There's got to be some sort of joke to be made about the Denver County Fair and the Western Conservative Summit happening on the same weekend, but instead, I'll just say that life is a rich tapestry. And we here at Denverite will keep striving to bring you as much of it as we can.
Today's round-up includes the summit and the fair, along with the crazy wait for Broncos season tickets, some analysis of exactly how Hick intends to meet his ambitious climate goals and surprising wolverine news. Oh, and our podcast!
Read on.
Conservatives in Denver
The Western Conservative Summit, the largest gathering of conservatives outside of D.C. and a "must stop" for Republican gubernatorial candidates kicks off today.
"I expect the mood would be a fairly down one at this moment," Colorado College professor emeritus Bob Loevy told me. "... None of the items on the conservative agenda of any size are getting accomplished. They'll probably try to put a better face on it." (Denverite)
And Mark Matthews caught up with U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner before he left Washington. The Republican senator is currently undecided on whether he'll vote for a repeal bill nearly identical to one he's already voted for. (Denver Post)
Levitt Pavilion
The new outdoor amphitheater in Ruby Hill Park holds its first concert tonight, but this venue won't be only for pay-to-enter performances. The Know takes us on a tour. (Denver Post)
Unicorn rides
The Denver County Fair is this weekend. The cowboys at the Western Stock Show Association, the outfit that runs the main event at the National Western in January, bought out the fair and is trying to boost attendance while keeping it urban and weird. Yes, they'll still have unicorn rides. (Denverite)
Housing needs
Mayor Michael Hancock promised in his State of the City address that the city would help low- and moderate-income families get into market-rate apartments that are sitting vacant. This approach is known as a "buy-down" program, and more U.S. cities are considering it. Director of the Office of HOPE Erik Soliván is going to explain how that will work in a Facebook live at 11:30 a.m. today. (Curbed, City of Denver)
Season ticket madness
People really like the Broncos, and the waiting list is so, so long. Unborn babies are being signed up. One man had four more kids in between signing up and getting the call, and he completely forgot he'd even put his name on the list. Christian has the story. (Denverite)
Wolverines and politics
Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine through a series of X-Men movies, has been tapped to play the movie version U.S. Sen. Gary Hart, the Colorado Democrat who was a leading contender for the presidential nomination in 1988, before he was undone by allegations of infidelity. I hope I do that well when they cast my biopic. (Hollywood Reporter)
Federal wildlife officials are going back and forth on formally re-introducing wolverines into Colorado. These reclusive and voracious predators still make the very occasional appearance in Colorado's high country, there they thrived before a hunting campaign nearly wiped them out in the early 20th century. (Summit Daily)
Environmental goals
Green groups cheered when Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the state would sign on to ambitious reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But the governor's office has yet to outline the concrete steps that would get us there. (Colorado Independent)
Listen now
The latest episode of the Denverite Now podcast is up. I talk with our talented host Paul Karolyi about the challenges with Denver's new "safe occupancy" program to help artists bring their DIY spaces into code compliance, and Kevin talks about Aaron Walbert, a man with significant disabilities who can live independently in large part due to Medicaid. (Denverite)
