also be the summer 2026 artist-in-residence at the Firehouse Art Center, to talk about the show and her process.

Jamie Lammers: Can you tell us about this exhibition?

Mollie Jackson: It’s a series of large-scale, abstract paintings. They’re really big, they’re expressive and emotive, so my hope is when people come into the space, it feels immersive. Painting is really cathartic for me, hence the name of the show. It’s always been easier for me to express things visually than in words. I think that’s really what people connect with when they see my artwork, the energy behind it. Art can be this tool to help you move through things and grow.

Jamie: Was there a general idea behind what you wanted the paintings to convey?

Mollie: No, I’m a process painter, so I really don’t have a clear idea of what exactly I’m going to paint when I go into my studio. It’s really responding to the materials and whatever I’m feeling in the moment or the music or whatever. I wanted the whole thing to be cohesive, but I didn’t have a set, like, “I’m gonna paint these exact paintings for the show.”

Jamie: How long have you been painting in general?

Mollie: My mom was an abstract artist, so I grew up going to her studio, and she just let me experiment with all of her supplies and materials. In high school, I was painting murals around the school, and had a little portrait business and such. I went to college to study art and got to try everything there, but I went into graphic design. It’s really been the last 3 years or so that I really got back into a painting practice. I opened my business because I wanted to enter an art fair, and it really just took off.

Jamie: What has been so cathartic about the process for you?

Mollie: When I paint, it feels similar to… meditation, maybe? It’s hard to describe. It’s not like I’m in my studio sad or mad or any of these emotions. It’s just there’s this feeling of release, you feel so great after the process is through. People are always thinking, “You need to be good at art.” I don’t look at it that way at all. It’s just this way of expressing yourself. I don’t get connected to any of the pieces when I’m done. Once they sell, that’s great, and if they don’t, eventually, I’ll give them to a friend. It’s more about the process, that flow state that I’m chasing, always, to feel something.

Jamie: There is clearly something that people connect with. Is there anything you hope people take away?

Mollie: Yeah, I mean, that’s why I do it. I just love that people have a connection. It’s like a different language, almost. I just want people to feel something, especially before they even try to understand it. I don’t think I need to explain what it’s about to anybody. It’s more like, “What does that experience feel like for them?”

Jamie: Have you gotten direct feedback from people about those connections?

Mollie: I know that people connect emotionally to it. You’ll just see somebody stare at a painting for a long time, and then they come and want to talk to you about it, but it’s like, “Why are they staring at it for so long? What are they connecting to?” Maybe I’m inferring, but I think people are connecting to the emotion behind the painting. That’s what I think with all abstract art. There’s so much up for interpretation, but when people are drawn to a piece, they’re drawn to the emotional side. It’s not a representative piece where you’re depicting something perfectly. I think a picture can do that. Abstract artwork is appealing to people’s emotional side.

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The post Spotlight: Mollie Jackson’s Catharsis at NoBo Art Center appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Satire and Opinion section. It employs parody, irony, and fictionalized scenarios for comedic effect; as such, it should not be interpreted as a factual news report. At Yellow Scene, our opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud (sometimes with a dose of irony).

In a bold reaffirmation that physics, geopolitics, and basic economic gravity are all optional concepts, luxury automaker Ferrari (NYSE: RACE) announced it will maintain full-year guidance despite a rapidly unraveling global situation, confidently betting that enough extremely rich people will remain standing to keep buying $400,000 toys.

Executives at Ferrari reassured investors that while wars, market volatility, and general societal unease may impact “normal companies,” Ferrari operates in what it described as a “completely different dimension where consequences are largely theoretical.”

“Normality is abnormality,” said CEO Benedetto Vigna, which analysts later confirmed is also what happens when your customer base is so wealthy that recessions are mostly something they read about in newsletters.

Despite a drop in shipments in regions affected by geopolitical tensions, Ferrari calmly noted that it simply shipped more cars somewhere else, like a luxury game of global musical chairs played exclusively by oligarchs and hedge fund managers.

It’s all about strategy

Market observers say the strategy hinges on a simple but time-tested assumption: when the world starts falling apart, the rich actually get richer, and more importantly, bored.

“Historically, economic collapse has been very bullish for people who already own everything,” said one analyst. “Once you’ve cornered commodities, housing, and the concept of money itself, what’s left? A limited-edition V12.”

Ferrari’s guidance implies that even if the global economy begins to resemble a slow-motion implosion, there will still be a robust pipeline of ultra-wealthy buyers eager to commemorate the end times with custom leather interiors.

“Sure, supply chains may break, currencies may destabilize, and entire regions may become un-investable,” the company reportedly explained. “But have you considered that someone, somewhere, still needs a hand-stitched dashboard?”

Middle East?  Never heard of it!

Investors initially expressed concern that escalating conflict in the Middle East might impact demand. Ferrari quickly clarified that while war may disrupt logistics, it does not materially impact the purchasing habits of individuals whose net worth exceeds the GDP of small nations.

The company also highlighted growing demand for customization, a segment in which clients pay additional sums to ensure their Ferrari is subtly different from the other 12 Ferraris they already own.

At press time, Ferrari was reportedly exploring new strategic opportunities, including a “Post-Apocalypse Edition” model featuring reinforced suspension, gold-plated cup holders, and a glove compartment large enough to store multiple offshore account documents.

Analysts say the biggest risk to Ferrari’s outlook is not war, inflation, or financial instability, but the unlikely scenario in which rich people stop existing.

“Look, if billionaires disappear, Ferrari has a problem,” one strategist admitted. “But until then, the thesis is simple: the worse things get, the more someone, somewhere, will want to celebrate surviving it – with a Ferrari.”

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The post Ferrari Confirms Global Collapse Won’t Affect Product appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

House Bill 26-1337 moved through fiscal revision this morning, advancing a legislative effort to expand Colorado’s nuclear energy footprint. The bill establishes an ambitious state policy to begin construction on at least one nuclear project by 2040. To streamline development, the measure designates the Colorado Energy Office as the central permitting coordinator, providing a single point of contact to help developers navigate complex regulatory hurdles. The bill also incentivizes utility participation by allowing companies to recoup up to $20 million in expenditures for necessary siting and design studies.

The recent fiscal revision transforms these policy goals into an operational framework by creating the “Advanced Nuclear Energy and Technical Assistance Office.” This office will be staffed by a dedicated state nuclear engineer and a project manager. Rather than drawing from general tax dollars, the office will be self-funded through an annual fee of up to $1.15 million charged to developing utilities.

HB26-1337 passed the House Energy & Environment Committee last week with a narrow 7–6 vote. While all Republican committee members supported the measure, Democrats were split. High-profile party members like Representative Junie Joseph voted against it, while Democrats Alex Valdez (a co-sponsor), Amy Paschal, and Manny Rutinel joined Republicans to advance the bill. Ty Winter, a co-sponsor, described the legislation as a “meaningful step for nuclear energy and Colorado’s energy future.” He also praised nuclear power for providing “reliable base load power, good-paying blue-collar jobs and stability for energy-producing communities.”

Valdez and Winter did not respond to requests for further comment by the time of publication.

Despite this support, the bill faces intense opposition from grassroots organizations. The Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) issued a formal letter of opposition, arguing that “nuclear is the exact opposite of clean” because it produces waste that remains “dangerously radioactive for tens of thousands of years.” CRES also highlighted the economic risks, citing Georgia’s Vogtle Units 3 and 4 as a warning. Those reactors were completed seven years behind schedule at a cost of $36.8 billion, leading to a 23.7% increase in ratepayer bills. Opponents further argued that the 15-year timeline for nuclear construction is too slow compared to the one-to-two-year window for wind and solar projects.

