Fallout from Aspen's New Year's Eve bomb

New Year's Eve bombed in Aspen, thanks to James Chester Blanning, the 72-year-old who thought it would be a blast to threaten city officials with "mass death" and planted four bombs around town. Even as authorities were clearing out sixteen square blocks on one of downtown Aspen's biggest nights of...

By Patricia Calhoun

January 13, 2009

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New Year's Eve bombed in Aspen, thanks to James Chester Blanning, the 72-year-old who thought it would be a blast to threaten city officials with "mass death" and planted four bombs around town. Even as authorities were clearing out sixteen square blocks on one of downtown Aspen's biggest nights of the year, Blanning was writing out a will and preparing to commit suicide.

Now, according to the Aspen Daily News, ten restaurants that suffered big losses on New Year's Eve -- Kenichi, Bad Billy's, D-19, Dish, Elevation, Jimmy's, Mezzaluna, Social, Syzgy and the Steak Pit -- have hired a law firm and plan to sue Blanning's estate for their losses that night.

Bet Denver restaurants that had disappointing New Year's Eve turnouts wish they could do the same.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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