The political circus comes to Adams County every four years right about now. And the race for county sheriff often occupies the center ring. Eight years ago, when sheriff Bert Johnson was awaiting the start of his trial on sexual assault and harassment charges, he was still debating whether to…
part 1 of 2 Ever since Bruce Benson began waging his campaign for the governor’s office, his opponents have used his fortune against him by portraying him as a consumer shopping for an office. During the primary, Republican candidate Dick Sargent vowed, “We’re going to take him out with one…
Bush baby: In town last week to plug her book–as well as to push the Republican candidate for governor–Barbara Bush did an excellent job of ignoring former first son Neil Bush’s tarnished ties to Denver, courtesy the board of Silverado. And the local media was apparently happy to help out,…
In any other season, a gust of wind or an act of God would have steered the visitors’ last-ditch field goal try through the uprights. In any other season, the Colorado State Rams–the Rodney Dangerfields of football on the high plains–would again have found themselves reeling off to the dressing…
Piker’s Peak Regarding Steve Jackson’s “Top of Their Game” in the September 21 issue: It would seem as though the PC police have now found it necessary to inflict their own brand of morality even on top of our highest mountains. In your story about the “Fourteeners Cleaner,” it is…
State parks officials want to build a “world-class environmental learning center” on Mt. Evans as part of a proposed recreation area flanking Highway 5, the summit-topping roadway that the state touts as the highest paved road in North America. But critics say the popular Fourteener 35 miles west of Denver…
Denver airport officials have been wooing financially troubled MarkAir with a $30 million loan guarantee backed by aviation fuel-tax money. But now the Alaska-based airline is asking for much, much more. In a secret “economic-development plan” presented to aviation director Jim DeLong, debt-ridden MarkAir says it will relocate its headquarters…
Officer Bob Kishell is cruising slowly past Faith Lutheran Church School when a young woman dashes through the rain and sleet to reach his patrol car. “Hi, Robin,” Kishell says, as he rolls down his window. Robin speaks hurriedly, hugging herself against the cold. A man has been skulking in…
An engineer chosen by the city of Denver to help design the alternative baggage system at Denver International Airport is also being sued by the city for “negligence,” “errors” and “design deficiencies” in his work on DIA’s tent-roofed terminal building. Sami Miro, president of S.A. Miro Inc. of Denver, has…
part 2 of 2 Tom Tancredo has been stirring the political pot in Colorado for two decades. In the Seventies, he and other freshman legislators who hated environmental laws and other government mandates were dubbed the “House Crazies.” They were successful in installing a new speaker, rancher Bob Burford. When…
It is autumn in northwest Denver, and the smell of roasting green chile is why. From now until the first frost, the fragrance will hit you as you drive down Federal Boulevard, past the hand-lettered signs with neon green letters reading: HATCH/PUEBLO CHILI! FREE ROASTING! At least fifty two-bushel burlap…
part 1 of 2 In the midst of a mind-numbing ramble about the Founding Fathers, lecturer Marty Nalitz finally said something worth remembering: “Every one of those guys was a right-wing, Bible-thumping fundamentalist!” Nalitz, whose real job is hosting talk radio on the nationwide USA Patriot Network, was preaching to…
Continental divide: There was good news–and bad–coming from the Yellowstone Regional Airport outside Cody, Wyoming, last week. In order to ensure that Continental Airlines continued to provide daily jet service to the area, the airport had agreed to provide a “revenue guarantee” for the airline. Last year that guarantee amounted…
Just as baseball shoots itself in the head, the man who perfectly symbolizes the game these days–all-star jiveass Deion Sanders–slips away to San Francisco to play football. Before Prime Time’s plane can land on the Day of Infamy, owner Jerry McMorris decides to reward the patience, loyalty and goodwill of…
The young man sitting in the downtown coffeeshop pulled the newspaper clipping out of his schoolbook. The dominant article on the page reported that the 50,000 hikers a year who climb Colorado’s 54 peaks over 14,000 feet–commonly called Fourteeners–were seriously damaging plants and soil. A much smaller article next to…
Denver mayor Wellington Webb has gone to court to force his 32-year-old son to get treatment for apparently long-standing addictions to alcohol and cocaine. Recently, the mayor asked Denver Probate Judge Field C. Benton to place Allen Wayne Webb in the custody of the alcohol and drug abuse division of…
Douglas Clark, a military doctor at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, is facing criminal charges and a court-martial as a result of sexual harassment accusations brought forth by a female civilian radiation therapist. Army officials are now considering a request by Clark to resign from the service rather than…
Georgia on My Mind Regarding Steve Jackson’s “Denver or Busted,” in the September 14 issue: Georgia Caven makes you feel special at a time when you really know you’re all alone. With all the people she sees and all the complex cases she deals with, it’s like you’re just one…
The way Denver city councilman Ted Hackworth sees it, there were lots of good, sound ways the parks and recreation department could have found to spend $73,500. For instance, the financially strapped city department might have used the money to buy new equipment like basketballs and volleyball nets. Or it…
part 1 of 2 The red light on her answering machine was blinking frantically when Georgia Caven walked into the living room of her Lakewood home. She pressed the button. “Georgia, this is Adam. I need to speak to you. Call me when you get in.” It was the voice…
part 2 of 2 For all Georgia’s boundless patience and energy, there was one type of patient she couldn’t warm up to. In the early Eighties DGH had begun seeing its first people with what the medical communities on the East and West coasts were calling the “gay disease.” By…
No population bomb: Governor Roy Romer says he had no idea that challenger Bruce Benson would drop the bomb during their first debate last week about his two DUI arrests. If so, the shirt-sleeved Romer–whose jacket was off, if not his gloves–was sure quick with a comeback. After Benson concluded…