Ean Tafoya of Colorado GreenLatinos told the Colorado Sun that the bill is a “tone-deaf […] betrayal” of environmental justice. Critics also raised concerns regarding the high water-usage rates required for nuclear facilities, a sensitive issue as many Colorado cities face chronic droughts.

The bill’s future remains uncertain as it faces a deadline of May 13, 2026, when the General Assembly adjourns. To become law, it must pass second and third readings in the House before moving through the Senate. CRES has already begun mobilizing opposition by releasing a voter toolkit to help citizens vocalize their concerns to lawmakers.

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The post Nuclear Split: GOP and Key Democrats Push Through Nuclear Bill appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This piece is part of Yellow Scene Magazine’s Satire and Opinion section. It employs parody, irony, and fictionalized scenarios for comedic effect; as such, it should not be interpreted as a factual news report. At Yellow Scene, our opinion pieces speak freely, challenge assumptions, and say the quiet parts out loud (sometimes with a dose of irony).

In a development economists are calling “technically concerning but spiritually very on brand,” the United States confirmed this week that its national debt has officially surpassed the size of its entire economy, reaching just over 100% of GDP for the first time since World War II.

At a press conference, Treasury representatives emphasized that the government remains fully committed to fiscal responsibility, noting that it currently spends $1.33 for every $1 it collects, a ratio they described as “aggressive, but not technically illegal.”

Government Confident Debt Will Fix Itself Eventually

Lawmakers acknowledged the growing debt but stressed that meaningful action would require “difficult choices,” which they confirmed will continue to be postponed indefinitely.

“We absolutely have a plan,” one senator said. “Step one is continued borrowing. Step two is hoping interest rates remain friendly. Step three is retiring before step one stops working.”

Despite the milestone, markets remained largely stable, with investors expressing confidence that the U.S. will continue to meet its obligations, given the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency.

“Sure, the debt is high,” one investor said. “But where else are we going to put our money? Europe? Japan? We all agreed years ago that this was a group project.”

Still, some economists warned that persistently high debt could eventually lead to higher interest rates, reduced private investment, and slower long-term growth. Though officials were quick to clarify that these risks remain theoretical until they become unavoidable.

Nation Reassured That Everything Is Fine, Probably

At press time, policymakers confirmed that, while the debt situation may appear concerning, it remains fully under control, provided that deficits continue, borrowing remains cheap, and no one demands immediate accountability.

“Look, we’ve crossed 100%,” one official said. “But it’s not like we’re going to 110%.”

He then paused, reviewed updated projections, and added:

“Okay, but we’re definitely not going to 175%.”

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The post U.S. Debt Hits 100% of GDP, Experts Recommend Ignoring It 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.

On January 30th, 2026, thousands of students and teachers across the Denver metro area walked out in solidarity with Minnesota, forcing two school districts to close for the day and several others to operate on reduced schedules. I joined these students at La Alma Lincoln Park in Denver, where some 3,500 people gathered to hear stories about the students, people, and communities being impacted by ICE. This event, planned in less than 4 days, was the result of coordinated efforts by a group of under-25s, including me. It also represented the culmination of mounting frustration with our government, driven by a growing feeling that voting no longer seems to make an impact on the state representatives who continue to fail us, alongside watching America become more and more expensive and less livable.

Thousands of young people across the country marched and organized to make sure their voices are heard. That may come as a surprise to many. Time and time again, I hear people decry young people for their laziness or remark, “All they care about is TikTok.”  And, to be fair, to someone who did not grow up with TikTok or Instagram, it may appear this way from the outside.  However, the reality is that the world has changed: it’s not as small as it was for kids growing up in the 80s, 90s, or 2000s. Most young people report they do not have a third space – a place separate from school and home – to find comfort in. It is no wonder we have retreated to social media; even if it’s arguably harmful to our health, it is one of the few places we have to socialize and find connection. Beyond that, people miss that platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and others have created opportunities for forms of civic engagement unheard of in the past. 

Students marching in La Alma

It is through these social media avenues that actionable items spread like wildfire: the moment Minnesota University students called for the aforementioned strike,  thousands joined them. And a feat like that would not be possible without the rapid community organizing and awareness that social media provides a basis for. When I open my personal Instagram account, nearly every other story my peers post is about climate change, ICE, or protests. Exposure like this led me to get involved in community organizing with groups in the Denver area, and I fundamentally believe that this dynamic contributes to civic engagement as students transition into adulthood. 

There is, of course, the counterargument that social media creates echo chambers. And, it’s true. Living in a liberal area like Denver, naturally, most of my peers lean this way – and they and the algorithms push out dissenting voices. This happens, and it is, unfortunately, the major downside of constantly using social media. It is also undoubtedly one of the greatest contributors to the increase in political division in our country – polarizing communities that once stood strong together. But the reality is that

Social media is not going away, and now more than ever, we must embrace it as a way to lead young people into civic engagement. 

It is indeed unfortunate, but one of the most successful digital candidacy campaigns was conducted by Donald Trump and the far right. Trump, along with his lackeys at Turning Point USA and other organizations, successfully created a movement that brought a tidal wave of young, mostly white, men to the right. Trump’s victory in this demographic proves that a group of young people can still be engaged in political action – Trump was just one of the first to do so. 

More recently, another successful social media campaign was Zohran Mamdani’s. His sweeping victory in New York City in 2025 proved that tactics similar to those Trump used can work on the left as well. In fact, nearly one in ten Trump voters in New York City also voted for Mamdani. There are two consistent patterns between these two 

candidates: an online appeal and a diversion from the norm. I can tell you concretely that people of all ages, but particularly those under 30, are ready for something different. This is why Trump and Mamdani won; they were different. Both Mamdani and Trump spoke to voters through these new digital avenues and played not only into social media engagement but also into the struggles that young people are facing. 

Young student protestors in La Alma

Here is my advice to anyone trying to understand the youth perspective: stop looking at it through your eyes and start looking at it through theirs. The way we socialize is wildly different from how it ever has been, and the issues we face are different. Youth are less focused on voting – often because we see no purpose in voting for candidates who bring more of the “same.” The engagement I see from the youth is one rooted in a different type of organizing – one within our communities, focused on direct action, as opposed to electoral politics. Don’t get me wrong – I believe electoral politics are very important. But the generations that have come before us need to start championing solutions to our battles before we see youth return to the voting booths. It is our job to lead the way into the future, but we need your support. 

The next time you talk to your teenage granddaughter, your 20-year-old nephew, or your own kid, ask them: What is your perspective? Lead with curiosity, understanding, and avoid defensiveness. Tell them you believe them. Then, do your absolute best to champion and advocate for the youth in your life – because this is our future that older generations are playing with, and we have to come together to make it better. When other generations stop leading with attacks and start embracing contemporary forms of civic engagement, like social media, the dynamic completely alters. Youth ARE engaged, but it looks different, and if we, as a society, strive to adapt to this new world, we can create real, progressive change.

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The post Coming From a 17-year-old: Young People Are More Engaged Than You Think  appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Catharsis: Mollie Jackson, May 1-23

Head to the NoBo Art Center to see large-scale abstract paintings by Mollie Jackson, whose layered surfaces of vivid colors allow her to express emotions visually. The exhibition will open in tandem with their First Friday event on May 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., and close on May 23 in a ceremony from 3 to 6 p.m. They will also host a special workshop, Making Emotions Visible, on May 16 from 3 to 6 p.m., emphasizing the creative release of painting.

