The start of the legislative year provides a spirit of optimism, as we seek to bring solutions and ideas for the challenges and opportunities that our communities face. After speaking directly with many voters on the campaign trail and community leaders in recent weeks, I feel energized and hopeful about[Read More…]
Tag: Guest Column
Real men eat haggis
I used to have a bumper sticker that read “REAL MEN EAT HAGGIS.” It exemplified Scottish nationalism, swagger, and sarcastic humor. Scots have a unique celebration that features haggis and their national bard, Robert Burns, known affectionately as “Robbie.” Robbie Burns is accepted as their greatest poet and hero of[Read More…]
Guest Column: A deep consideration on self-care
Self-care is a term we hear around every corner these days, and have for years now. “Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker,” as defined by[Read More…]
Who is Buford named after?
Well, I gave you four choices last week: John Buford, Napoleon Bonaparte Buford, Abraham Buford II, and Buford T. Justice. If you are a Smokey and the Bandit movie fan, you quickly eliminated Sheriff Buford T. Justice played by Jackie Gleason. The other three names were all Civil War generals.[Read More…]
The ‘energy gap’ nobody wants to tussle with
Many Western states have declared they will achieve all-renewable electrical goals in just two decades. Call me naïve, but haven’t energy experts predicted that wind, sun and other alternative energy sources aren’t up to the job? Alice Jackson, former CEO of Xcel energy’s Colorado operation, was blunt at a renewable[Read More…]
Celebrating a new year
The Swedish Christmas is a long celebration. It starts Dec. 1 and ends on Jan. 13. I personally think it is a distraction to take their minds off their long winter. They are so far north; they get about four hours of sunlight in December. When it gets dark, I[Read More…]
Wildfire victims–one year later
As we turn the calendar to 2023, my emotions return to the Boulder/Marshall wildfire of Dec. 31, 2022, that destroyed 1000 homes in minutes. Living in western USA, we all know wildfire is a threat around the clock and even in urban areas. As victims of this fire face their[Read More…]
Guest Column: RED
I would like to tell you of my favorite color, RED. You may have a different color in mind. Maybe you chose that color based the clothes you look best in, or perhaps a color that reminds of you of a favorite flower. I would like you to take a[Read More…]
Guest Column: Thank you, voters
To the voters of Colorado’s 8th State Senate District: thank you. Last month, tens of thousands of voters across Central and Northwest Colorado filled out their ballots with our state’s future in mind, and I am honored to have earned your trust to serve as your next State Senator. Whether[Read More…]
Guest Column: TSA
This holiday season, you may be crisscrossing the country by air. Rules change constantly, so my wife Tracy checked the latest and greatest TSA rules for what we could pack. She was reading some of the more bizarre items to me. I thought they would make a good laugh at[Read More…]
Christmas movies
As you have gathered from some of my other stories, much of my life has been influenced by movies. Seen on either TV repeats, VHS tapes, or now the almost extinct DVD. Tracy and I have most of the Star Wars character lines memorized. An off-hand comment often triggers a[Read More…]
My ancestor invented the Christmas card in England!
OK, I am stretching the truth a bit. Joseph Cundall was my first cousin five times removed and he didn’t design the first card. But he did print the first commercial Christmas postcard for Sir Henry Cole in London in 1843. So, I am almost famous! Old Joe recognized the[Read More…]



