People & Places

We first met John Hickenlooper when he was an unemployed geologist with a big idea: to put Denver's first brewpub in a very sleepy section of LoDo. Most of the rest of Denver first encountered him at the Wynkoop Brewing Company, which poured out great craft beers while Hickenlooper, always quick with a quip, poured out idea after idea. Keeping the name Mile High at the new football stadium, for example: That's the campaign that launched Hickenlooper's run for mayor eight years ago, when his come-from-behind start led to a surprisingly easy victory. Surprising, that is, only for those who hadn't experienced Hickenlooper's energy and drive firsthand. And after pouring out idea after idea at City Hall, Hickenlooper moved up the hill to the State Capitol in January. We can't wait to see what ideas spill out of the governor's office next.

Libraries are changing quickly to meet the demands of an online age, but one welcome development at Denver's Central Library is oddly retro. DPL now allows patrons to check out items from its vast repository of government documents, so that the determined researcher can take home such pre-Internet jewels as Know Your 8-Inch Howitzer and Identifying Sheep Killed by Bears. Of course, the collection also includes considerable information on public lands, congressional hearings and reports on current topics, reliable health information and much, much more.

Lots of folks have jockeyed for the limelight as Colorado has become a mecca for medical marijuana, but one guy who doesn't get the praise he deserves is state registrar Ron Hyman. Over the past two years, Hyman has experienced the state's MMJ card application rush up-close and personal, since his office handles all the paperwork. Even as the backlog stretched into the tens of thousands and storage closet after storage closet had to be requisitioned to hold all the documents, Hyman maintained a superhuman good nature. And once legislators injected his office with much-needed funds to tackle the backlog, Hyman and his team came through with their promise to deal with all outstanding applications before the end of 2010. Mr. Hyman, this bud's for you.

Last summer, two high-rises were finished a few blocks apart on 14th Street, each making its mark on the skyline. But here's where things get interesting: One is a 41-story vertical stack of horizontally oriented glass rectangles, while the other relies on 45 stories of vertical thrusts that terminate in a spike mounted on the top. Strangely enough, the names of the buildings are the opposite of what you'd expect. The pile of glass rectangles is the Spire, while the one which actually has a spire is the Four Seasons Hotel. It would make for a good bar-room bet, even in a bar full of architects.

The Front Range is blessed with many worthy organizations that help animals and veterans; Freedom does both at the same time. Since 1987, the organization has excelled at rescuing shelter dogs, training them in a range of special skills, and pairing them with people with emotional or physical disabilities, including combat veterans. The demand for service dogs keeps increasing, but the group's dedicated core of volunteers has proven up to the task. Freedom boasts an amazing hundred-percent placement rate; dogs that wash out of the exacting training program find adoptive homes elsewhere.

"It will offend everyone," promises the slogan of The Book of Mormon, and we'd expect nothing less from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the Colorado-born and -bred bad boys who gave the country South Park and Team America and now have a hit on their hands with a Broadway musical based on two Mormon missionaries in Africa that satirizes everything from religion to The Lion King, but with a kind of savage smarts and sweetness we like to think is emblematic of our state. "We wanted to make this not just cynical and Mormon-bashing, but hopeful and happy," these local boys made very good told the New York Times. America...fuck yeah!

Sixteen months ago, nobody really thought that Denver would be voting for a new mayor in May 2011; John Hickenlooper looked like a lock for a third term. But then Governor Bill Ritter decided not to run again, setting off a game of political dominoes that resulted in Hickenlooper's moving up while a slew of candidates who'd been eyeing City Hall jumped into the mayor's race. Ten made the ballot; former state senator Chris Romer, who's been leading the pack in fundraising, was the first to break into solid double digits on a poll of likely voters. But even with the election only a month off, it's too early to make a solid prediction, except this: Since early front-runners rarely win, Denver's next mayor will not be Chris Romer.

Karen Leigh joined the KCNC team as co-anchor in 2008, and it now looks like she has a long career ahead of her — as long as she keeps her flowing tresses. At this point, Leigh's luxurious, lustrous locks seem as suited to a beauty-pageant contestant as they do a news anchor, but viewers have clearly flipped for her long, grown-out flip. Back in Minnesota, she might have needed all that hair to stay warm; here, it's just made her hot.

"Chris is like a box of chocolates," promises Chris Parente's KDVR profile. "You never know what you're gonna get." But no matter how wild and wacky Parente's live reports might be, you can count on this: His hair is going to look delicious, with just the right amount of product to keep his coif in perky place.