Catharsis: Mollie Jackson | May 1-23 | NoBo Art Center, Boulder

Langston Kerman Live at Denver Comedy Underground, May 2

This Saturday, Denver Comedy Underground comes to life, hosting Los Angeles-based Langston Kerman. Kerman, an upstart comedian, actor, and writer, brings a brilliant stand-up show to Denver that is sure to keep viewers entertained from start to finish. As an actor, Kerman has secured roles on Peacock’s Bust Down and Amazon’s The Boys. This weekend, stop by Denver Comedy Underground for Kerman’s fun and fresh new late-night comedy show.

Langston Kerman Live | May 2, 9:45-11:30 pm | Denver Comedy Underground

MMWI Native Art Market, May 2

Come support your local native community through this unique art market. With 20 booths featuring native art created by native people, this event is a wonderful way to shop local and support local art. Native people from various nations bring unique perspectives to the art drawn from their respective cultures, and this market will not only be a wonderful way to showcase and sell their art but also a way for the community to make connections. Learn more about native art and practices while supporting local art!

MMWI Native Art Market | May 2nd 11AM-4PM | Brunner Farmhouse, Broomfield

Mac DeMarco, Mission Ballroom, May 3

Mac DeMarco has firmly established himself as a self-produced lo-fi musician known for modern rock and vintage-sounding guitars. From Canada to Makeout Videotape to Salad Days, Demarco channels charm and wit into his live performances, which have captivated his loyal fanbase. That, combined with Mission Ballroom–one of Denver’s primary concert halls—will guarantee an unforgettable night. Be sure to see him live on May 3 starting at 7:30 p.m.

Mac DeMarco | May 3 | Mission Ballroom, Denver

SeriesFest Season 12, May 6–10
The yearly festival celebrating the art of episodes returns to the Sie FilmCenter with independent pilot competitions, artists pitching their ideas to industry executives, and showings of never-before-seen shows from both indie creators and major networks. This is the perfect opportunity for those who enjoy television series to meet creators and get sneak peeks of new shows, and for those looking to get into the industry to network and ask questions during panels.

SeriesFest Season 12 | May 6–10 | Sie FilmCenter, Denver

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Muslim Votes forum, April 6th, 2026

Earlier this month, Colorado Muslim Vote, an organization dedicated to mobilizing and empowering the Muslim community across Colorado, organized a gubernatorial forum with Senator Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser. However, Bennet’s team soon made a series of demands, including refusing to allow any questions about his record on Gaza. They also asked for a list of questions in advance, raised concerns over security, and indicated that the forum seemed unsafe and not worth attending. After CMV refused to censor the forum, Bennet withdrew, offering a private meeting with Muslim leadership instead, which the group declined. 

In a statement, Bennet’s spokeswoman, Jordan Fuja, said that Bennet remains deeply committed to having meaningful conversations with the Muslim community. “As we received details about the forum, it became clear that this event would not lend itself to a genuine dialogue where Michael can listen to the community and provide the clarity the people deserve.”

Senator Michael Bennet pictured. Photo Courtesy of United States Congress

Bennet, like Phil Weiser, is the son of Holocaust survivors, and has issued statements regarding the “unacceptable humanitarian crisis” in Gaza. However, Bennet has not supported prior congressional resolutions limiting arms sales to Israel. 

In 2024 alone, the US government sent at least $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel; since then, politicians across the nation have tried to navigate the growing criticisms from their own voters about American support for Israel. As the death toll in the Palestinian territories has mounted, public polling has shown a sharp decline in support for Israel among US voters. According to Pew Research Center data reported by the Union-Bulletin, national favorability has eroded from 55% in February 2022 to just 37% today. 

The decline is sharper among democrats across the country, including in Colorado. The Colorado Democratic Party adopted a new policy platform at its assembly that recognized Israel’s genocide; it also called for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a US based lobbying group that spends heavily to support pro-Israel candidates, to register as a foreign agent under federal law. 

AIPAC has spent millions of dollars supporting pro-Israel candidates across the country and trying to prevent politicians critical of Israel from getting elected. The group’s focus “is to ensure that America provides Israel the resources it needs as quickly as possible so it can permanently dismantle Hamas” AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann told Bloomberg. In pursuit of these goals, AIPAC has funded candidates on both sides of the aisle: including more than 100 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election. 

Senator Bennet is among the many candidates who have accepted millions from AIPAC. According to Track AIPAC, these contributions to Bennet’s campaigns total approximately $3,176,314. Due to this context, people viewed his absence from the forum as a symptom of the deepening rift between the Democratic establishment and Arab and Muslim voters over the party’s refusal to confront Israel’s actions. 

As The Denver Post observed, Bennet’s absence sent a clear message: he “was more afraid of the optics of fumbling tough questions about Israel’s war tactics […] than the optics of agreeing to attend an event and then not showing up for the community.”

Azra Taslimi, a Civil Rights and Employment Discrimination attorney who moderated the forum, emphasized the necessity of direct engagement. “The forum was a space for our community to have the ability to confront and ask questions of these candidates,” Taslimi told Yellow Scene Magazine, adding that the goal was for candidates to realize “this is a community that showed up.”

Pictured Azra Taslimi moderates conversation with Julie Gonzales and Melat Kiros at the Colorado Muslim Vote Governor’s Forum April 5, 2026.

For Taslimi, trust is a currency earned through consistency and that public officials falter when they engage only on their own timelines.

“It becomes a problem when officials only choose to engage […] when it’s convenient for them,” she noted.

Drawing on her legal background, Taslimi views these community spaces as essential safeguards for democracy. While she acknowledges that politicians may lack perfect answers, she maintains that sincere engagement is the baseline for credible leadership, especially as recent political shifts, including the second Trump presidency, highlight the urgent need for stronger democratic accountability.

Colorado Muslim Vote released a press release regarding Michael Bennet. “There are families across Colorado who have spent the last two years watching the news from Gaza with a particular kind of dread. The dread of people who know the faces in the rubble, who light candles for cousins and aunts and childhood friends. Those families deserve a governor who will, at a minimum, look them in the eye. Who will sit across a table, hear the questions, and answer for his record – even imperfectly, even painfully. That takes courage. Senator Bennet has demonstrated that he doesn’t have it.” 

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The post The Empty Chair: Senator Bennet Pulls Out of CO Muslim Forum appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Senate Bill 26-097, a Colorado bill that would have decriminalized commercial sexual activity throughout the state, was dropped a few weeks ago just hours before it was set to come up for a first vote in the state Capitol. The legislation sought to repeal state criminal offenses related to sex work, including soliciting, patronizing, and owning or controlling a place for such activity. While the bill would have maintained penalties for pandering involving intimidation, its primary goal was to replace the term “prostitution” with “commercial sexual activity” to distinguish consensual work from exploitation.

This distinction is central to the argument for reform, as supporters suggest that current law conflates consensual adult sex work with human trafficking. While trafficking relies on force, fraud, or coercion, sex work involves consensual activity between adults. Proponents argue that removing criminal penalties is not an endorsement of the industry but a recognition that criminalization pushes the trade further underground. This displacement makes it harder for law enforcement to identify genuine trafficking victims and harder for those victims to seek help.

State Senator Nick Hinrichsen, sponsor of the stalled SB 26-097, photographed in 2022. Photo from Jeffrey Beall

Despite these arguments, the bill failed to gain the political momentum necessary for a hearing. State Senator Nick Hinrichsen, a lead sponsor, confirmed that the measure lacked the votes to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee. Rather than advancing the bill to a contentious hearing where sex workers feared public exposure and harassment, Hinrichsen chose to postpone the legislation indefinitely. “Without the votes to get the bill out of committee, it was not worth the risk,” he told Colorado Politics. Though he is not running for re-election, Hinrichsen noted that the effort was a significant step in educating the public on why the current system fails.

