Jack-FM lays off majority of staff

In the September 2008 Message column “Tim Brown Replaces KCUV With Jack-FM,” Brown, the owner of Jack-FM, which has broadcast for several years at 105.5 FM, explained why fiscal reality had forced him to shut down his pet project, the much-beloved signal KCUV/102.3 FM. Since then, Jack-FM programming has been…

Meet the MasterMinds: Year 1

Recognizing that the local arts scene needed a little fertilizer to really get going — and growing — five years ago, Westword created the MasterMind Awards, a program that honors five cultural visionaries who are working to change the cultural landscape of Denver, and rewards their efforts with cold, hard…

Buzz Geller’s Bell Tower faces new hurdle

After months of dispute and controversy, everything seemed to fall into place for the proposed Bell Tower, local developer Buzz Geller’s ambitious and striking 34-story condominium slated to rise at the corner of Speer Boulevard and Market Street, when the Lower Downtown Design Review Board gave it the go-ahead on…

Kenny Be’s Yard Arteology: Downspout Saguaros

The study of neighbors through their lawn ornaments Figure 7. Berkeley: Downspout Saguaros Arizonans who move to Denver are usually happy to leave all reminders of that hellhole behind. It would never occur to them to announce their Arizona-allegiance by constructing saguaros out of cheap building materials, even if it…

At last, the Avs give Mike Haynes something to scream about

Among the more distressing things about the Colorado Avalanche’s mediocre season to date — the team’s currently last in the Northwest Division, a whopping 18 points beyond first-place Calgary — is the precipitous decline in Altitude TV broadcaster Mike Haynes’ chances to celebrate. Haynes, who was profiled in the 2004…

Does Barack Obama see Colorado as his (stimulating) good-luck charm?

Stevie Wonder, one of President Barack Obama’s favorite performers, famously sang, “When you believe in things that you don’t understand/Then you will suffer/Superstition ain’t the way.” Nonetheless, Obama seems to have a superstitious streak, especially when it comes to Denver — and that could prove to be a good thing…

The Westword.com blog shortcut, February 13 issue

Having a nice day, all you triskaidekaphobics? Today in Backbeat Online: • Aviano Coffee debuts anything-goes open mike tomorrow. • Fort Collins set to debut all-local music fest in April. • Spoke-In-Wordz debuts new single on iTunes, Amazon. Today in Cafe Society: • 231 Milwaukee back on the market. •…

Denver Blogs: What did J.R. shoot?

Some of the primary ingredients in Denver Blogs are — yes, it’s true — blogs. Tell us about ones that don’t blow here. Get ready for Nuggets man-child J.R. Smith’s appearance in tomorrow’s NBA All-Star slam-dunk competition by watching his top-ten jams of the season. Or else stuff it. (NuggDoctor)…

A Van Cise reprise in the Justice Center debate

As Christoper Osher reports in this Denver Post article, Mayor John Hickenlooper has added one more to the list of candidates whose names might end up on portions of the new city justice complex: Van Cise. Gangbusting DA Philip Van Cise, the son of a prominent attorney and father of…

Kenny Be’s Yard Arteology: Caught in the act

The study of neighbors through their lawn ornaments… Figure 6. Hale: (Am)Bushed While there is no university program in place to earn a degree as a Yard Arteologist, the training can take years. It would almost be fair to say that the coursework is only available at the School of…

MediaNews Group tops Newsosaur’s Default-O-Matic roster

Veteran journalist and executive Alan D. Mutter’s Reflections of a Newsosaur blog has become a popular destination for media members and observers hoping to get a better handle on the troubles being experienced by the industry. He’s been a thoughtful and credible chronicler of the business as a whole, with…

The Denver Zoo asks: I can haz Valentinez Dey card?

Cute cats rule the Internet, as documented in the February 10 Salon.com article “The Internet Is Made of Kittens.” And in the hierarchy of kitty-cuteness-overload, the LOLCATS reign supreme, mostly because the combination of furry adorableness and cheeky spelling mistakes is enough to turn the world’s manliest carnivore — nay,…

Top ten songs that should be renamed after Barack Obama

The campaign by several Boulder High School students to rename their facility after President Barack Obama was dropped yesterday due to a lack of support, but not before inspiring our satirical blog “Ten More Things That Should Be Named After Barack Obama Other Than Boulder High School.” Frankly, though, our…

Boulder Daily Camera to begin charging for electronic edition

Pundits eager to come up with ideas to rescue the foundering newspaper industry have lately been touting a back-to-the-future concept: charging for online content. Most prominent among this group is Walter Isaacson, who made “micropayments” a cornerstone of his recent Time magazine cover story, “How to Save Your Newspaper.” Meanwhile,…

The Westword.com blog shortcut, February 12 edition

Welcome. Make yourself at home. Today in Cafe Society: • Arugula’s big night in Boulder. • Our Weekly Bread: Mendelson’s Greenwich Village. • Veggie Girl: Il Vicino. • The Sandwich Solution. Today in Backbeat Online: • An evening with Yes tonight at the Paramount is a no-go. • A time-lapse…