Delta High School teachers, students lifted each other up

Earlier this year, Delta High School math teacher Renee Cronenberg needed treats for her son’s birthday, so senior Kaitlyn Suppes volunteered to bake dozens of Cookie Monster cupcakes. Although baking for a teacher’s child wasn’t required to graduate, it is the sort of thoughtful gesture Suppes spent years offering the high school’s faculty and students for no other reason than because she wanted to. “She has a special place in my heart,” said ...

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Meth ‘cook’ turns self in to GJ police

A 29-year-old suspected drug manufacturer, carrying a backpack full of ingredients to make methamphetamine, walked into the Grand Junction Police Department lobby Thursday to turn himself in. Saying he “needed help,” Andrew Nolen Masdon, 29, 555 Ute Ave., sat down with officers for nearly 30 minutes to talk in detail about where and how he manufactured meth because he “wanted to turn himself in,” according to Masdon’s arrest affidavit. Masdon told officers he ...

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Road trip: May 24-30

Here are some events coming to Colorado in the future. ■ Darius Rucker/Rodney Atkins/Jana Kramer — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 6. ■ The Joy Formidable — Fox Theatre, Boulder, June 7. ■ They Might Be Giants — Ogden Theatre, Denver, June 7. ■ Umphrey’s McGee — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 7. ■ Snowmass Mammoth Fest, featuring AWOLNATION, Return To The Dark Side of the Moon and more — Snowmass Village, ...

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Tasty details

Among Pattie Dravis’ most beloved cupcake flavors are chocolate cream cheese, margarita and a twist on fruit cake, so imagine the horror when the Redlands baker was challenged to bake with beets and apple pie. Well, the apple pie was fine, but Dravis hates beets and couldn’t bring herself to bake a beet cupcake. So she didn’t, and it may have cost her $10,000. Dravis, owner of Pattie’s Tiny Cakes, appeared on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” on ...

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Look deep into Black Canyon’s magnificence (and check the weather)

I had no idea what to expect at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but it’s fair to say I didn’t envision having to run three-quarters of a mile in a hailstorm to avoid being struck by lightning. I want to blame fellow features writer Rachel Sauer, but I can’t. We’re both at fault for assuming the clouds that followed us from Grand Junction to Warner Point were just fluff. But, for the record, Rachel was> driving. It gets better. We weren’t even ...

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Quick Picks: May 17

Saturday and Sunday, May 18–19 Brush up Take a free self-guided tour of artist studios in and around Grand Junction and learn more about art produced in the area during the annual Spring Open Studios Tour put on by Artspace & Open Studios. Go to artspacecolorado.org for a list of venues and a downloadable map. This tour includes stops at more than 15 studios and spaces of more than 200 local artists. The tour is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ...

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Road trip: May 17

Here are some events coming to Colorado. ■ Bombino — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 30. ■ The Postal Service — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 30. ■ Jerry Seinfeld — Buell Theatre, Denver, May 30. ■ Over the Rhine — The Wright Opera House, Ouray, May 31. ■ Bassnectar — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 31 to June 1. ■ Denver Comic Con — Colorado Convention Center, May 31 to June 2. ■ 40 Oz To Freedom: ...

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Junction cupcake baker makes TV debut

One local baker introduces her command of all things cupcake to a national audience on an upcoming episode of “Cupcake Wars.” Pattie Dravis, owner of Pattie’s Tiny Cakes, will appear on the Food Network show at 6 p.m. Sunday in an episode entitled “Cosmic Cupcakes.” “I like the show and thought ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I got on that?’ ” Dravis said. “I just wanted everybody to taste my cupcakes.” Her husband, Ken, ...

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Quick Picks: May 10-16

Tuesday, May 14 Book ends This is the release date for author Rick Atkinson’s conclusion to his Liberation Trilogy about the Allies triumph during World War II. “The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe 1944–1945” is about the Allies victories in Western Europe. The previous two books chronicled the American-led coalition’s fights in North Africa and Italy. Tuesday, May 14 Lordy, forty The highly anticipated new album from country icon George ...

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Road Trip: May 10-16

Here are some events coming to Colorado in the future. ■ Logic — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 23. ■ Tommy Malone Band — PAC3, Carbondale, May 24. ■ Downtown Denver Arts Festival — Denver Performing Arts Center, Denver, May 24–26. ■ Jet Edison — Larimer Lounge, Denver, May 25. ■ Cory Gunz — Aggie Theater, Fort Collins, May 25. ■ Gunnison Growler Weekend, featuring mountain biking and trail running events — ...