Hand-picked by John Hickenlooper to serve as deputy mayor while he ran for governor, and then to move up to mayor for the last bit of Hickenlooper's second term, then-Manager of Public Works Bill Vidal had big shoes to fill. So far, Vidal's not only found those shoes a comfortable fit, but picked up the pace, mapping out an ambitious agenda for his six months in office — starting with juggling remaining staffers for maximum efficiency, then moving on to clean up controversial cases still outstanding in the police and sheriff's departments. At the end of March, new Manager of Safety Charley Garcia fired the two officers involved in the DeHerrera beating in LoDo; next up, Vidal's administration will tackle the death of Marvin Booker at the Denver jail. A native of Cuba who spent time in a Pueblo orphanage, Vidal has a fascinating backstory — but we're more interested in seeing what he does next.

After Andrew Romanoff was term-limited out of his position in the Colorado House, he explored becoming Colorado's secretary of state, a job vacated by then-newly elected congressman Mike Coffman. He didn't get the job. Next he explored becoming a U.S. senator, a job vacated by newly appointed Obama cabinet member Ken Salazar. He didn't get the job. Then he challenged the man who did, Michael Bennet, in last year's primary...and lost. "In my own career," Romanoff says now, "I've sought opportunities in which I believed I could make the biggest difference." Finally, he made a move that could lead to the biggest difference yet: He left politics for a job with Lakewood-based International Development Enterprises, which makes agricultural training and technology available to the world's poorest people — one billion of whom live on a dollar a day or less. And that makes him a winner.

No, Denver's Ghost Historic District isn't haunted — unless it's by the specter of real-estate agents flocking to a neighborhood in "Denver's only ZIP code that hasn't seen a market dip since 2007." That's according to This Old House magazine, which just touted the area in northwest Denver bounded by West 29th Avenue, West 32nd Avenue, Lowell Boulevard and Irving Street that was recently added to the city's historic roster as one of the country's "great neighborhoods." The district's tree-lined streets are filled with great old houses — Denver squares, bungalows and Victorians, some dating back to when developer and real-estate agent Allen Ghost purchased the area in 1887 and turned it into a streetcar suburb, touting its "unsurpassed" location. Today the location is still unsurpassed, with a host of shops and restaurants just a few blocks away in still-hot Highland.

Though beset with controversies, including the departure of the original architect, Steven Holl, as well as being marooned in a disjointed complex that also includes a tacky shopping-center-style post office and a bombastic, Mussolini-style jail, the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse is clearly a masterpiece. All the credit for that success goes to Keat Tan, the building's principal designer and a partner in the Denver architecture firm klipp. Tan also did the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, which is just blocks from the courthouse, and these two buildings alone make a strong case for naming Tan as one of Denver's premier architects.

The architecture at Stapleton is a mixed bag, with much of it having a throwaway character. But not the FBI Field Office that opened last summer: It was built to last. The building, which was privately developed and is being leased to the FBI, was designed by Chicago's Skidmore Owings and Merrill, which also did the Air Force Academy as well as many oil boom-era skyscrapers in the city. Though made almost entirely of reflective glass, the Field Office is very secure — as might be expected, given its function — because believe it or not, those big window-walls are bomb-proof. But the building is also quite chic-looking, something that can only rarely be said about the G-Men and G-Women working inside.

Four years after voters approved a hefty package of civic improvements, the Better Denver Bond Program is finally paying off like a born-again bookie. The bond issue has yielded a new rec center in Stapleton, a new greenhouse at the Denver Botanic Gardens and makeovers of several libraries, with a new police crime lab still to come. But perhaps the most impressive new addition is this airy, light-filled, 26,000-square-foot temple of books and media on the way to DIA, in an area underserved by the libraries of surrounding Aurora. Loaded with aviation-themed features (from a real cockpit for kids to propeller-shaped benches to the aerodynamic ceiling panels), the Green Valley branch is bright, huge, technologically savvy — and ready to take off.

Did you ever wonder why the City and County of Denver has no county fair? Every podunk county in the state has one, for crying out loud! And though we still boast the National Western Stock Show in Denver — at least for now — where do prize-deserving pie-makers and urban chicken-keepers get to show off their hard work and wares? The new Denver County Fair, of course, which is shaping up to be the most unusual rustic fair you'll ever see (the inaugural edition hits town at the end of July). Put together with enthusiasm by promoter Dana Cain and artist Tracy Weil, the Denver County Fair will address the urban lifestyle while dressing it up in rural clothes, offering such offbeat events and attractions as a skateboard rodeo, a funky sideshow, a new-age pavilion, competitions for backyard chicken and goat farmers, cheeseburger cook-offs and much more.