The safety concerns cited by Colorado supporters are mirrored in other jurisdictions and research. In Maine, selling sex has been decriminalized to make reporting crimes easier, and research from New Zealand suggests that decriminalization allows workers to feel more able to refuse dangerous clients. Pasha Ripley, founder of Parasol Patrol and executive director of Red Light Sources International, argues that criminalization creates a “perceived institutional impunity” for those who commit violence against workers. As Ripley told Yellow Scene Magazine, “Criminalizing sex work does not end exploitation, it just makes it more dangerous.”

Beyond local laws, federal actions like SESTA-FOSTA have further complicated the safety landscape for sex workers. While intended to stop trafficking, these laws shut down websites that workers used to vet clients and negotiate safety. Researcher Danielle Blunt notes that these policy failures often stem from a lack of direct engagement with the community.

Advocates in London demand legal protection and decriminalization outside the Houses of Parliament in 2019. Similar global movements for safety and autonomy informed the arguments behind Colorado’s stalled Senate Bill 26-097.
Photo from Koca Vehbi

“They’re coming at it from an academic standpoint with no real experience. And a lot of what they’re asking about is based on stereotypes,” Blunt told WHYY.

This disconnect suggests that media portrayals and academic research often ignore the violent crimes and safety issues workers face due to their legal status.

The failure of Senate Bill 97 highlights a persistent gap in how society regulates sexual activity and addresses exploitation. For many advocates, the exclusion of sex workers’ voices is the primary reason for their ongoing vulnerability. Any successful future policy will likely require lawmakers to center the voices of those most affected by the law to ensure it provides meaningful protection rather than further marginalization.

While the bill is stalled for now, the debate over autonomy and harm reduction remains active in the state Capitol. Hinrichsen remains hopeful that the conversation will eventually lead to a policy that prioritizes the safety of all involved. As he told Yellow Scene, “big changes do not often happen on the first attempt. Some policies can be a major shift, and they can take time.”

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The post Why Colorado’s Sex Work Decriminalization Bill Vanished appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

At recent public meetings in Erie, Colorado, residents have pressed town officials on whether growth can be slowed, citing concerns about water supply, traffic and infrastructure capacity.

But town officials may have their hands tied.

A review of town planning documents, development agreements and recent approvals shows that a substantial portion of Erie’s future housing, land use and infrastructure commitments is already locked in through legally binding entitlements, limiting how much current leaders can change.

Several of Erie’s largest developments illustrate how much growth it has already committed to.

The Redtail Ranch project, located north of Baseline Road and west of Interstate 25, is one of the clearest examples. The development includes more than 500 homes and spans roughly 300 acres. It moved forward in 2025 after the town settled a lawsuit with the developer, despite earlier attempts by the council to block it.

As part of that process, the developer invested more than $10 million in environmental remediation over several years . Once a project reaches a certain stage, denying it can expose the town to significant financial liability. Town officials indicated that continuing the legal fight could have cost Erie tens of millions of dollars, a risk the town ultimately chose to avoid.

Erie Highlands Open space Courtesy of the Town of Erie

Another major project, Spring Hill, is embedded in long-term approvals. Town records show the development includes 632 residential lots across approximately 301.89 acres south of Highway 52 and west of County Road 3.

Additional filings across the town reinforce the scale of already-approved growth. Summerfield includes multiple phases totaling hundreds of homes, including 300 single-family lots and 195 townhome units on more than 295 combined acres.

Parkdale, another development area, includes at least 141.55 acres of planned residential construction.

Together, these projects alone represent well over 1,000 housing units that have already received approval and are progressing through final platting and construction phases.

Town planning records show that large portions of Erie’s remaining developable land are already designated for residential or mixed-use development through planned developments and annexations.

• The Spring Hill project covers more than 300 acres.
• The Redtail Ranch site spans roughly 300 acres.
• The North Station planned development amendment encompasses approximately 597 acres near Weld County roads 7, 10 and 12 and Interstate 25.

In addition, proposed and ongoing annexations continue to expand the town’s development footprint. A 2026 application for the Front Range Landfill area includes annexation of 159 acres and rezoning of a total 630-acre site along Weld County Road 5. These figures point to several square miles of land, much of it already entitled or in active planning stages,being committed to future development.

The financial structure behind these developments further limits the town’s flexibility.

In Redtail Ranch, more than $10 million has already been spent by the developer on cleanup and site preparation.

Development agreements across Erie also typically require developers to provide financial guarantees for infrastructure improvements, such as roads, utilities and drainage systems. A 2016 Vista Ridge development agreement, for example, included formal acceptance of financial guarantees tied to required improvements, a common structure for infrastructure funding.

Vista Ridge neighborhood Photo courtesy of Erie Protectors

Those guarantees are tied to approved plans, meaning that once agreements are executed, both the town and developers have financial stakes in seeing projects move forward.

At the same time, municipal finances are often structured around anticipated growth. Impact fees, property taxes and future retail activity tied to new housing are incorporated into long-term planning assumptions. While exact revenue totals vary by project and phase, the town’s willingness to settle litigation in Redtail Ranch highlights how financial exposure can restrict future decisions.

Even before full buildout, development generates revenue streams for the town.

These include building permit fees, impact fees and property tax revenue as homes are completed and occupied. Infrastructure built by developers—such as roads, water systems and public improvements—is often transferred to the town, reducing the need for direct municipal capital spending. Once a development is completed that was paid for using town bonds, the sales tax from that property is used to pay back the initial investment and for future developments.

However, those revenues are phased over time and are often offset by the cost of providing services to new residents. That dynamic is one reason growth is frequently built into long-term fiscal planning, making it difficult to abruptly halt projects without financial consequences.

The legal framework surrounding these projects is a key factor in why they continue moving forward.

Once development agreements are approved and vested rights are established, municipalities face limits on their ability to impose new restrictions. In the case of Redtail Ranch, approval of the settlement and preliminary plat effectively established the project’s entitlement framework, reducing the town’s ability to add new substantive conditions without reopening litigation.

That pattern applies more broadly across Erie’s development landscape. Projects that have progressed through annexation, zoning and preliminary plat stages are often legally protected, leaving current officials with limited options beyond managing how those developments are implemented.

For many residents, the scale of already-approved development is not immediately visible.

Public debate often centers on whether growth should continue at its current pace. But planning documents show that much of that growth has already been approved in earlier years, under different assumptions about infrastructure, water supply and community priorities.

The result is a disconnect between what residents believe can still be changed and what is already contractually obligated.

Despite those constraints, not all land in Erie is fully vested. The town still has authority over future annexations, zoning decisions on unentitled land and aspects of design and infrastructure timing.

Understanding how much of that growth is already set in motion may be essential to understanding what choices remain for the citizens of Erie.

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The post How much of Erie’s growth is already set in stone? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

BOULDER, Colo. — The Boulder City Council signaled support this week for keeping Boulder Municipal Airport open indefinitely, a move that could limit the city’s ability to redevelop the 179-acre site in the future.

According to reporting by Boulder Reporting Lab, councilmembers took a 5–4 straw poll during an April 23 study session, directing staff to move forward with plans that would allow the city to seek federal aviation funding.

Accepting funding from the Federal Aviation Administration could bind the city to continued airport operations because federal grants typically require airports to remain open unless the agency approves closure.

Councilmembers supporting the direction included Mayor Aaron Brockett, Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer, and councilmembers Taishya Adams, Matt Benjamin, and Rob Kaplan.

Opposing the direction were councilmembers Tina Marquis, Ryan Schuchard, Nicole Speer, and Mark Wallach.