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Keys to City project unlocks musical curiosity

Four upright pianos are on Main Street. Find them, and you can play to your heart’s content; no strings attached. Except, of course, for the strings attached to the piano. The Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra has created the first Keys to the City: Street Piano Project in downtown Grand Junction, where people of all ages can channel their inner musician regardless of age or talent. The idea from symphony Executive Director Kelly Anderson is modeled after similar projects in some of ...

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Western or romance, it’s for sale

Upwards of 20,000 used books, DVDs, VHS tapes and CDs go on sale this month as part of the annual Friends of the Mesa County Libraries spring sale. On Friday, four volunteers sorted through titles and shuffled boxes of books around the cramped donation room at First Congregational Church, 1425 N. Fifth St., making sure each book was in the right category for the sale. Look, a cowboy on the cover. That must be a Western. “Well, that could be a romance, too,” volunteer Claudia ...

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City of Grand Junction flushing hydrants

For approximately the next two weeks, city residents may notice discolored water, low water pressure and increased water in streets and gutters, as the city of Grand Junction conducts its annual spring hydrant flushing program. The program has been done annually since the 1993 discovery of a harmless bacterial biofilm in the city’s water system, according to a news release from the city. No biofilm has been found since, and the city attributes that to this hydrant flushing ...

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Bees

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Art Center largest fine art auction of year tonight

The Art Center’s largest and most important fundraiser of the year, the US Bank Fine Art Auction, is tonight. The silent auction is 5-7 p.m., and the live auction begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at The Art Center, 1803 N. 7th St. The date was wrong in today’s Out & About.  ...

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The Art Center’s main fundraiser features numerous items

It is time for the largest and most important fundraising event of The Art Center’s year: the US Bank Fine Art Auction. The auction begins at 5 p.m. Friday, May 3, with a reception, preview and silent auction (with fine art and other items) at The Art Center, 1803 N. Seventh St. The live auction will begin at 7 p.m. Among the artists featured this year are landscape painter Dan Young, plein air watercolorist Buffalo Kaplinski and Western Colorado clay artist Sara Ransford. For the ...

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Quick Picks: May 3-9

Saturday, May 4 Time to celebrate Celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day early. The first option is 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Lincoln Park. Live entertainment begins at 11 a.m. with activities all day, including the La Mexicana Ballet Folklorico Dance Group at 1 p.m. and a car show at 3 p.m. An evening dance in the Lincoln Park Barn begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $15 at the door. Another Cinco de Mayo celebration is the 33rd annual Downtown Celebration from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the 500–600 ...

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Same-sex couples celebrate first day of legal civil unions

Tears streamed down Jerry R. Ditter’s face and formed deep pools of happiness in Nicholas L. Walker’s eyes. For the past 10 years, the men have longed for the day when their partnership would be legal. And that day arrived Wednesday, when the rights of gay and lesbian couples were recognized for the first time in Colorado through civil unions. Ditter, 41, a Colorado Mesa University theater professor, and Walker, 29, a commercial photographer and Sprouts employee, were the ...

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Art vision for vets

Wendy Hoffman thinks Grand Junction needs an art gallery and studio exclusively for veterans and their families, and she has found just the place to fill that need. Hoffman, an ardent supporter of the military through her years with Grand Valley Blue Star Mothers, created the nonprofit Operation Revamp Inc. in 2010 to bring a physical studio and gallery to Grand Junction. Now, after three years of saving money to buy a place and art supplies, Hoffman will open the Veterans Art Center, 307 ...

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Road Trip: May 3-9

Here are some events coming to Colorado and Utah in the future. ■ Imagine Dragons — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 16. ■ Black Moth Super Rainbow — Bluebird Theater, Denver, May 17. ■ Tech N9ne — Belly Up, Aspen, May 17. ■ Fortunate Youth — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 17. ■ Colorado Symphony presents: “Rhapsody In Blue” — Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver, May 18. ■ Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitian — ...

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Woman finds guns, drugs in spud patch

Joanne Albertson just wanted to plant some potatoes this week. She came across a lot more than dirt when she began digging in her garden at her Loma home: a cooler containing two loaded guns and $50,000 worth of cocaine. The 61-year-old woman, who lives on 14 Road, called the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to report she possibly found “a firearm wrapped in tape and plastic” inside a blue and white cylindrical cooler in her garden, according to ...

