Colorado primary: It’s not too late to get in on the party

A third of Denver’s 423,622 registered voters didn’t get mail-in ballots for tomorrow’s primary — not because of any postal snafu, but because these voters are officially registered as unaffiliated, and ballots only went to voters registered with parties that have contested races. Very contested races, as Michael Bennet v…

Michael Bennet DPS deal hits the New York Times

If you thought Michael Bennet’s Regal Cinema deal for Philip Anschutz was complicated, just try to wrap your brain around the Denver Public Schools financing deal he arranged in 2008. The New York Times did, and just published “Exotic Deals Put Denver Schools Deeper in Debt.” Here’s the start of…

Historic Denver celebrates four decades of saves

I love the history of Denver — even though I lost a large slice of my personal view of the past when Denver’s Landmark Commission allowed the destruction of the oldest building on my historic block, which has been replaced by a huge, modern structure going up on the very…

Three BenchWarmers are benched for good

Just six weeks ago, Kevin Foote was opening his third BenchWarmers Tavern & Grill in a month, and offering this explanation of the origins of his mini-chain: “I was at a Colorado Avalanche game one evening with friends. We overheard some of the fans complaining about how cold they were…

Marijuana Licensing Authority calls “emergency” residency hearing

On Sunday, August 1 — officially “Colorado Day” — Colorado collected the last medical marijuana business applications it will accept before officially shutting out any new operations until July 2011, in accordance with new state law. And the state is wasting no time further defining those laws: The first rule-making…

Cheeseburger Chill Smoothie? I’d pay not to drink it.

Frankly, I think Jamba Juice owes me more than a buck off for the urp-factor of the e-mail I just opened: Jamba Juice Launches Cheeseburger Chill Smoothie! “What’s beefy, smothered in cheese, loaded with your favorite condiments and blended to creamy perfection? Jamba Juice’s new Cheeseburger Chill smoothie, of course!”…

Gourmet truck trend is rolling, but El Mariachi is grounded

Gourmet trucks are all the rage right now — but sadly, El Mariachi is stuck in park. Although loncherias have a long, noble history in Denver, Jesse Morreale and Sean Yontz were the first to get on board the tricked-out truck concept, creating El Mariachi, a hipster taco truck, for…

Ken Buck steps in it at Independence Institute

When I met Ken Buck at the Independence Institute’s ATF event Saturday, I asked what he thought about Jane Norton injecting gender into the race with a new commercial asking whether he was “man enough” to be a senator. Buck responded by telling me that Norton had recently said the…

Tom Tancredo takes aim at a run for governor

Scott McInnis may be “in it to win it,” but Tom Tancredo is in it to spin it. If the former congressman can figure out a way to get into the gubernatorial race alongside “Musings on Water” McInnis and Dan Maes, the dark-horse candidate who was at his most popular…

Tony’s Bistro now serving breakfast

When Tony’s Market decided to open a downtown store, it added an amenity you won’t find at any of the suburban Tony’s outlets: a bistro where you can not only sit and enjoy a meal, but order an alcoholic beverage to take with you as you shop, since the liquor…