Flash back a hundred years and there's a good chance you'd see horses pulling carts loaded with beer from Denver's breweries to its saloons and restaurants. Now, thanks to the Wynkoop Brewing Company, you can see the same thing today. The brewpub, co-founded in 1988 by now-governor John Hickenlooper, began delivering kegs and cans of its handcrafted suds to accounts around downtown last April via horse and carriage as a way to bring back some of the Queen City's storied beer culture. And in January, the Wynkoop's hired rig delivered beer and the governor himself to his own inauguration at the Fillmore Auditorium. Now, those are some hoof prints that will be hard to fill.

"Everybody's a photographer" goes the lament often voiced by grizzled newspaper shooters regarding the wave of iPhone shutterbugs jostling for elbow room at concerts, conferences or even traffic accidents. And while quantity may not always correlate with quality, the digital age means that you can find a picture of almost anything out there. Enter UnseenDenver.com, a blog that relies on its users to submit pics of graffiti, street art and creativity in unusual spaces around the city. While there are few beautifully composed images, the subjects of these pictures are often overlooked. It's worth a daily visit, if only to see what might have already been painted over and forgotten.

Some Foursquare mayorships bring coolness, while others bring sweet satisfaction. Only a few offer the mayor any benefits, however, or at least anything good. Which is why Lala's Wine Bar & Pizzeria stands tails and tie above the rest. If you can oust the current mayor of this spot, you'll be treated to a free glass of wine (under $10) on every visit. You'll have to pay for the second, third and fourth glasses, but that's the price of politics.

The craft beers made in Colorado are fantastic, but if you want to make a beer with Colorado, you'll need to either grow your own hops or pick wild hops that grow like weeds on the hillsides around Central City. Legend has it that the vines were originally planted in the late 1800s by residents of this old mining town, who would then harvest the flowers and sell them to local brewery owners like Jacob Mack. And while the Mack Brewery now lies in ruins on the outskirts of town, the hops have kept that history alive. Need help finding them? Ask for advice from the folks at Central City's only active brewery, Dostal Alley, which makes one of its own beers from the wild hops.

Downtown boosters recently conducted a major study of the 16th Street Mall, which turns thirty next year, trying to determine what directional changes it needed to truly be a pedestrian paradise. Their conclusion? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. So beyond getting some basic repair work and a general sprucing up, the 16th Street Mall will carry on as it has for almost three decades, a mile-plus artery stretching through downtown that's an ideal place to stroll, window-shop for bad Colorado souvenirs made in China, and watch all kinds of people — from punks to businesspeople to buskers to tourists amazed by the bustle, some good, some bad, all lively. That's what you get at the heart of a vibrant city.

Junkies still miss the Stump, which supplied Rocky Mountain News readers with a regular fix of political tidbits. But its spirit lives on in the Spot for Politics & Policy, the Denver Post blog devoted not just to political news reported by the paper's own writers, but a roundup of other worthy stories in the fast-changing media world. At the center of the Spot is former Rocky reporter Lynn Bartels, who continues to be Denver's best, most tireless political beat reporter, covering — and uncovering — the scene with the verve of a sportscaster offering a play-by-play account of the biggest game in town.

Before he was elected to the Colorado Senate, Michael Johnston had achieved national renown as an innovative educator — and he didn't stop pushing the envelope when he became a legislator. While most lawmakers have a staff that consists of a part-time aide and a part-time intern, this session Johnston recruited a team of over twenty law students and experts to serve as his unpaid (except for credit) policy directors and analysts, with a goal of not just saving money, but increasing the public's access to information about the bills before the Colorado General Assembly. This committed crew puts in a total of more than 200 hours a week, researching proposals and writing non-partisan assessments that are available on Johnston's website. Want to educate yourself on what Johnston and his staff are doing for Colorado? Go to http://mikejohnston.org/in-the-legislature, and if you plan to attend a staff meeting, be sure to bring a lot of bagels and coffee.

Yes, doctor! There is nothing quite as exhilarating as waking up to the jubilant voice of Hal "Baby" Moore on Cruisin' Oldies 950. A seasoned radio vet with a half-century's worth of experience behind the mike, Moore is a living local legend. From his time at KHOW until now, at KRWZ, he's been the trusted on-air companion of several generations of Denverites. He's always a joy to listen to, whether he's sharing his memorable anecdotes from the past or offering insightful details of the songs he's playing. From the excitement in his voice as he pages through the annals of rock, you'd never know that these are tunes he's played a million times over. Hal reminds us of radio the way the way it was meant to be. There's a reason the Broadcast Professionals of Colorado have chosen Hal to enter their Hall of Fame.