Some councilmembers supporting the move expressed concern about the cost of operating the airport without federal assistance. City officials estimated it could cost roughly $600,000 per year for the next 14 years if Boulder declines FAA grants.

Opponents raised concerns about making such a long-term decision through an informal straw poll rather than a public hearing, and about limiting future options for the airport property.

The airport debate has been ongoing for years. In 2024, the city sued the FAA seeking a ruling that would allow Boulder to close the airport once federal grant obligations expire, which the city estimated could occur around 2040. The case was later dismissed on procedural grounds, and the city chose not to appeal.

That same year, residents affiliated with the Airport Neighborhood Campaign gathered more than 3,000 signatures for a ballot measure that would have asked voters whether to close the airport and repurpose the land, often discussed as a potential site for housing. The measure was later withdrawn while the city’s lawsuit was pending.

City officials are expected to bring back a formal resolution reflecting the council’s direction for a vote at a future meeting.

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The post Boulder Council Signals Support for Keeping Municipal Airport Open appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Town of Erie Colorado is weighing whether to sell or lease a portion of its mineral rights tied to the state-approved Draco oil and gas project, a decision that has exposed divisions on council, raised questions about the town’s negotiating process, and highlighted uncertainty about how much authority Erie actually has.

At a special meeting on April 21, town staff emphasized that no final agreement has been reached and no vote has been scheduled. Council questioning made clear that key aspects of the proposal, including how it originated, how consultants were selected, and what the town actually owns,remain unresolved.

Erie Environmental Services Director David Frank

The Draco project, approved in March 2025 by the Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), allows for up to 26 wells to be drilled from a site in unincorporated Weld County, extending horizontally beneath portions of Erie. Town officials reiterated that the project is expected to move forward regardless of local action. “I would fully expect, no matter what action the town takes, that 26 wells will be drilled,” Erie Environmental Services Director David Frank said.

Town of Erie Councilmember, Dan Hoback

Early in the meeting, Early in the meeting, Councilmember Dan Hoback began pressing staff on the fundamentals of the deal: when the town was first approached, how negotiations began, and why Alameda Minerals was selected without a competitive process. When asked about this piece of the process, Frank said, “I’m not aware of any other companies that do this exact work.”

 By the end of the meeting, those questions had evolved into a broader challenge to both the process and the assumptions underlying it.

“I have serious concerns about conflict of interest,” Hoback said. The consultant, Alameda Minerals, is led by a former oil and gas executive with ties to the industry involved in the project, a connection that drew scrutiny during the meeting. He also warned that the absence of a formal request-for-proposals process could expose the town to legal and audit risks.

More significantly, Hoback disagreed with the idea that Erie lacks leverage. While town staff and some council members emphasized the town’s relatively small percentage of mineral ownership, Hoback emphasized that without permission to drill through town-owned minerals, operators may not be able to reach large portions of the approved drilling area. “The inability to drill through Erie land without owning its mineral rights can be a major, major impediment to the ability of Draco to drill much of its planned area, currently approved or not,” Hoback said.

Town officials declined to provide additional documentation or answer detailed questions about the procurement process, citing the ongoing nature of negotiations.

Those competing interpretations of the town’s authority sit at the center of the debate. Erie’s leverage stems from Colorado SB24-185, which prevents operators from forcing municipalities into pooling agreements. But how that law will function in practice, and particularly whether operators can drill through or around municipal minerals, remains untested.

Public comment reflected both that uncertainty and a sharp divide over how the town should respond. Sixteen residents and stakeholders spoke at the meeting, with the majority opposing a sale or urging alternatives such as delaying action or retaining the town’s mineral rights. Five supported moving forward with a sale or lease, including three who identified themselves as representing business or industry interests, such as mineral rights owners and energy companies.

Former state senator and attorney, Mike Foote

Former state senator Mike Foote, who worked on oil and gas legislation for years, described the current moment as the result of a long effort to give local governments control over their mineral rights. He recalled earlier policies that allowed a single mineral owner to force others into leasing, calling it something he “couldn’t believe” when he first encountered it. 

The 2024 law, he said, was designed to change that dynamic. “This was a hard-fought provision,” Foote told council, urging them to “take advantage of it” and follow the will of the community. “There’s nothing in the law anymore that says that you have to say yes.” He warned that approving a deal would entangle the town with the oil and gas industry for decades. “This puts Erie in business with oil and gas for a long, long time,” he said. “I would urge you [… ] to say no.”

Other residents raised concerns about long-term environmental and infrastructure risks. Steve Hochgesang pointed to the lifespan of plugged wells and containment systems, warning that decisions made now could create long-term liabilities, particularly for groundwater and waste disposal.

In contrast, speakers aligned with mineral interests emphasized financial realities and potential legal consequences. Kole Kelley, an oil and gas attorney at Fennemore Law, argued that development is already approved and that refusing to participate would not stop drilling but would result in forgoing compensation. He warned that the town could face litigation if it interferes with mineral owners’ ability to realize value from their assets.

Those competing perspectives were reflected in the council’s closing statements.

Hoback remained the most openly critical, raising concerns about procurement, transparency, and conflicts of interest, while also emphasizing the town’s decision-making power in this moment. “Other companies cannot drill through our land to reach other people’s mineral rights. So I’ll be a bit of the voice of the wilderness and say, yeah, we can impact Draco, despite the narrative that’s been making its way through social media and tonight’s presentation. um The initial approval of the Draco pad was not a rollover and play dead moment.  In fact, we should be fighting harder than ever,” Hoback said.

Councilmember Anil Pesaramelli aligned more directly with residents opposing the deal. “I am for health and safety,” he said. “I urge everyone to stop this sale.”

Councilmember Brian O’Connor took a more cautious position, expressing frustration with the process and emphasizing the need for more information before any decision is made.

Town of Erie Councilmember, Emily Baer

Councilmember Emily Baer delivered one of the most detailed and forceful closing statements, drawing on years of work in oil and gas regulation. 

She pushed back on the idea that selling mineral rights would improve safety, noting that many of the cited protections are already required by the state regardless of any deal. “To imply there are safety regulations that will go unenforced unless Erie sells its minerals is misleading,” she said.

Baer also argued that the town retains meaningful authority under current law, including the ability to deny subsurface access. She framed the decision as a question of values and long-term governance. “My principles are not up for purchase,” she said, reiterating her opposition to selling the town’s mineral rights.

Councilmember John Mortellaro took a more logistical tone, emphasizing that the project has already been approved and suggesting the town should consider whether it can secure benefits from an outcome it cannot prevent.

Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell and Mayor Andrew J. Moore both framed the decision in similar terms, emphasizing inevitability and the potential to capture value. Moore rejected claims that the town could significantly alter the project, calling that idea “100% false,” and stressed the importance of protecting negotiations.

Bell drew a direct comparison to a past landfill decision, where the town chose to accept development in exchange for compensation rather than oppose it without leverage. “If you’re going to dump trash in my backyard, you’re going to pay me for it,” he said, describing the philosophy guiding his position. His remarks made clear that he views the mineral rights as a negotiating tool rather than a mechanism to stop drilling.

To some council members, the project is unavoidable and selling the mineral rights are a means of extracting value and oversight. Others view those same rights as one of the town’s only remaining tools to challenge or constrain development.

No vote has been scheduled, and officials said any agreement would be subject to a future public hearing. Until then, core questions remain unresolved, including the exact location and value of Erie’s mineral rights, whether the town followed standard procurement practices, and how much influence Erie ultimately has over a project already approved by the state.

For now, the debate in Erie is not just about oil and gas. It is about whether a town that fought for the authority to say no will use it.

