Three years ago, I began writing for the Gazette at the urging of its Guy, the publisher. I wrote my first column while on holiday in England. In the early morning hours, while my family slept off their jet lag, I quietly wrote at the dining table of our Airbnb. One particularly cold morning, I
Some time ago, my mother-in-law, Susan, found herself scrolling the online everything store in search of home décor. She landed on a set of wooden triangles painted to resemble snow-capped mountains. “Eighty bucks,” she said flatly. “It’s a few hunks of wood and some paint.” She promptly commissioned her woodworking son-in-law to replicate the product—at
Walk into Belfiore Italian on 38th Avenue, and you step into a time capsule. For 67 years, this shop has served as a cultural touchstone in Wheat Ridge; its walls steeped in the traditions of Italian-American heritage. Nothing symbolizes this history quite like the stark white, porcelain-enameled steel Deli Case, original from 1964. Gino Scarafiotti,
Balancing Aspirational Plans with Fiscal Reality In a unanimous vote of 8-0, the Wheat Ridge City Council Approved Resolution 432025 on September 8, 2025, officially adopting the Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan. This 179-page document is a 15-year roadmap for a community of 32,000 residents that has seen recent growth. While this growth has boosted city
For many, a trip to the vet is a cacophony of chaos. It begins with trying to stuff the family cat, which has suddenly developed the temperament of a cornered badger, into a plastic carrier. This is followed by a drive where the beloved pet voices its discontent, culminating in an invoice that could require
The internet has no shortage of get-rich-quick schemes. One of the most persistent plays on our fear of missing out: “If you’d invested a thousand bucks in Apple in 1984, today you’d be a millionaire!” It suggests wealth is just one lucky guess away. And yes, a few people have built fortunes through speculative investing—but
In the vibrant community of Wheat Ridge, Korey Stites is a familiar face. To many he is the City Council member. To others, a third generation entrepreneur. As I sit in Stylus & Crate sipping my black coffee at a table near the back, Korey arrives on time and is greeted at the counter. He
Natalie Naudus, an influencer with over 100,000 Instagram followers, recently recounted her family’s 6-day Disney World vacation. The price tag? $8,370. Her post ended with her daughter’s unexpected reaction: “I thought Disney would be cooler.” Which raises the question: could the same amount of money have created greater happiness elsewhere? Happiness, or “utility” as economists
The wildfires that tore through California have left scars on the land and reduced homes to ash. The haunting images and stories should resonate deeply with Coloradans—we, too, are no strangers to devastation. In 2020 alone, Colorado lost 348,925 acres to three massive wildfires: Cameron Peak, East Troublesome, and Pine Gulch. We now stand at
Efficiency is the prized yet elusive quest of any organization. Enter the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to The Independent, their job is to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Words like “dismantle” “slash” and “cut” are enough to make anyone clutch their office badge
Amazon recently aired the final episode of its automotive adventure show The Grand Tour. If you’ve never seen it (or its sister production Top Gear), the premise is simple: three British petrolheads (read:blithering idiots) embark on global escapades, tackling obscure missions in remote jungles, frozen rally tracks, and vast deserts—all while driving comically unsuitable vehicles.
In Ellsworth, Wisconsin, Jon Anderson teaches timber framing on his 30-acre estate. Woodworking nerds from around the country gather to learn the tips and tricks of this obscure craft. I am one of these nerds. For five days, our team of eight students, along with our instructor, worked together to transform 8″x 8″ hunks of
I step inside ‘Stylus & Crate’, located along West 38th Avenue and order a black cup of coffee. Owner Tadd Overstreet joined me a few minutes later with a gentle apology. “Sorry” he says as he takes a seat “the fire department was inspecting our suppression equipment today.” But my attention isn’t on his tardiness,
Our family recently went on vacation… and nothing spectacular happened. We didn’t complete any bucket list challenges and none of our photos made their way to social media. We sat on a beach, roasted a few marshmallows and watched lightning bugs illuminate Lake Huron. It’s an odd feeling to unplug from the modern world for
When I sat down to write this month’s editorial, I had this witty idea about how bands change overtime. The Dave Matthews band of the 1990s is not the same band you’ll see on tour today; That Journey needed to learn how to be a band without Steve Perry… I wanted to wax poetically about
I grew up in Detroit. Which is to say, I had two career paths. My grandfather would tell us, “you can either wear a white collar or blue.” From his Motorcity-minded logic, you could be a person who built cars, or the person managing those builders. One drove a truck, the other a Cadillac. Simple.
My first job in the professional world began with a role that involved ordering parts from local suppliers. Armed with a telephone and phone directory, my task was to call companies to negotiate favorable terms. For more intricate and involved projects, vendors were directed to submit formal proposals, using the “high tech” fax machine. Those
As the excitement of the New Year begins to fade, it can be challenging to remember why we dreamed up such lofty goals or even how we can remain committed to personal change. Statistically, one-third of Americans embark on resolutions, but only 8% successfully achieve them. If you find yourself within these statistics, the odds
In July 2021, Governor Polis signed House Bill 21-1162 into law. The Plastics Pollution Reduction Act began phasing out single use plastics on Jan. 1, 2023 by requiring retailers to charge 10 cents per plastic bag, with the goal of reducing pollutants in Colorado. While the law has certain exceptions for small and Colorado-based retailers
When a loved one is looking for work, it’s all hands on deck! We support them by proof-reading their resumes and improvising mock interviews. I recently went through these motions with a family friend. Her requirements for employment were reasonable enough. A certain wage, medical insurance and the ability to work remotely — but only
Navigating isolation, workload and self-care during the holidays Many think Stephen King’s “The Shining” is about a possessed hotel with sinister intentions. But for me, the story serves as a metaphor for the perils of isolation and Jack Torrance’s descent into madness. The challenges faced by the characters in the Overlook Hotel eerily parallel the
Digital Leadership Could Abraham Lincoln unite our divided country, much as he did the North and South all those years ago? I can imagine The Great Emancipator heralding “four score and seven years ago,” only to be interrupted… “Sorry Mr. President, you’re still on mute.” I like to think that people who are good leaders
In the not-so-distant past, working-from-home was a dream that meant independence from our office jobs. The pandemic brought reprieve from our 9-to-5 grind, and it was fashionable to exchange rush-hour commutes and bad Styrofoam coffee for Zoomullets (business-casual on top and rocking pajamas below). As months turned into years, the novelty wore off. The new
September is here! Which means college kids will not be returning to campus. Rather, they’ll be entering the business world for the first time. For some, they’ll be working remote, or some version of it. For others, their talents will be utilized in-person. If this is you, you’re not alone. Many companies are trying to