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‘Wild Things,’ 9 other films to be part of festival

Ten movies focused on the environment, including the feature film “Wild Things” about the importance of native carnivores to ecosystems, will be screened at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. This is the fifth year for this film festival in Grand Junction that is put on by the Western Colorado Congress. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the films will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Avalon Theatre, 645 Main St. Advance tickets cost $10 and are available at Whitewater West, ...

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Quick Picks: Fruita art, Palisade dogs, CMU dance

Friday, April 26 TGI(Fruita Fourth)F Tour 13 businesses in downtown Fruita as part of the Fruita Fourth Friday from 5–9 p.m. as musicians, artists, fashion designers and an author will show off their talents. Among the businesses participating are restaurants, galleries, music venues and a clothing store. Friday and Saturday, April 26–27 Dance in concert Colorado Mesa University’s dance students will present their largest spring show and final large-scale dance ...

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Jazz with benefits

Meet Josh Anders. He plays trumpet in the Palisade High School jazz band, and three years ago, determined to support District 51 instrumental music, organized an event essentially on his own to raise money for the programs. He was an eighth-grader at Mount Garfield Middle School at the time. “He just felt like he wanted to do something to ensure music was as viable in our schools for as long as he could,” said Scott Davis, band director at Mount Garfield Middle School. Anders ...

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Road Trip: April 26-May 2

Here are some events coming to Colorado: ■ Zac Brown Band — Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 8–19. ■ The Egg & Sophie Barker — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 9. ■ Dead Floyd — Aggie Theatre, Fort Collins, May 10. ■ Jes Grew — PAC3, Carbondale, May 10. ■ The Black Angels — Boulder Theater, Boulder, May 10. ■ James and the Devil — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 10. ■ RL Grime — Larimer Lounge, ...

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‘But it’s so worth it’ really isn’t at times

Colorado is beautiful. I get it. Of all the reasons I moved here more than a decade ago, the scenery and recreational opportunities are numbers 1 through 10. When I post Facebook photo albums from my adventures, my Midwestern friends and family consistently post comments about how fantastic it must be to live here. But — here is where I likely will offend untold numbers of people — at what point am I allowed to kick in the shins the next person who tells me all the pain or ...

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Quick Picks: Cocktails and Cookie Creations; MOG Outdoor Fest; band event

Friday, April 19 Better than brownies Girl Scout cookies are the key ingredients for some of the area’s top chefs at this year’s Cocktails and Cookie Creations fundraiser for the Girl Scouts. Each of the chefs will turn an iconic Girl Scout cookie into a tasty appetizer to be served with wine, beer and Peach Street Distillery cocktails from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Two Rivers Winery and Chateau, 2087 Broadway. There will be a live entertainment from Miss Emily and a silent ...

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Bomb suspect cornered in neighborhood

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GJ man arrested in damage to cruiser

A 33-year-old Grand Junction man suspected of sideswiping a Grand Junction Police Department patrol car in an orange PT Cruiser Wednesday was arrested Thursday after a tip led officers to the car. Karl Carothers was arrested on suspicion of attempted second-degree assault, vehicular eluding, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident after he was spotted in an alley behind a home where the car was parked in the 800 block of Elm Avenue, the Police Department said in a news ...

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Art as experiment: Local artist’s project combines more than 130 paintings into one

This project is titled “Painting the Piece.” It was a serendipitous idea from local artist Dave Davis that morphed into one of the grandest experiments of his life. “This is not about art,” Davis said. “The real sense of this is how it reflects on real life.” For the past several years, Davis has housed a canvas in his Clifton studio where people of all ages come to paint whatever they want for no other reason than because they can. Davis even provides ...

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Celebrate Record Store Day at Triple Play Records

Triple Play Records and just outside its doors on Main Street will be the site of a daylong party to celebrate independent record stores and the international music scene. The local Record Store Day events will go from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Triple Play Records, 530 Main St. As part of the national event for independently owned record stores, Triple Play will treat everyone to live music from local bands, a sidewalk vinyl sale and promotional giveaways such as mixed CDs ...