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The post Erie mineral rights hearing divides council over control, transparency and who decides appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

For Libby Earthman, a Longmont-based realtor, autism wasn’t always something she understood. Growing up in the 1990s, Earthman was surrounded by stereotypes that framed autism as a condition primarily affecting males with high support needs. When her daughter was finally diagnosed at age 6, it felt confusing. “The struggles were there that you would expect of any child with autism,” Libby offered,”but the specifics around the presentation just weren’t.” 

What followed was years of learning to understand her daughter’s triggers and crafting a safe environment around her needs, not to change who she was, but to help her thrive as herself. Libby is quick to point out that there is nothing wrong with the autistic brain. “It is simply a different way of experiencing the world, one where certain channels are turned up.”

The Earthmans embraced this, transforming their living room into a sensory gym, complete with a yoga swing, a small cave-like retreat and an art station, so their daughter can be a part of the action while maintaining agency over her needs. Visual checklists help make daily transitions more predictable. And Longmont, she says, has been a gift. She pointed to small but meaningful moments, like discovering that a local movie theater stocks multiple sizes of noise-canceling headphones to borrow. “We’re not alone,” she said. “This community gets that there are different experiences, and we all deserve to be here.”

That perspective shapes her work with families navigating moves with sensory-sensitive children. She’s attuned to how an environment affects the nervous system, noticing the subtle discomfort of a home too close to a busy road, or the relief of an outdoor space that feels enclosed rather than exposed. She recommends making things as concrete and visual as possible for children well in advance, an applicable strategy for daily transitions as well. She’s also created a Sensory Moves Guide to help families think through their unique needs in a new home.

For Libby, navigating these situations ignited a desire to connect with families who’ve had similar experiences. Everyone knows it takes a village to raise a child, but it can be challenging to find that village when your child’s behavior doesn’t fit the mold.

Enter Inclusive Acres, a farm and local 501(c)(3) dedicated to building a neurodiversity-affirming community through free events for young children, tweens and their caregivers. Nicole Perelman founded the organization in 2022 with and for her family. She was inspired to give her  son, Bert, more opportunities to socialize, with the goal of creating an environment where differences are celebrated rather than managed. Since discovering Inclusive Acres, Libby has been grateful to participate in events with her daughter, and is now on the organization’s board.

During a recent farm tour, 10-year-old Bert led me through the property with ease, introducing each chicken, goat and horse by name and answering questions with a confidence that belied his age. He has played a part in building Inclusive Acres since he was 6, and the freedom, agency and support he’s been given along the way have shaped him into a natural leader.

Bert described the farm as a place where kids can “fully unmask and be themselves,” and be treated like “their own person.” He spoke warmly about the next generation of kids coming up through the organization’s events. “When they get to be our age, they can run Inclusive Acres, and we can be the board members,” he imagined. 

“This is a special place,” he said simply. Standing in the sunshine among the animals, it was hard to disagree.

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The post The Longmont Realtor Creating Community for Autism appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Free Beginning Folk Dance Class, Apr. 24 (and onward)

The world’s dance floors have been waiting for you!

Every Friday at 6:30, Boulder International Folk Dance throws open the doors for a free, all-ages beginner class that hops continents — Romania, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria, Israel, and more — no partner, no experience, no excuses. It’s part global adventure, part neighborhood hangout, and entirely free.

Free Beginning Folk Dance Class | Every Friday Night | Avalon Social Hall, Boulder

Strider Bike Derby, Apr. 25

Join the Town of Erie in this year’s edition of the annual Strider Bike Derby. This biking event is an all-ages welcome race with the goal of building confidence in young bikers ages 2 and up. With courses led by the Erie Police Department, participants are encouraged to have fun biking while taking in the sights of beautiful Erie. Families and community members are welcome to come and spectate. In true derby fashion, audience members are heavily encouraged to come in fancy attire and derby-style hats!

Strider Bike Derby | Apr. 25th | Calvary Bible Church, Erie

East Boulder County Artists Spring Studio Tour – Apr. 25-26

This weekend, many of Boulder’s most talented artists open their exhibits for public viewing. The spring studio tour is a self-guided experience that features multiple unique destinations and extravagant art showings throughout Boulder County. Guests can plan their route along East Boulder and Gunbarrel and pick out any art showing that piques their interest. Stop by anytime from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend for a share of the fun.

East Boulder County Artists Spring Studio Tour | Apr. 25-26 | East Boulder and Gunbarrel, Boulder County

The First Annual Chautauqua Square Dance, Apr. 29

The New Pleasant Valley String Band is playing music from the Missouri Ozark square dance tradition at the Chautauqua Community House. This night will be beginner-friendly and will be called by Larry Edelman, a dance caller who’s been in the business for forty years. Combinations of square dance, waltzes, and two-steps can be duos, but no partner is required; so come one, come all!

The First Annual Chautauqua Square Dance | Apr. 29 | Chautauqua Community House, Boulder

The Growlers, Apr. 30

Brooks Neilson and Matt Taylor make up the duo of this rich-reverb and disco-infused band. They recently released a new EP, Unordinary, in March and are touring North America after a small hiatus. At Ogden Theater, their show presence is unmatched in their dedication and live performances. Their ambitious records have truly defined their sound as a psychedelic and SoCal garage band.

The Growlers | Apr. 30 | Ogden Theater, Denver

Pickleball 4 Mental Health, May 2

The Maria Droste Counseling Center is hosting a pickleball tournament and fundraiser: a chance for players of all levels (for beginners, an instructor will be available) to meet new people and raise money to help those in need afford mental health care. And for those not interested in pickleball, there will also be a silent auction and other ways to support access to mental health care.

Pickleball 4 Mental Health | May 2 | Mile Hi Pickleball, Denver

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

Amanda Pascali is a singer-songwriter, bilingual translator, and music scholar based in Austin, Texas. Her mixed-race heritage builds the backbone of her musical storytelling. She will perform for the first time in Colorado at Savoy Denver on May 7th, Cottonwood Cottage in Greeley on May 8th, and Chautauqua Community House in Boulder on May 9th.

Photos Courtesy of Jayme Stone

Jamie Lammers: How did you get started in music? How have things built to where you are now?
Amanda Pascali: I grew up around a lot of music, but no one in my family played music. As the daughter of immigrants from two different continents, I felt like there was never really a box where I could fit, so I picked up a guitar and said, “I’m going to create that space for myself.” Now, fast forward, over a decade later, I’m traveling the world, playing these songs, and encouraging anybody who’s ever felt out of place to join me in the space that I’ve created, where we can all be who we are without apologies.

Jamie: In addition to performing, you’re a song translator and scholar? What’s that been like?
Amanda: My Fulbright research was to pioneer the first comprehensive project to translate and revitalize the songs of Rosa Balistreri. She was one of the first Italian women to publicly denounce social inequality through music. My project was the first to ever say, “How about I take these songs, and I translate them, switching back and forth between Sicilian and English, as a way to share these songs with the rest of the world?”

Jamie: You’re also an artist-in-residence at the Library of Congress?
Amanda: I am set to embark on a research trip where I go to the Library of Congress, to the American Folklife Center, and look through the archives of Alan Lomax, work songs, and folk songs from the United States, Italy, and other countries as a way to inspire a new body of work for myself. It’s a great honor, and I’m really excited to look through those archival materials.

Jamie: As a bilingual translator and songwriter, what is your hope in terms of these songs?
Amanda: My native language is English, but I also speak Italian as a second language and have been learning Sicilian through songs and poetry. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, so that’s the working language I use as a bridging tool to disseminate what I think are songs that speak to the most pressing issues of our time, but are written in different languages.

