On July 2, the Los Angeles Times’ political blog published “A Short But Sweet Gathering,” which reported that unnamed aides for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama had floated the idea of ending the Democratic National Convention one day early, on August 27, in order to give their guy “an…
Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind such documentary hits as Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Who Killed the Electric Car? has finished up his latest project, Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, which will be released in selected…
For Mark Udall, 2008 must seem like the perfect political storm. After seeing what could have been his one shot at the U.S. Senate pass by in 2004, when Ken Salazar’s victory was one of the few bright spots for national Democrats who lost seats in Congress and saw a…
“Soul Survivor,” Jason Sheehan, June 12 Fry Me to the Moon Coleman’s is the real deal! It’s great! Thanks, Jason! We got the ribs, fried chicken and some brisket — heaven, pure heaven.Ivan SuvanjieffIdledale I loved every detail in Jason Sheehan’s “Soul Survivor” review — from his time in Detroit…
We have a new state song (John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High”), a new state reptile (the Western painted turtle) and now a new state plane. In May, a month after Frontier Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Governor Bill Ritter declared that the Denver-based company’s second Airbus A320 would be…
I remember a time when this city was actually manly, when big, bloated hombres wore mustaches and didn’t take shit off anybody. Beef was always what was for dinner, and if you ordered it prepared any higher than medium rare, you got slapped in the mouth for being a pussy…
Nearly 5,000 Christian teens are screaming in anticipation of the Rapture. “Jesus is coming soon!” their preacher yells as he paces and waves his arms, the veins in his neck visible to the jocks, cheerleaders, skaters and goth kids shouting cheers from the front rows. “That’s what this weekend is…
As the band finishes its first set of gospel hymns, Rick Long walks onto the stage at Grace Church in a Hawaiian shirt. His sermon this Sunday morning is about the Book of Daniel, and as he begins to talk, people rustle through their purses and pockets for pens and…
Westword’s five blogs aren’t just offering lip service in response to our nation’s serious blog shortage. They’re doing something about it. Cafe Society highlights contributor Jessica Centers’ experiences with Agwa, a new liquor that’s made with cocaine — sort of. Take a snort. Backbeat Online ponies up Last Night reviews…
The number 50,000 has been getting thrown around a lot by DNC protest planners. Recreate 68’s Mark Cohen has used the figure several times over the past year to estimate how many demonstrators his group could bring to Civic Center Park, while Adam Jung of Tent State (i.e. the Alliance…
Inside every one of us, there is a zombie waiting to get out. I’ve just finished watching thirty zombie movies in a thirty-day span of time, and that’s the key thing I’ve learned. Whether because of a voodoo curse or radiation from space, a man-made virus or an alien parasite,…
Every year, Dare 2 Share Ministries trains tens of thousands of Christian teens across the counry to be evangelists (see this week’s cover story). Started in Arvada by born preacher Greg Stier (pictured), the non-profit uses stadium conferences and high-quality media — like a reality series recently filmed in Hawaii…
The Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Denver has announced that well-known and highly regarded Denver artist Lawrence Argent (pictured in a photo courtesy of the artist) has been chosen to design what is to be called the Holocaust Memorial Learning and Social Action Site. The project will…
With the TV in his office on Capitol Hill showing live shots of his peers on the Senate floor preparing their legislative case against Republicans for November, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks about his role on the Senatorial Campaign Committee and on spending late August in Denver. The junior senator…
Of all the people who’ve written about the newspaper industry for the Denver dailies, Rocky Mountain News business writer and columnist David Milstead (pictured) has always been the toughest and most clear-eyed. Instead of giving his pieces a quasi-promotional flavor in deference to the people who sign his checks, he…
The July 1 Stevie Wonder concert at Fiddler’s Green, reviewed in this Backbeat Online blog, was going along swimmingly when the star of the show made a startling announcement: Channel 9 entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery would be joining him onstage. In an instant, a slew of questions could be read…
It’s unusual for the closure of a performance space in Grand Junction to make news on the other side of the state. But the Denver Post’s John Moore made a compelling case for covering the Cabaret Dinner Theatre’s demise in a June 30 piece, pointing out that the venue was…
The Aurora City Council decided last week to save a blue-and-white windmill known as the Dutch Mill that’s been a landmark on East Colfax Avenue since 1927. Originally built as a symbol of hospitality next to cottages that families of soldiers at nearby Fitzsimons Army Medical Center could rent, the…
This July 1 More Messages blog outlined some of the changes and challenges confronting E.W. Scripps, the Rocky Mountain News’s corporate mama — topics understood very well by Phill Casaus, the tab’s new senior editor for local news. After all, Casaus once edited the Albuquerque Tribune, a Scripps paper that…
The airline industry is giving flyers fits this summer as the big carriers raise ticket prices, add fees for checked bags, cancel routes and charge for food. United, American, US Airways, even Denver-based Frontier are making it difficult to sit back, relax and enjoy our summer vacations. Eight years ago,…
So you think you’ve seen every new Westword blog simply by visiting The Latest ‘Word? Think again. Backbeat Online leads with shocking news about the death of 22-year-old Tickle Me Pink bassist Johnny Schou (pictured), whose body was found on the very day the group’s much-anticipated new album came out…
Arguably the most anticipated action to emerge from the Colorado legislature’s previous term — the emancipation of the state’s liquor stores — will bear fruit on Sunday, July 6. But for those who can’t wait until then, lawmakers passed a handful of measures that go into effect today, and judging…