When you're relegated to a windowless office or stuck behind the wheel in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Slacker and Steve, the hysterical duo who run the airwaves of KALC during the 3-to-7-p.m. time slot, make life much more bearable with their on-air theatrics and dramatics. From the Great Mate Debate, wherein couples argue over credit card debt, football, beer and ex-BFFs to the White Trash News Flash segment, five minutes of backwoods bumpkin accents articulating the world's weirdest news — the woman who carried a monkey in her bra and made it through the metal detector, for example — it's a laugh-out-loud romp of banter and conversation that never gets stale.

Mike Rosen's loss — big loss, since much of his nest egg was invested with Bernie Madoff — is Denver's gain. Rather than retire, Rosen's still on the air, and his experience shows: He's extremely fluid in his delivery, well-reasoned and well-read, incredibly versatile in subject matter. Rosen doesn't just bang an anti-Obama drum, although he does talk about politics (and features Governor John Hickenlooper once a month); he also devotes time to baseball, entertainment and, yes, grammar. Rosen is a talk-show pro who's only gotten better (read: more patient) with age — which may not translate to high ratings in this rant-rewarding climate, but pays off for listeners who actually want to hear intelligent discussion.

With its radial corners, crisp white walls and integral clock, the sleek streamlined moderne character of the onetime gas station at East Colfax Avenue and Race Street still showed through despite the grime it had accumulated during its decline over the last few decades. Nonetheless, it seemed that the 1930s building would surely meet an ignoble fate at the business end of a wrecking ball, as have so many other historic modernist buildings in Denver. But that changed this year when 7-Eleven remodeled and moved in. With that move, the famous chain won the preservation lottery — which, by the way, they don't sell tickets for — and shared the winnings with the rest of us.

While other anchors sometimes sound like they're phoning in their performances — simultaneously checking their 401(k)s to see if they can retire yet — Jim Benemann reminds us why newscasts were set up with an anchor desk in the first place. Benemann has a steady, calming presence that gives the appropriate gravitas to whatever story he might be delivering — but there's always the hint of a twinkle in his eye. If you still need your nightly newscast before you can go to bed, Benemann's just the man to tuck you in.

Although network news viewership is shrinking, Channel 9 remains a powerhouse. And Denver has a powerful fondness for the team featured on the KUSA Morning News, a newscast that stretches over two channels and so many hours that it someday may run right into the evening shows. This year it added an extra half-hour at 4:30 a.m. featuring Gregg Moss, who rejoined the fold last year; a savvy business reporter, Moss offers a particularly intelligent way to start the day. And he sticks around when the rest of the crew — avuncular Gary Shapiro, still pixieish Kyle Dyer, sports reporter Susie Wargin and weathercaster Becky Ditchfield — show up to help the rest of Denver get their morning going.

Once again carrying the ball is the man not to be confused with the NFL coaching legend whose name graces the Super Bowl trophy. Still, the confusion is fitting: Vic Lombardi, a Denver native, is developing into something of a local faceman for this town's teams. Although his style can be over the top, he reins it in at the right moments; for proof, check out some of his effective "Vic's Signature" commentaries. (They'll have you wishing Keith Olbermann had stuck to sports.) Still, TV is a team sport, and we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Lombardi's morning radio and Channel 4 wingman, Gary Miller, who — as straight man — provides for a pitch-perfect balance to this team.

DenverInfill.com has long been the go-to source for anything and everything going on in the city when it comes to construction. But for Denver's biggest construction project in years — the massive redevelopment of Union Station — website founder Ken Schroeppel stepped up his game. He and collaborator Rick Anstey host one-hour walking tours of the site on the first, third and fifth Saturday of the month starting at 10 a.m. in front of the historic station at 17th and Wynkoop streets. In exchange for a $10 suggested donation (proceeds go to the activist group Union Station Advocates), folks get an all-access look at Denver's very own Big Dig — from the guys who dig that Dig more than anybody.

Balancing the state budget, as required by the Colorado Constitution, is no fun. But Backseat Budgeter does its best to make the process — or at least understanding the process — as pleasant as possible. This online simulator was created as a public service by Engaged Public, a political consulting firm, "to help citizens understand the tradeoffs associated with spending our public dollars." With a push from Colorado State University, the program not only lets you see how different decisions would affect the overall budget, but allows you to share your thoughts with the public officials who have to do the actual numbers-crunching. And while the Backseat Budgeter was created as a tool for understanding the Colorado State General Fund, it can be adapted for any public budget — a service that Engaged Public will provide at cost.