Jamie: What is your hope in sharing this music and this work?
Amanda: Something that always strikes me is people coming up to me afterwards and telling me how much of an impact the songs have made on them, or that I’ve allowed them to access something that was previously unreachable for them. I think music is a perfect tool for bridging people of different backgrounds. What I really wanna do is facilitate a conversation, because there’s always so much to be learned.

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The post Spotlight: Amanda Pascali appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Erie Town Council considered a major residential development and heard concerns from residents about new event permitting requirements during its April 14 meeting.

Council members held a public hearing on the Spring Hill preliminary plat, a proposed residential development north of Morgan Hill that would bring 632 housing units to roughly 300 acres.

Town staff said the project includes a mix of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, along with open space, trails and a future school site.

“The project area is designated […] as low density residential,” said senior planner Harry Brennan, noting the proposal aligns with the town’s comprehensive plan and falls within expected density ranges.

Plans for the development include approximately 35 acres of public open space, additional private open space and trail connections throughout the site.

Planning Diagram Courtesy of the City

The project also requires continued remediation of at least one former oil and gas site before final approvals can be granted.

“The town would not be able to approve a final plat […] until the point where that cleanup is completed,” Brennan said.

The applicant, represented by PCS Group, emphasized that oil and gas operations would be removed from the property as part of the project.

“There will be no more oil and gas operations on this property,” said planner John Preswitch.

Following the hearing, council is expected to consider the proposal as it moves through the approval process.

Earlier in the meeting, council members approved a consent agenda that included a series of routine but wide-ranging municipal actions.

Items approved included intergovernmental agreements, infrastructure-related contracts and updates to town code, along with appointments and administrative approvals tied to ongoing town operations. The consent agenda also covered agreements related to public works and utilities, reflecting continued investment in infrastructure and maintenance as the town grows.

Council additionally adopted proclamations recognizing community initiatives and observances, continuing a pattern of formal recognition for local programs and national awareness efforts.

The approvals were passed unanimously without separate discussion, a common practice for items considered non-controversial or administrative in nature.

During public comment, several residents raised concerns about new permitting requirements affecting community events, particularly the Erie High School senior parade.

Residents said they were recently informed of a 90-day permit requirement and changes to support from town departments, creating uncertainty for an event that has traditionally been organized by volunteers.

“We’re just asking for that to be waived so we can meet the requirements for the new permit,” said Adrienne Hillary, who is helping organize the parade.

Kate Arnold, vice president of the Erie High School Booster Club, said the changes have strained relationships between volunteers and town staff.

Kate Arnold addressing the council.

“The relationship between our town administration and the volunteers […] has become unnecessarily adversarial,” Arnold said.

Arnold added that increased requirements risk discouraging community participation.

“It feels very much like we are effectively being discouraged from building the community ties that keep our youth engaged,” she said.

Jessica Ferman, who is organizing the school’s after-prom event, said communication about the new requirements has been inconsistent.

“If you put these kind of processes in place, you need to advertise it and you need to let us know,” Ferman said.

Other speakers urged the council to waive the 90-day requirement for this year’s parade and provide clearer guidance for future events.

Additional public comment addressed broader concerns, including communication with diverse communities and the importance of multilingual outreach in the face of ICE presence in the community.

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The post Erie advances Spring Hill development, hears parade concerns appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Creating empowering narratives to build community is at the heart of both Better Together Productions and Emancipation Theater Company. Rachel Farha, Chief Strategy Officer of Better Together, and Jeffrey Campbell, Creative Director of Emancipation, have known each other for over a decade. Since last year, they’ve worked together with the Denver foster care non-profit Cobbled Streets to create a combination fundraiser and immersive theater experience called Crossroads. We sat down with Farha and Campbell to talk to them about the importance of this project, which is coming to the Denver Sports Castle with a fundraising night on April 30th and a performance on May 1st.

Jamie: Do you wanna talk a little bit about the production?

Jeffrey: This is a really unique presentation/fundraiser, something that I’ve certainly never seen before. I really like this idea of showing the world why this organization [Cobbled Streets] exists, how they impact the community, and how the community can support this organization.

Rachel: Shari Shink, who’s the founder, spent 33 years working in the legal space representing kids and families in the foster care system. She started Cobbled Streets with the idea that, rather than trying to change the system, which is complex and frankly quite broken, she wanted to go straight to serving the families and the kids themselves. 

Jamie: Why do you feel this project is important now?

Rachel: Obviously, monies for organizations have shifted a lot, and the way that money is being used in our state and city budgets is being scrutinized. Cobbled Streets isn’t funded by the state or the city, but foster families are, and non-profits are that support foster families. It’s always the right time to be doing right by people, and that’s what this project is about. It’s about doing right by people who – underserved isn’t even the right word – who are invisible in our communities.

Jeffrey: It is always the right time to bring up the most vulnerable children in our society, in a time, specifically, when we see networks of the ultra-wealthy manipulating the vulnerability of children. In the wake of hearing that across the water, an elementary school is decimated as collateral damage to the conflicts of greed and political expediency, it’s never the wrong time to say that children come first.

Jamie: What do you think is most important about the collaborative process of theater in general?

Rachel: I mean, it’s in the name of our company. We are better together. What we can accomplish individually is often really cool, but I’m a big believer that any good idea is often made better by one more voice. One right voice can add something more powerful.

Jeffrey: We’re bombarded by screens and distracted by all of the choices that we have, from the vertical stories that are now coming on the phones to the multiple streaming networks. There is more television and film than we can ever consume in our lifetimes. But to get your butt up off that couch and to go down the block to your community and gather with some other folks, and to be in a live space and experience storytelling in a live atmosphere where you can sit next to a perfect stranger and share in that experience… I think folks are wanting and yearning to return to that live experience, that more personal experience, and re-engage with community and share an experience in real time.

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The post Spotlight: Crossroads Immersive Production appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

By Larry Lagarto

Featured photo: The Strait of Extortion

The Toddler-Boss Framework

To understand current U.S. foreign policy, abandon the idea of “geopolitical strategy” and look instead to the logic of the “transactional bully.” The Trump doctrine is a three-headed monster: a toddler’s need to “make things go boom” to feel tough, a mob boss’s view of every interaction as a shakedown, and a bottomless greed that sees the world as its personal gold mine and views stability as an obstacle to profit.

When you look past the daily rhetoric, a chillingly consistent pattern emerges. From the seizure of South American assets to the attacks on Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the goal isn’t “democracy” or “stability”—it’s the creation of a global energy cartel where the U.S. President sits as the primary broker.

Profit Through Chaos: The $100+ Barrel Strategy

For years, conventional wisdom suggested that high gas prices hurt presidents. Trump has flipped that script by leaning into the U.S. position as a net exporter. On March 12, 2026, he laid the cards on the table in a Truth Social post:

“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.”

– Washington Times

By heightening tensions in the Middle East, he created a “Chaos Premium.” On March 23, standing on a tarmac before his flight to Mar-a-Lago, he revealed his vision for the Strait of Hormuz—not as an international waterway, but as a joint venture, essentially as a tollbooth for the world’s economy:

[The Strait will be jointly controlled by]
“Maybe me. Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the next one is.”

– NY Times

This isn’t a joke. It’s a confession. By threatening to “decimate” Iran one day and offering “joint control” the next, he keeps the market in a state of permanent whiplash, ensuring that oil prices remain high enough to enrich his “preferred” domestic producers while extraction costs remain stagnant.

The Venezuela “Acquisition”

The most concrete example of this resource imperialism is the ongoing occupation of Venezuela. Following the January 2026 “Decapitate and Delegate” operation that saw the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Trump has been explicit about the spoils.