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Road Trip: What’s going on May 2–8

Here are some events coming to Colorado. ■ Katchafire — Belly Up, Aspen, May 2. ■ Grant Farm — Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 2. ■ Stanley Film Festival of independent horror films — Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, May 2–5. ■ Flobots — Aggie Theater, Fort Collins, May 3. ■ John Prine — Paramount Theatre, Denver, May 3. ■ Papadosio — Bluebird Theater, Denver, May 3–4. ■ SOJA — Ogden Theatre, Denver, ...

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Hotchkiss students recycle bulldog mascot to win Aspen art competition

Five Hotchkiss High School students found a way to combine art, money and school pride. Sophomores Wesley Hardin, Brendon Beck and Alex Smith, along with freshmen James Le-
Valley and Jaden Simpson, teamed up to sculpt a bulldog — the school mascot ­— as part of an Aspen art gallery’s competition to use recycled or reused materials. The boys took first place — and $600 — in the Red Brick Center for the Arts competition by using old chicken wire to ...

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ShareFest spreads help for 6th year

Ellie Phipps Oliver used to be a ShareFest volunteer, helping locals rake and clean up trash. This year, nearly two years after a drunk driver crashed into her vehicle at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Seventh Street, Phipps Oliver was the one needing help. “It’s humbling,” the Redlands woman said Sunday morning, while wearing her Thoraco-Lumbo-Sacral Orthosis blue brace. Now in its sixth year locally, ShareFest is a weekend set aside for volunteers from dozens of ...

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Canyon construction zone claims three lives

Three western Coloradans were killed when the vehicle they were in collided with a semitrailer early Sunday morning in Glenwood Canyon about 13 miles east of Glenwood Springs. Brianda Zavala, 17, of Glenwood Springs, Jennifer Nevarez, 16, of Carbondale, and Albino Ortiz-Monge, 24, of Gypsum, died when the 2006 Audi car that Zavala was driving collided head-on with a semitrailer driven by Aurora’s Peter Zhuchok, 54, the Colorado State Patrol said in a news release. Zhuchok was ...

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Surfer says he’s an open book for audiences

West Coast surfing legend Frosty Hesson has given up the water for a monthlong tour of the Southwest to promote his book “Making Mavericks: The Memoir of a Surfing Legend.” Hesson will be in Grand Junction for a book signing and discussion from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2451 Patterson Road. His book with writer Ian Spiegelman was the inspiration for a 2012 movie “Chasing Mavericks,” starring Gerard Butler. Hesson said he’s been ...

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In the spirit 
of cleaning!

Some say robins or budding trees signal spring’s arrival. In Grand Junction, however, it could be argued spring hasn’t truly arrived until every city street is lined with garbage. Starting Monday and continuing through April 26, nearly 50 city crew members will spend their days hauling off load after load of garbage during the city’s annual Spring Clean-up program. Darren Starr, manager of streets, solid waste and storm water, has overseen the program for the past five ...

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Quick Picks: Piano, bees and poetry

Friday and Saturday, April 12–13 Keys to success For two days, 88 keys will rule Colorado Mesa University during the Festival for Creative Pianists. During the day, students will perform and compete for prizes. These adjudications are free and open to the public and will take place in the Recital hall of the Moss Performing Arts Center, 1231 N. 12th St. The festival also offers two concerts: The Judges and Director Recital concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, in the ...

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041213oaMelindaPromDress

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RoadTrip, April 12

Here are some events coming to Colorado and Utah in the future. ■ Face to Face — The Depot, Salt Lake City, April 25. ■ Bonobo — Fox Theatre, Boulder, April 25. ■ KING — Bluebird Theater, Denver, April 25. ■ Dave Mason — Belly Up, Aspen, April 26. ■ Micky & The Motorcars with The Dam Quails — Grizzly Rose, Denver, April 26. ■ Head for the Hills — Bluebird Theater, Denver, April 26–27. ■ Colorado ...

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Quick Picks: dance, sing, play

Saturday, April 6 Cha cha As ABC is in the middle of its newest season of “Dancing With the Stars,” check out local dancing stars at La Puerta Dance Studio’s dance showcase from 7–10 p.m. at the studio, 523 1/2 Main St., Suite A. Tickets cost $18 at the door or $15 in advance. The showcase features ballroom dance performances from La Puerta instructors and students. There also will be open dancing. Advanced tickets can be purchased at 712-2552 or at the ...