On January 7, he announced that the U.S. would seize up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to be sold at market rates, with the proceeds managed by the U.S. Treasury (Al Jazeera). He essentially told the world, “We have so much oil we don’t know what to do with it,” while simultaneously telling allies, “You should buy it from us.” (whitehouse.gov)

By putting Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in charge of “running” the country, he has transformed a sovereign nation into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the U.S. Executive Branch.

And Now, What? The Ceasefire as a Shakedown

As of this writing (mid-morning, April 8, 2026), a fragile two-week ceasefire has been reached. Oil prices have dipped to $92 a barrel, but this is not a return to normalcy. It is a strategic pivot. Here is what we can expect next:

• The “security surcharge”: The ceasefire terms allow for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but with “technical limitations” and “coordination” with the U.S.-backed forces. This is the “Tollbooth” phase. Expect “favored” tankers to pass freely, while others are hit with “protection fees” or forced to buy American-sourced LNG.
• Energy loyalty pacts: Trump’s rhetoric to allies—”Go get your own oil”—is a threat, not a suggestion. He is forcing Europe and Asia into 20-year contracts for U.S. and Venezuelan oil at inflated prices, using the threat of a renewed blockade as the primary negotiation tool.
• The privatization kickback: In Venezuela, look for the “temporary favors” to become permanent. The administration has already begun issuing licenses to specific U.S. oil giants while blocking others. This creates a “pay-to-play” system where corporate loyalty to the administration is rewarded with exclusive access to the world’s largest oil reserves.
• Escalation to renew profit: When the cast of favored oil companies changes, when one executive or oligarch outbids another for his favor, look for military escalations to bump the price back up until the new players are in place to profit.

Conclusion

The flip-flopping and chaos may be signs of incompetence, but they are also the strategy. By maintaining just enough violence to keep prices high, and just enough “ceasefire” to keep the oil flowing into the hands of his allies, the President has realized the ultimate mob boss dream: he isn’t just part of the market; he is the market.

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The post The Hormuz Tollbooth: Resource Imperialism in the Second Trump Term appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

In late 2025, a proposal from Civitas Resources brought an often-overlooked asset to the center of one of Erie’s most consequential policy debates: the town’s mineral rights.

Since then, key elements of the discussion have unfolded largely out of public view. Town officials approved a contract with Alameda Mineral Advisors to help evaluate and negotiate the potential sale, while substantive deliberations about the deal have taken place in executive session. The limited transparency has drawn criticism from residents who say the decision could shape the town’s future for decades.

The proposal remains under consideration. But experiences from other Colorado communities suggest that once mineral rights are transferred, the ability to influence what happens next can narrow significantly.

Mineral rights determine ownership of the oil and gas beneath the ground. This is a legal framework that is separate from surface land ownership. 

State law allows companies to access underground resources through mechanisms such as forced pooling, meaning drilling can proceed even when surface owners or nearby residents object. For municipalities, retaining mineral rights can provide leverage in negotiating the location, scale and conditions of development. Selling those rights generally transfers that leverage to private operators, reducing a local government’s ability to shape future activity.

That distinction has become central to the debate in Erie, where the question is not only how much the rights might be worth, but what control the town would be giving up in exchange.

Matt Owens receiving an Oil and Gas award, courtesy of LinkedIn

The town’s decision to hire Alameda Mineral Advisors has intensified scrutiny of the process, particularly because of the background of the firm’s founder, Matthew Owens.

Owens previously held leadership roles at Extraction Oil & Gas, which grew into a major Front Range operator before filing for bankruptcy in 2020. Following that restructuring, the company’s assets became part of Civitas Resources. Owens later served as a Chief Operations Officer at Civitas until his departure in 2023, and founded Alameda Mineral Advisors the following year.

In 2025, Erie retained Alameda to help evaluate and negotiate a potential mineral rights transaction, including with Civitas. Extraction Oil & Gas, as a subsidiary of Civitas, operates the Draco Pad, a large-scale drilling project near Erie that has already generated public concern.

Oil and Gas wellsites, Erie, Colorado, courtesy of Erie Protectors

The overlap does not, on its own, establish a conflict of interest. However, it places a former Civitas executive in the role of advising the town on a potential transaction involving that company. Residents have  highlighted that relationship in calling for additional disclosure and independent review of the process.

Examples of municipalities explicitly selling mineral rights in Colorado are less common than leasing or inheriting split estates, but where they do occur, the outcomes illustrate the same underlying tradeoff: immediate financial return in exchange for long-term control.

One recent example comes from Berthoud, where town officials approved the sale of a portion of municipally owned mineral rights tied to land near a wastewater treatment facility. According to town documents, the transaction severed the mineral estate from the surface property, meaning the town would receive an upfront payment but would no longer collect royalties or retain authority over how those minerals are developed.

Berthoud’s case is notable because it demonstrates the effect of these deals. Instead of acting as an owner with negotiating leverage, the town becomes one stakeholder among many, with limited influence over how extraction occurs.

More broadly, statewide data shows that dozens of Colorado municipalities receive revenue tied to mineral development, often through leases, legacy agreements or federal mineral distributions. Cities including Greeley, Rifle, Commerce City and even Erie itself receive funds connected to mineral activity.

In many of those cases, however, the rights were not recently sold but separated decades earlier, leaving current officials to manage the consequences.

That long tale of past decisions is visible across the Front Range and Western Slope. Municipalities that no longer control their mineral estates often retain limited tools to influence development, even when public opposition emerges. Because mineral rights can be sold, leased or severed entirely from surface ownership, control over subsurface resources frequently rests with private entities rather than local governments.

The result is a consistent pattern. Communities that have transferred or lost control of their mineral rights tend to move from deciding whether development happens to negotiating how it happens. Financial benefits, including lease payments or distributions, are often realized early, while land use conflicts, citing disputes and mitigation efforts play out over a much longer timeline.

Erie is part of a shrinking category of communities that still has ownership of its mineral rights, and the implication of losing them poses a fork in the road for what Erie’s future will look like. At the same time, the limits of local control are well established in Colorado. Even if a municipality retains mineral rights, it cannot fully override state authority over oil and gas development. What it can do is influence where and how development occurs, and under what conditions.

Communities across Colorado have faced similar tensions between local control and oil and gas development, often with comparable outcomes.

In Lafayette and Boulder County, longstanding mineral leases and development rights have limited what local governments can prevent, even amid sustained public opposition. Legal challenges and public pressure can influence setbacks, mitigation measures and site design, but rarely eliminate development entirely.

Because Erie has not yet finalized a sale, the outcome is still subject to local decision-making. Residents seeking to influence that outcome are not without options, though those options are shaped by both procedural realities and state law.

Public engagement remains one of the most immediate avenues. Attendance and comment at council meetings can shape how elected officials assess both the political and practical implications of moving forward. Requests for public records under the Colorado Open Records Act can also bring greater visibility to contracts, communications and financial analyses that have so far been discussed largely behind closed doors.

Residents can also press for independent evaluation of the proposed deal, including third-party analysis of valuation, environmental impact and long-term fiscal trade-offs. In situations where a consultant has prior ties to industry, such requests can carry additional weight.

Erie officials have a choice between short-term financial gain or long-term leverage over fracking in their community. Other Colorado communities offer a preview of what can happen once that authority is diminished.

Erie has not reached that point. But the window to decide which path to take may not remain open indefinitely.

The Erie Council is hosting a public forum on April 21st. A large turnout is expected.

Council to Host Public Meeting on Draco Well Pad and Mineral Rights: April 21st, 2026

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The post Erie’s mineral rights: what’s at stake appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.