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We laughed. We argued. 
But ‘The Notebook’ wins Chick Flick Madness

We’re done! Thanks to everyone who participated in our Chick Flick March Madness bracket challenge. Grand Junction’s Barbara Lekowicz was the winner of a movie-themed gift basket from Seasons to Follow and $50 in movie theater gift cards from us. However, fellow features writer Rachel Sauer and I think we all won because we got to talk about chick flicks for a month. Rachel and I received more than 230 brackets from readers in Mesa, Garfield, Delta and Montrose counties, plus ...

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Road Trip: April 5-11

Here are some events coming to Colorado and Utah in the future. ■ The Soul Rebels — Belly Up, Aspen, April 18. ■ Sage Francis — Fox Theatre, Boulder, April 18. ■ Method Man & Redman — Aggie Theater, Fort Collins, April 18. ■ Lucero — Bluebird Theater, Denver, April 18–20. ■ Danzig — Ogden Theatre, Denver, April 19. ■ Machine Gun Kelly — The Depot, Salt Lake City, April 19. ■ Microbreweries For the ...

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Chick flicks seeding committee gets little love

Let’s talk seeds. Not garden seeds. March Madness seeds. Considering fellow features writer Rachel Sauer and I modeled our Chick Flick March Madness bracket after the popular NCAA Men’s Tournament bracket, it only made sense to select movies and seed them in a similar way. Movies we thought would be most popular were given the highest seeds, and movies we considered weaker were given lower seeds. For example, we figured a lot of people would love “Sound of Music,” ...

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Quick Picks: Prom, Easter and a RV show

Saturday, March 30 Back to prom Bad memories from your high school prom? Create new ones during Big Kid Prom from 2–8 p.m. at Sabrosa Restaurante, 122 S. Fifth St. Admission cost $15 per person or $20 for couples at the door. This is a fundraiser for the nonprofit Sustainable Roots. Go to Sustainable Roots’ Facebook page to nominate and vote for prom king and queen. Prizes will be given out. Sunday, March 31 Oratorio for Easter   Happy Easter! Celebrate with the ...

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Eat, play, club

Candles illuminated the space. Jazz music created the scene. Patrons drank gin gimlets and highball cocktails as the vacant second floor of a downtown Fair Building turned into a 1920s speakeasy. The small, invitation-only February party was the first of many parties to come from the West Slope Supper Club. The club is the vision of Josh Niernberg, owner/executive chef of Bin 707 Foodbar, his wife, Jodi Niernberg of CO Real Estate Professionals LLC, and Robin Brown, event planner with ...

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Road Trip: March 29-April 4

Here are some shows or events coming to Colorado. ■ Queensryche — Paramount Theatre, Denver, April 11. ■ Now, Now/The Lonely Forest — Larimer Lounge, Denver, April 11. ■ Soul Asylum — Belly Up, Aspen, April 12. ■ Jeff Austin — Fox Theatre, Boulder, April 12. ■ Harddrive Live Tour: Bullet For My Valentine, Halestorm & Young Guns — The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, April 12. ■ Drive-By Truckers — Boulder Theater, ...

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Chick flick bracket offers lots of surprises

Dear readers, Seriously, we cherish you. Sincerely, Melinda Mawdsley and Rachel Sauer It’s time for the contenders to separate themselves from the pretenders. It’s Round 2 time. However, you, the readers, aren’t ready to definitively proclaim one contender over any other in our Chick Flick March Madness bracket challenge. Rachel and I chalk that up as proof people are attached to their favorite chick flicks. It doesn’t matter what critics, or siblings, say. ...

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Music Q&A: Del McCoury

Del McCoury is bluegrass. Although he isn’t credited with inventing the genre, McCoury, 74, is considered bluegrass royalty, having performed for more than 50 years. “If there’s a king of bluegrass, his name is Del,” said Grammy-Award winning musician Sam Bush, himself among the finest bluegrass musicians in the country and a frequent performer at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Bush’s thoughts on McCoury were part of a YouTube video posted in January as ...

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Quick Picks: Craft beer; Edesia; Sweet Adelines

Sunday, March 24 Cheers! Craft beer enthusiasts will want to check out an event from 2–6 p.m. at Kannah Creek Brewing Co., 1960 N. 12th St., to benefit the Colorado Brewer’s Guild. Fifteen Western Slope brewers will pour speciality brews at the event to highlight the state’s craft brewing industry. Cost is $10. Breweries set to be in attendance: Kannah Creek Brewing Co., Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery, Palisade Brewing Co., Copper Club Brewing Co., Colorado Boy Pub ...

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